5 Hot Travel Trends to Inspire Your Summer Vacation
Summer is the perfect opportunity to pack your bags and cash in on your hard-earned vacation time, for a trip that’ll leave you feeling relaxed, recharged, and like you’re glowing from the inside out. We recently caught wind of the top bucket list destinations and dream vacations from Crimson Hexagon, a social analytics firm. Since the beginning of the year, there have been 1.2 million social media posts about aspirational travel. Crimson Hexagon searched the most popular hashtags associated with these types of posts and outlined five things people care most about when talking about their ideal travel experience. Keep reading to see how your summer vacay plans stack up, or use this info to get totally inspired to book your next trip.
1. Top destinations have scenic water views. Whether it’s cruising the mountainous California coast in a slick SUV with your S.O., diving into a giant lake in the middle of Texas with your friends, or inhaling the fresh scent of saltwater while relaxing solo on the shores in Maine, travelers say that waterfront views are where it’s at. Sea, bay, shore, and coast are the top scenic views associated with bucket list travel. Not sure where to soak ‘em in this summer? Consider lesser-known spots, like the barrier islands off of Florida’s southwestern shores. They’re considerably less packed than other well-known destinations through September.
2. When it comes to cities vs. nature, nature wins. Major metros like Paris, Rome, and New York City are ideal when it comes to indulging in culture, top-ranked restaurants, and museums, but warm weather has people psyched to experience mother nature. Data shows that 6.8 percent of all bucket list posts use the terms “nature” or “natural.” Join in on the fun by climbing mountains, floating down rivers, exploring state parks, or unwinding on a quiet beach instead of fighting through the sweaty city crowds. Limited sunshine and long days call for spending as much time in nature as possible.
3. Water activities rule the list. Boating, tubing, swimming, and diving all took top spots on this travel list (and really, who doesn’t want to spend their summer vacay soaking up the sun on the water?). Round out your time in the water with surfing, stand-up paddle boarding, or waterskiing to take your activities to new heights. Not only will your core get a killer workout from these fun summer activities that don’t feel like exercise, but you’ll be able to enjoy the sights from a different perspective.
4. People chat about their travel plans most on Mondays and Fridays. Well, no surprise here. Whether you’re spending Monday morning dishing the deets about your weekend with friends and coworkers (and already planning your next adventure) or daydreaming about your upcoming getaway on Friday, it seems like we are all just working for the weekend. Le sigh.
5. Just *thinking* about travel can make you happier. Can’t book that paid time off anytime soon? You might be relieved to know that even thinking about travel brings happiness: 56 percent of overall bucket list conversation is joyful. Use this knowledge as a superpower to summon it while planning your next adventure. Remember, travel doesn’t always have to be an intercontinental jet set. It can be as easy as grabbing a couple of your gal pals and heading to breakfast a few towns over, or bringing your S.O. to a part of your city where neither of you have been before. Have fun dreaming up ideas and putting them on your calendar — even if it’s weeks or months away.
Are your summer plans spot-on with these bucket list trends? Show us how yours stack up by tagging us in your vacay pics @BritandCo!
(Photos via Getty)