New travel data uncovers summer's biggest trends in 2026

Name: Expert provides tips for driving in extreme heat
Uploaded: 2022-06-28T12:34:25-04:00
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Description: Driving during the summer months poses some unique dangers to vehicles and passengers, but keeping you and others safe all comes down to preparation.

Driving during the summer months poses some unique dangers to vehicles and passengers, but keeping you and others safe all comes down to preparation.

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FILE: Expert provides tips for driving in extreme heat

Driving during the summer months poses some unique dangers to vehicles and passengers, but keeping you and others safe all comes down to preparation.

Summer is coming in hot, and that means one thing: it's prime vacation season!

Travelers are already packing their bags for everything from quick domestic adventures, international escapes, road trips and more — even blending work with play.

FILE - Traffic came to a standstill on Route 3 northbound in Braintree as seen in a car's rearview mirror after a multi-car accident shut down the 3 travel lanes making it a 38 minute backup. The mass exodus of Thanksgiving travelers began early Wednesday morning. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

(Getty Images)

Whatever the case may be, this summer's travel trends are shaping up in a new way.

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Are you planning a getaway this summer? Let’s dive into Expedia’s breakdown of the season's hottest travel trends.

Domestic travel

According to Expedia, domestic travel has been commanding summer travel plans this year, highlighting that social conversations about domestic vacations have increased by 77% year-over-year globally.

That said, 63% of U.S. travelers are planning a domestic trip this summer, as many are drawn to nearby beaches and mountain towns for hiking and national parks.

The Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington state linking the city of Tacoma with Gig Harbor of the Kitsap Peninsula, with the Olympic Mountain range in the distance.

(gregobagel / Getty Images)

Here is a look at some of the many domestic destinations seeing the biggest surge in search interest:

St. George, Utah
Tacoma, Washington
Asheville, North Carolina
Bradenton, Florida
Santa Cruz, California

Hotel Hop travel

Expedia breaks down Hotel Hop travel into three categories: event hopping, road tripping and bleisure hopping.

When it comes to "event hopping," travelers have been planning more of their summer trips around concerts or sports games.

Pacific coastline, view from Highway number 1, California

(Markue / Getty Images)

"Pairing a hotel near the concert venue or stadium with a second stay in a different part of the city means travelers can experience more of the destination in one trip," Expedia said.

Road trips have also been on the rise, with many having increased interest in iconic roadways such as Route 66, Blue Ridge Parkway, Great River Road and the Pacific Coast Highway.

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Moving onto "bleisure hopping," this type of trip blends work and fun as travelers add extended leisure to their work trips.

"Bleisure travel is trending online with over 165K mentions," Expedia said.

Highway sign for Route 66 on asphalt of country road

(Grafissimo / Getty Images)

Find the list of the most recent "hotel hop" travel hotels here.

Beach readaways travel

"Books are becoming must-pack items for summer travel as more travelers build vacations around reading, relaxation and quality time with loved ones," Expedia said.

In fact, Expedia mentions that reading-related reviews on Vrbo have skyrocketed 285% year-over-year.

Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas, at a cleaning station in Maui, Hawaii, USA. The green turtle is a large, weighty sea turtle with a wide, smooth carapace, or shell. It inhabits tropical and subtropical coastal waters around the world and has been observed clambering onto land to sunbathe.

(LL28 / Getty Images)

Some of these "readaway" travel destinations include:

Panama City Beach, Florida
Maui, Hawaii
Prince Edward Island, Canada
Lisbon, Portugal
Nantucket, Massachusetts

Yellow typical tram on a street with colorful houses and flowers on the balconies - Bica Elevator going down the hill of Chiado in Lisbon, Portugal.

(Armando Oliveira / Getty Images)

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Along with that, some of the most popular beach destinations have increased by over 30% in contrast to last summer, according to Expedia analysts.

Set-jetting travel

Not only is reading having a pull on summer travel destinations, but so are TV shows and movies. Expedia considers this trip as "set-jetting" travel.

Nafplio or Nafplion, Greece, Peloponnese old town houses aerial panorama and snow mountains banner

(Kisa_Markiza / Getty Images)

Films such as "Wuthering Heights," "Moana" and "The Odyssey" are bringing more travelers' interest to Yorkshire, England; Samoa; Hawaii; and Peloponnese, Greece.

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Here is a list of some of the "set-jetting" destinations and their film inspirations:

Devon, U.K. — "Sense and Sensibility"
The Dolomites, Italy — "Cliffhanger"
Nantucket, U.S. — "The Five-Star Weekend"

Landscape image taken from shore on a desolate day at Brant Point in Nantucket MA

(grantreig / Getty Images)

Muskoka, Canada, has also seen an increase in interest travelers by 110% after the debut of "Heated Rivalry," according to Expedia.

'Kick Off' or 'Take Off' Travel

Expedia also highlights the influence of the World Cup games in portions of North America this summer.

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While some are jet-setting off to gaming destinations, others are taking advantage of the lack of crowds elsewhere, such as Europe, Asia and South America.