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Summer Vacation

The Most Popular Vacations People Are Booking For 2022 

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As more individuals receive their Covid-19 vaccinations throughout the world, many are planning their first big trips for when the world really begins to return to a sense of normalcy. 2022 is already seeing an influx in flight bookings under the assumption that by that point, more of the world will be vaccinated and Covid will be more obsolete. 

Here’s a list of some of the most popular destinations individuals are booking trips to for next year:

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Napa Valley, California: Many individuals are looking to book trips that will give them an experience, not just a simple resort vacation. After struggling throughout the pandemic and one of the deadliest wildfire seasons of the past decade, California in general is ready to open its doors for tourists again. Napa Valley is specifically offering a ton of different wine tasting resort packages that will give individuals the opportunity to plan their perfect vacation in wine country. By 2022, the Four Season Napa Valley will also be open and running, marking the first time a Four Seasons winery will be in Northern California. 

Paterson, South Africa: Speaking of experiences, the safari expedition’s offered at the Kruger National Park in South Africa is unlike any other safari experience out there. The Shamwari Private Game Reserve, in Paterson, South Africa, offers two daily game drives which allow individuals to digitally and safely search for wildlife native to the area. A majority of the wild animals in the game have left the actual reservation area due to colonization and poaching, however, this new experience will allow the reserve to rebuild what was lost while continuing to educate the world about the magic of wildlife. 

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Loire Valley, France: The Hotel Château du Grand Lucé is an hour away from Paris and has been open to the public since 2019, however, the property has existed since 1760. This French chateau that formerly housed royalty can now become your own personal vacation palace while you endure unforgettable experiences like biking through the village and picnicking in the flower-filled exotic gardens. 

Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica: For those looking for more of the beachside resort vibe without all the crowds, look no further than Perez Zeldon, Costa Rica. This 150 acre landscape includes a coffee farm, tribal village, lush rainforest, and plenty of white sandy beaches to rest and recharge on. 

Sardinia, Italy: This is one of the most popular beach destinations in Italy to date. Sardinia is known for its white sand beaches and captivating turquoise waters. There are a multitude of hotel options that offer complete serenity and privacy. All restaurants and shops are also within a walking distance depending on where you stay. 

Kyoto, Japan: Kyoto has become one of the most iconic Asian city destinations for tourists. They’re known for their luxury hotels that are bustling with Japanese culture. Visitors can hike to take a dip in some hot springs, enjoy all the local cuisine, and take in all of the culture with a multitude of historical sights to see. 

Stargazing

Some Of The Best Places To Stargaze Around The World 

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Stargazing is one of the most popular and relaxing activities universally performed across the globe. There’s nothing like sitting in a large field of grass and looking up at the star-filled sky and contemplating just how small we all truly are. All around the world there are numerous locations where the universe looks close enough to touch based on how saturated the sky can get with stars. Here’s a list of some of the most widely-known destinations to view the night sky from:

The Atacama Desert, Chile: South America in general is known for its amazing stargazing. This desert located in the northern part of Chile is the driest place on the planet; besides the North and South Poles. It receives a couple millimeters of rain every year, however, the dry conditions mixed with the high altitude, minimal clouds, and near-zero pollution makes it perfect for viewing the night sky. The Tarantula Nebula, the Fornax Cluster of galaxies, the Southern Cross, and even the Large Magellanic Cloud are all visible from the desert. For this reason, locals refer to the desert as the best place in the world for looking at the stars. 

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The Atacama Desert

Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah: This national monument is located in Lake Powell, Utah, and was the first ever certified International Dark Sky Park, which is an accolade given to various areas of the world by the International Dark Sky Association, whose main goal is to combat light and air pollution worldwide. This designation advertises itself as having some of the darkest and clearest skies in the US and in the world. The biggest attraction is the “river of light” that appears at night which is created by the Milky Way’s reflection as it rises over the Owachomo Bridge. The bridge forms what looks like a clean-cut window into the night sky that “frames” the millions of stars visible with the naked eye. Locals recommend camping out under the stars for the best experience. 

Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park, Japan: Japan is a country that’s known for it’s natural beauty. It’s cherry blossom trees and emphasis on nature in architecture make Japan one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It’s also one of the best places for stargazing, in the Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park especially, 84 out of the 88 constellations, that are recognized by the International Astronomical Union, are visible. The park is also an International Dark Sky Park.

