The 17 greatest locations to journey in 2026

Make 2026 the yr you cease hoarding factors for “someday” and guide that journey. In a time of uncertainty at dwelling and overseas, journey is likely one of the most potent methods we will proceed to attach with different individuals, cultures and communities throughout the globe. Whether you need to maximize your miles for a can’t-miss occasion, discover a vacation spot that wasn’t in your radar or rediscover a spot you thought you knew, you have come to the fitting place.

Each yr, The Points Guy’s workforce of skilled vacationers and our world community of contributors curate a listing of essentially the most compelling locations to go to over the subsequent 12 months. Our 2026 record is formed by a convergence of main world (and cosmic!) occasions, milestone anniversaries and simply cool happenings, making this an particularly thrilling yr to journey.

At the start of the yr, Italy will take middle stage because the host of the Winter Olympic Games in Milan and the Dolomites, whereas a complete photo voltaic eclipse will sweep throughout Europe in August. Closer to dwelling, cities throughout North America will host the FIFA World Cup this summer season whereas the United States commemorates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the a centesimal anniversary of Route 66.

Our record additionally highlights locations which can be coming into a brand new chapter, whether or not rebuilding after environmental disasters or redefining themselves for the long run.

In the U.S., Asheville, North Carolina, and the encompassing Blue Ridge Mountains are able to welcome vacationers once more following Hurricane Helene, whereas Seattle’s waterfront renaissance indicators a broader development towards revitalizing city areas. Abroad, cities like Prague are evolving into extra refined, luxury-forward locations as they reply to overtourism and put money into higher-end journey experiences.

We are additionally very excited concerning the new factors accommodations, flight routes and cruise ships which can be unlocking locations that had been as soon as more durable to succeed in (each bodily and through the use of miles).

Smaller cities are having a second, too, together with Halifax, Nova Scotia, the place new accommodations, eating places and a reimagined waterfront district are drawing elevated consideration. Destinations farther afield have gotten extra accessible because of improved infrastructure and the enlargement of main resort manufacturers. Uzbekistan now has the JW Marriott Hotel Tashkent and expanded high-speed rail connections, whereas the Peruvian Amazon will see a number of new cruise ships plying its waters this yr. Meanwhile, the Malaysian resort scene continues to succeed in new heights (actually, within the case of Kuala Lumpur), with beautiful new factors accommodations starting from strong finances choices to beautiful luxurious digs.

Read on to find all 17 locations we’re most enthusiastic about in 2026, together with ideas for getting these journeys off your imaginative and prescient board and onto your calendar utilizing factors and miles.

— Lyndsey Matthews

Asheville and the Blue Ridge Mountains

Best for out of doors lovers who need to make an affect

After the devastation of 2024’s Hurricane Helene, the North Carolina mountain metropolis of Asheville is again and higher than ever. Not solely have 90% of shuttered companies reopened, however the superb Blue Ridge Parkway — 469 miles of scenic drive by way of the encompassing Blue Ridge Mountains — has additionally totally reopened.

The hard-hit River Arts District is usually recovered, and native artists are desirous to welcome vacationers to freshly opened galleries and studios the place you possibly can watch them at work, hear their private tales from the hurricane and even strive your hand at an artwork class.

Beyond its inventive spirit, Asheville can also be identified for its vibrant meals and craft beer scene, with a powerful emphasis on regionally farmed and foraged components. You’ll discover every thing from Southern consolation delicacies to fully vegan fare, from Indian street food to a James Beard Award finalist Filipinx restaurant.

When you are able to hit the paths, the encompassing Blue Ridge Mountains are an adventurers paradise. You can hop on the Blue Ridge Parkway from Asheville’s southern aspect or discover mountaineering trails for all ability ranges inside an hour’s drive of town. For slightly extra adrenaline, strive tubing, kayaking or zip-lining within the close by Green River Gorge.

And in the event you focus your consideration on native small companies — one of the best ways to expertise Asheville anyway — you possibly can really feel good figuring out your vacationer {dollars} are serving to to proceed the rebuilding course of.

TPG tip: Asheville has no scarcity of factors accommodations. Standout choices embody the hip, artsy The Radical within the coronary heart of the River Arts District. For a extra outdoorsy getaway, think about certainly one of AutoCamp’s luxurious cabins or refurbished Airstream trailers at AutoCamp Asheville, slated to open in early 2026.

