Best Summer Travel Destination (2023) - USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards (2024)

Photo courtesy of Jon Bilous // Getty Images

No. 10: Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

Situated between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains is this picturesque valley, home to Shenandoah National Park, plus farms, wineries and some absolutely lovely and peaceful drives. "This beautiful mountain region is full of hikes for all ability levels and stays surprisingly cool throughout the summer months," says expert Jamie Davis Smith. “Don't miss the Roanoke Star for an iconic Instagrammable photo," adds expert Annita Thomas.

Photo courtesy of sx70 // Getty Images

No. 9: Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk, New York

Once the subject of a song by famous punk band The Ramones, Rockaway Beach is as fun as the tune suggests. "This is one of the best city beaches in the Northeast and you can ride the subway there,” says expert Shea Peters, who shares that while it’s a family-friendly spot, it tends to be pretty quiet with more adults than sandcastle-building toddlers. Plenty of inexpensive food and drinks can be found along the boardwalk, as well as art and music. Plus, you can always stay here and take a day trip into Manhattan.

Photo courtesy of pawel.gaul // Getty Images

No. 8: Asheville, North Carolina

Quirky and progressive, this midsize city nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains has a robust art and music scene which can be experienced via the River Arts District, the Asheville Art Museum, the Moogseum, its downtown galleries, plus venues like The Orange Peel, The Grey Eagle, and the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. Other draws include the popular Biltmore Estate (America's largest home) and picturesque drives along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Photo courtesy of tobiasfrei // Getty Images

No. 7: Crystal River, Florida

About 80 miles north of Tampa, you’ll find Crystal River – a magical Gulf Coast town displaying the natural beauty of the Sunshine State without the crowds. Expert Kyle McCarthy recommends it for its laid-back hotels, seafood dining, opportunities for water sports and golf and plethora of family recreation. “You may see more manatees in the warm hom*osassa Springs waterin winter, but the river is beautiful and clear for swimming in summer,” adds McCarthy.

Photo courtesy of HockingHills.com

No. 6: Hocking Hills, Ohio

This summer getaway spot in southeast Ohio has plenty to do, from zip line and canopy tours to unwinding at the Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls, horseback riding at Blue Moon Acres or enjoying a live performance at Stuart’s Opera House. But the biggest draw here is Hocking Hills State Park, with scenic trails, waterfalls and caves. Other local draws include farm-to-table cuisine, river sports, rolling hills, lots of hiking and Native American lore, according to expert Kyle McCarthy.

Photo courtesy of Adam Alexander

No. 5: Chicago, Illinois

There’s always something to do in Chicago, from trips to the Field Museum, National Museum of Mexican Art, Adler Planetarium or Shedd Aquarium, to White Sox and Cubs games and Centennial Wheel rides at the Navy Pier. But as expert Shea Peters shares, “What most people outside of Chicago won't tell you about [are] the pretty beaches of Lake Michigan...57th St. Beach is right off Lake Shore Drive and, in the summer, you'll find families swimming [and] grilling, and it's as if the entire city is having a family reunion every weekend."

Photo courtesy of Bill Shettle

No. 4: Mystic, Connecticut

You might remember this New England village from the '80s film "Mystic Pizza," but it’s even more enchanting in real life. Cruise aboard a sailboat, zip line at TreeTrails Adventure Park, see the wildlife at Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center or get a little shopping done downtown. 10Best contributor Linda Laban says it’s now one of the country’s top food destinations, so explore after grabbing a slice at the famous pizza parlor.

Photo courtesy of Dan Eggert/Destination Door County

No. 3: Door County, Wisconsin

For an unexpected lakeside vacation spot, it’s hard to beat Wisconsin’s Door County, home to 300 miles of shoreline along Lake Michigan and every water sport you can imagine. Paddleboarding, kayaking, fishing, water skiing and even scuba diving around shipwrecks are all among the aquatic activities available throughout this Midwestern destination. For those who prefer staying on land, there’s also a solid beer and wine scene, art galleries to explore, plus hiking, biking and more at their five state parks.

Photo courtesy of Visit Mobile

No. 2: Mobile, Alabama

Located on Alabama’s Gulf Coast, this port city has plenty for everyone to do, from the nearby Bellingrath Gardens and Battleship Memorial Park to art museums and airboat tours. Indulge your sweet tooth at Mo’Bay Beignet Co., learn about Mardi Gras at the Mobile Carnival Museum and take in local history by way of the Dora Franklin Finley African-American Heritage Trail.

Photo courtesy of Michael Deemer // Getty Images

No. 1: Mackinac Island, Michigan

Between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, you’ll find Mackinac Island, where you’ll ride on horse-drawn carriages along car-free roads, observe fudge being made (and then sample it) and tour the historic Fort Mackinac. This Lake Huron-based continental island is also home to Mackinac Island State Park, where you can hike, bike, kayak, and take photos of the local natural beauty, including the stunning limestone Arch Rock.

