52 Places to Go in 2023
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![us travel 2023 An Indian woman wearing a traditional sari wrap is using a taper to light a whole wall filled with hundreds of little oil lamps. They are illuminated and casting a bright glow over the scene; each lamp is set in its own little box within the wooden wall structure, tied with supporting pieces of bamboo. There are bunches of tiny bananas also tied to the top of the wall case.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/12/20/multimedia/00places-kerala-1-3d00/00places-kerala-1-3d00-superJumbo.jpg)
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London Copied to clipboard!
A buzzing city ready for a coronation, a brand-new airport link and a prehistoric colossus read more.
Tom Jamieson for The New York Times
![us travel 2023 The Changing of the Guard outside Buckingham Palace has a royal marching band walking out of the palace gates, with waiting crowds gathered and police standing nearby. The band are blowing their instruments and wearing navy topcoats with gold buttons and gold helmets with long red tassels hanging from the top.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/12/22/multimedia/00Places-London-1-d91c/00Places-London-1-d91c-superJumbo.jpg)
Between an altered post-lockdown landscape, sensational changeovers at 10 Downing Street and the death of Queen Elizabeth II, there is no doubt that London is in transition. But the city continues to juxtapose old traditions and new possibilities, offering something for everyone who loves culture, history, art and nightlife.
For fans of the royal family, and maybe a few naysayers, the crowning of King Charles III , Britain’s first coronation in seven decades, will be the main event in May. There’s also the revamping of Battersea Power Station , an iconic former coal-fired power plant, into a shopping and leisure hub, and a new line on the Underground will directly connect Heathrow Airport to the central boroughs. A cast of a titanosaur, the largest creature ever to walk the planet, will make its European debut at the Natural History Museum , and late-night obsessives can head to newly opened dance clubs like the Beams . Big changes, yes, but a wealth of new choices, too.
— Isabella Kwai
Morioka Copied to clipboard!
A walkable gem without the crowds, just a short bullet train ride from tokyo read more.
Andrew Faulk for The New York Times
Morioka, Japan
Until this past October, Japan maintained some of the most stringent travel restrictions of any major country. Now, travelers are beginning to stream back to popular destinations like Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.
The city of Morioka, in Iwate Prefecture, however, is often passed over or outright ignored. Circumscribed by mountains, it lies a few hours north of Tokyo by Shinkansen, the Japanese high-speed rail lines. Morioka’s downtown is eminently walkable. The city is filled with Taisho-era buildings that mix Western and Eastern architectural aesthetics as well as modern hotels, a few old ryokan (traditional inns) and winding rivers. One draw is an ancient castle site turned into a park.
There’s also fantastic coffee, including one of Japan’s third-wave originators: Nagasawa Coffee, whose owner, Kazuhiro Nagasawa, is so committed to his beans that he uses a vintage German-made Probat roaster, which he personally imported and restored. Azumaya serves up all-you-can-eat wanko soba , which comes served in dozens of tiny bowls; Booknerd offers classic Japanese art books; and Johnny’s, a jazz cafe, has been open for over 40 years. An hour west by car: Lake Tazawa and dozens of world-class hot springs.
— Craig Mod
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park Copied to clipboard!
The majesty and awe of towering buttes in a setting fit for hollywood read more.
Rachael Wright
![us travel 2023 Three enormous sandstone towers, which appear to be several hundred feet tall, rise above a flat, red landscape, while a road curves through the foreground. The sky above is light blue and is partially occluded by wispy white clouds. Small green shrubby plants dot the ground.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/travel/00places-monumentvalley/00places-monumentvalley-superJumbo.jpg)
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park,
Americans have been flocking to national parks, many of which were overrun with visitors during the peak of pandemic-related international border closures. Amid the bustle, peacefully taking in the majesty of nature can be a challenge.
Monument Valley offers a less crowded alternative. The site, known as Tse’Bii’Ndzisgaii in Navajo, has been a popular insignia for the American West ever since John Wayne rode in to film “Stagecoach” in 1939, and the grandeur of its cinematic sandstone buttes, towering above a copper-red desert vastness, elicits a feeling of reverence and awe.
The tribal park, which features a 17-mile driving loop, is open to visitors under the stewardship of the Navajo Nation. Its relatively basic infrastructure — in contrast to sites governed by the National Park Service — and its out-of-the-way location on the Arizona-Utah state line help create a more serene experience compared with other awe-inspiring U.S. destinations.
— Rachael Wright
Kilmartin Glen Copied to clipboard!
A misty scottish stonehenge, with all of the mystery and far fewer visitors read more.
Andy Haslam for The New York Times
Kilmartin Glen, Scotland
The sun rises over Kilmartin Glen as it has for thousands of years, illuminating an ancient landscape of more than 800 archaeological monuments sprouting in the mist. This verdant valley on Scotland’s wild west coast is one of the most significant prehistoric sites in Britain, yet it’s largely off the visitor circuit; imagine Stonehenge without the crowds.
Wander among majestic stone circles, standing slabs that jut from the earth, burial cairns and rock carvings of concentric rings, expanding like ripples from a drop of water. And now the past is getting a refresh: The Kilmartin Museum is reopening with expanded exhibits and new experiences that delve into the region’s relics and flourishing natural life, including Moine Mhor (Great Moss), one of the few remaining raised bogs in Europe, above which looms the Iron Age hill fort of Dunadd.
For full immersion into the Scotland of yore, stay at the moody 16th-century Kilmartin Castle , which was recently transformed into a boutique hotel, with vaulted ceilings, copper tubs and a wild swimming pond.
— AnneLise Sorensen
Auckland Copied to clipboard!
New Zealand
Pastries that rival France’s best, with a side of adventure tourism on the North Island Read more
Susan Wright for The New York Times
![us travel 2023 Over 20 French pastry cases are set out in rows on a black metal baking tray, in the process of being filled with a cream and having segments of fresh strawberries arranged artfully on top in a circular design. A hand holding a pastry brush is glazing the strawberries.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/12/20/multimedia/00places-Auckland-1-fe54/00places-Auckland-1-fe54-superJumbo.jpg)
Auckland, New Zealand
Auckland is usually considered the entry point for the rest of New Zealand’s natural attractions, but travelers just passing through can miss that it’s also the culinary capital (sorry, Wellington).
Restaurants that have been germinating while the country’s borders were closed are now ready to be sampled by all. Just 10 minutes on foot from the newly renovated downtown, for instance, takes you to Hugo’s Bistro , where a regular clientele, including many lawyers, dines on unfussy French-inspired food that takes advantage of New Zealand’s fertility: Saffron, wasabi and truffles, among other delicacies, are grown in the country. Cazador , a longtime staple of the residential neighborhood Mt. Eden, serves local game in its restaurant and house-cured meats in its delicatessen.
The city’s famous multiculturalism also plays a part: Omni , which opened in 2020 and whose head chef worked at Hong Kong’s Yardbird, makes high-end yakitori, and Little French Pastry ’s founders, originally from France, serve up mille-feuille rivaling Paris’s best.
Palm Springs Copied to clipboard!
Spotting stars in the streets and counting galaxies in the sky read more.
Beth Coller for The New York Times
![us travel 2023 A large telescope is aimed upward through a slit in the roof of an observatory dome. The dark blue sky, visible through the slit, is dotted with stars, and the interior of the dome is illuminated with a red light.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/09/multimedia/00places-palmsprings-1-55c8/00places-palmsprings-1-55c8-superJumbo.jpg)
Palm Springs, California
Yes, this is the land of midcentury nostalgia, with its low-slung Modernist architecture and the recent return of the 26-foot-tall “ Forever Marilyn ” statue. But these days, there’s another headliner: the surrounding desert, and the dark skies above.
Astrotourism is on the rise, with a constellation of ways to explore the cosmos, including at the Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory , which offers tours and monthly “Swoon at the Moon” events. Unfurl a blanket on the desert floor and gaze up at the starry sky at Joshua Tree National Park . This designated International Dark Sky Park has one of the darkest skies in California, with stargazing treks and the annual Night Sky Festival .
The desert nature and history that flourish around Palm Springs are also shaping the city’s landscape, including the new Palm Springs Downtown Park , designed to reflect Indian Canyons , ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians; the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza and Museum , which, when it opens later this year, will be one of the largest Native American cultural centers on the West Coast; and new desert-inspired hotels like Azure Sky .
Kangaroo Island Copied to clipboard!
A haven for koalas and other wild creatures, healing after devastating wildfires read more, kangaroo island, australia.
A short trip from Adelaide, South Australia’s capital, the nearly 1,700-square-mile Kangaroo Island is known for incredible wildlife, breathtaking ocean views and its status as an ecological haven — like a zoo without fences.
Three years ago, devastating fires consumed the island, wiping out wildlife and destroying a famous luxury hotel, the Southern Ocean Lodge . Efforts to rebuild are continuing, and the island is more compelling than ever to visit. New organizations that sprang up to help with the wildlife recovery offer visitors a chance to play a part in funding that regeneration.
At the Kangaroo Island Koala and Wildlife Rescue Centre , you can book a private tour to see the animal hospital facilities, or bottle-feed a joey (a baby kangaroo). At the long-established Seal Bay Conservation Park , you can watch one of Australia’s largest colonies of sea lions frolic on the beach. And in 2023 the Southern Ocean Lodge will reopen, grander and better than before.
— Besha Rodell
Vjosa River Copied to clipboard!
Cycling through the canyons and valleys of one of europe’s last untamed waterways read more.
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![us travel 2023 A verdant river valley with undulating mountains surrounding it is shown at sunset. There is a glow over the green as the sun is slowly going down behind the rocky mountains in the distance.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/travel/00places-Vjosa-River-albania/00places-Vjosa-River-albania-superJumbo.jpg)
Vjosa River, Albania
Protecting the Vjosa , one of Europe’s last undammed rivers, hasn’t been easy. After a decade of proposed projects that threatened to alter the waterway’s wild flow, its innumerable ecosystems and its valleys strewn with ancient communities, the Albanian government signed a commitment last June to create the Vjosa Wild River National Park .
Making good on that pledge, scheduled to become reality in 2023, will establish a global conservation model while preserving the country’s canyon-lined, 120-mile stretch of the 169-mile waterway, which runs from the Pindus Mountains in Greece to the Adriatic Sea, as well as including around 60 miles of tributaries.
For travelers — on trails like Albania’s new UNESCO Cycling Route (opening January 2023), which runs along the river and visits World Heritage sites like the city of Gjirokastra — safeguarding the Vjosa and its river system, with over 1,100 animal species, encourages responsible discovery of alpine settlements, where locals welcome adventurers for coffee, raki (local fruit brandy) and a chance to imbibe oft-overlooked Balkan culture.
— Alex Crevar
Accra Copied to clipboard!
Feast first, dance later, in a hub of innovative west african cuisine read more.
Jessica Sarkodie for The New York Times
![us travel 2023 Three local Ghanaian restaurant staff are busy working behind a tiled bar with a wooden top; there are shelves behind them lined with alcohol bottles of different colors and varieties. There are stools strewn with colorful words in front of the bar, and wait staff, including a waiter carrying a tray with bowls of food, are walking by.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/multimedia/00places-Accra-1-d649/00places-Accra-1-d649-superJumbo.jpg)
Accra, Ghana
Accra’s food scene typically consists of two schools: “chop bars” that serve traditional, cheap meals like fufu (made from pounded cassava, green plantains or yams) with tomato-based spicy soup, and pricier restaurants serving foreign fare.
Travelers to Accra, Ghana’s capital, can now see a new wave of chefs and entrepreneurs bridging this gap by emphasizing and innovating with local produce. At the Mix, a new restaurant and design hub, the West African staple gari (granulated cassava root) is dyed pink with beetroot and accompanies squid in a passion fruit sauce.
The sustainable food space in Accra is also one to watch; Ghana Food Movement , an educational group, hosts events throughout the year, including a signature Dine & Dance series in which underutilized indigenous ingredients like millet, eaten by Ghanaians almost exclusively as porridge, are made into stars over three courses. The meal is followed by a dance party, of course, in true Ghanaian fashion.
— Jessica Sarkodie
Tromso Copied to clipboard!
A clear-skied hot spot where aurora seekers are likely to spy their dazzling prize read more.
Nerd Nomads Travel Blog
![us travel 2023 A deep blue sky is striated with neon green lights, as if shooting upward from a point in the far distance. Closer in the foreground are dramatic hills and a cabin with lights on inside.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/12/15/multimedia/00Places-Tromso-1-5807/00Places-Tromso-1-5807-superJumbo.jpg)
Tromso, Norway
After years of low solar activity, projections are looking up for travelers hoping to experience the aurora borealis, or northern lights. As the sun’s volatility increases, with more coronal mass ejections and solar flares, so, too, will the frequency and intensity of the aurora. Experts predict solar activity to peak in 2025, explained Trond S. Trondsen, an aurora expert at Keo Scientific , a designer of specialized optical instruments for space research in Calgary, Alberta. Already, he said, “the number of sunspots are climbing faster than predicted .”
One of the best places to see the northern lights, Tromso, Norway, is more than 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, and is relatively accessible, as far as reliable viewing locations go. Travelers can get there either by plane or by a combination of train and bus. Cruise ships and ferries are also a possibility.
Most important, the town’s surrounding landscape, near the sea but with mountains nearby, offers enough distinct weather zones to make it likely that there will be clear skies most nights — a must for seeing the lights when they do appear.
— Ingrid Williams
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park Copied to clipboard!
Blinding white dunes and aquamarine pools in an otherworldly natural water park read more.
Scott Baker
![us travel 2023 An expansive dune of windswept white sand stretches out to the horizon, with a blue-green lake in the midground. The sky above is partly cloudy and deeply blue.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/12/22/travel/00places-Maranhenses-02/00places-Maranhenses-02-superJumbo.jpg)
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil
Want to feel like you’ve traveled so far that you’re only vaguely tethered to Earth? Welcome to Lençóis Maranhenses , a horizon of rolling, blindingly white sand dunes rising into the sun and descending into otherworldly green and blue lagoons filled with rainwater.
Forget your cell signal or trappings of comfort: There are few if any structures, people or even trees around, and the park’s location near the Equator means it’s blazingly hot during the day. Yet almost all Brazilians will tell you they want to visit this remote area to experience the sensation of playing in a lunar water park.
Logroll down the dunes, splashing into the natural pools. Traverse the area on horseback, stopping at “oases” along the way. Or be mesmerized by its immensity via helicopter tour. It’s the antidote to that claustrophobic Covid-era feeling — a vast, borderless moonscape where you can roam wild and free.
— Shannon Sims
Bhutan Copied to clipboard!
Cliff-top fortresses and rhododendron forests on a revived trekking trail read more.
Marcus Westberg
![us travel 2023 Buddhist monks in scarlet-red robes descend the stone staircase of a temple high in the mountains on the side of a cliff. The sides of the staircase are painted white and decorated ornately with gold, and the temple is surrounded by trees, with a series of mountain ranges rising in the background, the furthest one snowcapped.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/travel/00places-bhutan/00places-bhutan-superJumbo.jpg)
After two and a half years of pandemic isolation, Bhutan reopened in September with changes to its longstanding “high value, low volume” tourism policy. Visitors are no longer required to travel on package tours, but Bhutan’s mandatory “sustainable development fee” increased to $200 from $65 per day.
At the same time, the 250-mile Trans Bhutan Trail, a path used for centuries as a pilgrimage and communications route, reopened after a three-year restoration that mended suspension bridges, stone stairs and long-overgrown temples. The trail stretches east to west across nearly the entire country, passing through cities, villages, farmlands and wilderness. Depending on the route and time of year, trekkers might spy the snowcapped Himalayas, visit cliff-top fortresses, scale sacred mountain passes or pass through blooming rhododendron forests.
Official guides are required, and itineraries range from half a day to more than a month. Accommodations include guesthouses, home stays, luxury hotels and well-appointed campsites on each of the trail’s 28 sections. Proceeds from trips booked with Trans Bhutan Trail , the nonprofit that led the restoration, go toward trail maintenance, educational programs, guide training and other community causes.
— Sara Clemence
Kerala Copied to clipboard!
Learn to climb a palm tree, visit a temple during an annual festival and get a sustainable taste of village life read more.
Poras Chaudhary for The New York Times
Kerala, India
We travel to immerse ourselves in other cultures, but some forms of community tourism put residents on display without offering benefits. Not so in Kerala — a southern Indian state celebrated for its beaches, backwater lagoons, cuisine and rich cultural traditions like the Vaikathashtami festival — where the government has adopted an award-winning approach that allows visitors to experience village life while supporting the communities that host them.
In Kumarakom, one of several “ responsible tourism destinations ” in the state, visitors can paddle through jungly canals, weave rope from coconut fiber and even learn to climb a palm tree. In Maravanthuruthu, visitors can follow a storytelling trail and enjoy village street art before taking in an evening performance of a traditional temple dance.
— Paige McClanahan
Greenville Copied to clipboard!
South Carolina
Adventure in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and on dinner plates downtown Read more
Tony Cenicola/The New York Times
![us travel 2023 An overhead view shows a variety of dishes from a Georgian restaurant, including khachapuri, a cheese-filled bread with an egg at its center.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/multimedia/00places-Greenville-1-58b8/00places-Greenville-1-58b8-superJumbo.jpg)
Greenville, South Carolina
Set in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville has established itself on the culinary scene. The quaint city of about 70,000 has more than 200 restaurants — 85 percent of which are local, without a tie to a national chain — in its strollable downtown area alone. Visitors may come for the access to outdoor adventures, but they’ll most likely leave having been introduced to flavors from around the world.
Even as the renowned Soby’s celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2022 and two food festivals — euphoria and Fall for Greenville — attract tens of thousands of people annually, restaurants continue to crop up around the city. The second location of Charleston’s acclaimed Lewis Barbecue opened to long lines in September. Mr. Crisp , with Greg McPhee as executive chef, highlights seafood, especially its crisp-yet-tender hand-battered fish and chips. Keipi celebrates Georgian khachapuri and the country’s ancient wines; Aryana delivers a taste of Afghanistan; and Califas has brought Mexican birria tacos to Greenville.
“The real heartbeat of Greenville is a creative and diverse food community that keeps reinventing itself,” said Sid Evans, the editor in chief of Southern Living. “The food here is adventurous, and the chefs have embraced the global influences shaping the modern South.”
— Ari Bendersky
Tucson Copied to clipboard!
A rebounding center of art and adobe with centuries-old ties to mexico read more.
John Burcham for The New York Times
Tucson, Arizona
Barrio Viejo, an area of more than 150 acres in Tucson, is the largest barrio in the United States and exemplifies Tucson’s connection to Mexico, with centuries-old Sonoran adobe architecture.
This year, the neighborhood, which has one of the most diverse racial, cultural, religious and ethnic populations in the country, will receive National Historic Landmark designation . Revival projects include the restoration of the 300-seat Teatro Carmen , built in 1915 and later converted into the Black Elks Club , and female-owned boutique hotels, like the Citizen in the former home of the Tucson Citizen newspaper and the Downtown Clifton in a once-faded motel.
Take the Tucson Origins Tour by Borderlandia , which specializes in tours of the U.S.-Mexico border area, for a deep dive into history. Then explore the famed Etherton Gallery and Andrew Smith Gallery , both in new spaces. Don’t forget Barrio restaurants like the local coffee drinkers’ favorite EXO Roast , housed in an 1885 adobe home, and the Coronet , which moved to the neighborhood in 2019.
— Daniel Scheffler
Martinique Copied to clipboard!
Creole culture, giant ferns and hummingbirds that don’t back down from a staring contest read more.
![us travel 2023 A small hummingbird with green iridescent feathers and plumage on the top of their body flies and feeds from a flowering plant. The pink blooms its flying in front of are long and chandelier-shaped, hanging off a light-green branch.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/12/22/travel/00places-martinique/00places-martinique-superJumbo.jpg)
Martinique,
While travel was frozen in 2020, Martinique celebrated the induction of its traditional yole sailboat — a lightweight craft kept upright by crew members, who use their body weight as ballast by sitting on poles that extend over the sides of the hulls — on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. In the fall of 2021, the entire island was named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve , recognizing the destination’s commitment to sustainable economic and social development.
Islanders are awaiting yet another decision from UNESCO, which they hope will name the nearly 4,600-foot volcano Mount Pelée and the Pitons du Carbet range to the World Heritage List. The region represents “the diversity of Martinique,” said Alex Dobat, who owns Natiyabel , a scuba diving and hiking outfitter (whose name means “nature is beautiful” in Creole), who described ferns the size of trees, wild begonias and hummingbirds “staring at you quietly.”
Tourism officials are counting on the UNESCO certifications to attract ecotourists to its peaks, rainforests, reefs and Creole culture.
— Elaine Glusac
The Namib Desert Copied to clipboard!
Southern Africa
1,000-foot dunes and crashing waves along a nearly uninhabited coastline Read more
![us travel 2023 A large desert expanse with deep red sands gives way to a gently rising sand hill then a rocky mountain range in the background. Tufts of dry grass poke through the sand in the foreground.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/12/20/multimedia/00places-namib-1-2ecf/00places-namib-1-2ecf-superJumbo.jpg)
The Namib Desert, Southern Africa
Along the desolate coast of Namibia, 1,000-foot-tall sand dunes descend into the sea. During low tide, intrepid adventurers can drive along the beach, past towering yellow dunes on one side and the South Atlantic’s churning waters on the other. This is the Namib, the world’s oldest desert, and the perfect place for a long road trip . After almost three years of Covid-19 restrictions, it’s hard to imagine a place where you can feel more free.
“Namib” means “vast place” in Khoekhoegowab, a language spoken in many parts of Namibia. It’s astonishingly easy to get lost in this almost entirely uninhabited expanse of sand, where you might travel for days without seeing another human being.
In the Namib-Naukluft National Park, travelers can go back in time at the Deadvlei, where 600-year-old trees stand eerily lifeless, preserved by the dry air; challenge themselves to climb the 100-story Big Daddy Dune; observe desert-adapted wildlife like oryx and springbok; and even see mysterious fairy circles .
— Jen Guyton
The Alaska Railroad Copied to clipboard!
470 miles of mountains, glaciers and grizzlies from the comfort of a glass dome read more.
Christopher Miller for The New York Times
The Alaska Railroad,
Since 1923, the Alaska Railroad — the last railroad in the United States to carry both people and freight — has connected millions of passengers and trade goods over 470 miles of track, from Seward to Fairbanks. This year is the centennial of its operation and a celebration is planned in Nenana, where President Warren G. Harding drove in the golden spike on July 15, 1923, completing the railroad.
Operational well before Alaska became a state, in 1959, the railroad is an environmentally friendly way for passengers to see wilderness, and even the aurora borealis, without sacrificing comfort: Glass-domed rail cars make viewing easy. It is also the only remaining flag-stop major railroad in the country. Passengers can wave a flag to embark or disembark, gaining access to more remote locations, including harder-to-reach areas of the Chugach National Forest, through a partnership with the U.S. Forest Service.
Sights along the way include Denali, North America’s tallest peak, and Kenai Fjords National Park. History buffs can view a special exhibit at the Anchorage Museum that runs from May to February 2024, chronicling the railroad’s history.
— Charu Suri
Fukuoka Copied to clipboard!
Savoring an endangered street-food tradition on the often overlooked island of kyushu read more.
![us travel 2023 Diners are sitting outside around the counter of an open-air food stall. Smoke is emanating from the open kitchen, and the diners are chatting and huddled over plates of food. Red lanterns attached to the stall are glowing brightly, along with the illuminated signs on top of each stall.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/multimedia/00places-Fukuoka-1-4adb/00places-Fukuoka-1-4adb-superJumbo.jpg)
Fukuoka, Japan
Fukuoka, a subtropical city perched on the northern shore of Kyushu, is one of the few remaining places in Japan where you will see rows of yatai — open-air street-food stalls resembling boxes of neon light. Many sell traditional foods like ramen, yakitori and oden, but if you stroll along the riverfront on Nakasu, a small island that is Fukuoka’s red-light district, you’ll find some diversity with wine, coffee, and even French sausages and garlic toast.
Yatai were a common sight across Japan in the 1950s, but during the 1964 Summer Olympics, the authorities had them removed to project an image of economic recovery. In the present, Fukuoka is the only city left that’s fighting this bureaucracy. The government has acknowledged the cultural significance of yatai by increasing the safety and quality of the food and by offering more licenses in 2022. Even so, the number of yatai has fallen drastically to around 100 stalls today from more than 400 in the ’60s. Pull up a seat while you can and enjoy rubbing shoulders with strangers over supper again.
— Harvard Wang
Flores Copied to clipboard!
An island paradise where crater lakes change color and nine-foot dragons roam read more.
Lauryn Ishak for The New York Times
![us travel 2023 Five boats, two passenger motorboats and three wooden fishing boats with covers, are gathered around a pier. They are surrounded by turquoise blue water, with a few people in swimwear waiting on the pier. The sky is bright blue with fluffy white clouds in the distance.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/12/20/multimedia/00places-Flores-Indonesia-1-13d7/00places-Flores-Indonesia-1-13d7-superJumbo.jpg)
Flores, Indonesia
The term “fairy-tale getaway” is overused, but what else do you call a far-off, unspoiled, Southeast Asian island with nine-foot Komodo dragons, active volcanoes, white-sand beaches, coral gardens, rushing waterfalls and color-shifting crater lakes reputed to house departed spirits?
Such are the allures of Flores, one of the roughly 17,500 islands of the Republic of Indonesia. An hour’s flight from Bali and far less visited, Flores may be seeing more visitors with the scheduled opening late this year of Kodi Bajo , a luxury resort in the fishing town of Labuan Bajo. Operated by the group behind the NIHI hotel on Sumba, a nearby Indonesian island, Kodi Bajo will offer sumptuous hillside accommodations and views of the nearby Komodo National Park archipelago — the only place in the world inhabited by the famous giant lizards.
— Seth Sherwood
Guadalajara Copied to clipboard!
Celebrating queer culture’s diversity and l.g.b.t.q. athletes from around the globe read more.
Adrian Wilson for The New York Times
![us travel 2023 Two bartenders stand within an enclosed bar, surrounded by the glow of a yellow-orange light. Nearest to the camera, one of them measures out alcohol in a metallic jigger. Shelves of alcohol line the walls.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/multimedia/00places-guadelajara-1-5362/00places-guadelajara-1-5362-superJumbo.jpg)
Guadalajara, Mexico
Travel has always been a way to experience diversity, and in 2023 you’ll find a variety of sexual expression and shifts in traditional gender roles in Jalisco’s capital. This fall, the city will co-host (with Hong Kong) the 11th annual Gay Games . Athletes from around the world — of varying ages, sexual orientations and levels of athletic experience — will participate in 20 sports.
The city is also home to the annual Prohibido festival , during which an abandoned theater is transformed into a celebration of sexual diversity through art installations, interactive experiences, live music and talks about polyamorous and nonbinary culture. In Guadalajara, too, women take on nontraditional performance roles. On most nights, you can hear one of almost a dozen female mariachi bands from the area at Hotel Riu Plaza Guadalajara or El Patio, a restaurant. There are also local performances by female cowboys, known as escaramuzas, who present their choreography on horseback.
The city is considered by some to be Mexico’s drag capital, with numerous performers and shows. Guadalajara has also developed “antiturista” maps, including one for L.G.B.T.Q. travelers, that provide a local’s perspective on places to see and stay.
— Maggie Jones
Tassili n’Ajjer Copied to clipboard!
Rock art, sandstone pillars and a glimpse at a lost saharan history read more.
![us travel 2023 Bright red-orange sand dunes stretch across a vast landscape that is interspersed with slightly darker-brown rock formations. The rocks are jagged and irregularly shaped.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/travel/00places-algiers/00places-algiers-superJumbo.jpg)
Tassili n’Ajjer, Algeria
Often overshadowed by its neighbor, the tourism giant Morocco, Algeria — a stone’s throw from Mediterranean Europe and a mere three-hour flight from London — has recently relaxed its visa policies, allowing for much easier exploration of the country. While most visitors tend to stick to the coastal north, which contains some of the region’s best preserved Roman ruins, Africa’s largest country also contains its largest national park.
Virtually unknown to the outside world, Tassili n’Ajjer is eight times the size of Yellowstone. At the heart of the vast landscape of Saharan sand and stone lie the deep red dunes and pillars of Tadrart Rouge. Accessible only by a four-wheel-drive vehicle, this astonishingly striking national park is home to thousands of ancient works of rock art, stretching back to when the desert was a thriving savanna, as well as to a very much living nomadic Tuareg culture.
