THE ALLURE OF SHOULDER SEASON TRAVEL

SHOULDER season can be a great time for a vacation.

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Usually defined as the travel period between the peak summer and low winter seasons, shoulder season typically brings with it thinner crowds and lower prices for flights and accommodations compared with the most indemand times in popular locations.

Shoulder season travel has grown in popularity in recent years, especially as vacationers try to avoid increasingly hot summers. Seventyeight percent of travel advisers say clients are opting for shoulder season or off-peak travel, while 76 percent say they now favor destinations with more moderate weather, according to a report from travel advising network Virtuoso. So if you're an experienced shoulder season traveler, you might see more crowds than you're used to. Still, airfares, hotels and car rentals are reliably less costly than they are during peak periods in most destinations.

Generally, certain portions of autumn and spring are in shoulder season, providing the best combination of decent weather and off-peak pricing. Flight prices typically drop by about 30% in the fall compared with summer, says Hayley Berg, lead economist for Hopper, a travelbooking app that helps users find deals on flights, hotels, rental cars and vacation rentals. (There's a similar dip in price during the January and February low season.) You'll also usually see falling prices for flights and hotels following spring break and Easter, typically beginning in late April or early May, depending on when Easter falls, and lasting until June, says Berg.