— Rachel Craft

Mallorca, Spain

Best for viewing Europe’s complete photo voltaic eclipse

It’s at all times a good suggestion to take a vacation to Mallorca, however the largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands can be of explicit curiosity subsequent August because it falls instantly within the path of a complete photo voltaic eclipse. And along with being an exquisite spot to plant your self for viewing celestial wonders, the island has a well-deserved popularity for recent and scrumptious seafood, dreamy seashores, and a classy resort scene that is getting even higher with the addition of two new luxurious accommodations.

In July, Mallorca will welcome Mandarin Oriental Punta Negra, with its clifftop perch overlooking the scenic Costa d’en Blanes peninsula. The model’s first Balearic location is certain to be probably the most widespread hideaways for these viewing the eclipse, so guide now whereas there’s nonetheless availability.

The Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor totally reopened in March 2025 after a yearslong refurbishment that concerned restoring and renovating the enduring property to a brand new stage of luxurious. The resort has 100 personal acres of seaside forests, meandering gardens, sea-facing terraces and island-inspired design. And the most effective half: It’s bookable through American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts in addition to Chase’s The Edit.

The complete photo voltaic eclipse is predicted to be seen from Mallorca on the night of Aug. 12, lasting below two minutes and almost coinciding with the island’s greatest nightly present: sundown. You can think about that seeing the eclipsed solar, seen only a few levels above the horizon, could be an unimaginable expertise from any seaside or cliffside — however we predict it could be greatest loved from one of many island’s two hottest new properties.

TPG tip: Have some spare IHG One Rewards factors? Consider an in a single day journey to Menorca for a keep on the forthcoming Hotel Indigo (opening this summer season).

— Ellie Nan Storck

Miches, Dominican Republic

Best for an elevated all-inclusive expertise away from the crowds

At TPG, we have been shouting from the proverbial rooftops that all-inclusive resorts have lastly found out the right way to do it proper. And main resort manufacturers with loyalty packages (like Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott) are in on the motion. At many more moderen resorts, the times of bland meals, watered-down drinks and compelled leisure are gone, together with the opposite stereotypes sometimes related to the “know what you pay up front” trip mannequin.

If that is the golden age of all-inclusives, although, Miches — situated on the northeast coast of the Dominican Republic — is a spot to control. Famous for its dozens of all-inclusive resorts, the Dominican Republic has lengthy been one of many go-to spots for the sort of trip, particularly on the favored seashores round Punta Cana. However, these seashores and resorts can grow to be crowded, and now individuals are making the 1 1/2-hour drive from Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) to new resorts in Miches.

Hilton loyalists can flip Hilton Honors factors into an all-inclusive keep at Zemi Miches Punta Cana All-Inclusive Resort, Hilton’s first Curio Collection all-inclusive resort within the nation. Our assessment hit on precisely why Miches is the place to go: “The resort truly feels like a secluded island paradise from the moment you arrive.” What else are you able to ask for?

Hyatt has additionally planted its all-inclusive flag in Miches with two openings: Dreams Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa and Secrets Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa. At Dreams, all the household is welcome to get pleasure from Miches’ stunning seashores, dancing palm bushes, and lots of eating places and bars. Meanwhile, Secrets, an adults-only resort, would make for a dream honeymoon below the inviting Dominican solar.

TPG tip: No matter the place you keep, let the resort organize your transportation from PUJ for ease and affordability. The transportation space at this airport could be overwhelming, and after a protracted flight, who would not need every thing made straightforward?

— Tanner Saunders

Peruvian Amazon

Best for adventurers searching for bucket list-worthy wildlife

Nature lovers can be spoiled for selection within the Peruvian Amazon, a swath of rainforest and cloud forest that covers roughly 60% of the nation and teems with biodiversity.

River cruises supply a very handy option to discover this far-flung wilderness, as you possibly can keep in the identical (floating) room quite than hopping from one lodge to a different. Abercrombie & Kent’s first Amazon riverboat, Pure Amazon, launched in 2025, and andBeyond’s Amazon Explorer yacht will debut in September. Additionally, Lindblad Expeditions is increasing its choices with the lately chartered Delfin III, which can greater than double the road’s occupancy within the area beginning in February.

You can count on adventurous shore excursions like fishing for piranhas, swimming with pink Amazon river dolphins and visiting an area shaman. If you are fortunate, you may spot animals discovered nowhere else on the planet, like jaguars, black caimans and Amazonian manatees.

