Destination Inspirations – the ‘weather’ to go or not!

So today, I’m going to list some of the most popular destinations and when and when not to go. So why weather? Well it seems that I’m a bit obsessed with the weather, I blame my mother, and so does my brother for that matter (haha)! But seriously, I’ve had lousy weather affect my entire holiday, and so the when and when not to go somewhere is now a factor. Of course, when I go to London in December, I expect it to be damp and chilly, kind of like it is at home in Victoria, BC. However, when I go somewhere tropical, my expectations are hot and sunny. Not bucketing rain and so stormy that it means some of my plans are cancelled. So that’s why weather!

Please, remember that although weddings tend to dominate the event destination market, most of these resorts/destinations are amazing family getaways as well.  For example, we all know that the Sandals resorts are very romantic wedding/couple only focused; however, they also have amazing family oriented properties called Beaches.  My suggestions will include amazing places that will appeal to all your travel needs.

So here we go, oh, they are in no particular order.  I’d say that if you live on the East Coast you’re more inclined to go to places like the Dominican, Jamaica and other Caribbean destinations.  If you’re on the West Coast, you’ll consider Hawaii, Mexico and other Pacific destinations.   And if you’re like me, you’ll go to Europe!

The temps are in Celsius ° (for a loose conversion, take the C temp, double it and add 30, ie. 24°x2=48+30=78F), and what you consider perfect may not be the same as someone else, so it’s up to you, I’m just hoping this helps your planning!

Hawaii

Pick an Island – you can go basically all year round, though it’s super expensive over/around Christmas. BUT, when it rains, it rains!

Generally, Hawaii has only two seasons. The dry season – May to October. The rainy season – October through to April.   However, the weather can be very different between each island.  Rain on the Big Island, means nothing in Maui.  That being said, if it’s an outdoor wedding you want, stick to the dry season. I had two weeks where the weather impacted my holiday.

Average temp is 27°C year round, on all the islands

The Big Island – as long as you stick to the Kona side the rainy season won’t really impact your event. Maui – the island of waterfalls and stunning beaches. Kauai – The Garden Isle, lush and tropical, the least developed of the 4. Oahu – the most developed, with Waikiki being its heart, that and the amazing surfing.

Costa Rica – The Pacific Coast – December through April, keeping in mind the high humidity. Avoid the Caribbean side. It rains a LOT there!

Average temp is 27°C year round on the west coast.

Mexico

With so many options in Mexico, I’ve just gone with the popular destination spots.

Cozumel – January through May is the dry season, with lots of rain June through December!  Though late December can be great (but it’s a risk)                                                                                                   

Average temp 24°C to 27°C Jan – May. With lots of humidity.

Riviera Maya – When to go: Mid-December through May. Avoid spring-break.  Lots of rain all summer and October/November is hurricane season.  If you don’t mind crazy humidity July – September is also good.

Average temp 23°C to 29°C all year round.

Los Cabos – When to go: November though May, though January is not all that hot by tropical vacation standards.  Summer = rain!                                 

Average temp 19°C to 26°C with November being the warmest.

The US East Coast

From Bar Harbor, Maine to Nantucket, Massachusetts –summer time is gorgeous, but September is perfection, it’s the ultimate fall destination.

Average temps 16°C to 21°C June through September | -6°C Winter

Las Vegas, Nevada

When to go:  Vegas is pretty much sunny all year round.  However, July & August are hot, hot, hot.  May, September and October have the nicest (no layers required) weather.

Oddly enough it’s harder to pick a good time to go than you’d think!  Peak prices and occupancy between Christmas and New Year’s and on holiday weekends (including Valentine’s Day and Cinco de Mayo), as well as during big-deal sports weekends (like the Super Bowl and NCAA Final Four) and times when there are giant conventions or events scheduled.  So really check out what’s happening before you book set dates and book flights!

Temps range from 9°C to 34°C throughout the year.

Europe

Admittedly there are so many destinations that it’s almost impossible to cover them all, however, there are some major destinations that tend to come to mind so I’m just starting with those.

