Samantha Brown's Favorite Month To Travel Truly Is The Best Time To Vacation
Vacationing during the off-season is the best way to dodge crowds and save money while you travel. Television host and travel expert Samantha Brown's favorite time to vacation is during the shoulder season, when prices are still low and the weather is beginning to brighten. Brown shares on her website, "May has to be one of the best months to travel no matter where you go in the world. The weather is warming up, the days are long, the sun is shining, and the flowers are out."
April showers bring May flowers, and a vacation to a peaceful Dutch island covered in vibrant tulips would be a great way to begin the month of May. Brown highlights annual events and cultural festivals happening in May that warrant a visit. For example, South Korea has celebrated the birth of Buddha for over 1,200 years at the annual Lotus Lantern Festival, also known as Yeon Deung Hoe. This Buddhist cultural event typically begins at the end of April with celebrations, parades, and thousands of lanterns illuminating the night sky through early May.
Deciding where to vacation in May
Along with budget-friendly travel tips, Samantha Brown shares essential insights on how to make the most of your European vacations. On her blog, she suggests eating your way through Italy in the underrated city of Bologna in May. While Rome is a four-hour train ride from Bologna, the hubs of Florence and Milan are just an hour away.
In North America, Brown recommends another great shoulder season destination, Victoria, the brunch capital of Canada. In the United States, Memorial Day weekend marks the official start of the summer season, and a vacation in British Columbia's capital is an opportunity for a quick international getaway. The expert suggests taking a stroll through Butchart Gardens, where you'll see marigolds, hydrangeas, and 265,000 more blooming plants and flowers. Brown also says that visiting a city during a restaurant week is a game-changing hack, and Nashville has its fair share of good eats. Visit during May to enjoy Music City before it gets swelteringly humid.