Top Five Off-Peak Destinations for Fall 2011

Curacao

Hurricane season may last until the end of November, but Curacao—which sits just south of the traditional hurricane belt—delivers the best of the Caribbean throughout fall. Yet you wouldn't know it by looking at the prices: Most hotels offer low-season rates until December. Travelers can also find discounts on packages, tours, and diving during fall. Good deals aren't the only reason to go: Warm weather, pristine beaches, and a rich island culture based on more than 50 nationalities make Curacao a stand-out among Caribbean destinations at any time of year.

At many hotels around the island, the window of lower nightly rates stretches from early September to mid-December. For example, at the Trupial Inn Hotel & Casino, a standard double room costs $125 per night until December 15, when the nightly rate increases to $150 per night through mid-April. At Hotel 't Klooster, the rate for a suite jumps from $185 for stays between September 5 and December 16 to $220 per night for stays December 17 through mid-April.

Making an affordable time even more affordable is the Curacao on Sale promotion, offering up to 50 percent off hotel and resort stays, plus discounts on diving and other activities. The offer is valid for bookings made by October 15 for travel through December 15. Other island deals include up to 35 percent off all-inclusive stays at Breezes Curacao booked by September 30 for stays through December 16. And at press time, Continental Vacations had a sale on three-night vacation packages at the Renaissance Curacao Resort & Casino, with airfare from Newark, from $649 per person.

Tybee Island

The sand dunes and seaside restaurants don't pack up and leave with the summer vacationers, giving fall visitors to Tybee Island crowd-free beaches and the tables with the best views. Georgia's northernmost barrier island is just a 20-minute drive from Savannah's Historic District, but it feels hours away from city life. And while summer stays can be pricey, fall brings steep discounts on hotel stays and vacation rentals. There's no shortage of events in autumn either: The Tybee Island Pirate Festival, complete with costume contests, a pirate parade, and thieves' market, happens between October 6 and 9, and the Festival of the Arts occurs the next weekend. December events include holiday home tours, tree-lighting ceremonies, and even a floating Christmas parade on December 10.

At the Lighthouse Inn Bed & Breakfast, rates drop from $199 per night in summer to $189 in September and October, and $179 in November and December. At the Ocean Plaza Beach Resort, the Seaside Romance package, which includes oceanview accommodations, breakfast, Champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries, and dinner for two, drops from the summer price of $159 per person per night to $129. The rate difference can be even more dramatic on vacation rentals. For instance, at the Captain's View house, which accommodates up to six guests and is just 200 yards from the beach, summer rates are $250 per night. But between September 11 and Halloween, the nightly rate drops to $175 and is further reduced to $150 on November 1.

TybeeVisit.com lists the most current sales at hotels and vacation rentals around the island, including weeklong stays for the price of five nights, fourth-night-free offers, and rates up to 30 percent off. The list also includes discounts on dining, tours, kayak rentals, and more.

Mammoth Lakes

Fall foliage is twice as nice at half the price. And that's just what you'll get in Mammoth Lakes, California, about 40 miles southeast of Yosemite. Whether you explore the scenery that inspired Ansel Adams on mountain drives, by foot, or from a mountain bike, you'll find the sort of beauty and solitude that seems to whisper fall into the air.

Until a few years ago, the only way to reach Mammoth was by car or private plane. But these days, the mountain town known best for excellent skiing is a short flight from West Coast cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. Fall is a great time to save at some of the area's favorite lodges and hotels. For instance, at the lakeside Tamarack Lodge, the Fall Colors Special includes lodging, a bottle of wine at check-in, daily continental breakfast, a two-hour boat-and-fishing-rod rental, and guided hikes for $98 per night, based on double occupancy midweek, for stays through November 7. Compare that to a winter midweek rate of $139 per night for the room alone to get a sense of the off-peak savings Mammoth offers.

Fall visitors can find cheaper rates across the board, even on the high end of accommodations. The Fall Colors package at the four-diamond Westin Monache bundles rates from $189 per night with breakfast and a map of fall foliage locations. And we found à la carte rates during fall for as low as $179 per night. That's a far cry from typical winter rates, which, in our spot checks, started at $450 per night and went up from there.

Nantucket

Nantucket in summer and Nantucket in fall are like two different islands that happen to share the same patch of ocean. In summer sky-high prices ensure the only deal you're likely to get is the free sunset at the end of each day. But in fall, the crowds disperse, leaving behind a still-beautiful, but far more affordable, isle.

Hotel rates around the island take a dive soon after Labor Day. For instance, in summer rates at the Jared Coffin House can run as high as $230 per night. But on Hot Dates, Cool Rates weekends in October, November, and December, stays are $125 per night. For visits this fall, the hotel is also offering $25 dinner credits on meals over $100 at the Brant Point Grill and two $25 spa treatment credits. At the White Elephant, the rates are higher, but the savings are even more dramatic: During high season, nightly rates can be up to $730, but in fall they drop to as low as $195 per night.

Hotels aren't the only place you'll find affordable rates this fall. Nantucket Restaurant Week runs from September 26 to October 2 this year, and offers three-course dinners between $25 and $45 at dozens of restaurants, including Company of the Cauldron and Oran Mor Bistro. For even cheaper eats, bring your push rake: October 1 marks the start of the family scallop season.

Argentina

Not ready for fall? Then head to the southern hemisphere, where spring is just heating up. This season, Argentina offers particularly good shoulder-season value, with currency exchange rates that favor U.S. travelers, lower seasonal rates, and mild spring temperatures in central Argentina (and, for a shorter window, in the north as well).

By visiting in (what those in the northern hemisphere consider) fall, you'll skirt the high-season prices of January and February. Savings vary by region and month, which makes timing particularly important at this time of year. For instance, at the The Glu in Buenos Aires, September rates for a suite are $195 instead of $215. In the northwest, December stays at the Cayafate Wine Resort start at $125 for doubles instead of $152 per night. And at El Casco Art Hotel in Patagonia, rates from September through mid-December start at $280 per night instead of $310.

TripAdvisor has a list of current discounts at hotels in Buenos Aires, including a fourth night free at the Palermo Place, a free room upgrade at the Panamericano Buenos Aires Hotel, and 10 percent off room rates at the Hotel Lion d'Or.

What other off-peak destinations are you eyeing this fall?