Travel Window: July 15- July 21

Cappadocia, Cave diving, Lots of Pickles, Kyoto X2, Johannesburgh, Hawaii, Buenos Aires, Hang Gliding vs Paragliding, and a few more music festivals.

Author

Logan Gross
April 26, 2024

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Intl. Balloon Festival Cappadocia, Turkey

BEST TIME

Jul 14 to Jul 20

You are probably all aware of Cappadocia and the fact that it is the hot air balloon capital of the whole world, but did you know that they host an international balloon festival every year in July? Not only can you witness an enlarged sea (250 balloons) of huge patterned flame fueled balloons, but you also get to fly over the other-worldly architecture and landscape (commonly dubbed a 'Lunar Landscape').

Learn More - Guide

Picklesburgh Pittsburgh, USA

ONLY TIME

Jul 18 to Jul 21

If you're a pickle lover, idk where else in the world you would be happier. Everything is pickle themed, and obviously they have a TON of pickled foods, foods with pickles in them, pickled flavored everything and pickles themselves. Each year a single attendant is crowned as the mayor of Picklesburgh, decided by a pickle juice chugging competition. This event is epic, haha.

Learn More - Official Website

Kyoto Japan

CHEAPEST TIME

Jun 01 to Aug 31

When you picture what ancient Japan looks like, you're probably picturing something from Kyoto, the country's cultural capital. There are over 1,000 years of rich Japanese history deep in every corner of the city with bamboo forests, rural landscapes, temples and shrines. The food scene is rich, as expected. This is an expensive destination, so going in July can really help lighten that financial burden. The tourism peaks have reportedly been taking a little bit of a toll on the average citizen so going during low season can also be a more sustainable tourism practice.

Learn More - Guide

Cave Diving Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

ACTIVITY JUNKIES

Apr 01 to Sep 30

As an avid diver myself, I can say that this is in the top 3 or 4 worldwide diving experiences that you hear about when talking to other divers. Hidden in the jungle, the cenotes are vertical caves filled with fresh water. They're good for swimming, but even better for cave diving because you can actually explore the caverns and caves. If you've ever explored a cave, you understand the cool factor of the weird stalactites and stalagmites, and the odd shape of these things, but now add in a factor of scuba diving and... Idk actually, I haven't gone yet. But it's on my list!

Learn More - Guide

Full Destination List

Best Time

This time of year offers the best that this destination has to offer.

Johannesburg South Africa - May 01 to Sep 30 - Tons of museums, safari trips, food & drink experiences, great beaches and markets make Johannesburg a wonderful, unique destination for world travelers. It does have a bad reputation for being dangerous but if you avoid certain areas, the worst you may experience is apparently theft. With that being said, I have heard amazing reviews from solo travelers and I've read enough online to be heavily intrigued about this South African City. This time of year is the best for wildlife viewing. - Guide

Honolulu Hawaii, USA - May 01 to Sep 30 - July is a busy time, but also the best time to enjoy all of that which Honolulu (and the rest of Hawaii) has to offer. Most importantly it is warm enough to enjoy all the water sports you want and dry enough to enjoy everything on land. You guys know what Hawaii is all about; water sports and volcanos. Fun Facts: Technically Hawaii is in Oceania (the Australian continent) not North America. Hawaii has it's own time zone, no other inhabited place uses it, so you're literally on island time. - Blog

Cheapest time

This one is self explanatory

*Kyoto Japan - Jun 01 to Aug 31 - Highlighted above - Guide

Buenos Aires Argentina - Jun 01 to Aug 31 - Argentinian steaks, a vibrant tango scene (this was the birthplace of tango), great museums & architecture, and a very strong culture. You can find all these things in 'The Paris of South America'. In July, the skiing is the best it's going to get, but the city is actually the cheapest all year because of the weather (Avg. 50F/10C). It's also season for whale watching in July. - Guide

Activity Junkies

For anyone like me, who is addicted to doing new and unique stuff.

*Cave Diving Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico - Apr 01 to Sep 30 - Highlighted above - Guide

Hang Gliding Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - May 01 to Aug 31 - I have to just say this upfront, hang gliding is not paragliding, it is way cooler. You are superman style flying through the air with a higher speed, better glide ratio, and these all can lead to longer flights if your guide is able to catch the right thermals (Upward air streams caused by temperature differentials that can extend your flight by literally lifting you up again). In rio de Janeiro, you can fly over the city, and the rainforest in one flight. - Blog

Only Time

These are temporary events that you need to go during this travel window to experience.

*International Balloon Festival Cappadocia, Turkey - Jul 14 to Jul 20 - Highlighted above - Guide

*Picklesburgh Pittsburgh, USA - Jul 18 to Jul 21 - Highlighted above - Official Website

Gion Matsuri Kyoto, Japan - Jul 17 to Jul 24 - Dating back to 869AD, this is Japan's biggest annual festival featuring street parties, food events, and huge floats in big parades. The city is decorated and the air is dense with the sound of music as people enjoy the whole month of celebrations (but the main days are the 17th and the 24th). Everyone in the pictures I am seeing is wearing this cool all white outfit so they make up a sea of white dots from afar. Each year there is a local boy who is selected to be a 'divine messenger' and he is not allowed to touch the ground from the 13th until he has paraded all throughout town on the 17th. - Blog

MUSIC FESTIVALS

Das Fest Karlsruhe, Germany - Jul 18 to Jul 21 - These are the genres that Wiki lists for this festival: Rock, Pop, hip hop, Reggae, Dancehall, Folk, Punk, Techno, Tech house... Anyway, it's a big fest 200,000+ attendants, with a name that directly translates to "The Party". Headliners: Peter Fox, Bosse, Nina Chuba and LEA - Official Website

Electrobeach Le Barcares, France - Jul 14 to Jul 16 - An EDM festival right on the beach with ~180,000 attendants known for its high production value. Headliners: Armin Van Buuren, Harwell, Steve Aoki - Full lineup

Benicassim Festival (FIB) Spain - Jul 18 to Jul 20 - This is a big music festival with varying genres, but they also feature quite a bit of other art forms like short films, fashion shows and... art. Headliners: Black Eyed Peas, The Libertines, Yungblud, Milky Chance - Full Lineup

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Logan Gross

P.S. I don’t have any affiliations or sponsorships, nor do I make any money from this project so the only influence on the writing and the choice of destinations is me.