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While I have done a modest share of traveling to destinations during their 'marquee' event (like Boston during July 4 Esplanade concert), in general I tend to avoid doing so.
Nothing contrarian about avoiding the worst crowds. I went to Alburquerque’s balloon fest more than 30 years ago. It was worth doing but very crowded. I can’t imagine what torture it would be these days.
Im not interested in going to New Orleans during Mardi Gras, so I would choose to go at a different time. I wouldn't mind going to the Kentucky Derby, but if I was going to Louisville for other reasons, I would also choose a different time to go. Neither my husband or I like dealing with a lot of crowds, so we tend to try to travel during the shoulder or off season. Plus if you're going during a big event, hotel rooms tend to be more expensive or harder to find.
Yes absolutely, it's less expensive and quieter to visit basically anything during non-peak times. One of my all time favorite trips was to the West of Ireland in very late November, when the Emerald Isle is generally cold and rainy and it gets dark by 4 p.m.
Totally loved it, and it felt like we had the place entirely to ourselves. The narrow, winding roads in County Kerry and County Clare had almost no cars on them, and a drive that might take 3 hours in the busy summer season took barely 1 hour. At the Rock of Cashel, there was only one other couple visiting, and there was hardly anyone at Killarney National Park. Granted, we lucked out on weather and had a lot of sunny days, and a couple of days were terribly rainy such as when we were in the Dingle Peninsula. Had the entire trip been rainy like that, our overall experience wouldn't have been so enjoyable.
Nothing contrarian about doing off season travel. Cheaper and easier.
I wasn't thinking so much off season, but for instance if I avoided a destination specifically during its one big known event, and sort of getting the reply like, "wow, why would you not want to see Mardi Gras in one of it's most celebrated cities, but go in October instead?!?"
But yes, I'm sort of getting the idea now that it's not uncommon.
I don't like to travel during holidays.
So no xmas travel, thanksgiving travel, labor day travel, spring break travel...I still go to the high season in the Carib, but I wait till late Jan to avoid most crowds, still do Hawaii in the summer, but I go late May, etc.
I wasn't thinking so much off season, but for instance if I avoided a destination specifically during its one big known event, and sort of getting the reply like, "wow, why would you not want to see Mardi Gras in one of it's most celebrated cities, but go in October instead?!?"
But yes, I'm sort of getting the idea now that it's not uncommon.
I don't think it's uncommon at all. Several times, my husband and I visited New Orleans in early December. The weather is nice and cool, the city is not overrun with tourists, and the French Quarter doesn't stink of urine. We loved it.
I wasn't thinking so much off season, but for instance if I avoided a destination specifically during its one big known event, and sort of getting the reply like, "wow, why would you not want to see Mardi Gras in one of it's most celebrated cities, but go in October instead?!?"
But yes, I'm sort of getting the idea now that it's not uncommon.
I think the people who have said that have never been to those cities during that time. I think it just depends on the type of person you are. I generally hate large crowds so for the most part those events never really hold much appeal. I think it may be different when you are talking about times when the event is the only draw to a location, only thing that comes to mind at the moment is something like Coachella where if it weren't for the festival you likely wouldn't have much reason to visit.
Also I think that for most of those events people only do them at most a few times before the reality of it all sinks in and it loses it's appeal. But for some it's the one thing that they look forward to each year.
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