Summer is coming and with it, that desire of getting away from wherever you live and seeing the world. With that in mind we decided to do a post with the best vacation destinations this summer, but soon realized that it really varies from person to person. The definition of a perfect vacation for a family is very different from that of a young adult or from someone who just wants to disconnect from the 24/7 modern technology addiction and get in touch with nature and themselves. So we decided that the proper way to choose the best vacation destinations was to categorize the types of vacation and assign the best cities to travel to. Here we go!
Family Vacation
Hey… Orlando, Florida still has got it going on if you have kids and is looking for a sweet family vacation destination. To be honest, this is one of the best cities to travel regardless of your age. It has entertainment options for everyone. And even if you are no longer a kid, you can still feel like one again and enjoy Orlando’s theme parks. But we suggest exploring outside the Disney and Universal Studios resorts. Orlando has been booming and provides fine places to visit like the Orlando Eye, a giant Ferris wheel with a 360 degrees view of the city. On its complex, there’s also a branch of the world-famous Madame Tussauds’ museum of wax, where you can get face-to-face with life-sized wax figures of celebrities like Brad Pitt, Scarlett Johansson, and even Shrek! It’s a selfie-paradise there. Not to mention the Kennedy Space Center, just an hour out of Orlando. Combine it with a day of shopping at an outlet mall and you will have a wonderful family vacation experience for everyone in your group.
Just watch out because summer in Florida is also Hurricane Season and the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season is coming strong in 2018. That doesn’t mean you should cancel your family vacation; Orlando is actually pretty safe regarding hurricanes. Just stay informed to know if you should make any preparedness to heavy rains etc. and look for a sturdy hotel just in case.
Romantic Getaways
Nothing leads more to romance like a nice bottle of wine. A road trip through California enjoying the several summer festivities local vineyards promote, makes the golden state one of the best vacation destinations this summer and the perfect romantic getaway for couples. Throughout the summer local wineries spice up their game with pool parties, movie nights, scenic picnics, music concert and several attractions to wine fans. What better romantic getaway than playing hide and seek between the crops of grapes, harvesting grapes and feeding your loved one here and there? Another thing that makes it one of the best vacation destinations this summer is that California is HUGE! So, even though there are a lot of wineries and a lot of wine fans out there, you’ll hardly feel like you’re in a crowded place. That’s important because romantic getaways should feel “exclusive”, right? You should at least feel like the two of you are the only ones there. Find a nice hotel for a day spa (some wineries have a spa inside their premises, so bundle up and save money!) and enjoy a massage, light food and just feel the warm and loving embrace of your better half. Go to the Sonoma Valley if you want a more intimate (and affordable) romantic getaway and choose the Napa Valley if you want to go to the Disneyland of wine, with the best of the best and amazing experience.
Adventure Travel
Don’t want no family vacation, or thought our idea of a romantic getaway was a little bit boring? Are you looking for an adventure travel trip to do it on your own or with someone else, where you’ll be able to hike, bike and just go out into the wild? Our choice for an adventure travel trip would be the Grand Canyon. Get on top of a mule (yes, a mule!) for a night ride under the magnificent Grand Canyon skies – one of the most beautiful you’ll ever see in your life, we guarantee – go on a raft ride on the Colorado River, and camp out in the open – you were looking for an adventure travel, right? The Grand Canyon is always one of the best vacations destinations – even in the summer; just remember to constantly drink water and protect your skin. It’s one of those adventure travels everyone needs to do at least once in their lifetime and, the younger you can do it, the better, because it requires a lot of disposition.
One thing we feel it’s important to address regarding an adventure travel is the need for travel insurance. When you think about what does travel insurance typically cover you think of loss of luggage and cancellation expenses, but the medical expenses are the most important here, especially considering the many people that don’t have health insurance. A trip to a hospital for a simple splint and a couple of stitches (trophy scars for the adventure travel fan) can cost more than what you spent with the whole trip. Travel insurance is really affordable considering the money it might save you.
