10 summer getaways from Miami to plan your next unforgettable trip

The snow is melting on the peaks of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, making it prime for hiking the Appalachian Trail and exploring surrounding towns. Asheville is as hip as it gets, with a Bohemian vibe and stellar culinary finds like the Indian street food haven Chai Pani and, for farm-fresh Southern food, Rhubarb.

Opt to stay at a hotel that is as hip as the town itself, The Radical, which has rad graffiti art in its rooms, a stellar wood-fire restaurant on-site (order the shellfish beignets) and river vistas. The Foundry is another great stay, with the most modern of industrial vibes, exposed brick walls and a Workshop Lounge with the friendliest of bartenders.

Travel time: 2 hours nonstop from FLL to Asheville

With Roanoke as the region’s epicenter, Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains are beloved for being the East Coast’s mountain biking capital. Beyond zipping through loops at Explore Park and Carvins Cove Natural Reserve, make sure to hike to the top of Mill Mountain where a giant, light-up star awaits, known as Mill Mountain Star. In Roanoke, River and Rail has Southern cuisine down to a science, inclusive of its pickled vegetables. For quirky shopping, hit Black Dog Salvage, a warehouse with eclectic antiques.

Travel time: 4 hours from MIA to Roanoke with a stop in Atlanta

Everyone, please start practicing your French. The Olympic Games kick off July 26 in Paris and run through August 11. It’s a hot ticket, with resales hitting the market if you’ve slacked. Beyond the biggest sports gathering on Earth, Bastille Day (France’s Independence Day) is another massive party. If you can snag a reservation, book a cruise on the River Seine during the fireworks celebration. Seeing the Eiffel Tower light up as the sky lights up? Oui oui.

Travel time: 8 hours nonstop from MIA to Paris

It may be half of St. Kitts and Nevis, but it deserves 100% of your attention come summertime. Nevis is a 36 square-mile oasis of tropic wonder with Charlestown, its Georgian building-clad capital, as its quiet commercial hub. Book a trip around some of Nevis’ biggest cultural festivals, including the Nevis Mango Festival (July 5–7) and Culturama (July 25–August 6). The latter is Nevis’ version of a carnaval and 2024 marks its 50th year.

For a wow-worthy stay, hit Four Seasons Resort Nevis, which has timeless yet fresh rooms overlooking the sea and villas with private pools.

Travel time: 3 hours nonstop from MIA to St. Kitts plus a 45-minute ferry

Swoon. Isla Palenque is set on 400 acres across seven beaches in Panama’s Gulf of Chiriqui. Its anchor resort has just eight beachfront casitas and—if you’re looking to ball out—a six-bedroom villa estate. Among its charming touches, 100% of the staff is local and primarily indigenous, the furniture is made from fallen trees and driftwood in an on-site lab and fresh sustainable seafood is caught by fishermen down the road in Boca Chica. Get us there now.

Travel time: 4 hours and 15 minutes from MIA to David with a stop in Panama City, plus a one-hour and 15-minute drive and boat ride 

Utah and all of its snowiness get a lot of love come wintertime. But, in the summer, Park City (about 30 minutes east of Salt Lake City) turns green in a beautiful, non-humid (!) way. The city’s main artery, Historic Main Street, is the spot for a sunny stroll and a ‘Gram photo or 10. Make sure to pop in No Name Saloon for a bison burger and Egyptian Theatre for a comedy show. Stay at Waldorf Astoria Park City, which has unparalleled vistas of the pine-popping Wasatch Mountains as well as a 16,000 square-foot spa. 

Travel time: 5 hours and 15 minutes nonstop from MIA to Salt Lake City

We hear the Spanish “¿Cómo?” a lot around these parts, mostly when people are trying to figure out what the hell is going on. At Lake Como in Italy, it’s always going on. At the foothills of the Alps in Northern Italy, the lake itself seems to glisten a special shade of aqua in the summertime. Book a trip around the region’s biggest classical music festival, LacMus (July 9–21), for maximum elegance. It’s hard to go wrong lodging-wise along its resort-draped coasts, but the Mandarin Oriental or the il Sereno with its infinity pool are two solid options.

Travel time: 11 hours from MIA to Milan with a stop in Zurich plus a 2-hour drive

Your in-state retreat this summer is on Florida’s Historic Coast. Let’s start with its geography—it’s north and will hopefully feel at least a couple degrees cooler than our sizzling sands. Loaded with Spanish architecture and known as America’s oldest city, an Old Town Trolley ride feels right here. Shaded, you coast to the likes of the Fountain of Youth and, yes, there is even a Pirate and Treasure Museum. Amid all the history, check out one of St. Augustine’s newest attractions, the St. Johns Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve, which opened last year.

Travel time: 5 hours via car from Downtown Miami

Okay, hear us out. Seattle’s general gloom and rain are typically every Floridian’s worst nightmare year-round. But, man, that sounds like a nice little breather in the June through August timespan. Stereotypes aside, Seattle is quite nice in the summer, with high temps in the low 70s and three to six days of rain per month.

Among the cooler happenings this summer, check out ZooTunes, a summer concert series at Woodland Park Zoo with performers like The Decemberists and Norah Jones. Seafair is an all-summer festival (June 29–August 4) with hydroplane races, an air show and fireworks aplenty on select dates.

Travel time: 6 hours and 30 minutes nonstop from MIA to Seattle

As for a long-haul getaway option, let it be Thailand. The entire country has so much going for it—OMFG, the food, the nice people, the great exchange rate. We can go on and on. Amid raucous cities like Bangkok and Pattaya, escape to the mountains in the northern city of Chiang Mai. It has an old walled city dating back to the 1200s with golden temples and ethical elephant sanctuaries. Fun Fact: Chiang Mai has coffee farms and is quickly emerging as the country’s coffee capital. For a fun day trip, tour Doi Chaang Coffee, a heavy-hitter in the specialty coffee space.

Travel time: 27 hours from MIA to Chiang Mai with stops in Dubai and Bangkok