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Mauna Kea Observatory

Mauna Kea, Hawaii: The Mauna Kea summit on the Big Island is known as the most famous stargazing spot in Hawaii. The volcanic terrain and 13,800 foot high peak gives onlookers some of the most breathtaking views of the night sky imaginable. The Mauna Kea Observatory is located at the mountains peak, allowing for individuals to really look deeper into the night sky with it’s thirteen powerful telescopes. 

Pic du Midi, France: Pic du Midi is located in the French Pyrénées mountains and is famous for being the spot where NASA scientists take photos of the surface of the moon. If that isn’t any indication for how amazing the stargazing is here then I don’t know what is. Individuals can easily take a cable car from La Mongie to the mountains summit where an observatory is located for ideal viewing. 

La Fortuna, Costa Rica: This Costa Rican jungle may not seem like an ideal place for viewing the sky, especially considering tropical jungles are typically saturated in plant life making the sky nearly invisible, however, depending on the night, locals refer to this jungle as one of the few places where the Milky Way Galaxy becomes visible at night. The jungle is located right above the equator, which means during the dry season (December – April) visitors will have ample opportunity to view the stars.

Woman Traveling Alone

Free Places To Stay Around The World

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One of the only negatives that comes with travelling is often the cost of it all. Between transportation, hotel fees, food and drink costs, souvenirs, etc. going on a vacation has become nothing more than a fantasy for the average worker. However, what if one of the major expenses on the long list of things that require financial compensation, was no longer there. Finding a place to stay is often one of the most expensive aspects of going on a vacation, however, what if you didn’t have to pay anything? There are actually a multitude of places throughout the world that offer free temporary residency for any vacationer, you just have to be strategic about it all. 

For instance, Shakespeare and Company is a historic bookshop in Paris, France that offers free residency for writers, something they’ve done since its opening in 1951.  The bookstore offers residency through something they call the Tumbleweeds Program. This program allows writers to sleep in beds that are hidden away between the stores bookshelves. Instead of monetary compensation, guests must help out around the bookstore for a few hours every day, as well as write a one-page autobiography for the store to display; see what I mean by strategic.  

The Ace Hotel in New York City also offers a very similar residency program for creatives in which they let artists stay at their hotel for free every Sunday night, in exchange for a custom art piece for the hotel itself.  Additionally, they offer the same service for writers in a program they call “Dear Reader,” which also gives writers a free nights stay in exchange for an open letter for future guests to be put in their bedside tables. 

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The Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai, China also offers an artist residency program, however, this one is more of a long-term commitment. Artists of all sorts can apply to the residency, and if accepted artists will be given the opportunity to meet other creatives, explore Shanghai for inspiration, and create art for the hotel that will stay behind in the form of the hotels virtual museum. Residents under this program can stay in the hotel up to six months and are also given a free continental breakfast. 

Beyond just artist residency, Italy has an annual event known as Barter Week which takes place towards the end of November. During this week, travelers from all around are able to come and stay in one of the thousands of bed and breakfasts located in the country. Online, you’ll find what each bed and breakfast will specifically require of you in exchange for your residency. These requirements can range from helping clean up, knitting, blogging, cooking, drawing, or even dancing! You just apply to the specific bed and breakfast you’re interested in and once accepted you’ll have a place to stay free of charge. 

The Appalachian Trail is 2,200 miles of pure landscape that extends from Georgia all the way up to Maine. According to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, there are about 250 back-country shelters throughout the entire trail that hikers can stay at for free. Each shelter is about five miles apart from the previous, and all are unique; some look like cabins, and some take on more of a tent aesthetic. 

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In Corfu, Greece, the Sunrock Backpackers Hostel offers a similar exchange to that of Barter Week in Italy. Travelers can spend one month at the hostel for free in exchange for work. Duties typically include greeting guests, cleaning rooms, working the bar, and helping with food preparation, and in exchange guests will receive free meals, accommodations, and the wonderful sights of Greece. 

The Mountaineering Club of Alaska offers seven huts throughout Alaska’s vast mountain ranges where members of the club can stay at anytime for free. These huts sit at different altitudes throughout the Chugach and Talkeetna Mountains, which accommodates people at different stages of their climbs/hikes. The huts can typically house up to 8 people at once, and the only financial cost is an annual fee of $20 for being in the club itself; which is basically nothing when compared to how much a night at a hotel in Alaska would cost. 

