Xplorie’s Favorite Destinations for Summer Fun
May 25, 2021
If you’ve been staying up to date with the latest industry news, you’ll know that travel confidence is rising as millions of American’s receive their COVID vaccinations and feel it is safer to travel, with lower levels of risks. Airports are seeing a surge in travelers in the past few weeks, airlines are adding new routes from major cities to popular outdoor destinations.
International travel remains limited for US visitors however, recent research from Destination Analysts shows that over 86% of American travelers have tentative travel plans and 72% expect to travel for leisure within the next three months! That’s encouraging!
Outdoor destinations (coastal and mountain) are still the top choice among travelers for a safe, socially distanced vacation. Despite lockdown and park closures, the 63 US National Parks received 237 million visitors last year, only 28% down from the previous year. Americans want to escape the confines of their homes, get outside and enjoy time with friends and family in a safe, secluded setting. Here are a few of our favorite travel destinations to consider when planning your summer vacation.
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Cape Cod is a vacation destination worthy of every bucket list! Escape the crowds with miles of unspoiled beaches, soaring dunes, wide-open spaces, and natural beauty. Last summer in Cape Cod saw record numbers and vacation rentals are booking up fast for the sunny season ahead. This comes as no surprise as there are endless ways to safely enjoy Cape Cod’s attractions and activities.
Family fun biking in Cape Cod
The Cape Cod National Seashore is the #1 Cape Cod attraction with secluded beaches, hiking and biking trails, and historic lighthouses. For quiet seclusion, escape to Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge with 7,600 acres of protected dunes and saltwater marshes, explore the deserted trails at Hatch’s Harbor or hike the Dune Shacks Trail in Provincetown. Nickerson State Park is one of Cape Cod’s best off the beaten path experiences with secluded beaches and swimming holes and Gray’s Beach boardwalk winds its way to a small beach with beautiful Cape Cod views along the way. A great way to explore Cape Cod is by bike, so pick up a local rental and ride along the canal, or cruise the Cape Cod Rail trail to discover Cape Cod’s diverse ecosystem. If golf is your game, you’re spoilt for choice with over three dozen golf courses with a challenging play for all levels.
April to September is whale watching season on the Massachusetts coast. Experience an exceptional encounter with the whales on a Whale Watcher Cruise, or ride alongside the Cape Cod Great White Sharks on a guided tour. There are plenty on the water activities! Rent a boat, take a lobster roll cruise, kayak the estuaries and bays, or take a ferry for a day trip to Martha’s Vineyard. You can hunt blue crabs at Crab Creek, go clamming at Salt Pond, stargaze at the Cape Cod National Seashore, visit an oyster farm or take a scenic drive on 6A. Easy social distancing in a beautiful setting.
While much of Cape Cod is open for business, some may have limited capacity. Stroll through Heritage Gardens, browse the historic exhibits at the Sandwich Glass Museum or walk the narrow cobblestone streets of Provincetown, an artists’ colony with unique galleries (and people!). Step back in time at the Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum, take the family to the Wellfleet Drive-In, or enjoy outdoor dining (or curbside pick-up) at a local restaurant.
The Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown, MA
Kinlin Grover Vacation Rentals is the largest rental agency on the Cape with over 750 properties spanning from the Bridge to Provincetown. Annie Blatz, sales manager for three local branches says, “demand is very high for home rentals”. She adds “it’s led to an extreme shortage of available rentals, exacerbated by some property owners taking their homes off the market so they can “move into their second homes because they think the Cape is safer and they can work remotely from here.”
Bethany Beach, Delaware
Bethany Beach is Delaware’s “Quiet Resort”, an easy drive-to destination that draws families from the major cities of Washington DC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and the northeastern states. Delaware’s short-term rental ban was lifted on May 27, 2020, and while the summer crowds were down considerably, local property managers are optimistic about the season to come.
