Skip to main content

Summer travel: Airbnb reveals the most popular hot spots

Will you travel to any one of these popular destinations this summer?

North Carolina beach sunrise
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re itching for a summer vacation and want to know where the hot spots are, both internationally and domestic, travel site Airbnb has you covered. For summer travel this year, it is expecting over 300 million guest arrivals on its website, an indication that people are ready to get out of their own houses and into someone else’s. “Since the beginning of Airbnb, there have been 1.4 billion all-time guest arrivals,” said Airbnb in a recent report. “With more guests traveling last year than ever before,” this year is likely to outpace even the first post-pandemic year.

Recommended Videos

“We ended last year with 900,000 more listings than we had at the beginning, excluding China,” Airbnb continued. “Guests are opting for a more affordable stay, which is no surprise amid a rising cost-of-living crisis.” If you want to know just where people are searching to see how it may drive summer prices, the company listed the most trending summer destinations, so you can get an idea of where you may want to go (or avoid if you don’t like crowds).

Trending summer domestic destinations

Since we know summer airfare is skyrocketing for traveling internationally, staying domestic may just be the way to go for your wallet and your sanity. It’s always spectacular to travel to faraway lands, but this country offers so many stunning places to visit.

Topping the list and coming in third, respectively, are Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky. Known for the hospitality, people, food, and fun, it just makes sense. Other obvious locations when it comes to fun in the sun, beaches, and summer sports and activities are Panama City, Florida, Surf City, New Jersey, and North Topsail Beach, North Carolina, all with guaranteed good weather.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Trending summer international destinations

If you’re itching to travel abroad, one place that’s sure not to surprise anyone is Mykonos, Greece, the site’s top trending location. It just makes sense with the weather, food, stunning sunsets, and rich history. If you’re looking for an Italian getaway, there are three places in the country that seem to be on everyone’s list — the Amalfi Coast, Florence, and Sorrento.

With that much wine, good food, and views, it’s hard to argue. If you want to go far, far away, Bangkok, Thailand, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil also made the cut. While airfare and travel costs may be higher than staying domestic, any of these locations would be ones you’ll likely talk about forever.

Whether you need a quick weekend retreat or a multi-week vacation, these summer destinations offer a unique travel experience that you’ll look back on and cherish. Sometimes, it’s nice to stay at a home that offers amenities like a kitchen, privacy, pet-friendly accommodations, and a place you can gather with friends and family to relax. Happy summer, indeed.

Julie Scagell
Former Digital Trends Contributor
I am a freelance writer based in Minneapolis, MN. My passions include my dogs, talking about my dogs, and taking pictures of…
14 best travel backpacks to take with you on the road
You'll want to upgrade to one of these travel backpacks before your next trip
Man with a travel backpack

Set aside the bulky rollaboard luggage, because duffel bags and travel backpacks are the new undisputed kings of versatile luggage. Cobblestone streets and other rough surfaces that wheeled luggage can’t handle? The best travel backpacks can withstand all those obstacles. Plus, they weigh less than traditional hard-sided suitcases, they contort and cram easier into overhead bins and under airplane seats, and they transition seamlessly from the airport to the backcountry.

All of these reasons make the backpack the single best luggage type for almost anyone looking to travel carry-on only. If you’re looking for the best travel backpacks for men, here are our top picks.

Read more
10 top eco-friendly travel products (that I never travel without)
Looking to travel more sustainable? Start with these items
Man in an airport

If you're one of the 80 percent of travelers who say sustainability matters to them, you're in the right place. Travel is one of the most rewarding things we can do, but it's not always easy on the planet. I used to be that person grabbing travel-sized shampoo bottles, tossing plastic utensils after one meal, and using Ziplocs for just about everything. I didn’t think much of it until I cleaned up a beach littered with plastic waste, and I realized what my actions were contributing to.

Since then, I’ve slowly switched to more sustainable travel habits, and let me tell you, it doesn’t take much to make a big impact. These are my tried-and-true eco-friendly travel products that I personally use, love, and bring with me on most trips. No matter where you’re traveling, these swaps are easy, useful, and better for the environment.
1. Reusable silicone toiletry bottles

Read more
The most expensive places in the world to take a selfie
You may need to budget to take a photo of these iconic landmarks
Burj Khalifa

Snapping the perfect vacation selfie might cost more than you think. A new study from Heepsy analyzed some of the world’s most visited landmarks to uncover the most expensive (and most popular) places to take a tourist photo. Factoring in entry fees, online popularity, daily visitation numbers, limited hours, and even the need for photography permits, the ranking reveals just how much that bucket-list shot might set you back.

At the top of the list? Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the tallest skyscraper in the world, is the priciest place to pose. Entry to the iconic tower costs a steep $108. Coming in second is Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, where a permit to enter the park costs $70. Paris’ Eiffel Tower takes the third spot at $40 for a trip to the top.

Read more