Bring On the Off-Season

Three travel experts reveal how the wrong time can be the right time for the perfect vacation

same water, same climate, and for a lot less money. When you start researching Nicaragua, you'll find 'Don't go during the rainy season, because it might rain the whole time you're there.' But the locals all say it's their favorite time of year because everything is green and lush, fresh and clear. During the dry season, it's hot, it's dry; there's dust and dirt everywhere. Do the research—

BY LAUREN J. GNIAZDOWSKI THE EXPERTS
• Loren Bendele, CEO, savings.com
• Seth Kugel, Frugal Traveler blogger, New York Times
• Nina Willdorf, editor in chief, Budget Travel
WHERE LOREN BENDELE GOES
• Nicaragua during the rainy season (May through November). "You get the same beaches as in Costa Rica—don't stop at the first hurdle."
• Tuscany in winter. "It was a little colder, but we owned it. No crowds, no traffic, a lot less expensive."