— Marcus Westberg
Kakheti Copied to clipboard!
New flavors and ancient winemaking traditions in tiny hilltop towns and green valleys read more.
Irma Laghadze
![us travel 2023 A big steel bowl filled with a large amount of hand-twisted dumplings (more than 50) is being held by two pairs of hands over an open fire, as steam rises around it.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/travel/00places-Georgia/00places-Georgia-superJumbo.jpg)
Kakheti, Georgia
The mountainous nation of Georgia’s 8,000-year-old winemaking tradition is at the center of several new trends in the wine world, including skin-contact (a.k.a. orange ) wines, amphora fermentation and charismatic grape varieties like saperavi. As a result, Georgian wine exports to the United States recently topped one million bottles and are growing at almost 29 percent annually, as Wine Enthusiast recently reported .
For wine lovers, a tasting trip to estates like Vazisubani and Kardanakhi in Kakheti offers a chance to discover new wines in a landscape of tiny hilltop towns and verdant valleys framed by the Caucasus. Many wines are made in traditional pointed qvevri clay vessels that are buried in the earth.
To complement the experience, local chefs have started offering cooking classes where gastronomes can learn how to make the meaty dumplings known as khinkali and other dishes from what Saveur magazine called “Europe’s great unsung cuisine.”
— Evan Rail
Nîmes Copied to clipboard!
A sunny mediterranean morsel whose charming streets are studded with roman monuments read more.
Joann Pai for The New York Times
Nîmes, France
Nîmes is that rarest of Gallic delicacies — a sunny southern French city with great charm and fascinating architecture and museums that hasn’t yet become thronged with tourists like Arles or Avignon.
The city has a growing word-of-mouth reputation for the excellence of its dining options, which include everything from Michelin two-star restaurants like the chef Pierre Gagnaire’s Duende at the recently renovated Hotel Imperator to exceptionally good lunchtime dining in Les Halles de Nîmes, a covered food market, where the Halles Auberge and La Pie Qui Couette offer first-come first-serve counter service at noon. The latest local buzz is about the chef Georgiana Viou, originally from Benin, who serves up her personal and very delicate Afro-Provençal cooking at Rouge , the restaurant of the elegant new 10-room Margaret-Hôtel Chouleur in a landmarked mansion in the heart of the Écusson, or Old City. Le Coin and Menna, two excellent cosmopolitan modern French bistros — a type of restaurant that’s new to Nîmes — are not far away.
Shed some calories after a meal by taking in the sights of the Rome of France, a sobriquet explained by the most spectacular collection of Roman monuments in Europe outside of Italy.
— Alexander Lobrano
Ha Giang Copied to clipboard!
A two-wheeled thrill ride leads to mountainside settlements where hmong and tay culture lives read more.
![us travel 2023 An elderly Vietnamese woman with glasses and a head-scarf sits outside at a small wooden table, hand-painting a fabric made of hemp that she is unrolling. She is wearing a purple and yellow print shirt, and there is a wooden wall behind her.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/12/20/multimedia/00places-Ha-Giang-Vietnam-1-d139/00places-Ha-Giang-Vietnam-1-d139-superJumbo.jpg)
Ha Giang, Vietnam
The several-day loop by motorbike through the Ha Giang highlands in northern Vietnam is not for the timid. Getting to the city of Ha Giang takes six hours by road from Hanoi, and the loop’s steep roads, serpentine passes and recurring switchbacks can make the journey both treacherous and exhilarating.
This remote tableau of soaring peaks and cavernous valleys inspires a deep connection to the landscape and its inhabitants. Veer off the main road onto the narrow ribbons of concrete streaking the mountainsides and into the Hmong and Tay settlements dotting the hillsides and hollows. To learn more about their cultures, you can hire a guide from QT Motorbikes and Tours .
Road improvement projects and new high-end accommodations have made the loop more accessible and inviting. Don’t miss a boat ride through the canyon on the emerald river at Ma Pi Leng Pass.
— Patrick Scott
Salalah Copied to clipboard!
A historic frankincense-trading center where the desert erupts in waterfalls read more.
![us travel 2023 Traversing a gently flowing river, a desert oasis, a line of five camels are following each other in procession, walking in the water up to their shoulders, single file. Trees in varying shades of green line the riverbank, and there is a mountain range in the background.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/travel/00places-Oman/00places-Oman-superJumbo-v3.jpg)
Salalah, Oman
With last year’s World Cup drawing attention to the built environment elsewhere in the Persian Gulf states, seaside Salalah, Oman, offers visitors a chance to see the region’s natural beauty. Depending on when you go, the area is either lush and green and blanketed in thick fog, or basking in sunlight and a warm breeze.
During the khareef (monsoon), the valleys and riverbeds are flooded with fresh water, and the mountains flow with waterfalls. The city is also home to Al Baleed Archaeological Park and the Museum of the Frankincense Land , which provides a visual history of the ancient incense trade and the associated export routes to the rest of the world. (A nearby collection of sites, known as the Land of Frankincense , is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.) Another draw is the collection of historical ports spread along the coast.
The population of Salalah, one of Oman’s largest cities, is around 330,000, so it’s easy to find oneself alone in the crystal clear waters of the area’s many tranquil beaches, including Mugsail, Fazayah and Haffa.
— Noa Avishag Schnall
Cuba Copied to clipboard!
An island of music and white-sand beaches ripe for rediscovery as the united states eases travel restrictions read more.
Robert Rausch for The New York Times
![us travel 2023 A deserted beach is seen at sunrise, with the waves gently lapping the shoreline and the wet sand glistening and reflective. There are piles of rocks and palm trees further back on the shore, leading up to a grassy mound and the sun rising on the right in the distance.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/multimedia/00places-cuba-1-4b25/00places-cuba-1-4b25-superJumbo.jpg)
With its sea-sprayed, pastel facades, white-sand beaches and tobacco-rich valleys, Cuba sits tantalizingly close to the United States, though it often feels out of reach — especially in recent years, when the Trump administration reinstated strict rules for American citizens hoping to visit.
But a confluence of factors just made travel to the island nation a bit easier. Last spring, President Biden relaxed many of the restrictions imposed by his predecessor. And in November, American Airlines resumed flights beyond Havana, adding departures to the beach town Varadero and the interior city Santa Clara, a regional capital steeped in revolutionary history. More flights from other carriers are set to begin in the coming months.
Cuba’s people are as generous with their stories — of history, family, even politics and protest — as they are with their music, an omnipresent, joyful soundtrack thrumming through the island’s cities and towns. Less than two years after historic protests were met with harsh repression, and as the country rebuilds from Hurricane Ian, travel to Cuba and support of its people may never be more valuable.
— Lauren Prestileo
Odense Copied to clipboard!
A mystical new museum and garden with all you need to write your own fairy tale read more.
Andreas Meichsner for The New York Times
![us travel 2023 A solitary woman wearing headphones is seen standing in front of a museum exhibit. She is looking at a light display and surrounded by other luminous installations. She is wearing headphones and plaid pants.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/multimedia/00places-odense-1-09c9/00places-odense-1-09c9-superJumbo.jpg)
Odense, Denmark
Designed by the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma & Associates, the new Hans Christian Andersen Museum in Odense, on the island of Funen, is more than a museum. It’s a mystical land, featuring labyrinthine gardens that double as a public park.
The museum explores Andersen’s literary interplay between real and imaginary: You can gaze up at the sky through a glass dome and feel like the Little Mermaid; roam sunken courtyards, illuminated by sunlight splintering through trees; and engage with exhibits by contemporary artists in cylindrical spaces wrapped in latticed timber that suggest the city’s traditional thatched-roof houses. The museum is as much about telling stories as it is about imagining your own: Creativity is encouraged at the magical Ville Vau children’s center, where children can paint, draw, write and play dress-up amid colorful scenes from Andersen’s fairy tales.
Time your visit with Odense’s summertime H.C. Andersen Festivals , and then find artistic inspiration, as Andersen did, by venturing across his home island of Funen, the “garden of Denmark,” with its storybook castles (the moated Egeskov is the stuff of dreams), heather-coated hillsides and misty coastline.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Copied to clipboard!
The shape-shifting sandstone heart of a continent and its indigenous heritage read more.
Matthew Abbott for The New York Times
![us travel 2023 Uluru, the sandstone monolith, is seen off in the distance at sunset, glowing a terracotta red, with the mellow-toned blue and pink sky behind it. Tufts of grass and shrubs rise from the earth in the foreground.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/multimedia/00Places-Uluru-1-13ac/00Places-Uluru-1-13ac-superJumbo-v2.jpg)
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia
At Uluru, time stretches, dissolves. Over 500 million years old, the 1,142-foot sandstone monolith in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is a shape-shifter: aflame in pink, orange and violet through the day; its crevices gush with the rain, its surroundings erupt with wildflowers.
Now, Uluru is a symbol of urgency. In 2017, it was the site of the Uluru Statement From the Heart , which calls for an Indigenous “voice to Parliament” to be enshrined in Australia’s Constitution. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced there would be a national referendum on the issue in 2023.
Uluru is sacred to the Anangu people, who protect and manage the land, and for decades tourists climbed the rock against their wishes. Climbing was banned in 2019, and now visitors can take a 5.8-mile walk around Uluru’s base to experience its splendor. The ban was a rare victory for Indigenous rights and cultural respect, and evidence that even deep-rooted attitudes can change.
— Tacey Rychter
Boquete Copied to clipboard!
A slope-side nirvana for coffee geeks, waterfall hikers and white-water rafters read more.
Paul Castillero
![us travel 2023 Shining through a peek-hole in the lush growth of a forest is the orange glow of the rising sun, with clouds and a mountain range around it.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/multimedia/00places-boquete-panama-1-ec1f/00places-boquete-panama-1-ec1f-superJumbo.jpg)
Boquete, Panama
Geisha, among the world’s most expensive coffee varietals, thrives on the slopes of the Barú Volcano, near Panama’s western border. In recent years, specialty coffee geeks the world over have gravitated here, encouraging coffee farms around the highland town of Boquete to act more like Bordeaux vineyards. New cupping rooms and bodega tours have been added at farms like Lamastus Family Estates , Chevas Coffee Estate and Finca Altieri , while coffee-themed hotels — including Finca Lérida and Panamonte — have updated their facilities.
In Boquete’s town center, which acts as a base for adventure activities like waterfall hikes and white-water rafting, the noted Panama City chef Mario Castrellón has opened a branch of the coffee roaster Café Unido , as well as a restaurant and bar with seasonal menus and Geisha-infused cocktails, in the new Selina hostel . The bold, 60-room property straddles a small river, with rooms ranging from beds in concrete cylinders to luxe suites.
— Nicholas Gill
Tarragona Copied to clipboard!
An unsung artsy seaport rich in well-preserved roman ruins, and delicious tapas read more.
![us travel 2023 A old, stone cathedral, seen in the distance through a maze of residential buildings with clay-tiled roofs, is illuminated with yellowed lights. The sky shows a rich palette of colors ranging from blue and purple to orange and gold.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/12/travel/12places-tarragona/12places-tarragona-superJumbo.jpg)
Tarragona, Spain
Long upstaged by the flash of Barcelona, this unsung waterfront city on the Costa Daurada is a culturally rich alternative, with thriving Catalan traditions, from the famous castells (human towers, formed by people standing on one another’s shoulders) to earthy Romesco sauce, often served with grilled fish and vegetables, and best enjoyed in El Serrallo, a maritime neighborhood.
But what elevates the Tarragona experience is the past: This is one of the oldest Roman settlements in the Iberian Peninsula. The impressively preserved Tarraco ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, transform the city into an open-air museum, from the mighty Roman walls to the amphitheater framed by the Mediterranean.
Against this ancient backdrop, the city is in the midst of change: a revitalized port, new low-cost fast trains to the region and a growing contemporary arts scene. Perhaps the best way to savor it is to partake in a paseo: Stroll the Rambla Nova, grazing on tapas along the way, to the aptly named Balcó del Mediterrani observation point, where touching the iron railing is said to bring good luck.
Charleston Copied to clipboard!
A powerful space will examine a city’s past and honor the african american legacy read more, charleston, south carolina.
Charleston’s brutal history of slavery can be overshadowed by a romanticized portrait of a city with charm, award-winning restaurants and plantation gardens. The planned opening of the $100 million International African American Museum this year will help comprehensively display the city’s complicated past.
The I.A.A.M. occupies the former Gadsden’s Wharf, where an estimated 30,000 African captives landed during the trans-Atlantic slave trade, more than at any other site. The sleek, single-story building floats atop 18 pillars clad in tabby, a kind of concrete made from oyster shells, and houses a genealogy center, a social justice action lab and 10 exhibit galleries that include stories of slavery and the Great Migration. A public outdoor space offers an African Ancestors Memorial Garden featuring indigenous plants like Lowcountry sweet grass and Canary Island palm trees.
This spring, the Charleston tourism board will debut a comprehensive guide to Black-owned businesses to elevate the overlooked successes of creative locals.
— Lauren Matison
Cayos Cochinos Copied to clipboard!
Planting coral and counting sea turtles where there are no cars or roads read more.
![us travel 2023 Looking through a gap in the dense forest with a tree bough framing overhead, there is a view of a wooden beach cabana on stilts, siting over the turquoise water of a lagoon.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/12/29/multimedia/00places-honduras-1-b4e0/00places-honduras-1-b4e0-superJumbo.jpg)
Cayos Cochinos, Honduras
Off the northern coast of Honduras, the Cayos Cochinos archipelago, part of a marine preserve where commercial fishing is banned, encompasses about 300,000 acres, two main islands and 13 small cays, with a collective population of about 200 Indigenous Garifuna residents.
Before the pandemic, the nonprofit Cayos Cochinos Foundation, which manages the reserve, derived much of its funding to study and protect its biodiversity from the fees paid by day-trippers to snorkel there. Now, the nongovernmental organization is gently opening itself to tourism, allowing visitors to stay in basic cabins (from $45 a night) that previously hosted exclusively scientists.
Between scuba dives and hikes to see pink boa constrictors and black-chested spiny-tailed iguanas, travelers can volunteer to propagate new coral or count sea turtles. Travel to the islands, which are roadless and free of cars, also supports the Garifuna community, which offers guide services, restaurants and tastings of the local root-infused spirit, guifiti.
Burgundy Beer Trail Copied to clipboard!
Paying homage to hops and yeast in a region where wine has long reigned read more.
![us travel 2023 A man with dark hair and a beard and wearing a zip-up puffer vest is standing surrounded by huge wooden beer barrels in the cellar of brewery. He is pouring beer from a long-neck bottle into a large stemmed goblet, and there is an ancient stone wall behind him.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/multimedia/00places-burgundy-1-e2a5/00places-burgundy-1-e2a5-superJumbo.jpg)
Burgundy Beer Trail, France
Wine lovers have long revered the great vintages of Burgundy. Now, beer lovers have their eyes on the Burgundy region, following the arrival of head-turning new breweries like Ammonite , Vif , Independent House and 90 BPM , all within 90 minutes of one another, and all rated among the best in France by fans on sites like Untappd and RateBeer .
Winemaking influences these new brewers, some of which employ solera barrel systems (like those used to age and blend sherry and Madeira wines), natural yeast, small oak barrels and other tools and techniques most often used by vintners.
For years, France has been a laggard in the global craft beer revolution, running far behind neighboring countries like Spain and Italy. The emerging beer trail in Burgundy’s wine region shows how France might soon develop an enviable beer culture of its own.
Istanbul Copied to clipboard!
Reviving a city’s historic architecture just in time for modern turkey’s centennial read more.
Maria Mavropoulou for The New York Times
![us travel 2023 A modern-looking, three-level museum building of steel and glass is seen from the front, leading out to a forecourt of polished stone. There are people walking past the facade, and there is a sign in big capital lettering on the front that reads, “Istanbul Modern”](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/12/22/multimedia/00places-Istanbul-1-5561/00places-Istanbul-1-5561-superJumbo.jpg)
This October, the Turkish Republic celebrates its 100th anniversary, and to mark the occasion, Istanbul’s local government has invested millions in giving historic structures new life.
Among them: Feshane, a factory that manufactured the iconic Turkish hats and one of Istanbul’s first steel buildings, will become one of its largest art centers; west of the old city, a comprehensive restoration of the stone-and-brick Mevlanakapi city walls with their 22 towers dating back to the fifth century, will transform them into a four-and-a-half-mile walking path; and the Botter Apartment, one of Istanbul’s earliest Art Nouveau buildings, whose bottom floor was originally a studio for the sultan’s private tailor, will be turned into a fashion design center.
There’s more. Art museums are planned for the former Yedikule gasworks and the Halic Shipyard, one of the world’s oldest still in operation. And most notably, the newly built Istanbul Modern museum, designed by the architect Renzo Piano, will open its doors along the Bosporus in Karakoy, showcasing the works of notable Turkish artists such as Fahrelnissa Zeid and Erol Akyavas.
— Nora Walsh
Taipei Copied to clipboard!
Floating sky lanterns and soaring skyscrapers in a sprawling, thrumming capital read more.
![us travel 2023 A bustling night market in Taipei has shoppers roaming up and down a long strip, lined on either side with stall fronts. There is backlit lettering on signage over many of the stalls, and illuminated yellow lanterns hang overhead. The night sky is black.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/17/travel/00places-taipei-sub/00places-taipei-sub-superJumbo.jpg)
Taipei, Taiwan
Taipei is a glorious assault on the senses, a capital with stunning natural beauty, low crime, and clear air despite its immense urban sprawl. From its neon-lit night markets to its Qing Dynasty temples, visitors can feel the quiet drum of independent pride, however fragile its future.
Beijing, which sees self-ruled Taiwan as an unruly child, continues to assert its desire to reunify with Taiwan and put the island firmly back under its control. But for now, a visit to this city offers a riot of culinary and cultural pleasures. In 2023, the island’s third-tallest skyscraper will open, and the Taiwan Lantern Festival , a beloved tradition in which thousands of glowing lanterns float skyward in tandem, will return to Taipei after more than two decades.
Taipei’s future is uncertain. But in 2023, it remains an ideal place to gape at the sheer power of human innovation.
— Debra Kamin
El Poblado Copied to clipboard!
Medellín, Colombia
A chic shopping district, pulsing nightlife and rainbow-colored macaws Read more
Federico Rios for The New York Times
![us travel 2023 A bartender, wearing an apron and standing in front of a large mirrored array of alcoholic beverages, slides an orange and green drink toward the viewer.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/multimedia/00places-medellin-1-fc81/00places-medellin-1-fc81-superJumbo-v4.jpg)
El Poblado, Medellín, Colombia
In the 1600s, Spanish settlers established El Poblado, “the village,” along the Medellín River. Eventually, the larger city of Medellín grew to the north, and El Poblado became a rural getaway for wealthy Colombians.
Today, it is once again a center of activity. The grid of two- or three-story homes has blossomed with shops and restaurants, interspersed with boutique hotels rising above the treetops. Nearby, gushing waterfalls and rainbow-colored macaws add to the lush tropical vibe.
An afternoon roaming the neighborhood, popping into Mon y Velarde for menswear or Makeno for artisanal home goods, followed by coffee at Pergamino or modern Colombian cuisine at Oci.Mde , is a worthy entry on any South American traveler’s bucket list. Stay out late enough to see the area transform into the pulsing heart of the city’s nightlife, with D.J.s on the rooftops and dance parties in the streets.
Lausanne Copied to clipboard!
Switzerland
Spectacular views of Lake Geneva and an exploding architectural and artistic scene Read more
Clara Tuma for The New York Times
![us travel 2023 Looking down onto a cityscape from above, cars are driving down a bustling retail main street and apartment buildings are above the shops. A church steeple is seen in the distance.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/multimedia/00places-lausanne-switzerland-1-29bd/00places-lausanne-switzerland-1-29bd-superJumbo.jpg)
Lausanne, Switzerland
Already blessed with a sublime Lake Geneva location and dramatic mountain views, Lausanne, Switzerland’s fourth-largest city, has been adding architectural and artistic beauty to its repertoire as well.
Known as Plateform 10 , the city’s three-year-old arts district recently inaugurated a bold new building that resembles an artfully cracked block of white stone for a pair of museums. Photo Elysée is dedicated to exhibiting photography in all its forms, while MUDAC is a haven of five creative outlets: design, glasswork, ceramics, jewelry and graphic art. The two institutions join the new home of the city’s international art museum, the Musée Cantonal des Beaux-Arts , which moved into its ridged, rectangular building in 2019.
Methana Copied to clipboard!
A hike, a stroll or a run into the bronze age followed by a soak in an ancient tub read more.
![us travel 2023 Two runners, a man and a woman, are seen from behind as they are running along a rocky mountain trail, at the very edge of the cliff. They are dressed in black and gray and the blue sea and a mountain are seen in the distance.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/multimedia/00places-Methana-Greece-1-b527/00places-Methana-Greece-1-b527-superJumbo.jpg)
Methana, Greece
Athens’s nearest active volcano, Methana, sits on a peninsula of the same name some 30 miles southwest of the Greek capital. Though largely unknown to tourists, the area is slowly evolving, in part because of its increasing popularity as a hiking destination.
In recent years, groups of locals have managed to reopen and map old walking paths, some of which date back to the Mycenaean Era, creating hiking trails that attract visitors from around the world. (So far, more than 18 miles have been cleared and marked.) The Methana Volcano Challenge , first organized in 2021, offers a trail run across the peninsula’s sloping landscape.
Visitors to this volcanic peninsula can also enjoy several hot springs, the most interesting of which is an ancient (and recently renovated) tub known as the Pausanias Baths near the village of Agios Nikolaos.
— Demetrios Ioannou
Louisville Copied to clipboard!
A rising l.g.b.t.q. scene with quilts, drag shows, the derby and, of course, bourbon read more, louisville, kentucky.
One of the oldest cities west of the Appalachian Mountains, and arguably among the most beautiful, Louisville somehow flies under the radar. This despite its graceful 19th-century park system , designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, and its bourbon-fueled convivial spirit.
Today, its L.G.B.T.Q. scene is also thriving, with hot spots like Chill Bar and Play Dance Bar , which hosts regular drag nights featuring touring artists. (The city has also earned top marks from the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index for seven years running and is home to two new L.G.B.T.Q. community centers.) This spring brings Hotel Genevieve , from the Texas-based Bunkhouse Group, which offers Louisville-inspired touches like décor that pays homage to the city’s rich quilting heritage, an on-site market selling work from local artists and bourbon selections from neighboring Rabbit Hole Distillery .
Make plans for 2023, because the city might not stay below the radar much longer: 2024 will draw the masses for the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby.
— Paul L. Underwood
Manaus Copied to clipboard!
River-to-table cuisine and ancestral recipes in the heart of the amazon read more.
![us travel 2023 A fish, cooked whole, sits on a small plate beside a sliced lime. Two additional bowls — filled with colorful food — sit beside the plate, as does a glass filled with a yellow-green drink.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/12/21/multimedia/00places-Manaus-Brazil-1-4211/00places-Manaus-Brazil-1-4211-superJumbo-v2.jpg)
Manaus, Brazil
Michelin-starred restaurants in São Paulo use Amazonian ingredients to appear exotic, but in Manaus, where you can sip steamy gourds of tacacá from a stand in front of the Teatro Amazonas or wander past plastic bottles of tucupi, the juice squeezed from grated cassava, in Adolpho Lisboa Municipal Market, Amazonian ingredients are a fact of life.
At the Indigenous-owned Biatüwi , a restaurant that pays homage to ancestral recipes and cooking techniques, drinks are made from fermented purple yams, and chiles are used to purify river fish in piquant stews like quinhampira.
Then there’s the chef Felipe Schaedler, who has helped threatened Yanomami communities commercialize their native mushrooms and runs two restaurants of his own: Banzeiro and Moquém do Banzeiro . Steering away from traditional preparations, Mr. Schaedler reimagines ingredients like lemon-grass-flavored ants and tambaqui ribs in a modern format, as do the bistros Caxiri , set in a colonial building overlooking Largo de São Sebastião, a grand plaza, and Fitz Carraldo, in the boutique hotel Villa Amazonia .
Vilnius Copied to clipboard!
A 700-year-old survivor ready to party like there’s no tomorrow read more.
Gordon Welters for The New York Times
![us travel 2023 A man sits above a river, his feet dipping into the water, on a two-seated chair that is suspended about ten feet below a decorative bridge. Atop the bridge, three people look down at the man. Behind them is what appears to be a collection of residential buildings.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/12/28/multimedia/00places-vilnius-lithuania-1-2a88/00places-vilnius-lithuania-1-2a88-superJumbo.jpg)
Vilnius, Lithuania
Lithuania’s cobblestoned capital has a long history of bootstrap survival. Occupied once by the Nazis and twice by the Soviets, Vilnius has a story that is complex and fascinating to explore. Its architectural riches span from Gothic to Renaissance to Baroque; grand churches rub shoulders with quaint timber homes on leafy streets.
In 2023, the resilient city celebrates its 700th birthday with a full year of revelry. A light festival , free music performances and the first Vilnius International Biennial are all on the calendar. Artificial intelligence will resurrect one of the city’s first operas from the 17th century, and an exhibition space will allow visitors to virtually explore Vilnius’s streets as they looked more than 200 years ago.
Ringing in its eighth century, Vilnius reminds travelers that, when viewed through the long lens of history, our own uncertain times are fleeting.
Macon Copied to clipboard!
1,100-year-old native american mounds and deep rock ’n’ roll roots read more.
![us travel 2023 A pathway leads into a large mound of earth, perhaps around 10 or 15 feet tall at its peak and covered with neatly manicured grass. The mound has a large opening framed with wooden logs.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/multimedia/00places-Macon-1-7858/00places-Macon-1-7858-superJumbo.jpg)
Macon, Georgia
The area around Macon has been home to multiple Native American tribes for 12,000 years. That history will be acknowledged this year, when Georgia is expected to get its first national park: The Ocmulgee Mounds, some of the most significant prehistoric Indigenous mounds in North America, date to the year 900, and are now a national historical park .
The national park will include the Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge , for a total of 50,000 acres, and offer a network of exquisite hiking trails and artifacts from American Indian culture. Management will be shared by the Muscogee Nation and the National Park Service.
Additionally, the city, whose musical roots run deep — Little Richard, the Allman Brothers and Otis Redding all got their start here — is celebrating its 200th anniversary with a new 10,000-seat amphitheater . Visitors can check out the Hotel Forty Five , a boutique hotel that opened downtown last year and that was named both for the angle of the street on which it sits and as a nod to musical history.
— Ondine Cohane
Madrid Copied to clipboard!
Kicking off a worldwide tribute to picasso in a place that’s a masterpiece unto itself read more.
Emilio Parra Doiztua for The New York Times
If art is a universal language, as travel often reveals, Pablo Picasso’s antiwar “ Guernica ” may be one of its most potent symbols.
The Spanish and French governments recently announced the Picasso Celebration 1973-2023 in front of the famous painting at the Reina Sofia museum, kicking off a transnational commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the artist’s death. The worldwide tribute, from Madrid to Paris to New York City, includes some 50 exhibitions, many of which explore the artist through the lens of the present day. Madrid leads the way, with tributes throughout the year, including “Picasso. The Sacred and the Profane” at the Thyssen-Bornemisza ; “Picasso 1906. The Turning Point” at the Reina Sofia ; and an exhibition exploring Picasso and El Greco at the Prado .
During Picasso’s anniversary year, it’s worth noting that the city’s artistry isn’t just within its museums, but outside as well: Madrid’s cultural core is an urban masterpiece of art, nature and light, and in 2021, the entire area of the Paseo del Prado and verdant Parque del Buen Retiro, called “Landscape of Light,” was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Grand Junction Copied to clipboard!
A bonanza of canyons, arches and cliffs, without the hordes of tourists read more.
![us travel 2023 Sharp orange-red sandstone cliffs contrast with the deep blue of the sky in the background. The cliffs, dramatically steep at the top, give way to gentler slopes of eroded material below.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/travel/00places-grand-junction/00places-grand-junction-superJumbo.jpg)
Grand Junction, Colorado
On Colorado’s Western Slope, arid Grand Junction offers attractions similar to those of Moab, Utah, the gateway to Arches National Park, without the throngs.
