10 Best Off-Season Beach Bargains

Bahamas

The Bahamas Tourism Board is offering up to $400 in flight credit for travel from April 15 through October 31. We've seen this offer before—the popular discount has been revived quite a few times over the seasons—and it provides an easy way to knock several hundred dollars off the cost of your airfare.

Additionally, the tourism board for the Out Islands of the Bahamas (the Bahamas' smaller, less-traveled islands, including Cat Island, Eleuthera, and Exuma, among others), is running a promotion that features free airfare for two people from Nassau to the Out Islands through October. This deal is perfect for travelers seeking a quieter, less-crowded beach experience. You won't find high-rise hotels or bustling cruise ports, but you will find secret cays, pink sand, and spectacularly clear waters.

Jamaica

Like so many places in the Caribbean, Jamaica has a high season that lasts from mid-December through mid-April. Look for money-saving opportunities during the less-traveled off-season: spring, summer, and fall. During this time, peak prices drop like ripe pineapples—especially at all-inclusive resorts, which are widespread on the island. One can find reduced nightly rates during low season at virtually every major all-inclusive resort in Jamaica. A quick check turned up prices from $76 at Sunset Resorts, and $355 air credit at Sandals Grande Riviera in Ocho Rios. If you don't see sales at your favorite property, give them a call and ask.

Curacao

If you're heading to the Caribbean during the summer, you'll most likely have to contend with the Atlantic hurricane season. (Hurricane season officially lasts from June through the end of November.) But since Curacao is located outside the hurricane belt, you probably won't have to worry about a serious storm affecting your vacation to its golden-sand Caribbean beaches.

Even better, spring and summer deals are abundant. Low-season bargains are available at many properties, including Avila Hotel (30 percent off rates from April through August) and Renaissance Curacao Resort & Casino (20 percent off rates through the end of May).

Nantucket

Unlike the tropical locales featured in this story, Nantucket sees the most visitors during summer, when the weather in New England is balmy and sunny. But hotel rates in the region don't typically spike until after Memorial Day. So if you head to Nantucket during spring (which is shoulder season for travel to the island) before the summer crowds arrive, you'll likely find some attractive deals. Case in point: Nightly prices at the White Elephant, which is rated the number one hotel in Nantucket on our sister site TripAdvisor, start at $195 in April and early May and jump to $275 in late May, $295 in June, and $595 in late July.

Moreover, travel there during the Nantucket Wine Festival in May and you can take advantage of a slew of affordable wine packages that bundle accommodations with intoxicating perks like wine tastings and romantic dinners. View festival packages at participating hotels on the Nantucket Island Resorts website.

St. Lucia

Home to the famous Twin Pitons, as well as a sizable unspoiled natural rainforest, St. Lucia is the perfect beach locale for satisfying your inner naturalist. And if you're on a tight budget, you're wise to head to "Helen of the West Indies," as the island is called, during low season (from mid-April to early December). Browse through the Top 20 Special Offers on the St. Lucia tourism board website, which is updated daily. A recent look unearthed half-off rates, free nights, and other savings during spring and summer: We spotted a 50 percent summer discount at Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa and free nights at Anse Chastanet Resort. Currently, most of the deals available are off-season ones.

Florida Keys

In many Florida destinations—especially in northern parts of the state and in destinations like Orlando, Daytona Beach, and Amelia Island—summer is high season. Alternatively, destinations in subtropical Florida see greater numbers of tourists during winter; here, summers bring heat, humidity, and attractive beach bargains.

Head to the laid-back Florida Keys, where warm, shallow waters cloak coral reefs teeming with wildlife, to take advantage of said summer deals. Here are a few noteworthy bargains we spotted: Receive 20 percent off room rates at Ambrosia Key West Tropical Lodging this spring (find this deal on TripAdvisor); save 40 percent off a second night's stay at Sunset Key Guest Cottages; and get up to 20 percent off your stay at Key Largo Bay Marriott Beach Resort.

Baja California

Summer is high season for travel to California, so it's not the most promising time to find travel deals. But if you head south of the Golden State to Baja California, where high season lasts from mid-December through mid-April, you'll have a much easier time unearthing Pacific Coast beach bargains.

According to The New York Times, during low season, hotel prices in Baja California typically drop anywhere from 20 to 50 percent. For example, this summer travelers can enjoy discounted rates at Guaycura Boutique Hotel & Spa (rated number one on TripAdvisor out of 10 hotels in Todos Santos), with nightly prices starting at $156. Book a stay during June and receive your fifth night free at Hacienda Paraiso de La Paz (find this deal on TripAdvisor), a B&B where you can snorkel with sea lions. And from May through September, all guests staying at Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort will receive $20 spa credit, free meals for kids, a complimentary massage, and other savings.

Please note that the U.S. Department of State has issued a travel warning for some parts of Mexico. The State Department recommends that travelers "exercise caution" when traveling to Tijuana. However, no advisory is in effect for Cabo San Lucas. For more information, visit the U.S. Department of State website.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica has a dry season and a rainy season (also called the green season); the most popular time to visit is the former, which generally lasts from December through April. When rainy season comes around in spring, travel providers tend to lower prices in the region. Whether you're heading to beaches on the Caribbean or the Pacific side of the country, deeply cut rates are in the cards at this time. Come May, starting prices at Vista Pacifico fall from $67 to $52 per night, studio rates at Gaia Hotel & Reserve fall from $430 to $320 per night, and prices at La Casa de las Flores drop from $80 to $70 per night. Such seasonal pricing is, for the most part, de rigueur in Costa Rica.

Hawaii

Hawaii, a perennially popular place for beach getaways, doesn't exactly have an official low season. But travelers can often find attractive beach bargains from spring through fall, when hoteliers and tour companies compete to lure vacationing families. Here are some excellent reasons to bring the kids: At The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, children ages 12 and under can enjoy a complimentary dining program through December 22 (contact the hotel directly at 808-669-6200 for more information). Through the end of the year, Polynesian Adventure Tours is offering free admission to tours of historic Pearl Harbor for children ages 11 and under. And the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa has a summer family package that includes up to $100 daily resort credit and guaranteed connecting rooms starting at $379 per night.

Belize

Similar to Costa Rica, Belize has a rainy season (also the country's off-season for tourism), marked by occasional afternoon showers and fewer crowds, that lasts from June to mid-November. Rainy season bargains are plentiful in Belize, and given the lower numbers of tourists during the off-season, it's more likely you'll have a beach to yourself. The following are just a few of the Belize summer deals we unearthed: Receive up to 30 percent off rates at Pelican Reef Villas; rent a two-bedroom apartment at Ally's Guest House Belize for $65 per night (find this deal on TripAdvisor); and enjoy discounted low-season rates at Blue Marlin Lodge, where all-inclusive prices start at $385 per night from June through October.

You Might Also Like:

• Europe's Most Secret Villages
• Most Unforgettable World Heritage Sites
• Top Five Off-Peak Destinations for Spring 2012