And since the autumn and winter seasons can be quite harsh, people like to take advantage of the good weather. That’s why school and academic vacations last all summer, in the middle of the year. It’s Summer Vacation! Its start marks the end of the school year. In other words, when you return to university, you will begin a new year of studies. It’s that moment to celebrate the end of exams and another semester completed, as well as to rest.
During Summer Vacation, students have several options: return to their parents’ home to enjoy the season (since the vast majority of Americans move states to attend university), plan a trip, get a summer job, or continue their studies. For international students, all four options are also valid, depending on each case.
Despite being on vacation, many universities offer summer courses with different purposes: extracurricular activities, advancing studies to graduate earlier, remedial classes, and other activities.
Those who decide to travel usually look for destinations with beaches, rivers, or lakes across the U.S. and around the world.
Summer in the U.S.
If you think the U.S. is just cold and snow, you are quite mistaken. The country also has a very intense summer. Summer in the U.S. starts in June and ends in August. These are months of significant movement in the country as this period is marked by school vacations.
With the U.S. having a large variation in temperature depending on the region you visit, it’s advisable to research the temperature in that area before going to a specific city.
That being said, here’s how the temperature looks during the summer in major American cities:
• Los Angeles: between 17ºC and 30ºC;
• New York: between 18ºC and 30ºC;
• San Diego: between 15ºC and 27ºC;
• Miami: between 19ºC and 31ºC;
• San Francisco: between 10ºC and 21ºC;
• Orlando: between 22ºC and 33ºC;
• Fort Lauderdale: between 20ºC and 32ºC;
• Chicago: between 15ºC and 29ºC;
• Boston: between 19ºC and 28ºC.
During summer, cities become more crowded and bustling, and tourist attractions are more popular.
The U.S. has 50 states, and listing the best cities to enjoy the heat is quite a challenging task.
Some famous North American destinations among college students are: Martha’s Vineyard (MA), Lake George (NY), San Diego and Catalina Island (CA), Key West, Palm Beach and Miami (FL), Newport (RI), Jersey Shore (NJ), and many others.
In August, the weather is fantastic but only in some cities: Portland, Reno, Santa Monica, San Diego, Seattle, Santa Barbara, Hollywood, Lake Tahoe, Salem, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Moab, Napa Valley, and Salt Lake City. In these cities, all conditions are gathered to fully enjoy your vacation: the sun is present, precipitation is scarce, and humidity is not very high.
Please note that the weather is still good in Sacramento, Albuquerque, Hawaii (Honolulu), Kansas, Connecticut, Cleveland, Maryland, Grand Canyon, Yosemite National Park, Vermont, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Wildwood, Wisconsin, Philadelphia, Missouri, Anchorage, Atlanta, Tucson, Myrtle Beach, Santa Fe, Wyoming, Virginia, Yellowstone National Park, Mobile, Palm Springs, Boston, Utah, Jacksonville, South Carolina, Louisville (Kentucky), Jackson Hole, Detroit, Niagara Falls, New Jersey, North Carolina, Washington D.C., Nashville, Rhode Island, Denver, Montana, Joshua Tree National Park, Maine, Zion National Park, Monument Valley, Virginia Beach, Louisiana, Hampton Beach, and Chicago. In these areas, the temperatures are attractive and allow you to visit – and why not, sunbathe!
If you’re not traveling for the sun and blue skies, but for cultural visits or hiking, the weather in cities like Miami, New Orleans, Death Valley, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Key West, Alaska, Houston, Tampa, Phoenix, and Austin is okay but only acceptable for this in August.
What to see in the summer in the U.S.?
Here are the most touristy and beloved cities by travelers for you to get inspired and choose your next destination:
• Orlando (FL): Throughout the year, Orlando is a very busy city, but in summer it tends to be quite crowded due to vacations and the weather. The place is home to the famous Disney parks, known worldwide. Additionally, during summer, visitors can enjoy Orlando’s water parks.
• Los Angeles (CA): For those who love parties, excitement, and beaches, Los Angeles is the perfect place for you during the summer. The city has perfect and super lively beaches, such as Venice Beach. An event that takes place during this time of year is the Dine L.A Restaurant Week, where visitors can explore over 300 restaurants with various typical dishes from the region.
