A few years back, I went on a whole tirade about how miserable it is to travel to much of Europe in the summer, mostly because of the hordes of tourists that descend on the continent from June through August. I still stand by it (as does Europe, as evidenced by the recent anti-tourist protests), but my stance on summer travel has only hardened since. I’ve reached a simple conclusion, which is this: No matter the destination, summer is hands down the worst time to go.
Let’s start with the obvious — summer isn’t what it used to be, literally or metaphorically. As kids, our idea of freedom and vacation was tied directly to summer. But for most adults, it’s just another season when we’re still on the hook for 40-hour workweeks. So at this point, we’re all just riding a wave of nostalgia.
Then there’s the weather. Yes, there’s tons of research to support the idea that sunlight boosts serotonin and increases energy levels. Studies from the National Institute of Health have shown that exposure to natural light positively impacts mood and sleep. But increasingly, summer isn’t just “warm and sunny.” It’s dangerous.
In the 1990s, summers in Upstate New York — where I grew up — were relatively mild, with average highs around 78 degrees. Temperatures occasionally dipped into the 60s or crept into the low 90s, but extremes were rare. Fast-forward to 2025, late June brought a major heatwave, with temperatures and dew points that pushed the heat index above 105 degrees in parts of the state, according to the National Weather Service. Some towns saw temps in the mid-to-high 90s, and heat advisories were issued across multiple counties.
Nationally, it’s the same story. According to NOAA, 2024 was the warmest year ever recorded, with global surface temperatures exceeding the 20th-century average by 2.32 degrees. Every single one of the 10 warmest years since record-keeping began in 1850 has occurred in the past decade, a clear indicator that what we once considered “summer weather” is becoming more erratic and more extreme.
In other words, summer used to be something we looked forward to. Now, most of us are just waiting for it to be over.
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Still, out of habit or necessity, we continue to travel in the summer. And yes, for families with school-age children, it’s often the only viable window for vacation. But the reality is that global travel has exploded during the last two decades. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, international tourist arrivals hit 1.5 billion in 2019 — up from 674 million in 2000 — and that volume is once again approaching pre-pandemic levels. The result is crowds. Everywhere.
My parents live in that sweet spot between Saratoga Springs, a summer horse racing hub, and Lake George, dubbed the “birthplace of the American vacation.” I admittedly don’t know who said that, but I do know it was a dream growing up. Now I can’t (read: won’t) go anywhere near either until after Labor Day, a local case study in summer crowding. If even Saratoga is overwhelming, imagine what July feels like in Paris. Or Lisbon. Or Rome.
And that’s not even accounting for the logistical chaos. Summer is consistently the worst time of year for air travel in the United States, with July and August seeing some of the highest rates of delays and cancellations annually, according to the Department of Transportation. This summer alone, the national cancellation rate is already up about 29%, an increase from 1.4% of flights in 2024 to 1.8%, per CBS News. High demand, summer storms and excessive heat all contribute, with the FAA even warning that extreme temperatures can reduce aircraft performance and lead to weight restrictions or delayed departures.
Operational meltdowns, historic heat and record-breaking crowds, all packed into one season, for what? Because we can’t let go of some outdated idea of what summer used to feel like. The fact is, summer is no longer the golden window for travel and hasn’t been for some time.
The good news is there are still three other seasons to work with. And if you’re looking for a serotonin boost, try flying somewhere warm in February when the prices are lower, the beaches are quieter and you aren’t at risk of being cooked alive. Now that’s good for the brain.
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