No matter where you’re from in the world, and regardless if you call it a vacation or a holiday, the desire to get away and to see other parts of the world is something we all have in common. Immersing yourself in another culture; having unique and beautiful experiences in a strange and wonderful locale – it’s really amazing how a short retreat can feed the soul and make anyone feel great. And as the summertime is quickly drawing to a close, many out there are falling over themselves to get their vacation time in before the weather changes.
If you’ve been wanting to take a summer trip but couldn’t make it happen either because of monetary issues or the fact that you just didn’t want to fight the crowds, the good news here is that not only have the crowds died down, but the prices of vacation rentals have dropped off significantly.
Let’s go over a few great, inexpensive, underrated vacation ideas for the end of summer.
Alaska
Okay, so you’re not going to see the entire U.S. state here; it’s bigger than about 100 countries in the world. However, there are many wonderful places to visit in Alaska, like Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks, and the magnificent Denali National Park. The snow is still high atop the mountains in the summer here, but in August the state is remarkably green, the weather is extremely pleasant, and there are endless activities to participate in. Just don’t try to steal Mr. Bear’s salmon.
Hilton Head, SC
Well, the fact of the matter is that South Carolina is always an underrated vacation destination, no matter what time of year it is. However, as the days of August begin to burn by and the crowds dissipate, locations like Hilton Head open up and allow you to see everything that’s great about Atlantic islands. It’s not quite the Caribbean, but the weather is perfect, the beaches are beautiful, and you get that real-deal east coast boardwalk feel. Plus you can experience great savings on apartments and hotels around this time of year.
Summer Ski Resorts
Have you ever thought about visiting a ski resort in the summertime? Probably not. That’s because there’s no snow there, but that’s exactly why it’s a great vacation idea. Not only do you get to avoid the crowds and save a ton of money on your trip, but you also get to experience another side of nature’s beauty – the lush green side. In locations like Switzerland, Colorado, Italy and Utah, you can find different summer festivals and events happening at snowless ski towns. There’s still plenty to do that doesn’t involve falling down the bunny slopes dressed like an astronaut.
Edinburgh
London, Barcelona and Dublin are all popular summer destinations, but nobody gives Edinburgh the respect they deserve for an awesome summertime city. That’s good news for all of you bargain seeking, castle-loving, explorers this summer.
Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and was voted European Destination of the Year at the World Travel Awards in 2012, but it still flies under the radar on many travelers’ hit lists.
August is especially awesome for festivals in Edinburgh, as film, books, arts and jazz all hold their own festival in the city. I suggest you grab some friends, rent an apartment with GowithOh and explore this beautiful city before the autumn rain rolls in!
Nice
Nice is currently located on the top of my travel priority list. One of my biggest life goals is to sail the Mediterranean Sea from France to Turkey and I would love to start the entire trip in Nice.
With all the tourists in France, in particular, Paris, during the summer months, a great way to escape the big city bunching is to head southeast and join the worldly jetsetters who gather in the glamorous seaside city.
You can explore the beautiful French Riviera and Castle Hill by day and dance with celebrities and the super rich by night at one of many local discos. This is a completely different travel experience than the previous four and they are all completely worth a trip!
There’s no reason that you can’t get a little creative this year for your end of summer vacation. Plan a unique adventure that you’ll remember for a lifetime, and don’t forget to use online travel resources to save a lot of money on your one-of-a-kind getaway.