Unplugged Vacation
You could say our example of adventure travel was very much an example of an unplugged vacation as well. It’s true; you won’t be able to get good reception there. However, it’s not the best place for a thoroughly relaxing experience and when we think of an unplugged vacation we think not only of disconnecting from technology, but taking a breather and relaxing, right? With that in mind, for us the best vacation destination for an unplugged vacation (look, it rhymes!) is Oregon. Ironic, no? Oregon is said to be a hotbed for Millennials – TV shows like IFC’s Portlandia even make fun of it – however, it is the state, together with Idaho and Colorado, that provide the best options for an unplugged vacation. And depending on where you go, you can even turn it into a family vacation or romantic getaway because the sights are so beautiful and filled with fun activities. Just make sure your loved ones dig the idea. Nothing like grumpy faces and attitudes to ruin an otherwise relaxing trip.
We could single out Breitenbush Hot Springs, a holistic resort inside the Willamette National Forest, where you’ll enjoy yoga, massage, natural geothermal hot springs and more than 20 miles of trails to hike. Breitenbush is a worker-owned co-op, so if you love the place, you can even try to stay permanently by making your skills available to the community for a year, at which point they’ll vote if you can become a member or not. Like a super chilled Survivor Tribal Council. However, the truth is that like any good unplugged vacation you don’t want to make plans; you just want an unplanned environment that allows you to get in contact with nature and do whatever you want; and that’s why Oregon is our best vacation destination if you’re looking for an unplugged vacation: every region of it provides you with amazing lakes for fishing and stargazing, trails for hiking, mountains for climbing and nature to observe. Just pick wherever you want to go to – the Crater Lake, Mt. Hoode & Columbia River Gorge, the Owyhee River at Jordan Valley, several ghost towns, and the Smith Rock. Oregon is the place for an unplugged vacation.
Special Needs Vacation
What if your kid requires special needs? We got you covered too. We recommend Vermont! Not only it is a beautiful state full of green mountains which is an attraction in itself, but it’s home to the Smuggler’s Notch; have you ever heard about it? Included by familyvacation.com as one of the best vacations destinations for families with special needs children and named a top pick in Autism Parenting Magazine’s “The ultimate guide to autism-friendly product and services”, the Smuggler’s Notch is a family resort. During the winter, their activities are centered around skiing and snowboarding through the luscious mountains around its complex. However, in the summer, its adaptive programs provide special needs children with a fun experience in a supportive environment. All their activities – horseback riding, kayaking, mini golf, hiking, ziplines, sing-alongs… – are tailored to make your special needs vacation fun, safe and memorable.
It’s a great option for your special needs vacation, and the proximity to the Ben & Jerry’s Factory during the summer is always a plus! Do the tour to know more about Vermont’s finest and refresh yourself with a delicious ice-cream.
Now, independently of the type of vacation you will have this summer, if you fall in love with the place you choose and want to outright move in (it happens quite often!) or just make money off of it by having a vacation home, a log cabin or an Airbnb; feel free to use The OFFICIAL Real Estate Agent Directory® and find a real estate agent to help you buy a house in Orlando, or California, or Oregon or somewhere near the Grand Canyon.
But what if your zodiac sign is Libra and you liked all of these options we just presented and can’t commit to one? Is there a jack-of-all-trades kind of vacation?
Yes, there is.
A Cruise!
It’s not exactly a “destination” per se, but it’s the one closest to combining all of the best vacations destinations together. Perfect for a family vacation, with many possibilities of spending quality time together, but if you want to have some one-on-one time with your spouse you can always send the kids to do something on the ship supervised by hundreds of cruise personnel and have a nice romantic dinner, stargazing over a bottle of wine on the ship deck. Think about it; you’re in the middle of the ocean, kissing under the moonlight. What a great romantic getaway!
Now, some time ago it used to be that a cruise was a great option for an unplugged vacation too, but nowadays ships have Wi-Fi all over; so disconnecting will be a personal effort rather than a forced situation. A test for your will. And regarding the adventure travel… it can be pretty adventurous if you slip out of the boat and get stranded in the middle of the sea. So, yes, maybe just tone down your adventure travel needs when on cruises; stick with those crazy water slides to the pool and other sports options available.
Lastly, if you’re thinking this is not really a jack-of-all-trades travel because we missed the special needs travel… no, we didn’t. Royal Caribbean has the “Autism on the seas” a cruise line to adults and families living with children with special needs like Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, and Autism. You can even have some time for yourself and spouse as the staff is trained and will provide babysitting for a few hours each day for free.
