Depending on where you live, the summer season typically brings Americans a more functional climate that opens many doors for travel opportunities. Here in Philadelphia, the first taste of summer comes in May, and the city immediately shifts its initiatives to promote outdoor activities among both visitors and residents.

I believe it’s important to capitalize on travel during the summer because it can provide a welcome break halfway through the year for many hard-working Americans. If I don’t have a major travel excursion planned for the summer, I always try to take a couple of smaller trips around the area to soak in the sun and get my mind off the daily 9–5.

This summer I plan on continuing a family tradition of visiting the New Jersey shore during the month of August to kick back and relax for a bit. It provides not only an extended weekend break for me but also an outlet to enjoy the company of lots of relatives who live throughout the country. Part of the beauty of this annual trip is there is almost nothing planned for the entire week — everyone just enjoys each other’s company and recharges their batteries.

Something else I’m looking forward to this summer is my trip to the Poconos in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Poconos are known for cold weather and access to local mountains in the winter, but it’s always great to go up when it’s warm and enjoy the available water sports and lake-related activities.

These are a few of the things I plan on doing in the coming months to enjoy my summer — what is your mindset when it comes to planning summer trips? If you are looking to relax and want our suggestions on leisure destinations around the world, I encourage you to pick up a copy of Global Traveler’s Leisure Lifestyle Edition.

— Chris Sager, account executive