Bethany Beach is a charming, family-friendly beach town with a laid-back atmosphere, attractions and activities for the entire family, and famous seafood restaurants. We’re all in search of a little outdoor adventure, sunshine, and family time and Bethany Beach does not disappoint. The one-mile stretch of beach offers natural isolation, swimming, surfing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and beach yoga. You can rent a boat, kayak, or jet-ski to get on the water or take to the skies on a parasailing adventure. Take a cruise on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry to Cape May, chase dolphins, or end the day on a sunset cruise. You’re in crab country so take the kids crabbing or head to a seafood restaurant for an all-you-can-eat crab feast.
Fun in the Sun in Bethany Beach
Bethany Beach is a charming, family-friendly beach town with a laid-back atmosphere, attractions and activities for the entire family, and famous seafood restaurants. We’re all in search of a little outdoor adventure, sunshine, and family time and Bethany Beach does not disappoint. The one-mile stretch of beach offers natural isolation, swimming, surfing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and beach yoga. You can rent a boat, kayak, or jet-ski to get on the water or take to the skies on a parasailing adventure. Take a cruise on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry to Cape May, chase dolphins, or end the day on a sunset cruise. You’re in crab country so take the kids crabbing or head to a seafood restaurant for an all-you-can-eat crab feast.
When your days are not spent in nature you can rent a bike to cruise around town, explore the quaint store fronts and restaurants, play mini-golf and eat homemade ice cream on the Millville Boardwalk, visit the farmers market or a local winery and tee off on a choice of eight golf courses. You’re in close proximity to Ocean City, Rehoboth, and Dewey Beach for more family-filled fun and attractions.
Assawoman Wildlife Area
Bethany Beach lies nestled between Fenwick Island State Park in the south and Delaware Seashore State Park in the north. Fenwick Island State Park offers 350 acres of shoreline for swimming, surfing, and fishing, kayak, or SUP on Little Assawoman Bay and visit the famous Fenwick Island Lighthouse. Delaware Seashore State Park in the north offers fishing on the banks of the Indian River Inlet, clamming, crabbing, swimming, and a great surf spot. For the little ones, the Bethany Beach Nature Center has indoor and outdoor activities every Saturday.
Summer rentals are filling up fast so secure your Bethany Beach vacation rental today! Whether you’re searching for a charming bayfront home with a private dock, a pet-friendly vacation rental in the pines, or an oceanfront penthouse with unobstructed views of the Atlantic Ocean, Long & Foster have a diverse selection of over 200 Bethany Beach vacation rentals for a safe and sanitized stay in Bethany Beach.
Savannah/Tybee Island, Georgia
Switch to Tybee Time and enjoy an island vacation on Tybee this summer! Tybee Island is a small barrier island 15 minutes from the historic town of Savannah, Georgia. Only 2 miles wide and 5 miles long, Tybee Island boasts a five-mile stretch of pristine unspoiled beaches, a scenic maze of barrier islets and a vibrant, laid-back community that welcomes visitors warmly to their piece of paradise.
Tybee Island offers an abundance of natural attractions and activities for escapism. Enjoy watersports on the warm Atlantic Ocean, fish on the iconic Tybee Pier, rent a kayak to explore the quiet waterways or take a kayak tour to Cockspur Lighthouse or Little Tybee Island. Nature lovers can birdwatch on the Colonial Coast Birding Trail or watch dolphins in their natural habitat as you cruise along the coastline past Tybee’s top historic sites. Sea Turtle nesting season begins May 1st and the Tybee Island Marine Science Center offers an authentic coastal experience to learn about Tybee’s ocean wildlife. For complete seclusion, crabbing and fun fossil hunting, explore the remote islands of Little Tybee, Williamson or Cabbage Island, accessible only by boat or kayak, away from the crowds.
You can ride your bike anywhere on Tybee Island! Rent a fat tire bike and explore the island, ride along the shoreline or take a scenic 6-mile cruise along the historic McQueen’s Island Trail, built along the Savannah & Atlantic Railroad line.
