Summer Poll Results: Bring on the Beach

There's a 95 percent chance Senior Editor Christine Sarkis is thinking about travel right now. Follow her on Instagram @postcartography and Twitter @ChristineSarkis.

Christine Sarkis is an SATW-award-winning journalist and executive editor at SmarterTravel. Her stories have also appeared on USA Today, Conde Nast Traveler, Huffington Post, and Business Insider. Her advice has been featured in dozens of print and online publications including The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, and People magazine. She has also shared travel tips on television and radio shows including Good Morning America, Marketplace, and Here & Now. Her work has been published in the anthologies Spain from a Backpack and The Best Women's Travel Writing 2008. She is currently working on a travel memoir.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: The Trtl Pillow. It's easy to pack and comfortable, and makes it so I can actually sleep on flights.

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: Seeing the Aurora Borealis from the comfort of somewhere warm, like a glass igloo or hot spring.

Travel Motto: Curiosity is an amazing compass.

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: Aisle all the way.

Email Christine Sarkis at editor@smartertravel.com.

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The summer vacation poll results are in, and the clear winner is the beach vacation. Nearly 40 percent of voters said they were headed for the sun, sand, and surf this season.

Outdoor escapes, including camping, trips to national parks, and mountain and lake getaways pulled in 18 percent of the vote. European vacations tied for second place, with plenty of people looking to France, Spain, Britain, Germany, and elsewhere in Europe to enrich their summer.

Fewer of you are gearing up for a city break or road trip this summer. And a measly 4 percent of respondents said they were getting way off the beaten path on trips like Amazon cruises or African safaris.

I’m in the outdoor escape category this summer, with a trip to Lake Tahoe and plenty of hiking, kayaking, and picnicking in my future. What about you? Got a good summer travel plan? Share it with other readers below!

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