The Best Summer Vacation Destinations on Kindred

Summer is meant for vacation. But with prices of flights and hotel rooms soaring, you may think you can’t afford one this year. According to Kindred’s 2025 Summer Travel Report, the average getaway now costs $259.20 more per person, and 90% of U.S. travelers are actively looking for ways to cut back on summer travel spending. Enter house swapping. Long popular in Europe, this cost-effective form of travel is finally taking off stateside.

While saving money is a top motivator, house swapping also allows travelers to experience a destination like a local. In summer, that means biking to the beach, tubing on the river, walking to the mom-and-pop scoop shop, and hiking to alpine lakes. The season is underway, but there’s still plenty of time to escape. The best summer vacation destinations in North America are a bit off the beaten track, which keeps both the crowds and prices low. Here are five less expected, extra dreamy summer vacation destinations where you’ll find Kindred homes, from a charming seaside town to an adventurer’s playground in the mountains.

Alpine Cultural Hub
Park City, UT
Just a 35-minute drive from newly overhauled Salt Lake City International Airport, Park City is the summer destination that offers the best of both worlds: big city culture and outdoor thrills.

The (Action-Packed) Activities: The former mining town has emerged as one of the country’s top mountain biking destinations, boasting more than 450 miles of single track, lift-assisted resort trails, and, as of last year, a dedicated e-mountain bike trail. But there are plenty of other ways to get your adrenaline fix. At Park City Mountain, you can ride one of the world’s longest alpine slides or soar more than 100 feet above the treetops on a zipline. Or strap into the Comet Bobsled at the Utah Olympic Park experience hairpin turns and speeds of up to 70 miles per hour on the official Olympic sliding track.

The Food: The town’s historic Main Street is lined with art galleries, boutiques, and fantastic restaurants, including recent additions like Mediterranean-inspired LOMA Park City and Le Depot Brasserie, from James Beard award-winning chef Galen Zamarra.

The Culture: Artists from around the country descend on Main Street the first weekend of August to display their talents at the annual Kimball Arts Festival. Art lovers also gather the last Friday of each month for the town’s monthly gallery strolls, where a dozen galleries including David K. Beavis Fine Art and Susan Swartz Studios stay open until 9p.m. Music fans can catch big acts like Blues Traveler and Chris Botti performing at Canyons Village as part of the Concerts on the Slopes series presented by Park City Performing Arts. And all summer long, the Utah Symphony takes up residence in Deer Valley’s Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater.

The Kindred Home Spotlight: This two-bedroom stunner has views of the Uinta Mountains and Murdock Peak — and moose sightings galore.

Peak and Paddle Paradise
Conway, NH
The birthplace of American skiing is even more enticing in summer. When the snow melts, Cranmore Mountain Resort transforms into a family-friendly adventure hub.

What's New: A multi-million-dollar enhancement has revitalized the base area and added new amenities, including casual eateries, like Alpine Café and Bar, and a 65-foot inflatable obstacle course in the Mountain Adventure Park. In addition to hiking and biking trails, there’s fun programming like the Arts Jubilee Music Series and Smoke on the Summit barbecue festival.

The Mountain Adventures: Conway is considered the gateway to the White Mountains and Mount Washington, the Northeast’s highest peak at 6,288 feet, is the range’s crown jewel. Take to the trails or drive to the summit on America’s oldest man-made tourist attraction, the Mount Washington Auto Road. If you get inspired by the region’s mountaineering history, you can book a climbing trip or lessons with Northeast Mountaineering. The guide service recently set up shop in North Conway Village and hosts climbs and skills clinics at Cathedral Ledge, a renowned rock-climbing spot in Cathedral Ledge State Park.

The Lake Life: The mountains may dominate the landscape, but Conway’s lakes and rivers are summer’s best kept secrets. With a surface area of more than 1,300 acres, Conway Lake is one of the largest bodies of freshwater in the region and features a sandy swimming beach and a public boat launch that’s popular with anglers who come to cast for bass and trout. Floating the Saco River is a summer rite of passage. Saco Bound and Saco River Tubing Center both rent kayaks, canoes, and tubes and can arrange shuttles to the top of the river, so you end your journey at your car. Look out for rope swings along the shore. After a day on the water, cheers your adventure on the deck of the new Saco River Brewing Taphaus.

The Kindred Home Spotlight: This cozy Conway cabin has an outdoor shower and a fire pit!

The Food Lovers’ Isle
Lopez Island, WA
In an age where many locals boycott tourists, Lopez Island’s nickname, “the Friendly Isle,” still rings true. Travelers are still met with genuine ear-to-ear grins and waving hands when they visit the third largest island in the San Juan Islands archipelago. Just 15 miles long with 63 miles of shoreline and around 2,500 year-round residents, the community here is tight-knit.

The Food: Strongly rooted in farming, foraging, and fishing, it could also be dubbed the Foodie Isle. Scandinavian farmers first arrived here in the 1850s, and today it’s home to some seriously gifted chefs, artisans, bakers, and growers. Their talents are on display at the Saturday Farmer’s Market, held every Saturday from mid-May through mid-September next to the Community Center in Lopez Village (look out for the aged goat cheese from Sunnyfield Farm and sourdough loaves and trail cookies from Barn Owl Bakery).

