11 Ideas for Your Summer Trip

Have you started planning for your next summer trip? Here are some ideas to get you started!

1. A Quietcation

The world is noisy and it’s only gotten noisier. When was the last time any of us have made a true, concerted effort to disconnect and actually find some peace and quiet? Probably not since the invention of the smartphone!

If you feel like you’re a victim of information and sensory overload, go for a quietcation. You could go to the extreme and book yourself into a silent retreat or do something as simple as lock your phone and laptop in a drawer for a weekend. I like to imagine going to one of those smaller islands or mountain towns where I pick up a paper map from the local tourist’s office, bring a physical book to read, and, you know, chat with people for recommendations or directions.

2. A Pop Culture Themed Trip

Pop culture can be such a fun way to get inspiration for a trip. Whether it’s a movie or TV show, a book, or a podcast, so many have such strong settings, it’s hard not to want to visit in person. Think about something you’ve read or watched recently and if it’s set somewhere that sounds interesting. Then start planning your trip.

3. A Romantic Railway Journey

Who doesn’t love the romance of old train journeys? I love that so many companies are bringing them back with elevated experiences. (Psst: I’m hosting one of them with Canyon Spirit in September!). Just imagine relaxing in a beautifully restored train car and watching some breathtaking scenery pass you by while dining on an incredible meal or chatting with your neighbors.

Think about where you want to go this summer and see if there’s a nice train route you can take instead of hopping on a plane. One of our other Season 9 sponsors, Railbookers, specializes in creating scenic routes!

4. A Coolcation

This is for everyone who’s groaning at the thought of summer heat. I don’t blame you! With temperatures increasing every year, sometimes those idyllic summer trips turn into major sweatfests and grumpy heat exhaustion. If that’s you, look into coolcations, aka vacations to destinations that rarely rise above 70F even during those dog days of summer! Sometimes it’s because they’re in the southern hemisphere and going through winter and other times it’s because they’re just a naturally colder region. Either way, you’re in for a nice, cooooool trip.

5. An Ultra Specific Retreat

There’s a group tour or retreat for truly everything these days. I’m not kidding, I’ve even heard of menopause and postnatal retreats. I want you to think about how you’re feeling and what specific interests you have, and then just start researching potential companies you could travel with. I bet you’ll find at least one or two that feel like they were planned specifically for you.

6. A Nice, Long Road Trip

It’s no secret I’m a big fan of the road trip over here. Whether it’s with my long-time best friend or my family, I love hopping in the car and hitting the great open road. And while this feels like the year of the Great American Road Trip, whether you journey west along Route 66, south along the Blues Highway, or north along the Great Northern Road Trip, don’t just limit yourself to the US!

You’d be surprised at how doable it is to rent a car abroad and plan a road trip that way. Imagine roadtripping to small towns and wineries in Emilia-Romagna, Italy or driving out to remote fjords and villages in Western Norway.

7. A Skillcation

Is there any hobby or skill you’ve always wanted to get the hang of? Maybe you’ve always been interested in knitting or weaving. Or you wanted to learn pottery but the local shops require weeks-long commitment and have limited space? How about learning to cook one type of cuisine? Consider a skillcation! These trips and tours are all designed to combine travel with learning a brand new skill.

Spend a week learning how to make sushi in Japan. Learn to dye and weave in Morocco. Get the hang of wildlife photography on a safari in Kenya. Take a tile-making workshop in Portugal. The sky’s the limit!

8. A Trip Dedicated to B-Sides

As you may know, I love B-side destinations – those places that exist near the A-side must-sees and often have that charm we look for when traveling. What if you planned an entire trip around B-side cities, towns, and regions? Can you imagine a trip to England where you skip London and instead spend time in places like Bath, the Cotswolds, Birmingham, Cornwall, and Manchester? Or if you came to New York and skipped NYC altogether, instead opting to go to Hudson Valley, the Finger Lakes, or the Adirondacks? Think of a country and give it a try!

9. Feel Like a Local

If you have time to take an extended trip anywhere in the world, consider planning a trip where you get to feel like a local. Instead of a destination-hopping itinerary, book a long term rental. Look into house swaps, pet sitting, or subletting for a month or so. Over that month do things you’d do at home – shop the grocery store aisles, join local meet-ups, check out what cool events are going on, try new cafes and restaurants… There’s something magical about a place completely foreign to you slowly turning into somewhere familiar.

10. Go Somewhere Completely Brand New

Take a look at a globe or a list of countries and make a separate list of every single one you’ve either never or barely heard of. Narrow that list down to countries you could feasibly, safely, and ethically visit. From that list, start planning. Despite how small social media and the Internet have made the world feel, it still feels like only a handful of countries get talked about over and over again. There are nearly 200 counties in the world; look at the 150 that barely get any attention!

11. Big Event Travel

Why not plan a trip around a big event? Maybe it’s a destination wedding or maybe your favorite band is doing a global tour. There are also unique events like the solar eclipse or maybe there’s some incredible painting that’s only on display a day or two out of the year. Pick your destination around said event and then see what else there is to do. When we were filming in Lausanne, I learned about the Paléo Festival, aka Switzerland’s answer to Coachella. Imagine planning a fun Swiss trip around a major music festival! As a bonus, I bet there’s a lot less heat exhaustion and dust there than in Coachella Valley.

And there you have it — some unique ideas for your next summer trip. Let me know which sounds the best to you below!