The area around the Colorado alternative has the second-largest concentration of natural arches in the country in Rattlesnake Canyon, where some 35 sandstone spans are part of the roughly 123,700-acre McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area , reachable via off-road vehicle or a strenuous 14-mile round-trip trek. More convenient hiking trails in the Colorado National Monument — where geologic uplift and erosion formed monoliths of the same Entrada sandstone found at Arches — lie within about 10 minutes of town.
The 2021 opening of the Palisade Plunge adds a 32-mile descent — from the world’s largest flat-topped mountain, 10,000-foot Grand Mesa, down to the Colorado River — to the area’s biking challenges. All trails lead back to downtown Grand Junction, filled with shops, craft breweries, locavore restaurants and wine-tasting rooms from area vineyards.
La Guajira Copied to clipboard!
An unspoiled land of orange-sand beaches and flamingo-lined lagoons read more.
![us travel 2023 Four figures, silhouetted against a dark orange-blue sky, are standing atop a hillside, with the ocean in view in the distance on the right.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/multimedia/00places-la-guajira-1-074d/00places-la-guajira-1-074d-superJumbo.jpg)
La Guajira, Colombia
The remote and arid La Guajira peninsula, straddling Colombia’s border with Venezuela, remains largely unknown to international tourists — in spite of its dramatic salt flats, flamingo-lined lagoons and orange-sand beaches.
Terrorist activity made this area mostly off limits until 2016, but eco-minded hotels, including La Casa del Pavo Real and Hotel Waya Guajira , have spread along the peninsula, relying on increased flights to Riohacha, the regional capital, and nearby Santa Marta.
This region is the home of the Indigenous Wayúu people, who have expressed concerns that giant development projects may irreparably alter their ancestral lands. Tour operators visit Wayúu weavers known for their chinchorros, the colorful hammocks that take months to make, and their rustic kitchens, where cooks like Zaida Cotes showcase traditional cuisine based on salted fish, goat meat and purple corn.
Bergamo and Brescia Copied to clipboard!
Open-air theater, art, music and a plateful of local delicacies in a cultural crossroads read more.
Andrea Wyner for The New York Times
![us travel 2023 An ancient city with pretty red roofs and facades of white and yellow sits in the foreground. In the distance are rolling forested hills and mountains.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/12/22/travel/00places-bergamo/00places-bergamo-superJumbo.jpg)
Bergamo and Brescia, Italy
Milan may outshine Bergamo and Brescia , but in 2023 a spotlight will fall on these two Lombardy cities after they were jointly named the Italian Capital of Culture . More than 100 art projects, music and theater events (some open-air), nature walks and new bike routes are meant to map a way forward after the tragic headlines this northern region generated in 2020, when it was more ravaged by the coronavirus than anyplace else in Italy.
Bergamo is distinctive for its ancient, walled Città Alta (Upper Town) and modern Città Bassa (Lower Town), the two connected by narrow roads, a funicular and a footpath. Brescia, around 30 miles southeast , is a handsome crossroads of Roman, medieval and Renaissance sites .
Outstanding food is another draw — it’s Italy, after all — with menus in both areas featuring creamy, nutty polenta taragna and variously stuffed crescents of casoncelli swirled with butter and sage — little pasta miracles that prove how good life can still be.
— Julie Besonen
American Prairie Copied to clipboard!
A vast, and growing, swath of nature where you can still feel tiny read more.
Janie Osborne
![us travel 2023 A dark-brown buffalo grazes through a field of light-yellow grasses, forming a striking contrast. In the distance, a row of trees showcases variously colored leaves: green, yellow, orange.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/travel/00places-American-prarie/00places-American-prarie-superJumbo.jpg)
American Prairie, Montana
With its wide-open skies and boundless horizons, American Prairie is ideal for visitors seeking a respite from the fast pace of modern life. A vast nature preserve founded by a Montana nonprofit, A.P. has been accumulating grasslands since 2004. It currently consists of 455,840 acres — and the preserve continues to expand by acquiring private properties that connect to surrounding public lands. The goal: to create a contiguous, three-million-acre reserve and restore a disappearing ecosystem.
A.P. offers a broad range of activities, including leisurely walks, cross-country skiing and expert-level hiking, biking and paddling. Paved roads lead to Antelope Creek Campground, which features an interpretive trail and distant views of the Little Rockies. Buffalo Camp, accessible by gravel roads and situated among the reserve’s largest bison herd, is a little farther off the beaten path and provides a chance to see a buffalo jump, a cliff traditionally used by Indigenous peoples to harvest bison.
— Janie Osborne
Eastern Townships Copied to clipboard!
A leisurely journey through the countryside with stops for wine, cheese and poutine read more.
![us travel 2023 An abbey — several stories tall, built from light-colored stone and showcasing a deep-green roof — is dusted with snow and sits among snow-covered trees.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/travel/00places-canada/00places-canada-superJumbo.jpg)
Eastern Townships, Quebec
This is slow travel at its best: Pedal across the quiet Quebec countryside, refueling on local cheese, wine and, yes, poutine. Montreal and Quebec City are the stars of the region, but the bucolic, lake-laced terrain between them is often relegated to fleeting glimpses from the windows of a rental car.
The Eastern Townships — Canada’s New England, with French flair — deserves a visit all its own, and especially now, with the recent debut of the Véloroute Gourmande . The 150-mile cycle route traces the Route Verte and Trans Canada Trail across this charming region dotted with flower-festooned villages, and features more than 100 epicurean stops along the way, from farmers’ markets to maple groves to fromageries to vineyards.
Try the lush, sweet vin de glace (ice wine), made from ripe grapes that have frozen naturally on the vine, at Le Cep d’Argent , and the buttery Brise des Vignerons at the family-run Fromagerie des Cantons , one of the first in the area to develop cheese exclusively from Jersey cows, a nod to the region’s British influences.
New Haven Copied to clipboard!
Connecticut
A home to tinkerers and rebels, and a treasure trove of contemporary art and architecture Read more
New haven, connecticut.
Connecticut’s third-largest city is a historic, mostly walkable and bikeable seaside town with distinctive neighborhoods, an encyclopedic collection of great American architecture, a thriving cultural life and one of the best food scenes in the country for a city of its size (134,000).
Founded in 1638, it’s a place where people have always tinkered with, mused about and challenged the status quo, which is why the New Haven Preservation Trust is now looking at saving the modernist buildings of the 1970s, which many see as disastrous examples of urban renewal. Discover one of the best of these brutalist concrete buildings by checking into the new Hotel Marcel , named for its architect, Marcel Breuer. Recently renovated, it’s become the first completely solar-powered, energy-neutral hotel in the United States.
Check out NXTHVN , a cutting-edge, community-focused arts center founded in 2019 in two abandoned factory buildings in the Dixwell neighborhood that has become the heart of a vibrant African American artists’ community. And then treat yourself to a great meal — maybe crispy artichokes with Parmesan aioli and pork belly with Tuscan cabbage and apple mostarda — at the recently opened Villa Lulu .
The Black Hills Copied to clipboard!
South Dakota
Pine forests, powwows and a climb up to Crazy Horse’s giant granite face Read more
Benjamin Rasmussen
![us travel 2023 On top of a high rocky overlook, with green fields visible far below in the distance, three trees are covered in many dozens of prayer cloths, which have been tied to the trees’ trunks and branches.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/travel/00places-blackhills/00places-blackhills-superJumbo.jpg)
The Black Hills, South Dakota
The Lakota people trace their creation to the He Sapa, or Black Hills, a mountain range of dramatic peaks and pine forests in an area that is South Dakota’s chief tourism attraction.
Now, representatives of all nine tribes in the state — working as the South Dakota Native Tourism Alliance — are having a say in how to experience Native American sites with the publication of a new tribal nations’ visitors guide , including destination suggestions and tips on visitor etiquette. The assembly helped identify the Great 8 , eight sites and experiences — among them powwows, or dance celebrations — that are significant to Indigenous culture, with a concentration in the Black Hills. These include Bear Butte State Park where hiking trails may lead past prayer cloths tied to trees, 7,244-foot Black Elk Peak, the state’s highest, and the Crazy Horse Memorial .
The massive sculpture of the Lakota warrior turns 75 next summer, when the biannual Volksmarch will allow hikers to ascend the carving, still under construction, and stand beneath Crazy Horse’s more than 87-foot-tall granite face.
Sarajevo Copied to clipboard!
Bosnia and Herzegovina
A living museum of resilience where empires and cultures have long intersected Read more
Todd Heisler/The New York Times
![us travel 2023 A town center is seen from above at night, with the main high street illuminated as it runs between the dark building and surrounding apartments. There are people walking in the street, churches glowing as they rise from the other buildings, and the surrounding mountains in the distance are dotted with lights from many homes.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/multimedia/00places-sarajevo-1-2f48/00places-sarajevo-1-2f48-superJumbo.jpg)
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sarajevo’s history lives in the present. There is the Latin Bridge, where a certain archduke was assassinated, catalyzing World War I. There are buildings still pockmarked by shells from the siege three decades ago. And there is the intricate interplay of empires, from the Ottoman to the Austro-Hungarian, that allows visitors to tour a mosque, a cathedral, an Orthodox church and a synagogue all within a few blocks.
These layers of history, of course, can detonate as easily as they can coexist. Bosnia’s multiethnic capital remains on edge. Look up to the hills, and there are the artillery positions built on the grounds of the 1984 Winter Olympics. But Sarajevo’s splendor comes from this intrusion of the past. It remains a living museum that hints at how a Ukraine or a Syria cannot only survive but perhaps one day flourish anew.
— Hannah Beech
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Corrections
A photograph with an earlier version of this article misidentified the city shown in the image. The photograph depicted the province of Tarragona, Spain, not the city itself. The image has been replaced.
The article also misstated the size of the Barrio Viejo neighborhood of Tucson, Ariz. It is more than 150 acres, not 150 blocks.
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23 of the best places you should travel to in the US in 2023
- US destinations offer all kinds of exciting attractions for any budget — no passport required.
- New wellness sanctuaries, cultural happenings, and sports events will draw US travelers next year.
- No matter your travel style, here's where to go around the country in 2023.
Travel is expected to be top of mind in 2023, especially with new hotel openings, cultural happenings, and sporting events set to take place in the new year.
Although the last holdout countries around the world are opening their borders after COVID-19 restrictions, you won't need a passport to visit some of the most exciting destinations in 2023. They're right here in the US.
Formula 1 comes to Las Vegas in November, with racing taking place right along the Las Vegas Strip. In January, the long-anticipated International African American Museum is set to open in Charleston, and the Super Bowl is just one of an array of events for sports fans coming to the Phoenix area in 2023.
As a travel writer, I stay keyed into industry trends and happenings all over the country. And as a frequent traveler, I have my own personal favorite destinations and places I want to go, where big things are set to happen in the new year.
And like me, plenty of people are expected to travel in the coming year. The airline industry expects to return to profitability for the first time in four years, with most Americans — around 75 percent — planning to travel domestically in the next six months.
I'll definitely be among them. If you will too, check out this list of domestic places to go in 2023 for inspiration, from new wellness sanctuaries to cultural happenings, and sporting events.
Las Vegas is one of my favorite destinations, not just in the country, but also on the planet, and big events will take place here in 2023.
I come to Las Vegas multiple times a year because I love how much there is to see and do each time I visit. In my opinion, that's because Las Vegas seems to exist in a perpetual cycle of reinvention and newness.
And in November 2023, the Las Vegas Strip will transform into a race track as Formula 1 returns to the city for the first time in nearly 40 years . Las Vegas Boulevard itself will become a race track, and some of Vegas's most iconic landmarks will serve as seating for guests to watch it.
Of course, you'll need somewhere to stay, and I love Sky Suites at Aria for an over-the-top Vegas crash pad, or Bellagio , where bleachers right in front of the iconic fountains will allow spectating.
Even my friends who don't care about racing or Las Vegas are talking about this event — I think it's going to be one for the books.
Visit Macon, Georgia, an under-the-radar destination with an upcoming bicentennial celebration, and a forthcoming national park.
With rich musical roots , thousands of years of history , and a revived downtown historic district , I think Macon, Georgia, is a charming, under-the-radar destination.
But why I suggest a visit in 2023, in particular, is because Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park is expected to be named Georgia's first national park by the start of the year. The park holds more than 12,000 years of living history and houses more than 2,000 artifacts from American Indian culture.
The new year also marks Macon's bicentennial , and the city plans to celebrate. A new 10,000-person capacity amphitheater is currently under construction and expected to be complete during the year, and will draw big-name performers and renewed pride for the city's big event.
The downtown area's first hotel, Hotel Forty Five , opened this year in an old bank in a landmark building , should you find yourself in town, and the second boutique hotel in downtown Macon, the Woodward , is scheduled to open next to the historic Capitol Theater — a movie palace that first opened its doors in 1916 — in the fall.
One of my favorite destinations in the South, Charleston, South Carolina, will introduce new hotels, restaurants, and cultural destinations in 2023.
I've long loved visiting Charleston and there are a few upcoming events that have me planning a return in 2023.
Most notably, the widely anticipated International African American Museum is set for a January opening on Charleston's Gadsden's Wharf, with exhibits honoring the stories of the African American journey.
If you plan a visit, I recommend a stay at the historic district's The Charleston Place hotel, which is undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation, and will offer complimentary guest shuttles to and from the new museum. Also new to the scene, The Pinch is a luxury boutique hotel — which is my favorite kind of property — that is opening two restaurant concepts early in the year.
I also think Charleston is a great destination for design buffs, with architectural charm observed throughout downtown, as well as the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art .
Big sporting events and new hotels are all coming to Phoenix.
Super Bowl 2023 takes to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, in February. But I think that's far from the only reason to visit the Phoenix area next year.
Beyond the football game, the Greater Phoenix area will also host the Waste Management Phoenix Open , which is the largest golf tournament on the PGA tour, as well as MLB Cactus League Spring Training in the new year. And since these events take place during winter when it's typically sunny and warm in Phoenix, and cold elsewhere, I think it's the ideal time to visit.
I'm also just happy to travel anywhere that has sparkling pools and hotels, and I think Phoenix has many of them. A few that are scheduled to open next year that excite me include Moxy Phoenix Downtown in the spring, which will bring an outpost of the boutique but affordable Marriott brand, and The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie , which will open in the fall on 20 acres with a view of Camelback Mountain and a 400-foot swimming pool.
I once lived in San Francisco, and plan to return to celebrate landmark anniversaries next year.
I attended UC Berkeley, and lived across the bay in San Francisco after college. It's where I started my writing career, and as a result, I left pieces of my heart in the city and try to return often.
Next year, though, it will be for more than just nostalgia.
In 2023, the city celebrates a handful of milestone anniversaries for key city landmarks, including the San Francisco Opera , which will mark 100 years, and the Ferry Building , which will have stood for 125 years. These anniversary dates will bring special programming and events throughout the year that I think make the city well worth a visit.
Elsewhere, I think Presidio Tunnel Tops is an ideal spot for views of the city and the Golden Gate Bridge, with 14 acres of new national parkland that was designed by the same firm behind New York City's High Line.
And as someone who has stayed in many of the city's finest hotels, I suggest visitors book the Line Hotel San Francisco , which opened in the fall, and stands out to me for its landscaped rooftop solarium.
I want to bring my kids to Rochester, New York, for its children's museum.
Rochester, New York, is New York state's third most populous metro , and as I've learned recently, is home to a thriving food and craft beer scene ,
It also deserves a spot on this list because the city will host the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill in May, which I think many sports fans will appreciate.
And, as a mom of 8-year-old twins, I always look for things to do with my kids when I travel, and Rochester has one of the country's top children's museums, the Strong National Museum of Play . I'd like to visit next year especially, as that's when it's set to complete a 90,000-square-foot expansion , with new amenities and a new 24,000-square-foot interactive gallery that I know would keep my children busy for hours.
New nonstop air service to Virginia Beach on budget carriers will make it an affordable place to plan an oceanfront getaway.
With 35 miles of shoreline , Virginia Beach is just a day's drive from two-thirds of the US population.
But for those who live further away, March 2023 will see the launch of daily nonstop service from South Florida to Norfolk, Virginia, on Spirit Airlines . Additionally, the budget-friendly Breeze Airways recently launched service from Los Angeles , where I live. It's a big deal to me, because I always seek destinations with nonstop flights out of LAX as a means of simplifying travel with kids.
Other new reasons I've found to plan a trip to Virginia Beach include new hotel openings like the Moxy at Virginia Beach that will open in the summer facing the ocean , and the Embassy Suites Hotel at the Cavalier Resort , which is enticing to me since the suite layout means plenty of room for my family of four to spread out.
I also suggest music fans plan a stay around the Something In the Water festival in April, which was announced by Virginia Beach native, Pharrell Williams.
In my years living in the San Francisco Bay Area, I made frequent trips to Lake Tahoe and am eyeing a visit to ride a new gondola or attend World Cup slalom events.
In my years living in the San Francisco Bay Area, I made frequent trips with friends to Lake Tahoe. Next year, I'd love to get back there.
Since hosting the 1960 Winter Olympics, Lake Tahoe's Palisades Tahoe — formerly Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows — has been considered a year-round destination and it's one of my favorites. This winter, it will unveil its new Base to Base Gondola , which will connect Palisades Tahoe's two valleys and make it one of the largest ski resorts in North America.
In addition, Palisades Tahoe will host the World Cup for the Men's Slalom and Giant Slalom events in February, which is significant in my opinion, as it's one of just four US stops on the international circuit this season.
Travel to East Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains, to celebrate Dolly Parton and experience a new ride at Dollywood.
I believe that any time is a good time to celebrate Dolly Parton, who is on my personal list of our most precious national heroes, but I think 2023 is an especially good time.
That's because there are big things planned for the new year at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. In 2023, Dollywood will debut a new ride, the longest roller coaster in the park's history, with a Smokies theme. Superfans like me can also experience a bucket-list stay in Dolly's recently transformed tour bus, now known as Suite 1986 , or stay at Dolly's second hotel, HeartSong Lodge & Resort , which will open in the fall.
Beyond Dollywood, nearby towns including Sevierville, Gatlinburg, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, are well worth exploring, in my opinion, for the ample beautiful scenery.
Interest in Nashville is expected to grow, perhaps partially due to the fact that both the NHL Entry Draft and NHL Awards Ceremony will take place here.
Nashville keeps popping up in conversations within my sphere of friends and travel industry folks and we're not alone.
In 2023, Nashville International Airport passenger traffic is anticipated to grow to more than 23 million with a new airport hotel, expanded terminals, renovated lobby, satellite concourses , and more.
I think that's a good thing considering that in June 2023, the NHL Entry Draft and NHL Awards Ceremony , will be held together in the same city for the first time in 17 years, and will take place in downtown Nashville at the Bridgestone Arena, drawing major tourist interest.
Known, of course, for its theme parks, I think there are a range of other reasons to visit in 2023 beyond a certain famous mouse.
I think flying into Orlando is about to get even easier, as the $2.8 billion renovation at Orlando International Airport is nearly complete, making it the first fully-integrated terminal in the US for rail, air, and ground transportation .
And for the first time ever, Orlando has restaurants in the Michelin Guide . Four were awarded a star, including the 10-seat multi course dining experience Soseki Modern Omakase . Seven received the Bib Gourmand (in recognition of value for money), and 22 were recommended, for a total of 33 total honorees in all. So, if you're a foodie like me, you'll be interested to try a few, or all, of these restaurants.
Additionally, Conrad Orlando opens in summer 2023 next to the Walt Disney World Resort, offering another option for a high-end hotel near the theme parks, with a world-class Jack Nicklaus golf course and aquatic adventure area on-site.
But since I personally love when I can combine family-friendly travel experiences with luxury, my pick near Disney is the Four Seasons Orlando . In addition to five-star amenities without an overly themed experience, I like it because it also has the newly minted Michelin-star restaurant Capa Steakhouse & Bar , which is part Spanish tapas and part American steakhouse.
Visit Portland, Oregon, in 2023 to get outdoors, try one of the best new restaurants in America, and stay at a luxury hotel.
If you haven't visited Portland, Oregon, lately, I think 2023 is a great time to do so.
I have it on my list, purely to try Kann , the new Haitian-Dutch restaurant from Gregory Gourdet, which recently made " The New York Times'" top 50 restaurants in America list merely weeks after it opened.
Additionally, the Earl Blumenauer Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge opened this summer connecting the Central Eastside and Lloyd neighborhoods, which is significant as it's not only a pretty place to go, but will serve as a connection for pedestrians and bikers traveling between two of Portland's fastest growing neighborhoods, Lloyd and the Central Eastside.
While in town, I'll stay at the new Ritz-Carlton, opening downtown in July . When it does, the 35-floor tower hotel will have a pool on the 19th floor and an indoor-outdoor restaurant and bar on the 20th, both of which I think will have fantastic views of the city.
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Columbus, Ohio, is building the nation's first urban via ferrata, along with new sports centers and hotels.
My dad is from Ohio, but I think his stories about growing up there bear little resemblance to the kinds of high-tech things I see happening in the state right now.
Columbus now earns the nickname, Silicon Heartland , as it's home to big tech firms, and the region was recently announced as the site for Intel's $20 billion chip manufacturing factory .
The city is also building the nation's first urban via ferrata at Quarry Trails Metro Park , which is an 800-foot horizontal traverse designed for a mountaineering style of climbing that will be the the very first of its kind.
Columbus also has a new state-of-the-art professional soccer stadium, Lower.com Field, and a new outdoor drinking district in the Arena District where visitors can catch three professional sports teams all within walking distance.
Finally, as a professional hotel reviewer, I'm excited by two new hotel openings: a massive Hilton Columbus Downtown second tower that opens this fall in the center of things, as well as a new, independent hotel from Makeready , coming in 2023, which will please boutique hotel guests like me who love a more intimate stay.
St. Charles, Illinois, is a destination that I think should be on more travelers' lists.
I love checking out under-the-radar destinations, and St. Charles, Illinois, is one that I hope to visit soon.
The city, which is around an hour from Chicago, earned a spot on my travel radar for its downtown that I've learned is full of independent retailers, including many woman-owned shops, which matters to me when deciding where to spend my money.
I'm also intrigued by its outdoor activities, parks, and a new dining destination, The Graceful Ordinary, which is earning attention for its chef-driven rustic fare and waterfront setting along the Fox River.
In fact, I think the whole riverfront entertainment and downtown district is worthy of a trip, and other stops on my must-visit list in St. Charles include Arcada Theatre for its roster of live shows, Hotel Baker for a historic and centrally-located home base, Pottawatomie Park for lush greenery, Pollyanna Brewery & Distillery and The Lewis cocktail bar for local craft drinks, and much more.
Families with kids will enjoy a trip to Fort Wayne, Indiana, for an immersive museum and a new zoo exhibit.
As previously noted, I'm always on the hunt for destinations where my kids can be suitably entertained without screens. For that reason alone, I'd plan a visit to Fort Wayne, Indiana, to check out the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo . It's rated as one of the top 10 zoos in the country, and in 2023, will open Red Panda Ridge that will have a new play area and extra space for the panda's cubs.
Additionally, Union Street Market will open and become the region's first food hall and public market, with 20-plus merchants open daily, a weekly farmers market, and a test kitchen.
And in the spring, the History Center is scheduled to unveil an overhauled first floor complementing the museum's 32,000-piece artifact collection, which is one of the largest locally-relevant historical collections in the Midwest .
Many new developments and outdoor activities are coming to Indianapolis.
I love getting my steps in when I travel and I think walking is the ideal way to see a destination intimately, while also eschewing the sitting-with-my-laptop lifestyle I have at home.
So I'd love to check out the Indianapolis next year specifically for a stroll along the Indianapolis Cultural Trail , which will complete an expansion in May 2023. It originally opened back in 2013 as an 8-mile urban pedestrian and bicycling trail punctuated with public art installations, but is undergoing a new $30 million, 2-mile addition .
Also next year, dining and retail tenants will move into the historic Stutz Building, which is a 110-year-old former auto manufacturing site . Among the new tenants include an additional outpost for Indy's six-time James Beard award semifinalist, Martha Hoover , whose food I'd love to try.
In 2023, Kansas City will see a trifecta of attractions: a new airport, the NFL draft, and a 600,000-gallon aquarium.
There are three big openings slated for 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri, including the opening of the new single-terminal airport, which will soon have 39 gates for its airline partners and a bunch of new amenities, including 50 retail and dining spaces . Aviation officials hope that the terminal will lead to increased traffic and flights to the airport, the Kansas City Business Journal reported .
Also taking place in KC will be the 2023 NFL Draft , scheduled to take place in April, along with the NFL Draft Experience, an interactive football theme park that will be open throughout the duration of the event that will allow fans to test their skills, participate in interactive exhibits and autograph sessions, and take pictures with the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
And opening in 2023 is a world-class 600,000-gallon aquarium at the Kansas City Zoo that will feature six zones with 34 exhibits that I know kids like mine will love.
Foodies and culinary news followers like me should head to San Antonio, which has opened more than 80 chef-driven restaurants.
In early 2023, the new Collections Building at The Alamo will unveil an extensive collection of Alamo and Texana artifacts from the personal collection of musician Phil Collins.
I think that alone is a great reason to visit, but for foodies and culinary news followers like me, San Antonio has also opened more than 80 chef-driven restaurants in the last two years, and it's about time I made my way there to try some of them.
This includes Arrosta , Box Street All Day , Landrace , Brasserie Mon Chou Chou , and Best Quality Daughter . Additionally in the city's Southside, exciting openings include eateries such as Rosario's ; as well as museums such as The Contemporary at Blue Star and Ruby City ; live-play spaces like Blue Star ; and more.
And while many know of the city's rich Hispanic heritage , San Antonio also has significant German history with former breweries being reborn as hotels and museums along the San Antonio River like the San Antonio Museum of Art — the former home of Lone Star Brewing — and the Hotel Emma , which was formerly the Pearl Brewery.
Come to my hometown, Los Angeles, but trade a stay in Hollywood or Downtown for the excitement of Culver City.
As a Los Angeles resident, I've been impressed watching the area of Culver City become a mega-hub for the new entertainment world within Los Angeles, following the arrival of digital media giants like Apple TV, Amazon Studios, and HBO, which have all joined long-time local landmark Sony Studio in Culver City.
Though, I think it still remains lesser known to out-of-towners compared to neighborhoods like Hollywood or Downtown LA.
But several new and forthcoming hotel openings in the area will make it easier to explore. I recommend The Shay , a destination by Hyatt hotel that I think stands out from others for it's design-forward, boutique feel with a rooftop pool for views over LA.
And while you're in the area, fit in a hike at the Baldwin Hills stairs , which is a personal favorite of mine for a quick, efficient workout in the area.
Make the bucket list trip to Alaska to ride the railroad, admire the mountains, and soak in a Nordic spa.
Come up to the nation's 49th state for a trip on the Alaska Railroad , which celebrates its centennial year in 2023. Starting in May, visitors can also learn more about the Railroad's history, too, in a new exhibit at the Anchorage Museum .
And in Girdwood, Alaska , the state's first-ever Nordic spa recently opened at the Alyeska Resort , which I think makes for a nice break and unique activity after days spent exploring the outdoors.
During a trip to the area, I also suggest checking out the Alaska Native Heritage Center , which is the only statewide cultural center that represents all Alaska Native peoples. I'd be likely to pair a visit with a stay at the centrally located Aloft Anchorage , with spacious living quarters that families like mine will appreciate.
Chicago has a lot on the horizon with a NASCAR street course, a Van Gogh exhibit, and a new hotel housed in the tallest building in the world designed by a woman.
I've had so much fun visiting friends in Chicago over the years. I think it's a lively city, and I'm excited to learn it has a lot on the horizon in the new year, too.
The first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street course race will come to Chicago in July, preceded by an IMSA-sanctioned series race . Both races will be surrounded by music and entertainment for all ages.
While in town, consider a stay at the 101-story St Regis Chicago , which is slated to open in 2023. It is now the third tallest building in Chicago and the tallest building in the world designed by a woman .
I'm also likely to visit in the spring for the Art Institute of Chicago, where a Van Gogh retrospective will be on view from May through September 2023.
I love to visit Palm Springs multiple times a year and I'll go in 2023 specifically for a new wellness sanctuary, and other openings.
Palm Springs is my home away from home. My family visits multiple times per year as it's just a two-hour trip by car from our home in Los Angeles, but I think it feels like we're entering an alternate magical universe, with therapeutic dry air and striking a mountain landscape.
