Home » America Travel News » London, Brooklyn, New York City, Paris, Amsterdam, San Francisco, Barcelona Set to Unite with Smart Travel Revolution During Summer Trips as Home Swapping Skyrocketing US Vacationers, What You Need To Know
Sunday, May 25, 2025
London, Brooklyn, New York City, Paris, Amsterdam, San Francisco, Barcelona, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Berlin are not just top travel destinations—they’re now at the heart of a smart travel revolution. These iconic cities are where home swapping is not just trending, it’s skyrocketing among U.S. vacationers. As summer heats up, these ten cities unite with a new purpose—transforming how Americans travel. No more overpriced hotels. No more cookie-cutter rentals. Instead, U.S. vacationers are choosing real homes, real neighborhoods, and real experiences. This isn’t just a shift—it’s a movement. A summer trip to London or Brooklyn now means more than sightseeing. It means smart travel, shared spaces, and authentic moments.
Curious? You should be. Because Paris, Amsterdam, San Francisco, Barcelona, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Berlin are all rewriting the rules—and this story reveals what you need to know. London, Brooklyn, New York City, Paris, Amsterdam, San Francisco, Barcelona, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Berlin are not just travel hotspots anymore—they are the epicenters of a rising movement. A movement that’s flipping the script on how Americans approach their summer escapes. These ten iconic cities are now the face of a bold new trend that’s capturing the imagination of U.S. vacationers everywhere: home swapping.
Home swapping isn’t just back—it’s exploding. And this summer, it’s skyrocketing faster than anyone predicted. As inflation climbs and traditional travel becomes a luxury fewer can afford, U.S. vacationers are getting smarter, more resourceful, and much more intentional. They’re no longer chasing overpriced hotel rooms or battling unpredictable short-term rentals. Instead, they’re turning to a smarter way to explore.
And the stars of this revolution? London, Brooklyn, New York City, Paris, Amsterdam, San Francisco, Barcelona, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Berlin. These cities have united under a common banner—one driven by value, connection, and authenticity.
Why now? Because U.S. vacationers are no longer willing to pay more and get less. They’re tired of rising hotel fees, hidden rental charges, and cold, impersonal stays. They want meaningful travel. They want cultural depth. And above all, they want to feel at home, even when they’re miles away. That’s where home swapping enters the scene—delivering the very experience traditional accommodations struggle to offer.
But it’s not just about cutting costs. There’s something deeper at play. When U.S. vacationers swap homes in places like London, Brooklyn, or Barcelona, they’re getting more than a roof over their heads. They’re gaining access to neighborhoods, communities, and a rhythm of life no hotel brochure can replicate. In New York City and Paris, it means waking up in a real home, sipping coffee on a balcony, and shopping at a corner market instead of reading laminated welcome guides.
Meanwhile, Amsterdam, San Francisco, and Berlin are redefining what travel looks like. These cities offer not just attractions but immersion. And when travelers swap homes here, they’re not just passing through—they’re living it. They’re adopting the pace, savoring the culture, and becoming part of the local pulse, if only for a week.
Brooklyn, Chicago, and Los Angeles add their own flair to this narrative. Each city brings a different energy—urban cool, artistic grit, or coastal calm—and U.S. vacationers are embracing it through personalized stays, neighborly vibes, and authentic surroundings. The home swapping model lets them experience the best of each destination, minus the tourist traps and overpriced extras.
What makes this all the more thrilling is how fast this shift is happening. Reports show a surge in home swapping signups, especially in these ten cities. U.S. vacationers aren’t hesitating—they’re acting. They’re logging off travel sites and diving into communities built on trust, shared spaces, and unforgettable experiences.
So what’s the takeaway? That London, Brooklyn, New York City, Paris, Amsterdam, San Francisco, Barcelona, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Berlin have united in an unspoken pact with the modern traveler. A pact to make travel more human again.
This isn’t just a trend. It’s a revolution. And it’s only just beginning. Keep reading—because what’s happening in these cities could change how we all travel next.
Summer travel isn’t slowing down—it’s evolving. And fast.
Faced with rising travel costs, inflation, and mounting dissatisfaction with traditional lodging, U.S. travelers are rewriting the rules of vacationing. A newly released 2025 Summer Travel Report from Kindred reveals a powerful trend that could reshape the entire travel industry: Americans are getting smarter, more intentional, and more emotionally connected to how they travel.
They aren’t canceling summer. They’re just choosing better.
And the shift is seismic.
