With pleasant temperatures between 18 and 20°C, the northernmost parts of the UK stay fresh and cool through summer. Here are some great places around the world that run cooler than most this time of year.
Scotland
Scotland is a great place to spend a summer holiday, especially if you’re someone who struggles with heat.
You’ll also find plenty of stunning castles and cities with striking architecture to explore. Covered in lush greenery and wildflowers, the Scottish Highlands are genuinely beautiful in summer.
Average daytime temperatures in July and August generally run around 17-19°C, and often cooler further north, so summer coolness here is close to a sure thing.
Redwood National Park
Shaped by the Pacific, the towering coniferous coastal forests of Redwood National Park in Northern California offer plenty of shaded trails paired with genuinely pleasant conditions for long summer walks.
Average daytime temperatures in July and August run around 16-17°C, occasionally reaching up to about 20°C.
Ireland
Traveling through Ireland’s vivid green landscapes is a great way to escape hot summer days farther south.
In July and August, the Emerald Isle enjoys pleasant, spring-like temperatures of around 19-20°C.
One more thing: if you’re heading out for a walk, don’t forget a light jacket or at least a raincoat.
Weather here can be genuinely unpredictable, and sudden rain showers are common even in summer.
Finnish Lakeland
You really can’t go wrong with Finland if you’re looking to escape hot, sticky city weather.
This Nordic country is proud of its thousands of lakes, offering clear, cool, fresh air with pleasant temperatures generally between 17 and 23°C during the warmest months of the year.
Alps
The jagged mountain range at the heart of Europe isn’t just a popular ski destination.
Summer here has its own charm and beauty.
The mountains offer green alpine meadows, picturesque towns, fragrant pine forests, and comfortable temperatures around, or just above, 20°C.
Even in spots like the Swiss city of Lucerne, tucked in the foothills of the Alps, temperatures rarely climb past 25°C.
Bulgarian Mountains
The Rhodopes, Rila, Pirin, and Stara Planina rank among Europe’s most beautiful mountain ranges, offering a genuinely refreshing sense of cool even in the height of summer.
Few things beat exploring medieval monasteries tucked among old coniferous forests while temperatures outside sit around 20-24°C.
Denmark
The fairy-tale homeland of Hans Christian Andersen is a genuine paradise for anyone who loves mild, refreshing weather.
With average daytime temperatures around 20-21°C in July and August, Denmark’s weather is warm enough to spend plenty of time outdoors while staying comfortably cool.
Mount Rainier National Park
During summer, Washington State is one of the cooler states in the US.
Home to some of the world’s most beautiful coniferous forests, Mount Rainier National Park sits at the heart of this lush, green landscape.
In August, the warmest month, average daytime temperatures reach only around 17°C.
If you love natural beauty and dislike hot weather, this place will genuinely win you over.
Norway’s Fjordland
During spells of unbearable summer heat elsewhere, Norway’s fjord coastline feels like a genuine oasis.
Average daytime temperatures generally run between 15 and 20°C, with everything about it feeling like a pleasant spring day.
Deep green landscapes dominate the scenery, and the Atlantic brings a constant, fresh scent of sea air.
Glacier National Park
The name kind of gives it away, right? This Montana destination sits far up north (it borders Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada) and deep in the Rocky Mountains, and it’s genuinely known for more than two dozen glaciers. It’s also home to around 200 waterfalls and 700 lakes, though frigid water temperatures make swimming here a challenge best left to the hardiest visitors.
The famous Going-to-the-Sun Road offers stunning scenic views, but it’s only fully open from late June (occasionally early July) through September, since it takes crews all of April, May, and June to clear snowdrifts that can run up to 80 feet deep. This is genuinely your place if you want the feeling of winter scenery in the middle of summer.
Mackinac Island
Sitting in the Great Lakes between Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas, Mackinac Island is a cool destination for more than one reason. Cars are banned on the island, only horse-drawn carriages are allowed, so a visit here genuinely feels like stepping back in time. The whole island is a National Historic Landmark, and several individual buildings carry their own separate Landmark designations. One of those, the 140-plus-year-old Grand Hotel, has hosted guests ranging from Thomas Edison to sitting US presidents.
Summer highlights on the island include windjammer sailing races, a 10-day lilac festival, and an annual stone-skipping competition. But the real highlight is the weather: average high temperatures from June through September sit at a genuinely comfortable 72°F (22°C).
Wisconsin Dells
Want to cool off at a waterpark? Wisconsin Dells is the place to go.
Billed as the “waterpark capital of the world,” this small community of just a few thousand residents somehow hosts more than 20 waterparks, including the country’s largest outdoor waterpark, Noah’s Ark, and one of the largest indoor waterparks at the Kalahari Resort. (Oddly enough, the town also claims the world’s largest Trojan horse statue and largest pink flamingo statue.)
Beyond waterparks, Wisconsin Dells offers boat tours of various kinds, including amphibious “Duck” tours. These take you along the actual Dells of the Wisconsin River, with cliffs and striking rock formations rising as high as 100 feet above the waterline.
Hey everyone! I’m Luciana, a travel writer from Colombia. I focus on places I know and love — mostly Colombia, Central America, and North America.
I’m all about discovering those hidden gems that don’t always make it into the guidebooks — think street food stalls, quiet little towns, underrated hiking trails, and the kind of real-life moments that truly capture what a place is all about.
Whether I’m wandering through vibrant markets in Guatemala, cruising across the deserts of the U.S., or hiking the Andes, I try to keep it real and useful — no fluff, just the good stuff.
When I’m not off exploring or writing about it, you’ll probably find me sipping too much coffee, editing photos, or dreaming up my next trip.
Let’s keep discovering and traveling smarter — one trip at a time.