Are summer flights looking pricier than usual?
Yup!
Between the global jet fuel crunch and airlines reducing their routes to protect margins, international airfares are roughly 24% more than last year.
Ouch.
But here’s what I keep telling my private clients right now: Choose domestic destinations!
Staying local is not a consolation prize. There are so many exciting new hotels, delicious food scenes to explore, and incredible destinations in the U.S. that can rival any international itinerary.
You just haven’t heard of them yet.
First: How Are You Getting There?
Short domestic flights are still reasonably priced. So if you stay stateside, you’ll find good deals and have more money in your travel budget to splurge on a luxe hotel or a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
…But have you considered train travel?
Amtrak is having a moment! The California Zephyr. The Coast Starlight. The Cardinal through the Appalachians…
If you have the time, take the train!
5 Destinations Worth Rerouting Your Summer For
1. Bar Harbor & Acadia National Park, Maine
U.S. News & World Report just named Bar Harbor the best small town in America for 2026. And its star attraction? Acadia National Park!
But most visitors make the mistake of doing it the same way everyone else does: by car, hitting the obvious stops, and calling it a day.
For something different, bring your mountain bike or hire a horse-drawn carriage and explore the carriage roads. It’s 45 miles of crushed-stone paths best experienced at sunrise. For hikers, try the less-hiked trails, like Beehive and Gorham Mountain, which deliver on dramatic views you’ll rave about for years.
Read More: 10 Secret Travel Tips From a Hotel Concierge
2. Miami, Florida
Miami in summer 2026 is event-driven travel at its best. The city is hosting seven FIFA World Cup matches at Hard Rock Stadium, Formula 1 returned for the Grand Prix in May, and Lionel Messi continues to draw soccer fans to Inter Miami all season.
If you’re going for an event, it all comes down to your hotel strategy. You need to figure out which neighborhoods are worth the premium, which ones to avoid, and how to time arrivals around match days.
I’ve got a complete guide on how to figure all these details out over here: The Concierge Guide to Concert Weekends: Hotels, Timing, and Smart Moves
3. Jackson Hole, Wyoming
What most travelers don’t realize is that Yellowstone (one of the world’s great natural wonders) is also a very doable day trip from Jackson Hole.
The real insider tip is getting your timing right. A May or early June visit puts you there for some of the best wildlife sightings. I’m talking bison calving season, wolf activity in the Lamar Valley, bears emerging from dens — all before the summer RV crowds descend on Yellowstone.
If wildlife is on your list, go, go, go! Room rates are also still favorable before peak summer pricing kicks in.
4. Nashville, Tennessee
Need a reason to visit Nashville this summer? Well, I have plenty!
The historic Nashville Arcade is welcoming Sushi by Scratch, the Michelin-acclaimed omakase concept, alongside the locally beloved Bar Roze. And opening this June: the Songteller Hotel, a full-service Dolly Parton-themed property complete with a Life of Many Colors museum, a rooftop bar, and live entertainment nightly.
Tennessee also just launched “Sound Bites,” a campaign pairing musicians and chefs to create dishes and original songs designed for you to experience together. And the Grand Ole Opry is celebrating its 100th anniversary!
My biggest travel tip for Nashville? Steer clear of Broadway and head straight for East Nashville, 12 South, and Wedgewood-Houston.
5. Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is a city that rewards slowing down.
The Spanish moss-draped squares, the walkable historic district, and the restaurant scene that punches well above the city’s size. It’s a destination that asks you to see less and leave room in your itinerary to discover surprises.
The best things to do here are not on any list. It’s the conversations with the right people — a bartender at a neighborhood wine bar, or a local who knows which ghost tour is worth its weight.
Savannah is one of those rare destinations where local knowledge is the entire experience. It’s perfect for travelers who want “travel that feels like travel” without leaving the country.
How to Still Get That International Feel
One thing I always remind clients: the U.S. contains multitudes. If what you’re really craving is cultural immersion, there are pockets of America you can explore. You just have to know where to look and what to do when you get there.
Neighbourhoods
Start with neighborhoods that function as cities within cities. New York’s Flushing has a Chinese food scene that rivals anything you’d find in Shanghai or Chengdu, but it’s also a full cultural immersion: the shops, the street energy, the language, the pace.
Astoria in Queens gives you Greece. Jackson Heights gives you South Asia and Latin America on the same block. Miami’s Little Havana and Little Haiti are home to communities with their own festivals, music scenes, and rhythms.
Cities
Then there are the cities that are their own thing.
New Orleans is closer to a foreign country than anywhere else in America. The architecture is French and Spanish Colonial; the second-line parades are a living tradition. The relationship among food, music, and ritual here doesn’t reach that intensity anywhere else in the U.S.
San Antonio’s deep tejano identity, the Indigenous cultural heritage woven through Santa Fe and Taos, and the Portuguese Festival in New Bedford, Massachusetts, are all incredible travel experiences.
Immersive Experiences
Look also at immersive experiences that replicate what people love most about international travel: art museums with world-class international collections (the Art Institute of Chicago, the Getty, the Met), and cultural festivals tied to specific communities rather than generic “world music” events.
The traveler who attends a proper Vietnamese Tet celebration in Little Saigon, Houston, or a Japanese cherry blossom festival in the Japanese Friendship Garden in San Jose is having a real cultural experience. Even without your passport.
So take advantage of our incredible cultural diversity!
One Practical Note Before You Book
Don’t wait to book accommodation.
Domestic demand is rising as travelers who would have gone international redirect their summer trips closer to home. Inventory is tightening faster than usual, especially for peak weeks in July and August.
If any of these destinations are calling to you, book the hotel now and figure out the rest later.