You’ll discover fascinating jungle cities, too, with a far totally different ambiance and tradition from the remainder of Peru. Take the island metropolis of Iquitos, accessible solely by boat or aircraft, the place locals dwell in stilt homes and dine on crispy skewered suri grubs and different Amazonian delicacies. Or go to the distant riverbank communities of the Indigenous riberenos individuals, who nonetheless apply historic traditions like searching, gathering and touring by dugout canoe to today. You can even be taught concerning the area’s historical past at Iquitos’ museums and lesser-known archaeological websites, just like the pre-Inca Kuelap Fortress ruins.

TPG tip: Although you possibly can’t simply guide a river cruise with factors, there are methods to economize in your journey right here. Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM) is on the tail finish of a serious enlargement, and Delta Air Lines launched nonstop flights from Salt Lake City in December 2025. IHG additionally opened three new accommodations in 2025 — InterContinental Real Lima Miraflores; Hotel Indigo Lima Miraflores; and Souma Lima, Vignette Collection — making layovers within the capital simpler than ever on factors.

— Rachel Craft

Botswana

Best for experiencing the human aspect of safaris

A safari usually means lengthy, dusty days in an open-top car, stalking always-moving prides of lions or herds of elephants, maybe stopping alongside the best way to identify a colourful chook with borrowed binoculars or be taught concerning the comings and goings of a plodding leopard tortoise or a shy bat-eared fox.

But in Botswana, a brand new period is dawning, with outfitters taking vacationers past the same old hourslong sport drives and immersing them within the extra human aspect of a safari.

Long-standing outfitters like Desert & Delta Safaris, which operates 10 camps all through the nation, are incorporating extra wildlife-adjacent actions into itineraries; spend just a few days chasing after wily African canine, then be taught concerning the people who’ve lived on this area for millennia.

Botswana is especially suited to this path because of its different landscapes and waterscapes, together with the ecologically astounding (and UNESCO-listed) Okavango Delta; the sere, otherworldly terrain of the distant Makgadikgadi Salt Pans; and the riverine channels of the Linyanti area.

During a weeklong journey, you may spend a while at Nxamaseri Island Lodge within the Okavango panhandle, which by no means goes fully dry, and find out how native fishermen scan for eddies within the present to catch tiger fish and bream (or spot a uncommon clawless African river otter on the identical mission as you). You may spend one other evening at Nxamaseri’s new (opened in September 2024) campout web site operated at the side of the Indigenous Ju/’hoansi individuals, who will share their conventional dances with you earlier than a sundown cookout. After slumbering in historically impressed (however luxuriously appointed) huts, you may awaken at daybreak to hike by way of the UNESCO-listed Tsodilo Hills searching for centuries-old petroglyphs, together with some depicting wild sport.

When you’re finished watching countless dazzles of zebras whinny and cavort alongside the seasonal Boteti River at Leroo La Tau, you may take the four-hour drive east to the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, watching the wildlife and vegetation grow to be sparser and sparser till it looks as if you’re driving alongside the floor of the moon. Dinner by firelight precedes a star-spotting session or maybe an evening of storytelling below an incandescent full moon.

The general impact is to supply guests with a extra well-rounded expertise of Botswana, one which encompasses not simply its unmatched wildlife but in addition the individuals who name it dwelling. Your time within the nation — exploring each its wildlife riches, indelible landscapes and uniquely vibrant Indigenous cultures — will depart you in awe in any respect the great, distant corners nonetheless to discover on this planet. And if that is not the purpose of journey, what’s?

TPG tip: Many safari itineraries depart from the regional hub of Maun International Airport (MUB) within the north of the nation. You can get monetary savings on in any other case costly flights by redeeming both United MileagePlus miles or Qatar Airways Avios for flights on South African airline Airlink, which flies from Maun to each Cape Town International Airport (CPT) and Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB).

— Eric Rosen

Kvarner Gulf, Croatia

Best for foodies searching for an up-and-coming factors vacation spot

Far from Croatia’s vacationer sizzling spots of Dubrovnik and Split, the quiet Kvarner Gulf on the northern Adriatic is gaining consideration as one of many 2026 European Regions of Gastronomy. The designation, awarded yearly by the Barcelona-based International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism, celebrates the realm’s culinary heritage, together with its 36 indigenous grape varieties, giant neighborhood of olive growers and honey producers, and the native Kvarner scampi, a candy langoustine regarded as among the best on the planet.

Taste a few of these delicacies at annual occasions within the area, just like the Chocolate Festival in Opatija, the Scampi Festival on the Crikvenica-Vinodol Riviera, and the Taste the Mediterranean competition, which Mali Losinj hosted final yr. (Event dates for 2026 have but to be confirmed.)