Finally, the UXUA Casa Hotel and Spa in Trancoso, Brazil offers yet another artist residency program that gives artists a place to stay for up to a month. The only compensation needed is a work of art that specifically utilizes local materials that they will donate to the hotel at the end of their stay. This program is meant to encourage travelling artists to explore the surrounding area and really take in the culture and materials that its citizens use in their everyday lives.  

As you’ve read, many of these programs are geared towards creatives, and there’s actually dozens more just like them available in practically every country. However, there’s also many other offers out there for other types of exchanges that will not only help your wallet, but provide you with an unforgettable experience.

Airbnb

Airbnb’s Top 5 Places To Travel To This Year

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The holiday season is right around the corner and as it approaches you and your family are probably gearing up for a month of family gatherings, holiday shopping, and the annual office Christmas party. When all is said and done though, where will you go to unwind and relax during your actual holiday break? Christmas time/December in general is one of the most popular times to travel, and as it gets closer and closer, more people are trying to book their holiday getaways. According to Airbnb, the best time to book a flight or make travel plans for the holidays is September and October, that’s when flights are typically going to be cheaper if you’re “last minute” booking something. However in order to book a flight you need a destination, so where are your travels going to take you this year? Airbnb also just released their top trending travel destinations for December, and for 2020 in general. All of these locations are meant to be underrated destinations that will help you ring in the new year with a slew of new and surprising experiences. Here are their top 5 choices of future travel destinations for you.

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5. ROMANIA –  Airbnb reported a 298% increase in year to year booking for this Eastern European paradise. A trend that you’ll notice with the top locations for travel is that all of them offer some sort of eco-friendly element. This was a major factor in the decision making process when compiling this list, as travel in general can really hurt the planet, however, depending on the means of travel and how you spend your time in these special places, your carbon footprint on the planet should remain relatively low on these getaways. Romania ranks number 15 of places in the entire world with a vital ecosystem. There’s plenty of landscapes encompassing vast hills, rural villages, traditional details and classic architecture. It’s the perfect “off the beaten path” getaway.

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4. SUNBURY, AUSTRALIA – Sunbury is like Melbourne’s cute country side sister, in fact the two cities are only 20 miles from each other. The city saw a 356% year-over-year increase in bookings, according to Airbnb, part of that increase is due to an increase in interest in cricket, the sport that is. More and more tourists look for traditional values in the places they visit, and what’s more traditional than going to the birthplace of one of the biggest cricket trophy competitions in the world, The Ashes. The Ashes is the name of a series of cricket matches between England and Australia and if you follow the sport, you know that that’s one of the biggest rivalries in the sports history.

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3. BURIRAM, THAILAND – Buriram is the spot for any history buffs looking for a new journey. The city is 200 miles from Bangkok, and contains some of the most well-preserved and treasured relics and artifacts from the Khmer empire of Southeast Asia. The Khmer empire embraced major aspects of both Hinduism and Buddhism, making the city one of the best places for ancient representations of what those religions were like when they first originated. The city has seen a 383% year-over-year increase in bookings, according to Airbnb, and has become a hot-spot for sporting events. It has begun hosting many MotoGP racing events and has announced the beginning of a country wide marathon that will begin taking place in the city. So if you’re really into sports, history, religious relics, rich ancient Thailand culture, or all of the above, Buriram should definitely be on your radar.

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2. BILBAO, SPAIN – In 2018, Bilbao won the European City of the Year award, and if you were to visit you’d know why. The city is known for it’s exuberant colors, and thriving art community/cultural values. The famous Bilbao Guggenheim Museum designed by Frank Gehry, brought major media attention to the city back in 1997 when the museum opened, and ever since the city has been known as a hub of thriving European culture and art. “Next year, Bilbao will also become a top destination for sports fans: it’s one of the host cities of Europe’s most beloved soccer competition” called Athletic Bilbao, according to writers for Airbnb. This city in particular has seen a 402% increase in year over year bookings.

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1. MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – Milwaukee reigns in at the number one spot with a whopping 729% year over year increase in bookings. The city was recently listed as one of the most underrated travel spots, and with good reason. The city is a historical hub of American culture, and also has some of the hottest bar and restaurant spots in the country. Milwaukee is also known for its beer and cheese, can you get anymore American?The urban areas of this town are cosmopolitan and sophisticated, but the roots that make this classic American town so great remain strong.

For the Top 20 list of Airbnb’s travel destinations, Airbnb.