The (Chill) Adventures: The flat, pastoral nature of Lopez makes it ideal for laidback cycling, and you can easily string together a self-guided bike tour to the island’s farmstands, orchards, and you-pick berry patches. Rent wheels at Lopez Bicycle Works, the archipelago’s oldest bike shop. You can also work up an appetite hiking the new 1.5-mile out-and-back trail to scenic Watmough Head or by paddling the island’s calm, wildlife-rich waters. Local outfitter Lopez Island Sea Kayak is located on the shores of Fisherman Bay, which is home to blue herons, bald eagles, otters, and orcas.

The Logistics: Getting here requires some planning. From Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, you can hop on a scheduled seaplane flight with Kenmore Air or rent a car and drive around three hours to the Washington State Ferry in Anacortes (advanced reservations are a must). The hyper local tasting menu dinner you have at island institution Ursa Minor is well worth the travel logistics.

The Kindred Home Spotlight: This sweet two-bedroom on Lopez Island has a dedicated workout room, a garden with raised beds, and an outdoor tub!

Idyllic Beach Town
Lewes, Delaware
If your summer vacation fantasies involve slowing down the pace, nerding out on nature, and embracing simple pleasures, look no further than Lewes. Nestled at the mouth of the Delaware Bay, this sleepy beach town spans just 4.4 square miles and is home to some 3,400 permanent residents. Unlike nearby Rehoboth and Dewey, that number doesn’t soar with rowdy tourists each summer. Less than a three-hour drive from Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Baltimore, Lewes still flies under the radar. Once you discover the area’s charms, it will be hard to vacation elsewhere.

The Beaches: Its arc of golden shoreline is protected from the Atlantic Ocean and lures families seeking calm waters and patrolled beaches. Both Savannah and Johnnie Walker beaches feature bath houses with showers; the former has a snack stand and chair and umbrella rentals.

The Biking: Cruiser bikes are the go-to mode of transportation, thanks to a well-maintained network of trails that link the beaches, downtown, and Cape Henlopen State Park. The park’s bike barn offers a free, borrow-a-bike program and the 5,000-acre wilderness area has plans to nearly double its 19.3-mile trail network.

The Nature: Last December, the park unveiled a $15 million renovation of the newly dedicated Biden Environmental Center (the former president vacations nearby), and the Seaside Nature Center, home to a 500-gallon touch tank and live Osprey camera feed, is a guaranteed hit with kids.

The Ice Cream (and Seafood): Lewes’ walkable downtown is full of independent shops, antique stores, and seafood-focused restaurants, like Heirloom, housed in well-preserved Victorian homes. Town’s biggest debate is who serves the best scoop. King’s, a parlor dating to 1972, is right on the main drag, 2nd Street, and is known for old-school recipes like butter pecan and cherry vanilla. Two-year-old Marigold Creamery operates from a food truck at the Station on Kings and has been winning over traditionalists with small-batch, seasonal flavors like lavender early gray with mandarin swirl.

The Kindred Home Spotlight: This pretty five-bedroom Lewes home is right on the beach!

Desert-Sea Mashup (with Tacos!)
Todos Santos, Mexico
For decades, Cabo San Lucas has been the main draw of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. But head northeast as you leave Los Cabos International Airport and you’ll discover Baja’s less-developed, laidback side.

The Drive: Taco stands and dusty, cardón cacti-lined roads that lead to secluded beaches beckon travelers to detour often during the hour-long drive to the artsy village of Todos Santos. Agricole, a gourmet organic grocery and restaurant is a must-stop for locally-grown produce and its famous strawberries and cream. Nestled between the Pacific coast and the Sierra Laguna mountains, Todos Santos still feels a bit like a secret.

The Town: With its cobblestone streets and refurbished haciendas, Todos Santos is so enchanting that the Mexican government designated it a Pueblo Mágico — one of 100 or so small towns in the country celebrated for its cultural and historical relevance and natural beauty.

The Food Scene: Plates here showcase fresh catches from local fishermen and just-picked produce from small-scale, family-run farms. Don’t miss a meal at Jazamango, an alfresco eatery that serves excellent ceviche and seasonal dishes like heirloom tomatoes and burrata. Just outside of town, Hierbabuena is set on a farm, and its menu includes wood-fired pizzas and excellent enchiladas.

The Surfing: Summer brings gentler waves to the Pacific, making it an ideal time to try surfing. Playa Cerritos, located about 20 minutes north of Todos Santos, is a great spot for beginners and Mario Surf School is set up right on the beach. Prefer to stay dry? The surrounding mountains are lined with hiking and mountain biking trails. For the best views of the region, hike to the top of Punta Lobos and see if you can spot the sea lions playing in the surf below.

The Kindred Home Spotlight: This gorgeous two-bedroom Todos Santos casita has a roof deck with a fireplace and access to a heated saltwater pool and jacuzzi!

New to Kindred house swapping? You must have questions!

Are Kindred homes and members vetted?

You bet. Every Kindred member is a vetted host as well as a guest, so everyone has skin in the game. This fosters a kind, respectful community of like-minded travelers.

How much does Kindred cost?

There are no annual membership fees with Kindred — we don't even take your credit card until you book a trip! At that point, you will pay cleaning and service fees that average out to $35 a day. Here is more info about our pricing model.

How is Kindred different from short-term vacation rentals?

Kindred is a house swapping platform, not a short-term vacation rental company. This third way of travel takes some getting used to — but once you do, the benefits (not only the lower cost, but the community, and the increased travel opportunities) just might surprise you.