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4 Best U.S Destinations to Travel to in July 2022

For many Americans, July means backyard barbecues, crisp summer beers, and epic road trips. But, if you’re looking to enjoy the season and the perfect weather by getting far from home, here are four destinations where July is the perfect time to visit.

The Colorado Rockies

Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park/Facebook

If you love snow, you already know all the reasons to visit Colorado the other 11 months out of the year. However, the state has a distinctly different vibe during the summer in general and July, in particular. Naturally, it’s a great time to get outdoors and experience the Colorado Rockies when they’re not covered in white. Colorado’s national and state parks come alive in a unique way that’s rarely seen in winter. During the summer, for example, Crested Butte turns into an ocean of wildflowers. The annual Crested Butte Wildflower Festival is a sight to behold and an even better one to photograph. For nature lovers, it’s a worthy destination in its own right.

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Mackinac Island, Michigan

Mackinac Island Michigan
Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau/Facebook

For outsiders, Michigan might seem an unlikely destination to visit any time of year. Not so in the summer — it’s the ideal time to experience Mackinac Island. With no cars allowed, calm lake waves, crisp weather, and a laid-back vibe, it’s the closest inlanders can feel to a legit beach vacation without heading to the coast. July is a prime time to visit as the island’s annual Independence Day fireworks celebration is among the best in the state. The Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac also takes place every July 21, which guarantees plenty of beach-style partying and general high-class excess.

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Boise and the Rest of Idaho

Boise Idaho
City of Boise/Facebook

Idahoans have undertaken a decades-long campaign to ensure every outside American associates their state only with potatoes. To the uninitiated, Idaho appears to be a vast, uninteresting farmland to provide the rest of the country with French fries. So, you might be surprised to know that it’s one of the most beautiful, adventure-heavy states in the country. July just happens to be the best time of year to visit, particularly if you’re not down with snow. For amateur astronomers, it’s home to one of the best dark sky reserves in the country; rafting enthusiasts will find no shortage of whitewater challenges on the Snake River; the Sawtooth Mountains boast hundreds of miles of killer single track and ATV trails; and Boise is way more fun and sunny than you’d expect the capital of Idaho to be.

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The White Mountains in New Hampshire

White Mountain National Forest New Hampshire
U.S. Forest Service White Mountain National Forest/Facebook

The White Mountains might seem an obvious summer getaway to local New Englanders. However, the epic hiking, mountain biking, and cycling opportunities here still fly under the radar for some adventure enthusiasts from other parts of the country. The most heavily trafficked trails center around Loon Mountain in particular and Lincoln in general. But, with more than 148,000 acres to explore in White Mountain National Forest alone, it’s easy to escape the town center and find ample green space all to yourself. For a more relaxed getaway, Newfound Lake is the largest freshwater beach in the state, while Squam Lake provides endless canoeing and kayaking opportunities.

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We’re hesitant to describe any destination in terms of “tourist versus non-tourist” because it's a silly distinction. But Cabo San Lucas has always been an unabashed tourist-centric town full of all-inclusive, budget beach resorts, never-ending 3-for-1 happy hours at bars (and gas stations and a surprising number of other places), and garish dive bars like Cabo Wabo where tequila is (almost) cheaper than water and the neon daiquiris flow every day from 8 a.m.

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If you've never experienced the thrill of strapping yourself to a plank of wood — or two sticks — and cruising down a mountain, then you don't know what you're missing out on. We could go on for hours with all the reasons we love hitting the slopes, but the best way to understand it is to get out there for yourself. If you've never tried skiing or snowboarding, or if you just have limited experience, then winter 2022/2023 could be the winter you change all that.

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