Summer isn’t for everyone. We know, we know…it’s a small group of individuals. But they exist, nonetheless. In our defense, the heat waves and heat domes are overachieving this year with record-breaking temperatures across the US and Europe. With this in mind, July through September is perfect for those who favor cooler weather to go south…WAY south. The southern hemisphere is in the thick of winter, so destinations like Peru and Australia are much more temperate if the heat isn’t your speed. If staying north of the equator is more realistic, plenty of destinations have milder summers for a “coolcation,” especially in northern Europe and the upper reaches of North America (although check the forecast to pack appropriately). 

Art has been inspiring bucket lists for centuries. From the Greek epics to Monet’s paintings of Provence, stories of adventures around the world and descriptions of faraway lands have shown up in every medium. Today, we’re inspired to travel through movies and film. Eat, Pray, Love is a perfect example, as is White Lotus. The impact of movies and film can be so significant that destinations will capitalize on the interest and create tours or experiences dedicated to the filming locations. Harry Potter has done this for the UK, Outlander for Scotland, and Game of Thrones for many places, including Croatia. All of these introductions are a great way to dive into new cultures, traditions, and people - go outside of our comfort zones and discover somewhere new that perhaps we weren’t aware existed before.