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Cheap fares and rates aren't the only reasons to travel off-season. Fewer crowds usually mean better service, and many hotels and cruise lines offer special programs. True, they do so as a way to increase bookings and fill rooms, but that doesn't change the fact that these programs are often excellent and usually of particular interest to a sophisticated audience. The Hyatt Regency in Beaver Creek, Colo., co-sponsors an education program for those over age 50 called Explore '99, with wide-ranging areas of study to choose from: astronomy, global issues, painting, history, music. The week-long program costs $1,950 per person, which includes some meals as well as the courses and accommodations. In high season, lodging alone at the tony Hyatt starts at $430 per night. On the East Coast, themed weekends, from birding to ballroom dancing, occur year-round at the 129-year-old historic Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, N.Y., where A.A.R.P. members receive 15% off standard room rates regardless of season. Most of the weekend programs are free to hotel guests, as are acres of gardens and trails to explore, plus the full array of traditional resort activities.
Dedicated cruisers have oceans of opportunity to exercise their mind offshore. Many cruise lines bring lecturers and experts on board, but few do it better than the Delta Queen Steamboat Co. The Civil War and the Korean War are themes on this year's agenda, as are gardening, history and historic inns. Lectures and courses are part of the package on steamboat cruises that range from a low of $660 per person for a three-night voyage in the least expensive cabin to $9,170 for the highest-category cabin on a two-week trip.
The real bottom line is that with a flexible schedule and willingness to research, you can find a vacation that meets your expectations and budget. To paraphrase Little Orphan Annie, "Tomorrow is only a day away." So too are the savings and opportunities that come with a little patience.