10 of the Best Places To Travel When It’s Swelteringly Hot

The phrase “summer vacation” brings with it a whole set of cliches, many involving warm-weather destinations. But with climate change making each summer seemingly warmer than the next, perhaps it’s time to rethink vacation planning.

There are plenty of vacation destinations that appeal to those looking to beat the heat – and they offer plenty of things to do as well. Here’s a look at some of the best places to visit when it’s swelteringly hot outside.

Vancouver, British Columbia

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

• August: Average high of 71 degrees Fahrenheit (22 Celsius), low of 55 Fahrenheit (13 Celsius)
• September: Average high of 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 Celsius), low of 50 Fahrenheit (10 Celsius)

You’re going to see the Pacific Northwest, both Canadian and U.S. cities, show up a few times on this list, and for good reason. This part of the continent doesn’t get as hot as much of the rest of North America, and there are plenty of things to do.

Start off with breathtaking Vancouver, British Columbia, a thriving, diverse seaport. Don’t miss Canada’s largest Chinatown, the hip restaurants of historic Gastown or the natural beauty of 1,000-acre Stanley Park. Before you go, be sure to nibble on a Nanaimo bar, a decadent layered treat named for the Vancouver Island city of Nanaimo.

Victoria, British Columbia

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

• August: Average high of 71 degrees Fahrenheit (22 Celsius), low of 51 Fahrenheit (11 Celsius)
• September: Average high of 66 degrees Fahrenheit (19 Celsius), low of 47 Fahrenheit (8 Celsius)

Don’t confuse the big mainland city of Vancouver with Vancouver Island, which sits about 60 miles (100 km) southwest. Vancouver Island is home to British-accented Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. Take a scenic ferry to the island, then enjoy elegant afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress Hotel. Feel the work world slip away while wandering through 55-acre Butchart Gardens and learn about the province’s history at the Royal British Columbia Museum.

Fairbanks, Alaska

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

• August: Average high of 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 Celsius), low of 46 Fahrenheit (7 Celsius)
• September: Average high of 54 degrees Fahrenheit (12 Celsius), low of 35 Fahrenheit (1 Celsius)

Alaska stays true to its nickname of America’s “Last Frontier,” and remote Fairbanks is the frontier’s front door for many. The city’s tourism site lets you track two of its most famous attractions — the astounding Aurora Borealis, known as the northern lights, and the magnificent midnight sun. That’s the 70-day period when Fairbanks receives 24 hours of sunlight. Many Fairbanks tourists arrive by cruise ship, another travel option.

Bar Harbor, Maine

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

• August: Average high of 78 degrees Fahrenheit (26 Celsius), low of 60 Fahrenheit (15 Celsius)
• September: Average high of 71 degrees Fahrenheit (21 Celsius), low of 53 Fahrenheit (11 Celsius)

Bar Harbor is a charming resort town on Mount Desert Island, the largest island off the coast of Maine and the gateway to Acadia National Park. It’s a picture postcard from the Golden Age, when families such as the Vanderbilts, Rockefellers and Pulitzers retreated here to grand summer homes. Ooh and aah at those mansions; marvel at the natural beauty of the mountains, granite cliffs and ocean; dine on fresh lobster; and bike or hike the park’s scenic byways.

Seattle

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

• August: Average high of 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 Celsius), low of 57 Fahrenheit (14 Celsius)
• September: Average high of 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 Celsius), low of 53 Fahrenheit (12 Celsius)

The bluest skies you’ll ever see are in Seattle, or so the Perry Como/Bobby Sherman song goes. Summers are mild, and bugs and humidity are rare (so, too, is air conditioning — though more homes are adding it). Ride a glass elevator to the top of the iconic Space Needle or soar in the Seattle Great Wheel, a waterfront Ferris Wheel featuring 42 climate-controlled gondolas. And explore Seattle’s fabulous neighborhoods, from Scandinavian-accented Ballard to bustling Capitol Hill and funky Fremont, home to the Fremont Troll statue, who hunkers down under a bridge clasping a Volkswagen Beetle.

Portland, Oregon

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

• August: Average high of 81 degrees Fahrenheit (27 Celsius), low of 59 Fahrenheit (14 Celsius)
• September: Average high of 75 degrees Fahrenheit (23 Celsius), low of 55 Fahrenheit (13 Celsius)

Just three hours south of Seattle sits Portland, Oregon’s laid-back largest city. The downtown’s Pearl District is a true gem, and it’s just a short walk from there to Powell’s City of Books, which takes up a full city block and offers both new and used books of all sorts. If you’re OK with the weirder things in life, don’t miss the Peculiarium museum (it helps to believe in aliens and spontaneous combustion). The young and young-at-heart will adore making their own pancakes at Slappy Cakes.

Duluth, Minnesota

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

August: Average high of 74 degrees Fahrenheit (23 Celsius), low of 60 Fahrenheit (15 Celsius)

September: Average high of 66 degrees Fahrenheit (19 Celsius), low of 51 Fahrenheit (10 Celsius)

There’s an old saying: In Duluth, the view is always Superior. That’s because the world’s largest freshwater lake, Lake Superior, dominates the northeast Minnesota city. Head down to waterfront Canal Park to marvel at the Aerial Lift Bridge, take a tour of the William A. Irvin ore boat-turned-museum, and grab a coffee or craft beer. Don’t forget to tour Glensheen Mansion, a historic 20,000-square-foot waterfront home and the site of an infamous 1977 murder.

Banff, Alberta

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

• August: Average high of 71 degrees Fahrenheit (22 Celsius), low of 44 Fahrenheit (7 Celsius)
• September: Average high of 61 degrees Fahrenheit (16 Celsius), low of 37 Fahrenheit (3 Celsius)

You’ve likely seen tourism photos of Banff National Park’s majestic Lake Louise, an eerily turquoise, glacier-fed lake snuggled against the Canadian Rockies. It’s a bucket-list destination for many. You can also glide in a gondola into the mountains, ride an ATV to a hidden waterfall or float down the Bow River on an inflatable raft. O Canada!

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

• August: Average high of 67 degrees Fahrenheit (19 Celsius), low of 52 Fahrenheit (11 Celsius)
• September: Average high of 60 degrees Fahrenheit (16 Celsius), low of 46 Fahrenheit (7 Celsius)

Scenic St. John’s, on Newfoundland island off Canada’s Atlantic coast, is the capital of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Get your cameras ready: Downtown is famed for the striking, jellybean-colored houses of the Battery neighborhood. Hike up to historic Cabot Tower, where back in 1901, Guglielmo Marconi received the first trans-Atlantic wireless message. The Provincial Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador, Railway Coastal Museum and Johnson Geo Centre are all popular attractions.

Ocean City, Maryland

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

• August: Average high of 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29 Celsius), low of 68 Fahrenheit (19 Celsius)
• September: Average high of 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 Celsius), low of 64 Fahrenheit (18 Celsius)

Amble down the Ocean City, Maryland, boardwalk, named America’s best by the Travel Channel. It boasts food, shops, arcades and amusements, including the magnificent, century-old Herschell-Spillman Carousel. Laze on the beach or get your heart pumping by surfing, paddleboarding, kayaking or jet skiing. Horse-loving types should gallop away for a day trip to Assateague Island, famed for its wild horses, who are carefully protected by the National Park Service.