With life’s daily noise and the stress of our lives, school, and jobs, there are times when we need to unwind and give ourselves a reward for our hard work. We feel like an overstretched rubber band that needs to be let go for a while to gain our shape back. This is where vacations become a necessity. It can be a time when we lounge by a beach or go somewhere far and climb a mountain.
Vacations can be spent with family or friends, or sometimes spent gloriously alone. Whichever you choose, listen to these 21 best songs about vacation and notice the songs that fit your current mood.
Table of Contents
- 21. Pure Shores by All Saints
- 20. Kokomo by The Beach Boys
- 19. Summertime by NIKI
- 18. Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer by Nat King Cole
- 17. Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles
- 16. Summer Girls by LFO
- 15. Havana by Camila Cabello ft Young Thug
- 14. Summer by Calvin Harris
- 13. Cool for the Summer by Demi Lovato
- 12. Old Town Road by Lil Nas X ft Billy Ray Cyrus
- 11. California Girls by Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg
- 10. Cruisin’ by Huey Lewis and Gwyneth Paltrow
- 9. Vacation by G.R.L.
- 8. Surfin’ U.S.A. by The Beach Boys
- 7. Malibu by Miley Cyrus
- 6. Summer Paradise by Simple Plan ft Sean Paul
- 5. Sweet Disposition by Temper Trap
- 4. Come Away With Me by Norah Jones
- 3. Good Girls on Vacation by Flo Rida
- 2. Paris by The Chainsmokers
- 1. You Send Me by Aretha Franklin
21. Pure Shores by All Saints
This is one of the best beach songs, with it being part of the movie The Beach featuring Leonardo DiCaprio which was released back in 2000. Nevermind the struggles and the ending of the movie. This song will remind you of days when you are one with a beautiful beach and your only wish was to stay there forever.
20. Kokomo by The Beach Boys
If we’re talking about songs that remind you of the beach, palm trees, and beaches like those in Florida, listen to this old and classic song by The Beach Boys. This is a timeless beach theme song that will make you want to relax and take things slow. The breezy melody of this song will surely take you to a beach wonderland.
19. Summertime by NIKI
NIKI’s easygoing voice takes you to a summer moment in your childhood where everything is just fine. This song has such a simple and precious music video where there is a kid from Little League that hangs out with his father in their car back in the 90s (or earlier.) Seat Belt laws were not yet a thing, kids could sit in front of the car, cassette tapes played on the radio. At home LPs or vinyl records are played on turntables. This is what summer vacations looked like to a child. There’s no school, there’s baseball, and if you’re lucky, your home is just the best place to hang out in.
18. Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer by Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole described it best. Summer vacations are a mix of lazy, hazy, and crazy days. People are on the beach, having picnics, and lovers go out on romantic getaways. School is out, work is a bit more relaxed because the sun is shining brightly. Who wouldn’t want to eat pretzels, drink ice cold beers and sodas when thinking about these days? It’s just amazing.
17. Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles
The word vacation is almost synonymous to summer. (Not discounting other folks who love to go on winter escapades, those are awesome too.) This pop song by Harry Styles which was released in 2019 under his album Fine Line sings about the free and easy days of summer love. It’s something you don’t know if you “could ever live without.”
16. Summer Girls by LFO
A lot of modern music videos use 80s and 90s themes. Here is a music video which authentically came out in the 90s. Summer vacations are for carnivals, street dancing, the beach, and of course, endless times hanging out with friends. These are the days when you get out of your home in the morning and stay out late into the night just hanging out with your squad. Carefree vacations are the best.
15. Havana by Camila Cabello ft Young Thug
It’s impossible not to dance to this song because there’s something so enticing about Latina music and dancing. It sings of a love affair in Havana, a place in Cuba. Camila Cabello dedicates this song to the dreamers. A song that suggests a vacation in Havana, Cuba? Count us in!
14. Summer by Calvin Harris
Electronic beats, car races, party music, swimming in the ocean, giant house parties, the summer theme is a huge part of people’s happiness. Perhaps the sun and the heat influence these things. Parties and vacations are things all of us universally enjoy.