Advertisem*nt

Advertisem*nt

Annita is the on-air personality of Travel With...ReadMore

Annita is the on-air personality of Travel With Annita radio show, the recipient of two Gold Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards. With 40 years of travel experience she has been to 119 countries and territories, and has worked in several areas of the travel industry. She started her travel career with Pan American World Airways and later worked for the Atlanta CVB during the 1996 Olympics. The multi-media journalist not only host a travel show on terrestrial radio, but also a Lowell Thomas Bronze Award winning podcast - Quarter Miles Travel featuring stories based on the U.S. Mint coins programs. She writes for Upscale Magazine and is an ambassador for Oprah Daily digital magazine. Annita's mission is to inspire Baby Boomers and Empty Nesters to go out and explore the world, creating memorable experiences. She values storytelling, cultural awareness, sharing human interest stories and highlighting sustainable travel brands. Her mission is to help shape the listeners and readers perspective of beautiful destinations around the world. She is the proud fur-baby mom of two fun loving Chocolate Labs, Boris and Natasha. Her favorite destination - the last place she visited. Her favorite travel quote - “Let’s Go!”

Corinne hails from theother Washington, where she...ReadMore

Corinne hails from theother Washington, where she caught the travel bug early on. Corinne studied abroad in Strasbourg, France (undergrad) and in Edinburgh, Scotland (graduate school). She's backpacked around Australia, taught English in Argentina and explored (so far!) countries from Cambodia and Egypt to Turkey and China.Corinne served as associate editor at Where magazine for five years; as a freelancer, she now writes for publications like National Geographic Traveler and Amtrak's OnTrak. Here in the lovely Northwest, she's attempting to debunk the rain myths, up her coffee and live music quotient and find her Zen near/on the water.

Jamie is an attorney, writer and photographer. She...ReadMore

Jamie is an attorney, writer and photographer. She was born with deeply ingrainedwanderlust and has visited 45 countriesand counting. She often brings her children along for the adventure and is passing her love of travel on to the next generation. Jamie has written forInsider,Fodor'sTravel,Yahoo,theHuffingtonPost, theWashingtonPost,ViatorandReviewedamong many other publications.Jamie is from Philadelphia and now lives in Washington, DC, where she takes advantageof everything the region has to offer.Jamie can be reached atjamiesmithwrites@gmail.comandcan be found onTwitter,InstagramandTikTok.

Kristen Lummis is a freelance writer based in...ReadMore

Kristen Lummis is a freelance writer based in Western Colorado. The mom of two now-adult sons, Lummis broke into her writing career through snowsports, founding the websitebraveskimom.comin 2010 to provide family-friendly tips across a full range of winter topics. And while skiing is Lummis’ first true outdoor love, she grew up camping, hiking, biking, kayaking and traveling extensively with her family — pursuits that she continues today. She prides herself on unbiased opinions, based on activities and destinations she’s visited and experienced. Lummis is honored to be considered an “expert” for 10Best. Follow her @braveskimom on Instagram and Facebook.

Kyle McCarthy is the co-founder and editor of...ReadMore

Kyle McCarthy is the co-founder and editor of Family Travel Forum, the trusted resource for family vacation planners since 1996. FTF’s award-winning publications: MyFamilyTravels.com, America’s Most Popular Family Vacations andThe Family Vacationiste-newsletterprovide destination reviews, tips andseasonal roundupsfor all aspects of travel. Ms. McCarthy, author of a dozen Frommer’s guidebooks, also contributes to US News, CNN and other publications. She can be found on most social networks@familytravelforum.

Linda Laban is a London-born freelance arts and...ReadMore

Linda Laban is a London-born freelance arts and travel writer, currently bi-coastal-plus — Linda drives coast to coast, exploring the bits in between.

Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of ReadMore

Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of LittleFamilyAdventure.com, the popular family travel & lifestyle website that inspires families to leave no child left inside. Since 2013 LFA has been providing inspiration to get families outdoors, eat well, and travel everywhere from their own backyard to around the world. Always up for a family adventure, she has traveled to 37 states and 6 countries to zip-line through a Costa Rican rainforest, see Finland’s Northern Lights, and go camping throughout the US. Nicky is the co-founder of Tourism WorX a travel consultancy group. Connect with her Twitterand Instagram.

Robin Raven is an author and journalist who covers...ReadMore

Robin Raven is an author and journalist who covers such topics as travel, culture, and vegan dining. Her work can be seen in The Washington Post, Travel + Leisure, Reader's Digest, and many other publications. Robin is the author of Santa's First Vegan Christmas, The Kindness Workbook: An Interactive Guide for Creating Compassion in Yourself and the World, and The Little Book of Self-Soothing. She also blogs about travel and life at RobinRaven.com.

Shea Petersis a NYC based writer and frequent...ReadMore

Shea Petersis a NYC based writer and frequent world traveler that looks to the history of a location in order to tell the story. Growing up in a Southern family that loves to travel, Shea has seen 44 of the 50 US states and believes that every place has a story worth telling, regardless of how populated or rural. She's currently a regular contributor discussing travel, culture, history, food, wellness, and business at Travel+ Leisure, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Oprah Daily, Women’s Health, TripAdvisor, Cosmo, and Revolt TV. When she's not traveling, rooting for some unlikable sports team, or taking a pilates class, you can find Shea in her rooftop garden that is currently flourishing above the streets of New York City. You can follow Shea onInstagramandTwitter.

Catherine Smith,Readers' Choice Awards...ReadMore

Catherine Smith,Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director forUSA TODAY 10Best,has a special interest in unique culinary experiences andoff-the-beaten-path adventures.Catherine is the founder ofHer Bags Were Packedwhere shefocuses on helpingwomen release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,...ReadMore

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.

Browse the Best