8 U.S. Destinations to Enjoy in the Off-Season

Traveling in the off-season can be exhilarating. It can mean avoiding crowds — and getting better vacation photos — around hot spots. It can also get you more attentive service at restaurants and free admission days to museums and attractions.

When booking an off-season stay, you can avail yourself of hotels discounts, get upgraded to premium accommodations and often avoid the minimum-night booking requirements of peak season. Plus, you can help support the local economy and avoid overtourism.

Check out these off-season destinations in the U.S. that offer mild weather and vibrant seasonal beauty through low and shoulder seasons, along with plenty of festivals, outdoor activities and chances to immerse yourself in the local culture.

As always, check for travel guidelines and closures before planning your trip.

December – February

Savannah, Georgia 

Photo credit: Getty Images

Savannah’s cobblestone streets lined with Spanish-moss-covered live oaks appear even more romantic in the wintertime. As you’re touring the city, pay attention to the unique antebellum architecture. In December, you can take a holiday home tour to get a better look inside many of these abodes.

During the winter months, you can celebrate Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day with holiday parades, arts and crafts vendors, live musical performances and festively decorated streets around the waterfront River Street, filled with shops, restaurants and nightlife.

A day of sightseeing will leave you ready for a recharge. Head to JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District, a former power plant converted into a luxury hotel. With a life-size, chrome-covered dinosaur replica, geodes and fossils in the lobby, the eclectic decor will make you feel like you’re spending a night at a museum. Book a modern, river-view room — sipping a cup of coffee and peering out at the water seems like the perfect way to start the day. 

Ithaca, New York 

Visiting Ithaca during the off-season will allow you to fully savor fine art and artisan markets, as well as annual community events like the Ice and Lights Festival, International Rutabaga Curl and Comfort Food Cook-Off.

For outdoor activities, there is hiking, cross-country skiing, ice-skating at the Cass Park Ice Rink and extraordinary sledding with views of Cayuga Lake on Rice Hill.

If you prefer the indoors, wander through the six-story Johnson Museum of Art and soak in a 360-degree view of the city and Cayuga Lake from the top floor. For spiritual seekers, the Dalai Lama Library and Learning Center is the only place in the world that houses all the writings of the current and all former Dalai Lamas.

Make the cozy, pet-friendly Ithaca Marriott Downtown on the Commons your home base to explore downtown. Walk to independently owned shops, bookstores and eclectic restaurants, or take a quick scenic drive to wineries and breweries around the Finger Lakes.

March – May 

Half Moon Bay, California

Late spring is a great time to rejuvenate all of your senses in this coastal California destination. A slight chill and bright sunshine are ideal for a beach walk, picnic or horseback ride at Half Moon Bay State Beach.

It’s also the best time to see delightful wildflowers like poppies, lupins and daises bloom along the San Francisco Peninsula, including around the Pigeon Point Lighthouse, Montara Mountain and Cowell Ranch Beach.

Stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, located on a scenic bluff overlooking the ocean with access to Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail. Treat yourself to some pampering at the expansive on-site spa or venture out along the coast and up into Napa Valley to sample the region’s top wineries.

Maui, Hawaii

With a view of the Pacific Ocean set against volcanic mountains, Maui, Hawaii, is idyllic any time of year. The shoulder seasons of spring and fall can be slightly less expensive to visit while still offering no shortage of experiences. In the spring, the waters are usually calm and warm enough to snorkel with turtles or kayak and paddleboard along the coastline.

In southern Maui, the Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, Maui spans 22 acres and features an onsite movie theater, a recreation lounge with vintage arcade games, and four pools, including one with Hawaii’s longest resort waterslide. Notably, the resort offers opportunities for guests to immerse themselves in Hawaiian culture, with Te Au Moana Luau, Hawaiian outrigger canoeing, lei making and ukulele lessons.

Any time of year is good for supporting community initiatives and volunteering with the Maui Humane Society or Ka’ehu.

June – August 

Aspen, Colorado 

Head to Aspen when snowy slopes are replaced by wildflower meadows and Colorado summer adventures involve zip lines, mountain bikes and hiking boots. Mild temperatures and long daylight hours make for a spectacular day hike to the picturesque Maroon Bells and a ride on the gondolas for bird’s-eye views of the valley.

With festivals that range from food and beer to hot-air ballooning and live music, you will find plenty in the area to fuel your diverse interests. Just avoid holiday weekends so you can enjoy fewer crowds.

Soak in 360-degree views of the Rocky Mountains from the rooftop of the sleek yet playfully designed W Aspen, where you’ll find a range of accommodations from rooms with stacked Queen bunk beds to Extreme Wow Suites with whirlpools and fireplaces.

September – November 

Park City, Utah

Winter is the high season for Park City, primarily due to visitors who head to Deer Valley Resort for snow sports. But Deer Valley offers year-round adventures, such as mountain biking, fly-fishing, biking, horseback riding and golfing, so you can always get your adrenaline kicking.

The seasonal possibilities are endless with a fall visit — hike through vibrant yellow and gold foliage, taste local brews at the Deer Valley Mountain Beer Festival or delight in a hayride, visit a haunted house and cozy up by the fire with a bowl of Southwestern turkey chili.

Get a front-row seat to the beauty of the Wasatch Mountains with a stay at The St. Regis Deer Valley. With five food and drink establishments, including an intimate wine vault, and the impressive St. Regis Spa, you may not want to leave the luxurious resort.

But if you do decide to explore, there are dozens of restaurants, craft breweries and the famous Utah Olympic Park, all within a short drive of the resort. 

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe gets jam-packed in the summer, but if you visit in the shoulder season, you can enjoy all the small city has to offer without the throngs of tourists, artists and motorcyclists. In the fall, take peaceful walks around the beautifully illuminated Santa Fe Plaza or along the historic Eastside neighborhood’s Canyon Road, home to more than 100 galleries.

Minutes from the city, drive through scenic aspen forests glowing with brilliant autumn leaves. And once the snowfall begins, get on the slopes for skiing in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Steps away from downtown Santa Fe, La Posada de Santa Fe, a Tribute Portfolio Resort & Spa offers easy access to The Loretto Chapel, The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum and New Mexico Museum of Art.

Explore the cultural landmarks and the vibrant heart of the city, and return to your adobe hotel to cozy up by your room’s fireplace. There’s also a full-service spa, a heated outdoor pool and gourmet on-site dining options to round out your off-season getaway.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts 

Nothing says “fall on Cape Cod” like the brilliant reds against the autumn landscape seen during the annual cranberry harvest between September and November. Take a guided tour of a cranberry bog; shop for fresh Massachusetts cranberries, jams and preserves; and taste seasonal menus and specialty cocktails featuring cranberries.

Some businesses shut down for the season after Labor Day, but you’ll still find plenty of quintessential activities and places to eat in the fall. Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Cape Cod Hyannis offers convenient access to Main Street, whale watching, beaches and shopping at the Cape Cod Mall.

Nearby, feast on New England seafood staples like clam chowder, fried clams and lobster rolls at the waterfront clam shacks before they close for the winter. 

This article originally appeared in Marriott Bonvoy Traveler.