This past summer, travelers flocked to 'Coolcations' once again.

Seeking cooler destinations is becoming increasingly popular among travelers due to extreme temperatures. This trend is known as "coolcations."

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that heat waves, which are becoming more frequent, longer, and intense, are influencing people's vacation choices, particularly during the summer months.

"A spokesperson for Expedia stated that while beaches and tropical escapes are commonly associated with vacation, coolcations involve choosing destinations with moderate temperatures, where a light sweater is packed instead of a sun hat."

According to Expedia, flight searches for Lapland, Finland increased by 705% from January to June 2024. Additionally, flight searches to Canada, particularly Banff (65%) and Lake Louise (55%), also increased during the same period.

This summer, Vrbo reported that the top 40 most booked destinations included cooler places such as Breckenridge, Colorado; White Mountains, New Hampshire; and Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania.

Californian Stephanie Greitzer said she planned a family trip to Whistler this summer.

"We reside in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, where we endure scorching temperatures during the summer, often exceeding 100 degrees," she stated. "Our objective is to explore cities and escape the intense heat at home while maintaining comfort during our travels."

Southern Europe sizzles

Popular summer destinations in Europe, including Rome and Madrid, are being affected by the increasing heat during the summer travel season.

In the summer, Italian authorities issued heat warnings for 12 cities when temperatures soared above 100 degrees in certain regions.

"According to Jason Nicholls, lead international forecaster for AccuWeather, temperatures in southern Italy were 3-8 degrees F above historical averages during the summer months of June through August. He also mentioned that there were multiple heatwaves that affected Italy and the Balkans in July and August."

As a result, northern Europe is seeing an uptick in tourism.

"According to Delphine Combes, a product executive at Scott Dunn, Norway has become a top five destination in Europe, moving up eight spots from 2022. The entire Northern Europe region has experienced a significant increase in popularity over the past two years."

Scott Dunn is expanding his summer trip offerings to Finland, Sweden, and Switzerland in response to growing demand, as stated by her.

Recently, Combes revealed that these destinations previously only offered winter and festive products.

In the past year, Finland received more than 4.8 million foreign trips, with the largest number of visitors coming from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the United States, and the Netherlands, according to Visit Finland.

Book early

Combes had a suggestion for American travelers who are looking for cooler vacations.

""Unlike the Mediterranean, many coolcation spots are not packed with Americans. This creates an interesting atmosphere that allows perhaps a more cultural experience," she said."

Booking early is recommended in cooler, less visited destinations as there are fewer quality hotels available. With growing demand, hotel inventory is becoming scarce, leading to sky-high pricing or no availability if you wait until the last minute.

Sara Steele-Rogers and her husband, residing on the Caribbean island of Anguilla, planned a September trip to Estonia to escape the heat.

"Steele-Rogers remarks that the hot climate in the Caribbean makes cooler destinations more appealing, especially during fall. He adds that small things like being able to walk without sweating through his clothes are things he misses when they're gone."