Travel in county Mackinac

On Wednesday, USA Today announced its No.1 Best Summer Travel Destination as part of its 10Best Readers' Choice awards for 2024. Topping the list is one of the most beautiful islands in the Midwest: Mackinac Island.

With summer just around the corner in the USA, you’re likely already dreaming of where to spend your vacation. 

With fall on the horizon, the window for travelers to visit seasonal hotels and resorts is narrowing, and often shoulder season is the best time to visit seasonal properties as it brings less crowds, cooler temperatures and more affordable prices.

Want to visit the United States’ hottest destinations this summer, but don’t want to pay crazily inflated prices? TripAdvisor (our parent company) just released its 2018 Summer Vacation Value Report which gives you the low-down on the best places to visit and the least expensive week to go. Surprisingly, Memorial Day week (May 28) was the cheapest time to go for more than half of the destinations, so if you want to save time and vacation days, you’re in luck.

The Midwestern United States is often referred to as the “Heartland” of America. Missouri and Michigan – and its largest city, Detroit – are defined in large part by their waterways. Michigan makes up part of the Great Lakes region, while the Missouri River gave the eponymous state its name. All that means plenty of outdoor pursuits – from swimming to hiking and kayaking – which seem made for social distancing. To find out more about how Detroit, Michigan and Missouri are experiencing coronavirus, and what their respective plans are for travellers for the future, we spoke to representatives from each region: Dave Lorenz, Vice President of Travel Michigan; Larry Alexander, President and CEO of Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau; and Lori Simms, Deputy Director for Tourism, Missouri.