What even is slack? Honestly, I didn’t know until recently since working in the tourism industry. Really, it just means the off season. Although a resort town like Ketchum is amazing in the snowy Winter and dead heat of Summer, there are many reasons why traveling during slack is a great option.
Here are some of my Top 5 Reasons (plus a bonus reason!) why I’m now sold on traveling during slack:
1. Cost
We cut our hotel bill by over half just from traveling during the slow season. The hotel we stayed at, The Limelight, was offering a local rate that we were able to book online. I just had to show my drivers license to prove I was an Idaho residence once we got there! If lodging properties in resort areas near you don’t list a “local rate”, give them a call and ask if they would accommodate one. It’s worth asking! Keep in mind, this would only work during the slow season, though.
2. No Crowds
I don’t think I need to give too much of an explanation here… I do not love being amongst mass amounts of people in places where I’m trying to explore and take it all in. And this also leads me into my next reason…
3. Kid Friendly
Traveling with hoards of crowds around is a parents nightmare. Especially with toddlers who don’t want to be in a stroller and prefer a little exploring of their own. Yikes. But not only that, it’s easier to have a pleasant experience from staff during slack when you feel like you’re asking a lot to appease the kiddos!
Side Note: The Limelight in Ketchum is amazingly kid friendly. I’m talking teepee tents in the room (at an extra cost) and a kids room with tons of fun toys. We’ll be back there for sure!
4. No Reservations
While this could read many different ways, I actually mean dinner reservations! Usually, resort towns are booked solid for dinner during the peak season. But during slack, you can take your pick of dinner times! We had a well known restaurant all to ourselves when we were in Sun Valley last weekend- one other family came in while we were paying the bill. (You also won’t have any reservations about traveling during slack… get it?! HA. I crack myself up.)
5. Local Feel
You aren’t just “another tourist” when traveling during slack. Those working in the hospitality industry genuinely are thankful for your business and therefore treatment is usually much more of a local feel.
Bonus Reason: Less Options
This may sound like a reason that you wouldn’t want to go for but it actually is a super helpful one in my opinion! Many restaurants plan updates or just simply shut down during slack due to not enough traffic. Why this is nice is because it really helps the decision making process. I love trying new places so traveling can be crazy overwhelming since there’s so many options! Enter traveling during slack, when the options are cut in half. Ha!
Have you had good experiences traveling during slow seasons?