If you’re desperately craving that start-of-summer excitement you used to feel as a kid, you’re in luck. Our list of the best places to travel in June is focused entirely on beaches, festivals, and outdoor adventures, from sailing through Western Australia to hiking to gorilla sanctuaries in Rwanda.
There’s something particularly appealing about jetting off to another country as soon as summer officially begins, but we’re equally excited about all the domestic events happening this year, like Pride Month celebrations in New York City and some truly epic animal migrations in Alaska. If you want to kick off this season in style—or simply need an excuse to have fun—here are the 9 best places to travel in June.
Croatia
The weather across Croatia is perfect during the start of summer, which means you can wander around Dubrovnik's Old Town or the fortified center of Zagreb without sweating through your clothes. And since it’s at the very beginning of the high season, you'll actually have some room to spread out your towel at famous stretches of sand like Zlatni Rat or go island hopping without bumping into too many elbows on the ferry.
Speaking of islands, be sure to prioritize Hvar, beloved for its yacht-filled harbors, charming towns with cobblestone streets, wineries, and fragrant lavender fields—which will be in full bloom starting around late June. If you’d prefer something a bit more off the radar, head north to Istria, a peninsula shared by Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy. There you can eat and drink your way through the region’s local taverns and farm-to-table restaurants, then fall into a blissful food coma at the chic San Canzian hotel.
Rwanda
Rwanda continues to be one of the best places to travel in June, thanks to one main reason: gorilla trekking. (The month marks the start of the dry season, which is ideal for hiking.) Obtain a permit to enter Volcanoes National Park, where you can spot some of the world’s remaining 880 mountain gorillas; and book a stay at Singita Kwitonda Lodge, the only camp that directly borders the park.
Aside from its stellar location, the lodge is equal parts luxurious and sustainable, with most of the building materials sourced locally. Each of the eight suites has a terrace with a heated plunge pool and outdoor fireplace, plus floor-to-ceiling windows looking directly out to the forest. A sense of excitement and mystery shrouds the entire experience, knowing that the gorillas are just beyond the mist-enveloped trees.
Bali
Bali is one of those magical destinations that you can visit at any time during the year, but doesn’t an early summer trip here sound like just the ticket? June is much calmer tourist-wise than the rest of the summer months on the Indonesian island, and it also provides lovely weather (hovering around 80 degrees) and decent hotel rates.
But perhaps the most compelling reason to visit the island right now is to stay at Buahan, A Banyan Tree Escape. The resort’s “no walls, no doors” concept lets guests get up close and personal with the jungles of central Bali, with only breezy curtains separating the villas’ interiors from the wilderness. As you float in the lounger-lined infinity pool and gaze out over the lush valley, you’ll immediately forget about all those unread emails waiting for you back at home.
The Kimberley, Australia
There’s a reason we dubbed Western Australia’s remote Kimberley region one of the best places to visit in 2024: This truly wild frontier is a treasure trove of ancient rock formations, towering waterfalls, white sand beaches, and striking blue waters. It’s also historically difficult to reach and explore, but that all changed this year with an influx of Kimberley-focused cruise lines. Seabourn now offers expedition cruises to the region, Ponant and Silversea are soon deploying new ships there, and Scenic’s Eclipse II has 11-day sailings on the lineup starting in June—ones with onboard helicopters for further exploration, no less.
Tourism is heating up in Broome as well. Leading tour operators have joined forces to launch Broome's Ultimate Aboriginal Culture Expedition, a three-day tour dedicated to immersing travelers in First Nations experiences in and around the coastal town. Bookings are available from May to August and include activities like cruises in Roebuck Bay, storytelling and dance performances, cultural walks, and more.
Prague
This year marks the 100th anniversary of Franz Kafka’s death, and his birth city is honoring the iconic novelist with special events throughout the year. There have been plenty of exciting Kafkaesque surprises around town already, including the re-unveiling of David Černý’s famous Head of Franz Kafka sculpture in April, which was disassembled towards the end of 2023 for renovations but now stands spinning once more. There is also a commemorative tram running through Prague covered in illustrations and thought-provoking quotes from the writer.
The celebrations will hit peak buzz in June—the exact month of Kafka’s death—with readings and exhibits at the Municipal Library of Prague, a cabaret performance at Na Zabradli Theatre titled Kafka Has Left the Building, and even a Kafka-themed dance recital from the Prague Chamber Ballet. And when you need a break from waxing philosophical, we suggest retreating to the recently reimagined, decidedly contemporary Almanac X Alcron Prague hotel.
Ketchikan, Alaska
Just a two-hour flight north of Seattle, Ketchikan deserves to be on every traveler’s radar this summer. Located at the southernmost entrance to Alaska's famous Inside Passage, the town is surrounded by incredibly beautiful vistas and an abundance of wildlife—most famously, salmon. (The town is known as the “salmon capital of the world.”)
Summer is the season to witness Alaska’s annual salmon migration, in which millions of fish return to the state’s freshwater rivers from the ocean to spawn. It’s a natural event you really have to see to believe. Get the full experience at Salmon Falls Fishing Resort in the Tongass National Forest, which provides fishing equipment, fish processing (like cleaning and cutting), chartered boat and seaplane tours, and wine tastings with salmon roe.
Provence, France
June is an excellent month to visit France, as the weather is near-perfect and the holidaying crowds have yet to descend upon the cities and beaches. But the best reason to travel to France this time of year? Lavender. Mid-June marks the start of the flowering season for lavender in Provence, which continues to bloom into the more crowded months of July and August.
Fill up your camera roll with purple photos, then book a stay at Coquillade Provence. Home to its own share of lavender, the 11th-century hamlet is located on a huge estate studded with vineyards, cypress trees, and 300-year-old olive groves. The resort’s 63 rooms and suites are the epitome of farmhouse chic, while guests also have access to three restaurants, a winery, and a spa that uses lavender oil and grape-based products from the surrounding vines.
Lake Como, Italy
Lake Como is by no means an underrated travel destination, but the classics are classics for a reason. This 56-square-mile Lombardy jewel has been attracting summer vacationers since ancient Roman times with its natural beauty, and, more recently, its storied hotels and villas that are almost too luxurious to handle. Book a night or two at the still-buzzy Mandarin Oriental Lago de Como, set in an exquisitely refurbished 18th-century estate with epic gardens and old-school cocktails, or opt for a private villa rental.
June is not only the best time to experience the area’s perfect weather before the A-list crowds descend, but it’s also when travelers can experience the Festival of San Giovanni—arguably the most famous and exciting event the lake sees all year. Held from June 22-23 this year, the annual festival commemorates the Roman Empire’s invasion of Isola Comacina (the lake’s sole island) in the 12th century, evoking the siege’s devastating fire with luminaries and spectacular fireworks.
Yosemite National Park, California
Yosemite is pretty spectacular no matter the time of year, but June is undeniably the best month to enjoy the national park. By this time, all the snow has melted along the Tioga Pass route (which is inaccessible from November through May), but it’s not so hot that the waterfalls have dried up yet. It’s also when the park’s wildflowers are at their most beautiful and bountiful.
When it comes to accommodations, you can’t do much better than Chateau du Sureau, a nine-acre castle resort about 16 miles from Yosemite National Park. The Provencal-inspired property features ten elegant rooms (and one private villa), a full-service spa, an outdoor pool, and expansive gardens. Its Elderberry House Restaurant features an excellent wine list and a menu of local, seasonal, and organic ingredients. All in all, we can’t think of a better place to rest up between waterfall hikes.
