What Are the Best Seasons to Travel?

Cologne Cathedral on Rhine River at night — but watch for water levels. Photo by Dennis Cox/WorldViews

What are the best seasons to travel?

I’m tempted to answer that FAQ with a one-word answer: Anytime. You’ll almost always find something positive in any trip, even if it rains every day.

But that’s the easy way out. A lot depends on where you’re going and what your specific interests are in that place. And a few destinations are limited to one particular season of the year.

Weather is often — though not always — the key factor.

A trip to Finland in summer, for instance, is very different than a trip to Finland in winter. Both have their charms — as do the fall and spring seasons there, for that matter. But you might as well be traveling to two different countries in  the Finnish July and January.

Most travelers… Continue reading →