Summer is here, and that means travel is top-of-mind. Whether you’ve got time for a staycation or a weeklong getaway to somewhere exotic, traveling can help you feel refreshed and expand your horizons with each new destination you visit. It’s soul soothing really.

While I can’t leave out some incredible family trips (checking out the Egyptian pyramids – just wow), some of my greatest travel moments came from my time studying abroad in London. Being so central to everything in Europe, I had the opportunity to travel to amazing destinations like Barcelona, Paris and Edinburgh. But one of my favorite places was Santorini, Greece. The blend of white and blue buildings, the cuisine, the famous sunsets – it was a pure feast for the eyes and for the soul.

While I’d love to go back to Greece to explore the other Greek Islands and the monuments of ancient Athens, at the moment, my mind is on the souks and towers of Dubai.

I suspect I’m not the only one with the travel bug. Check out the list of Curator’s favorite destinations so far, and what’s topping our travel bucket list.

Favorite Destinations So Far

I can’t not-mention Darwin, Australia—I studied there for a few months back in college, and it was amazing—but my favorite spot at the moment is Kauai. I’ve been to the Hawaiian Islands probably close to a dozen times, but never that particular island. My wife, son, and I traveled there with a bunch of other parents and kids. I think there were 18 of us, total, all on the same flights. It was crazy. Anyway, the appeal of Kauai is that it’s so laid-back. Of all the islands I’ve visited, it felt the most relaxing. If you’re from Washington state, think of Eastern Washington if it were a tropical island. It’s all amazing hikes, great hole-in-the-wall places to eat, and ridiculous scenery everywhere you look.

Sadly, our trip ended with the Seahawks losing the Super Bowl, but even that was followed by finding a bunch of huge sea turtles on the beach that night. 

- Paul

Europe – went for my graduation trip to London, Paris and Barcelona. So fun to learn about other cultures!

- Anna

In February I took a trip to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. It was an awesome experience and somewhere I’d definitely recommend to others looking for a warm getaway. The beaches were postcard perfect, the people were wonderful and the excursions we did were awesome — whale watching, rides through the jungle to get to hidden islands and visiting the capital, Santo Domingo was super cool. 

- Chelsey

When I travel, I love being in big cities. Istanbul is my favorite place I’ve ever visited. I loved how different it was from anything I had ever experienced. Amazing history, great food, and gorgeous water views.

-Ann Marie

My wife, kids and I love to travel together. But one of the best trips we've taken in a long time was a recent trip just my wife and I took to Charleston, SC. We fell in love with the city, it's food and culture scene. It's a truly unique place and we can't wait to go back.

-Scott

On the Horizon

Antarctica. Because people who like to brag about traveling always say, “I’ve been to every continent, except Antarctica,” and if I went, I could say, “Oh, yeah? Well I’ve been to Antarctica.” 

-Paul

I’d love to go to Italy. Florence and Rome are at the top of my bucket list for sure! 

- Anna

On the top of my bucket list, I’d love to visit Bali and a number of places in Thailand. If you can’t tell, I like the beachy destinations!

-Chelsey

Visiting Yellowstone National Park with my family. As crowded a destination as it has become, Yellowstone is still such a great place to learn about U.S. History, geology and wildlife. 

-Ann Marie

We've been trying to go to New Orleans Jazz Fest for the last few years but haven't been able to make our schedules work. We vow to make this happen soon.

-Scott

Got any other must-see destinations that we’re missing out on? Tweet us @CuratorPR!