Travel Tips

Beat the Heat: 5 Unexpected Places to Cool Off This Summer

Is it just us, or do summers feel like they got hotter and hotter every year? Beat the heat this year and take a road trip to get your mind off the sweaty shirt sticking to your back. Whether you’re looking for somewhere with less humidity, cooler temperatures, or just more water to jump in, we’ve put together this list of places that are perfect for summer travel!

Camping Fishing Hiking Horseback Riding Kayaking/Canoeing/Paddling Midwest Northeast Wildlife Watching Wyoming Yellowstone National Park

Prepared By:

Tobey Schmidt

Adventurer & Photographer

1. Door County Wisconsin

Door County is on a peninsula between Green Bay and Lake Michigan, and a perfect stopping point on any Great Lakes road trip. Door County boasts 300 miles of shoreline and 19 unique communities. Think sunsets over the water, cherry pie, local beer, lighthouses, canoes, live music, and most importantly—perfect temperatures for swimming and water sports. It’s not surprise the scenic area is known as the “Cape Cod of the Midwest.”

Best Things To Do

Visit a cherry orchard, then make your very own cherry pie.
Explore a shipwreck via kayak.
Visit a historic lighthouse. Better yet, ride in a boat to one.

2. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

The average summer high temperature in Wyoming tends to be between 75°F/23°C and 90°F/32°C with low humidity. Paradise, right? Wyoming is not only popular in the summer because of its fair weather, but also because there’s so much to do and see, including two national parks: Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. Beyond the parks (and crowds) are also several nearby national forests and state parks, making plenty of room for every activity under the sun.

Best Things To Do

Bike in Grand Teton National Park or on nearby mountain biking trails.
Have an extraordinary wildlife encounter
Go fly-fishing in Jackson Hole.

3. Lake Tahoe, California

Lake Tahoe—north or south—is an epicenter for a summer on the water. The massive lake embodies 72 miles of shoreline which is dotted with lodging ranging from campsites to luxury resorts. Plus, the area sits about 6,000 feet/2,000 meters above sea level, giving surrounding towns cool temperatures and consistent breezes.

Best Things To Do

Go stand up paddle boarding (SUP) on the lake.
Explore the lake on a sailboat.
Take a road trip through the Sierra Nevadas.

4. Denali National Park, Alaska

Go big or go home, right? If you’re looking for somewhere wild and unlike any summer vacation you’ve ever been on, then Denali National Park in Alaska is for you. It’s home to the tallest mountain in North America and is one of the lesser visited national parks on the list. Summer visitors have to fly into Seattle or Alaska, or they opt to take a ferry or cruise through the Last Frontier.

Best Things To Do

Take a float plane ride over Denali.
Stay in a cabin in the park.
Go backpacking in the backcountry wilderness.

5. Acadia National Park, Maine

Acadia National Park is Maine’s only national park. Ocean beaches, deep forests, and granite peaks that make perfect hiking overlooks are the key features of the park. Visitors often stay in the bayside town of Bar Harbor for their summer getaway or fall vacation.

Best Things To Do

Go horseback riding.
Explore the unique tidepools.
Hike a summit trail for some of the best views of the park.

Beat the Heat

Whether you choose to go big in Alaska or keep it modest in Door County, we hope you get a chance to beat the heat this summer and enjoy being outside in nature!