Best Places to Travel in June for Adventure!

This is the start of a series of articles, where I list some of the best adventures to have around the world, each month of the year!  Many people can only vacation at certain times of the year ~ & it’s great to know ahead of time what amazing things are happening around the world (& where the weather is great!), to plan accordingly.  As June is fast approaching & with it, the start of the busy summer travel season, this article will detail some of the “Best Places to Travel in June for Adventure!” 

This article takes us from the National Parks in Utah, all the way down to Peru, then over to Europe for the Summer Solstice, yachting adventures, & the epic Glastonbury Music Festival…

Utah has 5 National Parks, & June may be the perfect month to visit them. Photo of Canyonlands National Park.

Enjoy Utah’s National Parks Pre-Summer

We all know that America’s National Parks are crazy busy during the summer, especially uber-popular ones like Yosemite (I once got stuck in traffic there for THREE hours!!?!).  But if you venture out early in June, you’ll find a lot more serenity & availability when it comes to campsites & lodging, pending you book in advance.  My top “National Parks” pick for June is Utah’s gorgeous selection of five National Parks.  Try pairing Bryce Canyon & Zion National Park together if you have time ~ they’re only 150 miles apart, & the mild June weather is perfect for hiking & camping. 

Closest Airports to Bryce & Zion: Las Vegas (LAS) & Salt Lake City (SLC). 

One of the best places to travel in June is also Utah’s most popular National Park: Zion. Photo taken on Canyon Overlook Trail.

The otherworldly landscape of Bryce Canyon National Park.

On the east side of Utah, you’ve got even more options: Arches National Park & the highly underrated, Canyonlands.  I visited both during the same trip ~ as they’re only 30 miles apart; it’s an easy drive on open highway.  The adventure mecca Moab lies between them, making eastern Utah an outdoor-lover’s dream, filled with countless camping, hiking, mountain biking, ATV’ing, & climbing adventures. 

Closest Airport to Arches & Canyonlands: Salt Lake City (SLC).

The author at Needles Overlook in Canyonlands National Park, at sunrise.

Arches National Park by moonlight. If you want to stay overnight there, make a reservation at the Devil’s Garden Campground ~ which is the only place to camp inside the park.  

***Remember: Father’s Day is in June ~ & exploring any one of these National Parks sounds a lot more fun than getting him another necktie!  If your Dad’s not into hiking & camping, try setting up a tee time at the Grand Tetons in Wyoming ~ the weather is crisp & beautiful in June.

Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

I’ve written about Peru extensively on this site, & when people ask me what my favorite South American country is, I always say: Peru.  It’s magical, it’s mysterious….& they’ve got some of the best food in the WORLD!!  And they’ve got Machu Picchu too.  June marks the beginning of dry season in Peru, making it the perfect time for an epic trek to Machu Picchu via the Inca Trail.  Or if you want even more spectacular scenery: take the Salkantay Trek.  Bigger crowds tend to descend on Machu Picchu in July & August, so June gives you the best of both worlds: less rain & less people. 

Closest Airport to Machu Picchu: Cusco International Airport (CUZ).

Machu Picchu at sunrise.

Only by making the Salkantay Trek, which takes 4-5 days, can you see this awesomely turquoise lake: Humantay.

Summer Solstice at Stonehenge

One of the most significant events that takes place every June is the Summer Solstice, which usually hits around June 21st.  It’s the longest day of the year, & there are many ways to celebrate it: by camping under the stars, heading up to Norway to witness it near the top of the world…or you can head to Stonehenge in England & witness the sun literally rise through all three major stones at its site.  You’ll be witnessing it with thousands of visitors from around the world, making it a truly unique experience. 

Closest Major Airport to Stonehenge: Heathrow (LHR) or Gatwick International Airport (LGW) in London. 

Thousands of people from around the world come to Stonehenge to witness sunrise on the Summer Solstice.

***Other Great Places in Europe to Celebrate the Solstice: Explore the fjords of Norway with TONS of daylight hours; head to Sweden where they revel in Midsummer-celebrations; check out Reykjavik’s Midsummer Music Festival; or visit the Tyrol region of Austria to witness the epic mountain bonfires they’ve been lighting since the Middle Ages, to celebrate the solstice.

Witness the EPIC mountain fires that happen all around Innsbruck, Austria during the summer solstice!

Go Sailing in Croatia

When most people think of sailing through idyllic summer isles, Greece is often the popular choice.  But there’s another European destination with more than 1,000 islands off its shores: Croatia.  I visited Dubrovnik & Hvar Island at the end of June, & it was one of my favorite weeks ever.  Weather was ideal (not too hot, not too cold), the water was clear & gorgeous, we crashed several “Yacht Week” parties (& met tons of cool people), danced until the wee hours, & then walked back to our very reasonably priced Airbnb without needing jackets. 

In essence: it was perfect. 

Croatia is one of my favorite European countries, & June is the perfect time to visit; July & August can see massive influxes of crowds, & popular islands can feel over-crowded.

Best Airports to Fly Into for Croatia Adventures: Dubrovnik (DBV) or Split (SPU), Croatia ~ both are located right on the coast.

Late June is one of the best times to visit Croatia: it’s warm, but not too warm ~ & there are some tourists, but not too many yet.

Go to the Glastonbury Music Festival

Two of our “Best Places to Travel in June” just happen to be in England…& virtually in the same region ~ which is a total coincidence!  But the world-famous Glastonbury Music Festival is a once-a-year kind of thing…it’s basically the “Coachella of Europe.”  It usually takes place the last weekend of June; this year, the dates are June 26-30th, 2019.  If you’re young (or young in spirit) & love music, this festival is something you should visit at least once in your lifetime. 

Just make sure you bring mud boots.

Best Airports to Fly Into for Glastonbury: London.

This year’s Glastonbury line-up includes The Killers, The Cure, Janet Jackson, Tame Impala, Janelle Monae, The Chemical Brothers, Hozier, Billie Eilish, Lauryn Hill, Wu-Tang Clan….need I go on?! On more than 100 stages!! EPIC.

Best Places to Travel in June for Adventure!

xoxo Noelia 

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