All it takes is one big group trip to realize that not everyone goes on vacation for the same reason. To one traveler, a beach is a place to be horizontal, big hat on head, cocktail straw in mouth. To another, it’s a stepping stone to adventure under and atop the waves. A new city can be a challenge—see, eat, experience it all—or an invitation to zoom in on one area and live like a local.
Read on for our annual compilation of the 10 very best places to go in 2026. We’ve got enough of everything that anyone will find trip inspiration, whether you’re chasing your next solar eclipse, or your next Michelin star.
1. Philadelphia
Two of Philadelphians’ favorite things—sports and Philadelphia—will converge in 2026, when the city hosts March Madness, the FIFA World Cup, the MLB All-Star Game and America’s 250th birthday in the span of four wild months. The nation’s cradle has been preparing for its big year: The Museum of the American Revolution is fresh off a million-dollar renovation, and the National Constitution Center will debut new galleries.
Six World Cup matches will take place at Lincoln Financial Field, including a knockout round on July 4. Even without tickets, you can still cheer and cry with Philly’s legendary sports fans at O’Jung’s , home to Dirty Caesar Martini-fueled watch parties, or Marsha’s, the city’s first bar dedicated to women’s sports. For a cozier option, head to Stargazy , a pie shop that has quietly become a hub for soccer-crazed Brits. —Adam Erace
2. Basque Country, Spain
Darkness will inspire travelers to see Spain in a new light this summer. The path of totality of the Aug. 12 solar eclipse will sweep across much of Spain, but Basque Country, in the north, is our pick for sparser crowds and plenty to do.
New itineraries from Wilderness Travel include an eclipse viewing from a hilltop winery bookended by days of eating and hiking in the region. Kimkim offers an eclipse trip of its own, with a stop at the medieval riverside town of Hondarribia.
Start a self-guided trip in San Sebastián, where the revitalized belle epoque Hotel Luze reopened in June. Then go to Bilbao for its art museums, and to Vitoria-Gasteiz for Gothic cathedrals and well-preserved medieval quarter. —Liza Weisstuch
3. Okavango Delta, Botswana
When the floods spill over Botswana’s Okavango Delta every year, fat antelopes congregate in lush grazing grounds and big predators treat the islands like snack bars. Heavy rains in 2025 mean 2026 could be a banner year for wildlife spotting, as water flows out over the delta, reopening waterways to traditional mokoro boat safaris.
Prime conditions coincide with new stays. Wilderness specialist andBeyond unveils Sandibe and Nxabega, two strategically placed “Under Canvas” luxury micro camps —with just three tents each—in March. Never-campers might opt for Sediba Sa Rona, which opens the same month with stilted suites overlooking the Khwai River. —Jen Rose Smith
At the new tented camps from andBeyond, guests will be able to board traditional ‘mokoro’ canoes to explore the Okavango Delta. andBeyond
4. Yunnan, China
Yunnan, in China’s southwest, draws intrepid travelers for its mountain scenery, rare tea and villages where traditions persevere. But getting around has long been difficult. In the past few years though, high-speed rail has expanded in all directions from Kunming, Yunnan’s capital. Outfitter WildChina guides travelers along the Kunming-Baoshan route to explore a once- remote western frontier, visiting coffee farms, cheesemakers and truffle hunters.
Elsewhere in the province, Songtsam Lodge Cizhong , where guests can sip housemade Chardonnay, has reopened after a two-year refurbishment, with a sister hotel coming to Kunming next year. The Dali Edition will soon debut in the Cangshan Mountains, where you’ll be linked to a network of walking trails. —Nora Walsh
5. Guadalupe Valley, Mexico
Mexico may be best known for tequila and mezcal, but vintners have long been quietly producing top-notch wines, too. Branch out from your usual palate and visit the Guadalupe Valley, around two hours south of San Diego, where 70% of the country’s wine is made and where a luxurious vineyard-hopping vacation can be had for much less than in Napa.
Wineries like Decantos Vinícola invite visitors in to learn about nontraditional techniques like gravity-flow winemaking, while Vena Cava —a whimsical facility built from salvaged old boats—specializes in natural wine.
