Too Hot? Escape to somewhere cooler
What exactly is a coolcation?
A coolcation is exactly what it sounds like — picking a cooler-climate destination over the usual hot-weather spot. The reason is simple. As temperatures climb and crowds swell across parts of the world, more travelers are choosing to head somewhere cool instead.
Searches for cooler destinations are up 74% year over year, and what was a niche idea just a few summers ago has become one of the most talked-about ways to travel!
Destinations You'll Love
Alaska is the coolcation you can reach without ever crossing the Atlantic. Watch glaciers calve into the sea, spot whales breaching off the bow, and explore Kenai Fjords and Denali under daylight that simply won't quit — all at temperatures that make a heat wave feel like a distant rumor.
From classic Inside Passage cruises to cruisetours that push deep into the interior, it's North America's summer powerhouse for a reason. With peak-season cabins booking up, now's the moment to lock in your cool escape.
Iceland is the #1-ranked coolcation for a reason. Averaging a refreshing 51°F in summer, it trades heat and crowds for black-sand coasts, glacier hikes, thundering waterfalls, and geothermal lagoons you'll happily soak in under a sky that never fully darkens.
Whether you circle the island by ship or base yourself in Reykjavík, it's the rare summer escape where you'll actually reach for a sweater in July. Space is limited and going quickly — grab your spot while the season's still wide open.
The Arctic is the coolcation taken to its thrilling extreme. Sail beyond the Arctic Circle to Svalbard, where polar bears roam the pack ice, walruses haul out along the shore, and glaciers calve under a sun that never sets all summer long. Add the colossal ice fjords of Greenland and remote, roadless villages, and you're somewhere genuinely few travelers ever reach.
Summer is the only window the ice allows for travel and it's happening right now. These are small-ship expedition voyages with limited cabins and a short season, so if the far north is on your list, this is the time to go.
The Norwegian Fjords are the coolcation in its purest form — sheer cliffs, plunging waterfalls, and steady 60° F days while the rest of Europe swelters. Sail past the Lofoten Islands, glide into Geiranger, and watch the midnight sun stretch across the water long after a southern beach would've sent you indoors.
This is summer without the sunburn: crisp mornings, room to breathe, and scenery a lounge chair can't touch. Spots on this summer's most sought-after sailings are filling fast, reserve your place before these sailings fill up!