13. Cool for the Summer by Demi Lovato
Summer vacations are known for summer love affairs. This is a time when we are all carefree and simply seeking happiness. Most of the time, these remain as summer affairs that are left behind as the vacation ends. This song tells us exactly about how it feels to be in a summer fling. This song was released in 2015 under Demi Lovato’s album, 538 Hitzone 75.
12. Old Town Road by Lil Nas X ft Billy Ray Cyrus
Vacations are the times when you can take long road trips without worrying about the next day’s school schedule or your sign in for your work. Old Town Road is a pretty cool cowboy song which makes you want to take a road trip either with a sports car like a Maserrati or an actual horse. The cowboy life is still so alive.
11. California Girls by Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg
From Katy Perry’s 2010 album, Teenage Dream, this song is one of her biggest hits. It’s her ode to her beloved California. In her music video, California is portrayed to have cotton candy clouds, cake mountains and all the sweets, this place is an absolute wonderland. It seems like the land of summer, a vacation paradise.
10. Cruisin’ by Huey Lewis and Gwyneth Paltrow
This song is a huge part of the movie Duets which was released in 2000. The movie’s story is mostly about singing in karaokes but close your eyes and truly listen to the lyrics. If the song Cruisin’ won’t make you think of vacations, hardly anything will. Think about riding on a cruise ship and enjoying the sounds of the ocean, the undisturbed sunrise and sunset views and all the creature comforts of that vacation.
9. Vacation by G.R.L.
Vacations do not always mean going somewhere cold, somewhere tropical, or somewhere even exciting. Vacations can simply be states of mind. In this song, G.R.L. sings about a tiresome relationship that she needs a break from. Her girlfriends rescue her and take her on a vacation to help her get through her relationship problem.
8. Surfin’ U.S.A. by The Beach Boys
Back to the beach! Vacations by the beach are the best. Sand between your toes, the salty air, the sound of the waves, and the vastness of the ocean are some things that we can never get tired of. This classic song is the same. It never gets old. It will always remind you to take a vacation and spend it surfing on the beach.
7. Malibu by Miley Cyrus
This is a song that is personal to Miley Cyrus. It is a love song dedicated to her beloved and sings about the happiness he gave her life by the beach in Malibu. It is a kind of love that is like the ocean with its waves, mysteries, and depth. Miley Cyrus even had a house in this popular vacation destination.
6. Summer Paradise by Simple Plan ft Sean Paul
Most vacation songs sing about the carefree affairs and flings that people get involved in during their vacations. Not this one. This song is a longing for that vacation love affair. A love lost as the vacation ended brought pain and longing to this guy.
5. Sweet Disposition by Temper Trap
This electro pop song is so easy on the ears. It’s easy to sing and get lost in. It is one of the iconic songs played in the movie 500 Days of Summer. Despite the movie having a plot that will make you think, this song will put you on vacation mode. It’s a song that can transport you to a place of relaxation.
4. Come Away With Me by Norah Jones
This beautiful song came out in 2002. It is an enthralling romantic song that would make you want to come away and escape with your beloved. A vacation in the mountaintops is suggested in this song. Why not? It’s serene and peaceful; and sometimes, we all just need a departure from our normal lives. That’s what a vacation should be.
3. Good Girls on Vacation by Flo Rida
This is a playful song talking about women who are on vacation. Flo Rida seems to think that these women who are acting daring and promiscuous are all good girls with a vacation mindset. There are a lot of descriptions for women in this song and the party tunes can make this a song to dance to during vacations.
2. Paris by The Chainsmokers
Vacation time is the perfect time to travel to your dream destination. For so many people, it is definitely Paris. The City of Lights is always at the top of people’s list of places to visit. This song is about a very young couple who are escaping parents and are doing what young ones do in Paris. Falling in love and having a getaway.
1. You Send Me by Aretha Franklin
From Summer Vacations, let’s go to Winter and Christmas Vacations since both are pretty amazing. This song by Aretha Franklin was featured in the last scene in the movie The Holiday. Final scenes are mostly always happy when things are all tied up and everyone gets their happily ever after. Like vacations, these moments are more often than not, always happy and worth celebrating.