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Summer vacation ideas while there's still time: Here are 6 smart spots to consider
There’s still plenty of time this summer to make topnotch travel getaway plans.
Sure, a road trip to the mountains or a week at the beach is ideal for a well-deserved summer vacation — but if you’re looking for some suggestions that are an airplane away, read on.
Fox News Digital spoke to several travel experts to find out how to pursue your wanderlust, whether it’s a solo trip, a couple’s escape, a friends’ getaway or a special family vacation.
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Check out these six intriguing options, each with plenty to offer.
1. Ireland
Whether you want to explore your (or a friend’s or family member’s) Irish heritage, play golf or immerse yourself in the food and drink scene, the Emerald Isle is a place to consider.
The Emerald Isle offers a unique blend of bustling cities such as Dublin and Belfast, charming coastal cities like Cork and Galway, and rolling countryside towns throughout the spectacular island. (iStock)
It offers a unique blend of bustling cities such as Dublin and Belfast, charming coastal cities like Cork and Galway, and rolling countryside towns throughout the spectacular island.
Getting there is a cinch, as there are direct flights from Midwest and East Coast airports — making it easy for the young and the young at heart.
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While in Ireland, be sure to visit the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, which offers a “brewery experience” while sharing tales of “Ireland’s famous beer” with tastings and a rooftop bar, according to its website; and consider a visit to the whiskey distilleries of Jameson, Teeling and Pearse Lyons.
Afterward, consider the centrally located Grafton Hotel for a peaceful night’s rest.
The Guinness Storehouse in Dublin is a “must” visit to add to your itinerary if you’re in the area, according to travel experts. The brewery experience offers tales of “Ireland’s famous beer” plus tastings and a rooftop bar. (iStock)
The summer months are considered the best time to travel to Ireland, according to Intrepid Travel, an agency based in Canada.
While you might enjoy nice weather, summer is also peak season — so you can expect crowds at popular destinations.
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If you want to avoid the crowds, look into traveling during the “shoulder” season in autumn, according to Tourism Ireland.
2. Catalina Island, California
Another destination to consider as a summer escape is Catalina Island, which is about 50 miles off the coast of Los Angeles. It’s roughly an hour’s ferry ride.
Catalina Island is only an hour’s ferry ride from the coast of Los Angeles. (iStock)
Offering something for almost every type of traveler, the versatile destination has fine dining and luxury hotels. Visitors can also camp within the island’s wild terrain.
Other highlights are water activities like swimming, snorkeling, kayaking or paddleboarding.
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While on land, consider touring the Wrigley Memorial and Botanic Gardens, plus savor the natural beauty of more than 100 hiking trails on the island.
“Catalina Island provides a Mediterranean-style escape closer to the West Coast and is a good alternative to Capri, Italy,” said Christie Hudson, travel expert at Expedia in Seattle.
Catalina Island will feel like a Mediterranean-style getaway, but without the price tag, according to travel experts. (iStock)
“Both destinations offer breathtaking coastal views, clear waters ideal for snorkeling and a relaxed island atmosphere.”
Yet the price difference is huge.
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A flight from Austin, Texas, to Los Angeles is $310 compared to a flight from Austin to Naples, Italy — which averages $1,870, said Hudson.
3. The Dolomites in northern Italy
If you dream of a splurge-worthy dream trip to Italy but don’t want to face the crowds this summer — consider an alternate Italian trip.
If you envision an Italian summer trip but without the massive crowds, take a look at this northern Italian getaway in the Dolomites. (iStock)
Zicasso CEO Brian Tan, based in Mountain View, California, said that while Italy remains a high-demand destination for Zicasso travelers, the travel company is seeing a rise in slightly lesser-known regions, such as the Dolomites in northern Italy.
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“It’s off-the-beaten path from the usual Rome/Florence/Venice crowds, has cooler temperatures, amazing mountain vistas, lush valleys, memorable drives, and charming towns, including Cortina D’Ampezzo, host of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games,” said Tan.
Furthermore, a region like the Dolomites can be paired easily with traditionally popular major gateway cities like Rome, he said.
4. Denmark
Copenhagen is likely the most visited city in Denmark.
This Scandinavian country offers endless opportunities for culture, history and foodie experiences, plus coastal benefits.
While Denmark may not be top of mind when thinking of a beach holiday, it has over 4,500 miles of coastline, with uncrowded, white, sandy beaches. (iStock)
“Denmark is a surprisingly good place for a beach holiday in peak summer, with over 4,500 miles of coastline and uncrowded, white, sandy beaches,” said Daniel Burnham, senior flight expert with Going.com.
“Within the past 10 days we’ve seen nonstop fares to Copenhagen from $375 nonstop out of Boston, New York, Miami, Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles for travel from July-November 2024,” he also said.
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In addition, a Denmark trip can be a launching point for seeing other European countries,c such as Finland, Norway, Sweden or the United Kingdom.
5. Saint Vincent
If you’re a Caribbean enthusiast but don’t want the same “been there, done that” island experience, it might be time to consider Saint Vincent — where the “Pirates of the Caribbean” was filmed.
Check out Saint Vincent if you’re in the mood for a Caribbean escape but want to avoid the crowds. (iStock)
“There’s a new Sandals there now, and it’s a sweet property,” said Kelley Connor, a travel adviser with AAA Club Alliance in Marlton, New Jersey.
