Joanna Stich

If you don’t have plans for vacation this month fear not. I decided to put together a quick guide of where to go on vacation in August. This guide is suitable for those who are based in Europe and in North America.

North America

Chicago, Illinois

Also known as The Windy City, Chicago is the third largest city in the US.

Chicago is the perfect spot for relaxing, staying active and getting in all of the culture. The city has over 300 miles of bicycle lanes, over 5 miles of underground walkways which link over 40 blocks together. In addition there are over 200 theatres and 250 live music venues as well as eight major league sports teams.

Chicago’s Willis Tower is the second tallest building in the Western Hemisphere at 1,730 feet tall.

Major Landmarks: The Bean, Chicago River, Willis Tower, Navy Pier, Wrigley Field, Lincoln Park Zoo and Field Museum.

For Official Chicago Tourism Site, Click Here.

Seattle, Washington

Seattle is the largest city in the state of Washington, which is a home to major tech companies headquarters such as Microsoft and Amazon. You might recognize Seattle by the Space Needle which is Seattle’s most iconic landmark.

Despite its location on the West Coast, Seattle gets less rain than Chicago!

If you are a coffee lover, then Seattle is for you. First Starbucks was established in Seattle in 1971 in Pike Place Market – another well known landmark. Since then the coffee culture in Seattle has boomed. In addition, you may spot Seattle in vast amount of movies and shows – it appears to be a very popular place to “base” the movies on. I mention “base” as for example 50 Shades of Grey was based in Seattle, however filmed in our beautiful Vancouver.

Major Landmarks: Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Historic Starbucks, Gum Wall and Benaroya Hall.

For Official Seattle Tourism Site, Click Here.

Mexico

I mention Mexico as an August getaway as Southern Mexico gets the best weather this time of year. There are multiple things to do in Mexico overall, from relaxing on the beach to checking out the Chichen Itza – the Mayan Ruins as well as jumping into one of the beautiful cenotes (deep-water sinkholes).

Mexico is known for more all-inclusive, resort type of vacations, due to its known issues with corruption and local gangs. While I still have Mexico on my to-see destination, I’d strongly advise to travel in groups and through a trusted travel agency.

For Official Mexico Tourism Site, Click Here.

Europe

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Amsterdam is a home to just over 820,000 people, built on 11 million poles. Its famous canals make for a 100km roadway, along which you can cycle.

Amsterdam has a very varied culture and things they’re known for, from Anne Frank’s House, Millions of Cyclists Daily to Red Light District and Museum of Sex.

For those who think Amsterdam is only good for a city break, here’s where you’re wrong! Amsterdam has some of the most beautiful beaches. Faro’s beach is where the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean meat creating a beautiful turquoise water. You can chill on one of their many day clubs with great music and drinks.

If you are the city type, you definitely should check out I am Amsterdam Sign, Dam Square, Royal Palace of Amsterdam and as previously mentioned Anne Frank House.

For Official Amsterdam Tourism Site, Click Here.

Greece

There are way too many good things to see & do in Greece to choose only one island to focus on. Greece is great in August and its definitely an affordable vacation destination. Mainland Greece offers places like Athens where you can certainly get your steps in, see the Acropolis and Parthenon. Greece has 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites – the Acropolis being one of them. For the foodies, if you didn’t know Greece is the third world’s largest producer of olives. Greek cuisine in general is very healthy and delicious, I strongly encourage you to try tzatziki on fresh bread and souvlaki or moussaka for the main course.

Moving onto the islands of Greece, the world is your oyster and each one of them is more beautiful than the next. Some of my favorite ones are Corfu – where you will find another UNESCO Site, Santorini – where you will find the Instagrammable Blue Dome Roofs, Paxos – beautiful tiny island with many fishing boats and rich culture and Naxos, a more affordable version of Mykonos.

For Official Greece Tourism Site, Click Here.

Portugal

Similarly to Greece, I love Portugal way too much to limit myself to only one city. This country will forever have a close place in my heart, as that’s where we got married. If you are considering a destination wedding, I encourage you to take a look at my blog post, all about tips on having a destination wedding here. For those who dont know, Portugal is the oldest country in Europe.

We got married in a small town of Monte Gordo, however all of our guests were based in Albufeira – very popular spot for Irish and English to travel to. If you are traveling with children, this is a wonderful option, as it provides both old and new town, quiet and busy nightlife and plenty of attractions for everyone. You can find the Albufeira Travel Guide here.

Aside from the beach towns, Portugal also offers beautiful city breaks to Lisbon or a smaller City of Porto. There, you can enjoy the small cobble stone streets, very rich culture and amazing port wine. This is also where Piri Piri Sauce (served in Nando’s!) originated from. In addition, Portuguese Desserts are huge delicacies. Continuing with the age theme, the World’s Oldest Bookstore can be found in Lisbon.

For Official Portugal Tourism Site, Click Here.

Enjoy your vacation planning and be sure to come back next week for a new post.

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