"Last year, we had more Hawaii and local vacations. People may still have been on the edge from 9-11. But now it seems they are tired of staying home and are ready to travel out of the country," Mary Hoppe, travel consultant at Travel Advisors of Los Gatos, said. She said she has not had any clients cancel their trips because of the July 7 London blasts.

That's not to say that no one is traveling to the sunny islands only five hours from California's coast, Kristy Sion, owner of Los Gatos Travel, said. It's just that vacationers are ready to sip wine, eat heartily and listen to scooters puttering around narrow streets, all under the Tuscan sun.

"Italy is our most popular destination right now," Sion said.

Christi Schwoob, an employee at Williams-Sonoma, said she and her husband are leaving for Italy in one month. The last time she visited Italy was four years ago, before the Sept. 11 attacks.

"Security will probably be a little more strict, but we're not going to cancel our trip," Schwoob said.

Karen Chavez, travel agent at the Travel Shoppe in Los Gatos, said many people are visiting Rome, Florence, Venice and northern Italy.

European countries such as Greece, Portugal, Ireland and England are also popular.

Where people travel is not the only thing affected by 9-11; families have changed who they travel with.

Agents have noticed an increase in family travel, including family reunion vacations.

"Ever since 9-11, families have been traveling together a lot more, and multigenerational. Grandparents are paying for their kids and grandkids to go on a trip," Sion said.

This is one reason she thinks cruises are also popular this summer. Cruises are usually all-inclusive, so they are not only easier to budget, they also appeal to all age groups.

Alaska, Hawaii and Europe, including the Mediterranean, are popular cruise destinations.

Cruise ships might also be more popular now because travelers have tried to cut out flying.

"They think flying is a hassle now. The cruise ships that board at San Francisco sell out quickly," Chavez said.

While some families play it safe and opt for cruises, others are venturing to countries where the dollar is strong and adventure is high.

Unlike last year, more of her clients are vacationing in Costa Rica, Sion said. The island is a little more exotic and risky than Hawaii, and the dollar goes far, Sion said.

Other up-and-coming adventurous destinations include Australia, New Zealand, South America, Vietnam and Cambodia, local travel agents said.

Although prices for vacations range greatly, a moderately priced two-week trip for a family of four averages between $15,000 and $20,000, Sion said.

As some last-minute vacation hopefuls try to pinpoint a destination, Sion reminds Californians to look close to home.

"Don't forget about Disneyland. It's celebrating its 50th anniversary this year," she said.