Travel Ideas for 2023: 8 Places to Visit

Looking for some great travel ideas for spring break or summer vacations (or anytime)? We have a few amazing updated destinations to add to your list. Some of these destinations can also be combined into one epic trip!

Vacation Destinations: 2023 U.S. Travel Ideas for Summer

Our Travel Makes Me Happy team has voted on our favorite destinations for recent trips and we’ve compiled them to help you plan your next getaway! We have tips on where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in these fun locations!

We also have a guide on how to save money with summer travel this year!

Travel Ideas for Summer #1: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

We discovered how much we loved Fort Lauderdale when flying out after a cruise and taking the Carrie B. sightseeing boat tour before our flight. We wanted to return and explore Fort Lauderdale with more time so we immediately planned another trip to experience more activities in the area.

This is a great first stop (or final stop) on a trip that can easily include Miami (South Beach), Key Largo, and all the way to Key West if you have time.

What to see:

• East Las Olas Blvd. – Lots of shopping and great restaurants.
• Hugh Taylor Birch State park and Cole Hammock Park
• Bonnet House Museum and Gardens – We loved the garden decor and it felt like a hidden paradise!
• Riverwalk and water trolleys – We stayed at a hotel close to one of the stops and used it every day.
• Las Olas Beach
• Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse – Nice lighthouse and museum on the ocean.
• Secret Woods Nature Center – 57 acre nature park with shaded trails, butterflies, and reptiles! FYI – not pet friendly (not allowed).

Getting There:

• The Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Airport (FLL) is easy to navigate and not as busy as MIA. It is about 35 minutes from Miami so you could fly into either.

Where to Eat:

• Nanou French Bakery – We loved the food here and ate there several times. I loved the smoked salmon club sandwich!
• Boatyard – Great food and views of the marina!
• Cafe Seville – Wonderful paella, but the grouper with jalapeño sauce was my favorite!

Where to Stay:

• Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina – We stayed here and loved the location although it is not on the beach if that is what you are looking for. The water taxis pick up just outside.
• B Ocean Resort – Beachfront and they have great Mojitos at the Florida Bar!
• The Atlantic Hotel and Spa – Beachfront and really amazing stay!
• Cambria Hotel Ft. Lauderdale – Not oceanfront, but ocean views and reasonable rates.

Budget Friendly Options:

• Royal Beach Palace – Cute reasonable hotel with a retro motel feel, yet still in the perfect area.
• Ocean Manor Beach Resort – Really affordable beachfront rooms and nice location.
• Ft. Lauderdale Beach Resort – Across from the ocean, but nice rooms.

Find more travel ideas with our new article on the Best Things to do in Miami’s South Beach!

2. Key Largo, Florida

What to see:

• Beautiful views of the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Ocean depending on which side of Highway 1 you are on.
• John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park – The first undersea park in the U.S. They have glass bottom boat tours that we experienced and it was a highlight of our trip! Scuba diving, hiking, and snorkel trips are available as well. If you scuba dive or take a snorkel trip you may see the “Jesus of the Abyss” or “Christ of the Abyss” statue which sits 25 feet underwater. Campsites are available too!
• Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park – Nature trails, bike trails, birding, camping, and hiking are some of the offerings here.

Getting There:

We found it easiest to fly into the Miami or Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood airports and rent a car to drive to Key Largo. The Ft. Lauderdale airport is definitely smaller and easier to navigate than Miami, but both are doable.

Where to Eat:

• The Fish House – The smoked fish dip here was the BEST! It was even featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives so we had to check it out and were not disappointed. The key lime pie here was also in our top 5.
• Sundowners – Live music, great seafood, and sunsets! We were happy here. (make reservations to be next to the water)
• Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen – We ate here twice! Love the decor inside too!
• Dry Rocks – Inside of the Baker’s Cay Resort. We had small plates outside with a beautiful view. They had live music and great cocktails too!

Where to Stay:

• Reefhouse Resort and Marina – It is in a perfect location and we really enjoyed our stay there because of the private beach and activities that were available from the hotel. We loved this hotel!
• Hampton Inn Key Largo – Nice location and grounds here.
• Largo Resort – Fun resort in perfect location.
• Baker’s Cay Resort – Our favorite in this area! We love the beach area and the hotel grounds as well as the food/drink offerings! (it can be pricey, but possible to use Hilton points or reward nights) We have a Hotel Review of Baker’s Cay Resort to check out!

