Jetsetters and sports lovers alike are buzzing about this summer's upcoming 30th Olympic Games in London, England. Accommodations are booking up quickly and the city is preparing for a huge influx of visitors from around the world.

Depending how you feel about crowds, London may or may not be the right travel destination for you in the coming months. But you can still get inspired by visiting past -- and future -- Olympics sites this summer, and capture some of the glory of the games while satisfying your wanderlust.

London, England: Summer Olympics 2012

London, England from BootsnAll
While we all know the famous sights London has to offer, like Big Ben, the London Eye, Trafalgar Square, and Buckingham Palace, there’s also plenty of other fantastic, off-the-radar things to see and do while traveling to England’s capital. Read more>

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Summer Olympics 2016

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from Travelwolf
Rio is a portrait of all of Brazil's contradictions. The gorgeous coastline of the Atlantic rainforest drapes down the hillsides, which are covered with a vast labyrinth of favelas (shanty towns) and spill onto the loveliest urban beaches in the world, lined with the very chic apartments of Brazil's wealthiest class. Read more>

Beijing, China: Summer Olympics 2008

Beijing, China from TravelMuse
Beijing hosted the Summer Olympics in 2008. Much of the city was in upheaval as infrastructure was being frenetically constructed and sights were being renovated for the Games. Post-Olympics visitors can look forward to some modern additions to the city’s attractions, including the Water Cube and the Bird’s Nest. Read more>

Sydney, Australia: Summer Olympics 2000

Sydney, Australia from Let's Go
Australia’s unofficial capital, Sydney blends liveliness and loveliness as one of the world’s greatest cities. Home to more than one-fifth of the continent’s population, Sydney is Australia’s major urban center, and it certainly looks the part... Read more>

Barcelona, Spain: Summer Olympics 1992

Barcelona, Spain from Guidepal
Barcelona is a city for all people, made up of many disparate parts that somehow meld to form this distinct and stunning city. From its historical Roman roots that can still be touched, to the boisterous, late-night-loving party scene, to the kilometers of beaches that stretch out along the Mediterranean, there is something for everyone here. Read more>

Moscow, Russia: Summer Olympics 1980

Moscow, Russia from Rough Guides
The city is huge, surreal and exciting. After a few weeks here, the bizarre becomes normal and you realize that life is – as Russians say – bespredel (without limits). Traditionally a place for strangers to throw themselves into debauchery, leaving poorer and wiser, Read more>

Winter is finally upon us, and while many travelers seek warmer climates, many others get into the spirit of the season and start planning snowy getaways. Skiing and snowboarding are two popular (and obvious) choices, but there are other options: snowshoeing, snow kayaking, snow cycling, and an expedition to the spectacular Arctic, just for starters. Check out some of these stories and get inspired to plan your own winter getaway!

The 12 Best Ski Resorts in North America
Every year as the leaves fall off the trees and Thanksgiving approaches, skiers and snowboarders dig into their closets, dust off their goggles, search for the other mitten and get ready to start thinking about the upcoming ski season... Read more>

Getting High on Skis in Piemonte, Italy
Panic, anxiety and extreme fear hit me like a runaway Vespa. After not having skied for over a decade, I had impulsively decided to go skiing in the Italian Alps… the very slopes that hosted the 2006 Winter Olympics in the Piemonte region of Italy... Read more: Read more>

Snowshoeing Flattop Peak
The great thing about Anchorage, Alaska is its proximity to everything outdoors - especially snow sports and activities. After a snowfall, there's no better way to take in the gorgeous scenery than snowshoeing, and Flattop Peak is a great place to get started... Read more>

Bicycling in the Snow
With the right gear, bicycling in the snow isn’t the worst of ideas. But without the right gear, and with a bit too much pride, those who try will probably end up like these guys... Read more>

Landscapes of the Arctic: Glaciers, Ice Fields and Pointed Peaks
There’s something haunting about the Arctic landscapes: aqua blue icebergs floating on crystal water, massive glaciers crackling in the background towered by snow mountains... Read more>

Trekking and hiking are not only great ways to see parts of the world that are otherwise inaccessible, but also a terrific way to stay in shape while exploring these incredible sights. Read some of the best articles we've found on exploring destinations like Nepal, the Caribbean, New Zealand, Chile and more by foot, all from the comfort of your armchair!

7 of the Best Trekking Destinations
Whether you are ice-climbing the glaciers of Patagonia or trekking through the Sahara Desert, trekking holidays amplify your view of a country, allowing you to see it from a wider point of view. Read more>

Five Great Hikes of Puerto Rico
When people think of a Caribbean island, beautiful palm-lined beaches are typically the first scene that comes to mind. However, the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, although containing many wonderful beaches, offers much more. Read more>

10 Best Hiking Trails in the World
From BootsnAll, here are the ten best hikes on the planet, each with a combination of scenery and special extras that make them well worth going out of your way to enjoy. Read more>

Trekking Round the World
Whether hiking through the ruins of Macchu Picchu, trekking the glaciers in Argentina or taking a quick break in a grassy field in Russia, sit back, relax and prepare to take a visual journey... Read more>

Hiking to the Base of Mount Everest
Everest sat high on the near horizon blowing its nose like a blizzard over the top of neighboring Lhotse, the eternal hurricane force winds scouring Everest from its west to east summits... Read more>

Chilean Patagonia: Wildlife Spotting in Torres del Paine
Surrounded by a natural arena of sunset-tinged and snow-capped peaks, it’s impossible to imagine a more wild and spectacular location than Lago Pehoé in southern Chile’s improbably scenic Torres del Paine National Park... Read more>

With Memorial Day weekend already behind us, the rush is on to make the most of your summertime travels. Get a jump on the crowds by reading our picks for some of the best summertime getaways this year. Whether you're looking for a hopping beach scene, an invigorating hike, or a weekend city break, we've got lots of options for you.

Let's Go's Top Travel Destinations for the Summer
Let's Go has compiled a list of its Top Travel Destinations this summer. Whether you're on a tight budget, looking to splurge after a winter of Scrooge-like miserliness, or simply studying abroad for the summer, this top ten list has got you covered. Read more>

Valencia, Spain: The Perfect Summer City
Dreaming of a sunny weekend dash to Europe? This excerpt from Lonely Planet Magazine shines a light on the juiciest picks of Valencia, the Spanish city that checks all the summer city break boxes. Read more>

Have Car, Will Travel: Eight New Ideas For Summer Road Trips
We’re drawn to the idea of the unknown, the adventure, the spontaneity of just hopping in the car and driving. Besides that, it’s cheap. Of course you’ll take a road trip this summer, it goes without saying, but why not spice it up this year with some new twists on an old favorite? Read more>

Top 10 Summer Cities
From city beaches to summer arts festivals, make the most of urban life with Rough Guides' list of top ten summer cities around the globe. Read more>

The Best Summer Hikes Around The World
From spectacular Mount Massive, Colorado to storybook beautiful Cinque Terre, Italy, these are some of Tripwolf's users' favorite hikes around the world. Read more>

GoNomad's Guide to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket
These Massachusetts islands are the jewels of the New England coast, with wonderful beaches, clean streets, friendly people and are both top notch travel experiences. They are the vacation choice of many of the rich and famous, but their charms are also easily available to the rest of us. Read more>