Travel timing data for your own site or app

Start here

This returns one destination. Leave out ?d= to get all 34. Keep the slash before the ?: without it you get a redirect, which a browser won't follow across sites.

fetch('https://atlasranger.com/api/scores/?d=hawaii')
  .then((r) => r.json())
  .then(({ destinations }) => console.log(destinations[0].bestMonths));

Endpoints

Use the verdict, not just the score

The score rates a month mostly on its weather, so a high number doesn't always mean go. Hawaii's September scores 80, and its best-time guide still gives it the verdict skip. This is the real record for Hawaii, cut down to that one month:

{
  "slug": "hawaii",
  "name": "Hawaii",
  "annualScore": 80,
  "guideUrl": "https://atlasranger.com/us/hawaii/best-time-to-visit/?utm_source=api&utm_medium=credit",
  "bestMonths": [4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11],
  "avoidMonths": [8, 9],
  "months": [
    {
      "month": 9,
      "monthName": "September",
      "score": 80,
      "weather": 75,
      "crowdBonus": 8,
      "valueBonus": 6,
      "experienceBonus": 4,
      "season": "low",
      "verdict": "skip"
    }
  ]
}

The reverse happens too: the score favours warm weather, so a cool month can read go with a low score, like cherry blossom season in Japan. To recommend or warn against a month, read verdict:

• go: best season, and the guide recommends it
• good: a good-value shoulder month with no warning against it
• meh: neither recommended nor warned against
• skip: the guide warns against this month

What the numbers are

weather comes from long-run monthly climate averages at weather stations, so it describes a typical year, not a forecast. crowdBonus and valueBonus are fixed rules based on the season: they assume off-peak months are quieter and cheaper, and they aren't measured crowds or prices. experienceBonus counts the festivals in the guide. How the score is worked out has the full method, and each guideUrl leads to that destination's guide and sources.

Credit

The scores and verdicts are published under CC BY 4.0. Put this line with a working link wherever you show them:

Data: Atlas Ranger Score (https://atlasranger.com/atlas-ranger-score/?utm_source=api&utm_medium=credit), CC BY 4.0

The link in that line carries a small tag so we can see which sites send readers our way; keep it as it is.

Aurora readings come from the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, the same feed behind our aurora tonight map. Credit NOAA SWPC when you use them; each response includes the wording.

What isn't included

Raw climate figures, written month summaries, cherry blossom dates, partner prices, hotel ratings and photos aren't part of this API. To show our maps instead of building your own, use the embeddable travel maps. To browse the same calls by month, see where to go each month. Something missing? Tell us.