Budget-Friendly Options:

• Seafarer Resort and Beach – Cute little cottages on bay side of Highway 1.
• Rock Reef Resort – Private small beach and nice little pool.
• Pelican Key Largo – On bay side with colorful cottages. We liked this place a lot.

Tip: Many of these vacation destination ideas can be combined on one trip with other locations because of the closeness to other destinations.

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3. Estes Park, Colorado

Wildlife is abundant here in the summer and it is not uncommon to see herds of wild Elk strolling through town (keep a safe distance).

What to see:

• The Stanley Hotel – It’s not just the hotel from The Shining anymore. There is a music venue, shows, brewery, and a wedding pavilion! We love to stay there too.
• Rocky Mountain National Park – Waterfall hikes (easy ones), trails, lakes, and driving paths to the peak. The Beaver Meadow entrance is just at the edge of town. Make sure to stop at Coffee on the Rocks on the way!
• Green Jeep Tour of the Rockies – We didn’t do this, but those we met that did said it was a lot of fun.
• Aerial Tramway – We’ve done this many times although it was closed on our last visit. The chipmunks are so cute and great views!
• Bike rentals at Lake Estes – This was a nice half-day activity and they were electric-assist which made it easier. There are boat rentals here too.

Getting There:

• The easiest way to get here is to fly into Denver International Airport (DEN) and rent a car to drive the hour and 20 minutes to Estes Park. We usually stop in Boulder and visit the Pearl St. Mall area to eat/shop on the way.

Where to Eat:

• Bird & Jim – We loved the food here at lunch. The buffalo burger was a hit with my husband.
• Ed’s Cantina – Great outdoor seating with a view and the food is always amazing!
• The Post Chicken and Beer – It gets crowded at night, but the food was great and we loved the ambiance. The beer was a hit too. We have a great new article on craft beer in Colorado that includes this awesome restaurant and brewery!
• You Need Pie! Diner and Bakery – We ate here at least 3 times on one trip! The food is really good and they even did picnic boxes for us to take into the National Park.
• Lonigan’s Saloon Nightclub & Grill – The food and cocktails were great and they had an amazing live band.

Travel Ideas for Summer – Where to Stay:

• The Stanley – (also Aspire Lodge, and they have condos and houses for rent with amazing views)
• Historic Crag’s Lodge – Quirky, and lodge-feel with a great location.
• The Maxwell Inn – On the river and another favorite of ours.
• The Estes Park Resort – On the lake and indoor pool – good year-round.

Budget Friendly Options:

• Murphy’s Resort (also has lodges and cottages)
• Best Western Plus Silver Saddle Inn
• Dao House – Hostel-style, but still nice and affordable.

4. San Antonio, Texas

What to see:

• San Antonio Riverwalk – It’s easy to walk along the river and there are so many restaurants and bars to stop at.
• Historic Pearl Brewery – We visited by taking the hop on hop off bus. They have food and craft booths on the weekends as well as a food hall.
• Historic Market Square – Colorful and fun place to eat, drink, or shop. It is also a stop on the hop on hop off bus tour.
• King William Historic District – This is a stop on the hop on hop off bus tour and this posh historic neighborhood has uniquely German architecture.
• The Missions of San Antonio – We took a ride share to the park headquarters to get maps and they had exhibits with information on the history. We then rented (outside of the headquarters) electric-assist bikes and were able to ride to each mission and on the paved path along the river until winding up back at The Alamo. This was the highlight of our trip!
• Tower of the Americas – The view at the top of the observatory is amazing! There is also a nice restaurant and snack bar.
• The Saga – A musical and amazing light show projected onto a church detailing the history of San Antonio as well as art by French artist Xavier De Richemont. Bring a chair or something like a beach towel to sit on. This is definitely worth catching if you can!
• The Menger Hotel – It is worth just stopping by and visiting the lobby and historic bar.

Getting There:

The San Antonio airport is easy to navigate and not far from the Riverwalk area.

Where to Eat:

• Rosario’s – We visited the location in Southtown in the King William area. It gets pretty crowded so plan ahead. The food was amazing! Lots of great places to go in that area as well.
• The Esquire Tavern – They are the oldest bar on the Riverwalk area. They have a really nice vibe and decor. The food (loved the deviled eggs!) and cocktails were great!
• The Friendly Spot and Icehouse – Great front lawn vibe with retro lawn chairs. The food and drinks were good and it is relaxing to sit and people-watch.
• Supper – Farm to table food that is always great! It is inside the Hotel Emma.