Tybee Island has a rich and fascinating history with many landmarks and historic attractions to visit. Climb the iconic Tybee Lighthouse, browse the artifacts at the Tybee Island Museum and tour Battery Garland at Fort Screven. Cockspur Island is an important part of Tybee’s history and is home to the Fort Pulaski National Monument and the smallest lighthouse in Georgia, the Cockspur Island Lighthouse. The lighthouse is closed to the public but can be viewed from a short hiking trail from Fort Pulaski.
Cockspur Lighthouse
Bonaventure Cemetery
Historic Savannah is only a short, scenic drive from Tybee Island and is full of history and adventure. Stroll through the breathtaking avenue of iconic Live Oaks at the colonial Wormsloe Historic Site, browse the antique markets, art galleries and historic buildings, or take a guided Segway tour through the historic streets of Savannah.
Tybee is famous for its coastal cuisine with crab shacks, oyster houses, beachfront patios with live music, and eclectic eateries all with a laid-back vibe (flip-flops and tees welcome!)
Tybee Time Vacation Rentals have the ideal vacation home on Tybee Island for your summer vacation. Whether you’re booking a charming beach cottage, family-friendly vacation home or a beachfront condo with full resort amenities, their selection of Tybee Island vacation rentals invite you to relax, unwind and switch to Tybee Time!
Winter Park, Colorado
And now to the mountains! Winter Park has been named the “#1 Ski Resort in North America” for two years running and is known for its world-class slopes and winter recreation, but if you haven’t experienced Winter Park in summer, you’re missing out. Winter Park is also fondly known as “Colorado’s Top Adventure Town” and the alpine adventures don’t end when the snow melts.
The Rocky Mountains are a popular vacation destination for year-round outdoor activities and staying in Winter Park puts you in the heart of the action. In the summer months, Winter Park Resort transforms into an alpine playground for all ages (and your pooch!). Ride up the mountain on the Arrow Chairlift and down on Colorado’s longest alpine slide, play the fun 18-hole slopeside putting course, view the Continental Divide on an e-bike tour, or practice your tricks at the Trestle Bike Park. Winter Park Resort’s top summer attraction is the scenic gondola ride for panoramic views of the Fraser Valley and Continental Divide and access to Winter Park’s vast network of trails. Winter Park is “Mountain Bike Capital USA” and boasts over 600 miles of trails to bike (and hike!).
Endless Mountain Biking
Winter Park is also the western gateway and basecamp to Colorado’s famous Rocky Mountain National Park. The RMNP is one of the nation’s highest national parks with 360 miles of trails, 150 alpine lakes, 31 named waterfalls, an abundance of wildlife, world-renowned scenery, and endless photo opportunities. (Please note reservations to the park are essential for the summer months).
Whitewater Rafting with AVA
Whether you’re climbing the Rocky Mountain peaks, fly-fishing the remote gold-medal waters, white water rafting on Clear Creek, or teeing off at the scenic Pole Creek Golf Club, social distancing and seclusion is easy in Winter Park, CO. At the end of a day of adventures enjoy a perfect sunset from Sunspot Lodge, sip an ice-cold craft beer at a local brewery, enjoy a cup of joe, or sample the rich local flavors of handcrafted wines at the Winter Park Winery.
Enjoy Colorado’s top adventure town and favorite mountain wilderness from the comfort of a SkyRun vacation home. SkyRun offers over 950 vacation rental properties in over 30 destinations in North America and has the perfect Winter Park vacation rental to suit your budget and your needs. Choose from high-end contemporary mountain homes and rustic cabins to upscale condos in the heart of downtown Winter Park.
Please note: COVID-19 restrictions are in place and differ from county to county. Due to social distancing limitations, some activities may be temporarily closed or have limited capacity. Plan ahead, make reservations in advance to avoid disappointment, read up on local COVID regulations and guidelines for your destination and ensure social distancing for a safe stay.
Don’t forget to check out Xplorie.com for a great selection of summer vacation accommodations in the best outdoor vacation destinations in the US. Our vacation accommodations include complimentary activities for each day of your stay and access to some great additional activities.