I'm planning to go again soon entirely for a new wellness destination, Sensei Porcupine Creek . It's Sensei 's second retreat in the country after Sensei Lāna'i in Hawaii, and converted a 230-acre private estate into an ultra-luxury center for wellbeing. The retreat opened at the end of 2022 and has a diagnostic center, yoga and fitness pavilions, a swimming pool, and Sensei by Nobu restaurant.
I'll pair the stay with a visit to the forthcoming Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza to learn more about local history. It will open in spring 2023 and include a museum, spa, and trail, all celebrating the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.
Lastly, the Acrisure Arena , which opened in December 2022, is now the new home of the Coachella Valley Firebirds hockey team. Next year, it will also hold major concerts and events; performers for 2023 will include The Eagles, Jimmy Buffet, Lizzo, and Reba McEntire.
I think major developments to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans warrant a visit.
I'm well overdue for a return visit to New Orleans and there will be so much to do when I go back.
The city's Warehouse/Arts district will see the completion of the National WWII Museum with the final exhibition hall, the Liberation Pavilion , where three new building levels will explore the closing months of the war and immediate postwar years, concluding with how this time period relates to our lives today.
The museum also debuted Expressions of America in November, which is a nighttime sound and light spectacular that transforms the Col. Battle Barksdale Parade Ground with visuals, cocktails, food offerings, 1940s inspired music, and more.
Combined, I think it makes for a fascinating trip, and that's before even factoring in all the great music, food, and vibrant energy for which New Orleans is so well known.
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The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2023
Where to go in 2023, according to T+L editors — for a breath of fresh air, a big-city adventure, or a glimpse at the future of travel.
Since 1971, Travel + Leisure editors have followed one mission: to inform, inspire, and guide travelers to have deeper, more meaningful experiences. T+L's editors have traveled to countries all over the world, having flown, sailed, road tripped, and taken the train countless miles. They've visited small towns and big cities, hidden gems and popular destinations, beaches and mountains, and everything in between. With a breadth of knowledge about destinations around the globe, air travel, cruises, hotels, food and drinks, outdoor adventure, and more, they are able to take their real-world experience and provide readers with tried-and-tested trip ideas, in-depth intel, and inspiration at every point of a journey.
With much of the world reopened, 2023 is shaping up to be the year travel officially bounces back. We made our list of the 50 best destinations for 2023 a little differently this year: We asked Travel + Leisure's editors where they want to go in the months ahead. Some are raring to get back to Japan, while others have the Trans-Bhutan Trail on their lists. Still more are planning a sail around Greenland, a wine-tasting trip on California’s central coast, and a visit to France’s next big wine region (which is, as it happens, tiny).
A few up-and-coming culinary destinations made our list, as did a remarkable piece of art, the size and scale of which boggles the imagination. While many of the team’s picks are remote, breathe-in-that-fresh-air kinds of places, our list doesn’t skimp on cities where the hustle and bustle is part of the fun.
But with so many choices now back on the map, there are as many styles of trips as there are places to explore. That’s why, for the first time in recent memory, we’ve broken our list of best places to go into categories.
The hope is that, whatever it is you’re after in the year ahead, you’ll find it in one of these 50 places. And who knows? We may just see you there.
— Edited by Paul Brady and Maya Kachroo-Levine
Destination by Category
For cultural riches, alexandria, virginia.
K. Summerer for Visit Alexandria
With postcard-perfect cobblestone streets and quick access to the wineries of northern Virginia , Alexandria is an easy city to love. But these days, the reason to go is to see how effectively the city is confronting its own history, as destinations across the American South grapple with the legacy of the Confederacy . Alexandria, which was founded as a tobacco port in 1749, was for decades of the 19th century the site of the country’s largest domestic slave trade . Today, the Freedom House Museum has three new exhibitions honoring the people who were forcibly brought here. Meanwhile, the African American Heritage Trail, which opened in 2020, follows the Potomac River and encompasses nearly 200 years of history at 11 stops, such as the Torpedo Factory , where many Black men and women worked during World War II. An extension of the route will debut in February 2023 with 20 new stops, including Waterfront Park, the port from which enslaved people were trafficked to places like New Orleans. At Jones Point Park, visitors can learn about Benjamin Banneker , an inventor, mathematician, and free African American from Maryland who was instrumental in the 1791 surveying team that determined the border of the new U.S. capital of Washington, D.C. (For an even deeper look at the city’s Black experience, book with Manumission Tours , which is run by a fourth-generation Alexandrian .) The city’s most elegant stay is Morrison House Old Town Alexandria, Autograph Collection , which was recently voted one of the best city hotels in the continental U.S. in T+L’s 2022 World’s Best Awards. A new Hotel AKA is slated to open in Old Town in winter 2023. — Liz Cantrell
Cairo and the Nile
Emli Bendixen
It’s almost here: After more than a decade of construction — to say nothing of the hype — the Grand Egyptian Museum may finally open, just a stone’s throw from the Great Pyramids of Giza, this spring. What to expect? More than 1 million square feet of exhibition space, treasures including a 40-foot-high statue of Ramses II, outdoor gardens, and an expansive plaza from which visitors can take in the desert surroundings. Meanwhile, a number of new and luxurious ships have started sailing the Nile: Among the best choices are the Viking Osiris , an all-veranda vessel carrying 82 passengers, and the opulent Sphinx from Uniworld Boutique River Cruises , which has 42 cabins swathed in marble and hand-carved wood, with beds dressed in fine Egyptian cotton sheets. The hotel scene is also, thankfully, getting a refresh with a new Mandarin Oriental slated for downtown Cairo in 2024; the forthcoming 200-room Four Seasons Hotel Luxor is scheduled to debut in 2025 — not that you should wait that long to see the ancient Valley of the Kings. — John Wogan
“City,” Nevada
City, 1970 – 2022 © Michael Heizer. Courtesy Triple Aught Foundation. Photo: Eric Piasecki
Even in a state known for its vast, empty landscapes, Basin and Range National Monument , about a two-hour drive north of Las Vegas, takes “remote” to a new level. The 704,000-acre preserve, created in 2015, provides endless opportunities for hiking, climbing, camping, and cycling; its desert valleys and mountain ranges are also dotted with Indigenous rock art sites. But the reason to go now is “City,” the single largest contemporary artwork in the world, which opened to visitors in September 2022. Made from dirt, rock, and concrete, the monumental open-air sculpture was more than 50 years in the making, a collection of mounds, depressions, and stelae conceived by the artist Michael Heizer . The endeavor — which was made possible by joint contributions from art institutions around the country, including LACMA and MoMA — will open to the public for the 2023 season by reservation only . The mile-and-a-half-long sculpture feels at once ancient and futuristic, a destination just as awe-inspiring as the natural one surrounding it. — John Wogan
Havana, Cuba
Brad Ogbonna
The can-you, can’t-you continues, but the Biden administration has made it a touch easier to visit Cuba as a result of its May 2022 relaxation of some restrictions on travel to the island. These days, Americans can go as part of a group tour or visit individually on a "support for the Cuban people" license, travel advisor Molly Layman told T+L. “It’s one of 12 authorized categories of travel to the island,” she said, adding that “it requires citizens to have a full-time schedule of activities that support the Cuban people, which is easily fulfilled through buying services from Cuban entrepreneurs, staying in local homes, dining in private restaurants, and booking cultural activities.” Those ready to take to the vibrant streets of Havana will also need a visa, said Layman, who works as director of operations at tour company Cuba Candela . Travelers can handle that, she said, “on the day of travel at the airport check-in desk or from a tour provider.” (The cost varies depending on where a visa is purchased but rarely exceeds $100.) While the hoops are undeniable, they may well be worth jumping through in the year ahead. — Christine Burroni
Tangier, Morocco
Issam Elhafti/Getty Images
For decades, this northern Moroccan city has attracted a stream of bohemian expats including, most famously, beat-generation writers Paul Bowles and William S. Burroughs. That’s how it cultivated a reputation as a place where foreigners went to live, rather than simply visit. But Tangier’s reputation could change this spring, thanks in part to the opening of Villa Mabrouka — British designer Jasper Conran’s second Moroccan property, which follows the 2018 opening of L'Hôtel Marrakech . The one-time private residence of fashion icon Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, the hillside property has gorgeous views over the Bay of Tangier within walking distance to the city’s frenetic medina. Villa Mabrouka joins other newcomers, like the Museum of Contemporary Art , a space displaying work by regional artists, also called the Kasbah Museum, as it's housed in the renovated, 17th-century Kasbah prison. Also new on the proverbial block is the just-opened Fairmont Tazi Palace Tangier , set on a refurbished, century-old estate near the old city. Anticipation is already growing for a recently announced Waldorf Astoria, a 115-room and 21-villa resort set to open in 2025. — John Wogan
Lakes Region, Turkey
Istanbul and Bodrum are both rightly popular, but U.S. travelers will find much to love in other pockets of this diverse country — including this inland part of southwestern Anatolia, which travel advisor Engin Kadaster predicts “will be very popular in the years to come.” Kadaster has been including the Lakes Region on more and more itineraries for her clients, and helped coordinate a story in T+L’s August 2022 issue that included destinations such as Isparta, the region’s largest city and a center of rose and lavender production, and the ancient hilltop city of Sagalassos. The region’s most famous feature — naturally — is a series of tectonic lakes, created by ancient earthquakes, in the foothills of the Taurus Mountains, but it also holds many ancient Greek and Roman archaeological sites. A blessed lack of mass tourism means that this isn’t a hot spot for luxury hotels, but cozy places like Eskiciler Konaği , a renovated century-old mansion near Lake Eğirdir, or Aliya Konak , a seasonal farmstay on a working lavender operation in Isparta, are warm and welcoming. Intrepid travelers can ditch the hotels altogether by camping along the new Pisidia Heritage Trail , a waymarked route that unites the Lakes Region’s splendid nature and unique history as it passes through ancient sites like Kremna, Adada, and Yazılı Canyon. — Hannah Walhout
The United Kingdom
Courtesy of Peninsula London
T+L’s Destination of the Year may be undergoing a once-in-a-lifetime period of transition, but some things never change. For one, the country’s historic cities will always be home to hotels that mix stately grandeur and affable service. This past summer saw the opening of Gleneagles Townhouse , a chic, urban outpost of the iconic Gleneagles resort, in the heart of Edinburgh; next year London will welcome the cool glam of the Peter Marino–designed Peninsula London . Of the U.K.’s many world-class museums, two have recently gotten upgrades: Glasgow’s Burrell Collection , a stunning assortment of international art and artifacts, and the Manchester Museum , which is dedicated to the natural sciences. The Factory , Manchester’s new cultural center, pays tribute to the famous record label behind '80s rock bands the Happy Mondays and New Order. Gourmands (and the just plain hungry) will want to sample the broad range of culinary delights at London’s new Arcade Food Hall at Battersea Power Station, the latest stage in the rehabilitation of the historic building. No visit to the U.K. is complete without venturing out into its peerless countryside, and Scotland’s first rewilding center, Dundreggan , is one noteworthy place to take it all in: Managed by charitable organization Trees for Life , this 10,000-acre estate on the shores of Scotland’s Loch Ness plans to open a visitor’s center by the end of 2023. Meanwhile, the new Two Toms Trail in Lancashire covers 25 miles and features some of England’s most stunning scenery. — Peter Terzian
Getty Images
The perennially popular city made headlines in 2022 for its day-trip entrance fee , which takes effect in January 2023. But why only go for the day? The Venice Architecture Biennale runs May 20, 2023 to Nov. 26, 2023, with global exhibits curated by Lesley Lokko, the first Black architect to organize the event. Architecture lovers will also want to visit the Procuratie Vecchie, the 16th-century building along St. Mark's Square. Though its façade is one of Italy’s most photographed, the public has only recently been allowed inside, after the completion of a five-year refurbishment led by David Chipperfield Architects . Those looking for nostalgic luxury should plan to arrive in the second half of the year, with their bags packed for a train trip: Belmond’s iconic Venice Simplon-Orient Express will unveil two newly restored carriages from the 1920s and ‘30s in June, with opulent suites modeled to mirror the landscapes of Europe. — Nina Ruggiero
For the Food — and Wine
Courtesy of Four Seasons
It may have a reputation as a stopover city, but Athens deserves a closer look — and at least a few nights — in the year ahead. Not far from the Piraeus port , where travelers hop both domestic ferries and cruise ships that criss-cross the Mediterranean, the Athens Riviera has seen a surge of development. Four Seasons Astir Palace , which opened amid the pandemic, has a private beach on the sparkling Saronic Sea and two spaces designed by Swedish architect Martin Brudnizki, including a midcentury modern cocktail bar and Pelagos restaurant, which has already earned its first Michelin star. In the spring of 2023, One&Only Aesthesis will open just a few miles away, also along the waterfront. Next door is the brand-new Experience Park, with trails, fitness classes, fountains, a Zen garden, and bountiful native plants and flowers; it’s part of an $8-billion waterfront green space called The Ellinikon , on the former site of the city’s international airport, that’s still under development. In central Athens, the 2022 opening of the 43-room Xenodocheio Milos hotel in the Pláka neighborhood brings a bit of cosmopolitan verve, from the team behind international restaurant brand Estiatorio Milos . And while the Odeon of Herodes Atticus on the Acropolis isn’t new — the ancient amphitheater first opened about 1,900 years ago — it will bring back a full schedule of shows in 2023 after a pandemic-era slowdown. — Maya Kachroo-Levine
Central Florida
Courtesy of Small World Vacations
This fall, Hurricane Ian took 81 lives and caused $60 billion in damage across Florida. While the hard-hit southwestern part of the state continues to recover, Visit Florida president and CEO Dana Young said in October that other regions are ready to welcome travelers back. Central Florida in particular is worth a closer look, thanks to its ever-growing hospitality scene. Orlando and Tampa recently won a combined 14 Michelin accolades in 2022, when the guidebook publisher released its first-ever guide to Florida restaurants. The area’s family-friendly draws are better than ever: Disney’s recently opened, highly immersive Star Wars : Galactic Starcruiser is a two-night adventure that takes themed entertainment to the next level by allowing guests to eat, sleep, and breathe Star Wars with lightsaber training, out-of-this-world dining (blue shrimp, anyone?), and a trip to Batuu at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Meantime, Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebrations continue through March 2023, with limited-time eats, nighttime spectaculars, and festive décor. In Tampa, the latest Edition Hotel just opened with a sprawling rooftop pool club and restaurant from chef John Fraser. And getting both to and around Central Florida is easier than ever, with the recent opening of Orlando International Airport’s new 15-gate Terminal C and Brightline rail service connecting Orlando to South Florida destinations including Miami and West Palm Beach beginning in 2023. — Elizabeth Rhodes
The Jura, France
Guillaume Megevand
There’s a tiny French region just west of the border with Switzerland that’s producing some big, big wines. Thing is, only a tiny fraction of those bottles ever make it to the U.S., as T+L recently reported . That means you’ve got to go to the Jura — preferably before everyone gets wise to the area’s seven Appellations of Controlled Origin (AOCs) . Among serious oenophiles, word is already spreading about the vin jaune, “yellow wine,” made from native savagnin grapes and aged in the Jura’s distinct sous voile style, in which the wine matures “under a veil.” Not that wine is the only draw. The Jura also boasts a comté cheese trail — as if the région weren’t French enough — that connects no fewer than 150 fromageries and dairy farms. Hiking in the Jura Mountains, through Baume-les-Messieurs village and to the Hérisson waterfalls , is equally enticing, particularly as an antidote to all the wine- and cheese-focused sightseeing. Most surprising, perhaps, is just how accessible this under-the-radar area can be. Getting to the Jura takes two hours from the French capital by high-speed train , departing from Paris’s Gare de Lyon. — Maya Kachroo-Levine
San Luis Obispo County, California
Courtesy of Visit SLO CAL/Acacia Productions
It’s time to stop sleeping on “SLO.” Once considered a quick Pacific Coast Highway stopover for those visiting Hearst Castle — which reopened this past spring 2022 after a two-year closure — the central coast county is now a draw in its own right. SLO’s seven cities, including Morro Bay, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, and San Luis Obispo, are all buzzing, and the area just earned official American Viticulture Area (AVA) recognition in 2022, thanks to more than 200 wineries, many of which are family owned . Two new Nomada Hotel Group properties opening in 2023 will welcome the inevitable influx of oenophiles: Farmhouse, a collection of 26 rustic-chic cottages with fire pits and hammocks, arrives in January; while River Lodge, a mile from the Paso Robles wine trail, is slated for May. Also being reimagined under Nomada is the Gold Rush–era Pozo Saloon , reopening in the town of Santa Margarita in August with outdoor soaking tubs, live music, trails for hiking and horseback riding, and a glamping site. Paso Robles just notched its first Michelin star ( Six Test Kitchen ), while San Luis Obispo’s SLO Public Market will welcome two new restaurants, All Good Grill and Todo Bueno , in 2023. Nature lovers should make a beeline for the Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove : The insects were recently put on the endangered list, but this spot still draws over 10,000 annually. — Nina Ruggiero
Victoria, Australia
Matteo Colombo/Getty Images
Australia has reopened, and this southern state is a particularly appealing corner of the country these days, thanks to hot springs resorts that are poised to make it the next big wine-and-wellness destination: Alba Thermal Springs and Spa on the Mornington Peninsula was the first to open in September 2022, with pools powered by solar and a commitment to achieving climate-positive operations. Metung Hot Springs in East Gippsland is set to follow in late 2022, with updated facilities in an area long known for its thermal waters. Phillip Island Hot Springs , which distinguishes itself with several saltwater features, plans to open in early 2023. Out on the Mornington Peninsula — a destination long popular for its world-class wineries — the InterContinental Sorrento began accepting reservations this past August 2022. Melbourne, Victoria’s appealing capital city, is also expecting new openings, including the intimate, seven-suite Hotel Vera Ballarat by year’s end, followed by the highly anticipated Ritz-Carlton Melbourne , set to open in 2023 in Australia’s tallest tower. Qantas is making it easier to get there, too: By December 2022, the airline will have four nonstop flights a week connecting Dallas and Melbourne, a welcome bridge between Victoria and the middle of the U.S. — Sarah Bruning
For Big-city Thrills
Jonathan Filskov/Getty Images
The eternally cool city will highlight its prowess with all things design, as the official UNESCO World Capital of Architecture in 2023. Venues across Copenhagen — contemporary parks, starchitect-designed skyscrapers, even typically humdrum infrastructure like playgrounds — will host events and visitors for a look at the future of the urban environment. One highlight will be the Copenhill Power Plant, the cleanest waste-to-energy plant in the world — that’s also the site of an artificial ski slope. “We’re going to do a lot of open-house events where 50 different venues are going to be open to the public that are usually closed to visitors,” said Copenhagen’s city architect Camilla van Deurs, who mentioned as examples churches; bridges; and the Danmarks Nationalbank, the central bank building planned in part by Danish design legend Arne Jacobsen. “Superkilen,” van Deurs said, “is a playground for kids and adults — and a cultural hub in the middle of Nørrebro, the most ethnically mixed neighborhood in Copenhagen.” New places to stay in the city also deliver a signature blend of modernism and hygge: Find it at the single-suite Kaj Hotel , which floats on a canal near Copenhagen Opera House, or the colorful new 25 Hours Hotel Copenhagen . — Tim Latterner
Lance Childers/Houston First
The 2020 opening of the Kinder Building, the latest addition to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston , cemented the city’s spot among true international arts destinations. The recent reopening of the Rothko Chapel , after a $35-million renovation, has only reinforced that reputation. Today, a wealth of new ventures is poised to raise the profile of Texas’s largest city in other categories as well. Opening next year, the JMK5 Arena will transform a disused racetrack into a 12,500-seat concert stadium poised to rival the venues of Vegas. It arrives on the heels of the relatively more intimate 713 Music Hall , which has attracted artists ranging from Judas Priest to Lil Nas X. The Houston Zoo is undergoing a much-delayed expansion that will include a Galápagos Islands–themed exhibit, which will feature an underwater tunnel and a penguin habitat. And the Houston Botanic Gardens , which opened in 2020, features 132 acres of diverse ecosystems, from wetlands to prairie. — Peter Terzian
Courtesy of Rosewood Villa Magna
The Spanish capital may finally, thankfully, be shaking off its reputation as the country’s somewhat stuffy business hub. A flurry of tony hotel openings throughout the city has helped, by bringing plenty of personality to what had been a staid scene. It began in 2021 with the arrival of the Mandarin Oriental Ritz ; Rosewood Villa Magna ; and Santo Mauro, a Luxury Collection Hotel . Then came the Edition in April 2022 . Breathing new life into the former Monte de Piedad de Madrid building, the hotel has 177 rooms, 21 suites, and two penthouses, plus two restaurants with food from chef Enrique Olvera and the culinary team behind Mexico City’s acclaimed Pujol . Elsewhere in Madrid, an already electric food scene has only gotten better — particularly in the glamorous Salamanca neighborhood and architecture-rich Chamberi district — with new offerings representing everything from Middle Eastern falafel and Argentinian asado to Spanish-Indian fusion and globally inflected vegan fare. — Sarah Bruning
Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure
Welcome to the new Nashville. The city’s tourism renaissance is being fueled, in part, by a slew of just-opened hotels, including a Conrad , 1 Hotel , and a Soho House . (A Four Seasons just popped up in the bustling SoBro neighborhood, too.) The newly redesigned Hermitage Hotel , meanwhile, now has the first Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant in the South. The Fifth + Broadway complex has new outposts of old favorites, like fried chicken staple Hattie B’s , and the expansive Assembly Food Hall has dozens of choices, including bars, plural. That inimitable Nashville energy can still be found on Broadway, at honky-tonk bars that go until all hours, but there’s also Justin Timberlake’s sexy Twelve Thirty Club or live events like CMA Fest , which is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023. Getting there has never been easier, thanks to low-cost carriers such as Breeze Airways and Southwest, both of which have recently added more flights from both coasts, not to mention places like Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Ohio’s Akron-Canton Airport. — Elizabeth Rhodes
Forget the notion that Steel City is just a town for football and factories. The metropolis is working on new cultural destinations that can’t be missed: While the next lunar lander is currently being built in Pittsburgh, the Moonshot Museum , which opened in October 2022, is putting on display mankind’s history of getting to and exploring the lunar surface. The Carnegie Museum of Art is hosting its 58th Carnegie International Exhibition, a huge temporary show of both historical and contemporary art which runs through April 2, 2023. The childhood home of playwright August Wilson has been restored and turned into a museum, complete with studios for arts programming. The city also has a new spate of hotels and bars drawing crowds, like the modern-chic Joinery Hotel Pittsburgh, Curio Collection by Hilton and The Industrialist, Autograph Collection in the Arrott building, one of the city’s first skyscrapers. Across the river in Allentown, Bottlerocket Social Hall is the perfect place to post up with locals and, yes, watch the game. — Tim Latterner
San Francisco
Ryan White/Parks Conservancy
Despite the so-called national conversation, the apocalypse has not yet come to San Francisco. True, this city had the most extreme wealth divide of any in California in 2020, and the seams here can be especially visible. But all the reasons SF shines — the arts, the nature, the dim sum, the sourdough — haven’t gone anywhere. And a slate of recent infrastructure and cultural projects show that many in the city are working to make it a better place to live and a more compelling destination to visit. The new Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco walks the walk of its focus on equity: the museum is completely free and has opted against a permanent collection in order to direct more funds to artists and staff. The city’s urban national park unit, the Presidio of San Francisco , recently gained 14 acres with the opening of the Presidio Tunnel Tops , a green space designed by James Corner Field Operations, the lead firm for New York City’s High Line, which incorporated input from more than 10,000 residents. Another massive community-led park and mixed-use development is underway in India Basin , with sustainability and affordable housing as stated core values. The hospitality scene is also on the come up: 1 Hotel San Francisco , The Line SF , and Beacon Grand (formerly the Sir Francis Drake) have all opened in the past six months, and Auberge Resorts Collection is slated to debut a new hotel in the Hearst Building in 2023. — Hannah Walhout
Don Eim/Travel + Leisure
American travelers can finally get back to the South Korean capital after years of pandemic restrictions — and there’s plenty to catch up on. The city’s arts scene is buzzing, thanks to new venues such as Konig Gallery , not to mention the announcement from Seoul Museum of Art that three new wings will launch by 2024. (An added boost came from Seoul hosting its first edition of Frieze this past September, during which many commenters asked if K-art may well be the next K-pop.) Meanwhile the destination has seen a number of new hotels open, including the surprisingly trendy Fairmont Ambassador Seoul and Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam , with its sweeping views of the globally famous district and stunning public spaces, including 1914 Lounge & Bar. — Tim Latterner
For Moments on the Water
Cape verde, the gambia, ghana, and guinea-bissau.
