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“The best travel hack is extending summer into fall,” says Philip Ballard, the chief communications officer and travel expert for the online booking site HotelPlanner. “Walking on a beach is

just as romantic in a nice sweater in October as it is in August, and the rates will come down.” Nightly hotel rates tend to drop about 20 percent in fall compared with summer, he adds, and

with 50 percent less occupancy, “You can get a seat at a restaurant, and it’s a more laid-back experience.”  Some exceptions to the fall-is-cheaper rule apply to holidays, including

Thanksgiving. But the period between Thanksgiving and the December holidays is a great time to stretch your budget. “The least expensive time to travel everywhere is that little pocket after

Thanksgiving and before Christmas,” says Shelby Frenette, a travel adviser and owner of TravelFun.Biz agency in Boca Raton, Florida. Inflation and the recovery of the hotel industry, which

uses dynamic pricing to boost rates as bookings grow, have made many travel costs more expensive this year, Frenette says. Economic trends are another argument for booking early, but price

hikes haven’t stopped her clients. “The 55-plus crowd has a YOLO mindset,” Frenette says, using the acronym for “you only live once.” “Everyone wants a good value, and no one wants to

overpay, but they understand that our time here is a gift, and they want to enjoy the present.” A pandemic-born focus on mental health also bolsters travel demand. “Travel is wellness now,

and that’s new,” Ballard says. “People are reprioritizing travel in terms of annual budgeting and considering travel an essential part of health and wellness.” Cruisers can enjoy views of

the changing leaves from the water. Alamy FALL TRAVEL INSPIRATION Fall’s perennial draw, foliage fever, brings road trips to mind. Or for something less DIY, “a cruise in New England or

Canada is a great way to see fall color,” Frenette says. Cruise lines including Holland America and Norwegian station ships in New England and the St. Lawrence River in September and

October, offering weeklong departures starting at about $120 a night. To enjoy the fall color for a bit longer, American Cruise Lines offers a 15-day New England Fall Foliage cruise that

travels from Portland, Maine, to New York City.