We took our first trip together in February 2015, when we went to Munich for Valentine’s Day weekend. I did not realize it at the time – in fact I’m just starting to realize it now – but that trip completely set us up for a lifetime of romance travel. I’m not talking couples massages and five star hotels, but rather a focus on finding the romance in our own way, every trip we take.
Our trips normally consist of one nice dinner, an incredible viewpoint, cheesy selfies in front of tourist attractions, and lots of walking. The walking includes holding hands, wandering down empty streets and popping into shops or cafes, discovering new neighborhoods, and admiring new landscapes. We take our time – we usually cram a lot into our trips since we have such a short period of time, but it never feels rushed. If we don’t get to it, there is always next time.
Romance travel isn’t necessarily about what you do, but who you are doing it with. It’s about focusing on each other while traveling, enjoying the moment together, creating memories together. Off-season travel gives you the time and space to do that, and I highly recommend it for any couple.
Why Off-Season Travel is the Most Romantic Type of Travel
Off-season travel cannot be pinpointed to any specific month, location, or weather condition. It varies all around the world, and some places barely experience an off-season at all. However, for the purpose of this article, off-season travel refers to the low season – hotels have incredible offers, there aren’t many tourists around, and small businesses sometimes even shut until the high season reappears.
For us, the two trips that have felt the most off-season so far were our week in the Dominican Republic last October, and our recent weekend on the Isle of Wight. Based on those two trips, we have a desire to do more off-season travel, to focus more on traveling as a way to discover each other as opposed to just discovering the world. Here are six reasons why we think off-season travel is so romantic:
Less Stress = More Relaxation = More Focus on Each Other
There are so many things that add stress to traveling – long lines, crowded attractions, and the struggle to find a place for dinner without a reservation are a few that we come across frequently. Oh, and traffic! In the off-season, these things don’t exist. Without the stress of travel, you will feel more relaxed and can therefore spend more time focusing on your partner. You can just go with the flow and enjoy things together.
Of course, off-season travel does eliminate all of the potential romance ruiners so stay well-fed (hanger-free zone!) and understand your partner’s travel style to truly enjoy each other’s company!
A Little Bit of Luxury, for Less
Off-season prices allow you to do something more luxurious than you normally would for the price you would expect to spend anyway – from a discounted rate on a five star hotel room to a great deal at a well-known restaurant. Groupon is a great place to look for local deals, as well as restaurant booking sites like OpenTable. For accommodation, go directly to the hotel’s website – they’ll likely have something special in their “Offers” or “Packages” section – it could be a cheaper rate, a free dinner for two at the hotel, etc. Each place does it differently so you can shop around to find what you want.
Incredible Opportunities for Incredible Photos
With fewer people roaming around attractions and filling the streets, there are ample opportunities to take photos. This is especially great for travel bloggers and photographers (you can setup your tripod without anyone giving you a weird look!), but also great for couples in general. There’s no need to worry about getting a cute photo with your partner quickly and then moving out of the way. Take your time, set the timer on your camera, do whatever you have to do to get that extra special photo – it might even end up being your Christmas card!
A Perfect Excuse to Sleep In, Or Watch a Movie in Your Hotel
Travel can often be stressful in the sense that you feel a constant need to go, do, see. We wake up early in the morning, cram as much into our day as possible, and return in the evening ready to collapse on the bed. Coming back to the hotel early to enjoy a glass of wine can even feel like wasted time. In the off-season, though, it just makes sense. Many places are closed (or have limited hours) and there aren’t many people out and about, so you can spend a bit more time inside without feeling guilty. This could mean sleeping in in the morning, calling it an early night and returning to your hotel room right after dinner, or even spending the entire day in a cafe or pub instead of out exploring.
One of our favorite things to do is curl up in our pajamas with a book. We spend so little time reading during the work week that’s it’s refreshing to be able to devote all of our attention to a good book. To keep with the travel theme, we recommend you read one of these incredible travel books – there are 200 to choose from!