Where to Stay:

• The Menger – Our absolute favorite! We go to the bar/grill for pub fare even if we are not staying there. The hop on hop off bus picks up next to the bar entrance as well.
• Sheraton Gunter – Great location.
• Hilton Garden Inn Riverwalk – We stayed here twice and found the breakfast to be amazing here while the location was perfect.
• Crockett Hotel– Historic hotel near everything.
• Hotel Valencia Riverwalk – Beautiful hotel with balconies overlooking the Riverwalk in some rooms.

Budget Friendly Options:

• Days Inn – Located on Bowie St., but still close to everything.
• Tru by Hilton San Antonio Riverwalk

5. Austin, Texas

You’ll see the motto “Keep Austin weird” on many souvenirs and art around town. There’s even a Museum of the Weird on 6th Street.

We had the best time on the Wine and BBQ tour that took us to the Texas hill country and several places in-between. We had such a fun group!

The small-group secret food tour (Zac was our guide) was also a must-do for us and we loved it so much that we went back to a couple of the restaurants from the tour again before we finished our trip.

What to see:

• Rainy st clubs and restaurants (we loved Stagger Lee, Banger’s Sausage House and Beer Garden, Little Lucy’s Mini Donuts, and Unbarlievable!) The crowd skews younger at some of the bars such as Unbarlievable or at least when we were there.
• Bats at Congress St. bridge
• Yeti flagship store – I know this isn’t for everyone, but they had such a cool bar with “loaner” Yeti’s for the drinks and unique furniture made from Yeti items. It’s just over the Congress St. Bridge.
• Zilker Park – We loved walking the trails here and spent a whole day just walking around and enjoying the sights. The Botanical Gardens are also in this area. (we did take a ride share to Zilker Park and walked back)
• Zilker Botanical Gardens – Great view of the Austin skyline from the zen garden area here. It was a nice walk-through with some really nice areas.
• Dirty 6th St. clubs and venues for live music – We didn’t spend a huge amount of time here because it really reminded us of Bourbon St., but we did visit the Jackalope Bar and caught some nice live music at Chupacabra Cantina.
• Texas hill country wine and bbq tour – This was our absolute favorite (could have been the wine) and we would like to return and stay at one of the winery bed and breakfasts.
• Original Whole Foods Market – We just had to stop and have a snack on the rooftop garden seating area. It is located on N. Lamar and was easily walkable from our downtown hotel.

Getting There:

The Austin airport is smallish and easy to find your way around. It is also only an hour and 35 minutes away from San Antonio so it is relatively easy to do both if you rent a car.

Where to Eat:

• Gloria’s Latin Cuisine – The banana leaf-wrapped tamales and Mojitos were amazing!
• Le Cafe Crepe – We loved everything here! I had the strawberry, banana, Nutella crepe and it was perfection. The decor was great as well.
• 1886 Cafe and Bakery in The Driskill Hotel (Hyatt)
• Delano Pizzaria (we loved the dessert pizza!)
• Salt Lick BBQ (we stopped here on our bbq and wine tour and loved it!)
• Velvet Taco on 6th and Congress St. (the combinations here sound like they don’t go in a taco, but they do! and are delicious.) We had the Korean fried rice taco and the chicken and waffle taco. They were both amazing! I still think about them and wish we had a location near our hometown.

Where to Stay:

• The Driskill Hotel – (Hyatt) This historic hotel is absolutely beautiful and even if you don’t stay here visit the 1886 Cafe for coffee or breakfast. We also just got out of the heat to relax in the lobby for awhile too.
• Residence Inn by Marriott Downtown – We stayed here and were very happy with the location and room.
• JW Marriott Downtown – A couple on our tour were staying here and they raved about it. There is an amazing lobby too.
• Hilton Austin Downtown – They have a really nice rooftop pool here and it is centrally located.
• Holiday Inn Express and Suites

Budget Friendly Options:

• Extended Stay America – Towne Lake area
• Mint House SOCO – on S. Congress at the opposite side of the river, but still not too far away.
• Canopy by Hilton – It is easier on the budget, yet still centrally located.

