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Note: All travel is subject to frequently changing governmental restrictions—please check federal, state and local advisories before scheduling trips.

When it comes to travel, there’s plenty to think about these days that we didn’t really need to think about before (and we’re not just talking about packing a mask for every outfit). But extra precautions and added planning aside, our human need to get out and explore, to reset with a beautiful change of scenery, hasn’t waned. In other words, the way we travel might a look a little different for a while, but vacations will endure. Here are some of the top trends we’re seeing that will likely continue into 2021.

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Feeling right at home with vacation rentals

For some travelers, the thought of a hotel stay with its many shared spaces like lobbies, hallways and elevators was just too much. Enter the vacation rental, where social distancing is made easy. Booking data between May and June of 2020 showed a 140% increase in private vacation home rentals and 115% increase in cottages. Condo rentals were an especially hot commodity, with demand nearly doubling compared to 2019. Bookings for aparthotels, ranches, cabins and houseboats increased by 100% or more in certain parts of the country. Looking to book one for your own private getaway? Find it on Orbitz—just check the “Private Vacation Home” box under Property Type to filter your results.

Getting out to the great outdoors

Being cooped up at home for months seemed to leave people wanting to escape to the great wide open. This winter, the most popular destinations for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day included outdoorsy locales like ski towns, lakeside communities, outdoor recreation areas, golf towns in the South, and beaches, with National Parks seeing the biggest increases. Demand for Moab, Bryce Canyon and Zion increased an average of 25% this year, while demand for Yellowstone and Grand Canyon were at least double that; Mount Rushmore was also a favorite.

Rediscovering America’s beaches

While a typical year would’ve seen destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean dominating the top beach slots, this year American travelers were more likely to seek out sunny, sandy domestic gems. Among them were Key West and the Florida Keys,  which trended in fall, while beach destinations along the Gulf Coast, including Mobile, Alabama, have been at least 20% more popular this year overall.

Retreating to America’s mountains and waterfronts

In 2020, many travelers sought out mountain towns, lake locales, and coastal communities. Places to get away and enjoy nature like Lake Tahoe and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula were at least 10% more popular, and their popularity is expected to continue. Coastal communities including Morro Bay, California and the Oregon Coast saw increases this fall, mountains towns and hiking getaways like Asheville, North Carolina and Sedona, Arizona, were trending, too.

ALSO: Trend alert—everybody’s earning Orbucks on their trips, and you should, too!

Hitting the open road

While air travel grounded to a halt, road trips were more popular than ever, with Google data showing search was up 25% compared to any other summer peak in the past six years. But you probably don’t need Google to tell you what you already saw happening in your Instafeed: Friends and family posing happily in National Parks, flexing in front giant chunks of fiberglass roadside kitsch, or picnicking outside classic roadside diners. It seemed everyone was having an epic adventure on America’s highways and byways.

Getting to know great places closer to home

While many vacationers were understandably skittish about air travel and venturing too far, regional road trips provided that great escape so many of us were craving. Overall, domestic destinations within about 250 miles of a traveler’s origin or home base proved most popular throughout the summer and fall.

Camping, glamping, RV trips, oh my!

Do you know someone who took their first ever RV trip this year, or went camping for the first time in decades? Seemed like everyone was doing it, and Google search data backs that up: The past six years of data reveal that searches for “best RV trips” peaked in July of 2020, while “best glamping” searches peaked in August of 2020 and camping searches peaked in June. We certainly understand the appeal: Camping lets you enjoy nature and stay clear of others while RV’s offer up an isolated capsule to zip around the country in—no need for hotel stays, restaurant dining or even pit stops at questionable gas station bathrooms. Fun fact: You can book camping and RV parks right here on Orbitz!

Taking longer holiday breaks

If working from home eliminated the need to hurry back to the office, and you can now work from anywhere, why not stay just a little longer? It seems travelers did just that this year, namely over the holidays, with the average length of stay over Thanksgiving lasting 3 nights, which is up double digits compared to prior years. Way to make mom happy, guys!

Seeking out “safer” destinations abroad

The reality is that some nations managed COVID-19 much better than others. Among those nations were Australia and New Zealand, and travelers noticed. Cities like Brisbane, Melbourne and Christchurch are now among some of the top international destinations for travelers, and as we look to 2021, signals so far in terms of booking interest show that travelers will continue to look at these far-off spots favorably.

Hotels, attractions and events will be back with a vengeance, especially for the LGBTQIA community

While the world lost many beloved hotels, restaurants and attractions last year, 2021 is set to be a year of renewal, as travelers look forward to deferred trips finally coming to fruition. Pride festivals, in particular, promise to make up for lost time, thanks to nearly every major event being cancelled or postponed in 2020. Two major happenings—WorldPride and EuroGames—will take place simultaneously, under the moniker Copenhagen 2021. LGBTQIA travelers can also look forward to the new LGBTQIA-friendly Bent Inn in Las Vegas and the Roxbury in The Catskills, plus a new home for the The Stonewall National Museum in Fort Lauderdale, and so much more, which you can read about here.

 

Tagged: Feature

Note: Orbitz compensates authors for their writings appearing on this site.

Martina Sheehan

Martina Sheehan

Martina is a Chicago-based travel writer and editor who has written for the New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Budget Travel, Forbes Travel Guides, and Time Out Chicago, among other publications. You can find her at http://martina-sheehan.com

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