jenny

We are planning a fall trip to travel thru AZ and NM . Is there a low and high season in Tucson, Phoenix, Sedona , etc. and Santa Fe , Taos ? Does it effect hotel rates ?
When is the opera season in Santa Fe ? I heard it is only during summer months.
Weatherwise, when is a good time for travel in the area ? This is a pleasure trip .
Thanks for your help !

smilen1

I can help with the AZ portion of your trip. We lived in Phoenix for a couple of years. The high season for Phoenix is usually late November or December through April. Then the hotel prices are high. You can get bargain rates in the summer months - but it is just to darn hot to do anything outside. I thought mid to late October and November were wonderful in Phoenix. It is usually in the 80's and maybe the low 90's. Tuscon runs a little cooler (not much though). Sedona was also cooler, but not quite sure how Oct and Nov. were there.

I can't help you with the Santa Fe area. Maybe someone else can help you out there.

Tandoori_Girl

My mother went often to the opera when she was more mobile. She lives in Carlsbad. Once she went up for an impromptu trip and was chagrined by the expensive hotel charges, and these were the chains. This was about five years ago and I remember her paying about $175 at a not-real-fancy upper-scale chain hotel. So, yes, they gouge tourists during opera season, which I believe ends in August. Not sure when it starts.

utahtea

August is moonsoon season in New Mexico and Arizona.

Utahtea

travellyn

Summer and Feb-March are big times in northern NM. I like September for a time that's less busy, but beautiful. There are fewer tourists, rates are lower, skies tend to be clear then, and colors are changing at the higher altitudes.

kkj

In Phoenix the season goes something like this. Summer (May through September) is off season. High season begins in January and runs at least through the end of March. If Easter is in April the season will often extend to Easter. February and March are the high season when our hotels etc charge the highest rates. March is traditionally the biggest month we have in tourism. Tucson would be similar.
Although November and December can find higher hotel rates, for those of us in the tourism industry they are not considered high season. The heavy air traffic at that time is snowbirds going home for the holidays or others coming here to visit.

The Grand Canyon's high season begins in mid April and runs through the end of October. The other months are low season. So it is virtually the opposite of Phoenix and Tucson.