• Miami, Florida: Every time I see a picture of a celebrity vacationing lately, they seem to be in Miami. And where celebrities head, hipsters follow. Sure, it’s boiling hot there in the summer. And, sure, Miami’s kind-of evergreen in the cool-city department. But, if a city with those two factors working against it can suddenly become “hot” again, there’s gotta be something going on. Pack your bikini and head South, because if you wanna get away stateside this summer, Miami seems to be where it’s at. Take that, Hamptons!
  
  
• Belgrade, Serbia: After decades of political unrest in its mother country of Serbia (the crossroads of Central, Southern, and Eastern Europe), Belgrade suddenly has a buzz about it in underground travel circles. Perfect for a city that’s all about underground: here, if a bar has a sign outside, it’s not remotely hip. Full of beautiful people and gypsies, all-night party spots and daytime cafes, and architecture that crosses the spectrum from Art Nouveau gem to mid-70’s Communist concrete, this capital city is wonderfully tourist-free...for now. The Belgrade Beer Fest in August has been steadily growing since its inception in 2003, and July’s EXIT music festival (technically not in Belgrade, but Serbia’s 2nd city, Novi Sad) was voted the best European Festival last year by voters from all over Europe—which means that, this year, locals can probably expect the number of foreigners attending the fest to increase significantly from the mere 95,000 foreign visitors who came last year.
  
  
• Quito, Ecuador: In 1978, Quito was the very first city on the planet named a World Heritage Cultural Site by UNESCO, and that honor has kept the town’s historical center as the best-preserved and least altered in all of Latin America—spruced up by a large-scale renovation just completed in 2006. 500-year-old Colonial mansions surround medieval courtyards, and surrounding those are the chicest of cafes, high-rises and hotels that, all in all, make this Ecuadorian town the best of both worlds. Just 15 miles south of the equator, the weather is dryest here in summertime, and this summer, the U.S. dollar will go much further in South America than it will even in America—making Quito a perfect travel destination for summer 2008.
  
  
• A Staycation: With the price of oil driving up the cost of airline tickets and road trips, and fears of economic uncertainty looming on the horizon, the big trend for American vacations this summer seems to be to stay-at-home. So, if your bank account’s telling you to forgo the annual summer trip, join your neighbors and choose more local relaxation options instead, such as backyard BBQ’s, museum outings, and hikes nearby--with lots of carpooling and bike-riding to and fro. This summer, quaint and low-key is cool.
  
  

Past Hot Spots