Travelore Tips: High-End Destinations To Beat The Summer Heat (Without The Peak Prices)

As the summer heatwaves blanket the East Coast in a heavy, humid embrace, the temptation to lock yourself in an air-conditioned room grows stronger by the day. But you don’t have to sacrifice your summer vacation to survive the season.

If you are looking to trade triple-digit heat indexes for crisp breezes, sophisticated culture, and five-star comfort—all without paying peak-season premium rates—the secret lies in chasing high altitudes, northern latitudes, and strategic exchange rates.

Here are the top upscale value destinations where luxury meets cooler climates this summer.

1. Québec City, Canada

The Vibe: Seamless European Luxury (Without the Long Flight)

If you’re craving the cobbled charm of Europe but want to avoid both the scorching Mediterranean heat and expensive transatlantic flights, Québec City is the ultimate compromise. Perched high above the St. Lawrence River, this historic walled city enjoys comfortable summer highs averaging in the mid-70s.

• The Upscale Factor: Stay at the iconic Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, a literal castle dominating the skyline. The city boasts world-class French-Canadian gastronomy, boutique shopping along Rue du Petit-Champlain, and a distinctly European rhythm.
• The Value Play: Thanks to a perennially strong U.S. dollar against the Canadian Dollar (CAD), American travelers instantly receive an approximate 25% to 30% discount on everything from Michelin-adjacent dining to five-star hotel suites.

2. Bogotá, Colombia

The Vibe: High-Altitude Sophistication & Perpetual Spring

Most people think of South America as universally tropical, but Bogotá defies the rule. Sitting at an elevation of over 8,600 feet in the Andes Mountains, Colombia’s capital enjoys crisp, spring-like weather year-round, with afternoon highs rarely exceeding 68°F. It is the perfect climate for a tailored blazer rather than shorts and sandals.

• The Upscale Factor: Bogotá is a booming cultural and culinary powerhouse. It features ultra-luxury accommodations like the Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina (a historic architectural masterpiece) and an avant-garde culinary scene that rivals New York or London.
• The Value Play: Because the cost of luxury hospitality in Colombia is vastly lower than in the U.S. or Europe, top-tier five-star hotels and multi-course tasting menus at world-renowned restaurants can often be booked for a fraction of what you would pay on the East Coast.

3. Stowe, Vermont

The Vibe: Mountain Chic & Elite Alpine Retreats

For a domestic escape that doesn’t require a passport, look northward to the Green Mountains. While coastal New England beach towns get congested and incredibly expensive during the peak of summer, premium mountain towns like Stowe offer a cooler, peaceful alternative shaded by dense forest canopies.

• The Upscale Factor: Stowe effortlessly blends rugged outdoor activity with refined luxury. Think premier golf courses, high-end craft breweries, artisan farm-to-table dining, and pristine spa resorts nestled in the hills.
• The Value Play: Because Stowe is primarily famous as a world-class winter ski destination, many of its most exclusive luxury mountain lodges and chalets offer highly competitive, lower-tier rates during the summer months. You get the same elite amenities and crisp mountain air without the peak winter price tag.

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Travelore Tip: When booking high-altitude or northern destinations for summer travel, always pack smart layers. A day that begins with a warm, sunny 75°F afternoon can easily plummet into a breezy, jacket-worthy 50°F evening as soon as the sun goes down.

Celebrate Fall With The Return Of Amtrak Autumn Express

Photo via Twitter/Amtrak

Traveling this fall just got a bit more enjoyable with the announcement of Amtrak's Autumn Express returning this October, offering travelers some prime leaf-changing vistas in New York, Vermont and Massachusetts.

According to a recent press release, on October 24 and 25, the Autumn Express will explore southern New England along a route not used by any passenger rail company in decades, including a trip through the historic five-mile-long Hoosac Tunnel.

For the first time in 30 years, a passenger train will make its way through the tunnel, which was completed in 1877 and considered one of the nation’s civil engineering landmarks. In addition to Hoosac Tunnel, passengers will venture through eastern New York, Southwestern Vermont and Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts.

The Autumn Express will depart from Albany-Rensselaer and Schenectady stations and make its way all to Deerfield, Massachusetts, before eventually returning on the same route back to New York.

Tickets for the fall adventure start at $129 for adults, and children (ages 2-12) are half price with each adult ticket. In addition to the unique train ride, passengers will also receive a boxed lunch and a souvenir tote.

Amtrak also recently brought back the Great Dome rail car. Through Nov. 3, customers can book a trip on the Adirondack service in the only remaining dome car along one of the most scenic train routes in the United States.

For more information on the Autumn Express, check out Amtrak’s official website.

By DONALD WOOD , www.travelpulse.com

www.travelpulse.com

Top 10 Unusual Places To Go Wine Tasting In The US

Think wine in the US only comes from the west coast? Intrepid and weather-defying vintners are beating the odds and producing wines across this diverse land, from the bucolic shores of Vermont’s Lake Champlain to the volcano-filled Hawaiian islands. Even cactus-country Arizona, home to the Grand Canyon, grows wine-producing vines. Here are ten states deserving your supping scrutiny.

Hawaii

Pin this imageVineyards with a volcanic view at Maui's Winery. Image courtesy of Maui's Winery

Wine tasting in a tropical paradise? Aloha to that! The Big Island’s Volcano Winery (volcanowinery.com), sitting on lava-rich land near Volcano National Park, blends traditional grapes with locally grown products, yielding concoctions like Guava Grape and Macadamia Nut Honey Wine. And Maui’s Winery (mauiwine.com) pours tastes of unique creations like Hula O-Maui, a pineapple sparkling wine from Maui-sourced fruit, from a bar made from a single mango tree. Fun fact: Local artists create all their wine-bottle labels.