We combined our epic day in Austin in a short YouTube video

6. Orange Beach, Alabama

Our favorite thing to do in Orange Beach (we’ve done it 4 times so far) is to go on the Sunset Catamaran Cruise from Cetacean Cruises. It is super relaxing and we have always seen dolphins while listening to music, drinking a cocktail, and watching the sunset! It departs conveniently from The Wharf and is easy to find in front of Springhill Suites Hotel at the marina. We will definitely do this cruise again next time we are in town.

What to see:

• The Wharf – Entertainment district with great bars, shopping, a music amphitheater, and restaurants in Orange Beach. They have many sunset and dolphin tours that leave from the marina and have many festivals here.
• OWA – An easy-to-navigate amusement park and entertainment district (and huge indoor waterpark) on the expressway leading to Orange Beach.
• Floribama – It is an amazing multi-level music venue, bar, restaurant, and shop just over the Florida line near Orange Beach.
• Tanger Factory Outlets – great shopping and sales!
• Gulf State Park – Free bike rentals and many facilities with a boardwalk.
• Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo – Close to Orange Beach and a great restaurant near entrance.

Getting There:

• It is an easy drive from southern states take the beach expressway
• nearby airports are Pensacola (PNS) or Mobile (MOB)

Where to Eat:

• The Gulf – This amazing outdoor restaurant is housed in repurposed shipping containers and has the perfect Gulf view! We love the steamed snow crab legs and their Mojito’s (of course).
• Safari Club Restaurant – This is a hidden gem in Gulf Shores next to the Zoo. Great food and cocktails!
• Cobalt – An upscale, yet casual restaurant on the Intercostal with amazing marinated crab claws and (usually) amberjack (my favorite). We usually come for lunch because it gets crowded for dinner.
• Yo Ho Rum and Tacos – This economical and fun restaurant at The Wharf usually has live music and the shrimp burritos are my favorite! If you go sit outside in back with a great view of the marina and sunset.
• Live Bait – The food is good, but the live music, mechanical shark, and general vibe is what makes it fun! It is a destination in itself.
• Southern Grind – Amazing coffee and food! We love the coastal teal decor and even order the Jamaican Island coffee to have shipped home. We never miss coming here several times on a trip.
• BuzzCatz Coffee and Sweets – We love the breakfasts here and coffee! It is a “must stop” on our trips. Great logo too!

Where to Stay:

• Condos – Orange Beach has many great condos to book and we usually use companies such as Meyer Realty, Brett-Robinson Realty, and Young’s Suncoast, but VRBO, AIRbnb and Vacasa are other options. (I don’t know if I even want to tell this secret, but every other year we book a full month in a gulf front condo or beach house for Nov. or Dec. for less than a week costs in summer through Meyer or Brett-Robinson which must be booked directly through their website). The Phoenix properties, beach houses in Ft. Morgan, and Seaside Beach and Racquet Club are our favorites.
• This great 3 b/r in the Phoenix X property is a great location. Read what other travelers have to say at Tripadvisor
• Island House (Hilton Doubletree)
• Hilton Hampton Inn Gulf Front
• IHG Holiday Inn Express Gulf Front
• Sleep Inn on the Beach

Another option is VRBO vacation rentals on the beach in Gulf Shores! Compare prices! Gulf Shores, AL Vacation Rentals

Budget Friendly Options:

• Marriott Fairfield Inn
• Springhill Suites at The Wharf
• Gulf State Park Lodge
• Camping at Gulf State Park

7. Little Rock, Arkansas

We visited a relative who moved here not expecting it to be as amazing as it was! We loved the outdoor sculpture garden that is on the Riverfront as well as the unique bridge outside of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum. Getting around was easy with the abundant electric scooters available everywhere downtown.

Our team also compiled all of the best hiking spots near Little Rock so you don’t miss anything when visiting!

What to see:

• Clinton Presidential Park Bridge and the Junction Bridge
• Old State House Museum – Beautiful grounds and nice exhibits.
• Julius Freckling Riverfront Park – This is the area where the sculptures are (Vogel Swartz Sculpture Garden) along the river.
• Hurts Donuts! – They are the best!
• Civil Axe Throwing – Next to Hurts Donuts and a lot of fun!
• Pinnacle Mountain State Park – Nice hiking trails and views with a beautiful spring-fed lake at the base.
• Emerald Park – Hiking and beautiful views of the rock quarry bluffs and river (The photo above is from there).
• Museum of Discovery – Great science exhibits for kids!

