SEE AMERICA AGAIN!

This summer we’re packing our masks and hand sanitizer (better safe than sorry) and getting out there. Check out Parade’s 10 amazing trips—one of them could be your best vacay ever.

Taking in a 360-degree vista from a mountain summit, eating a fried chicken picnic on a shady riverbank, exploring some place you’ve never been before—these are the dreams of summer. Last year such vacations really were dreams, as folks “camped” in their backyards and felt adventurous after baking sourdough bread. Not this summer: Americans are venturing out again, acting on plans they’ve spent 15 months of pandemic isolation dreaming up.

“A year and a half ago, we all took it for granted that we could hop on a plane or set off in our cars. That was the American dream of travel. When that went away without warning, that changed our thinking. Now every trip feels just a little bit sacred,” says Noah Brodsky, president and chief brand officer of Travel + Leisure Co. “It’s going to be the year of the road trip like never before.”

Family reunions also are a “mega trend,” according to Brodsky, with parents, siblings and grandchildren making plans to meet up and vacation together. “For many families, this is the longest they’ve ever gone without seeing each other, and they’re practically giddy thinking about this first trip,” he says.

Travel adviser Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg, co-president and owner of Valerie Wilson Travel Inc., agrees. “People are looking at travel in this wonderful way, moving forward out of this pandemic and thinking about what they want to see and experience and who they want to connect with,” she says, adding that many people are planning reunions with friends and rescheduling postponed weddings, honeymoons and graduation trips.

Searching for your own inspiration? Parade rounded up 10 standout trips to help the summer of 2021 make up for the one before it. There’s something for everyone—from museum lovers and history buffs to thrill-seekers and train spotters.