Unpack '26 Summer: spotlight
on seasonal trends

Summer 2026 is defined by sharper choices. 

Travelers are prioritizing what feels closer, richer, and more personal — nearby escapes over long-haul trips, multi-hotel city stays over one-and-done bookings, and interest-based itineraries over generic getaways. 

Unpack ’26 mapped the year ahead. Unpack ’26 Summer narrows the lens, spotlighting the summer travel trends defining the peak season across Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo — grounded in platform data and global consumer research. 

This seasonal edition unpacks the defining summer trends and translates each into clear, actionable moves for destinations and DMOs, lodging partners, vacation rental partners, and B2B partners looking to capture summer demand. 

Five trends. Clear signals. Direct actions.

This summer’s big soccer tournament is splitting demand: Superfans are heading to host cities across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, while value seekers are opting for quieter, better priced escapes elsewhere.  

The data across Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo tell the whole story. Tournament host cities are seeing a huge influx of interest, driving searches up 700% for Kansas City and 210% for both Philadelphia and Monterrey.* Meanwhile, the crowd avoiding the soccer rush is looking to South America, Asia, and Europe, where average daily rates have fallen in key destinations.

Travelers are swapping long-haul trips for easy wins — short flights and quick drives to lakes, trails, and towns that feel a world away without the jet lag. Think domestic breaks and nature within reach. 

Expedia's latest summer search trends show exactly how this is taking shape. Travelers are heavily targeting national park gateway towns, creating a major spike in demand for destinations like Tacoma, Washington, and Bozeman, Montana. At the same time, the desire for breezy coastal escapes is pushing relaxing beach retreats like Santa Cruz, California, and the sunny shores of Siesta Key, Florida, to the top of the list.

The pattern is clear: Close to home, nature rich, and easy to reach destinations are the top choices this summer, unlocking high-intent opportunities for targeted advertising.

Travelers are exploring more within a single trip — turning one destination into a series of distinct experiences across neighborhoods, events, and stay types. 

According to Unpack '26, 54% of travelers want to "Hotel Hop" by splitting their trip across multiple properties in a single destination. Summer is the absolute peak for this trend, showing a noticeable spike in multi-hotel bookings compared to the rest of the year. This behavior shows up in three ways:

• Event Hopping: Major sports events, festivals, and concerts — like the upcoming soccer tournament — extend stays and drive exploration beyond host cities.
• Road Tripping: Milestones like Route 66’s centennial encourage multi-stop itineraries.
• Bleisure Hopping: Work trips blend seamlessly with leisure in cities like Helsinki, London, and Oslo.

Books are inspiring itineraries this season. Travelers are choosing beach towns and homes with amenities that double as the perfect reading nook: hammocks, shady porches, cozy window seats, and sandy toes between chapters. 

Social buzz for “Beach Readaways” is up 213% this summer compared to a year ago, and Vrbo searches for some of the most in-demand beach destinations are up 30%. From Cape Cod and Charleston to Maui and Nova Scotia, travelers are choosing properties as much for ambiance as for amenities. And that presents an opportunity for vacation rental partners to provide an elevated experience.

Screens are the new travel guidebooks with buzzy movies and shows inspiring real‑world trips. Cinematic walks, countryside routes, and “seen-on-screen” spots are drawing travelers in — with local food, culture, and stays turning the moment into a deeper story.

The data backs this up perfectly. Just six weeks after "Wuthering Heights" hit the screen, searches for Yorkshire, England, surged by 60%. The "Heated Rivalry" debut had an even more dramatic effect, sparking a 110% spike in interest for Muskoka, Canada, and bringing a beautiful lift to the show's other featured filming locations.

While domestic vacations are the dominating trend overall, this summer is also full of highly specific intent: fans following events, value seekers chasing deals, city hoppers exploring new neighborhoods, readers seeking quiet corners, and story lovers visiting places they’ve seen on screen. 

Unpack ’26 Summer turns these behaviors into clear moves. Use the trends to time your calendars, shape your offers and stories, and guide planning across channels.

The closer your strategy tracks to how travelers actually plan, the more of this summer’s demand you’ll turn into bookings.