Arnau Ferrer
Though Ghana has, in recent years, surged in popularity as a destination for American visitors , particularly Black Americans , West Africa remains unfamiliar to many. One solution may be the innovative West Africa Archipelago cruises that Hurtigruten Expeditions aims to launch in November 2023. These two-week trips, aboard the line’s 180-passenger Spitsbergen , will stop in ports in four countries, with a huge array of activities on the expedition schedule: visits to historically important sites including Gorée Island ; wildlife-watching forays to spot hippos and manatees; and adventures such as scaling volcanoes and scrambling across lava fields. Though some cruise lines occasionally stop in West African ports, Hurtigruten’s deep focus on the region represents a step change — one that’s driven by passenger demand, said Asta Lassesen, the CEO of Hurtigruten Expeditions. “These islands are not as known as our other destinations, but they are teeming with unique wildlife, different cultures, and offer completely different experiences than you’d find in a traditional cruise destination,” Lassesen told T+L. — Paul Brady
Coastal Ecuador
Courtesy of Kontiki Expeditions
Many travelers know the historic capital city of Quito and the incredibly biodiverse Galápagos Islands , but now's the time to visit Ecuador’s stunning Pacific coastline. From surf towns like Montañita to the preserved beaches and cloud forest of Machalilla National Park, coastal Ecuador is packed with outdoor adventures and stunning scenery. Kontiki Expeditions unlocks the region with eight-day yacht cruises that visit five of the country’s 24 provinces, hitting destinations including Isla de la Plata and Salinas. A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Kontiki Expeditions operates an intimate ship with just nine staterooms, refined outdoor and indoor spaces, and a nearly 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio. (Guests can book an individual room, or charter the entire 18-passenger yacht.) Getting there has gotten smoother, too: U.S. airlines including American, JetBlue, and Spirit now offer direct flights to Guayaquil, from which Kontiki Expeditions trips depart. — Elizabeth Rhodes
The Explora I
Courtesy of EXPLORA I
Just don’t call it a cruise: Upstart travel company Explora Journeys describes its itineraries as “ocean journeys,” nevermind the fact they’re aboard the newly built, 461-suite Explora I . The vessel is slated to hit the water in July 2023, with trips in the Mediterranean that visit popular cruise destinations such as Barcelona and Civitavecchia, near Rome, as well as lesser-visited ports including Patmos, Greece, and St.-Tropez, France. “It’s a new style of ocean travel that connects you with the things that are important,” Explora CEO Michael Ungerer told T+L. “There’s a craving to learn something new and make authentic connections without leaving your tried and tested luxury environment and services behind.” Indeed, life aboard won’t be monastic: Explora I will have 18 restaurants and bars and a massive spa, among other luxuries. Still, should all that ocean journeying become a bit too wearying, guests can always retreat to their suites, all of which have private verandas. In fact, when it debuts, Explora I will have the most space per passenger of any vessel anywhere. — Paul Brady
Antarctica is so last year. While Greenland may not have penguins, it does promise plenty of beautiful landscapes and seemingly endless horizons. The newly christened National Geographic Resolution will sail the Eastern shore of Greenland in June 2023, with opportunities to explore the Rømer Fjord depending on conditions. Ponant has a dozen distinct itineraries scheduled for 2023, including a number of round trips from Kangerlussuaq, in Western Greenland, that explore Baffin Bay. The brand-new Seabourn Venture, the line’s first expedition ship, will also be there in 2023; one particularly compelling August itinerary starts in Iceland, spends nearly three weeks along Greenland’s coast, then continues through the Northwest Passage before wrapping in Anchorage, Alaska. More conventional operators, such as Regent Seven Seas Cruises, are making the polar destination a fixture, too. The Seven Seas Navigator will visit Prince Christian Sound and make calls in Nuuk and Paamiut on a June 2023 sailing between New York City and Reykjavik. — Paul Brady
Hvar, Croatia
Goran Stimac/Getty Images
Those seeking a brighter 2023 will find it on Hvar: This Dalmatian Coast island calls itself the sunniest in Croatia. That means plenty of time for cycling more than 100 miles of bikeable terrain or kayak trips to secluded beaches. At night, those clear skies make for incredible stargazing: Jesla, on the island’s north shore, was named the first International Dark Sky Community in Southern Europe in 2022; and Moeesy , the island’s newest luxury hotel, has one room with an over-the-bed skylight for bedtime viewing. The town of Velo Grablje’s 14th-century charm peaks in July, when the lavender festival blooms with food, drink, and family-friendly activities all centered around the fragrant Mediterranean plant. And in Hvar proper, the harborside Riva Marina hotel reopened in June 2022 with refreshed waterfront terrace suites and a new restaurant and bar concept focused on local ingredients. Just down the block is the island’s first sustainable hotel , Beach Bay , which opened this past summer 2022 with an off-grid solar power system and a commitment to honor UNESCO’s Sustainable Travel Pledge . — Nina Ruggiero
The Path of Totality
©StudioPonant/Laure Patricot
A total solar eclipse, in which the moon blocks the sun and plunges the Earth into momentary darkness, is a “relatively common” phenomenon, NASA heliophysicist Dr. Michael Kirk told T+L. The trick is that most eclipses happen over water or in extremely remote places — which is why spotting the next one, on April 20, 2023, will be all about the chase. The upcoming path of totality will cross the Indian Ocean, graze Western Australia, then sweep across Indonesia and East Timor into the Pacific; astro-enthusiasts can chart its full course with the Totality app . That means the best way to catch the show will be to board a ship , such as the 188-passenger Le Lapérouse, for a Ponant and Smithsonian Journeys cruise from Bali, Indonesia, to Broome, Australia. The new Indonesia-based charter yacht Celestia will also be sailing around the edges of totality, making visits to the islands of Komodo National Park, the Moluccas, and Raja Ampat. The very best odds for viewing, said NASA’s Kirk, will be in Western Australia, where “the Exmouth Peninsula, Barrow Island, and the sea in between should have clear skies.” Eclipse chasers could drive the 750 miles from Perth to Cape Range National Park on the Ningaloo Reef–fringed Exmouth, but Tropical Sails Corp’s Pacific Explorer , which can take you there from Perth on a five-day Indian Ocean sail, seems a far more pleasant journey. — Maya Kachroo-Levine
For Fresh Air and Nature
Courtesy of Pal-Arinsal Ski Resort
This tiny European country, which at 181 square miles is smaller than Chicago, could soon turn into one of the world’s biggest ski destinations. The mountainous country, situated between France and Spain, has long been known for its reliable December-to-April conditions thanks to its high-altitude perch in the Pyrenees. But now, for the first time, three Andorra ski areas have been added to the Ikon Pass , putting a collective 7,600 acres of downhill terrain across 215 runs and 123 lifts into play for holders of the global lift ticket. At the same time, the three destinations of Grandvalira , Ordino Arcalís , and Pal-Arinsal (or, collectively, the Grandvalira Resorts Andorra) will be available on a single local Andorra Pass , which starts at about $50 a day, a bargain by any big-mountain standards. Alternatively, visitors can opt for a newly launched Nord Pass, a multi-day ticket that works at both Ordino Arcalís and Pal-Arinsal for less than $40 per day. So, while these affordable mountains remain a bit of a challenge to reach — Grandvalira can be a four-hour drive from Barcelona — the days of smaller crowds may soon be a thing of the past. — Jamie Aranoff
Asheville, North Carolina
Tim Robison
This flannel-clad city in the Blue Ridge Mountains checks all the boxes, with year-round outdoor activities, sophisticated dining, and easy access, whether you’re driving or flying. (Asheville Regional Airport is on pace for a record-breaking 2022 , with service from 25 destinations.) But the year ahead offers more reasons to visit, starting with some cool new places to stay: Wrong Way River Lodge has a collection of A-frame cabins along the French Broad River that are perfect for white-water rafters. AutoCamp Asheville , another glamping-esque abode with Airstream campers, is slated to open by mid-2023. Downtown, the new Restoration Hotel promises a properly plush stay; its sister property in Charleston consistently ranks in our best hotels in Charleston list . (For those who’d rather be even closer to nature, The Glamping Collective is a newly opened, 160-acre site with domed pods and glass cabins situated a short drive from the city.) Asheville’s food scene has fresh energy from S&W Market , Asheville’s first food hall and the brainchild of award-winning chef Meherwan Irani. For all that’s new, visitors shouldn’t skip the old standbys: French Broad Chocolates is a local fave that’s since gone national, and Battery Park Book Exchange is the prime spot for a late-night glass of Champagne amid dusty bookshelves. — Samantha Falewée
Aysén, Chile
Stefan Ruiz
Chile’s Aysén region lies between two popular destinations — Torres del Paine National Park and the Lake District — with a captivating landscape of hanging glaciers, magnificent fjords, pristine lakes, and jagged peaks. Yet this 41,000-square-mile swath in northern Patagonia — the least populated in Chile — remains largely unexplored by visitors, in part because of its topography. But now, several outfitters and organizations, including Chile’s Route of Parks , are developing more itineraries and ecotourism routes for the non-mountain-scaling adventure traveler, with less-daunting activities like kayaking, hiking, and biking. Not long ago, travel company Explora opened a lodge in Aysén’s Patagonia National Park (working with nonprofit Rewilding Chile to support conservation and educational efforts) and launched eight- to 12-day trips that make travel across the region convenient, with flights, accommodations, and activities included. Factor in loosened COVID-19 restrictions and a newly elected president (the country’s youngest in history) as additional reasons to go now. Then there’s the continually growing partnership between Delta Air Lines and Latam, which allows for mutual lounge access and easy nonstop flights from Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York City to Santiago, which is just a short connecting hop from Coyhaique, the gateway to Aysén. — Alisha Prakash
The Hudson Valley, New York
Andre Maier
Yes, the stretch north of New York City and south of Albany, along the banks of the lordly Hudson River, has been attracting enterprising former urbanites — as well as savvy travelers in search of charming towns and idyllic countryside — for the past century or so. But its transition from quasi-rustic to quietly glam marks a new and intriguing chapter. Next summer, The Ranch Hudson Valley , an offshoot of the West Coast’s rigorous retreat The Ranch Malibu, will open on a grand estate built by financier J.P. Morgan (as a gift for his daughter’s marriage to Alexander Hamilton’s great-grandson) and will offer multi-day programs to revive weary New Yorkers. Meanwhile, Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection , a property with 60 freestanding cabins and cottages, will highlight the pastoral side of the region, with a farm-to-table restaurant and 140 acres of orchards and wildflower gardens. The region’s reputation for top-notch cuisine continues with the upscale tavern fare at Merchants Social in Hudson and Stissing House in Pine Plains, the Southern-inflected Darlings in Tilson, and the sweet fantasia of the Catskills Chocolate Co. in Catskill. (Longtime cheesemongers Talbott and Arding have recently moved to a beautiful new space in Hudson, too.) But don’t forget to leave room for culture. In Catskill, Foreland is a self-billed kunsthalle that extends across three 19th-century mills with exhibition spaces and artist studios. And the beloved sculpture park Storm King Art Center is getting a $45-million overhaul that includes an extensive new visitors center. — Peter Terzian
Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia
Thomas Retterath/Getty Images
“Zambia is a destination so many people miss,” said travel advisor Leora Rothschild . “The country’s Lower Zambezi National Park is one of my favorite destinations anywhere. Having a safari on a river adds a dynamic element,” she notes, since being on the water offers a different perspective than travelers get while on a game drive or in camp. Among the best places to take in this wildlife-rich destination is at one of its newest lodges , the luxurious eight-suite Lolebezi , which African Bush Camps opened inside the park and on the banks of the river this past June. It’s an ideal base from which to explore Lower Zambezi, which sits opposite Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to what the agency calls its “ dramatic landscape ” and “huge herds of elephant and buffalo.” Though remote, this corner of Zambia has recently gotten a bit easier to access, as pandemic-era travel regulations have loosened. Air Botswana announced in May 2022 that, following a two-year hiatus, it would relaunch flights from Gaborone, Botswana to Lusaka, Zambia. — Samantha Falewée
Prince Edward Island, Canada
Tourism PEI/Sander Meurs
As Canada’s smallest province, Prince Edward Island might get overlooked in favor of the country’s bigger, badder destinations for outdoor thrills. But this tiny island — known to many as the setting of L.M. Montgomery’s beloved “Anne of Green Gables” series — packs a punch. Here, you’ll find rugged cliffs, red-sand beaches , and a surprisingly robust golf scene, with 27 courses. Perhaps the biggest draw for adventurous travelers right now is the Island Walk , a 435-mile trail that opened in 2021 . Tracing the entire coastline, it passes through dozens of small towns and fishing villages. Walkers can start and end at any point, but the entire loop would take about 32 days, assuming a pace of 12-15 miles a day. Not that you’ve got to be hardcore to enjoy the trail: Towns and villages along the route have plenty to offer even non-hikers, such as the relatively new Slaymaker & Nichols , a cozy inn and gastropub in Charlottetown, the provincial capital. Classic PEI experiences endure, such as the seafood-focused, multi-course “ culinary experience ” from celebrity chef Michael Smith at the Inn at Bay Fortune . — Liz Cantrell
Stephanie Vermillion
When high-speed internet was installed at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest peak, this past August, it was just the latest example of the new era dawning in Tanzania. The leader of the country’s changing face is President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the first woman of color and the first Muslim to lead this country, who took office in 2021. “I never expected that one day I would be president,” President Hassan told PBS . Not that she’s wasting any time. Since taking power, she’s devoted herself to strengthening infrastructure, women’s businesses, education, health care — she received her COVID-19 vaccine on live television to encourage others to get immunized — and sustainable travel. This summer, the Usangu Expedition Camp in Ruaha National Park opened in partnership with the Tanzania National Parks Authority , and the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute ; Selous Safari Company recently refreshed its six-suite private reserve on Fanjove Island, a jumping off point for “marine safaris” by dive boat or kayak. — Samantha Falewée
Uttar Pradesh, India
Luis Dafos/Getty Images
Pummeled by the pandemic, India suffered through a grim 20-month closure, only reopening to travelers at the end of 2021. However, at long last — and with COVID-19 cases now under control thanks to large-scale vaccination programs that have delivered more than 2 billion doses — 2023 is primed to be the year visitors return to this soul-stirring country in full force. While many travelers will opt for Rajasthan’s royal palaces and desert jewels, there’s good reason to discover Uttar Pradesh on your next trip. India’s fourth-largest state is home to classic attractions including the Taj Mahal, in Agra, and the Ganges River ghats of Varanasi, the nation’s holiest city. But the new draws here include Vana, a wellness retreat in the Himalayan foothills of Dehradun. The resort, which is now managed by the World’s Best Award–winning hospitality company Six Senses, has rooms and suites that prioritize the lush landscape with balconies and terraces overlooking the surrounding forest and gardens, offering a true breath of fresh air. — Alisha Prakash
For Beach Vibes
Patrick Michael Chin
Already a favorite weekend getaway for East Coasters, Bermuda will become even easier to get to in 2023. American Airlines resumed flights to the island from New York City's John F. Kennedy International in November, which the carrier had paused in the early days of the pandemic. Upon arrival at L.F. Wade International, travelers are now greeted in a new $400-million terminal with automated immigration gates and preclearance for U.S.-bound passengers — plus unexpected extras like a putting green and an outdoor nature trail. Bermuda’s resort stock is also on the rise. Cambridge Beaches Resort & Spa recently debuted a top-to-bottom renovation, adding villas and a Bermudian outpost of Sunken Harbor Club, the tropical cocktail bar above Brooklyn, New York’s wildly popular steakhouse Gage & Tollner. The St. Regis Bermuda is another high-end hotel option, which opened in 2021 with the nation’s first casino and incredible views of Fort St. Catherine. The island recently rolled back all COVID-19 entry requirements, but the Atlantic country’s remote work program — which launched in July 2020 and allows for stays up to one year — is still running for anyone looking to make its pink-sand beaches a new home base. — Liz Cantrell
Cayman Islands
Warren Fleming-Hollinger/Getty Images
It just keeps getting easier to visit the Caymans. As of fall 2022, Cayman Airways flies nonstop from Los Angeles International to Grand Cayman, the first direct route from the West Coast to the British territory. “Getting to Hawaii takes longer,” said Kenneth Bryan, Cayman Islands honorable minister for tourism and transport, in an interview with T+L. Wherever they’re flying in from, visitors will find plenty of new offerings along Seven Mile Beach, on Grand Cayman’s west shore. Chief among them is the freshly renovated Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman , which is now outfitted with a La Prairie Spa and Saint June restaurant, complete with a beachfront bar. (The property is thankfully still home to the long-running, annual Cayman Cookout .) For travelers who prefer heart-pumping adventure to pool- or beachside relaxation, the Caymans can deliver: Hiking reserves like the 100-year-old Mastic Trail on Grand Cayman or the Bluff on Cayman Brac may not be as well known as the islands’ beaches — but they should be. Meanwhile a growing art scene is beginning to draw international attention, thanks to shows at the well-established National Gallery of the Cayman Islands as well as the vibey, creative atmosphere at new hotels such as Palm Heights , as T+L recently reported. — Christine Burroni
Coastal Uruguay
© Tali Kimelman/Posada Ayana
The vast skies, empty beaches, and delicious food of Uruguay remain as alluring as they’ve ever been. Still, 2023 promises to be a breakout year for the country’s lowkey coastal destinations, thanks to an ever-growing art scene that adds a layer of culture to this already inviting stretch along the Southern Atlantic. Among the newest must-sees is the Atchugarry Museum of Contemporary Art in Punta del Este, a 90-acre campus that opened in early 2022. Also nearby is artist James Turrell’s “Ta Khut,” an experiential Skyspace that opened in late 2021 at Posada Ayana, a small hotel in José Ignacio. (The seaside village is also home to intriguing contemporary collections at three Vik Retreats properties, including Bahia Vik , with its oceanfront bungalows.) A short drive from José Ignacio, the village of Garzón has lately become a hub for multidisciplinary artists thanks to Campo , an incubator and non-profit that brings creatives to this still-rural corner of Uruguay. — Paul Brady
Lush mountains, bustling beach towns , and idyllic resorts make Guadeloupe the perfect place for adventurous travelers looking for something Caribbean but different. In recent years, though, it’s been difficult for U.S. travelers to reach this French overseas department — particularly after Norwegian ceased its nonstop flights to the destination in 2019. Now, things are looking up again, as JetBlue has relaunched its nonstop service from New York City to the gateway city of Pointe-à-Pitre in November 2022. SkyTeam faithfuls can also now get there on Air France, on nonstops from either Miami or New York; American Airlines also serves the archipelago from Miami. First-timers tend to focus on two of the islands, Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre, the latter of which is home to Guadeloupe National Park. (A local tour company such as Vert Intense can help with the logistics of seeing Carbet Falls and La Grande Soufrière volcano.) Accommodations tend away from big brand names, though — this being France — there is an all-inclusive, beachfront Club Med La Caravelle . Other well-regarded options include the remote, hillside Le Jardin Malanga Hotel , with its dramatic ocean views, or the cliffside villas of the boutique-y La Toubana Hotel & Spa , along the southern shore of Grande-Terre. — Christine Burroni
The Jersey Shore, New Jersey
William Laird
“The real thing is quite different from TV,” George Distefano told T+L. Now a hotelier, Distefano grew up on the Jersey Shore — and today is doing his part to change the narrative around the beloved summer destination. His latest project, The James Bradley , is a 17-room inn that opened in Bradley Beach in August 2022 and is aimed at a crowd that’s perhaps quieter, chicer, and altogether less interesting to MTV producers. In nearby Asbury Park , which has long been a barometer of development, openings of The Asbury Hotel and the Asbury Ocean Club and Residences signal the start of a bougier era. Even Atlantic City is now substantially more chic, after many casino resorts, including Bally’s , Caesars , and Ocean , used the pandemic-induced dip in visitors to undertake hundreds of millions of dollars in renovations. “The area as a whole has had a bit of a renaissance,” Distefano said. One telling indicator of where the Shore is headed next? A Nobu Hotel is slated to open on the boardwalk any day now. — Hannah Walhout
Maui, Hawaii
Hawaii has been in the midst of a multi-year rethink about how tourism impacts the state . “We seek to balance the economic vitality of our industry with the health of our natural environment and the well-being of our communities,” is how Hawaii Tourism Authority President and CEO John De Fries put it this past summer . On Maui, that balance has been struck recently in efforts to renovate and reimagine some of the island’s most popular resorts. The 54-acre Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua , to take one example, is finishing up a major overhaul that includes a reimagined aquatic complex (with three “zero-edge” swimming pools), an expanded Club Lounge , and programming that will include not just cocktail classes and cooking demonstrations but also lei making and musical performances by Hawaiian artists. On the southwest coast of the island, The Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort is in the midst of its own refresh of all 776 guest rooms and suites; some are, happily, already good to go. There’s other progress beyond hotels: e-bikes are now plentiful on Maui, thanks to a recent rule change that allows them on island roads. Companies like RideSmart Maui lend out wheels that make exploring a breeze, whether your interest lies in the historic sites of Lahaina or the beautiful beaches around Wailea. — John Wogan
Riviera Maya, Mexico
Courtesy of Chablé Hotels
This picturesque stretch of the Yucatán peninsula is in the midst of welcoming four marquee hotels. The Waldorf Astoria Cancun just opened, a brand-new build with 173 rooms and five dining venues all overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Casa Chablé and The St. Regis Kanai Resort are slated to open in early 2023, followed by the Riviera Maya Edition at Kanai in spring 2023. Not new but refreshed is Maroma, a Belmond Hotel , which will reopen in May 2023 after a year-long closure with 10 new oceanfront suites and Latin America's first Guerlain spa. Farther south, closer to Tulum, the ultra-luxurious Hotel Esencia has added a posh new 10,000-square-foot, four-bedroom mansion tricked out with fitness and screening rooms, an underground speakeasy, and three pools — the perfect thing for a friends’ getaway. Not that hotels are the only draw: The last section of the new Maya Train project, which connects Cancun and Tulum, is expected to open by the end of 2023 after delays to address environmental and archeological concerns . The route will make several cultural and historic sites , including Chichén Itzá, more accessible and connect travelers to other destinations in the state of Quintana Roo, including Bacalar, Playa del Carmen, and Puerto Morelos. Also on the horizon is the opening of the long-awaited Tulum airport, which Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said will be completed by the end of 2023. — Sarah Bruning
Riviera Nayarit, Mexico
Courtesy of Auberge Resorts Collection
Long a vacationer’s paradise, this section of Mexico’s Pacific coast between Puerto Vallarta and the beach town of San Blas is only getting better in the year ahead. The 59-room Susurros del Corazón , Auberge Resorts Collection, began welcoming guests in November 2022 with experiences that include an introduction to raicilla , a lesser-known agave spirit, and boating excursions in Islas Marietas, a national park known for its biodiversity. On its heels, Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort , which is the second tented camp property from the brand , will open in December 2022. Accommodating just 30 people at a time, the lush 48-acre property is making wellness a key focus, so guests can expect to unwind with options like a temascal ceremony and nocturnal forest bathing sessions. An extra incentive to go? JetBlue launched new nonstop flights from JFK to Puerto Vallarta International, which serves as the gateway to the region. — Sarah Bruning
U.S. Virgin Islands
Courtesy of USVI Department of Tourism; Jamie Aranoff
With no pandemic restrictions, no passport needed, and plenty of inbound flights, the U.S. Virgin Islands are challenging Bermuda for the title of easiest warm-weather getaway for East Coasters. What’s more, the islands just established a Territorial Park System Trust Fund Board which will protect and preserve attractions like St. Croix’s Great Salt Pond and St. John’s Oppenheimer Beach. Caribbean flavors are, once again, another reason to go: The King of the Wing competition on St. Thomas, which celebrates creative chicken cookery, is back after a two-year hiatus; the 23rd annual Taste of St. Croix festival, one of the largest culinary events in the region, happens in April. Carnival , which returned in 2022, will be another event to watch in the year ahead. St. Thomas celebrates from late April through early May with food fairs, pageants, and parades; St. John fetes from late June through July 4, concluding with an Independence Day bash; and St. Croix sparkles from mid-December through Three Kings Day with more traditional, Christmas-centric fanfare. — Jamie Aranoff
For a Look at the Future
This past September, Bhutan, the impossibly scenic country between India and China, reopened to tourists after 30 months. But that’s nothing compared to the 60 years it’s taken to redevelop the 250-mile Trans-Bhutan Trail , which also reopened that month. Once the only way to travel across the Himalayan kingdom, the ancient pilgrimage route is now one of Bhutan’s biggest draws, a must-see for hikers, bikers, and other outdoorsy types. The trail connects 400 historic sites, with museums, fortresses, and temples along the way — plus stunning natural scenery and seemingly endless views. As part of its reopening, Bhutan has ended its policy requiring visitors to be accompanied 24/7 by a guide; instead, the nation has implemented an increased tourism tax, or Sustainable Development Fee, which is intended to fund social and cultural programs, infrastructure improvements, and environmental conservation. (The $200-a-day charge, up from $65, is also deliberately expensive, in an effort to keep visitor numbers low.) On the hotel front, Six Senses opened its fifth and final Bhutan lodge, Six Senses Bumthang , in March 2020, but the eco hideaway tucked in a pine forest in the town of Jakar, of course, has only just become accessible to foreigners. — Alisha Prakash
Boten–Vientiane Railway, Laos
Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua via Getty Images
It’s not every day the world gets a new cross-country railroad. The ambitious Boten–Vientiane railway that stretches across Laos may have opened for business in late 2021, but now’s the time to jump aboard, as travel to Asia reopens to American visitors. The remarkable engineering project is one of many financed by China as part of the country’s Belt and Road Initiative that builds heavy infrastructure across Africa and Asia. In this case, the train has dramatically slashed travel times across the difficult-to-drive if strikingly beautiful landscapes of Laos: Trips that would’ve taken a full day by road can now be done in just a couple hours of train-carriage comfort, as T+L recently reported . The route runs from the northern border town of Boten to Luang Prabang, which is known for its many temples. It then continues on to Vang Vieng, a gateway to some of the country’s most dramatic landscapes, before arriving in the capital, Vientiane, on the border with Thailand. Intermediate stations will help open up to visitors parts of the country that haven’t historically benefited from tourism, as Ruben Derksen, director of product and digital at Bangkok-based tour operator Exo Travel , told T+L. In the years ahead, the 257-mile railway may become even more critical, as just one segment of a Singapore to Shanghai route that will make continent-spanning journeys not just possible, but pleasant. — Paul Brady
Kyoto, Japan
Rudy Sulgan/Getty Images
Kyoto is often thought of as the serene, slowed-down complement to go-go Tokyo. And, certainly, the former Japanese capital has its historic temples, gardens, and teahouses. But since Japan’s October 2022 reopening to independent travelers , this destination and its new draws demand fresh eyes. The city’s famous Gion Matsuri , or festival, is set to return in full force in July 2023 following a pandemic pause, with enormous floats and a wealth of food and drink offerings; the event, which was first held in 869, is said to be Japan’s biggest festival. In August, Kyoto celebrates Gozan Okuribi , a bonfire celebration visible across the city that marks the close of Obon, a festival honoring ancestors. New hotels abound, including hospitality group Banyan Tree’s 138-room Dhawa Yura Kyoto, located in the heart of the city. Another new option is Garrya Nijo Castle Kyoto , with 25 rooms set amid lush greenery in front of Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Also new — yet firmly rooted in the city’s history — is the recently opened Maana Kiyomizu , where visitors can spend the night in restored machiya, traditional wooden townhouses. Though Japan has only just reopened, it’s already getting even easier to get there, thanks to Delta Air Lines’ brand-new routes from Hawaii to Tokyo plus flights that resumed this fall from Los Angeles. — Alisha Prakash
New Zealand
Barry Tobin; Courtesy of Tourism New Zealand
After a stringent lockdown, New Zealand has at last dropped all travel restrictions. Happily, the country is becoming more accessible than ever, thanks to the nonstop flights between New York and Auckland that Air New Zealand launched in September. (That long haul has also gotten comfier, thanks to the airline’s Economy Skycouch seats.) Wondering if those 17 hours in the air will be worth it? Auckland continues to evolve with no shortage of dazzling new places to stay. The 99-room Hotel Britomart , lined in timber and exuding Zen calm, is at the heart of Auckland’s Britomart District, nine blocks of historic warehouses converted into shops and restaurants. Mawhiti Walheke is a luxurious modern guest pavilion on a vineyard-covered island a short ferry ride from the city. And New Zealand’s spectacular landscape finally has a showstopper of a property to match it: Flock Hill , a fully serviced four-bedroom villa on a sheep ranching station in the Southern Alps region of South Island. — Peter Terzian
Teahupo’o,Tahiti
© Gre goire Le Bacon
The village of Teahupo’o, on the southwestern coast of Tahiti, will take center stage during the 2024 Paris Olympics, despite being 9,800 miles from the French capital. But unless you’re planning to compete, the year ahead is the ideal time for a closer look at this part of French Polynesia, before the world’s attention turns to the South Pacific. Some of the incredible waves here rate among the most fearsome on the planet — hence the name Teahupo’o, which essentially means “wall of skulls” — while others are more rideable for those with some surfing experience. Accommodations such as Tahurai can organize coaching sessions, including some hosted by local surf icon Tereva David. Those more comfortable watching the waves than riding them can get on the water with tour companies such as Teahupo’o Tahiti Surfari , which takes visitors by boat to see the famous Teahupo’o swell, one of the highest and heaviest waves in the world, as well as waterfalls, lagoons, lava tubes, and cliff-diving spots around the island. Meanwhile, it’s gotten easier than ever to reach Tahiti, thanks to Delta Air Lines’ new nonstop flights from Los Angeles to Fa'a'ā International Airport. Air Tahiti Nui has also added connectivity, with the only nonstop flights between Seattle and Tahiti, which took off in October. — Jamie Aranoff
Victoria, British Columbia
Carlina Teteris/Getty Images
What does it look like for a city to meaningfully prioritize “sustainability,” a word that often ends up more “feel-good” than actually “do-good?” Victoria is maximizing its green impact, aiming to make all new buildings carbon neutral by 2025 and halve landfill waste by 2040. Admittedly, few travelers pick destinations based on zero-waste initiatives, but it’s easy to take an environmentally minded trip to Victoria — the city even has suggested “green travel” itineraries , capitalizing on the outdoor beauty of places like Goldstream Provincial Park, one of many green spaces on Vancouver Island. Visitors have their choice of carbon-neutral hotels, such as Inn at Laurel Point and Parkside Hotel & Spa , and can even do carbon-neutral fast food at Big Wheel Burger , Canada’s first such restaurant. Other eco-minded activities include e-biking along the Saanich Peninsula to seaside towns like Sidney — with stops at picturesque wineries or the Butchart Gardens along the way — or hopping aboard an orca-watching cruise with Eagle Wing Tours , which is, of course, part of 1% for the Planet . — Liz Cantrell
JJ Farquitectos/Getty Images
Austria’s capital city may be old — like, Holy Roman Empire old — but 2023 will see neue life in this historic destination. The year ahead is the 150th anniversary of Vienna’s World’s Fair, and the celebrations include 12 months of cultural events. It’s also the 300th anniversary of the opening of the Belvedere, the palatial museum that’s mounting an art nouveau exhibit featuring 90 Gustav Klimt works in February. Adaptive reuse is also on trend here, and the recently opened Rosewood Vienna is but one example, set in a neoclassical building that was once a bank headquarters and, before that, an apartment building where Mozart lived. The now-reopened Reznicek is a contemporary gasthaus inside a 100-year-old inn; Grace's Michelin-starred fare is served in a refurbished wood-paneled café reminiscent of the ‘70s. Not that Vienna is only looking to the past: New initiatives have added 1,000 miles of bike paths, carsharing via WienMobil , a robust network of electric buses, and new development in the fast-growing Aspern neighborhood where every public space and street is named after a woman . Other new additions include Hotel Josefine , with its sultry Roaring ‘20s energy and Hotel Gilbert , with a greenery-cloaked façade and Scandi-inspired design. Nonstop flights from Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Newark, New York City, and Washington, D.C. are always an option but the most au courant way in may be the new Paris to Vienna Nightjet train , which runs three days a week, with private cabins with lie-flat beds and breakfast in the morning. — Maya Kachroo-Levine
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The best airlines in the US for 2023
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As the busy summer travel season approaches, Americans are finalizing their trip details. For many, that starts with choosing an airline. There are several factors that can influence this decision — cost, availability, reliability and frequent flyer perks, to name a few.