Kvarner can also be having a serious resort increase, centered within the coastal city of Opatija, which had its heyday throughout the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Now, this historic seaside resort city is within the midst of a factors resort renaissance, sparked by the 2024 opening of the Keight Hotel Opatija, Curio Collection by Hilton, and persevering with with the 2026 debuts of the Opatija Marriott Resort & Spa and the Sealeven Hotel & Residences, an apartment-style Destination by Hyatt property.

If you’d quite escape to one of many islands scattered throughout the bay, Marriott opened its first Autograph Collection property in Croatia, The Isolano, on the island of Cres in 2025. The adults-friendly property for friends 12 and up affords direct seaside entry and a 5,000-square-foot wellness space.

TPG tip: The closest worldwide airport with direct flights from the U.S. is Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE), a couple of three-hour drive away. However, in April, United Airlines will launch a direct flight from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Split Airport (SPU) for vacationers who additionally need to discover southern Croatia.

— Lyndsey Matthews

Philadelphia

Best for ringing in America’s 250th birthday

In 2026, cities throughout the nation will mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, however nowhere will celebrations be extra spirited than in Philadelphia, the birthplace of the nation and American democracy itself.

The nation’s origin story can be on show on the Museum of the American Revolution, the place “The Declaration’s Journey” exhibition highlights the creation and legacy of the Declaration of Independence. At the National Constitution Center, which is present process its first main renovation since opening in 2003, guests can discover two new galleries and look at certainly one of solely 14 surviving unique copies of the U.S. Constitution, on show by way of 2026.

The yr’s calendar is filled with marquee occasions, too. March Madness ideas off in Philly with the NCAA males’s basketball event, the PGA Championship returns in May, and the FIFA World Cup brings two matches to Lincoln Financial Field, the second going down July 4. The festivities proceed with the MLB All-Star Game later that month.

On the cultural entrance, “A Nation of Artists” at each the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts will showcase essentially the most in depth American artwork survey to come back to Philly. Mural Arts Philadelphia is about to unveil new large-scale initiatives, underscoring why town is the mural capital of the world. And the free, multiweek competition Wawa Welcome America builds from Juneteenth to Independence Day, culminating with the nation’s largest Fourth of July parade, a headline live performance on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and fireworks above the artwork museum steps. (Also on the parkway: the brand new Calder Gardens, a cutting-edge sculpture backyard highlighting the work of artist Alexander Calder.)

The metropolis’s restaurant scene acquired a brighter highlight as Michelin launched its “Northeast Cities” version in 2025, the primary to incorporate Philly. Three eating places nabbed a star — Rittenhouse Square darling Friday Saturday Sunday amongst them — and greater than two dozen others had been advisable. Add in new accommodations slated to open in 2026, which embody The Bourse (a Hilton Tapestry Collection property in Old City) and The Waylen (a Hyatt Unbound Collection opening on the Navy Yard) — and Philadelphia is on observe for a milestone yr.

TPG tip: Skip expensive ride-hailing providers and seize a $13 SEPTA day move. Philadelphia’s subway and bus system makes it straightforward to navigate from historic websites or sports activities occasions to neighborhoods like Fishtown and Rittenhouse Square.

— Regan Stephens

Uzbekistan

Best for witnessing a brand new period of Silk Road journey

When the 14th-century Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta described Samarkand as one of many biggest cities of the world, “and most perfect of them in beauty,” he captured the timeless attract of the Silk Road, a 2,200-year-old route the place retailers traded textiles, jewels, spices and fragrance throughout continents.

No marvel Uzbekistan is experiencing a tourism increase, with 50% extra worldwide guests arriving in 2025 in comparison with 2024. And these numbers will undoubtedly rise now that Americans can go to the Central Asian nation for as much as a month with out a visa, a change launched firstly of the yr.

Samarkand accomplished its formidable 640-acre Silk Road complicated in 2024, with eating places and cafes, gardens, waterways, and loads of procuring the place you are able to do as the traditional merchants did and choose up rugs, pottery and intricately embroidered textiles. And of the complicated’s eight accommodations, three are Hilton properties.

In Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, the multimillion-dollar Center for Islamic Civilization is scheduled to open this spring, with a mixture of museum displays and tutorial analysis amenities. Making its splashy debut in December 2025, the JW Marriott Hotel Tashkent radiates Silk Road opulence, with shimmering beaded gentle installations, a hammam-like tiled spa, and each an indoor pool and rooftop infinity pool. Marriott will proceed to increase its footprint throughout town with a brand new Fairfield by Marriott later in 2026, adopted by an Aloft in 2027 and a Ritz-Carlton in 2028.