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“It’s the first all-inclusive [offering] on the island, located on 50 lush acres with a beautiful beach and surrounded by mountains and rainforest.”
Saint Vincent is south of St. Lucia in the Eastern Caribbean.
Visit Saint Vincent while it’s still “pure and undisturbed, providing a relaxing vacation that offers the best of all beach vacations without the hordes of tourists,” said one travel expert. (iStock)
“Right now, it’s pure and undisturbed, providing a relaxing vacation that offers the best of all beach vacations without the hordes of tourists,” Connor said.
“The rainforest is filled with tropical birds and cascading waterfalls, and the snorkeling and scuba diving is sublime, due to the exotic beauty beneath the quiet turquoise waters.”
6. Gulf Shores, Alabama
Gulf Shores, Alabama is gaining popularity among travelers who are seeking a blend of pristine beaches, outdoor activities and southern hospitality, according to Booking.com information shared with Fox News Digital.
It’s a quintessential beach escape — with 32 miles of white, sandy beaches perfect for swimming, sunbathing and water sports.
Take a look at six vacation destinations described in this article that are true gems with lots to offer, as recommended by travel experts. (iStock)
Be sure to make time for Gulf State Park, a must-visit for nature enthusiasts — plus it offers kayaking, fishing and hiking.
Also, a dolphin cruise showcases the region’s scenic beauty of the Gulf while offering the chance to spot these adorable mammals.
This destination is very family-friendly and ideal for a multi-generational trip.
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Wyoming
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Ahmed Ali Mazen can’t remember the last time he missed the call to prayer.
Five times a day, he heads out the back of his restaurant, Old Jerusalem at 25th and Mission streets, and climbs the stairs to his rooftop, which overlooks the Mission and Bernal Heights.
He always concludes the routine with a Marlboro Gold and a scorching-hot cup of tea with fresh mint.
It’s a lifetime away from the farm where Mazen, now age 58, was raised, one of 11 children, in a small village named Saffa in Ramallah, Palestine. His family grew cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelon and, on the village’s mountaintop, olives.
The Mazen family raised cows, sheep and goats. Mazen had his own pet donkey, which he said he loved dearly.
“Donkeys were for those who couldn’t afford horses,” he said. “Those who couldn’t afford donkeys walked.”
Mazen’s donkey was his most prized possession. He would use it to plow the family’s land and carry produce back from the top of the mountain.
He looks back on his childhood fondly, remembering the village’s ceremonial olive harvest and the fiercely competitive soccer matches.
He and his friends would wait outside the nearby girls’ school in the afternoons, each picking who they said they would one day marry.
“Of course, we never had the guts to go up to them and introduce ourselves. It was just fun to love from afar. That’s what kids do.”
Mazen was 19 during the first intifada in 1987, a political uprising against Israel in which more than 1,100 Palestinians, many of them children, were killed.
“Nothing was ever the same,” he says.
He was still in his teens when he left to start a new life in the United States. In San Francisco, he worked all sorts of odd jobs: Bagging groceries at Mike’s on Mission Street, tow-truck driver, and endless kitchen gigs.
Next came an arranged marriage. “She had seen a photo of me beforehand, I didn’t, but I didn’t really care,” he recalled. “I just wanted to get married.”
His bride was another Palestinian from Ramallah, possibly one of the girls he’d admired from afar during his school days.
He said falling in love and wanting to raise a family motivated him to be self-sufficient by starting his own business. Mazen felt there was a gap to be filled, that existing Middle Eastern restaurants weren’t serving “true” Palestinian food.
One day, Mazen noticed a new “for sale” sign in a window on his commute home. The asking price was far above his price range, but with loans from a bank, family and friends, he cobbled together enough money to buy it.
Old Jerusalem Restaurant opened in 2005. At first, business was so slow that he had to borrow another $40,000 loan from a friend, but eventually it picked up.
Now, 21 years later, Old Jerusalem offers authentic Palestinian dishes like pistachio-crusted lamb chops and Nablusi kunefe, a dessert made of crispy, shredded phyllo, layered with melted cheese and soaked in sweet, fragrant syrup.
“We serve the food I ate growing up, no compromises,” Mazen said.
On its face, Mazen’s story is one of the many successful stories of Palestinian immigrants. He has a wife and three kids, all of whom went to college, and a longstanding business.
He has friends in the Palestinian community here, like Sami Rami, who owns the nearby Middle Eastern market. These days he goes to countless weddings for his friends’ grown children. And he has come to love this sanctuary city.
“This place has everything you need to love it,” he said. “There is so much diversity here: Arab, Chinese, Black, you name it. If you want to get to work in this country, there’s also the money for it.”
Yet Mazen longs for the life he left behind. The annual olive harvest has become nearly impossible due to the current conflict, he says, but he still visits home about once a year to check in on his mother.
“Do you want me to tell you what is good for the story, or do you want me to be honest?” he asked. “I’m so grateful for what God has given me, but if I could go back 20 years from now, I would have never left.”
“The biggest mistake anyone can make is to leave their country,” he said.
“Money doesn’t fix anything. It doesn’t fix that feeling of comfort hearing the mosque’s call to prayer, or seeing your children gather with your nephews, and grow up alongside their cousins. No matter how much money you make, you’ll never be able to get what you once had at home.”
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