But is there a single best airline?
Well, every year at The Points Guy, we attempt to answer that question by compiling objective data across a wide variety of metrics for the biggest U.S. airlines. The end goal is to identify the carriers that are flying higher than the rest when it comes to meeting the needs of consumers.
Today, we're out with this year's analysis — and a familiar tailfin takes the top spot.
Here's a look at 2023's list of the best U.S. airlines.
Best US airlines of 2023
1. Delta Air Lines. 2. United Airlines. 3. Alaska Airlines. 4. American Airlines. 5. Southwest Airlines. 6. Hawaiian Airlines. 7. JetBlue Airways. 8. Spirit Airlines. 9. Allegiant Air. 10. Frontier Airlines.
Keep reading for a full analysis of this year's data that landed Delta in the top spot for the fifth year in a row.
Overall rankings and key takeaways
Let's start with a quick breakdown of the overall scores for this year, including each airline's highest- and lowest-performing categories. We'll also note where each one fell last year (in parentheses).
* All data was based on the 12-month period from Jan. 1, 2022, through Dec. 31, 2022.
Here are some overall takeaways from this year's analysis.
- Delta retained its title for the fifth straight year : Once again, the Atlanta-based carrier performed solidly across multiple categories — only taking low marks for its affordability (or lack thereof).
- Southwest's holiday meltdown took a toll : The carrier's operational performance caused it to drop from second last year to fifth this year. Across just four criteria that would've been impacted by those issues — timeliness, cancellations, baggage handling and customer satisfaction — Southwest scored a combined 4.63 points lower than last year. If you erase that drop, it would've retained the second spot.
- Alaska and Spirit both jumped multiple spots : Alaska improved its affordability (in both airfare and ancillary fees), while Spirit saw notable improvements in customer satisfaction.
- Most airlines scored lower than last year : Spirit (+8.1) and Alaska (+2.57 points) were joined by United (+1.93) and American (+1.34) as the only airlines scoring higher than last year. The other six all had lower scores, including Delta, which dropped by more than four points.
- As a whole, airlines did a worse job in 2022 than 2021 : Many elements show overall drops in performance when you combine data across all 10 airlines. Customer complaints were up 87.6% year over year, while prices per 1,000 passenger miles rose 22.67%. Meanwhile, the data showed increases in involuntary bumps (up 87.45%), cancellations (up 54%) and mishandled bags (up 25%) — all of which demonstrate the ongoing struggle to meet the high demand for air travel.
There's a lot more to unpack here, so let's take a closer look at each broad category we used to rate the airlines (the full methodology is provided at the end of the report).
Best US airlines for reliability
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There are many things that can make your air travel more comfortable — from lounge access to first-class upgrades . But ultimately, the most important function of an airline is to get you where you want (or need) to be with minimal issues.
That's why operational reliability plays a large role in our analysis each year, making up 30% of our total analysis. In our ratings, we considered the following five factors:
- Timeliness: How frequently a flight on the airline was delayed.
- Cancellations: How frequently a flight on the airline was canceled.
- Bumps/involuntarily denied boardings: How frequently an airline bumped a traveler against their will on an oversold flight.
- Baggage: How frequently an airline mishandled a piece of checked luggage.
- Wheelchairs/scooters: How frequently an airline mishandled a mobility device.
For the third year in a row, Hawaiian Airlines scored the top spot as the most reliable U.S. carrier across these metrics. It had the lowest cancellation rate (fewer than 1% of its scheduled flights were canceled) and bumped just four passengers out of the nearly 10 million people it carried in 2022.
Delta was a close second here, as it earned the top score for timeliness (with nearly 84% of its flights arriving on time) and bumped just two flyers out of almost 161 million Delta passengers.
But for the second year in a row, Allegiant put up numbers that tell two very different tales of reliability.
For starters, the carrier batted a perfect 1.000 in the involuntary bumps category, as zero of the 16.8 million Allegiant flyers were bumped from their flights in 2022. It also mishandled the fewest bags (just 1.55 per 1,000 checked) and the fewest mobility devices (0.39 per 100).
However, it was abysmal with on-time arrivals, as fewer than two-thirds of its departures arrived within 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival time. Allegiant also canceled 3.52% of its scheduled flights — beating only JetBlue, which canceled 3.74%.
Meanwhile, the worst carrier for checked baggage was once again American Airlines, which misplaced bags at a rate of 1 out of every 114 it accepted. In other words, you were more than five-and-a-half times more likely to deal with lost or delayed bags on American than Allegiant.
Spirit was last in handling mobility devices, misplacing roughly 1 out of every 17 it accepted (a rate nearly 15 times worse than Allegiant).
Finally, Frontier once again brought up the rear in terms of involuntary bumps. The carrier reported that a total of over 6,000 passengers were involuntarily denied boarding, which translates to more than 16 every day and an average of roughly 1 out of every 3,752 travelers. This was more than two-and-a-half times the airline's 2022 figures.
Best US airlines for the travel experience
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Beyond wanting an airline that is generally reliable, travelers are often drawn to carriers that provide a comfortable experience on board. Whether it's more legroom, family-friendly perks or inflight Wi-Fi, airlines try to ensure that the actual act of flying is enjoyable enough that travelers want to return.
The travel experience category made up 25% of our analysis across these four factors:
- Cabin features: What you'll experience on board, including Wi-Fi, seat pitch/width and inflight entertainment.
- Lounges: How widespread (and numerous) an airline's lounges are, and how affordable it is to access them.
- Family: How well an airline caters to families traveling with children.
- Customer satisfaction: How frequently customers complain to the U.S. Department of Transportation about the carrier.
Once again, JetBlue was the top airline for cabin features, with complimentary Wi-Fi across its entire fleet plus seatback TVs and the largest economy seats in the U.S.
Meanwhile, Alaska scored top marks for lounge access (members not only enjoy the nine Alaska Lounge locations but 40-plus American Airlines Admirals Clubs and even three United Clubs) and customer satisfaction, with just 2.54 complaints per every 100,000 passengers.
On the other end of the spectrum, Allegiant was at the bottom of the list for cabin features, with minimal amenities and the narrowest seats among the 10 carriers.
The airline with the highest rate of complaints was Frontier, with 22.6 per every 100,000 travelers in 2022. That's more than twice the numbers for the second-to-last carrier in this category (Spirit) and almost nine times higher than Alaska's.
There's one final note on customer satisfaction: As a whole, U.S. airlines saw a notable increase in complaints compared to 2021. This statistic rose from 3.14 complaints per 100,000 passengers to 5.89 per 100,000. That's a jump of 87.6% year over year.
Best US airlines for cost and reach
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There are other major factors that go into selecting an airline. Does it get you where you want (or need) to go, and how much does it charge you for that service?
Our "cost and reach" category attempts to answer these questions by looking at the prices you pay — both in airfare and common ancillary fees — along with how widespread a given airline's route network is across the U.S. This makes up 20% of our analysis, and it covers these elements:
- Route network: How many domestic airports an airline serves.
- Affordability: How far (in distance) you can fly for the money you're paying, based on financial data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
- Ancillary fees: How much a typical passenger pays in bag and change/cancellation fees.
Not surprisingly, the large legacy carriers excelled in their respective route networks. Based on monthly reports to the D.O.T., United, American and Delta served the highest number of destinations during the year — an average of 235, 228 and 210, respectively.
On the other side of the coin was (yet again) Hawaiian, with an average of fewer than 22 airports served.
That said, the major U.S. airlines were the least affordable out there, with Delta coming in last followed by American in ninth and United in eighth. This opened the door for the low-cost carriers on the list — and this is where they hit it out of the park.
Spirit Airlines was once again the most affordable U.S. airline, taking in just $126.15 for every 1,000 miles flown per passenger. Frontier was just behind, at $131.24, and Allegiant was third at $150.32.
However, the most fascinating aspect of the affordability numbers is the year-over-year change. It's not just you; flight prices are more expensive than the previous year.
In fact, every one of the 10 airlines we analyzed saw increases in costs for every 1,000 passenger miles. Allegiant was the lowest (at 7.06%), but American, Frontier, Southwest and Spirit all saw this number climb by more than 25% in 2022 compared to 2021. The average increase was $44.05 (or 22.67%).
Finally, the ancillary fee category saw Southwest assume a familiar spot at the top of the heap, as it allows each passenger two free checked bags and imposes no change or cancellation fees. When you factor in excess baggage fees, Southwest charged an average of just 43 cents per passenger. Meanwhile, the low-cost carriers added a ton here — $26.35 per passenger on Allegiant, $28.99 per passenger on Spirit and a whopping $43.81 per passenger on Frontier.
Best US airlines for loyalty
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The final category of our report (which made up 25% of the analysis) is loyalty — a topic near and dear to TPG's editorial team. To rate the 10 airlines in this category, we considered two specific factors:
- Frequent flyer program: How rewarding an airline's loyalty program is, including TPG's valuations , elite status, cobranded credit cards, partner airlines and expiration policies .
- Award availability: How easy and valuable it is to redeem your rewards across popular travel times.
United once again excelled in rewarding frequent flyers, boasting the widest number of partner airlines (including a new tie-up with Emirates ) along with four different consumer credit cards . Delta was a close second here and just edged out American, which is in a shrinking minority of loyalty programs that allow miles to expire (excluding those under the age of 21 ).
However, American scored tops in award availability, as the vast majority of the dates we searched saw high redemption values.
Meanwhile, loyalty was a category where the low-cost carriers fell short, with few partners, punitive expiration policies and limited award availability. Frontier brought up the rear, followed by Allegiant, Hawaiian and Spirit.
Methodology
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As noted above, there were four broad sections in this analysis, each of which consisted of multiple criteria. All data points were based on flights operated during the 12-month period that ran from Jan. 1, 2022, through Dec. 31, 2022.
Here's a full breakdown of the methodology and the data used for each:
Reliability (30%)
- Timeliness (using data on delayed flights from the D.O.T.).
- Cancellations (using data on canceled flights from the D.O.T.).
- Involuntary bumps (using data on involuntary denied boardings from the D.O.T.).
- Baggage (using data on mishandled baggage from the D.O.T.).
- Wheelchairs/scooters (using data on mishandled baggage from the D.O.T.).
Experience (25%)
- Cabin features (using data from SeatGuru and inflight amenity offerings from each carrier's website).
- Lounges (using data on the number of lounges, number of cities and price of membership for each applicable lounge network).
- Family (using a 0-to-5 score based on boarding, perks and food/entertainment available on board).
- Customer satisfaction (using data on customer complaints from the DOT).
Costs and reach (20%)
- Route network (using the monthly average of domestic cities served by each airline from the DOT).
- Affordability (using financial data from the BTS).
- Bag/change fees (using financial data from the BTS).
Loyalty (25%)
- Frequent flyer (using data from our monthly valuations, elite status reports and each carrier's website).
- Award availability (using real-time award inventory for popular domestic routes across three distinct time periods).
For all criteria, the raw scores from the data were converted into scaled scores from zero to 10. In most cases, a score of zero was assigned to the lowest-performing carrier, and where possible, a score of 10 was assigned to a "perfect" airline — for example, Allegiant and Delta both scored a 10 on involuntary bumps since they had zero (or effectively zero) last year.
However, when there was no clear way to determine perfection, a 10 was given to the highest-performing airline.
By using scaled scores (rather than a simple ranking system), we essentially "graded" each airline relative to the others. The score for each airline on each individual element was thus a numerical reflection of how much better said airline did compared to the lowest-scoring carrier.
As an example, Alaska just edged out Delta in the lowest number of D.O.T. complaints (2.54 per 100,00 passengers versus 2.87). We normalized these numbers by comparing them to the lowest-performing airline (Frontier, with 22.6 per 100,000) and the highest possible score (0 per 100,000), and the resulting scaled score conversion gave Alaska a "grade" of 8.88 out of 10 and Delta an 8.73 out of 10.
Then, each individual score was weighted using the above percentages to arrive at the final, cumulative score included in the table.
Final thoughts
There's a lot that goes into selecting an airline for your next trip — price, reliability, elite status and what you'll experience on the flight itself. While there's no carrier that will meet the needs of every traveler out there, our annual report uses objective data to identify the company that's best meeting the needs of customers.
For the fifth straight year, Delta Air Lines has earned the title of TPG's best U.S. airline.
However, it's worth noting that Delta's overall score dropped by nearly 6% over last year, and its three closest rivals (Alaska, American and United) all scored higher this year. Only time will tell if this was an aberration or if Delta's reign at the top is at risk of coming to an end.
Additional data collection and reporting by Kyle Olsen, Ryan Wilcox and Summer Hull.
Where to Go in 2023: The Most Exciting Destinations to Explore This Year
Our writers and editors rounded up 10 must-visit spots
As we move into the new year, many of us are starting to think about our travel plans for 2023. While 2022 was a year of slow re-opening, travel opportunities for 2023 feel limitless, as old favorites (Japan, anyone?) have finally re-opened, and new frontiers await. Whether you're looking for a relaxing beach vacation, an exciting city break, or an opportunity to immerse yourself in a new culture, there are plenty of options from which to choose.
Some of the destinations on our 2023 list may seem overly familiar, we know—Rome? Tulum? Sydney?—but we promise that each has exciting new developments and things to see and do that will make your visit (or re-visit) revelatory. And then, of course, we've also snuck in a few unexpected treasures, like Central Maine and Israel's Western Galilee region, both places that are sure to delight first-time travelers and seasoned jet-setters alike.
Read on to discover the best places to visit this year, and consider adding both some unexpected destinations and old standbys to your 2023 travel bucket list.
Sydney, Australia
With its laid-back outdoor lifestyle and relaxed beachy chic, Sydney's natural assets usually get all the attention. There's the glittering harbor, the coastline strung with world-class beaches , and the stunning World Heritage wilderness on its doorstep. But in 2023, it will be Sydney's new cultural offerings that will steal the show.
For starters, the Sydney Opera House turns 50 in 2023. It celebrates by throwing off the scaffolding of a 10-year, $300-million renovation. Everyone in town is talking about the improved acoustics in the main Concert Hall, and many areas in the enormous building have been made accessible to people with mobility impairments for the first time. The venue will showcase its improvements with a stunning theater, music, and opera programs in 2023.
Meanwhile, just past the Harbour Bridge , Pier 2/3 opened in 2022 to house the acclaimed Australian Chamber Orchestra in a stunningly repurposed Edwardian-era finger pier extending into the harbor. It's the latest addition to the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, home to nine of Australia's most important performing arts companies, including First Nations contemporary-dance powerhouse Bangarra Dance Theatre and the Sydney Theatre Company —the theater of choice for Australian cinema stars seeking a stint of live performance, such as Toni Collette, Hugo Weaving, Geoffrey Rush, and former artistic director Cate Blanchett.
Just south of Walsh Bay, Sydney's harbor revitalization is continuing with the massive development of Barangaroo , which transformed a working wharf area into parkland (including a brand-new harbor swimming spot in view of the Harbour Bridge), cultural spaces, and the 889-foot-high Crown casino, which has transformed Sydney's skyline.
Meanwhile, the $344-million Sydney Modern wing of the Art Gallery of NSW opened in December 2022. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, it’s a sprawling glass-fronted stunner embedded into the Domain parklands over a series of stepped terraces. Inside are landmark collections of First Nations art, an underground gallery in an old World War II oil tank, and a dedicated new-media gallery.
Australia is a long journey from many places worldwide, but new non-stop flights will make connections easier than ever. Qantas has announced it will link Sydney and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport in a non-stop, 16-hour flight starting June 14, with plans to fly non-stop to London in the future too.
And although Australia endured some of the harshest lockdowns in the world just a few years ago and closed its international border for almost 600 days, it reopened to international travelers in February 2022. In July 2022, it lifted the requirement for a COVID-19 test before entering the country. Locally, Sydney-siders have rebounded out of the tight restrictions with glee. The town is jumping, with live music pouring out of venues, conversation buzzing in restaurants, and what feels like half the city spreading a towel at the beach. Visitors are being welcomed with a choice of new luxury stays, including Heritage-listed Capella Sydney , opening in March 2023, behind a beautiful sandstone facade once occupied by the Department of Education, and the architecturally adventurous W Sydney , overlooking Barangaroo, in the dining and nightlife precinct of Darling Harbour. — Monique Choy
Central Maine
The classic Maine daydream usually consists of the tried and true elements: lighthouses, sailboats, and the roar of waves crashing into a rocky coast. But approximately one hour north of Portland, nestled in native Eastern white pine, lies a less coastal—and less congested—version of the state’s slogan, The Way Life Should Be.
For a state that has inspired heaping shelves of classic American literature—think “Olive Kitteridge,” “The Cider House Rules,” and, of course, anything by native Mainer Stephen King—it seems apropos that Maine was once a dominant force in the paper mill industry. In the 19th century, paper production consumed nearly half of the annual cut of Maine timber. The state’s abundant woodlands, particularly its plentiful poplar and spruce trees, made it the perfect destination for the industry to boom.
Today, only six paper mills remain in Maine, and the glory days of its booming mill towns are long gone. While the allure of heavily touristed areas like Rockland, Camden, and Kennebunkport have cushioned the southern end of the state in tourism revenue, towns further away from the coast are finally finding their footing.
Central Maine has become an inspiring model for how to take a negative—defunct former mill towns—and transform them into hyper-local communities that enrich the lives of both natives and starry-eyed vacationers. Towns like Belgrade and Winslow, better known for their lakes than ocean views, offer plenty of outdoor adventure for campers, hikers, skiers, and more. And for those looking for a taste of Maine without breaking the bank, the area still offers the same unrivaled seafood and blueberries that you’ll find down south for a fraction of the price.
In Waterville, visitors walking down Main Street can still see the once-storied Lockwood Mills on the south end of town. The mills, which hung empty over Waterville for years, are now becoming a series of residential units and commercial spaces. It’s not the only thing being revitalized: Waterville-based Colby College has invested $100 million into the city’s downtown area over the past few years, culminating in the summer 2022 opening of the boutique Lockwood Hotel , as well as the Paul J. Schupf Art Center , which debuted in December 2022.
Head to the bar at the sleek and sophisticated Lockwood on any Friday night in town, and you’ll be greeted by a young and creative crowd sipping craft cocktails by the fireplace. The Schupf Art Center, which spotlights work from local artists, also boasts a brand new cinema set to host a portion of this summer’s Maine International Film Festival .
That swell of creative energy also extends over to Waterville’s neighboring city, Skowhegan. After securing space in a building once a county jail, co-founder and CEO Amber Lambke launched Maine Grains , a gristmill producing organic and heritage grains solely sourced from the Northeast. The mill just celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2022 and has announced plans to expand to an additional building to accommodate several new product lines and serve as an online fulfillment hub.
The three-story former jail is also home to a local radio station, a yarn store, a dry goods shop, and an artisanal cheese shop Crooked Face Creamery , founded by local Amy Rowbottom, who handcrafts all of the shop’s offerings from milk sourced from local farms. On weekends, the area around the building buzzes with crowds of locals who drive up for lunch at The Miller’s Table , the gristmill’s onsite restaurant serving sandwiches and pizzas made with dough milled onsite. The menu features no shortage of craft beers from nearby Bigelow Brewing , which has also announced recent expansion plans: the brewery will take over the 80,000 square foot former Solon Manufacturing mill on Skowhegan Island, which had a strong run producing yarn and wood products in the early twentieth century.
Of course, there’s always plenty to do in Maine for those seeking solitude in the outdoors any time of the year. Just 2 miles from Waterville, the Quarry Road Trails offer over 8 miles of singletrack trails for skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing. Outfitters like Magic Falls and North Country Rivers offer rafting trips on the nearby Kennebec River. And in this part of the state, hiking opportunities, like the lush RiverWalk at Head of Falls or the Kennebec Messalonskee Trails , are abundant—just don’t be surprised if you see a moose or two. All are perfect opportunities for visitors to get up close and personal with the trees that built the state. — Astrid Taran
Western Galilee, Israel
While Tel Aviv and Jerusalem should very well be on your Israel itinerary , devote a few extra days to exploring a side of the country that often gets overlooked—and unfairly so. Western Galilee, also known as the North Coast of Israel, stretches along the Mediterranean Sea from the Carmel Range just north of Haifa to the country’s north-westernmost tip, with rolling mountains and coastal views intermixed with archaeological sites and farm-to-table eats that can’t be beaten.
Start your trip in the port city of Acre (also known as Akko), a UNESCO World Heritage Site nestled at the northern tip of the Bay of Haifa. Conquered by a range of empires and civilizations over its 5,000-year history, Acre is best known for having once been the capital of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. Take a tour of the Hospitaller Fortress , which served as a hospital and hospice to pilgrims en route to Jerusalem in the 12th and 13th centuries, before journeying through the Templars Tunnels. This 492-foot-long underground passage was used to link the Knights Templar's main fortress to the port. Afterward, browse the city’s souk and artisanal shops, including Art 192 , a gallery that sells ceramics, jewelry, and other wares created by Israeli craftswomen from around Galilee and Golan.
Natural beauty is in no short supply here, either. Just south of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, the geologic formation of Rosh HaNikra comprises grottoes and white chalk cliffs that can be accessed via a quick ride down the world’s steepest cable car. Then head to the remains of nearby Keshet Cave: a large natural arch situated on the southern cliffs of the Adamit Mountain Ridge in Adamit Park. Hike the short trail to the top, where you can simply take in the spectacular views or join other adventure seekers in rappelling roughly 130 to 165 feet down to the cave floor.
Meanwhile, the region’s food and drink scene is undoubtedly one to rival Tel Aviv’s. At Alto Dairy Farm , visitors can munch on housemade sourdough bread, a variety of quiches, and fresh cheese produced from Galician goat’s milk, paired with toppings such as silan, tahini, and nuts. If you’re looking to imbibe, sip wine at Kishor Winery , staffed by members of the neurodiverse Kishorit kibbutz, or craft beers at Malka Brewery .
Got a sweet tooth? Look no further than Tosha Bakery in Achziv. Co-owned by Shahaf Avraham and pastry chef Tomer Swisa, who honed his craft in Israel and France, Tosha offers more than 30 delectable pastries and other sweets adapted from recipes Swisa’s grandmother used to make. Pick up a smattering of baked goods to split with the table—from croissants oozing with pistachio crème to mouthwatering mousses and savory bourekas—and order a cup of coffee on the side. If you still have room left for dessert, head to Odette Chocolate & Pralines Boutique for an assortment of delicious confections—including chocolate logs, chocolate-covered nuts, and pralines filled with flavors like hazelnut and olive oil—and chocolate workshops led by owner Dr. Shlomit Zamir.
Don’t leave without signing up for a cooking workshop or home hospitality experience with tour operator Galileat , which offers visitors to the region an opportunity to learn about local culture through food. Through the program, Druze, Muslim, Christian, and Bedouin hosts around Galilee are ready to welcome you into their homes to share their faith and customs, cook you a traditional homecooked meal, and maybe show you how to roll a grape leaf or two.
To truly get a feel for what it is like to live and work on a kibbutz, a collective Israeli community with agrarian roots, round out your trip with a visit to Kibbutz Kfar Masaryk . In addition to tours of the grounds, the kibbutz offers workshops on topics ranging from birdwatching to Rondo and Hora dances, an art gallery, a dining hall with buffet-style lunch, and 20 accommodations where both families and couples can spend the night. — Elizabeth Preske
Perhaps the most anticipated tourist reopening, Japan is now fully reopened to travelers, making 2023 the year to experience—or perhaps re-experience—the Land of the Rising Sun. Visitors will also be able to take advantage of a weaker-than-usual yen, as the exchange rate in 2020 was an average of 106 yen to $1—the current exchange rate is 127 yen per dollar.
For travelers with kids (or those who are simply young at heart), Tokyo is a must-visit city in 2023, with Tokyo Disney's Toy Story-themed hotel now open. Based on the film series, the hotel offers a unique stay for visitors that includes not just rooms decorated with characters from the franchise on the walls and matching bedding but an entirely immersive experience. If you want a truly magical experience in Tokyo, the 300,000-square-foot Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter opens this summer. The interactive experience allows guests to explore the world of Harry Potter through a behind-the-scenes look into how the films and special effects were created, including a recreation of the indoor soundstage and outdoor backlot used to make the films.
Entertainment lovers will also want to beeline to Tokyu Kabukicho Tower in Shinjuku, set to be the country's largest hotel and entertainment complex. Spanning 48 floors, Kabukicho will comprise two hotels, a movie theater, a massive food hall, and a four-story concert venue that will seat 1,500 people.
And for anime fans, Studio Ghibli has opened its long-awaited new theme park in Nagoya, about three hours by train from Tokyo. The expansive park spans five different themed lands based on fan-favorite films, like "My Neighbour Totoro" and "Princess Mononoke," as well as a life-sized replica of Howl's Moving Castle.
Japan has always been a bastion of luxurious hotels, and now the tony EDITION brand will plant its roots in Ginza, opening an 86-room hotel with three restaurants, including a rooftop bar where you can take in the expansive Tokyo skyline. Meanwhile, local brand Tokyu Hotels opened Hotel Higashiyama last July in Kyoto. Located near Chionin Temple and Heian-jingu Shrine, staying at the hotel is a zen-like experience with rooms arranged around a central courtyard with a Japanese garden. Each room also comes with a box full of original tea utensils that you can use to brew your own Japanese tea.
For families, Hoshino Resorts, which currently operates 58 properties in and around Japan, has just opened RISONARE Osaka , which bills itself as a hub of creativity where children can draw on the walls and windows of their guest rooms with crayons. Marking itself as Japan's first hotel to embrace the Reggio Emilia Approach, an early childhood education program, it hopes to become a hotel that offers value by creating opportunities to nurture children's artistic creativity.
Further north, Club Med has opened its newest ski resort in the area, Club Med Kiroro in Hokkaido. The all-inclusive resort offers up some of the best skiing in the region and will feature a natural open-air hot spring and spa, with all the attractive features the brand continues to be known for .
If you've been saddened by the news of Danish restaurant Noma closing its doors, but don't have plans to visit Copenhagen before then, you may still be in luck. The long-standing "world's best restaurant" is holding a 10-week pop-up in the Ace Hotel Kyoto from March 15 to May 20, 2023, focusing on a tasting menu inspired by the region's distinct ingredients and culinary history.
And, of course, after you've exhausted all the traditional culinary adventures Japan has to enjoy, you can take respite in the comfort food of choice at one of the country's long-standing top hotels: Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo , which features 12 restaurants and bars across its 38 floors. You'll have everything from traditional Cantonese at Sense, upscale French cuisine at Signature, and even Michelin-starred Tapas Molecular Bar. At the end of the night, tuck away to the rooftop Mandarin Bar and admire Tokyo's glittering sprawl. It's good to be back. — Ryan Smith
Thomas Pickard
In unexpected social media trends of the year, the infamous Drake Passage—the notoriously rough body of water that separates South America and Antarctica—has made its rounds on TikTok. And that's because more people than ever are heading to the southernmost destination in the world.
Antarctica is heating up, both figuratively and literally. With the rapid growth of the expedition cruising industry, particularly in the luxury sector, getting to Antarctica has never been easier.
Between 2022 and 2023, nearly a dozen new polar-class ships have been or will be launched by both existing and new cruise lines: Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, Silversea's Silver Endeavor and Silver Nova, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit, Atlas Ocean Voyages' World Traveller; Aurora Expedition's Sylvia Earle; Albatros Expedition's Ocean Victory and Ocean Albatros; Scenic Eclipse II; and Swan Hellenic's SH Diana, among them. And that's not to mention numerous others that debuted in 2020 and 2021. Between them, you're treated to comforts like high-end spas, toys like helicopters and submersibles, and, of course, fine dining.
What's more, even land-based Antarctic expeditions are growing. Luxury operator White Desert just opened its third space-age glamping facility, Echo Camp , on the continent; to get there, White Desert flies guests from Cape Town to Antarctica via private jet.
With so many options for visiting Antarctica, there hasn't been a better (or at least a more convenient) time to visit the White Continent. But returning to Antarctica heating up, is it ethical to go?