With all the brand new developments, Uzbekistan continues to have fun its historic cultural and pure wonders. The nation at present has seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites and has proposed almost a dozen extra for addition to UNESCO’s tentative record of prospects during the last two years.

TPG tip: Travel each to and round Uzbekistan is less complicated than ever. U.S. passengers can fly instantly from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Tashkent International Airport (TAS) on Uzbekistan Airways 5 instances per week. This spring, Etihad Airways is introducing a brand new connection to TAS through Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport (AUH), whereas the Uzbek airline Centrum Air is launching new routes through main European hubs like Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Copenhagen Airport (CPH).

A bullet practice now connects three of Uzbekistan’s prime vacationer locations: Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara. By mid-2026, high-speed service is deliberate to increase to Khiva and its spectacularly preserved walled metropolis of Itchan Kala, decreasing journey time from 14 hours to 7 1/2 hours.

— Melanie Haiken

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Best for seaside allure with a distinctly Canadian really feel

Nestled alongside Nova Scotia’s rugged shoreline, Halifax combines coastal allure and cosmopolitan buzz, and 2026 will supply much more methods to discover this North Atlantic vacation spot.

The metropolis debuted its first skilled ladies’s soccer membership in April of 2025, welcomed an upscale new factors resort this yr and continues to be an out of doors lovers paradise, with fresh-air points of interest like Point Pleasant Park, with its 180-plus acres of forested trails and paths, and Carter’s Beach, which obtained Provincial Park designation and safety in late 2023.

Of course, a visit to Nova Scotia would not be full with out attempting out the native catch. Halifax’s Cunard district, a energetic new addition to the waterfront, affords an abundance of seafood-centric eating places, like Water Polo, Tribute, Matadora, Creme and Asia — all of that are conveniently situated close to a few of the metropolis’s greatest procuring.

Plus, it is simpler to get to utilizing miles. United Airlines is launching a seasonal direct flight from Dulles International Airport (IAD) close to Washington, D.C., to Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) in May, becoming a member of an American Airlines flight from O’Hare International Airport (ORD) that debuted in 2025, and each American and Delta routes from LaGuardia Airport (LGA) that launched in 2024.

Once you land, there are many selections for the place to remain, a lot of which provide ocean-facing lodging — together with just a few new factors accommodations. This previous spring, town welcomed Muir, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Halifax to town’s waterfront Queen’s Marque neighborhood, and in 2024, Canada’s first Moxy resort (Moxy Halifax Downtown) opened. The Hotel Halifax — a downtown mainstay instantly linked to the conveniences of the Scotia Square improvement — simply reopened its doorways this previous summer season because it wrapped up an ongoing transformation.

Halifax additionally marked its longest-ever cruise season in 2025 (lasting by way of November), as Virgin Voyages made its debut on Canada’s Atlantic coast with Brilliant Lady, the model’s latest ship, which can return in 2026.

TPG tip: If you propose a summertime journey, pack your headlamp and join a bioluminescent sea kayak night tour, which takes attendees out to calm seas throughout the brand new and first-quarter moons in late summer season for a bioluminescence gentle present under the water.

— Ellie Nan Storck

Guatemala

Best for a mixture of pure points of interest and cultural experiences

Guatemala is a panoramic, comparatively under-the-radar various to Central America’s extra touristed (and higher-priced) nations.

Travelers fascinated by historic ruins can go to Tikal, a spectacular Mayan archaeological web site designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Those searching for wellness experiences alongside volcano views can head to Lake Atitlan to get pleasure from yoga retreats and keep in waterfront ecolodges like Laguna Lodge and La Fortuna. Meanwhile, nature lovers can discover the limestone swimming pools and caves of Semuc Champey, or enterprise into the rainforests of Lake Peten Itza.

In Antigua, a metropolis about 25 miles from the nation’s worldwide airport, you may discover colourful buildings, cobblestone streets, and loads of stylish eating places and rooftop bars from which to get pleasure from views of the encompassing volcanoes. If you need to get a brand new perspective, head about an hour away from town for a guided hike up the vertiginous slopes of Acatenango.

A rustic deeply rooted in its Mayan heritage, Guatemala hosts wealthy cultural celebrations all year long. Tens of hundreds of vacationers flock to its annual Semana Santa celebrations, which have earned a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage designation.

