Some unlikely holiday destinations, like Las Vegas, offer travel bargains

(CNN) -- Want to escape the crowds during the holidays? Then go to the places the crowds have left behind. The holiday season is a good time to visit theme parks and destinations such as national parks that are packed at other times of the year.

"The period now, in November and early December, is an ideal time to visit any of the parks because the crowds are just not there," said Graeme Clarke, a spokesman for AAA.

Want to take you kids for some Disney-style fun? Lodging in the Orlando and Anaheim areas is likely to be more affordable.

Early December also is the season for good deals -- as well as good golfing -- in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It's also a good time to find travel bargains to business destinations like Atlanta, Las Vegas and Chicago.

"Conventions and business travel don't take place during the holidays," said Chris McGinnis, a business travel consultant for CNN.

One exception is New York City. "That's because there are a lot of conventions in town during that time, and everyone wants to go to New York to go shopping," McGinnis said.

If you would like to escape crowds altogether, try an outdoor getaway.

The National Park Service said only 4 percent of all the people who visit parks each year go to them in December. But you should call ahead to make sure some facilities aren't closed.

Based on a report from CNN's Business and Travel and Beyond. The segment appears weekdays on Early Edition at 7 AM (ET) and on Morning News at 10 AM (ET).