Last-Minute Domestic Travel Tips From Avoya Travel

Looking for a last-minute summer retreat?

You don't have to plan ahead to enjoy a classic American vacation. There are many escapes that can be planned at the drop of a hat, and Avoya Travel affiliates are dishing on where they think you should go.

The Midwest is the place to be in the summertime. No one celebrates summer like Midwesterners. I recommend flying into Detroit, renting a car and driving to Sandusky to go to Cedar Point Amusement Park. Cedar Point has the most roller coasters in an amusement park in the United States.

All over the Midwest, there are fantastic festivals and lakes to visit. Rent a lake house with a boat and enjoy the wonderful cooler summer weather. Within a two-and-a-half-hour drive, in my hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana, there is the Three Rivers Festival July 13-21, which features a "junk-food alley," a parade and fireworks to close it out. For an all-American summertime experience, visit northern Ohio, Michigan and Indiana areas.

-Heather Luckey, Brilliant Journeys LLC

Enjoy the International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe, New Mexico July 13-15, 2018. The market celebrates more than 150 folk artists from 50 countries.

-Matthew Hill, The Hill Guys Travel

Get a new take on the Olympics. Visit Fairbanks, Alaska, for the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics. These unique Olympic Games serve the purpose of preserving and promoting traditional Alaska Native cultures. The event takes place July 18-21, 2018.

-Jeff Wuckert, Wuckert World of Travel, LLC

Visit the Grand Hotel on beautiful Mackinac Island in Michigan. It is America's Summer Place. They are offering some wonderful packages this summer, including special midweek pricing and Family Added Value Days, offers outdoor movies, free golf for kids, breakfast, dinner and more.

-Carol Howell, CTA, Bloom and Howell LLC

Sail away from Miami for a weekend getaway on Royal Caribbean's newly amped up Mariner of the Seas.

-Steve Zellers, Zellers Elite Travel Services, LLC

The mountains are calling and you must go!

My family and I usually choose destinations for our summer vacations that allow us a much-needed respite from the frying pan that is South Texas. Last year, we visited a few of the charming ski towns in central Colorado. Separated by only a few miles, the towns of Keystone, Dillon, Frisco, Silverthorne and Breckenridge offer some memorable summer fun.

-Monica Jones, Splendors Of Travel, LLC

Summertime in New England is often overlooked for Fall, but with so much to do in Boston, Massachusetts, and the vicinity, July is a great time to go (especially if you are looking for a place that has something for everyone).

Boston is a fantastic place to visit. The walking tours, such as the Freedom Trail, great shopping and the fabulous food, including lots of eateries at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, the Historic Union Oyster House, and Durgin-Park Restaurant.

If you go to Durgin-Park get the Indian Pudding for dessert and don't miss out on the Boston Brown Bread with butter or cream cheese oozing off and dribbling down your chin. Go to the Waterfront to see if there are any Tall Ships in port, to the aquarium and to the Children's Museum.

-MaryBeth Hennessy, Voyager, LLC

Sail through historic Americana on an American Queen Steamboat Company Mississippi River Cruise during July.

-Brando Quinn, Brando's Fun N' Sun Travel

We suggest discovering one of the best examples of Americana, the second most visited home in the U.S., Elvis Presley's estate in Memphis, Graceland. I have been twice and it's one of the best American destinations. With plenty of lodging, easy to get to and a great family value for U.S. travel.

-Connie Harrington, Pegasus Travel LLC

Another event steeped in Americana is the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota August 3-12.

-Phil Arons, Cruise4U, LLC