Travelers enjoy hot fun, savings in summertime

The sound of crashing surf greets sojourners to the islands of Hawaii

By Thurston Hatcher
CNN

(CNN) -- As the mercury rises, American travelers tend to turn to the North, the West and Europe for summertime relief.

But if they're willing to check out hotter locales in North America and the Caribbean, tourists might just be rewarded with some considerable off-season bargains.

The climate, of course, can get pretty stifling in places like Florida and Arizona. But it might just be worth sweating things a bit. Not only are hotel rates and airfares more appealing, but travelers are likely to encounter smaller crowds and snag a little more elbow room for themselves.

"If price does matter to you and maybe you want to go at a time when there are less people to contend with as far as tourists go, you may well want to consider going at low season," said Steven Loucks, a spokesman for Carlson Wagonlit Travel.

Florida thrift

GALLERY Hot Destinations   Related Resources Carlson Wagonlit Travel Ocean Club, Paradise Island Wyndham Hotels: The Boulders Disney's Grand Floridian Resort Fontainebleau Hilton Resort

At Disney World's upscale Grand Floridian Resort, a room that goes for $414 during so-called peak season from mid-February to April 28 drops to $314 during its value season, which includes the period from July 4 to September 26.

At the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort, a room with two double beds that would cost $320 in February drops to $209 per night in July and August. A standard room at the Courtyard Lake Buena Vista drops from $159 in February to $109 in July.

The same holds true down the turnpike in South Florida, where a standard room at the famed Fontainebleau Hilton on Miami Beach falls from $279 in February to $179 in July.

"Miami used to be known as a place that was dead in the summer and the only reason to come here was because there were a lot of hotel deals," said Jeanne Sullivan, a spokeswoman for the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Now not only is it still a value in terms of hotel deals, but there's also a lot to see and do, so you have the best of both worlds."

Hot fun

On Florida's west coast, in the Tampa Bay area, several hotels and attractions are teaming up to offer a variety of summer packages.

The Culture Cravers Getaway, which starts at $194 per couple, covers two nights in a local hotel and admission to several local museums, including the Tampa Museum of Art, the Salvador Dali Museum and the Ybor City State Museum.

For the more outdoors-inclined, the Animal Lovers Getaway includes admission to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and its new Rhino Rally, the Florida Aquarium, Discover Wildlife on Easy Street, and a two-hour canoe trip. A three-night outing starts at $379.

"I think a lot of people would tell you it's not a bad time of year to be in the area," said Vicki Isley of the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Cross the border

Mexico is another destination where travelers might luck into lower prices, although the crowds aren't as likely to thin out that much.

That's because some popular spots like Cancun, on the Yucatan peninsula, aren't all that much hotter in the summertime. From January to March, average temperatures range from a low of 68 to a high of 86, while from July to September they range from 75 to 91.

"It's still considered low compared to February and March, which is when you get more people flying in from the North," said Ron Greenspan of GoCancun, the Web site for the Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Summer becomes a time for students and people who want just a less expensive vacation."

If the Caribbean is what you've got in mind, this may be a fine time to hit the open seas, Loucks said.

"If you want to find a great deal on a Caribbean cruise right now, the best time to go is during the summertime," he said.

Resorts offer less expensive rates, too. At the upscale Ocean Club on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, the Garden View room that costs $635 a night from February through May drops to $400 from May 29 to December 20.

Go west

Arizona's another steamy destination where travelers can stretch their dollars a little further. Just remember, it's dry heat.

"In a place like Phoenix you'll find there are some really amazing resorts that have some amazing prices, simply because it's not the first choice of a lot of people to go during the summertime," Loucks said.

At the Boulders resort near Phoenix, Arizona, a four-night Gold Medal Golf package that costs $2,830 from mid-January through April drops to $1,057 from mid-June to early September.

Hawaii's another spot with some surprisingly good deals at the moment, Loucks said.

"One of the destinations that we've seen some really good pricing for summertime is Hawaii," he said.

But that may have less to do with the season than with the economy in Japan, a big tourist market for Hawaii.

"It's been incumbent upon Hawaiian resorts to work to draw mainland tourists back again," Loucks said.

Not all sunny summer spots will necessarily translate into big seasonal deals. Loucks said Las Vegas, Nevada, where the main draw is gambling and entertainment in indoor, air-conditioned comfort, manages to draw hordes of visitors year-round.

"We're finding it does not make all that much of a difference," Loucks said. "People want to go to experience the gambling in Las Vegas regardless of the time of year."

Back to top