Today, Expedia Group released Unpack ’26 Summer: The Trends in Travel, the latest edition of its industry-leading report, revealing how travel behavior is shaping summer travel decisions.
Demand for domestic travel is dominating summer planning. Social conversation about domestic vacations has increased by 77% year-over-year globally, doubling in the U.S. in particular, and 63% of U.S. travelers are planning a domestic trip this summer.
Demand for domestic travel is dominating summer vacation planning. Social conversation about domestic vacations has increased by 77% year-over-year globally, doubling in the U.S. in particular, and 63% of U.S. travelers are planning a domestic trip this summer.* From major sporting events and concerts to reading escapes and screen-inspired travel, Unpack ’26 Summer builds on insights from the flagship Unpack ’26: The Trends in Travel™ report to highlight where travelers are headed this summer. Each trend is backed by first-party data from Expedia®, Hotels.com®, and Vrbo®, as well as insights from travelers and social listening.
“This summer, travel isn’t slowing down — it’s being reshaped,” said Melanie Fish, Vice President, Global Public Relations, Expedia Group. “As major global events and rising costs influence decisions, travelers are either staying closer to home or seeking out destinations where they can get more for their money.”
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Expedia — Destinations of the Summer
Domestic travel is shaping up to be the season’s unexpected but understandable travel trend. Rather than far-flung destinations, more travelers are gravitating towards nearby escapes, from beach towns to mountain trails only a short drive or quick flight away. Searches for Florida and California beaches are up 50% this summer, and interest in local outdoor hotspots like lakes, mountains, and national parks has spiked 65% year-over-year.
Four of the Destinations of the Summer also meet the criteria for Expedia’s Smart Travel Health Check, which was first introduced in 2025. This check is a first-in-travel framework from Expedia, inspired by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), to recognize destinations that offer meaningful travel experiences while proactively managing tourism in a sustainable way.
Hotels.com — Hotel Hop Summer
Hotel Hopping — booking multiple hotels on a single trip — is gaining momentum as travelers look to experience more of the destination and make the most of the stays, with demand increasing during the summer season.
This summer, key motivations for hotel hopping include:
- Event Hopping — Hotel hoppers are planning their summer hotel stays around events to see their favorite musical artist or cheer on their favorite sports teams. Pairing a hotel near the concert venue or stadium with a second stay in a different part of the city means travelers can experience more of the destination in one trip.
- See BTS in Los Angeles (Sept. 1-6): Stay at The Anthem Los Angeles Stadium District for the show, then hop to The Aster for a taste of Hollywood luxury.
- Catch Harry Styles in NYC (Aug-Oct): Stay near Madison Square Garden at Virgin Hotels NYC, then hop out of Manhattan to the Arlo Williamsburg.
- Cheer at the big match in Seattle (June 19): Stay at The Paramount Hotel for the game, then hotel hop to The Magnolia Hotel and Spa in Victoria, B.C.
- Road Tripping — Road trips are back in a big way as travelers pair open-road adventures with hotel hopping. Online buzz around road tripping along iconic routes this summer has increased, especially as Route 66 celebrates its centennial. Mentions about driving Route 66 lead the way (+302%), followed by the Blue Ridge Parkway (+206%), the Great River Road (+183%), and the Pacific Coast Highway (+75%).*
- Route 66: Start at the Palmer House in Chicago and hop your way to the Americana Motor Hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona.
- The Great River Road: Kick off your trip in the middle of the Mississippi at Nicollet Island Inn and end your trip in the rooftop pool at Virgin Hotels New Orleans.
- The Pacific Coast Highway: Begin at the Quileute Oceanside Resort on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington and wind your way to the Casa Del Mar overlooking the Santa Monica Pier.
- Bleisure Hopping — There’s no better time to add a leisure stay onto a business trip than summer. Bleisure travel is trending online with over 165K mentions, and the hottest destinations dominating social conversations for bleisure hotel hopping include*:
- Helsinki (+71%): Stay at the Solo Sokos Hotel near Stockmann, then hop to Espoo to stay at Noli Otaniemi and explore Nuuksio National Park.
- London (+47%): Stay at The Ned near Borough Market, then hop to Brighton to stay at the Sea Spray to enjoy the coast.
- Oslo (+46%): Stay at the Karl Johan Hotel just steps from Norwegian Parliament and then hop to the Sundvolden Hotel near King’s View to enjoy golf and the spa on property.
- Paris (+24%): Stay at Le Cinq Codet near Rue Cler, then hop to the French countryside and stay at Château de Courcelles near Reims.
- Other trending summer bleisure destinations: Cape Cod (+97%), Lake Michigan (+88%), Seoul (+36%), Chicago (+35%), Sao Paulo (+28%), and Boston (+23%).
Vrbo — Beach Readaways
Books are becoming must-pack items for summer travel as more travelers build vacations around reading, relaxation, and quality time with loved ones. Social buzz for “Beach Readaways” is up 213% year-over-year while, as first mentioned in the Unpack ’26 report, mentions of reading-related terms in Vrbo guest reviews have surged 285% year-over-year.
With searches for some of the most in-demand beach destinations also up by over 30% compared to last summer, travelers are packing their beach reads and continuing to make books the main character of their summer vacation rental stays.
Expedia Group
2026-05-25 01:12:00