The Best Places to Travel In July

Welcome to July, the heart of summer. The days are long, the evenings are golden, and the world feels like it’s wide open. It’s the season of sandals and ice cream, spontaneous road trips, and sun-drenched patios. Everything seems just a little more possible in this peak summer month.

July invites us to make the most of the warm weather and wander somewhere new – to feel the sea breeze on a coastal escape, linger a little longer over dinner in a cobbled square, hike a sunrise trail, or get lost in a historic city.

To help you make the most of this magical month, we’ve gathered ten beautiful destinations that are perfect for a summer getaway – five in the U.S. and five in Europe. Each one is filled with charm, unique things to do, and plenty of opportunities to soak up that midsummer magic. 

Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts

Let’s kick things off with the ultimate East Coast summer escape. Martha’s Vineyard has been a beloved retreat since the 1800s. Presidents vacation here, but so do laid-back travelers looking for quiet beaches and quintessential towns. In July, particularly, the Vineyard is pure magic: salty air, breezy bike rides, and seafood so fresh it practically flips onto your plate. 

Be sure to stroll through Edgartown’s whitewashed captain’s houses, grab ice cream in Oak Bluffs, and watch the sunset at Menemsha Beach. You can also rent a bike or a moped, sail from lighthouse to lighthouse, and take the ferry out to Chappaquiddick Island for your very own castaway experience.

Dublin, Ireland

July in Dublin? Yes, please. This city is always buzzing, but rarely overwhelming (except maybe for St. Paddy’s Day). The long summer nights here are perfect for pub-hopping and riverfront walks.

Dublin dates back to the Vikings, and you can feel the layers of history with every cobbled step. A must-see is Trinity College for the ancient Book of Kells. Then, you can take a peek inside the General Post Office (a key site in the 1916 Easter Rising) and explore the colorful stalls at the Temple Bar Food Market on Saturdays. Don’t skip the lesser-known Marsh’s Library, a book lover’s dream with wooden shelves straight out of a Harry Potter set.

And, of course, be sure to sip a pint (or two) at a real-deal pub. We’re talking old, cozy, and full of character. One you might like is The Brazen Head, Dublin’s oldest, dating all the way back to 1198.

New York City, New York

NYC in July is electric, even if it’s hot enough to make the steam rise off the streets. The energy, the events, the everything is all turned up a notch.

Take a lazy morning walk along the High Line, savor a sip from a rooftop bar in the afternoon, and catch an outdoor movie in Bryant Park by night. If an outdoor movie in one of the city’s prettiest parks sounds like fun, then we definitely recommend enjoying that cocktail from the rooftop bar at the nearby Library Hotel. July also means Shakespeare in the Park (Central Park, to be precise), fireworks over the Hudson, and unbeatable street food on every corner.

If you’re a history lover, you might enjoy the Tenement Museum for a fascinating look into the immigrant experience. The Museum of the City of New York also gives you an insider look at how this wild, wonderful world came to be. 

And, if you’ve done all the major stops already, then you can go off the beaten path with a visit to Roosevelt Island, an urban secret garden, with skyline views and a peaceful feeling. Here are 25 additional experiences for you to enjoy in New York City. 

Oban, Scotland

Say hello to Scotland’s seafood capital. Oban is a charming harbor town on the West Coast and, in July, it’s like stepping into a dreamy coastal postcard.

The town itself grew around a whisky distillery in the 1790s (cheers to that) and, today, it’s your jumping-off point to the Hebrides. But, don’t just pass through. Walk up to McCaig’s Tower (a quirky, unfinished coliseum-style monument) for fantastic views of the bay, explore Dunollie Castle ruins, and sip something peaty at Oban Distillery.

And, of course, you won’t want to skip the seafood. One of your best moments will be a fresh crab roll at the Oban Seafood Hut, sitting right beside the water. Here are 15 more things to do in Scotland, beyond its lovely castles.