How to score a five-star vacation on a three-star budget

(InvestigateTV) — Shoulder season, which falls between peak and off-season, is the secret weapon for any savvy traveler.

NerdWallet Travel Expert Sally French said it is the sweet spot for affordable travel.

“We all know peak season tends to be holidays, summer breaks, and then off-season is the time when you might not want to travel because the weather is really bad and often places are closed. But shoulder season is that sweet spot. Typically, it is that period right before spring break or summer break or that period right after,” French said.

That time in the fall when kids go back to school tends to offer the best of all worlds: lower prices, fewer crowds and good weather.

“The best time to book a domestic trip is one to three months in advance. Two to eight months in advance for an international trip. So, if you want to get ahead of those summer crowds definitely think about a lot of those shoulder season itineraries are bookable now,” French said.

French recommended picking a few destinations and then typing in the search bar “when is shoulder season for that location” to start searching for deals.

She also said to use something like Google Flights to search for the cheapest flight in the calendar view, that way travelers can scroll week to week and see when flight prices drop for a specific location.