With the new flight routes opening up lesser-known corners of the United States, trendy new sports emerging, and even the way holidaymakers eat evolving; Visit The USA has put together some of the top travel trends for 2019.
Road trip
The US has long been synonymous with road trip adventures, but this year will see the camper van give this type of holiday added momentum. Thanks to #vanlife ? one of the biggest wanderlust-inspiring hashtags on Instagram in the last few years ? holidaymakers are starting to take note of RV holidays.
Surf?s up
Surfing has been gathering global recognition over the last decade as a fun way to enjoy the ocean, with physical and mental benefits to boot. America?s hottest surfing destinations such as California are thriving including Huntington Beach, half way between Los Angeles and San Diego, officially dubbed Surf City USA. Two wave parks now exist in Texas, with more to follow elsewhere ? meaning surfing is no longer just the domain of coastal cities.
Follow the beat
Music continues to be a major driver for travel to the States, whether it?s visiting for live concerts or on pilgrimages to iconic music cities. British Airways? flights into Nashville and New Orleans have opened up the Deep South: more services to Nashville are set to make the city even-more popular for music lovers; and new hotels in New Orleans will make NOLA?s jazz music scene more accessible.
Packrafting goes mainstream
Packrafting ? travelling by an inflatable raft that folds away into a backpack ? is one of the coolest new ways to travel and the sport is already a firm favourite among US locals. For packrafting adventures, visitors can paddle through the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska with Kennicott Guides, or see the Grand Canyon National park on six-day hiking and packrafting trip with Wildland Trekking in Arizona.
Tuck in
The way locals and visitors are chowing down is set to change. According to a report by commercial real estate firm Cushman and Wakefield, there were 70 food halls in the country in 2015 ? and by the beginning of 2020, it?s estimated that this figure will have tripled. Food halls are often cool and contemporary, with modern furniture, neon signs, and food outlets from some of the city?s top chefs ? ensuring a quality, inexpensive dining experience.
Holidays on horseback
2019 sees the launch of several luxury ranch-style retreats, with horse riding at the core of activity programmes. The Lodge at Blue Sky in Utah and Bishop?s Lodge in Santa Fe are just two of the retreats, while tour operator Ranch Rider reports on the trend of using horse riding as part of a wellness regime. The company?s yoga and riding retreat in Arizona is returning for a second year thanks to demand from travellers.
For further inspirational ideas access www.visittheusa.co.uk
