By: Gillian Manning | From: MoneyTalksNews
March and April are historically dangerous months for your travel budget. Airlines and hotels, anticipating the rush, artificially inflate prices in hotspots like Orlando, Cancun and Phoenix. If you follow the herds, you pay a premium to stand in line behind college students on spring break.
The smart financial move is to pivot— shifting your gaze just a few degrees away from the primary tourist hubs to other gems. These destinations are currently in their “shoulder season,” offering the same weather and culture as their more expensive neighbors but with significantly lower price tags and a more sophisticated atmosphere.
Here are five destinations where luxury is currently selling at a discount.
2. San Antonio, Texas
An alternative to: Austin, Texas.
Austin in March is financially treacherous due to South by Southwest (SXSW), a massive festival that causes hotel prices to triple or quadruple. Just 80 miles south, San Antonio remains affordable and relatively calm. While Austin deals with gridlock, San Antonio offers a walkable, European-style city center centered around the famous River Walk and the UNESCO World Heritage missions.
- Why it’s a deal: You completely sidestep the “festival tax” that hits the rest of the region. Luxury hotels near the Pearl District often run hundreds of dollars less per night than comparable properties in Austin during festival season.
- The perk: The Pearl District. This former brewery complex has been transformed into a high-end culinary destination with a Hotel Emma anchor, incredible steakhouses, and a complete absence of rowdy nightlife.