2025’s top travel trends
The world of travel is constantly changing—and this year is no exception. From self-love celebration trips to guided getaways for women, here are the best travel trends 2025 has brought our way.
Travelers today aren’t just looking for a place to go—they’re searching for connection, unique experiences, and soul-revitalizing moments with loved ones. Looking for the best travel trends 2025 has to offer? Look no further: We know keeping up with ever-evolving trends can feel overwhelming. Lucky for you, it’s our job to do it—and we’re happy to share our expertise to keep you in the know.
The best travel trends 2025 brought our way
This year’s top travel trends speak to a deeper desire for connection, purpose, and personalization. Travelers are timing their trips more strategically, exploring cooler climates, seeking out under-the-radar destinations, and craving meaningful experiences—whether solo, with family, or, as is the case with many female travelers, in the company of other wonderful women. These aren’t just travel trends—they’re reflections of how people want to feel when they explore the world: empowered, inspired, and connected.
And guided travel makes it all possible—offering curated itineraries, built-in support, and access to authentic moments you might otherwise miss.
“Coolcations” are sizzling hot
Cool summer destinations are sweeping sweltering vacations aside.
This trend cranks down the heat
The “coolcations” trend may be sizzling, but the trips it inspires are anything but. Gone are the days of vacations being synonymous with bathing suits and beach umbrellas. In 2025, more travelers are turning to “coolcations”—getaways that trade soaring temps for stunning, breezy backdrops.
Iceland’s waterfalls, Alaska’s glaciers, and the misty majesty of the Canadian Rockies are helping these cool summer destinations (well, cooler) climb to the top of travel wish lists. These scenic spots offer a breath of fresh air (literally) and plenty of outdoor adventure without the scorch. For travelers seeking both serenity and striking views, cool is officially hot.
How to experience the trend with us
Planning summer 2025 travel? Try a “coolcation!” Consider taking our A Week in Ireland: Dublin to Belfast tour to let the Emerald Isle blow you away. Or, if a journey through the otherworldly Land of Fire and Ice sounds more your speed, try cooling off on our Landscapes of Wild Iceland Tour. Another trip that’s undeniably cool? Our Scandinavia: The Capitals & The Fjords tour. And if you need help deciding which of these cool summer destinations to visit, just decide which experience speaks most to you: an overnight in an Irish castle, the chance to chase Icelandic waterfalls, or strolls around Scandinavia’s charming cities.
“Coolcations” for cool travel trendsetters (that’s you!)
“Travel twins” are making waves
Did you know that popular destinations have quieter doppelgangers?
Have a favorite popular spot? Consider visiting its twin!
Is your favorite destination everyone else’s dream travel spot, too? Visit it’s less-trodden twin. Seeking out “travel twins” (aka destinations that feel like your favorite spots but quieter) is one of this year’s top travel trends. These more under-the-radar gems come with I-went-there-before-it-became-popular bragging rights and often a deeper, more local feel.
Wondering where to travel in 2025? Think about swapping Puglia in for Amalfi, Lyon in for Paris, or Java in for Bali. This is also the perfect trend for anyone who’s already ticked off the icons—or just wants a different spin on a classic experience.
How to experience the trend with us
Hop on this trend by planning summer 2025 travel to your dream destination’s equally dreamy twin! If you’re wanderlusting after rolling green hills and historic cities with strong literary history, you may have first thought of a trip to Dublin. To follow this trend, we’d also encourage you to consider one of our Edinburgh tours. Both cities offer walkable streets and medieval history in spades, and Scotland’s capital lets you soak it all in amidst lighter crowds.
Or, did you adore biking by canals along Amsterdam’s charming cobbled streets? You’ll also love cycling around seaside Copenhagen on our Highlights of Scandinavia: Sweden, Norway & Denmark tour.
People are head over heels for “me moons”
“Getaway for one, please.” —trendy travelers in 2025
Self-love celebrations are on the rise
You don’t need a plus-one to plan something meaningful. Your passport and wanderlust are companion enough. Enter the “me moon”—a rising trend among solo travelers who want to celebrate milestones or simply treat themselves to an unforgettable escape. Whether it’s a mindful solo retreat in Bali, a tour through France full of foodie travel experiences, or a nature-filled African safari, “me moons” are all about self-love.
How to experience the trend with us
We have 26 designated Solo Tours that make planning “me moons” effortless. Our experts keep a close eye on top solo travel trends and ensure that these affordable guided tours showcase the destinations solo travelers most want to explore. (Hello, Thailand for Solo Travelers: Bangkok, Phuket & the Islands.)
Want to spend your “me moon” in verdant tropical jungles where you can do yoga and focus on self-care? Opt for our Costa Rica for Solo Travelers: Volcanoes, Jungles & Beaches tour or our Bali for Solo Travelers: Beaches, Temples & Culture tour. Or, if all you can think about is island-hopping in paradise, our Greek Islands for Solo Travelers: Crete & Santorini tour will make your perfect “me moon.”