Montana

Embrace Big Sky Country with a taste or three at the family-run Mission Mountain Winery (missionmountainwinery.com) situated directly on Flathead Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. With a six-month growing season and -20°F (-28°C) winter temperatures, only hardy varietals like Pinot gris and Chardonnay can hack it in this climate; additional grapes come from their Washington vineyards. Try Sundown, a light berry rosé or the non-oaked Laughing Horse Chardonnay. And the Cocoa Vin, a chocolate port, is a must for sweet-tooths.

Related articles:

California's other wine countriesWine-tasting in the Balkans: a guide to Bulgaria’s wineriesAsk Lonely Planet: where can I find an unusual wine-tasting experience?

Vermont

Vermont’s first winery, Shelburne Vineyard (shelburnevineyard.com) sits close to the shores of pristine Lake Champlain 30 minutes south of Burlington. Try the Cayuga, a Chardonnay-Riesling blend or the Vidal Blanc Late Harvest, a balanced dessert wine. Over in Central Vermont, the Neshobe River Winery (neshoberiverwinery.com) offers common varietals like their popular red blend, the Purple Haze, plus a handful of black currant wines, iced cider and mead – a honey wine considered to be the ancestor to all fermented drinks.

Pin this imageHarvesting grapes at Shelburne Vineyard. Image courtesy of Shelburne Vineyard

Texas

Texan wine rarely makes it outside the state. Why? Texans are a proud lot and they consume most of it. Pull up to ranches that double as wineries and the guy pouring will likely sport a cowboy hat and Texan boots. Wines here are big and bold, just like the state. And while many wineries source grapes from afar, Perisso Vineyards (perissosvineyards.com) in the Texas Hill country uses only 100% Texan grapes.  Taste their Malbec while perched at a picnic table in view of the local castle.

Alaska

Sample berry-infused wines like Shirazberry (Shiraz grapes with raspberry) at Bear Creek Winery (bearcreekwinery.com) while taking in the view of Kachemak Bay. Don’t want to leave? The winery also boasts luxury lodging; guests can also access an on-site cedar hot tub (while drinking their wine, of course).  Alternatively, try small batch wines made from Alaskan berries and wildflowers at Alaskan Wilderness Wines (alaskawildwine.com). We’re intrigued by their Salmonberry wine, a blend of cinnamon, clove, vanilla and wild Salmonberry, a native Alaskan berry resembling raspberries, but bigger and milder.

Pin this imageSip on the banks of Kachemak Bay, Alaska. Image by Brian / CC BY 2.0

Kansas

Grace Hill Winery (gracehillwinery.com) is another place eschewing traditional wine names: try their dry Beach Day rosé or Leaning Shed red while relaxing on the wide patio overlooking the vines. Meanwhile, the newest Kansas kid on the block, Crooked Post Winery (crookedpostwinery.com), opened in 2014 and offers a small selection of varietals, including a spicy Valvin muscat and a semi-sweet Traminette. During harvest season (August through September), both wineries welcome volunteers to join the fun and help pick grapes (registration required, check their respective websites for schedules).

Florida

The Sunshine State goes beyond oranges and palm trees at San Sebastian Winery (sansebastianwinery.com), which offers tastes in their historic East Coast railway building in historic St Augustine. Note: you’ll probably want to linger with a bottle at their on-site wine bar and jazz club, The Cellar Upstairs. Or try Dakotah Winery’s (dakotahwinery.com) bestselling favorite, the semi-sweet red Noble, before checking out their Zen-like koi carp pond and the resident wood ducks.

Arizona

Arizona wines pack a punch because they work hard to grow in this drier-than-dry desert climate. The Village of Elgin Winery (elginwines.com) still stomps grapes by foot, and wines boast playful names like Tombstone Showdown, a dry white with Sauvignon blanc and Colombard grapes. Located half an hour from Tuscon, the Charron Vineyards (charronvineyards.com) sit 4200ft above sea level at the edge of the Santa Rita Mountains. They say their Rincon Red, a blend of Merlot and Chancellor grapes, goes well with anything from barbeque to chocolate cake. The only way to decide if you agree is to taste, taste, taste... we know, it’s a tough life.

Pin this imageVineyards in the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona. Image courtesy of Charron Vineyards

Nevada

Nevada’s oldest winery, Pahrump Valley Winery (pahrumpwinery.com), beat the odds and produces sensational wines right in the middle of the Mojave Desert. Visiting in October? Don’t miss their annual grape stomp (register online to secure a spot as a stomper, it’s a guaranteed laugh). Or grab dinner at the on-site restaurant, Symphony, named after their award-winning white. Oh, and it’s only an hour away from the Vegas strip.

Kentucky

Equus Run Vineyards (equusrunvineyards.com) pours its wines in a former farm tool shed, rebuilt with stone producing today’s rustic tasting room. Even the vineyards had previous lives as cattle and tobacco fields, and all of it lies in the middle of Kentucky’s bluegrass region surrounded by horse farms. Local musicians perform summer concerts in their outdoor stone amphitheater and the grounds are a joy to roam – check out their life-sized horse sculptures dotted about.

by Caroline Sieg 

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/travel-tips-and-articles/top-10-unusual-places-to-go-wine-tasting-in-the-us#ixzz3gqakoi7C