August Trip Ideas: Traveler Reviews to Inspire You
17 min readAugust is a peak month for travel—prime time for school and family vacations and a last hurrah for summer getaways. For many, it’s a month of aspiring to escape heat and crowds, and trying to find that perfect road less traveled. The travelers whose reviews you can read below all booked their trips the WOW ...
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August is a peak month for travel—prime time for school and family vacations and a last hurrah for summer getaways. For many, it’s a month of aspiring to escape heat and crowds, and trying to find that perfect road less traveled.
The travelers whose reviews you can read below all booked their trips the WOW way: Their trips were tailored specifically to the month of August by the local fixers on our WOW List of Trusted Travel Experts. You’ll find even more ideas in the August installment of our Where to Go When series, and you’ll find more traveler reviews here.
Unsure where to go in August? Click the black button below for our help.
The Azores for outdoor adventures in a temperate climate
Tony Ford-Hutchinson and family on a hike to Lagoa do Fogo on São Miguel Island.
“For those of us who live on the east coast of the USA, the Azores are the closest point with a European and Portuguese feel. One of our guides (an American ex-pat) described them as a cross between Iceland (they are so volcanic), Ireland (they are so green) and Hawaii (a holiday destination in the middle of an ocean).
Our trip with our daughter, son-in-law and two granddaughters (aged 9 and 11) started with a direct 5.5-hour flight from Newark. We spent the first three nights in the luxurious Octant Furnas Hotel. The hotel is surrounded by hot springs bringing boiling water to the surface. Highlights there were the food, including preparing and cooking a traditional stew which is buried in the hot ground for several hours; the hotel’s super-warm, mineral swimming pool; and a hike up a mountainside to Lagoa do Fogo (a lake in a former volcanic cone) followed by a swim on the beach.
We then took a short flight to the volcanic island of Pico, famous for its mountain (a former volcano, of course) and its outstanding white wine. We took day trips on ferries to the neighboring islands of Faial and São Jorge. Highlights were a trip through the lava tubes on Pico, visits to wineries, and a hike around the caldera on Faial.
Back to São Miguel for our last three nights, highlights included a private whale-watching trip with great sightings of three female sperm whales (one with a calf), an evening wine-and-food tasting tour, a morning food tour, a Jeep tour of the Lagoa das Sete Cidades, and finally a tour of the tea plantations with an opportunity to make our own ice cream. Thank you to Gonçalo and his co-workers for a great trip that left a multi-generational family very happy.” —Tony Ford-Hutchinson
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Eastern Canada for an Atlantic coastline experience that’s not crowded in summer
East Point Lighthouse on Prince Edward Island. Photo: Traveler Phil Hoch
“We just returned from a trip to New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, and could not be happier that we chose Jill as our travel expert. Jill crafted a beautiful itinerary that kept us mostly focused on smaller towns and areas for walking/hiking. From St. Andrews to St. Martins, we could not have had a better introduction to the Bay of Fundy and life outside the big cities. Of particular note were our guides. Genny was fabulous in St. Andrews and got us on Ministers Island, which you can only drive to at low tide. In St. Martins, Mike, Jordan, and Joe took us hiking/walking, kayaking in the Bay and, best of all, our WOW Moment: We were treated to a private lobster dinner on the Bay of Fundy, watching the tide disappear, with enough scallops, lobster and more to feed us for a week.
Jill was able to get us a room at the quaint and lovely St. Martins Country Inn. We enjoyed walking the dunes at Greenwich Beach on Prince Edward Island and seeing the East Point lighthouse. On Nova Scotia, the grave site of Titanic victims, the boardwalk along the Halifax waterfront, and stops at Peggy’s Cove, Lunenburg and Mahone Bay were part of the final days of a trip we loved from start to finish.”—Phil Hoch
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Disney World & Universal for VIP experiences and stress-free planning
Fireworks go off just above every night over Disney World’s Cinderella Castle. Photo: Disney
“Our entire family had an AMAZING Disney and Universal trip—we are very thankful to Michelle and the rest of her team. My wife and I have three daughters—14, 13 & 10. We planned four of our own previous trips to Disney, but we knew we wanted to have a new/different experience so we contacted Michelle.
Michelle and team secured a VIP guide on the day of our daughter’s birthday and our last day at Universal. We hardly had to do anything because Michelle and team took care of the personalized itinerary and all reservations.
