Coolest Places to Travel This Summer

Chances are by now you’re a little bit sick of the summer heat, and spend long, hot afternoons dreaming about being somewhere where the sweat doesn’t pool at the small of your back. While many people take advantage of summer by heading to the beach and baking themselves into a crisp, this year, be the smart traveler that uses summer as an excuse to travel to a winter destination in the off-season. You’ll be able to enjoy much more reasonable temperatures, as well as cheaper prices on airfare, hotels, and much more.

Check out these awesome wintertime destinations this summer, and you’d be surprised at how much you can save.

Greenland

Many people confuse Greenland and Iceland, but it’s easy to remember with this little trick. Greenland is mostly covered in ice, while Iceland is the green, mountainous country with the elves and fairies.

Although Greenland is much less popular than Iceland in terms of tourism, it has tons of gorgeous, unspoiled land that’s just begging to be explored. You’ll probably fly into Nuuk, the capital city, where you can spend some time experiencing urban Greenlandic cuisine and culture before heading out to explore the majestic fjords, ancient Norse ruins, and massive icebergs that make the country so incredible.

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Iceland

The dramatic landscape of Iceland is the perfect place to visit in the summer, when the weather is warm but not oppressively hot. Since Iceland is located so far north, the sun doesn’t really set in the summer, so you can spend your evening watching the sun almost touch the horizon before starting to rise again.

Most of Iceland’s rocky and mountainous interior is only accessible in the summer, so take advantage of the open roads to see incredible sights like the Askja caldera and the natural hot rivers of Hveravellir. Iceland is also home to the world’s largest colonies of puffins!

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Denver, Colorado

Even if you’ve already been to Colorado for their amazing skiing and winter sports, visiting Denver in the summer is like going to a whole new city. The altitude makes the nights pleasantly cool, while the days remain warm with very few rainy or cloudy periods.

The city of Denver truly comes alive in the summer. There are tons of street fairs, music festivals, and farmers markets that make the city hum with activity. There’s a different festival every weekend, so there’s always something to do. If you want to get out of town, the Rocky Mountains are right on your doorstep, so head out for an afternoon of hiking or mountain biking in one of the most scenic locations in the United States.

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