Guatemalan and Mexican authorities officers lately confirmed that the Maya Train — a Mexican railway system selling sustainable tourism within the area — will ultimately increase into Guatemala, making it simpler for vacationers to go to Tikal, Flores and different northern Guatemalan locations.

What’s extra, points-savvy vacationers can try widespread Mr & Mrs Smith properties — like Casa Palopo on Lake Atitlan and Villa Bokeh in Antigua — which can be bookable with World of Hyatt factors.

TPG tip: Flying to Guatemala is getting extra handy. In 2025, JetBlue launched service from Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to La Aurora International Airport (GUA) in Guatemala City, whereas Avianca launched new each day service from Miami International Airport (MIA). Plus, carriers like United Airlines and Alaska Airlines function nonstop service to GUA from cities like Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City.

— Mackenzie Roche

Milan and the Dolomites, Italy

Best for sports activities followers searching for a dose of Italian tradition and delicacies

Northern Italy’s Dolomites mountain vary and its neighboring metropolis, Milan, will take middle stage because the hosts of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in February and Paralympic Winter Games in March.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Dolomites are a year-round playground for out of doors lovers searching for actions akin to snowboarding, mountaineering, exploring glacial lakes and extra. And whereas the Winter Games will draw crowds to cities like Cortina d’Ampezzo, Bormio and Livigno, sports activities followers can stay up for additionally experiencing the area’s convergence of Austrian and Italian tradition, meals and structure, which occurred after Italy annexed a number of provinces after World War I.

New accommodations within the Dolomites embody the totally renovated and rebranded Aman Rosa Alpina, a luxurious family-friendly mountain lodge in San Cassiano, and Casa Cook Madonna, a extra trendy adults-only property in Madonna di Campiglio. Although there isn’t a official reopening date for 2026, an enormous renovation is underway following Mandarin Oriental’s acquisition of the legendary Hotel Cristallo, now generally known as Mandarin Oriental Cristallo.

Approximately a three-hour practice or automotive experience from the area will deliver you to fashionable Milan, which is internet hosting the Olympic opening ceremony in addition to skating and ice hockey occasions. Beyond the Games, guests ought to carve out time to see the putting Gothic Duomo; Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, “The Last Supper;” and town’s many galleries, such because the Pinacoteca di Brera.

Milan has seen a formidable resort enlargement inside the final yr, with the opening of the elegant Casa Brera, a Luxury Collection Hotel in late 2024, which formally joined Marriott’s portfolio in early 2025. Two extra extremely anticipated luxurious accommodations are set to open in 2026: Six Senses Milan and Rosewood Milan.

Alongside town’s rising resort footprint, airways have additionally expanded their route community to Milan. In 2025, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines added nonstop routes to Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). In March, American will launch each day service from Miami International Airport (MIA) to MXP. In May, JetBlue will start service from BOS to MXP.

TPG tip: Milan is the perfect jumping-off level to go to a neighboring vacation spot like Lake Como, which welcomes the brand new Lake Como Edition in March. For those that need to enterprise to a close-by nation, sans flights, new Trenitalia high-speed practice service will launch in 2026 between Milan and Munich.

— Gabrielle Bernadini

Seattle

Best for exploring a revitalized downtown inside strolling distance of FIFA World Cup video games

Seattle is prepared for the world to reach. Ahead of internet hosting six FIFA World Cup 2026 matches at Lumen Field — together with the extremely anticipated match between the USA and Australia on June 19 — town reimagined its waterfront, invested in modern and sustainable new accommodations, and established thrilling artwork hubs.

In Pioneer Square, inside strolling distance of the stadium, discover new additions like a trio of eating places from James Beard Award-winning chef Renee Erickson, an outpost of New York City’s Death and Co. cocktail bar (opening in spring), and the second location of the Populus Hotel model. In the South Lake Union neighborhood, the 1 Hotel Seattle remodeled the Pan Pacific Hotel right into a lush oasis with views of the Space Needle.

In 2025, after almost twenty years, Seattle’s Waterfront Park changed the previous Alaskan Way Viaduct with a 20-acre park stretching from Pioneer Square as much as Belltown with new pedestrian and bike paths, playgrounds, seashores, and piers internet hosting live shows and different neighborhood occasions. The Seattle Aquarium additionally opened an adjoining enlargement in 2024. The Ocean Pavilion options 500,000 gallons of tropical saltwater for animals from the Pacific Ocean’s Coral Triangle, together with leopard sharks and bowmouth guitarfish. Its roof doubles because the Overlook Walk pedestrian promenade, which connects the waterfront to Pike Place Market and the remainder of downtown.

