Move over, Euro Summer — Americans are staying closer to home this year.

Why it matters: Higher airfare and broader economic concerns have pushed many travelers to rethink long-haul trips.

Zoom in: Travel adviser Erica Christie says clients are shifting toward affordable weekend trips.

Travelers still heading to Europe are swapping popular (and pricey) hot spots like the Amalfi Coast and Lake Como for lesser-known alternatives — including the Italian Riviera near the French border, the Tuscan coast, Montenegro and Malta, Christie tells Axios.

Booking site Expedia reports travelers are choosing Philadelphia, Palm Springs, Fort Lauderdale and Puerto Rico over New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Honolulu.

• London, Paris and Rome are giving way to Dublin and Brussels.

The big picture: The Iran war has sent oil prices soaring, causing airlines to cut flights and raise fares, and drivers to pay more at the pump.

By the numbers: Nearly three-quarters (73%) of Americans say they plan to take a summer vacation this year, up from 66% from last year, per a new survey from transportation company Enterprise Mobility.

• Even so, most travelers (69%) say they're opting for weekend getaways, with about half citing affordability as the reason.

The bottom line: Travelers aren't giving up on summer — they're getting more strategic.

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👋 Hey, it's Monica.

As someone who has rented summer homes in the Harbor Country area for decades, I was intrigued by the new Petite Acres cottage compound in New Buffalo, which feels like a hybrid cottage, luxury hotel and summer camp.

Background: Chicago couple Jeana Anderson Cohen and Justin Cohen dreamed up the facility after a 2020 trip to a resort in the south of France.

What they're saying: "We walked away from that trip knowing that we wanted that French aesthetic, but we also wanted something where the property itself told you to just chill," Anderson Cohen, who formerly produced wellness events in Chicago, tells Axios.

The vibe: Cozy but indulgent, with cabins outfitted with marble countertops, high-end appliances, and plush towels and robes.

Check out the modern fitness center, outdoor wellness classes, passes to a Pilates-yoga studio in town, and sauna with a cold plunge.

My stay: I was the sole guest (Scooby-Doo-style) on my one-night stay, so I can't speak to the community aspect.

• But I loved attending the Prana yoga class in town, working out in the gym, wandering on the wooded grounds, relaxing in my cottage, and taking a sauna and cold plunge before bed for a great night's sleep.

Prices: One-bedroom cottages start at $360 a night in the off-season and can be more than $500 in high season. The biggest cottages starts at $1,900.

Full disclosure: I tried out a cabin at a special press rate before the facility was fully open.

Go deeper

Three children died after a boat capsized amid violent weekend storms in Lake Geneva. (WGN)

⚾️ Cubs center fielder, Pete Crow-Armstrong, was named to the National League All-Star team Saturday for the second year in a row. (Tribune)

⚖️ Five people are suing border patrol agents over their use of tear gas and unlawful detention during Operation Midway Blitz. (Block Club)

Folks traveling to Harbor Country for the first time in a couple of years will find some delicious surprises from Chicagoans who've opened some of the coolest new spots in the area.

• They include a James Beard-nominated restaurant and a gas station-turned-wine bar/music venue.

PostBoy

Chicago native Ben Holland teamed up with chef James Galbraith — who staged at Blackbird, Boka, Elske and Big Kids — to open this airy, globally inspired eatery in the winter of 2024.

• By 2026, the restaurant was named a James Beard Award semifinalist.

The vibe: Beachy, breezy and open with a huge patio and DJ sets steps from an Amtrak stop.

Top eats: Crispy fried biang biang shrimp ($23) with ginger and bok choy, spicy watermelon salad with cotija and cucumbers ($18) and our favorite, the roasted sweet potato topped with tahini, raisins, feta and crunchy chickpeas ($17).

Extras: Enjoy live music and morning fitness classes by Chicago's Bian on the patio.

Out There Wine Bar

In 2024, Chicago creatives Molly Kobelt, Penny Duff and Michael Slaboch aimed to launch a bar that felt like "the low-key house party of our dreams."

• Somehow, they've achieved it in a 1955 Shell station on Red Arrow Highway in Sawyer.

The vibe: Low-key house party, for sure, with a laid-back playlist, breezy indoor-outdoor seating, and a funky, global wine and gift shop.

Top eats: Seasonal oysters ($36 per dozen), "fish & chips" ($14) featuring kettle chips with smoked trout roe and crème fraîche and lentil salad with beets and goat cheese ($16).

Extras: LPs played on a vintage hi-fi, a summer DJ series (with Metro's Joe Shanahan in September) and intimate concerts.

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Jet-setters, take note: We asked travel writer Lydia Mansel to share her top packing advice for summer trips.

The big picture: Forget folding tricks and compression cubes. The smartest way to pack lighter is to bring clothes you'll actually wear, says Mansel, who writes the packing-list newsletter Just Packed.

👕 Find your travel uniform. Mansel suggests sticking to staples that work for all kinds of trips. Think: oversized button-downs, plain white tees and loose linen pants.

🧴 Keep a mini-toiletry stash. Save Sephora samples, hotel shampoo bottles, travel-size toothpaste and contact solution bottles so you can "shop" your collection before each trip.

👟 For Europe, prioritize comfortable linen and cotton pieces that you can easily wash or hand-wash.

🩴 For beach trips, less is more. Pack swimsuits, a cover-up, sandals and a few "throw-and-go" outfits.

🧳 Only check a bag when you need to. For Mansel, that usually means ski trips or longer journeys (at least a week) without laundry access.

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