6 Places for a Budget-Friendly Off-Peak Trip

Shake off those post-holiday blues with an affordable break to Mexico, Portugal and beyond

a gif of mexico, cambodia and costa rica

It’s possible to find budget-friendly foreign trips in the early part of the year. Mexico, Cambodia and Costa Rica are options.

Alyssa Bichunsky Glass/Courtesy Road Scholar; Courtesy Road Scholar; Courtesy MMGY

Tim Chester,

AARP

Published December 30, 2025

The holiday period can be an expensive and exhausting time, and booking a trip might be low on your list of priorities for the new year, but it’s actually a great time to travel. Prices for flights and hotels can be significantly lower and the weather in many parts of the world is favorable.

Cost remains the top barrier to travel for many people 50-plus, according to AARP’s 2025 Travel Trends report, with 45 percent of travelers citing it as an issue. And then there’s a destination’s weather – an important factor for 23 percent of older travelers, according to the survey. Popular destinations are more likely to experience extreme weather during peak seasons, such as the European heat wave of 2025.

“Off-peak travel is brilliant value,” says Leigh Barnes, president of Americas at tour operator Intrepid Travel, which offers a range of winter and spring trips across the world. “You’re avoiding the big crowds, the weather’s far kinder, and your dollar stretches a whole lot further.”

Here, in no particular order, are six great places to consider from January through March for a budget-friendly, off-peak break.

an instructor talking during a cooking class in mexico

A trip to Mexico can be a better value at this time of year than in the summer. Here, a cooking class in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Alyssa Bichunsky Glass/Courtesy Road Scholar

Mexico

Mexico entices on multiple counts during the winter and early spring months. The warm temperatures make for great days at the beach or exploring the country’s temples and ruins (such as Chichén Itzá and the walled city of Tulum). A trip to Mexico City or Cancún can be a better value at this time of year than in the summer too. “Both have 10-percent cheaper flights and 5-percent cheaper hotels,” says Melanie Fish, travel expert for Expedia and Hotels.com. A round-trip flight from Chicago to Cancún can be as little as $256 in February compared to $354 in July, according to live price data provided by Skyscanner, a flight, hotel and car rental comparison site.

Both cities, as well as Puerto Vallarta and San Jose del Cabo, are easily accessible via direct flights from many U.S. airports. Plus, the country sits within the same time zones as the U.S., so you don’t need to worry about jet lag.

“Mexico is fantastic value in the early part of the year,” Barnes says. “Prices are friendlier, the weather’s mild, and you’ve got space to properly enjoy the food, history and color that make the place so special.” Intrepid Travel offers small-group trips that “give travelers 50-plus the confidence to explore at a comfortable pace,” he adds, “with local leaders who know all the shortcuts and stories you won’t find in a guidebook.” The company’s offerings include a 15-day Mexico Unplugged trip that takes in ruins and beaches for $2,635.

people walking to a monument in Athens, Greece

In Athens, Greece, there are fewer crowds at the monuments, and it’s more affordable to get there in January and February.

Courtesy Intrepid Travel

Greece

Parts of Greece have been infamously hot and crowded during the summer months in recent years. In fact, the Acropolis had to temporarily close in July as temperatures soared to 104 degrees, and 2024’s visitor numbers (41 million) far exceeded the country’s population (10 million).

In January and February, it’s a different story. Temperatures are lower (but the sun often still shines), crowds are sparser and it’s also more affordable to get there. Flights to Athens during January to March are 20 percent cheaper than the rest of the year, according to Expedia, while hotels are 40 percent cheaper. You can explore the Acropolis and the Parthenon in relative peace at this time of year — and you won’t be jostled by elbows at the National Archaeological Museum. The museum is open all season, except for Jan. 1 and March 25, for a $14 fee. Over on Crete, the country’s largest island, uncrowded hiking trails and climbing opportunities in the White Mountains await.

A trip to Cambodia during the dry season is more pleasant for visits to the iconic temples.

Courtesy Road Scholar

Cambodia

Cambodia’s cool, dry season runs from November until February, making for much more pleasant exploration of its beaches, museums and iconic temples, such as Angkor Wat, or the city of Angkor Thom. Hiking, river cruising, exploring floating villages and even just getting from A to B are much easier outside the rainy season (which runs from June to October). And it can be cheaper to get there. A round-trip flight from Los Angeles to Phnom Penh was recently priced at $695 for February compared to $896 for July, according to live data provided by Skyscanner.

An added bonus of going this time of year? Meak Bochea Day (also known as Sangha Day) is typically celebrated in February or March. It’s a holiday commemorating the final sermon of Buddha. Celebrations usually include chanting and the lighting of candles.

Portugal

Daytime temperatures in Portugal range from the mid-50s to the low-60s in winter, making it milder than many other parts of Europe. It’s a great time to explore Lisbon’s cafés and historic palaces or to hike a section of the famous Portuguese Camino de Santiago. Or consider the city of Faro. “With 40 percent cheaper flights ... , this Algarve gem offers sunny skies and sunny beaches without the summer price tag,” Fish says.

“Visiting offseason gives you greater access to historical sites, hotels and restaurants that are highly trafficked during the summer months,” says Kelley Coughlin, director of program management for Road Scholar’s international programs. Road Scholar is a tour operator that specializes in travel for people over 50. “And hotel rates are lower — making this already relatively affordable destination in Europe an even better value.” The company’s Winter-In collection offers great value and a less-stressful experience, she says, with prearranged historic site visits and restaurant reservations to ensure you don’t turn up to find some place closed.

Turkey

Winter in Turkey is a vision of snow blanketing the famous fairy chimneys of Cappadocia and fewer tourists in Istanbul. It’s also a great time to visit the Turquoise Coast fringing the Mediterranean and Aegean seas, including the resort cities of Marmaris, Fethiye and the increasingly popular Antalya, with its moderate climate. Here you’ll be able to explore Lycian ruins, visit quiet beaches and enjoy the spectacular beauty of the region. Dalaman, on the country’s southwestern coast, is a major gateway. “Flights are a whopping 60 percent cheaper in January to March compared to the rest of the year,” Fish says.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica offers a huge range of landscapes for a comparatively small country, including rainforests, cloud forests, beaches and volcanoes. It’s also home to an abundance of wildlife, such as sloths, monkeys, toads and more than 900 species of birds. February and March fall within the dry season in the country’s Caribbean and Pacific regions, so you’ll enjoy cloud-free skies and warm days; temperatures don’t tend to exceed the mid-90s. Hotels can be 15 percent cheaper, according to Expedia.

Much of the tourism infrastructure caters to travelers over 50, with its accessible and well-marked trails and a range of activities, including boat safaris and farm tours. If you want to make life easier, several tour operators offer trips. Tour company Backroads offers a six-day Easygoing Multi-Adventure Tour ($5,399 per person based on double occupancy, including flights within the country), which allows guests to “experience the best of each area in a single trip, without having to navigate the travel logistics themselves,” says Tom Hale, the company’s founder, president and CEO. Meanwhile, tour operator Road Scholar offers a range of tours starting at $2,499 for a nine-day trip.

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Tim Chester is a freelance travel writer for Afar magazine, the Los Angeles Times and others. He was previously a senior editor at Afar and produced the annual Where to Go list.

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