Getting There:

Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT) is smaller than some larger city airports and we found it easy to navigate. We rented a car after landing with no issues or waits.

Where to Eat:

• Fassler Hall – Great German food and a beer garden! They have a fun and energetic atmosphere.
• The Flying Saucer – Quirky decor and fun food and drinks.
• Diablos Tacos and Mezcaleria – The tacos were fantastic as well as the Pineapple Jalapeño Margaritas!
• Cannibal and Craft – They are a cocktail lounge and nightclub with live music, but the food was amazing too!

Where to Stay:

• Doubletree Hotel Downtown Little Rock – On Markham St. close to the museum and river walking path and bridges.
• Little Rock Marriott Hotel – Great location on Markham in the middle of everything and next to river.
• Capital Hotel – Beautiful historic hotel in the center of everything with really nice restaurant/cafe. We didn’t get to stay here last time, but it is definitely on the list for next visit!
• Courtyard by Marriott – Nice rooms closer to the Clinton Library, but still close to all of the fun bars and restaurants in the area.
• Hilton Garden Inn Downtown – They are near the Fassler Hall beer garden and they have a great rooftop bar!

Budget Friendly Options:

• Hampton Inn and Suites – Nice rooms and close to Fassler Hall beer garden and usually economical prices.
• Wyndham Riverfront Hotel Little Rock – Across the river, but still accessible via the bridges to downtown area and budget friendly rooms.

8. Tampa, Florida

One of the great things about the hotels in the Water Street area of Downtown Tampa is that quite a few of them have amazing rooftop pools! We love to take a whole day or more and just relax at the pool overlooking the river or city areas.

A short walk or bike ride (there’s abundant rentals) away is Sparkman Wharf which has some really nice outdoor space and restaurants housed in colorful shipping containers as well as the Yacht Starship brunch and dinner cruise. The Aquarium is also in the same area.

What to see:

• Sparkman Wharf
• Ybor City – Historic district that is a “must visit”! There are a ton of amazing places to see and experience here (they do get started later in the day or at least did when we’ve been there)
• Tampa Riverwalk
• Harbour Island – It’s a residential district just across the bridge/river from Tampa Water Street and has some amazing restaurants and bars on the water.
• Indian Rocks Beach – It is a nice beach area on the Gulf side about 30-40 minutes away from the Downtown Tampa area. Definitely worth a visit if you have a car.
• Hillsborough River State Park – They have class 2 rapids — in Florida!
• Busch Gardens – If you are theme park-inclined it is really like a zoo and theme park in one. They have several fun coasters too.

Getting There:

• The Tampa airport is really easy to navigate and not far from the downtown area if taking a taxi or ride share.
• Tampa is also only an hour and 47 minute drive from Orlando if on a driving vacation.

Where to Eat:

• Columbia Restaurant – We love the original restaurant in Ybor City the most. It has unique decor in each room and such vibrant colors! The sangria pitcher was a huge hit with us as well as the best Mojito that we have had in Tampa. The food is also amazing and my favorite is the Picadillo “Criollo”. I still order the seasoning mix to use at home!
• C.W. Gin Joint – Really nice atmosphere, live music, great drinks, and the food we had was fantastic.
• Gallito Taqueria at Sparkman Wharf – Everything we had from there was great!
• Anchor and Brine – Located along the River inside and outside the Marriott Water Street. We had several nice meals there and beautiful sunsets!

Where to Stay:

• Tampa Marriott Water Street – This is my absolute favorite! It has an amazing lobby, but the main draw is the rooftop pool with a great bar and live music. I could just make a vacation staying at the pool! It is also convenient if taking a cruise because the port is not far away from the Water Street area.
• J.W. Marriott Water Street – Wonderful rooftop pool/bar and next to Amalie Arena – Go Bolts!
• Embassy Suites Hilton Water Street – Spacious rooms, Starbucks in lobby, and nice rooftop pool!

Budget Friendly Options:

• Courtyard Marriott Tampa Downtown
• IHG Holiday Inn Express and Suites Tampa Airport
• Sleep Inn near Busch Gardens
• Holiday Inn and Suites N. Busch Gardens Area

More Trip Planning Resources

Want to read more to help you plan a vacation? We recently wrote some tips for trip planning that can help!

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Napa Valley has some beautiful wineries to check out on a bucket list trip!

An Epic Summer Awaits if you Add These Travel Destination Ideas for 2025 to Your list !

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