As an icy continent, Antarctica is, perhaps unsurprisingly, directly impacted by planetary temperature change. But Antarctica's climate is complex and dynamic, with dramatic regional differences. East Antarctica, for instance, has seen some cooling trends; the South Pole, which is technically in East Antarctica, had its coldest winter on record in 2021. And long-term Antarctic sea ice trend shows essentially zero change, according to Climate.gov . But the Antarctic Peninsula in West Antarctica, where most expedition cruises sail, is warming dramatically.
It's important to acknowledge that cruising is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, just like flying. Even ships that use liquified natural gas, which is touted as a more sustainable alternative to diesel, contribute to emissions, just in the form of methane rather than carbon dioxide.
But what makes cruising to Antarctica worth the potential environmental trade-off is the continent's ability to turn you into an ambassador for protecting Earth. On one of my trips to Antarctica, a naturalist told us that often people don't care to protect what they don't know. Being able to fully immerse yourself in the wilderness of Antarctica—to hear the thunderous crack of a glacier calving and the roar of the tsunami that follows, to watch an Adélie penguin waddle across your path with a pebble in its mouth to build a nest with its mate, to witness humpback whales lunge feeding in an extraordinary display of graceful choreography—makes you care just so much more about not just Antarctica, but the entire planet.
That's why we encourage you to visit Antarctica, but we implore you to do so with the right intentions. Don't just book a trip to check off your seventh continent. Do your research into the company you book with, ensuring they're a member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators . This organization ensures its members adhere to the best practices for protecting wildlife and the environment and take all precautions for human safety. And keep in mind that Antarctica is a remote, extreme, and dangerous place—listen to your guides at all times, and be highly mindful throughout your entire trip. A trip to Antarctica is an extraordinary privilege that shouldn't be taken lightly. Travel with intention, be safe and open yourself up to the wonders of the White Continent. — Stefanie Waldek
Bianca Loðbrók
Rome, Italy
If it seemed like everyone on your Instagram feed was in Italy last year, you’re not imagining things. A 2022 study by Allianz found that demand for Europe travel was up 600 percent, and Rome ranked as the fifth in-demand summer destination. That trend is likely to continue into 2023. A recent survey by the Leading Hotels of the World found that Italy is currently leading the pack for bookings this year.
Rome is called the Eternal City for a reason, but in addition to its many timeless pleasures, it has some compelling new reasons to go in 2023, especially if it’s been a while since your last visit. The Mausoleum of Augustus —the world’s largest circular tomb—reopened to the public in 2021 after an 8 million euros restoration. Also in 2021, the Colosseum opened the underground level known as the hypogeum, allowing visitors to walk the narrow corridors where gladiators prepared for the games and wild animals were kept before being hoisted up to the stage on wooden platforms. To visit the underground level, you must book a guided tour, such as the official Moon over the Colosseum tour , or a private tour with a company like Roma Experience .
Last year saw the inauguration of the Museo dell’Arte Salvata (Museum for Rescued Art), which displays looted or lost antiquities and other artworks that have been recovered before they’re returned to their rightful homes. In addition, a restoration of the Sacred Area of Largo di Torre Argentina —where Julius Caesar was assassinated—is currently underway. When it’s completed, visitors can join the cats at the Largo Argentina Cat Sanctuary and get up close and personal with the ruins, which lay just below street level in an open area in the heart of Rome’s centro storico.
In terms of modern developments, the city’s hotel scene is heating up in a big way, bringing hip new affordable options and luxurious properties by international brands. Already open are the Hoxton Rome and Mama Shelter Roma —where budget-conscious travelers don’t have to sacrifice style—and Soho House Rome and the W Rome , both of which boast rooftop restaurants and pools.
Coming soon are high-end hotels by Six Senses , Edition , Nobu , and Bulgari , in addition to Palazzo Roma, a luxury boutique hotel in a historic palazzo by the Shedir Collection (the company behind Hotel Vilòn and Hotel Maalot)—all slated to open in 2023. Plus, Thai brand Anantara is currently renovating the historic Palazzo Naiadi hotel on Piazza Della Repubblica.
Whether or not you splurge on a room, these new hotels are bringing buzzy restaurants and bars to attract locals and international visitors. The Bulgari Hotel, for example, will have a restaurant by lauded chef Niko Romito. The W has two hot restaurants: Giano by Michelin-starred Sicilian chef Ciccio Sultano and Otto Rooftop, which serves pizzas by esteemed Roman pizzaiolo Pier Daniele Seu, whose pizzeria Seu Pizza Illuminati is ranked number 8 on the list of the 50 Top Pizzerias in the world.
Indeed, it’s a perfect time for pizza aficionados to visit Rome. The city has seen a wave of next-gen pizzaiolos energizing the scene. Top spots include 180 Grammi in the off-the-beaten-path neighborhood of Centocelle, L’Elementare , which has locations in Trastevere and the Parco Appio, and I Quintili by pizzaiolo Marco Quintili, who hails from the province of Caserta, which is known for having some of Italy’s best pizzerias. A visit to Rome in 2023 will be a feast for all the senses. — Laura Itzkowitz
Courtesy of Four Seasons
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Prince got it right, per usual, when he told Oprah in a 1996 interview that he'd always live in Minnesota because "it's so cold it keeps the bad people out." The state's residents are notoriously nice, which makes Minnesota a particularly welcoming place to visit, no matter the weather. With the addition of a luxury hotel, a restaurant at the helm of pivoting American cuisine, and other must-see locales, it's easy to understand why you'd want to visit the land of 10,000 lakes. (Though, as Minnesotans will politely correct you, the state technically boasts 11,842 lakes—but who's counting?)
Start your stay in Minneapolis, the livelier of the Twin Cities. Hop on the light rail at MSP airport, and 30 minutes later, you'll step off in downtown Minneapolis, where you can check in for a stay at the state's first five-star hotel, Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis . Located two blocks from the Mississippi River and four blocks from famed music venue First Avenue, the Four Seasons is within walking distance of all that downtown and its posh adjoining neighborhood, the North Loop, have to offer. That's assuming you can tear yourself away from eating every meal at Mara , the Mediterranean-inspired restaurant by award-winning chef Gavin Kaysen , located within the hotel.
One meal you must venture out for is a dinner at Owamni , the highly-praised restaurant at the center of the Indigenous foods movement. Perhaps you read about Owamni in The New Yorker , or maybe the name sounds familiar from their 2022 James Beard Award win for Best New Restaurant. Every menu item is "decolonized," as co-owner and Oglala Lakota chef Sean Sherman calls it, free of ingredients introduced to North America after Europeans arrived. Forget dairy, cane sugar, black pepper, and wheat flour. You don't need them, at least as far as the Owamni menu (which features dishes like bison stew and blue corn mush) is concerned. The restaurant is just an 11-minute walk from the Four Seasons, so go ahead and indulge in one more glass of whatever you're washing your elk short ribs down with. If the weather allows—always a gamble, though Minnesotans are bred to soak up every warm, sunny day—enjoy your meal on the patio overlooking the Mississippi River.
Add the Minnesota Zoo to your itinerary too. Located just south of the charming capital St. Paul, the zoo is not only home to lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) but also the world's longest elevated pedestrian loop. The Treetop Trail is a 32-foot-high, 1.25-mile walking path through the zoo's various lush landscapes, including a reflection pond, wetlands, and, as the name implies, a forest. The trail's multiple access points, with elevators and ramps, allow guests of all mobility levels to enter and exit in different locations to get a glimpse of their favorite animals. If all goes to plan, the Treetop Trail will open this summer, hopefully just in time to coincide with the zoo's annual and adorable Farm Babies exhibit.
For a more all-encompassing view of the midwest, book Viking's new Great Lakes Collection cruise. The two-week-long excursion travels between Duluth, Minnesota, and Toronto, winding through the Great Lakes with pit stops at iconic locations like Niagara Falls and Mackinac Island.
We like to think Prince would be the first aboard. — Megan McCarty
Maximilian Guy McNair MacEwan
Tulum, Mexico
The city that launched a thousand hashtags and the poster child of boho-chic, Tulum is one resort town where every year brings something new. Between the booming beach clubs and luxurious boutique hotels, there are many reasons why travelers keep returning again and again to this once-sleepy fishing village next to the Mayan ruins. Roughly a two-hour drive from the Cancun Airport, Tulum has always proved rewarding for those willing to go the extra mile, but the coming years are promising an easier way to get there so that you can skip the pricy cab fare or the rental car.
There are two massive infrastructure projects on the horizon in Tulum: the Maya Train and a brand-new international airport. Construction has been underway on the Maya Train, which will connect Tulum to not only Cancun but other major cities on the peninsula like Bacalar and Izamal. The first section of the train line is expected to open in December 2023, but the project has also been controversial, enduring harsh criticism from environmentalists and human rights advocates .
Meanwhile, the new airport will sit 20 minutes south of the city center near the ruins of Muyil. The first route will run between Tulum and Mexico City's brand-new airport, Felipe Ángeles (AIFA), and low-cost airlines are already eyeing the new landing strip. It's been given an opening date of December 2023, but it might take until mid-2024 for the regular service to kick in. Both projects are working towards decongesting traffic from Cancun as more and more holidaymakers are finding their way down to Tulum worldwide. The new international airport will also give travelers a better starting point for exploring the southern reaches of Quintana Roo, like the multicolored lakes of Bacalar (two hours south of Tulum) and the far jungle side of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve.
Tulum's beachfront is stacked with luxury hotels that claim the best location in the city and are always trying to make the biggest splash in art and design. You can find the influencer set lining up for snapshots in front of the "Ven a la Luz" sculpture at the Ahau Tulum Resort or booking the top suite La Valise , where the bed rolls out onto the balcony so you can sleep under the stars. However, Hilton has just opened two new hotels in the area, which will pose shiny new offerings for travelers in 2023. The centrally-located Motto delivers Tulum style with a rooftop infinity pool, and with comparatively affordable rates, it's a good choice for those who plan to bounce between the city center and the beach. Alternatively, the Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya is 20 minutes away from Tulum proper, sitting on the turtle-filled beaches of Akumal, but the resort offers a more traditional Riviera Maya resort experience, but with the Tulum twist of holistic wellness experiences and bass-thumping DJ sets.
As always, Tulum's beaches are the star attraction. The gentle blue waves are watched over by the ruins of an ancient Mayan city, and the wind conditions entice kite surfers to strap on their boards and fly. The only thing that could ruin this picture is the massive clumps of sargassum seaweed that wash up on the shores daily. However, this problem will be mitigated in 2023 thanks to a new 1.4-mile-long anti-sargassum barrier that stops the seaweed before it washes up on the beach.
Tulum is a place that is constantly transforming, and with many promises on the horizon to make it even more accessible, this is a place to watch. — Jamie Ditaranto
Honestly, there is no wrong time to visit Disneyland . But making a pilgrimage to "The Happiest Place on Earth" during 2023 will make your visit extra sweet, and we're not just talking about the consumption of the park's sugar-coated churros.
This year the Walt Disney Company is celebrating a century of creating its unique brand of animated magic. The Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio—which it was initially named—was formed on Oct. 16, 1923, just months after 21-year-old Walt made the move to Los Angeles. There will be a year-long cross-company global observance to honor the centennial, with Disneyland being the centerpiece of the celebration. Beginning on Jan. 27, 2023, the park will feature added entertainment, festivities, and an abundance of razzle dazzle sprinkled throughout the park—all for the Disney100 Celebration , Sleeping Beauty's castle will be given a platinum-hued glow to kick it all off. The castle will also be the focus of the new nighttime extravaganza entitled Wondrous Journeys . This brand new show will use the castle, Main Street U.S.A., Rivers of America, and the facade of "it's a small world" as the canvas for a visual cavalcade featuring snippets and nods to every film that Disney has released during the past hundred years. Meanwhile, over at California Adventure, this year will see the debut of World of Color - ONE , the new water projection show paying homage to Disney classics, both new and old, alongside moments from "Star Wars" and Marvel movies.
Disney parade lovers will be thrilled with the return of the wildly popular " Magic Happens " parade in late February. The over-the-top extravaganza pays tribute to cherished moments from Disney's films from "Moana" to "Frozen" to Pixar's "Coco" with music, dancing, and elaborate floats, all led by an iridescent outfitted Mickey Mouse. But Mickey will have much more than merely a parade presence.
Since "it was all started with a mouse," as Walt Disney once famously stated, it's only fitting that Mickey Mouse will star in this year's most anticipated debut. On March 27, Mickey's Toontown, which has undergone a massive remodel, will reopen to guests. The reimagined land will feature CenTOONial Park, a sprawling grassy knoll, interactive play areas, and a bevy of water features, which will be a welcome addition on those hot southern California days. The highlight of the land is the west coast debut of Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Train , opening on Jan. 27. The attraction—which already exists in Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World—will be housed in the memorabilia-filled El CapiTOON Theater.
Over in Critter Country, big changes are on the horizon. Disney is transforming the wet and wild Splash Mountain into Tiana's Bayou Adventure. While this metamorphosis won't be complete until next year, you can get a taste of the "Princess and the Frog" vibe with the debut of Tiana's Place. The French Market in New Orleans Square, right around the bend from Critter Country, will be reimagined with a menu to reflect Tiana's culinary talents for dishes such as gumbo and beignets.
Speaking of beignets, whenever there is something to celebrate, Disneyland invariably cooks up something tantalizing and wildly creative. The year will be sprinkled with an eclectic array of new treats, both sweet and savory, along with food-centric commemorative souvenirs like the Mickey Mouse popcorn buckets and sippers, to go along with all the other commemorative Disney100 apparel and merch available for purchase.
If you've been looking for a good excuse to visit the "Happiest Place on Earth," partaking in the Disney100 Celebration is a pretty worthy one. Plus, there are churros. — Sunny Chanel
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Few cities in Asia and the world blend an opulent British-colonial past with ever-growing, space-age skylines like Kuala Lumpur, shortened to "KL" by most locals—and now, Malaysia's capital will soon be more accessible than ever to visit.
Expect more seamless connections from the U.S. to this Southeast Asian gateway after the Federal Aviation Administration upgraded Malaysia's air safety rating in October 2022. A coil of highways and light-rail transport systems connects the airport to the former small towns of the Klang Valley, which now function as KL's many thriving residential neighborhoods.
They attract foreigners who find no match for Kuala Lumpur's low cost of living and quality of life. Since last year, Malaysia's De Rantau Pass , Southeast Asia's first full-fledged digital nomad visa, has a rock-bottom income requirement of $2,000 a month and allows stays of up to two years.
Today, the Klang river that marked the city's humble beginnings—Kuala Lumpur means "muddy estuary" in Malay—is strangled by development but still flows by some of the old city's architectural gems, such as the Jamek Mosque and the old Kuala Lumpur Railway, completed in 1916 by the former British colonialists. These old dames rub walls with modern buildings, monorail, LRT overpasses, shopping malls, and futuristic skyscrapers.
The next giant to open mid-2023 is Merdeka 118, the world's second-highest building. Soaring above the tourist enclave of Pasar Seni and Petaling Street, the city's bustling Chinatown, this 118-story, 2,200-foot tall, dark glass tower stretches up to the sky as the supreme example of Malaysia's world aspirations.
Before that, the 88-story, 1,400-foot-high Petronas Towers held the world's record for the tallest building from 1998 to 2003. These futuristic twin towers are the trademark of KLCC, Kuala Lumpur's glitziest and central neighborhood, filled by the city's largest shopping malls and the plushest entertainment and dining options.
Perched on the 48th floor of the Naza Tower, literally "haute" restaurant Dewakan boasts authentic Malaysian dishes prepared with rare ingredients and stunning views of the Klang Valley hemmed by the viridian slopes of the nearby Genting Highlands, the city's quickest getaway to fresh air, shining casinos, and a plethora of resorts.
It's no wonder that in December 2022, Dewakan and the French-inspired DC by Darren Chin earned a star each in the first Michelin guide to Kuala Lumpur and northern sister Penang island. But Michelin's recommendations only scratch the surface of Kuala Lumpur's labyrinthine food scene, which mixes Malay, Chinese, Indian, and international cuisines and boasts some of Asia's best street food culture.
First-time visitors usually spill from bar-and-nightclub strip Bukit Bintang to the adjacent tourist-friendly Jalan Alor, a haven of Chinese seafood and staple dishes like KL Hokkien Mee (noodles smothered in a sweet-salty black soy sauce with prawns, pork belly, and cabbage) and bak-kut-teh (pork ribs cooked in a broth of herbs and spices).
But the savviest local foodies brave the city's eternal traffic jams to venture out of the center to suburbs like Petaling Jaya, where Marriott opened minimal-chic Le Meridien in June 2022, and Subang Jaya—in particular, its SS15 district. From Jibril's irresistible salted egg butter chicken to Uncle Seng's choice of handmake pork and chicken curry noodles, and the zesty pork burgers of Burgertory , this district will add inches to your belt.
When the city becomes too much, one doesn't have to travel far to wind down in nature. The longest trail at Kota Damansara Community Forest Reserve, Denai Tiga Puteri Peak, is a two-hour out-and-back scrawl across the rainforest to a viewpoint overlooking a busy highway and the city's skyline.
For more challenging trails, Bukit Saga in the northeastern area of Ampang has something for every level, from quick strolls to a whole day hike across the connecting Saga and Apek hills. Bukit Gasing in Petaling Jaya is next to the city's heart and can also be visited by car, driving up to a perfect viewpoint to soak Kuala Lumpur's lights come alive after pink-hued sunsets. — Marco Ferrarese
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Revealed: The hottest travel destinations for Americans in 2023
It’s a whole wide world out there, but these four places are trending into the new year.
![us travel 2023 Erika Mailman](https://media.timeout.com/images/105874837/170/170/image.jpg)
As we shift into the end of year, our thoughts naturally turn to travel in the new year. Part of getting through the doldrums of winter is daydreaming about the exciting trips to come. Once we clear away gray clouds or mud-flecked snow, we're ready to hit the airport. The luxury travel company Red Savannah has compiled a list of travel trends for 2023, including the top four destinations.
First, let’s cover those trends. ‘Skip Gen Travel’ is a term covering grandparents taking grandchildren on trips, which allows them to bond – and for parents to get some much-needed alone time. This sweet way to spend time with elders (and with youngers) is gaining momentum in 2023. Additionally, one-on-one family travel is becoming popular. This means one parent takes one child (hopefully rotating to capture everybody at some point during the year) on a special trip, so the two can give full attention to each other.
More people are trying to do hands-on sustainable travel , which means they may be traveling in lesser-known areas to reduce impact and spend tourism dollars at mom-and-pop restaurants and small hotels rather than at chains. These travelers are also trying to avoid the use of single-use plastics during the trip. Two sports trends we are seeing in travel are e-biking, which lets you travel farther without exhaustive pedaling, and wild swimming, where you jump into natural rivers, lakes and oceans to connect with nature for physical and mental benefits. Forget that chlorinated pool! Finally, elevated concierge services , where travelers consult someone else to help do the planning, is on the rise.
Given those trends, where are Americans looking to go in 2023?
![us travel 2023 Inside the vast atrium of the GEM, workers still walk around. The colossal figure of Ramses is in the foreground.](https://media.timeout.com/images/105894246/image.jpg)
The much-anticipated opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum on the Giza Plateau near the Great Pyramids in Cairo may happen this year, and for sure in 2023. That means savvy travelers are booking their trips to be some of the first to see this first-ever gathering of all the Tutankhamen artifacts in one facility built expressly for that purpose. There will be over 100,000 artifacts on display and show-stopping architecture (such as the incredible atrium with upright statue of Ramses II pictured above—the building was constructed around the colossus). But Egypt is worth visiting even without this new facility: try the magnificent sights of Cairo, board a felucca to travel down the Nile, and see Karnak Temple in Luxor and across the Nile, the Valley of the Kings.
![us travel 2023 París](https://media.timeout.com/images/105910614/image.jpg)
Paris is always at the top of many travel lists, and with good reason. New in 2023 is the chance to visit The Hôtel de la Marine on Place de la Concorde (yep, close to the site of the guillotine, marked by the obelisk), opened to the public for the first time since the French Revolution. For 226 years, the navy ministry has occupied the space and only departed in 2015. If you visited Paris in recent years, you’ve seen this structure behind orange fencing. Now, you can go in! It’s as fancy (almost) as Versailles and doesn’t require you to leave the city. Another fresh opportunity is the Pinault Collection of art at the Bourse de Commerce, which opened in May 2021 with more than 5,000 modern pieces.
![us travel 2023 Bhutan](https://media.timeout.com/images/105908679/image.jpg)
Walk or cycle the Trans-Bhutan Trail , a not-for profit social and tourism enterprise that restored the trail used for hundreds of years by pilgrims, traders, messengers and soldiers. After closing in the 1960s, it reopened this year and provides the chance to walk for 28 days through 250 miles, 400 cultural sites and 10,000 stairs. It has spectacular views of the Himalayan Kingdom and its cultural heritage along the trail, including the Tiger’s Nest monastery pictured here. Plus? Bhutan is the world’s only carbon negative country. As should be the case, 100 percent of profits go back into the trail and the communities who live along it. Beware, however, of a heavy daily tax .
![us travel 2023 Sicily, Italy](https://media.timeout.com/images/105650175/image.jpg)
This gorgeous Mediterranean island off the tip of Italy’s boot offers vineyards, beaches, temple ruins, mosaic masterpieces and of course: culinary feats (cannoli, anyone?). But please do not bring your Godfather references; that practice was banned in Catania last year! Instead, drop by one of Sicily ’s six UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the Necropolis of Pantalica, where thousands of 13th to 7th century BCE tombs are cut into the rockface, or the very volcanic Mount Etna. Many people say Palermo is one of the cities you must visit in your lifetime: there, we said it, too.
Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.
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2024 Sturgis Rally attendance up 3 percent compared to 2023
R APID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - The South Dakota Department of Transportation released their numbers for the Final Vehicle Count at this year’s rally. 470,987 vehicles entered Sturgis between August 2nd and August 11th.
At a glance, attendance was low based on the DOT’s five-year average comparison, but when you take a closer look at the numbers, they tell a different story.
Attendance at the rally this year was up by close to 3 percent compared to last year, and most notably attendance was up on the first Saturday of this year’s rally by 44%.
Sturgis City Officials say this year’s rally went smoothly and the new TT race contributed to the increase in a younger crowd turnout.
” It’s just really ending the season on high. One of the things we’d hope to do with that race was to bring more people to town or hopefully they would stay for that last weekend, and we’d see a younger demographic and both of those things held true,” Sturgis’ Director of Communications, Deb Holland said.
Click here for the full review of the Sturgis rally traffic count compared to 2023.
Click here for the full review of the Department of Transportation’s final vehicle count.
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- Employment tribunal decisions
Mr S Chatterton v First Travel Solutions Ltd: 2409159/2023
Employment Tribunal decision.
Read the full decision in Mr S Chatterton v First Travel Solutions Ltd: 2409159/2023 - Dismissal .
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26 top places to see fall foliage in the u.s. in 2024.
Hit the road or the trail to view vibrant fall leaves across America.
The Top Places to See Fall Foliage
![us travel 2023 Rolling hills covered in autumn treetops during a vibrant sunset in the Smokey Mountain national park in Tennessee.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/00000191-480b-dd90-adb7-681b55f40000/new-main-image-great-smoky-mountains-credit-getty-images.jpg?update-time=1723490587376&size=responsive640)
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There's no other time of year quite like fall. Brisk, cool mornings give way to sun-warmed afternoons, and the dropping temperatures create a kaleidoscope of colors as the leaves change before winter sets in. The displays of color are different across the U.S., but they're all brilliant when leaf-peeping season is at its peak.
Peak leaf season varies by region and by year, depending on the weather, so it's best to check with local sources before you go. Many top destinations to view fall's splendor have leaf and foliage maps and trackers so you can follow the local predictions and current conditions – and arrive just in time for the best of the season. Some of these destinations will be familiar, while others are lesser-known locales where you can capture and embrace fall's beauty.
So, pack your jacket and jeans, then grab your camera to capture one of nature's best spectacle.
Acadia National Park, Maine
![us travel 2023 Boardwalk through the forest at Acadia National Park, Maine, in the fall.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/0000017b-7403-d52e-a3ff-f75b636a0000/acadia.jpg?update-time=1689188123000&size=responsiveFlow640)
Acadia National Park covers nearly 50,000 acres along the rocky coast of Maine. Located about 160 miles northeast of Portland, the park boasts the diverse natural beauty of the Atlantic shoreline, including majestic mountains. Peak leaf season in Acadia traditionally falls in the middle of October. This is when you'll see the vibrant displays of oranges, reds and yellows, especially along the Acadia All-American Road, one of the best scenic drives to view the fall colors.
While visiting Acadia , plan to stay at the nearby coastal town of Bar Harbor , considered to be the gateway to the park. Bar Harbor Inn & Spa , situated along picturesque Frenchman Bay, is an outstanding choice for an overnight stay: The historic property offers impressive views of the water as well as Maine's Porcupine Islands. While in town, you can take a whale watching tour and treat yourself to a traditional lobster dinner at Beal's Lobster Pier.
McKenzie River Scenic Byway, Oregon
![us travel 2023 Covered bridge in McKenzie River Scenic Byway, Oregon, during the fall.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/0000017b-64d5-df84-ad7b-7cf59fe20000/mckenzie-river-2-credit-melanie-griffin-eugene-cascades-coast.jpg?update-time=1689188169691&size=responsiveFlow640)
Melanie Griffin | Courtesy of Eugene, Cascades & Coast
The 34-mile McKenzie River Scenic Byway extends from the vineyards of the Willamette Valley to the forests of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon , treating travelers and road-trippers to views of some of the Pacific Northwest's most beautiful landscapes. Plan your visit for peak season when the golds and reds are most vibrant, usually in mid-to-late October.
The McKenzie River boasts some of the best fly-fishing in Oregon, so anglers will want to cast off for native redside rainbow and cutthroat trout along the way. Other highlights include stops at local farm stands and at Goodpasture Bridge in Vida, which is the state's second-longest covered bridge. For an extended romantic getaway that includes days spent fly-fishing, whitewater rafting and hiking to waterfalls, make reservations at the Eagle Rock Lodge, a bed-and-breakfast for couples in Vida.
The Berkshires, Massachusetts
![us travel 2023 A lake surrounded by fall colors in the Berkshires, Massachusetts.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/0000017b-64e2-df4c-a17b-7eff6c200000/berkshires.jpg?update-time=1689188203775&size=responsiveFlow640)
Situated about 130 miles west of Boston and surrounded by mountains, the Berkshires are one of the most scenic places to view fall foliage in New England . The leaves begin changing at the end of September, but peak season starts around mid-October. You can expect to see colors ranging from golden yellows to vivid oranges to deep reds. If you're up for a hike, take the Stony Ledge trail from the Williamstown side of Mount Greylock, the highest peak in Massachusetts at nearly 3,500 feet. This route offers one of the best viewing points of the foliage from midway up the mountain.
Back on the ground, the Berkshires feature world-class arts and entertainment offerings along with a deep-rooted food culture with many locally focused dining options. You can also explore the apple orchards and hops farms along the Berkshire Farm & Table Beer & Cider Trail. For accommodations in the Berkshires , splurge on a stay at The Williams Inn, an upscale hotel with a contemporary design that emulates local farmhouse architecture.
Charlottesville, Virginia
![us travel 2023 Rural countryside and fall forests on rolling hills in Albemarle County, Virginia.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/0000017b-64e2-df4c-a17b-7eff74990000/charlottesville.jpg?update-time=1689188264873&size=responsiveFlow640)
Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia, Charlottesville offers spectacular scenery accentuated by fall's vivid hues. Mid-to-late October is when you'll usually see the most dazzling red, orange and yellow leaves, but the colors can linger into early November, depending on the weather. Some of the best viewing spots with scenic overlooks are along the neighboring Blue Ridge Parkway and the connecting Skyline Drive in nearby Shenandoah National Park .
When you're not leaf peeping, plan to visit Thomas Jefferson's Monticello: the former home, gardens and grounds of the third U.S. president. Travel along the Monticello Wine Trail to sample some of Virginia's award-winning vintages at wineries such as Michael Shaps Wineworks, Barboursville Vineyards and Jefferson Vineyards. In the evenings, travelers can unwind over a seasonally inspired dinner at Marigold by Jean-Georges before settling in at the beautiful luxury property Keswick Hall.
