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New report shows farm stays, spontaneous travel, and solo camping on the rise

2026 travel trends: Short Escapes, farm stays, and self-cations

By Emily Caldwell Published November 25, 2025

Camping during the night — chulmin1700 / Pixabay

Global outdoor accommodations booking platform, Pitchup.com, has just released its fresh travel predictions for 2026. The latest travel predictions point to a renewed interest in immersive outdoor experiences and mindful travel, which include a rising interest in farm stays, spontaneous travel, and even solo camping.

Through a thorough analysis of recent booking data and customer reviews, Pitchup.com forecasts that 2026 travelers will no longer wait for big vacations. Instead, they’ll take advantage of small windows of time to reset outdoors, even when closer to home.

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“The growth we’re seeing across shorter trips, farm stays, and solo travel shows a real shift in how people approach time away,” says Dan Yates, founder and managing director of Pitchup.com. “Travelers are no longer waiting for the big vacation; they’re taking advantage of small windows of time to reset outdoors, often closer to home.”

The analysis of recent data highlights a few key points to look for in 2026 travel trends:

Spontaneous and shorter trips are on the rise: Same-day bookings accounted for 10% of Pitchup.com’s total stays in 2025, and 38% of trips lasted only one night. Trend experts suggest
Slow travel goes farm-forward: 2 out of 5 of Pitchup.com’s most-booked campgrounds were located on working farms, highlighting an interest in agritourism. Campers seek experiences that feel purposeful and grounding, foster a connection to the land, and offer a slower pace of life/travel.
Self-cations: The solo travel boom: More travelers are seeking time in nature and a personal renewal experience. Pitchup.com has seen a 30% YOY spike in solo travelers in 2025, driven by digital nomads, adventurous travelers, and self-care seekers.

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Emily is a Features Writer at The Manual, where she specializes in food, beverage, and travel content. She focuses on weaving…

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