Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
How to Plan a Coolcation: Beat the Summer Heatwave
The Honest Truth About Coolcations: Is It Worth It?
Summer vacations are supposed to be relaxing—but it is difficult to enjoy sightseeing when temperatures are soaring and every afternoon feels like a survival challenge!
In this episode, we explore the growing travel trend known as the “coolcation”: choosing cooler destinations instead of the traditional summer hotspots. Is this a smarter way to travel, or are expensive destinations such as Scandinavia simply replacing one set of vacation problems with another?
We discuss family-friendly coolcation destinations in the United States, the UK and Europe, including places where you can enjoy beautiful scenery, outdoor activities and cultural attractions without spending your entire vacation searching for air conditioning.
We also look at whether families can afford countries such as Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, the best times of year to visit cooler destinations, and why pleasant weather alone may not be enough to attract travelers.
Finally, we break down the pros and cons of coolcations and ask the big question: Is this just another temporary travel trend, or will extreme summer heat permanently change when and where people take their vacations?
What do you think? Would you trade a hot Mediterranean beach vacation for Scotland, Scandinavia, Alaska, the Great Lakes or another cooler destination? Share your ideal coolcation in the comments!
Episode 8 of The Honest Travel Podcast with Mark Wolters and Shebs Alom
Chapters
0:00 Teaser
0:27 intro
1:50 Heatwave in Europe
2:42 What is Coolcation?
4:13 Where can you travel as a family in the US?
9:40 Where in the UK and Europe can you go?
13:24 Can people afford Scandinavian countries?
16:23 Coolcation going to be permanent?
19:47 Time of the year to travel & cooler places need a pull to travel there?
22:38 The pros & cons of Coolcation
27:52 Viewers comments
30:42 News
31:04 Outro
Links to coolcation articles in the past couple of days.
telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/surging-temperatures-transforming-global-travel
huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/most-popular-coolcation-destinations_uk_6a4f9f1ae4b04b52a93e9366
mirror.co.uk/money/booming-demand-coolcations-brits-escape-37508714
creators.yahoo.com/lifestyle/story/i-chase-cold-weather-on-purposehere-are-the-5-best-coolcations-ive-ever-taken-ranked-222327165.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADLjR0Q4jIMHrQhOUmcz-l5Yov5psl8oJe-mXgir2eFFzKcYBIi-Msv51OoZ9Xm-TLpWPwpojlMgqu_l-n1TJNYZe8v-3kj14e6sOObKc4aEjHIcNXSiWevboVlGk6csrmCwuFLo2NPrnGzfhybwvfLaANVg8-XKUgzUqjPWLa3x
euronews.com/travel/2026/07/30/will-the-coolcation-travel-trend-change-the-geography-of-international-tourism
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq568j06zgxo
Join this channel to get access to perks:
youtube.com/channel/UCFr3sz2t3bDp6Cux08B93KQ/join
#travel
Copyright Mark Wolters 2026
We receive a small percentage of sales from links on our videos from companies such as Amazon, Bookings, Expedia, Get Your Guide, and others.
Grab some Wolters World travel gear http://www.woltersworld.store
Help Us Keep Make More Honest Travel Videos: patreon.com/woltersworld
You can find us all over the internet:
Travel Advice & Destinations: youtube.com/woltersworld
Food Travel Videos: youtube.com/woltersworldeats
Travel Tips: youtube.com/@honesttravelnetwork
Business Education: youtube.com/professorwolters
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@woltersworld
Instagram: instagram.com/woltersworld
Jocelyn's Instagram: instagram.com/jocelynwoltersworld
Facebook: facebook.com/woltersworld
Twitter: twitter.com/woltersworld
Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/wolters-world-travel-culture
The Information provided on this video is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or legal advice. Always consult with a qualified financial and/or legal professional before making any legal or financial decisions or investments.
How to Plan a Coolcation: Beat the Summer Heatwave
The Honest Truth About Coolcations: Is It Worth It?
Summer vacations are supposed to be relaxing—but it is difficult to enjoy sightseeing when temperatures are soaring and every afternoon feels like a survival challenge!
In this episode, we explore the growing travel trend known as the “coolcation”: choosing cooler destinations instead of the traditional summer hotspots. Is this a smarter way to travel, or are expensive destinations such as Scandinavia simply replacing one set of vacation problems with another?
We discuss family-friendly coolcation destinations in the United States, the UK and Europe, including places where you can enjoy beautiful scenery, outdoor activities and cultural attractions without spending your entire vacation searching for air conditioning.
We also look at whether families can afford countries such as Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, the best times of year to visit cooler destinations, and why pleasant weather alone may not be enough to attract travelers.
Finally, we break down the pros and cons of coolcations and ask the big question: Is this just another temporary travel trend, or will extreme summer heat permanently change when and where people take their vacations?
What do you think? Would you trade a hot Mediterranean beach vacation for Scotland, Scandinavia, Alaska, the Great Lakes or another cooler destination? Share your ideal coolcation in the comments!
Episode 8 of The Honest Travel Podcast with Mark Wolters and Shebs Alom
Chapters
0:00 Teaser
0:27 intro
1:50 Heatwave in Europe
2:42 What is Coolcation?
4:13 Where can you travel as a family in the US?
9:40 Where in the UK and Europe can you go?
13:24 Can people afford Scandinavian countries?
16:23 Coolcation going to be permanent?
19:47 Time of the year to travel & cooler places need a pull to travel there?
22:38 The pros & cons of Coolcation
27:52 Viewers comments
30:42 News
31:04 Outro
Links to coolcation articles in the past couple of days.
telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/surging-temperatures-transforming-global-travel
huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/most-popular-coolcation-destinations_uk_6a4f9f1ae4b04b52a93e9366
mirror.co.uk/money/booming-demand-coolcations-brits-escape-37508714
creators.yahoo.com/lifestyle/story/i-chase-cold-weather-on-purposehere-are-the-5-best-coolcations-ive-ever-taken-ranked-222327165.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADLjR0Q4jIMHrQhOUmcz-l5Yov5psl8oJe-mXgir2eFFzKcYBIi-Msv51OoZ9Xm-TLpWPwpojlMgqu_l-n1TJNYZe8v-3kj14e6sOObKc4aEjHIcNXSiWevboVlGk6csrmCwuFLo2NPrnGzfhybwvfLaANVg8-XKUgzUqjPWLa3x
euronews.com/travel/2026/07/30/will-the-coolcation-travel-trend-change-the-geography-of-international-tourism
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq568j06zgxo
Join this channel to get access to perks:
youtube.com/channel/UCFr3sz2t3bDp6Cux08B93KQ/join
#travel
Copyright Mark Wolters 2026
We receive a small percentage of sales from links on our videos from companies such as Amazon, Bookings, Expedia, Get Your Guide, and others.
Grab some Wolters World travel gear http://www.woltersworld.store
Help Us Keep Make More Honest Travel Videos: patreon.com/woltersworld
You can find us all over the internet:
Travel Advice & Destinations: youtube.com/woltersworld
Food Travel Videos: youtube.com/woltersworldeats
Travel Tips: youtube.com/@honesttravelnetwork
Business Education: youtube.com/professorwolters
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@woltersworld
Instagram: instagram.com/woltersworld
Jocelyn's Instagram: instagram.com/jocelynwoltersworld
Facebook: facebook.com/woltersworld
Twitter: twitter.com/woltersworld
Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/wolters-world-travel-culture
The Information provided on this video is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or legal advice. Always consult with a qualified financial and/or legal professional before making any legal or financial decisions or investments.
