Many of you will travel during the next few months, most to destinations warmer than home. There is nothing a Canadian loves more than sunshine and warmth during our otherwise bleak, gray and cold winter months. I wholeheartedly agree!
However, as travel makes a resurgence after the pandemic it becomes harder to find a destination in Europe, or in North America for that matter, that is not overly crowded and increasingly more expensive during the high season. If you are a fan of winter sports than this article is not for you. Instead this is our discussion on whether or not you should consider traveling during the far off season of the winter months. We are currently in New Orleans in the weeks leading up to Mardi Gras and during a very rare week long cold snap. It is not what we had hoped for, but it has promoted further discussion about winter travel.
PROS
Despite it being part of the Mardi Gras season the cold weather has kept many travelers away. It has not however shut down the companies that offer services for tourists, especially since tourism is essential to their economy since Hurricane Katrina. Walking and bus tours are still been operating, just at lower capacity. This has resulted in more intimate, personal experiences with our guides. We had a chance to ask so many questions, to individualize our tour and to get to know our fellow travelers better. Our guide Jay noted that it is easier for him to introduce a smaller group to his favourite places, like Miss Loretta’s for fresh made sweet and savoury biegnets!
Our hotel was significantly cheaper this time of the year than the same room would have been in the spring, fall or summer. The excursions and restaurants were the same prices but again, less capacity resulted in much better service.
It is important to have appropriate clothing for the colder weather, and as Canadians we are used to experiencing all four seasons in one day at home. We came prepared for everything from very cold to very warm. It settled around early spring-like weather for us – above freezing but not by much. We wore layers, brought our rain gear along with toques and mittens. It was much easier spending the day sight seeing when we were comfortable being outdoors.
CONS
Weather has an adverse effect on being able to travel. We talked to a number of folks whose flights were delayed or canceled which resulted in a shorter time at their destination. Driving, which we did, was another concern. The southern states are not really prepared for ice and snow like we are in the north. There was no sand or salt on many roads and very little plowing. We were better off since we had snow tires, which many others did not. Our biggest concern was those drivers losing control on roads they were not equipped to navigate. Luckily once the temperatures reach above freezing the roads cleared quickly.
Some experiences may not be open or have shortened hours. In the worst of the winter storm that week many shops and restaurants were closed due to a lack of staff being able to get in. This was a direct result of the hazardous driving conditions.
Lastly it does gets dark early in the southern states, shortening the days for sight seeing. We did not take advantage of much of the night life as a result, not that we ever really do.
Our next experiment will be to travel in Europe in the winter and compare the results. This may be the perfect way to work around the only two things we do not like about travel – the heat and the crowds.