Window shopping #61

The travel trend reshaping summer vacations, my unexpected hiking era, and a new obssession with Alpine stays

This is Window Shopping, a weekly mini-letter from Window Seat—your stylish scroll through what’s new and noteworthy in the world of travel. Each issue blends timely headlines, personal favorites, and design-forward hotels to keep your wanderlust well-fed.

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Despite rising costs, 79% of Americans still plan to take a summer vacation this year, even as nearly half say one feels financially out of reach. Priceline’s inaugural State of Summer Travel Report paints a picture of travelers who refuse to skip the trip, they’re simply changing everything around it. More people are cutting everyday spending, relying on AI to hunt for deals, and making compromises they later regret (like staying with family instead of in hotels or booking connecting flights instead of flying direct). Perhaps the most interesting finding: the middle of the market is shrinking, with travelers increasingly falling into one of two camps—either keeping trips under $500 or spending $5k+, while the usual middle-tier trip continues to disappear. Yet another sign that the travel industry is becoming increasingly polarized between budget and luxury.

World Cup visitors are being encouraged to pack one very American souvenir. With the World Cup bringing millions of international visitors to the US, Kraft Heinz is leaning into one of America’s most unexpectedly iconic food obsessions: ranch dressing. The company has launched a limited-edition, TSA-compliant 3.4-ounce bottle designed specifically for travelers to tuck into their carry-on after discovering the condiment stateside. It’s a clever piece of destination marketing that turns an everyday grocery item into a travel souvenir, and a reminder that some of the strongest travel memories aren’t landmarks at all, but the quirky local foods you can’t stop thinking about once you’re home.

Somewhere between fly fishing and horseback riding in the Irish countryside and trails circling alpine lakes in British Columbia, I’ve somehow become…an outdoors person? This is an unexpected development for me, but I’m fully embracing it. The only caveat is that I refuse to sacrifice style in the process (hikers always look so cool!!), so I’m slowly building an appropriate wardrobe. This time around I really appreciated Stretch Your Story’s activewear sets (the leggings don’t budge—I’m never pulling them up which is a huge deal for me) and this windbreaker, which was the perfect layering piece at altitude while packing down small enough to easily toss in my backpack once the sun came out. I also have these legit hiking pants in the mail that I’m super excited about and am eyeing pretty much everything from this brand.

Rosewood Schloss Fuschl — Salzburg, Austria

Ever since getting my first taste of a true mountain resort in Whistler (more on that soon), I’ve been completely sold on alpine escapes, specifically in their summertime state. Naturally, I’ve already found the next one I’m dreaming about, which happens to be in the Austrian Alps, just 25 minutes outside Salzburg. Set in a restored 15th-century castle on the shores of Lake Fuschl, it’s home to a lakeside spa, alpine hiking, boating, and the kind of storybook scenery that makes a hotel feel like its own destination. If there were ever a hotel that could convince me to trade city life for the mountains, this might be it.

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Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.