Art lovers can even discover a number of new tradition hubs downtown, together with the Cannonball Arts Center, with two tales of up to date artwork inside the previous Bed Bath & Beyond in Belltown, and Tidelands, an Indigenous artwork gallery close to Pike Place Market.

TPG tip: Those flying to Seattle can get pleasure from the brand new Delta One Lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), which spans almost 11,000 sq. toes and options an open-air terrace with views of Mount Rainier.

Taking the practice? The Amtrak Cascades line, which runs from Eugene, Oregon, to Vancouver, British Columbia, will debut brand-new practice automobiles in 2026. In addition to new interiors with panoramic home windows and a redesigned cafe automotive serving native meals and drinks, the brand new practice automobiles can be extra fuel-efficient, producing much less air air pollution.

— Lyndsey Matthews

Malaysia

Best for thrilling new factors stays in Southeast Asia

Hotel aficionados are going to have loads of new locations to redeem factors in Malaysia this yr, because of a number of thrilling debuts.

The Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur opened in August 2025 atop Asia-Pacific’s tallest skyscraper, Merdeka 118 (an commentary deck will open in 2026). It is a Category 5 Hyatt property, which implies you possibly can redeem as few as 17,000 World of Hyatt factors per evening for these implausible views. Hyatt factors may even come in useful on the new Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown, which opened in August 2025, and is a Category 2 resort out there for as few as 6,500 factors per evening.

If you like Marriott Bonvoy, the Moxy Kuala Lumpur Chinatown opened in April 2025 with award nights beginning at 5,000 factors. Meanwhile, Malaysia’s first Kimpton, the Kimpton Naluria Kuala Lumpur, additionally opened in late 2025, whereas the Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur and Conrad Kuala Lumpur are each scheduled to open in 2026.

But there’s a lot extra to Malaysia’s resort increase than Kuala Lumpur. Penang — a Malaysian state famend for its picturesque panorama and George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site — can also be experiencing a surge in resort openings.

The Millen Penang, Autograph Collection opened in February 2025 with award nights beginning at 33,000 factors, and the Westin Residences & Hotel, Penang is slated to open in 2026. George Town’s iconic India House additionally lately underwent a landmark restoration challenge that included the brand new Peninsula House restaurant opening within the constructing in 2024.

Malaysia additionally obtained its sixth UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in July 2025 with the Forest Research Institute Malaysia Forest Park close to Kuala Lumpur in Selangor.

TPG tip: Although there aren’t any direct flights between the U.S. and Kuala Lumpur, you possibly can attain town with only one cease from most main U.S. hubs. Alternatively, think about flying nonstop to Singapore from a serious U.S. hub, go to Singapore for just a few days after which take a brief flight to Kuala Lumpur (or your most well-liked Malaysian vacation spot).

— Katie Genter

Australia’s Red Centre, Northern Territory

Best for connecting with historic landscapes and tradition

To disconnect from the hectic world, head to Australia’s Red Centre within the rugged Northern Territory, the center of the Outback and residential to Aboriginal peoples who’ve lived constantly on the sacred land for a minimum of 30,000 years.

Starting in Alice Springs, a journey with Alice Springs Expeditions could have you mountaineering the West MacDonnell Ranges, the place vacationers are invited to swim in superb swimming holes like Ellery Creek Big Hole or within the shadows of Ormiston Gorge. After checking in to the Crowne Plaza Alice Springs Lasseters (of “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” fame and bookable with IHG One Rewards factors), head to Earth Sanctuary to see stars so vibrant you need to attain out and contact them.

Toward the south, the majestic formations of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park await guests desirous to be taught concerning the religious connection between the pure wonders of this UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Anangu individuals, the standard homeowners of the sacred space.

In 2026, Inside Australia Travel will supply a brand new five-day, four-night, roughly 34-mile walk, inclusive of luxurious lodge stays (together with the choice to sleep below the celebs in probably the most distant spots on the planet) and meals. Over the multiday journey, hear the traditional tales of the Anangu individuals whereas exploring on foot.

Besides strolling, friends can expertise the nationwide park in luxurious tents at Longitude 131° or at variously priced lodging at Ayers Rock Resort. Just make sure to get up early for the majestic Desert Awakenings experience for a dawn you may always remember, and watch the sundown throughout the Wintjiri Wiru dining experience, the place a drone and laser present over Uluru tells a standard Anangu story.

