There’s never been a better time to plan summer travel than now. Or now. Or … wait for it … now. The point is, whatever instant in time you’re currently occupying, that’s the best moment to start making plans. To give you a few ideas, here are some of the biggest travel trends of 2023.

“Set-jetting”

[caption id="attachment_2536" align="alignright" width="480"] Dubrovnik, Croatia[/caption] Whoever came up with that term, a play on “jet-setting,” is no doubt patting themselves on the back right now. It means traveling somewhere you’ve seen onscreen. And there’s definitely something about seeing the medieval streets of Dubrovnik on Game of Thrones or the Hawaiian jungle that doubles for Jurassic Park and then going there in person, even if there are a lot fewer dinosaurs wandering around when you arrive. Extra points if you can hike the middle of the Tunisian desert to see Luke Skywalker’s homestead.  Need ideas? Here’s an entire Instagram account dedicated to visiting the places where your favorite TV shows and movies were filmed. And if your favorite movies include Star Trek, Rocky, or classic westerns, you might consider visiting Wyoming (we even know a great motel where you can stay).

The roads less traveled

While classic destinations like London or Paris will always be near the top of bucket lists, many travelers are branching out to visit unknown or undiscovered locales. According to a report sponsored by Vrbo, Hotels.com, and Expedia, here are the top ten “hidden gems” in the US (where demand to visit has increased by at least 30%):

1. 1. Nampa, Idaho 
   2. Greensboro, North Carolina 
   3. Layton, Utah 
   4. Irmo, South Carolina 
   5. Oneonta, New York 
   6. Hampton, Virginia 
   7. Bristol, Rhode Island 
   8. Spokane, Washington 
   9. Las Cruces, New Mexico 
   10.   Missoula, Montana

We happen to live near one of these exotic locales, and we can confirm that Layton, Utah, would make a great vacation destination. It’s got a Target and everything. 

Food-focused traveling 

You like food, right? You’re a human? Good, you’re going to like this one. According to an Amex report, 79% of polled people said they like exploring new food options when they travel. This is actually a curiously low number. Like, who goes to Italy and looks for a KFC?  So this trend is a bit of a no-brainer, but if you’re among the majority of us who like to eat local foods while on vacation, make sure to try out Atlas Obscura’s food guide. If you’re unfamiliar with Atlas Obscura (we linked to it above when we mentioned the Skywalker homestead), it’s a guide to all the cool, off-the-beaten-path sights that might not be covered in your travel guidebook. Gastro Obscura, as it’s tastefully called (see what we did there?), lets you scroll through mouth-watering food from around the world (like k’alapurka, a Bolivian soup heated by volcanic rocks, or the world’s rarest pasta, for which you must complete a 20-mile pilgrimage in Sardinia, Italy). The site tells you exactly where to sample whatever dish you’re eating. 

Young and restless travelers

Much has been said about young people buying houses and other big purchases later in life than their parents. So what are they spending their money on? According to the Amex report, 84 percent of Gen Z-ers and millennials would rather take a dream vacation than purchase important luxury items. 79 percent say that travel is one of their biggest financial priorities. [caption id="attachment_2537" align="alignright" width="360"] Varenna, on Lake Como in Italy[/caption]

Quirky wellness breaks 

Rounding out our list of travel trends is the idea of a “wellness break.” Rather than going on a trip to go, go, go (our preferred type of travel), many people are electing to slow down and use their travel time to do more than just unwind. We’re not just talking about a quiet spell on a beach, either. The same Amex report details practices such as “sylvotherapy (forest bathing), chakra sessions, food boot camps, puppy yoga, laughter therapy, and fruit harvesting.” Yes, puppy yoga. Top wellness break locations include Norway, Turkey, Switzerland, Iceland, and Sri Lanka.  Do any of these travel trends interest you? Do you try local cuisine while traveling? Have you ever engaged in puppy yoga? Is it as fluffy as it sounds? Tell us in the comments.  This post was brought to you by Flat Creek Inn. Ryan Kunz is a copywriter and freelance writer who writes on a variety of topics, including media, the outdoors, and whatever else strikes his fancy. He and his wife like to go on one big trip a year. Last year they dragged their one-year-old to London and Ireland.