As tends to happen in wine lands, chefs have heard the vintners’ call. Olivea Farm to Table , opened in 2023, earned a Michelin star in 2025 for its seasonal prix fixe menus, while at Lunario , Chef Sheyla Alvarado’s tasting menus zero in on ingredients from the restaurant’s farm. The new wellness-focused Banyan Tree Veya Valle de Guadalupe hotel , makes lingering in the valley easier than ever. —L.W.
6. Lucknow, India
If cities were people, Lucknow would be the auntie who insists you eat something. On her menu: galouti kebabs so tender that legend has it they were invented for a toothless royal; aromatic lamb koftas; and malai gilori , delicate sheets of cream wrapped around dried fruit.
Fresh off Lucknow’s designation as a Unesco Creative City of Gastronomy, tourism officials are spotlighting historic food corridors such as Aminabad and Chowk, through culinary experiences with local operators like Tornos and Roobaroo Walks.
Seek out longstanding institutions like Tunday Kababi , Raheem’s Kulcha Nihari and Ram Asrey , but also explore newer restaurants in the Hazratganj district and the recently opened Food Valley, the country’s largest outdoor food court.
Beyond the table, 2026 brings India’s first night-safari park at Kukrail Reserve Forest. —Maggie Downs
7. Tulsa, Okla.
In 1926, Cyrus Avery, a Tulsa businessman and state highway commissioner, led the creation of Route 66. Quickly dubbed the Capital of Route 66, Tulsa will be celebrating the Mother Road’s centennial with classic car parades, like the Capital Cruise , and, in June, the Route 66 Roadfest , a family-friendly romp.
After ogling old cars, lean into nostalgia in the Meadow Gold District, dotted with retro shops and “muffler men,” giant fiberglass statues of a lumberjack, a cowboy and more. For a soundtrack, head to the Bob Dylan Center or Woody Guthrie Center. More time-travel: Stay at the Tulsa Club, an art deco jewel recently restored to its 1927 glory. —L.W.
8. Rotterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam’s canals may be gloriously picturesque, but try finding the elbow room to get a decent photo. Rotterdam, about an hour south, still has plenty of space to breathe. Since being bombed to rubble in World War II, the city has reinvented itself as one of Europe’s most experimental urban laboratories, with starchitect-designed towers and cultural districts built on former docklands.
Recent arrivals include Fenix , a “museum of migration” crowned with a swooping viewing platform. The Nederlands Fotomuseum reopens soon in a century-old warehouse, with an exhaustive collection of Dutch photography.
Rising from the former central post office, the Post Tower will soon open with shops, restaurants and a Kimpton hotel. The Tramhuis , a former tram kiosk, will be reborn as a starting point for audio-guided walking tours. —Chris Schalkx
9. Central Australia
The Outback goes by many names: the Bush, the Never-Never, Sunburned Country. Yet few of those titles conjure the dusty-ochre desert beauty of Oz’s Red Centre—all best explored at a train’s pace.
Opt for one of the brand-new luxury cabins aboard the Ghan , a nearly 100-year-old rail line, and the four-day trip from Darwin to Adelaide turns downright decadent. Think Orient Express but with more Shiraz and less black tie: The Aurora and Australis suites come with queen beds, butler service and free-flowing Champagne. Hop off the train at various points, like for lunch by the monolithic Uluru, or to take a quick helicopter ride above the 36 red-rock domes of Kata Tjuta. —Laura Dannen Redman
10. Andean Chocó, Ecuador
Most travelers to Ecuador looking for wildlife skip the mainland in favor of the Galápagos. But just an hour outside Quito lies the Andean Chocó, a vast cloud forest teeming with exotic birds, pumas, ocelots and giant anteaters—and you no longer need to be an intrepid bushwhacker to enjoy it.
In prime toucan- and condor-spotting territory, the 13 suites at the new N’Cielo Adventure Lodge come with volcano views and soaking tubs. Near the adventure hub of Mindo, the newly opened Saloya offers treetop lofts, an infinity pool and a fine-dining restaurant. Two hours northwest, Mashpi Lodge anchors a vast private reserve and will debut a suspension bridge in April that leads to a panoramic sunset perch.
Feel-good bonus: Your tourism dollars support sustainable local livelihoods, reducing reliance on forest-degrading activities like logging, mining and farming. —N.W.
