May 12, 2021

15 Best Places to Eat, Shop, and Stay for Summer 2021

Dana Bernardino

Looking for the perfect retail spots, restaurants, and hotels to check out this summer?

We’re all in need of a wardrobe refresh and some fun new spots to meet up with friends after more than a year of being stuck inside.

Finding the best new restaurants, venues, and summer fashion deals can be overwhelming. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. As you get ready to go out this summer, we’ve rounded up the 15 best places you need to check out:

1. TAO Asian Bistro & Lounge at Mohegan Sun

TAO just opened a brand new location in Mohegan Sun: a gorgeous Asian bistro and lounge that offers a distinctive culinary experience in the most dramatic setting Mohegan Sun has to offer. 

Guests can choose from a selection of Asian-inspired specialties, focusing on Chinese, Japanese, and Thai techniques and ingredients. It’s open seven nights a week, but space fills up fast so book a reservation to guarantee your spot!

2. Dog Haus 

Whether you’re celebrating the Fourth of July or watching the New York Mets play for the first time in what feels like forever, everyone needs a delicious hot dog to enjoy during the summer!

Dog Haus is the perfect spot to chow down on America’s most renowned all-beef hot dog made from the highest quality ingredients. With locations all around the country — from California to Texas to Massachusetts — Dog Haus is the perfect restaurant chain to check out this summer.

3. Vineyard Vines

Looking for the perfect new swimsuit, beach accessory, or flowy new dress to start this summer in style?

Vineyard Vines has got you covered — literally. Their new cover-ups are a must-have for a return to the beach, pool, lake, and everything in between. Vineyard Vines offers an amazing selection of clothing and accessories for men and women of all ages, and they even offer special discounts for first responders, teachers, military members and veterans, students, and doctors, and nurses! 

4. Ascension Coffee

Still working from home this summer?

No home office is complete without the perfect coffee to get your morning started. Ascension Coffee offers the best quality coffee that’s blended using the perfect mix of art and science. By utilizing the latest software, Ascension tracks and samples each roast from their roastery to ensure the quality is always on point. 

You can shop online to get any of their premium blends delivered straight to your home, or if you’re in North Texas this summer, you can head to one of Ascension’s six cafe locations

5. Chill-N Nitrogen Ice Cream

Taking a summer vacation to Florida this year?

No trip to the Sunshine State is complete without a visit to Chill-N Nitrogen Ice Cream, a custom-order ice cream shop that uses liquid nitrogen to flash freeze your ice cream instead of using the traditional churn method. 

Chill-N ice cream is made just moments before you eat it, giving you a unique freshness 

that will leave you satisfied and yearning for more. Check out their full list of flavors (which includes vegan and dairy-free options) to find out what all the hype is about.

6. The Forge Parks 

Tired of being cooped up indoors?

Then you’re in luck: Forge Parks is one of the coolest outdoor adventure parks in the world. With the country’s largest ropes challenge courses for kids and adults, Forgefire Adventure Dining, Laser Tag, Augmented Reality Adventure Games, lakes to fish and kayak on, and miles of flat hiking, running, and biking trails to explore, the possibilities for outdoor fun are endless when you visit The Forge.

Whether you’re looking for a great place to host a birthday party, a family reunion, or even a company retreat — The Forge is the perfect place to get outside, adventure, and have the summer of a lifetime. Head to The Forge’s website to discover all of the amazing features and opportunities available at The Forge for summer 2021 — including a special new Music in the Park summer series!

7. Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas

For New York and Jersey natives, there’s no better place to find the best wine and Italian tapas than Spuntino Wine Bar. Spuntino was created with the goal of introducing a wonderful breadth of world-class international wine that is paired with an expansive Italian, small plate menu.

Come dine at one of Spuntino’s three locations, or grab their special date night takeaway special for a romantic night at home. With fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients plus a menu that changes four times a year, you can never go wrong with a trip to Spuntino.

8. Loews Hotels

Still deciding on the perfect post-vaccine vacation spot?

Loews Hotels has locations across the country: from bustling Boston all the way to sunny San Diego, Loews Hotels and Resort is the perfect place for your summer getaway. Their locations all have luxury spas and amenities to perfect any trip, whether you’re traveling for business or for leisure. Plus, they’re pet-friendly, so you can bring along the whole family!