We will always use Michelle’s office for future family Disney trips, as they are indispensable. The girls are already talking me into a trip to Disney in Anaheim and given we have never been, I’m confident Michelle’s team will make it a breeze and a slam-dunk.” —Adam Lewis
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Greece for island-hopping, remote beaches, and a rooftop pool to beat the heat
A savvy planner can help you get off the beaten path, even on Santorini. Photo: Shutterstock
“We had one of our best family trips in years, thanks to Maria’s colleague Irene. We started in Athens, where Irene booked us in a spacious, modern apartment at The Dolli, which had excellent service and food. The rooftop pool overlooking the Acropolis was a huge plus given the heat, and the day trip to the ruins at Delphi was a family favorite. Then it was on to Paros, where we enjoyed the beautiful accommodations and staff attention at the Adronis Minois. Our teens loved the amazing outdoor space with our own small pool, as well as the resident cats. Our most favorite day of the trip was on a speed boat, where we traveled to the Blue Lagoon, went cliff jumping, and visited remote beaches in Antiparos and Despotiko.
We then ferried to Santorini, where we stayed in the breathtaking Grace Hotel. The geology, ruins, and small towns in Santorini didn’t disappoint, and we enjoyed special attention at dinners that Irene arranged and various recommended restaurants, some off the beaten path. We also loved our fascinating guided tour to Akrotiri, a town even older than Pompeii that was also destroyed—and then preserved—due to a massive volcanic explosion.
Our meals, guides, and hotels were all impeccable, and even with the heat and crowds, we always felt supported and well taken care of.” —Amanda Mandel
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Western Canada for a mountain escape from summer heat
Todd Fitzwater hiking in a glacier cave in Whistler, British Columbia.
“Traveled to British Columbia and visited Whistler and Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort. Whistler was fantastic in the summer. Rode the gondolas, went peak to peak, walked the suspension bridge at the top, hiked and took in the scenic view. The helicopter trip was fantastic, as was the glacier cave adventure.
Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort was an out-of-this-world experience—floating sauna docks, floating hot tub docks, land-based hot tubs nestled next to a waterfall, water safaris, deep-woods hiking, whales, otters, orcas, dolphins, bears and a 5-star restaurant. One dinner was without a doubt Michelin-worthy. Another night the dining room prepared the shrimp that I caught. Nine cabins with an eclectic bunch of people. Just a tremendous experience and one I plan on coming back for.” —Todd Fitzwater
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Florence and Tuscany for vineyard tours and extravagant meals
Head to smaller Tuscan villages to avoid Italy’s summer crowds. Photo: Shutterstock
“We just returned from a 12-day trip to Florence and Tuscany. Andrea and her team set up some great tours in Florence and experiences around Greve-in-Chianti. While we had been to Florence before, the other couple we were with had not, so Stefano arranged separate tours on the same day for each of us, which culminated in a private sunset cruise on the Arno. The Hotel Brunelleschi is a beautifully appointed property, centrally located with great service and amenities. On to Greve-in-Chianti. We stayed at the Borgo del Cabreo, another beautiful property located on a vineyard high above the town offering a 360-degree view of the Tuscan countryside. Breathtaking, especially while sipping our morning coffee or enjoying an aperitivo by the pool at sunset.
Our excursion to Montalcino and Pienza was sensational. We are big Brunello fans and Andrea’s team arranged a great experience for us at the small, family-owned Poggio Rubino vineyard. We got a tour of the winemaking operations and then sat down for a homemade Tuscan lunch (thank you, Nonna) to accompany our very generous and expertly paced Brunello tasting.
The following day we drove to the Antinori-owned Fonte de’ Medici estate, where we took a pasta-making class followed by a five-course tasting menu at the Michelin-starred restaurant Osteria di Passignano just down the road. Wow. Both experiences were eye-opening and a treat for all the senses.” —Andy Robinson
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Costa Rica for “epic” adventures—zip lining, rappelling, surfing, rafting…
Costa Rica is the birthplace of canopy tours that let you explore the forest via zip line. Photo: GreenSpot Travel
“My family of five spent 10 days in Costa Rica planned by Irene. We were looking for engaging adventure while staying in higher-end hotels that could easily accommodate a setup for a family (villas or adjoining rooms). Our trip was an amazing, wonderful family event that we’ll remember for a lifetime. We spent 5 days in La Fortuna, residing at the Nayara Tented Camp in a family tent that easily accommodated the five of us comfortably (no bed sharing for the kids!). We did a chocolate workshop at Two Little Monkeys, which was a highlight for us, and well worth the drive. Irene organized our excursions to the Hanging Bridges, the zip lines that rip down a mountain and a canyoning tour that had us rappelling down waterfalls. All were amazing, with the rappelling being the family’s collective favorite.
We hopped a short flight and spent the last 5 days in the Manuel Antonio region. The hotel, Arenas del Mar, had a fantastic beach and wonderful restaurant. The wildlife was very active, including the white-faced monkeys that were a permanent fixture on the hotel grounds. For adventure, we got to paddle Class III and IV rapids and we had an epic day surfing.” —Jason Grapski
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Ecuador for a working hacienda and Galápagos wildlife
Adults and kids alike are captivated by the sea life in the Galápagos. Photo: Shutterstock
“We just returned from the Galápagos Islands with our adult children, our 6-year old granddaughter and our adult nephew and his partner. Our trip started in Guayaquil, where we had one day before heading to the Galápagos. Allie sent us to La Danesa, a gorgeous, working hacienda! We visited the cacao plantation and participated in making chocolate from start to finish. Delicious! We also milked cows, went horseback riding and bicycling, and had a wonderful lunch. The grounds are beautiful and luxurious and we could have spent much more time there.
