Let's Go's Top Ten Summer Destinations

It's official. After several years of penny-pinching, stay-cations, and a weak dollar, travelers have become restless. They're ready to grab their favorite travel companion, hop on a plane or jump in their car, and start exploring the world again. Let's Go has compiled a list of its Top Travel Destinations this summer. Whether you're on a tight budget, looking to splurge after a winter of Scrooge-like miserliness, or simply studying abroad for the summer, our top ten have got you covered. 

 1. Morocco 

Morocco, the hazy spit of land across the Strait of Gibraltar, is 13km and worlds away from Europe. The nation contains unparalleled raw beauty, with lush valleys, enormous desert dunes, ancient imperial cities, and North Africa’s highest mountains. While you may reach Morocco today by high-speed ferry rather than brigantine ship, your path has been well worn by years of cultural exchange. Arab, African, and European influences come together gracefully in modern Morocco. Locals hawk thuya wood from the beaches of Essaouira next to Fez’s famed blue pottery, along with movies from America and sandals from China. Donkeys hurtle down alleys past women who accessorize headscarves with Gucci shades. Relatively inexpensive, easily accessible from Europe, and with a healthy blend of established traveling community and off-the-beaten-path opportunities, Morocco is Let’s Go’s number-one travel destination this summer.

2. Budapest 

Budapest is one of Europe’s new capitals of cool. It’s a city in flux, so whether you’re here for a week or a semester, prepare for a brush with the edge of art, film, music, and student life. Luckily, there are still comfortable, affordable accommodations—in districts that many tourists haven’t even heard of yet—and undiscovered hole-in-the-wall spots to feed your craving for goulash. What’s more, this city on the Danube offers a perfect cosmopolitan launching pad into the untapped country of Central and Eastern Europe.

3. Istanbul 

How could we not include a city as famous for its baths as it is for its religious buildings? Whether it’s going by Byzantium, Constantinople, or Istanbul, this bi-continental city has enough personalities to keep your therapist busy for years. Layered with history, teeming with diverse cultural attractions, and unabashedly forward-thinking, Turkey’s largest city is one of the most dynamic cities in Europe—and Asia. 

 4. Barcelona and Madrid

Barcelona and Madrid have a longstanding rivalry. Whether it’s a question of Castilian vs. Catalan, Villanueva vs. Gaudí, or Real Madrid vs. FC Barcelona, we just couldn’t choose between Spain’s two largest cities. Luckily, we don’t have to, and neither do travelers. Though decidedly different, both cities have their fair share of clubs open until 6am, scrumptious tapas, and the best student discounts—in fact, the only thing you won’t find is a clear winner in this Iberian in-fight.

5. Costa Rica and Nicaragua 

From middle-aged cannabis enthusiasts to spring-breaking co-eds, budget travelers of every age seem to appreciate the wonders of Costa Rica. Stable politics and a top-notch tourist infrastructure have made it Central America’s tourist hotspot since the 1970s. Cheaper, less touristed, and with its political troubles behind it, Nicaragua is poised to give its neighbor to the south a run for its colones—or córdobas, depending on which side of the Rio San Juan you stay.

6. Thailand 

Whether you’re on a tiny southern island, in a remote northern village, or hanging out in the bustling metropolis of Bangkok, you can’t go wrong on a trip to the “Land of Smiles.” With a little guidance, it’s easy to find the safest, cheapest, and comfiest beds after a long day of riding elephantback or bowing before glittering golden Buddha statues. The flight may be expensive, but once there, a thriving backpacking scene and inexpensive food and lodging make Thailand a budget-travel paradise. 

7. Paris 

Intemperance? Gluttony? Sex addiction? Ballet? Whatever your vice, generations of the similarly inclined have indulged it in Paris before you. Paris is a shrine, an advertising slogan, or a vague longing for (sexual, political, artistic) liberation before it is anything so mundane as the hometown of millions of people. Steeped in history and allusions right down to its sewers, Paris weaves a spell in stone and sunlight. With the euro weaker than it’s been in years, travel in the City of Light, though still expensive, is cheaper than it was a year ago. We guess it’s true what they say: “One man’s debt crisis is another man’s favorable exchange rate.” 

8. Buenos Aires 

If you’re looking for a place to travel this year, just sit right there—I’m going to tell you a little story about a city called “fresh air”: Buenos Aires. You might not meet Will Smith, but with Buenos Aires becoming one of the most popular cities for study abroad in Latin America, you’re bound to meet young people from every corner of the world, not to mention locals who grill until midnight and regard a night out that ends at 4am as a weak attempt. From the Recoleta (think the Upper East Side with a pinch of Paris) to Boca (canary-yellow townhouses that empty out for rowdy soccer matches every night), Buenos Aires isn’t just a city of tango and opera anymore. Argentina’s capital is like a European city at Latin American prices, with easy access to world-class skiing, wine, and beaches—and, yes, you can drink the water!

9. Dublin 

The capital and epicenter of the so-called “Celtic Tiger” has seen its fair share of growth in the past decade. With a recent slowdown in economic growth and the weakening of the euro, Dublin is an increasingly budget-friendly travel hotspot. Despite its increasingly cosmopolitan reputation, modern Dublin still has the quirky flavor of a large town busily engaged in neighborhood pursuits. The city’s distinctive neighborhoods, a significant student population, blossoming art and theater scenes, and an ever-thriving pub culture help Dublin retain its youthful Guinness-fueled jaunt. 

10. National Parks 

Sick of hearing the term “stay-cation”? So are we. Just because you’re not crossing an ocean does not mean you have to stay at home this summer. National parks, in the US and abroad, get a big Let’s Go thumbs up as a stay-cation alternative. Cheap, often relatively close, and undeniably beautiful, national parks around the country—and the world, for that matter—offer unique opportunities for the budget traveler. Campsites run for less per night than hotel rooms, s’mores cost a fraction of restaurant fare, and, after modest park entry fees, mountains and trees, in our experience, tend to be pretty easy on the wallet.