Travel Costs Are Climbing—But So Is Traveler Intention
This summer, the average U.S. getaway costs $259.20 more per person than before. But instead of cutting travel out of their lives, 90% of Americans are actively looking for ways to save money without sacrificing experience.
They’re staying with friends. They’re booking longer trips for less. And they’re getting creative—with home swapping now taking center stage.
More than 12% of travelers are already turning to home exchange platforms, and that number is rising. While the concept has long been popular in Europe and Australia, Americans are now catching on fast. And they’re doing so for reasons that go far beyond their wallets.
Hotels and Rentals Are Losing Ground
Hotel stays and short-term rentals, once the go-to standards of vacation lodging, are now under scrutiny. According to the report, 84% of hotel guests and 84% of short-term rental users report serious pain points with their stays.
Top hotel frustrations include:
- High costs for extras (30%)
- Noise and disruptions (27%)
- Expensive food and limited kitchen access (26% and 22%)
Short-term rental guests aren’t faring much better:
- High cleaning and service fees (18%)
- Rising prices (19%)
- A lack of human connection (13%)
As these frustrations mount, travelers are questioning the value of traditional lodging altogether. Meanwhile, the pressure of economic uncertainty is forcing them to stretch every travel dollar further.
Kindred’s Home Swapping Model Offers a New Way Forward
Enter Kindred, a global home-swapping community now boasting over 100,000 members. With a 7x year-over-year increase in U.S. membership, it’s clear: travelers want more than just a place to sleep. They want affordability, flexibility, and meaningful human connection.
Kindred reports that:
- 90% of users join to save money
- 52% want to live like locals
- 51% say it helps them travel more often
- 45% use it for longer stays
- 44% see it as a more sustainable, values-aligned way to travel
- 26% now travel significantly more than before
And the savings are massive. The average Kindred trip costs about one-tenth of a typical short-term rental. That means more experiences, more destinations, and more memories—without the credit card stress.
The Most Popular Home Swap Cities This Summer
As the trend heats up, so do the most desired destinations among Kindred members. In the U.S. and abroad, travelers are flocking to cities that offer rich culture, vibrant local life, and a chance to truly live, not just visit.
Top booked home swap destinations include:
- London
- Brooklyn
- New York City
- Paris
- Amsterdam
- San Francisco
- Barcelona
- Chicago
- Los Angeles
- Berlin
These cities aren’t just photogenic. They’re experience-rich and increasingly unaffordable via hotels. Home swapping offers a solution that doesn’t cut corners on quality or immersion.
The Deeper Shift: Travel That Aligns With Values
Today’s travelers are navigating more than rising prices. They’re dealing with a deeper sense of urgency—to travel with purpose. Economic shifts have sparked emotional shifts. People are rethinking what makes a trip worth it.
It’s no longer just about getting away. It’s about why and how.
Many Americans are rejecting the transactional nature of modern hospitality. They want authenticity, connection, and community—not upcharges and checkout timers. Home swapping fills that void, allowing travelers to feel at home abroad and to experience life in new cities from the inside out.
Moreover, this model supports sustainable travel by reducing the carbon footprint associated with building and maintaining large hotels. It encourages reuse, local integration, and slower, more mindful exploration.
What This Means for the Industry
This isn’t just a summer blip—it’s a transformation. As inflation bites deeper, and as trust in traditional accommodations wears thin, home swapping could soon become a mainstream travel option. Hotels and rental platforms will need to pivot or risk becoming outdated relics of a pre-pandemic travel era.
Tourism boards, hospitality brands, and destination marketers should take note. The next generation of travelers isn’t motivated by points programs or rooftop lounges. They’re motivated by meaning, value, and experience.
If the 2025 summer season is any indication, the travel industry is at a crossroads. The smart money? It’s on the travelers choosing deeper connection over luxury, and long-term value over short-term flash.
Final Thoughts
This summer, Americans aren’t staying home. They’re just traveling smarter.
They’re swapping inflated hotel bills for real homes. They’re trading noisy lobbies for quiet neighborhoods. And they’re replacing stress with story-worthy experiences.
The message is clear: the future of travel is not only about where we go—but how wisely we get there.
Tags: affordable travel USA, Amsterdam summer travel, Berlin home exchange, Brooklyn travel, Budget Travel Tips, home swapping USA, hotel alternatives, inflation and tourism, Kindred travel community, Los Angeles Travel, Paris tourism, short-term rental trends, Summer Travel 2025, sustainable travel, travel trends 2025, US travel report 2025
