This summer has been tough for vacationing travellers, with overcrowding, heat, hurricanes, fires, you name it. But if you’re still looking to get away, there are places where the weather right now is great, the crowds palatable and the destination itself is at its best. Here, six off-the-beaten-track spots around the world for an end-of-summer vacation.
Go south ...
Right now – the Southern Hemisphere’s winter – is a fantastic time to visit Rio de Janeiro. From December to February, the city is packed and in party mode with new year’s and Carnival celebrations. But now is when a savvy traveller can see the city at its best: not too hot, not too busy, and an accurate depiction of its nickname, a Cidade Maravilhosa, the Marvelous City. On a bright August day in Rio, the sky is often clearer and the ocean bluer than almost any other time of year.
A good idea is to book reservations at some of the best fine dining restaurants in South America, such as the 10-person chef’s table at Michelin-starred Lasai or the more casual Oteque in the Botafogo neighbourhood.
Beach lovers will enjoy the breathing room on Copacabana’s crowded beaches. Surfers can take advantage of the winter surf season, which runs roughly through September, and catch a wave at the Arpoador break between Copacabana and Ipanema.
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Don’t worry if you fear you’ll miss out on the city’s festive spirit: You can always find a party in Rio, whether it’s bar hopping through the Lapa neighbourhood or enjoying a samba jam session at a bohemian corner bar. The organised samba schools that compete during Carnival are already practising for next year’s celebration; many of the rehearsals are open to the public (check out Mangueira or Salgueiro, two of the biggest schools with Saturday night rehearsals). Or see big names, like Mariah Carey, Imagine Dragons and Katy Perry, perform alongside Brazil’s best musicians at the Rock in Rio music festival, which kicks off on September. 13th.
... Or head west
Many tourists flock to the western US’s most famous national parks during the summer, from Yellowstone to Yosemite to the Grand Canyon. But in the northwest, at Olympic National Park, in Washington, you can find a less popular park with just as much natural beauty to explore.
The park spreads across nearly a million acres on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. Some of the park’s offerings aren’t available during the colder months, but in July and August it is running on all cylinders, which means you can go boating, fishing, hiking, camping: Take your pick. It’s also a great time of year to spot wildlife, as animals such as Roosevelt elk and Olympic marmots, endemic to the area, play in the sunshine. Humpback whale watching is also possible.
And if you’re concerned about a rainy Pacific Northwest experience, right now is your best chance for clear skies, with only a handful of days of precipitation in the park in July and August on average, the lowest of the year (versus around 18 days in November).
While less popular than places such as Yosemite, Olympic National Park is by no means a secret, so park officials encourage visitors to take the bus to well-known places including Hurricane Ridge to help ease traffic. But about 95 per cent of the park is wilderness, so if you’re looking to escape the crowds, you can.
Try a Caribbean island ...
While there is good reason to be wary when booking a summer holiday in the Caribbean – Hurricane Beryl just reminded us why – Aruba sits outside of the traditional hurricane belt, which means the island usually dodges the worst of tropical turbulence.
In fact, the weather is relatively stable year round: warm, sunny and breezy. Aruba is known for its trade winds, what locals refer to as their “natural air conditioning,” and the breeze is so steady that the island’s classic postcard image usually includes a divi divi tree bent nearly horizontal by the wind.
That consistency means visitors won’t find better weather at any one time of the year. But there is a cost benefit to visiting now.
This is low season, and room prices are as cheap as they’ll be all year. At the upper end, a one-night stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Aruba between August and September runs about €740. During high season, the same room costs more than €1,000.
This is the time of year to experience Eagle Beach – considered one of the best beaches in the Caribbean – at its best, with few people and two beautiful miles of sand.
... Or the mountains ...
The Northeast Kingdom of Vermont is an overlooked, rural part of the US state near the border with Quebec. That means in the winter it is bitterly cold. But in the summer? Gorgeous.
Most of the region is forested, and the largest towns, St. Johnsbury and Lyndon, both have fewer than 8,000 residents. There are dozens of one-stoplight towns that recall an America of the past.
The area is generally affordable for visitors, and the summer is no exception: You can find two-person cabins to rent for about €100 per night.
Make the most of the weather by checking out the countless trails that run through the surrounding woods. Hikers will enjoy the Kingdom Heritage Trail System, which opened in 2019, providing new access to some of the best of the area’s backcountry. Beginning bikers can try the 93-mile Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, an ADA-compliant crushed stone path that is the longest rail trail in New England. Mountain bikers can celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Kingdom Trails Association, a non-profit organisation that has built a popular network of biking paths using private land.
This is farm country, and at the little general stores, like Willey’s Store in Greensboro, you can expect to find everything from award-winning local beers and maple syrup to local, cult-status cheeses, like Jasper Hill’s Harbison.
Smell the flowers ...
Medellín, Colombia, is called the City of Eternal Spring thanks to its temperate weather, and in August, its sunniest month, balconies and parks are awash in brilliant pinks and yellows as the city’s lush vegetation gets punctuated by blooming flowers.
The city celebrates its biggest festival of the year, the Feria de las Flores, or Flower Festival, for about 10 days starting August 2nd. The streets are alive with block parties featuring food vendors and artisans weaving flowers into straw hats. The showcase event is the parade of the silleteros, where flower vendors from the rural areas around Medellín create detailed petal mosaics on huge, table-sized plates that they carry on their backs.
Even if you miss the festival, the city’s countless stylish boutique hotels and exciting restaurant scene will keep you engaged. The El Poblado neighbourhood, which was on the New York Times 52 Places to Go list in 2023, is a walkable grid of shops, bars and cafes, and a great place to get lost amid the greenery.
... Or join the parade
A visit to Laguna Beach, in California’s Orange County, between Los Angeles and San Diego, feels like walking on to the set of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” with its endless parade of convertibles driven by beautiful people wearing high-end sunglasses. But even in California, some months are better for a visit than others.
“May grey” and “June gloom” is how locals describe the conditions during those months, when a cloudy marine layer leaves the sky white and dreary for a good chunk of the day. To see Laguna at its best, late summer and early fall are the times to go, when it’s California sunny again and the school vacation crowds start thinning out.
“Plus, it’s the beginning of peak sunset season,” says Sarah Hutnick (41), an entrepreneur and Laguna resident, who said she loves this time of year because “you’re almost guaranteed the signature Southern California neon reds and pinks dropping right into the ocean.” – This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
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