5 New Trends We’re Seeing As Travelers Plan Summer 2021 Getaways

Maybe it’s the uptick in COVID-19 vaccinations. Maybe it’s cabin fever. Maybe it’s flexible cancellations. Whatever the reason, summer vacationing — albeit, in a cautious, pandemic-wary form — is making a comeback. According to our booking data, summertime rental reservations are up 125% this year over last.

The U.S. Travel Association concurs, noting that roughly 9 out of 10 Americans are planning to travel within the next six months. All of this pent-up demand doesn’t mean an instant return to the way things used to be. As travelers in the United States resume travel, they’re vacationing with safety (and fresh air) in mind.

Here are five noteworthy travel trends we’re seeing as we look forward to summer 2021.

Starting Small

Despite rapid vaccination roll-outs and travel restrictions easing up, small gatherings continue to dominate the travel landscape. Looking at current bookings for summer 2021, reservations for small groups — consisting of two or four people — are leading the charge by a significant margin. Even groups of six are outpacing odd-numbered bookings and larger groups.

The upshot of this two-by-two trend most likely stems from couples who have been isolating together seem to be traveling together. The scenery may be changing, but vacationers are still surrounding themselves with that same trusted pod.

While “pod-cations” may be on the rise, big ol’ reunions still appear to be on the back-burner as families and friends heed the CDC’s continued call for social distancing. In pre-pandemic times, we saw the leading number of guests in a booking group as 10, which outpaced now-popular small groups by 30%.

Currently, those large-group bookings have dropped off the charts, while the percentage of searches for smaller groups has increased significantly from 2019 to 2021.

Seeking Private Space

Secluded and remote getaways have understandably become a common trend over the last year, which seems to primarily remain the standard for 2021 travel. Whether it’s traveling by RV or finding an off-the-grid cabin, socially distant getaways have allowed travelers to vacation responsibly. Overall, we’ve found that more people are seeking out accommodations and destinations with a guaranteed buffer zone from other travelers. Searches on our site for entire homes — as well as villas and cabins — far outpaced accommodations with shared spaces and amenities. In fact, bookings for houses and villas in March 2021 were up 160% and 200%, respectively, over the same time last year.

Of course, it doesn’t get much more private than an RV, where travelers can dictate their own place and space. The vacation-on-wheels trend is clearly a favorite, as our RV rental bookings rose 350% over the past year — and there is no sign of this trend hitting the brakes. With wanderlusters still itching to get away, RVs provide the safety and security of a private kitchen and bathroom anywhere you go, and the freedom to hit the open road.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by VacationRenter (@vacationrenter)

Choosing Traditional and Ocean-Breezy Destinations

While some folks may have headed for the hinterlands to isolate (or work remotely) during the height of the pandemic, there appears to be a return to traditional — yet still fresh-air-infused and outdoorsy — destinations from June through August. Destin, Florida tops the list for summertime destinations by 18%. Not far behind are these escape-to-the-beach destinations:

• Key West, Florida
• Panama City Beach, Florida
• Hilton Head, South Carolina
• Maui, Hawaii
• Siesta Key, Florida
• Gulf Shores, Alabama

Beachy cities aren’t the only spots to vacation in the great outdoors. The gateway city to the Great Smoky Mountains — Gatlinburg, Tennessee — also ranked near the top of summer 2021 planned getaways. Gatlinburg, like alpine resorts around the country, has all manner of chill-out or full-throttle adventure, from hiking to putt-putt golf, and some great eats and drinks, too! While beaches may be the biggest summertime draw, the mountains aren’t far behind.

Of note: while most of these top destinations allow for socially distant, outdoor pursuits, they are still in line with what we’ve seen in non-pandemic summers.