Explore our favorite tours for solo travelers
Off-peak trips are all the rage
The joys of off-season tours (also known as “off-peak”) are getting the hype they deserve.
Off-peak travel’s on trend in 2025
If you think summer’s the only time to vacation, think again. Right now, the travel tide is changing and off-peak trips are taking center stage. This means that travelers aren’t just thinking about where to travel in 2025, they’re thinking about when.
Traveling in off-peak seasons offers a tempting trifecta: smaller crowds, better prices, and more relaxed experiences. Savvy travelers are discovering that going during shoulder and off-peak seasons can mean having easier access to popular attractions, enjoying cozy settings (think: Irish pubs with crackling fireplaces), just-a-light-jacket weather (hello, Paris in the springtime!), and getting more for your dollar.
Want some inspiration? Check out our ultimate off-season guide to Europe for our expert intel on off-peak travel and why it’s trending.
How to experience the trend with us
Our experts know that off-season tours are all the rage, so new in 2025, we’ve launched a special portfolio of Off-Peak Tours. Want to experience the joys of Italy and enjoy the benefits of this travel trend? Take our Off-Peak Italy: Rome, Naples & Florence tour to relish meandering around these cities amongst lighter crowds. Plus, there’s nothing like sampling Italian dishes that taste better in the offseason. (Italy’s offseason always delights for those looking for food and wine vacations.)
But, Italy is not the only country we’re taking travelers off peak: Our five new tours also let you seize the off-peak perks of The French Riviera, the U.K., Greece, and more—making it easier than ever for you to turn your dream off-peak trip into a reality.
Take a peak at these off-peak escapes
Travel’s bringing women together
Whether you go with a daughter, mother, friend, or solo, belly laughs are guaranteed.
Guided group travel for women is on the rise
Women’s tours are trending, and their popularity is only increasing. More and more women are embracing tours designed with them in mind—featuring female Tour Directors, women-run businesses, and fun-loving communities. These experiences blend safety, support, and soul-nurturing moments—just a few of the many reasons why female travelers are choosing guided trips for women. For those of us craving connection and confidence on the road, women’s travel is proving to be as enriching as it is empowering.
How to experience the trend with us
Let us take this opportunity to mention that we just launched our very own EF Go Ahead Tours for Women! These itineraries are specifically designed to bring you closer together with other remarkable women in breathtaking locales around the world. Plus, we’ve crafted these itineraries to support female-run businesses and foster connections with the women in these destinations.
Take our Thailand for Women: Bangkok, Chiang Mai & Krabi tour to meet the trailblazing female monks of Songdhammakalyani Monastery, or travel on our Italy for Women: Rome, Tuscany & the Italian Lakes tour to partake in a women-led cooking class in Bologna. These seven inspiring trips for women promise so much more than just sightseeing, they’re made to foster beautiful moments, memories, and friendships.
These Tours for Women offer connection in spades
Multigenerational travel is booming
Making travel memories with the whole family? That’s priceless.
Jet setters are keeping travel in the family
The sentiment that time with loved ones matters more than ever is strong in 2025. That’s why multigenerational travel is trending as families seek out meaningful ways to reconnect, celebrate milestones, and make memories that span generations (just a few of the plentiful reasons to choose family travel). Instead of gifting more “stuff,” many are choosing to give the gift of quality time. Grandparents, parents, grandkids, aunts, cousins, and everyone in between are turning family reunions into epic adventures—and we’re here to make it easy.
One touching example of this? Read staffer Marissa’s heartwarming story about tracing family heritage in Budapest with her mother and grandmother.
How to experience the trend with us
Guided group travel makes it easier than ever to bring everyone along for the ride. Our family trips are some of our favorite trips to take with loved ones. On these tours, our experts handle all the logistics, so all you have to do is show up, enjoy, and make lifetime memories with those you cherish most.
If your family’s longing for iconic city explorations, consider seeking out must-visit sites on our London, Paris & Rome tour or our Highlights of England, Scotland & Ireland tour. Or, if your family would enjoy spending a little more time exploring Europe’s southern side, our Italy & Greece tour or our Grand Tour of Portugal & Spain: Porto to Barcelona both deliver epic moments in spades.
We also have a Groups Travel Program that’ll make planning family travel and tours seamless. Not only do we handle all the details, but for every six travelers you bring, you get a free spot on the trip! (So, it pays to be the family reunion planner.)
For more multigenerational travel inspiration, check out our staffers’ favorite memories of traveling with family.
Since moving abroad for college at the age of 18, Steph’s never doubted that travel is her passion in life. When she isn’t seeking opportunities to satisfy her wanderlust—and inspiring others to do the same—you’ll find her exploring Boston’s vegan food scene, shopping for eclectic pieces to add to her closet, or rewatching 90s romantic comedies.