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
![us travel 2023 Farmhouse and pond among fall trees in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/0000017b-64d5-df84-ad7b-7cf5a77f0000/courtesy-of-visit-bucks-county.jpg?update-time=1689188333017&size=responsiveFlow640)
Courtesy of Visit Bucks County
Bucks County's picturesque country roads and covered bridges create an idyllic setting for viewing fall's colorful palette. Located in the southeastern part of Pennsylvania and bordered by New Jersey and the Delaware River to the east, Bucks County has a rich Revolutionary War history and is known for its thriving cultural and arts community. Peak leaf season typically occurs in mid-October, bringing vibrant hues of yellows, oranges and reds to the area.
For a scenic escape to the Pennsylvania countryside, make reservations at The Inn at Barley Sheaf Farm, a luxury B&B in Holicong. You can spend your brisk fall days exploring the shops and restaurants in New Hope or checking out the annual Scarecrows in the Village display at Peddler's Village in Lahaska. Visitors may also want to take a self-guided driving tour of Bucks County's 12 covered bridges or sip and savor local wines along the Bucks County Wine Trail.
French Lick West Baden, Indiana
![us travel 2023 Exterior of French Lick West Baden among fall trees in Indiana.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/0000017b-64d5-df84-ad7b-7cf5ac840000/french-lick-in-1-credit-french-lick-resort.jpg?update-time=1689188553668&size=responsiveFlow640)
Courtesy of French Lick Resort
Located in southern Indiana, French Lick West Baden is a resort community nestled in the hills of Hoosier National Forest that features some of Indiana's best leaf-peeping locales. The yellows, oranges and reds are usually the most vivid from mid-October and later, with peak colors appearing at the end of the month. For active adventures in the colorful scenery, go hiking, biking or horseback riding. You can also hop on board a train ride into the forest on the French Lick Scenic Railway. When you want to kick back and relax, spend an afternoon sipping wine with a view on a Fall Foliage Wine Cruise on Patoka Lake.
There are three hotels to choose from at the historic French Lick Resort, including the newest property, the 71-room Valley Tower Hotel. A must-see no matter which property you choose is the stunning atrium at the West Baden Springs Hotel . Spanning 200 feet wide and constructed more than a century ago, this engineering feat was once known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World." While at the resort, you can enjoy all of the amenities, including three golf courses, two spas and a Vegas-style casino.
The Mississippi River Valley, Minnesota
![us travel 2023 Colorful shrubs in front of river in The Mississippi River Valley, Minnesota.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/0000017b-65c5-d262-a9ff-f5ff909c0000/mississippi-river-bluffs.jpg?update-time=1689188595488&size=responsiveFlow640)
Colorful wooded bluffs, steep hillsides and quaint river towns are all highlights of the Mississippi River Valley region in southern Minnesota – best enjoyed on a leisurely drive. The nearly 90-mile route from the town of Red Wing to La Crescent on U.S. Route 61 also features scenic overlooks, including two must-see locations at Great River Bluffs and Frontenac state parks. This drive along the Mississippi River – part of the 3,000-mile Great River Road, which begins in Minnesota and runs south through 10 states to conclude in Louisiana – celebrates peak fall colors from late September to mid-October.
As you take in the brilliant hues of russet, red and gold along the ride, be sure to stop for an afternoon snack at a roadside apple stand. Bird lovers may be eager to see the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, Minnesota. While in this town, grab dinner and a beer before spending the night at Turning Waters Bed, Breakfast and Brewery. Further down the road, don't miss the town of Winona, home to the small but impressive collection of works that explore the human relationship with water at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum.
Breckenridge, Colorado
![us travel 2023 Colorful autumn hills near Boreas Pass in Breckenridge, Colorado.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/0000017b-65c5-d262-a9ff-f5ff9fee0000/breckenridge.jpg?update-time=1689188633248&size=responsiveFlow640)
Situated at 9,600 feet above sea level in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, Breckenridge is one of the first places in Colorado to witness fall's brilliant changing of the leaves. While the aspen trees' golds, reds and oranges usually peak by late September, the season can linger into early October. For optimal leaf viewing, plan to drive the 22-mile Boreas Pass: This route begins in Como and heads north to Breckenridge.
While visiting, enjoy brisk fall days hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding or fly-fishing surrounded by the beauty of the Rockies. If you're in town in mid-September, don your best alpine gear and attend the festivities at Breckenridge Oktoberfest. For an extended stay with a view, reserve accommodations at The Lodge at Breckenridge . This property nestled atop a forested cliff is regarded as one of the world's highest-altitude hotels at 10,200 feet.
Hudson, New York
![us travel 2023 Colorful fall foliage on the banks of the Hudson River in New York.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/0000017b-65c5-d262-a9ff-f5ffaa540000/hudson-ny.jpg?update-time=1689188702552&size=responsiveFlow640)
Nestled in the Hudson River Valley in Columbia County, around 120 miles north of New York City , Hudson is a small town that offers a distinct food, arts and farming culture. There's also a unique history to explore, especially when it comes to architecture: Known as a "dictionary of architectural history," Hudson boasts many well-preserved buildings from almost every major period in America. The area's bounty of trees produce brilliant red, orange and gold hues beginning at the end of September, with peak viewing time around mid-to-late October.
For a unique way to see the foliage, get a designated driver and plan a road trip around the Hudson Valley Wine and Craft Beverage Map, which features more than 100 wineries, breweries, cideries and distilleries. After the drive, browse the town's boutiques and antique shops before checking into The Hudson Whaler Hotel, a beautifully restored property in the heart of downtown.
If you'd prefer to cruise the Hudson River Valley to see the fall foliage, American Cruise Lines offers summer and fall Hudson River cruise itineraries. The round-trip sailings from New York City include five stops in New York state: Catskill, Albany, Hyde Park, West Point and the town of Sleepy Hollow, which is the home of Ichabod Crane and the legendary tale of his flight from the headless horseman.
Willamette Valley, Oregon
![us travel 2023 rows of grape vines in Autumn colors in the Willamette valley](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/00000191-480b-dd90-adb7-681b55430000/willamette-valley-oregon-credit-getty-images.jpg?update-time=1723490587199&size=responsiveFlow640)
Fall is harvest season in the Willamette Valley and one of the best times to visit the renowned wine region. The days are sunny and cool during peak foliage, which typically falls around mid-October. Leaf peepers can expect to see brilliant hues of yellow, orange and red against the deep green shade of the evergreen Douglas fir – the state tree of Oregon. Willamette Valley is home to more than 700 wineries, with many producing internationally acclaimed vintages, so you may want to hire a private guide to craft your itinerary around the best wines and the best views.
McMinnville is situated in the heart of wine country and is a perfect base for exploring the region. The historic downtown offers plenty of non-wine fun with quirky shops and art galleries and restaurants featuring locally sourced and award-winning cuisine – including ōkta, which is helmed by Michelin-starred chef Matthew Lightner. For an overnight stay, reserve accommodations at the luxury boutique Atticus Hotel. The 36-room hotel features seven distinct room categories, including the Luxury Bunkhouse that's perfect for a getaway with friends in Oregon's wine country.
Stowe, Vermont
![us travel 2023 Iconic New England church in Stowe, Vermont, during the fall.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/0000017b-64e2-df4c-a17b-7eff625d0000/stowe-vermont.jpg?update-time=1689188735141&size=responsiveFlow640)
Nestled at the base of Mount Mansfield, Vermont's highest peak, Stowe is one of the most picturesque villages in New England. It's also one of the best places to view the annual fall spectacle, with colors changing from early September through the end of October. Vermont is around 80% forested and boasts plenty of sugar maples, so autumn visitors can admire vibrant displays of red, gold and yellow leaves across the state. One of the prettiest drives to see the foliage is along the Smugglers' Notch Pass through the Green Mountains in Smugglers' Notch State Park.
If you're planning for several days of leaf-peeping activities, a room at the Austrian-inspired Trapp Family Lodge can be your home base while you go horseback riding, rent a canoe or hop on the seasonal Stowe Gondola SkyRide to the summit of Mount Mansfield for unparalleled views. Back in town, check out local breweries like The Alchemist or von Trapp Brewery & Bierhall.
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Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
![us travel 2023 Cog railway train on Mt. Washington in New Hampshire climbing through autumn foliage.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/0000017b-65c5-d262-a9ff-f5ffa6bf0000/bretton-woods.jpg?update-time=1689188819273&size=responsiveFlow640)
Set in the White Mountains of New Hampshire , Bretton Woods is one of the top destinations in the state to view fall foliage. Leaf-peeping season begins in mid-September and continues through late October – this is when the most vibrant yellows, oranges, reds and even purples will paint the surrounding mountains. Due to the many tree species, it can be hard to predict peak foliage in this area, but you'll likely have the most luck around the second week of October.
To enjoy the spectacle for several days, make reservations at the Omni Mount Washington Resort . This historic property sits at the base of the highest peak in the Northeast, giving guests a front-row seat to the show. During your stay, dash through the treetops on a zip line canopy tour, enjoy a scenic horse-drawn carriage ride or take a thrilling trip on the Mount Washington Cog Railway. You may also opt to take in the sights on a gondola ride and have lunch atop the mountain. Back on the ground, book a signature spa treatment and relax with expansive views of the Presidential Range, Crawford Notch and Mount Washington from the therapy rooms.
Northwoods, Wisconsin
![us travel 2023 Beautiful fall colors reflected in the water of a northern Wisconsin lake with an early morning mist hovering over the water.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/00000191-480b-dd90-adb7-681b568a0000/northwoods-wisconsin-credit-getty-images.jpg?update-time=1723490587526&size=responsiveFlow640)
The Northwoods of Wisconsin comprises five counties boasting thousands of lakes and vast forests perfect for fall leaf-peeping adventures. The northern part of the state offers some of the best foliage viewing in Wisconsin, typically between mid-September and early October, when you can see vibrant shades of orange, red, yellow and purple. If you want to experience the local art scene – and take in the autumn views – the Northwoods Art Tour takes place every fall in October. Visitors can stop at dozens of unique sites featuring artisan jewelry, pottery, woodwork, glass pieces, sculpting, painting and more throughout the Northwoods.
Stop for a few days in Boulder Junction to see more of the area and take in some of the outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking, fishing, golfing, kayaking and more. Located in Vilas County, the charming town is home to hundreds of biking and hiking trails and nearly as many lakes. You'll also find cute local shops to peruse and casual restaurants downtown and on Main Street. Take your pick of rustic cabin-style accommodations and private rentals or reserve a room at one of the motor lodges in town: Boulder Bear or Boulder Junction.
Highlands, North Carolina
![us travel 2023 Fall colors at Cullasaja Falls in Southwestern North Carolina.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/0000017b-64d5-df84-ad7b-7cf5b3240000/highlands-north-carolina.jpg?update-time=1689188878446&size=responsiveFlow640)
This picturesque mountain town sits at more than 4,100 feet in elevation on the Highlands Plateau in the Nantahala National Forest. Highlands is also located in a temperate rainforest, so the vegetation is lush and there are many waterfalls, rivers and lakes to explore in and around the area. Leaf-peeping season typically begins in mid-October, when you'll see leaves starting to turn bright yellow and orange, as well as deeper hues of red, rust and even purple.
There are many active outdoor activities to enjoy in this region, such as hiking, fly-fishing and golfing, but the community also has a vibrant cultural arts scene. During your visit, check out the exhibits at The Bascom (a visual arts center), as well as events at the Highlands Performing Arts Center and the new Mountain Theater Company. While in town, reserve accommodations at Old Edwards Inn and Spa . This beautiful Relais & Châteaux property, located in the heart of Highlands, puts visitors within walking distance of the many restaurants and boutiques located on Main Street.
Whidbey Island, Washington
![us travel 2023 View of Deer Lagoon and Neighboring Farms on Whidbey Island Washington on a Cloudy Day](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/00000191-480b-dd90-adb7-681b56da0000/whidbey-island-washington-credit-getty-images.jpg?update-time=1723490587606&size=responsiveFlow640)
The 55-mile Whidbey Isle Scenic Way is one of the driving routes along Puget Sound in what's known as "Washington's ultimate road trip": the Cascade Loop. Peak color along the loop typically occurs between late September to mid-October with brilliant shades of gold, orange, and red – and you'll have plenty of opportunities for leaf peeping with all the farms, parks, mountains and wineries along the way. The scenic drive on Whidbey Island begins as you cross over historic Deception Pass Bridge and head south toward the largest town on the island, Oak Harbor. This coastal city is home to Deception Pass State Park and many Garry white oak trees that are native to the Pacific Coast.
In Coupeville, the second-oldest town in the state, more than 100 buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Stop for photos at Fort Casey State Park and the Admiralty Head Lighthouse before feasting on local Penn Cove mussels at one of the waterfront restaurants. Other highlights on the drive include Greenbank Farm, where you can sample local wines and cheeses surrounded by the Olympic Mountains and the Cascade Range, as well as the town of Langley, known as the "Village by the Sea." This charming artsy community sits atop a bluff overlooking the Saratoga Passage and the Cascade Mountains.
Letchworth State Park, New York
![us travel 2023 Aerial of Middle Falls at Letchworth State Park in New York during the fall.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/00000189-4aed-d353-a589-fbffee170000/letchworth-state-park-new-york-stock.jpg?update-time=1689188944714&size=responsiveFlow640)
Letchworth State Park, fondly known as the "Grand Canyon of the East," is home to some of the most striking fall foliage views in the U.S. The park's 14,300-plus acres of lush forest usually hit their peak in early-to-mid-October, when leaf peepers will be treated to yellow, orange and red foliage framing the magnificent Genesee Gorge and Genesee River. Explore this unique setting on miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, including the park's new Autism Nature Trail, a milelong hiking loop with marked sensory stations. You can also take to the skies in a hot air balloon with Balloons Over Letchworth, the only company that launches from inside the gorge.
While you're visiting Letchworth State Park, be sure to check out the surrounding Wyoming and Livingston counties for fun fall activities. You can soak in the views in Wyoming County with a Fall Foliage Train Ride on the Arcade & Attica Railroad, or head to Livingston for a free ranger-led walking tour of the Mount Morris Dam. When you're ready to relax, explore local craft beer, wine, cider and spirits along the LivCo Libation Loop. Stay the night in the heart of Letchworth State Park at the Glen Iris Inn, which offers convenient access to both counties and overlooks Middle Falls on the Genesee River.
Tunnel of Trees, Upper Peninsula of Michigan
![us travel 2023 "Tunnel Road" above Houghton, Michigan, dips and twists between hardwoods turning red, orange and gold.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/0000017b-65c5-d262-a9ff-f5ff979a0000/tunnell-of-trees-michigan.jpg?update-time=1689188993392&size=responsiveFlow640)
Known as the Tunnel of Trees, this 20-mile scenic route follows the historic Michigan 119 highway between Harbor Springs and Cross Village. The area's canopies of golds, oranges, yellows and crimsons are on display typically from late September to mid-October. A few highlights for travelers include visiting the picturesque waterfront resort town of Harbor Springs and sampling authentic Polish cuisine at the iconic Legs Inn restaurant in Cross Village.
For overnight lodging, plan to stay at The Highlands, a Boyne Resort in Harbor Springs. This property offers many outdoor activities, including zip lining, horseback riding, biking and swimming. While here, reserve a seat on the Heather Express chairlift: This excursion to the top of the mountain affords incredible views of Little Traverse Bay, Harbor Springs and the area's beautiful fall foliage.
North Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada
![us travel 2023 Dock outside of Tahoe City near Commons Beach in North Lake Tahoe during the fall.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/0000017b-64e2-df4c-a17b-7eff58db0000/north-lake-tahoe.jpg?update-time=1689189076446&size=responsiveFlow640)
North Lake Tahoe, which unfurls across both California and Nevada, is surrounded by the majestic peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America, so there are plenty of opportunities for outdoor adventure, from kayaking and paddleboarding to boating and relaxing on the area's many beaches. When it comes to viewing fall's splendor, hundreds of biking and hiking trails with 10-plus different species of native trees show off the red, orange and yellow foliage.
The best time to see the colorful leaves is from about mid-September to late October, especially at the top leaf-peeping locales: Tahoe Meadows, Ellis Peak, Mount Rose Summit and Sugar Pine Point State Park. For a memorable getaway, book accommodations at the Everline Resort & Spa at the base of Olympic Valley. Amenities at this luxury resort include a golf course with a view, a luxurious spa and various outdoor experiences, such as guided fly-fishing trips, hiking and backpacking.
The Ozarks, Arkansas
![us travel 2023 Twin Falls in Arkansas during the colorful fall season.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/0000017b-7403-d52e-a3ff-f75b586a0000/ozarks.jpg?update-time=1689189101355&size=responsiveFlow640)
Situated in the northern part of Arkansas , the Ozark Mountains are the perfect destination to explore the outdoors and marvel at autumn's palette of bright golds, reds and oranges. The transformation typically begins around the second week of October, and peak colors appear by late October. One of the top spots to view the foliage is in the Buffalo National River area around the small town of Ponca. This beautiful wilderness destination in the mountains offers the opportunity to disconnect and get away from it all.
While here, take time to hike or float down the river – all the while keeping an eye out for wild elk. Fall is when the bulls are battling to become king of the herd, so they're especially active during this time of year. Plan to reserve one of the cabins in the mountains above Ponca. Vantage points from these properties yield incredible stargazing opportunities, as well as memorable sunrise and sunset views.
Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Scenic Byway, Maryland
![us travel 2023 Old rustic covered bridge in the Maryland countryside during the fall.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/0000017b-7403-d52e-a3ff-f75b4d1c0000/maryland.jpg?update-time=1689189169537&size=responsiveFlow640)
The roughly 40-mile scenic drive from Emmitsburg to Point of Rocks runs along U.S. Route 15 in Maryland . Known as "hallowed ground" and considered sacred by some, this long stretch of road highlights significant Civil War sites and pristine natural areas, including Catoctin Mountain Park, home to the presidential residence Camp David. The best time to make the journey to view the foliage on the Maryland route is between late September and early November, with peak season around mid-October.
One not-to-be-missed detour is a stop to see the 78-foot waterfall and gorge in Cunningham Falls State Park. If you're after a challenging hike with great views, travelers say Sugarloaf Mountain in Dickerson can't be missed. Afterward, spend time exploring the shops, art galleries, distilleries, breweries and restaurants in the historic city of Frederick. You can book an overnight stay at one of the charming local B&Bs, such as 10 Clarke. If you're up for more fall festivities, visit nearby Gaver Farm in Mount Airy, whose Fall Fun Fest has a corn maze and more than 65 attractions, including a zip line, a chicken show, jumping pillows and giant slides.
Adirondacks, New York
![us travel 2023 Houses around Saranac Lake in the Adirondack Mountains, New York, during the fall.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/00000189-4aed-d353-a589-fbffedd70001/saranac-lake-adirondack-new-york-stock.jpg?update-time=1689189212097&size=responsiveFlow640)
The Adirondacks offer leaf peepers 10 distinct regional destinations covering more than 6 million acres in the northeast corner of New York state. Adventurers can head to the Lake Placid region in late September and early October to hike the Adirondack High Peaks, which offer the best mountain vistas during peak fall foliage. While you're in the region, be sure to visit the Olympic Jumping Complex. Visitors can take an elevator to the top of the ski jumps for a bird's-eye view of the Adirondacks before heading back down on a zip line.
In the first two weeks of October, you'll find peak leaf peeping around Lake George, a popular vacation spot with 109 miles of shoreline and 300-plus islands. Hike nearby Prospect Mountain for a breathtaking view overlooking the lake's beautiful blue waters and the vibrant yellows, oranges and reds of the surrounding forest. For an authentic Adirondack stay without sacrificing resort luxuries, book a vacation rental at The Lodges at Cresthaven. Located on the shores of Lake George, this resort property offers a host of amenities along with Adirondack decor and panoramic views of the lake.
Anchorage to Kenai, Alaska
![us travel 2023 Yellow flowers along the ocean on Seward Highway in Anchorage, Alaska, with snowy mountains in the background.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/00000182-5b17-dc15-abce-5b7f08c50000/22-seward-highway-stock.jpg?update-time=1689189299148&size=responsiveFlow640)
The epic landscapes of Alaska are awash with vibrant reds, purples, yellows and oranges – and even snow-capped mountaintops – from late August through September as fall arrives in The Great Land. The autumn colors across the state's vast wilderness, forests and tundra change quickly as winter approaches, beginning in mid-to-late August in the Arctic regions and lasting as late as October in southern areas like Tongass National Forest.
This roughly 160-mile drive on the Seward and Sterling highways from Anchorage to Kenai travels along two National Scenic Byways. You'll find many vantage points along the way to take in the jaw-dropping views and capture photos. The first 50 miles of Seward Highway follow the Chugach Mountains and the shoreline of Turnagain Arm, where you may catch a glimpse of Dall sheep, beluga whales and eagles. From Tern Lake to Skilak Lake on Sterling Highway, you won't want to miss the sight of the Kenai River's teal glacial waters set against the orange and yellow leaves.
For a side trip en route, visitors can plan to stay in one of the recently refreshed Signature Rooms at the beautiful Alyeska Resort, about 40 miles southeast of Anchorage. Indulge in a day at the Alyeska Nordic Spa and, if you visit by mid-September, take a ride on the aerial tramway to the top of Mount Alyeska for panoramic views from above. Be sure to save up enough energy to chase the aurora borealis in the wee morning hours, as the northern lights dance across the night sky from mid-August to mid-April in Alaska .
The Poconos, Pennsylvania
![us travel 2023 Aerial of Highway 476 in the Appalachian Mountains near Lehighton, Poconos Region, Pennsylvania, in the fall.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/00000182-5b17-dc15-abce-5b7f08ef0000/23-poconos-stock.jpg?update-time=1689189380952&size=responsiveFlow640)
One of the best ways to view the Pocono Mountains' vibrant fall hues of reds, yellows, oranges and purples is with a scenic drive along U.S. Route 6 in Pennsylvania. This road meanders through charming towns like Milford, Hawley and Honesdale, where you can take in autumn festivities that include the Hawley Harvest Hoedown and Honesdale's Harvest and Heritage Days. Another optimal viewing spot for the foliage is the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area with its 70,000 acres of forests and wetlands, the two tallest waterfalls in the state, and more than 150 miles of hiking trails.
The peak season for vibrant leaves in the Poconos depends on the region (north or south) and the progression of temperatures in the fall, but you can typically expect the best viewing from mid-September through the peak season in early-to-mid-October. For up-to-the-minute information, check the fall foliage forecast on the Poconos Mountain website . After a busy day of exploring, The French Manor Inn and Spa is the perfect place to kick back, relax and admire even more of autumn's beauty. This luxury property is perched atop Huckleberry Mountain in Newfoundland, offering spectacular views of the kaleidoscope of leaf colors.
Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
![us travel 2023 Flowers among fall colors at Mount Rainier National Park in Washington.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/00000182-5b17-dc15-abce-5b7f08040001/24-mount-rainier-national-park-stock.jpg?update-time=1689189414725&size=responsiveFlow640)
The majesty of Mount Rainier, with its summit reaching 14,410 feet above sea level, is even more breathtaking surrounded by fall's vibrant colors. While you can see the peak from miles around, a drive through Mount Rainier National Park can bring you up-close viewing of the spectacle. Top leaf-peeping areas include the White Pass Scenic Byway to Chinook Pass via Bethel Ridge – if you have a high-clearance vehicle. Visitors may consider making a side trip to Cash Prairie before venturing on to Timberwolf Mountain. Peak season to capture the brilliant crimsons, ambers and golds can vary, but it typically occurs between mid-October through early November.
While in the park, enjoy other favorite fall activities such as foraging for local mushrooms – chanterelles, hen-of-the-woods and matsutake, for example. You can also book an early-morning Elk Bugling Tour at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park to see the Roosevelt elk sparring during their "rut," or breeding season. For rustic accommodations to enjoy the great outdoors while visiting the park, reserve a cabin or campsite at Mounthaven Resort.
North Conway, New Hampshire
![us travel 2023 Church and other buildings in North Conway, New Hampshire, at sunset during the fall.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/00000189-4aed-d353-a589-fbffee790000/north-conway-new-hampshire-stock.jpg?update-time=1689189478716&size=responsiveFlow640)
For prime autumn foliage in one of the best small towns for an adventure, head up to North Conway in New Hampshire . Located roughly 85 miles north of Portsmouth, this small town is encompassed by the White Mountain National Forest and home to Mount Washington, the tallest peak in the Northeast. With dozens of foot hike options through the surrounding 700,000 acres of protected forest, there's no shortage of leaf-peeping opportunities. Peak colors typically paint the landscape with vibrant hues of red, orange and yellow from the end of September into the first two weeks of October.
A ride along the Kancamagus Highway – affectionately called "The Kanc" by locals – is a must-do. The 34-mile scenic drive will immerse you in a fall wonderland as it winds through the New Hampshire countryside, but make sure to fill your tank before you set off, as there are no gas stations or stores along the highway.
While you're in the area, don't forget to indulge in North Conway's other unique activities. Enjoy the perks of tax-free shopping at Settlers Green Outlet Village or grab a chairlift ride at Cranmore Mountain Resort. If you decide to hop aboard the historic Conway Scenic Railroad, experience 360-degree views of the fall foliage in a deluxe dome car on the 1950s-era transcontinental streamlined train. When you're ready to settle in for the night, the Cranmore Inn, a boutique inn located in the center of town, blends modern amenities with historical charm.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
![us travel 2023 The morning fog is lifting over the mountain ridges in the Great Smoky Mountains](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/00000191-480b-dd90-adb7-681b55e20000/great-smoky-mountains-credit-getty-images.jpg?update-time=1723490587358&size=responsiveFlow640)
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park encompasses more than 522,400 acres across the states of North Carolina and Tennessee. The Smokies are known for their incredible display of autumn hues with about 100 species of native trees. At 4,000 feet in elevation and above, leaf peepers can expect to see intense shades of red, orange and brown during peak season, which is typically around early-to-mid-October. Lower-elevation towns like Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg will experience peak color around mid-October to early November.
The highest summit in Great Smoky Mountains National Park , Clingmans Dome, sits at 6,643 feet and offers one of the best views of the foliage, with panoramic vistas from a 54-foot observation tower. The 11-mile one-way loop at Cades Cove (accessible from the nearby town of Townsend, Tennessee) is another top spot for seeing the colorful display in the park. This scenic valley features hiking trails, historic homesites, a visitor center, a campground, a riding stable and a picnic area.
Clingmans Dome and Cades Cove can be very busy with tourists in the fall, so another option is to take a drive on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, which is a round-trip scenic route from downtown Gatlinburg. You can also head out on one of the many hiking trails in the park to see Mother Nature's spectacle. If you're planning to stay a few days to explore the park and the nearby towns, make reservations at the Historic Rocky Waters Inn, A Small Luxury Hotel in Gatlinburg. The property also offers curated guided experiences inside and outside the park for its guests.
Why Trust U.S. News Travel
Gwen Pratesi was born in Pennsylvania, one of the top places in the country (and the world) to view fall foliage, with the longest and most varied autumn season. She's also lived in other states known for their beautiful leaf-peeping seasons: Virginia, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Tennessee. Pratesi has been known to take road trips wherever she travels to view fall's kaleidoscope of colors, especially in the Pacific Northwest; in Western states like Colorado, Montana and Wyoming; and all along the East Coast. She also enjoys seeing autumn's colorful display from the deck of a cruise or river ship in the U.S. and along the coast of Canada.
Erin Vasta grew up in the Shenandoah Valley surrounded by prime leaf-peeping destinations. Through her travels around the East Coast, she has enjoyed taking hikes, scenic drives or historic train rides to see the fall foliage. Whether by planning the perfect leaf-peeping excursion or hopping in the car for an impromptu drive, Vasta believes there's no bad way to take in autumn's hues, but she hopes this guide will help you take full advantage of this incredible season.
You might also be interested in:
- The Best Places to Visit in the Fall
- The Top Fall Family Vacation Ideas
- The Best Fall Festivals in the U.S.
- The Best Places to Visit in October
Fun Fall Weekend Getaways
![us travel 2023 Looking up through aspen trees in the fall.](https://www.usnews.com/object/image/00000189-6995-d2c9-a7bd-7b95f6a30000/fall-colorado-stock.jpg?update-time=1694544543595&size=responsive640)
Tags: Travel , Fall Vacations , Vacation Ideas , US Vacations
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