Sometimes I just get lucky.

One January, I decided to go on a last-minute weekend trip to L.A. Two days before I took off, I booked a plane ticket for about $180.

I tried doing that again this week for a similar jaunt to L.A. This time, the trip would have been in the middle of June and cost about $300. I won't be going. It just isn't the right time.

As wonderful as summer is, it isn't the most affordable time to travel to a lot of places. Beautiful sunny days draw throngs to southern California beaches, European hostels and Florida theme parks. Teachers and kids are out of school. And post-senior-year road trips are almost a rite of passage.

Still, there are a few corners of this world where summer brings the best travel bargains.

Among them: Aruba, Ixtapa and Vail, according to SmarterTravel.com. The site offers members discounts on airfare, hotel rooms and car rentals, but non-members can access its money-saving travel tips for free.

One of SmarterTravel.com's recurring themes: Travel during the offseason. In other words, the time most people won't want to go some place is the best time for you to go there.

Aruba isn't ever going to be cheap. But if you've got your heart set on this island in the Caribbean, summer is the time to go.

A five-day, all-inclusive (meals, drinks and gratuities included) vacation will cost you about $250 less if you travel in July instead of February, SmarterTravel says.

What's the catch, you ask? July is the middle of hurricane season. But since Aruba lies outside the most frequently hit areas, you have a pretty decent shot at enjoying its beaches without having to battle a storm.

If beaches aren't your style or you're scared of flying over the water, try a road trip to the Colorado ski towns of the rich and famous. Hotel rooms in Rocky Mountain towns such as Aspen and Vail are a lot cheaper in July than they are during the winter ski season. The catch is you won't be able to ski. Duh.

There's still mountain-biking, hiking, whitewater-rafting, art festivals and at least one microbrewery brew-off.

If your summer isn't complete without a trip to the beach, try Ixtapa on the Mexican Riviera's Pacific Coast.

High-rises reminiscent of those on Waikiki beach line the coast. Activities such as scuba-diving, golf, shopping and deep-sea fishing abound — all for less than the $800 plane tickets and $250-a-night hotel rooms to vacation in Waikiki.

Of course, there's a catch. There always is.

Summers in Ixtapa can be rainy and/or hot, with average June and July temperatures around 99 degrees. But for a night at the Villa del Lago at $50 bucks less than you'd pay over the Thanksgiving weekend, the trade off may be worth it.

Good deals can be had on summer travel. You just have to decide if the catch is worth the savings.