9. The Doral Yard

Finding the perfect hang out spot to please your whole friend group can be tough. One friend just wants to drink and eat good food, another friend is craving some live music, and then you’ve got that one friend that needs a spot where they can work hard and play hard at the same time.

So how can you please everybody?

With a trip to The Doral Yard! The Doral Yard is a community gathering space designed to foster local entrepreneurship and culture. Their beautiful 20,000-square-foot space is divided into two indoor/outdoor zones: The Hub and The Backyard, which includes an anchor restaurant.

This amazing venue is equipped with culinary delights, live entertainment, and round-the-clock events to Downtown Doral. The space features a mini-food hall, a co-working space, a meeting and event space, and a full indoor bar. It’s the perfect spot to take friends, coworkers, family, or all of the above, because there’s something for everyone at The Doral Yard. 

10. Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop

Looking for the best sandwich in town? We’ve got you covered.

Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop is renowned for their award-winning sub sandwiches made in-house, to order with homemade ingredients. Capriotti’s takes the time to roast whole, all-natural turkeys and roast beef in-house. They offer everything from cold, grilled, and vegetarian subs to cheese steaks and salads that are available at more than 110 locations in fifteen states across the U.S.

Check out the Capriotti’s interactive map to find your closest location now!

11. Sixty Vines

Got a trip planned to Texas, Florida, or Tennessee?

If you don’t yet, then you’ll want to once you see the beautiful wine-country-inspired setting of Sixty Vines. Whether it’s a special occasion, an intimate gathering with friends, a holiday party, or a much-needed break from your daily routine, Sixty Vines lets you wine and dine in what feels like an Italian villa. 

They have the perfect space and menus to accommodate any occasion because Sixty Vines know that event planning should be fun, not complicated. Their menus are inspired by the seasonal cuisine of the wine country, made with local ingredients, and brought to you fresh from Sixty Vines’ open kitchen. 

12. The Goodtime Hotel

What says summer like Miami Beach?

Miami is one of the most popular summer vacation spots in America, but if you’re going to Miami you have to go all in for style, luxury, and comfort.

The Goodtime Hotel is your universal passport to a good time. Located just outside the hustle of South Beach, Goodtime gives you the Miami experience while trading in the bustle for bliss. Their mission is based on a simple state of mind: having a good time.

Brought to you by international music icon Pharrell Williams and nightlife entrepreneur David Grutman, The Goodtime is a seven-story hotel that takes up an entire city block and comprises 266 stylish rooms, including a luxurious specialty suite. They have all the amenities you need, including a beach club, pool, yoga classes, and a luxury gym. There’s literally no better place to go if you’re looking for a good time. 

13. Philly Pretzel Factory 

There’s a reason why Philly Pretzel Factory is known as the place “where better gets made.”

When it comes to Philly Pretzels, better isn’t just about what goes into their pretzels; it’s about how you feel when you eat one…or two…or maybe four. Whether you’re hosting a tailgate, a birthday party, or a backyard movie night, Philly Pretzels are the perfect snack that your whole crew will love. After more than twenty years of twisting, Philly Pretzel Factory has perfected the art of the pretzel and now they’re over 170 stores strong!

14. Fossil Group 

When you’re hitting the town for the first time in a year (but feels like ten) you have to do it in style. 

Fossil Group has the ultimate collection of jewelry and watches to help you take on this summer at the top of your game. Fossil’s classic, timeless design is paired with the latest innovation and tech to give customers the best watches and accessories on the market. 

15. Prime Car Wash 

You can’t head to the best new restaurant in town or take the family for a cross-country vacation with a car that looks like it hasn’t left the garage since pre-pandemic times.

Prime Car Wash offers a unique service known as the “Flex Service Car Wash,” which gives you all the quality services of a traditional full-service car wash along with the speed and services of an exterior-only car wash. 

With Prime, they make sure your car is cleaned how you like it. So before you check out all the amazing restaurants, venues, and hotels on this list, make sure your car looks as sleek as you do with a trip to Prime Car Wash.

Dana Bernardino, Manager of Digital Marketing at 1Huddle

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