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Summer vacation is almost here, and travelers are already planning getaways. With gas prices high and airfares climbing, many people are opting for trips closer to home. Rather than pursuing simple relaxation, more travelers want vacations built around hobbies and activities.
Below are the three Summer 2026 travel trends Airbnb has flagged.
◆ From golf to surfing… what you do matters more than where
Airbnb calls its first trend “playcation” — a fusion of play and vacation. Instead of purely resting, playcations are all about trips centered on hobbies and activities, like running, golf, surfing, or freediving.
Listings that support specific pastimes are surging in popularity. In the U.S., bookings for places near golf courses, lakes, and surf breaks have jumped. Increasingly, travelers pick a destination based on the experience they want, not just the place name.
◆ No big attractions required… Gen Z is falling for small-town escapes
There’s growing demand for nearby, budget-friendly trips to small towns and regional spots. Airbnb reports that one in three travelers spends their vacation in an area close to home.
Where bookings once focused on headline tourist hubs, people now want to soak up the scenery and local charm of smaller towns.
That shift is especially strong among Gen Z: a Focaldata survey found 86% of all travelers — and 94% of Gen Z — are interested in small-town regional trips.
◆ Retro vibes are back — nostalgia trips that spark memories are trending
Airbnb’s final trend is “nostalgia travel.” Destinations that were hot around 2016 are being rediscovered through Gen Z’s fresh lens a decade later. Examples include Surat Thani in Thailand; Pólegandros and Lefkada in Greece; Ubatuba and Fortaleza in Brazil; and Zaragoza and Santander in Spain.
Rather than simply revisiting old favorites, travelers are uncovering hidden gems and chasing new experiences tied to those nostalgic places.
Meanwhile, Airbnb expects the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ to spur major travel demand this summer. With matches kicking off across North America, soccer fans are gearing up to travel — and Airbnb plans to expand affordable lodging near host cities and offer more local experiences to meet that surge in demand.
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