10 Hottest International Destinations for Summer 2016
Perched on Lake Ontario, Toronto has both soaring skyscrapers and plentiful green areas. The city’s many museums, restaurants and six major league sports teams provide plenty of entertainment options. The median hotel rate hovers around $160 a night for most of the summer, but jumps to $185 in August.*
*Rankings are based on online searches from the U.S. and Canada at travel site Kayak.
Flickr Michael Gil
Lisbon is built on seven hills overlooking the Rio Tejo, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Narrow cobblestone streets offer tiny patio restaurants and late-night street parties, while grand plazas and cathedrals line the avenues. Your best bet for travel is in August, when median airfares from the U.S. and Canada are $780.
Flickr Marco Fedele
With half of the city’s population under the age of 25, Dublin is a lively city with many pubs and nightclubs. But the city’s not all play. It has an illustrious literary history, having produced Oscar Wild, James Joyce and many other literary giants. Flights from the U.S. and Canada hover in the $900 range for much of the summer.
Flickr Giuseppe Milo
The city once named Saigon offers an interesting mix of French colonial architecture and more recent commercial development. Ho Chi Minh City is home to hundreds of cinemas and theatres, and bustling restaurants offer traditional Vietnamese dishes like pho or bánh mì and phò. Just be aware that the city’s rainy season begins in May and lasts through late October.
Flickr Anthony Tong Lee
With a French-speaking population, Montreal feels like a European city minus the long plane ride and jet lag. The city is the arts capital of Canada, with around 250 theaters and dance companies and more than 90 festivals annually. The lowest hotel rates of about $160 are seen in May and August, with a peak of $190 in June.
Flickr Emmanuel Huybrechts
The Indonesian island of Bali offers a gorgeous landscape of volcanic mountains, sandy beaches and terraced rice patties. In addition to the top-notch surfing and diving locations, tourists can entertain themselves with the island’s many cultural and historical attractions. Airfare to Bali peaks in July, with a median ticket price of $1,200.
Flickr Thomas Depenbusch
Located where the prairies of Alberta meet the Canadian Rockies, Calgary offers a city experience with pioneer charm. For the full experience, visit the city in July for the famous Calgary Stampede, a 10-day rodeo and exhibition. Hotel rates spike during the event, with the median price near a still-reasonable $150 a night.
Flickr Michael Gil
Tokyo dazzles with mega-malls, sleek skyscrapers and neon-lit streets. The city is also famous for its restaurants, with more Michelin stars than any other city. A round-trip ticket will cost you about $1,200 during the peak summer month of July.
Flickr Moyan Brenn
A relatively small city, many of the attractions are within walking distance of the hotel district, including the famous outdoor geothermal swimming pools. Reykjavik is known for its nightlife, with many boisterous bars and clubs. Airfare peaks in July, but you should be able to get tickets for less than $800 all summer long.
Flickr Marco Belluci
The site of the summer 2016 Olympics, Rio de Janeiro is the hottest destination this summer. Tourists can visit the city’s famous beaches or take the cable car up Mt. Corcovado to see the huge Christ the Redeemer statue. Not surprisingly, airfare and hotel rates are peaking in August, with median airfare at $1,000 and hotel rooms going for $250 a night.
Flickr Hudson