The High & Low Seasons -- Hotels on all three islands charge their highest rates during the peak winter season, from mid-December to mid-April. Christmas week rates may double those tariffs. You should make reservations months in advance for Christmas and February, especially over Presidents' Day weekend.
The off-season on all three islands runs roughly mid-April to mid-December (though exact dates vary according to hotel). It's one big summer sale: Most hotels, inns, condos, and villas slash their prices 20% to 50%. The beaches are less crowded and many top lodgings and restaurants shutter for one, even two months as the owners take their own vacation or perform necessary renovations. Be sure to request a room away from noise if the hotel remains open during construction. We provide closing dates wherever possible, but visitors should double-check before booking.
Weather -- High season on all three islands features a temperate climate, rarely exceeding 90°F (32°C), with lower humidity and the famed cooling trade winds blowing in from the northeast. It's ideal beach weather, with the occasional cloudy day. Usually rain showers are brief: Islanders call them "liquid sunshine."
Rainy season runs from late May to mid-November. This doesn't mean it rains for days at a time or even every day. But this also roughly corresponds to the official Atlantic hurricane season, June 1 to November 30. Fortunately, satellite surveillance provides enough advance warning to take precautions and, rarely, evacuate.
