The summer of 2021 is bound to be a blockbuster. As public health and safety strengthens both domestically and internationally, much of the world is reopening to an adventure-hungry public. But with so many places to see and only one blockbuster summer to see them in, where can a traveler go to make the most of the moment? After months indoors, where can we take the family for a necessary release?
South Bend International Airport is ready to welcome you back and see you safely off on your summer journey! With service to 13 nonstop destinations and connections worldwide, we can get you virtually anywhere you dream of going.
When flying from South Bend International, these are the top hotspots of the summer.
The National Parks
Three world-class national parks sit mere hours from South Bend International. Maine’s Acadia National Park boasts 47,000 acres of stark and serene Atlantic coastline. Pack your swimsuit for a jaunt on one of Acadia’s rocky beaches, or pick up some new hiking boots for a trip up Cadillac Mountain—the highest point on the east coast.
Beyond being fantastic getaways, Zion National Park and South Dakota’s Badlands also offer alien landscapes for an out-of-this world experience. At Zion, casual and extreme hikers alike can marvel at the water-carved corridors and red-rock grottos, stopping to take a dip now and then in the hidden, turquoise pools. The Badlands, meanwhile, feature spires of rock not so unlike cathedral steeples among grasslands and breathtaking canyons teeming with exotic wildlife.
Each park offers its own quirks, joys, and average weather patterns. So find the park that suits you and your family and get out there into the great beyond!
Gulf Shores, AL
For many travelers, summer only means one thing: the beach. But depending on who you ask and where they’re from, the beach itself only means one place: Gulf Shores, AL.
Gulf sand is among the softest, silkiest sand in the world, and gulf waters are blue, warm, and good for both fishing and swimming. If you prefer a cold adult beverage over an inflatable raft, you’ll find dozens of world-class dining and drinking establishments along Orange Beach and Gulf Shores beaches—some of which bring fine dining to you at your chair in the sand!
Enjoy fresh crab, grouper, shrimp, mahi mahi, amberjack, and red snapper plucked straight from the Gulf on that very same day, or get out onto the wide blue yonder yourself by chartering one of the Gulf’s famous fishing boats. However you chose to enjoy Gulf Shores, you’re guaranteed to come away with fantastic memories.
Boston
“The Cradle of Liberty,” as it has every right to be called, is also a premier summer destination for complete family fun. Boston may not have the beaches or resort atmosphere so many of us associate with summer, but given what it does have, it doesn’t need them.
Downtown Boston is a feast for the eyes, stomach, and mind. Take the whole family for a visit to the Paul Revere House, the Boston Tea Party Museum, the childhood home of JFK, or the Old State House built in 1713. For sports fans, you could scarcely do better than a visit to Fenway Park to see the Red Sox live.
Boston also boasts world-class cuisine, sunset harbor cruises, public gardens, storied breweries, and so, so much more! With something for everyone in the family, Boston is bound to delight.
Greece
Who said the 2021 blockbuster summer had to be spent domestically? With the world reopening, the time couldn’t be more perfect for a decadent trip abroad.
Greek contributions to world history, art, literature, politics, language, food, and culture at large cannot be overstated. Modern western civilization owes a tremendous debt to both ancient and contemporary Greece, and you can repay that debt by visiting and learning as much as possible.
From Athens, home of myths and ruins, to Santorini—the unparalleled, white village perched along a plunging cliff face toward the sea—Greece has sights, sounds, tastes, and scenery worth remembering for a lifetime. Get your dance on in Mykonos or tour Venetian forts in Corfu. Whatever thrills you can be had twice as large and twice as meaningfully in the global birthplace of democracy.
Happy Trails
Summer is an invitation to adventure, and this year, we all hear its call. Wherever you choose to go this summer, trust South Bend International Airport to get you there in comfort, style, and grace. Happy trails!
Now flying wherever you’re heading this summer!
If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that flying is a true privilege. At South Bend International Airport, it’s our privilege to get you where you want to go safe and sound. For a refresher on TSA regulations, luggage restrictions, ID requirements, and more, visit flysbn.com to get caught up before you fly! Welcome back to the world! We’ve been missing you.