We traveled to the Galápagos the next day, where we met our wonderful guide, Viviana. She was truly one of the highlights of the trip. As a native of the Galápagos, she was knowledgeable and could share information in a way that was interesting to all of us. Even our 6-year-old peppered her with questions! We stayed at the Ikala Hotel, which had nice rooms, a lovely breakfast and restaurant area and a pool and lounge area which we all enjoyed. In our five days on the islands, we went to the Giant Tortoise Reserve; saw the lava caves and tubes; spent an incredible day walking along the beach at Tortuga Bay and snorkeling in the calmer area. We had days of boating to areas where we could go snorkeling and there we saw turtles, sea lions, blue-footed boobies, iguanas, pelicans, baby sharks and schools and schools of fish.
One of the standout activities was a morning at Las Grietas, which is a swimming hole at the bottom of a lava-created crevasse. It was completely private and truly one of the highlights of our trip.” —Judy Wimpfheimer
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Romania for leaving behind the crowds and getting lessons on European history
Romania has medieval towns and some of Europe’s last wilderness. Photo: Tim Baker
“I traveled to Romania on a graduation trip with my daughter. Important to us was connecting with the local people and understanding the country. We started in Bucharest, which was great for my daughter to learn what can happen to a country if you vote in a narcissist authoritarian as a leader, and understanding what life was like under the latter parts of communist ruling. We had a university history professor give us a tour of an apartment frozen in time from the 1980s, under communist rule.
When we left Bucharest, our guide Tavi adjusted our route so we could travel the Transfăgărășan Highway. Being from Colorado, we enjoyed the winding mountain pass and Tavi’s stories of backcountry skiing the areas around the pass. We went on an amazing mountain bike ride in the hills and forests, with some fun single track as well. We saw wonderful fortressed churches and cities throughout our trip, including the beautiful Sighișoara, without crowds and with a random local who had the keys to let us in. We met a local weaver whose family had been doing traditional weaving for generations and who rescued a loom headed for destruction. We enjoyed a visit with a local herbalist whose herb garden was expansive, and her knowledge of remedies was sought out throughout the area. Here we enjoyed a dinner in her home, again understanding her story and her life and sharing ours. We moved on to Brasov, where we had a private tour of Bran Castle and the opportunity to climb into the highest turret to view the mountain pass that the lookouts would use in centuries past. When we expressed interest in a hike, Tavi took us up a mountainside where he helped a friend build a cabin. We met one of his friends, a local shepherd, and discussed bears threatening his flock and how the handling of these bears was different between Colorado and Romania.
Romania is a beautiful, relatively undiscovered country with rich medieval history and more recent history of the rise and fall of communism. It is not as restored as other places in Western Europe, but its beauty, its history, and its people are wonderful to experience. The smaller crowds allow for a much more enjoyable visit than other European countries.” —Theresa Boone
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Tanzania for Great Migration river crossings, tented nights, cats galore…
Wildebeest and zebras crossing the Mara River during the Great Migration. Photo: Andrey Gudkov / Alamy
“When I hired Cherri and Katie to plan this trip, I had one major goal—put us in a good position to see the Great Migration crossing the Mara River. The other goals were to give us a first-class trip with great camps and great guiding. Cherri and Katie succeeded in every aspect.
First stop – Sanctuary Kichikani. This is a mobile camp so bucket showers, tent, etc. However, the camp was beautiful, the staff was amazing, and the guiding was excellent. We saw a great variety of mammals and birds. The vastness of the great herd was everywhere. The predators had full bellies. We saw a leopard on day 1—what a rare amazement. Our guide got us to a crossing of the herd that was in progress when we arrived on day 2.
Second Stop – Sayari. Fantastic fixed camp. Again we saw all the animals that you hope to see including leopards, cheetahs, lions, giraffes, wart hogs, zebras. Great variety of birds. Here we had a wonderful guide who got us to a crossing of the Mara by the herd just minutes before it began. We were the first vehicle on site and had a fantastic position to appreciate the chaos and the magnificence of one of the most amazing natural events. We even saw a croc strike out trying to grab a young zebra.
Stop 3 – Namiri Planes. This is the camp to see the cats—cheetahs, lions, leopards. The short grasses and the flat planes make sighting easy. We saw the drama of failed hunts. A cheetah jumped on the front hood of our vehicle. He stood there for several moments staring at us. The guide started the engine and he jumped off.
