5. Quebec, Canada
Make your summer one for the books with a trip to French Canada in July. The weather is lovely, and cities in Quebec come alive with festivals all month long.
The world’s biggest jazz festival, the Montreal International Jazz Festival, runs from late June through early July. It draws some two million tourists and features performances by some 3,000 artists from around the world, hundreds of which occur outdoors and come with no admission charge.
Not into jazz? Don’t worry – this diverse festival also features an eclectic array of other genres, including reggae, blues, rock, pop, and electronica.
Montreal also treats visitors to a visually driven artistic experience in July with the Montreal Completement Cirque, a circus festival that runs the first week and a half of the month. During the 10-day extravaganza, daring acrobats perform mesmerizing feats in public squares. Many of the Cirque du Soleil-style shows are free – offsetting the high prices you’ll likely pay for a trip to Montreal during this popular time of year.
6. Boston, Massachusetts
American Independence Day is a big deal in Boston, Massachusetts. The historic city’s Fourth of July celebration is actually the biggest in the nation, drawing around three million visitors from America and abroad every year. Boston Harborfest kicks off a few days before the big holiday, with cruises in the harbor, historical reenactments, tours of replica 18th-century sailing vessels, and guided strolls of the North End that focus on Paul Revere (a hero of the American Revolution).
The event peaks on the night of July 4th, when the famous Boston Pops Orchestra performs patriotic music (complete with cannon blasts!) while an impressive fireworks display lights up the night sky. Catch the action from the Hatch Memorial Shell or along the Longfellow Bridges.