The Best Spots are Still Available
There is nothing more frustrating than wanting to try a certain restaurant or see a certain show and get there too late for a seat! In the off-season, you aren’t competing with as many people, so it’s more likely that you will get to do what you want to do. Whether it is securing the corner room in your favorite hotel, the most romantic seat in a restaurant, or even just finding the perfect spot to watch the sunset.
It’s You Two & The World (Be 100% Yourself)
When we were in Isle of Wight, there were so many times when I looked around and there was nobody else in sight. On the beaches, at Osborne House, even in our hotel’s lounge. It was literally Sean, Giorgio, myself, and the whole of Isle of Wight. It felt like we could go anywhere, do anything. We didn’t feel guilty when we thought about stopping off on the side of the road to snap some shots of the coast. We didn’t feel like we needed to filter ourselves, or watch what we were talking about in public, how loud we were speaking. It was just us, and we could be 100% ourselves, which made the weekend even more special.
I am confident speaking for both of us and saying that we both love traveling with each other. Travel itself may not always be romantic – there is an ugly, dirty, and frustrating side to it. However, when you are with someone you love, you can make it romantic, and we truly think that traveling in the off-season is a great way to do that.
If you are planning to travel with your significant other soon, check out our list of 6 trips every couple should take each year. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more posts & information on couples travel, romance travel, and so much more.
What do you think is the most romantic part of travel?
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I absolutely adore this piece!! Sighhhhhh!!! You guys nailed it, and Nathan and I love doing the same things: strolling hand in hand, exploring, enjoying a nice meal, and cuddling up. Great blog!! 🙂
Thanks Amy! Romance travel really is the best travel <3
This is a lovely post. Personally, I enjoy travelling in off-peak seasons with my boyfriend, namely because all the little darlings are in school and we can enjoy each other’s company without a chorus of screaming kids in the background.
So true! We are also thinking of going to an adults-only resort this summer for the opposite reason – kids are out of school, so adults should be with them elsewhere haha. I doubt that’s actually how it works, but we will give it a go!
On point! Love off-season travel 🙂
It’s just so special, isn’t it?!
What a great way to save money and avoid the crowds! We love to get a bargain and will have to plan more trips in off-season. Although with kids in school now it’s harder to break away whenever we want. That’s what grandparents are for though hahaha!
Haha yes exactly!! If they’re in school most of the day anyway, you might as well be off traveling somewhere! <-- proof I'm not ready to be a parent, ha!
You guys are the best! Love traveling off-season 🙂 You get to be more creative that way!
And it really helps you feel more like a local!
So true, no selfie sticks getting in the way of those couple shots!
Hehe though I am currently a bit obsessed with our GoPro selfie stick because I have a remote for it and we don’t have a remote for our real camera yet
Agree with everything you’ve written! Mihir and I travel almost exclusively in off season because in Europe it’s just so much cheaper and so much less crowded.
And yes, way less stressful! On our last trip to Prague we called it a day at 5pm because it was just so damn freezing cold 😀 no regrets!
Jacky
And the best part is that you probably saw everything you would’ve seen in the summer staying out until 10pm – but you can move through things more quickly in the off-season, accomplish more in less time, and then call it an early night 🙂
With or without my partner, I love off-season travel. I tend to avoid crowds, steep prices, and rushed holidays. But now that you mentioned it, some of my best travels with my boyfriend are those where we had the place to ourselves. 🙂
It really is so different to experience something when you are the only ones doing it! Plus, you can sometimes get private tours for the same price as a group tour if nobody else shows up – my friend and I had that happen to us when we did a wine tasting tour outside of Marseille in the beginning of October!
This is so true! Especially in the Caribbean where you can still get amazing weather in low season. You might get some rain but not enough to ruin your vacation. We visited Mexico this past October in low season and it was great because we got to enjoy places all to ourselves that would be packed with tourists other wise!
So sweet! Off Season is the BEST Time to travel with your partner. It’s way more romantic and stress free, as you have mentioned! We have travelled off season in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Nepal….and it was great! We will be in Europe during the summer, not sure we will enjoy Portugal in July and August though hahaha
It really is the best time to travel, especially when you’re looking for romantic experiences. I would love to do New Zealand in the off season!! Portugal in July will be very hot but I’m sure it will be so beautiful – you’ll have a blast!