Top 10 summer travel destinations for 2011

The sleeper in Seattle: Orlando may be the perennial No. 1 pick our list of Top 10 Summer Destinations, but newcomer and budget-friendly Seattle soared to No. 3.

By Derek Brown

Pack the swimsuits and sunscreen, count the kids and take off this summer. Orlando — thanks to its affordable airfare and theme parks — tops our Top 10 Summer Destinations for 2011. The evergreen contender edged out Las Vegas, which was No. 1 last year.

Several new cities are trending this summer for future hotel and vacation package bookings, including Boston, Denver and Seattle — which took spots away from Punta Cana, San Diego and Riviera Maya. Rising gas prices and limited air capacity have pushed airfare higher, making this year — more than ever — the time to seize the deals and comparison shop online. So stay flexible, book early and enjoy the summer!

Top 10 SUMMER TRAVEL DESTINATIONS for 2011

Orlando: $94*
Las Vegas: $89*
Seattle: $132*
Los Angeles: $106*
Denver: $115*
New York City: $215*
San Francisco: $157*
Chicago: $160*
Cancun: $196*
Boston: $204*

*Average daily hotel rate

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When Derek Brown, the newest member to the Orbitz content team, isn’t jetting around the country or exploring cities like Shanghai, he’s at home in Andersonville, a charming North Side neighborhood in Chicago.

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