It’s been a long day.

That sentence, usually uttered at the close of a particularly challenging day, takes on a different meaning in June when we celebrate summer solstice, the day each year when the axial tilt of Earth is most inclined toward the sun, giving us the most hours of daylight.

Summer solstice has been cause for celebration throughout the ages. Ancient Egyptians associated the solstice with abundance and fertility. Romans paid homage to Vesta, goddess of the hearth, while early Chinese cultures marked the date by honoring the earth, femininity and the life force yin. Early tribal people in northern and central Europe welcomed the start of summer with bonfires, a tradition that continues to this day. Based on the positioning of structures built by Mayans and Aztecs, archaeologists believe they too marked the solstice in some significant way.

Today, the longest day of the year is also the first official day of summer and the start of the vacation travel season — and we have plenty of suggestions. Take the family to Fiji or kick back in Monterrey, Mexico. Doing business in Scottsdale? Save time for a round or two of golf. Seek adventure in Costa Rica; take a day off in Hong Kong or party ’til the sun comes up in Edinburgh.

Wherever your plans take you this summer, be sure to enjoy every single minute of every single day.