At 4:30 in the morning, the Chincoteague waterfront is already filling with people carrying lawn chairs and cameras, determined to secure a good view of the five minutes they have traveled hundreds of miles to see.

I must have walked through The Dylan Amsterdam’s gates a dozen times during our stay. The sounds of bicycle bells and passing trams faded behind me, replaced by the quiet of a secluded courtyard hidden just steps from the Keizersgracht.

Pickleball courts and fitness centers are as standard as room service in many luxury resorts. A growing number of properties are pushing past the expected, with amenities that include sandboarding ancient dunes in Wisconsin and piloting electric underwater scooters through coral reefs in the British Virgin Islands.

Only 45% of Americans will plan vacations with paid lodging, the lowest amount in six years. For many households, the question is no longer where to go, but whether they can afford to travel at all.