• San Francisco (CA): This location is highly sought after by those who prefer a milder temperature. Visitors come to this city to see the famous Golden Gate Bridge, ride bikes, or walk across it. Additionally, during summer, visitors seek this area to enjoy its beautiful beaches and outdoor tourist attractions.
• New York (NY): During the summer in New York, it’s possible to walk and explore its tourist spots more calmly, as the school vacations in the country make the place less crowded. Moreover, temperatures are quite high, averaging 40°C.
Summer in Europe
According to some American travel operators, the number of Americans traveling to Europe this summer is expected to rise by 55% compared to last year’s figures. London, Paris, and Dublin topped the list of 2023’s ten most popular destinations revealed by Allianz’s annual review; Rome, Reykjavik, Amsterdam, and Lisbon are also among the top 10 favorites.
The European Commission for Tourism also predicted strong demand for European vacations in 2023, with nearly half of all destinations on the continent expecting a return to over 80% of 2019’s numbers.
Of course, all this demand has driven prices up. According to flight tracking website Hopper, airfare from the U.S. to Europe is at its highest prices in the last five years. Round-trip tickets to the continent currently average over $1,200 (about R$ 5,850), which is approximately $300 (or about R$ 1,460) above 2022 (and a jump of 26% compared to pre-pandemic prices in 2019).
Hotel rates have also increased. According to American Express Global Business Travel (AEGBT), hotel prices in Europe are expected to see the largest increases during 2023. Paris (10% increase from the previous year), Stockholm (9%), and Dublin (8.5%) are among the destinations that AEGBT predicted would see the biggest hikes.
However, the increase hasn’t diminished the general desire to travel. For weeks, many European centers have been flooded with tourists, and fully booked hotels, crowded museums, and restaurants without space are increasingly common, especially in high-demand cities like Barcelona, Rome, and Paris.
The big surprise is that the season of crowds started very early. “Just looking out the window, it already looks like July,” says Milou Halbesma, director of the Rembrandt House Museum in Amsterdam, located in the home of the Dutch master.
In anticipation of a “very busy summer,” the museum has brought in extra staff and added new services for visitors, including a multimedia tour available in 13 languages and a specific tour for children.
Meanwhile, in other destinations across the continent, popular programs like HBO’s “The White Lotus” and Netflix’s “Emily in Paris” are also drawing hordes of fans to take selfies at the locations. According to data from Expedia, searches for flights to cities in Sicily – the idyllic island where the second season of “The White Lotus” was filmed – have increased by three digits this summer. Searches for Messina rose 335% and Palermo, 180%.
Attractions, landmarks, and traditionally popular events are also feeling the wave. There are reports of tour guides in Rome having to call by a certain date just to try to secure reservations for the Colosseum.
In Paris, Arnaud Morandi, general manager of Fauchon L’Hôtel Paris, says that visitors hoping to get last-minute tickets for events, major concerts, or restaurant reservations should lower their expectations.
“It seems that everything sold out very quickly,” says Morandi. “Everything related to leisure, including fine dining and luxury hotels, is booked in advance, much earlier than before.”
But traveling through Europe has become increasingly prohibitive. Train tickets are often more expensive than flights.
Asia in the summer
Asia is a giant continent, with many different cultures, places, climates, and peoples. Therefore, traveling and getting to know its various countries will always be surprising!
To avoid many unforeseen events during your trip, don’t forget your travel insurance and choose well the period you will enjoy your vacation, keeping an eye on the Asian monsoons, which bring a lot of rain to some regions. These rains can mean “troubles” for tourists, but they are celebrated by locals as they bring water for agriculture.
The rain can hinder some outings, but traveling during this time is not just disadvantageous. The plants in the landscapes, for example, become stunning. Additionally, airfare and hotels become cheaper.
With climate change, other factors can influence the summer monsoons. However, generally speaking, some countries are more affected than others.
If you want to visit some countries on the continent during your June, July, and August vacation, keep an eye on the Summer Monsoon, which starts in May and goes until September. Take the opportunity to visit Indonesia and central Vietnam. If you want to visit China and Japan, how about the spring period between March, April, and May, when temperatures are mild, and the Cherry Blossom Festival occurs in Japan, and you can visit tea harvests in China?
Sources: hotcourses.com.br/ie.com.br/s2vistos.com.br/cnnbrasil.com.br/itaseguroviagem.com.br