Need some good news for your Monday morning? Here it is:

Shoulder season is here!

So say the prognosticators over at Budget Travel. “Shoulder season” is how they refer to those times of year when “the tourist hordes have left (or haven’t yet arrived), prices have dropped, and the weather’s just delightful.”

In other words, it’s time to hit up all those places you wanted to visit during the summer (or last winter) but couldn’t afford.

The article runs down an interesting list of choice destinations by shoulder season month. Here are some highlights:

September – Iceland, Cape Town, Denali National Park
October – Nova Scotia, London, the Greek Islands
November – Costa Rica, Paris, Beijing

Cheap hotels, empty beaches, gorgeous weather…what’s not to love?

* Photo by eric.surfdude