Stop 4 – Chem Chem. We left the Serengeti and headed to Lake Manyara. Lovely camp with a great location at a watering hole. The zebras and giraffes and wildebeest would walk and run toward the watering hole in clear close view to our tent. A large herd of male elephants was nearby. Lovely walking safari ending with a beautiful meal under an immense baobab tree. We also visited a local Masai home and met the chief and his wives and children. This was very real and not touristy.
The trip was an A+. Our friends were stunned and amazed by the beauty and miracles of the parks.” —Scott Rifkin
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Mexico City for cooking lessons and hot-air ballooning over the pyramids at Teotihuacan
Hot-air balloons above one of the pyramids at Teotihuacan. Photo: Traveler Helen Blumen
“My 16-year-old granddaughter and I spent 10 days in Mexico City and Oaxaca, and we had a wonderful time! We especially loved the cooking lesson with a wonderful Zapotec lady, and the menu was adjusted for teenager tastes so that we ate quesadillas and chiles rellenos.
Another highlight was the balloon ride to see the pyramids at Teotihuacan. We are grateful for Zach’s flexibility when our original flight was delayed.” —Helen Blumen
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Sri Lanka for geographical diversity and a “great combination of relaxation and culture”
Lauren Schor with her husband and daughter on safari in Wilpattu National Park.
“Given we only had a week, we had some tough choices as to which areas we were going to visit—the cultural triangle and ancient ruins, the mountains and tea plantations, the jungle and wildlife, the gorgeous beaches or the cities. Ultimately, with a lot of back and forth weighing the pros and cons with Miguel and Nicola, we decided on the cultural triangle and the south coast. I couldn’t imagine going all the way to Sri Lanka and not climbing Sigiriya, the ancient fortress atop a mountain and the most visited place in the country. Plus, we were near one of the national parks, and we got to do a one-day safari!
The south coast was a great combination of relaxation and culture. Galle Fort is a must-visit area—the restaurants, shops, and local life is unlike anywhere else in the country. And there were a lot of other activities in the area, like a local cooking class, a mask-painting workshop, and visiting a cinnamon plantation!
Nicola recommended fantastic properties. We loved Ulagalla—we have traveled all over the world, and it’s one of the most special properties we have stayed at. We enjoyed a WOW Moment at Kamantha, a traditional and delicious Sri Lankan meal prepared with indigenous tools in a mud hut. Such a special experience!
Sri Lanka is a special country, and everywhere we went the people were so welcoming, and we kept hearing how they meet so few American travelers. I have a feeling this is going to be a new hot-spot destination!” —Lauren Schor
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi for combining city sights and desert adventures
Diane Thormodsgard with her husband and grandsons on a private sunset cruise in Dubai.
“My husband and I took our grandsons (ages 14 and 13) to the U.A.E. for 10 days. Nicholas designed an itinerary that suited all of us perfectly. We started in Dubai with a stay at Atlantis the Palm, including exclusive Imperial Club access, after being met with VIP service at the airport. The boys enjoyed Aquaventure and the pool. We also had a Dubai historical tour, visited the Museum of the Future, went to the ‘top of the Burj Khalifa,’ had a helicopter ride, and went on a private sunset palm cruise.
After leaving Dubai, we ventured to Al Maha, a luxury desert resort. What a great experience with private pools at each suite (boys had their own Bedouin suite), a desert jeep ride, camel rides, beautiful sunset, early morning falconry presentation, and excellent food. Our only regret is we wished we would have spent more than one night there so we could have enjoyed other activities like archery, more time in the pool, and watching the many gazelles and rare Arabian Oryx on the property.
After touring Abu Dhabi, we finished our trip with visits to Warner Bros. World, Ferrari World and Sea World. Ferrari World was the highlight, with an individual Ferrari ride on nearby roads with a professional driver for each grandson. The trip was a nice mix of history, amazing architecture, and entertainment.” —Diane Thormodsgard
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Botswana for proximity to predators at “the perfect time of year”
“We enjoyed several close-range stare-downs with leopards.” Photo: Shutterstock
“To quote one of our travel companions, ‘I would not have changed one aspect of this trip,’ and I wholeheartedly agree. We were in the right camps with the right level of service and amenities at the perfect time of year.
Probably the most surprising aspect of our tour was the proximity within which our guides placed us to some very serious predators. On numerous occasions we could have reached out from our Land Cruiser and touched passing lions, and we enjoyed several close-range stare-downs with leopards. Upon returning back to our tent one afternoon, we found an elephant drinking from our plunge pool.
Julian did a masterful job of translating our interests and desired level of comfort into four perfectly matched camps. He guided us to Botswana and the Okavango Delta and encouraged us to select winter as the best season to visit. His services added tremendous value to the trip.” —Stephen Bajan
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
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