Italy – When to go: April – July or September & October.  I’d skip August as half of Italy is closed, because that’s when Italians vacation, and unlike North America, they just lock their businesses up and go. 

The Amalfi Coast – considered one of the most spectacular parts of Italy Florence – (is so beautiful, it somehow embodies everything we think when we think Italy) Venice – magical, but you’ll need to consider access. Tuscany – pick a charming city, just consider access.
Rome – in the heart of Italy.

Average temperatures vary, but anywhere from 17°C – 34°C during those months | 5°C to 12°C in winter

Ireland

May to September.  Avoid the week of St. Patrick’s Day, occupancy is maxed out.  However, this is not a shorts and t-shirts kind of a destination.  While you don’t need winter gear, their warm season is still pretty chilly, we’re talking hoodies, long sleeves and jeans.

Average temperate 11°C to 14°C during those months | 5°C Winter

France

When to go: Paris and surrounding regions. April through October.  July and August are beautiful but consider peak season/occupancy.  June & September are probably your best months.

Average temp 16°C to 22°C during those months | 5°C in winter

Southern France – Has decent weather most of the year, though summers are nice and hot. Best time of year to go April through October, though May to September are the best months.

Average temp 17°C to 35°C during those months | 8°C in winter

Greece

When to go: For sunshine and fairly dry weather, you can go just about any time of the year as long as you stick to the southern part of the country, meaning the coastline. However, in the middle of winter you may have sunshine, but it’s chilly.

Average Temp May to September 25°C | 13°C in winter

London

When to go: May through September is generally fairly nice, if you don’t care about rain and aren’t planning to be outside, then any time of year works, because it doesn’t get too cold during peak winter weather. They rarely have snow.

Average Temp May to September 21°C | 6°C in winter

Bermuda

Only 650 miles off the coast of North Carolina, its weather is more like the coastal US than it  that of the Caribbean islands to the south. May through early September are your best months.

Average temp 23°C to 27°C year round.

The Caribbean

This is a long and seemingly endless list, with so many options, that I’ll dedicate several blogs to giving you details. 

The biggest thing to take note of in the Caribbean is Hurricane Season, this is not something to ignore!

When considering your budget, think about when you’re going, peak season is around Christmas/New Years & Spring Break, so you’ll pay premium prices and deal with full capacity facilities. 

I think it’s pretty safe to say that you’re looking at an average temp of 24°C to 30°C throughout the Caribbean.  

I’ve broken it down by region, but am listing just the popular destinations.

Greater Antilles: This is the most visited region of the Caribbean
Dominican Republic
Jamaica
Cayman Islands
Puerto Rico

Leeward Islands:
Antigua
Anguilla
British Virgin Islands
US Virgin Islands

Windward Islands:
Barbados
St. Lucia
St. Thomas & St. John

Lucayan Archipelago:
The Bahamas

All of the above have Hurricane Season, from June to November; however, more than three-quarters of hurricanes and tropical storms occur between August and October.  With storm activity peaking in early to mid-September.  The Caribbean weather is generally all we imagine it to be, just be smart about when you plan your event!

ABC Islands:

Aruba

When to go: just about any time of the year, the rainy season while not horrid is between October and December.  Most importantly, The ABC Islands sit just outside the hurricane belt, so are generally free of such natural disasters.

So that’s it for now.  There are of course hundreds more destinations.  But that being said, these are some of the most popular.  The fact that no Canadian cities, including my home town of Victoria, isn’t on there is frankly appalling, but I’ll rectify that!

If you’re looking to book a hotel or venue, I’m here to help.

I’ll start delving into specific destinations moving forward, with unique and spectacular event locations, and an estimate of how much you’ll need to budget for based on the location and the type of event you’re having. And there’s lot’s more inspiration to be found on Instagram & Pinterest

AND if you have a suggestion for a city/country that you’d like me to focus on, please send me a message to maria @ theeventfultraveller.com and I’ll get to it asap.