The end of May and Memorial Day may be the "unofficial" start of summer, but June is when the season officially begins. School is finally out, and the sunny days make the rest of us want to take off work. Whether you're planning on going cross-country or cross-continent, June is the perfect time of year to visit these four locations.
Domestic Destinations
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee might not have the sunny beaches of Florida, but beginning the last week of every June, the city hosts the world's largest music festival: Summerfest. Nearly 900,000 visitors attend Summerfest over the course of its 11 days (June 29 - July 10, excluding Independence Day). There are musical acts for every family member's tastes with performances from such varied artists as Selena Gomez, Weird Al Yankovic, and Paul McCartney. Besides the music, there are numerous family activities lilke the play zone and famous Sky Glider. Did we mention food? There plenty of that, too.
- New York City
Besides Christmas, June is the perfect time to visit the Big Apple. The whole city is in Broadway mode, as the Tony Awards are on June 12. You might think tickets would be at a premium, but while everyone jockeys to see the newly-crowned award winners, great ticket deals can be found for the runners-up. We promise they're just as good. For those less musically-inclined, baseball season is well underway with the Mets and Yankees just outside of Manhattan. If you want to see a game in Yankee Stadium but don't want to pay the high prices, you can sit in the front row for a fraction of the price when watching an NYCFC Major League Soccer match. Currently, both teams share the stadium for home games.
Adventures Abroad
- Barcelona, Spain
This year marks the 90th anniversary of Antoni Gadudí's death on June 10, and there's no better way to experience the architect's work than by visiting Barcelona. The city is home to a majority of the artist's works, all dispaying a particular Catalan-infused Modernisme style. Fanciful works are both organic in form and over-the-top in scale. Casa Batlló, on our listing of the most surreal buildings in the world, features balconies that resemble skeletons, and the building's entire facade is covered in a mosaic of multi-colored tiles, resembling a fish. Gaudí's grandest work, Sagrada Família, is a massive basilica that has been under construction since 1882. With 18 spires and three different narrative facades, the church's architecture is so revered that it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, even though it still remains unfinished. When completed, hopefully by 2026, it will become the tallest church in the world.
- Beijing, China
Summer is the busiest time to visit Beijing since students are out of school for July and August. It's also the hottest time of year, as well as the most expensive. Spring sees fewer crowds, but it's also the rainy season. June, however, sits perfectly in the middle. Take advanctage fo the still-pleasant weather to explore famous gardens or to admire the mix of varying architectural styles that span centuries. The country's most popular tourist attractions won't be full of summer tour groups, so you can take your time and wander at your own pace. Well, as much at your own pace as a city of 21 million people will let you.