TPG tip: Visiting Australia’s Red Centre is a journey, as is attending to Australia as an entire. Thankfully, a collection of latest routes makes it simpler, together with Los Angeles to Brisbane on American, Los Angeles to Melbourne on Delta, San Francisco to Adelaide on United and Dallas-Fort Worth to Sydney on Qantas.

And for a novel option to attain the Red Centre, The Ghan, certainly one of Australia’s luxurious trains, will introduce two new suites, the “Australis” and “Aurora,” on choose journeys between Darwin and Adelaide with stops in Alice Springs and the close by mountains and upgradeable experiences to visit Uluru.

— Tanner Saunders

Prague

Best for luxurious journey in a metropolis redefining itself

Prague is shedding its popularity as a playground for backpackers and bachelor events to courtroom a extra discerning type of traveler. Recently, the Czech capital banned organized pub crawls and electrical scooter leases, whereas reworking historic Old Town landmarks into luxurious accommodations. The Andaz Prague opened within the neoclassical Sugar Palace in 2022, adopted by the W Prague inside a legendary artwork nouveau resort in 2024, and the Fairmont Golden Prague in a brutalist constructing on the Vltava River in 2025.

The Michelin Guide expanded nationwide for the primary time in 2025, however do not count on conventional roast pork and bread dumplings at locations like Stangl, which simply earned its first Michelin star and as an alternative serves hyperlocal components like pikeperch with pickled elderflower and hazelnut oil. Vietnamese meals can also be having a second as the youngsters of immigrants who got here within the Nineteen Seventies open fine-dining eating places like Taro, which affords a five-course Vietnamese tasting menu that harks again to household favorites like bo la lot (grilled beef in betel leaves) and ha cao (steamed mushroom dumplings) topped with white truffles.

As Prague strikes into the long run, it is also taking nice care to protect its previous. In 2025, the primary museum sanctioned by the descendants of the Czech artwork nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha opened within the baroque Savarin Palace, and the Museum of Prague reopened after a five-year challenge with new digital displays. While the reconstruction of Wenceslas Square right into a pedestrian-friendly, tree-lined house will not be totally full till 2027, the decrease a part of the sq. has already reopened to the general public. In 2026, the Petrin Funicular may even reopen with modern new automobiles, and St. Vitus Cathedral will welcome a brand new organ to its reconstructed choir loft, accompanied by a collection of summer season live shows.

TPG tip: On May 21, American Airlines will revive its direct route from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG), making it simpler to succeed in Prague with factors.

— Lyndsey Matthews

Route 66

Best for street trippers searching for nostalgic Americana

Route 66 is revving up for a milestone anniversary in 2026, so there’s by no means been a greater time to hit the open street. Stretching almost 2,500 miles throughout eight states, America’s most storied freeway is honoring its a centesimal birthday with new points of interest, impressed exhibitions and a slate of celebrations.

In Chicago, the Obama Presidential Center is because of open in spring, anchoring town’s historic South Side with a cultural campus devoted to the facility of change. Farther south, Springfield, Missouri — formally acknowledged because the birthplace of Route 66 — will host the official centennial kickoff occasion: a star-studded live performance on April 30 at Great Southern Bank Arena.

Oklahomans are additionally making ready for the centennial. In Tulsa, neighborhood organizers intention to revitalize town’s stretch of Route 66 for the commemoration, attracting companies to once-empty storefronts on a quintessential American foremost avenue. Down the street in Oklahoma City, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum will host the exhibition “Route 66: From Trails to Truck Stops,” analyzing the Mother Road’s position in shaping the American West.

Across New Mexico, it is all concerning the arts … and artsy accommodations. In Tucumcari, the brand new Art City sculpture park and glamping vacation spot welcomes friends to relax and calm down. While on the town, you possibly can go to the Blue Swallow Motel, which served as inspiration for the animated movie “Cars.” In Santa Rosa, plans are in place for a brand new musical rumble strip that performs the track “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” for these driving eastbound on the street. And in Albuquerque, the “Route 66 Remixed” public artwork collection will see large-scale installations and digital activations by native artists, together with the Meow Wolf collective, pop up throughout city. Stay on the new Arrive Albuquerque, which has renovated the previous Downtowner Motor Inn whereas sustaining its retro allure.

No matter which a part of Route 66 you traverse, you are positive to discover a neighborhood desirous to have fun this iconic American street and the vacationers making their manner alongside it.

TPG tip: Break up a street journey into smaller segments which you can full at varied instances all year long. You may even coordinate them with native occasions celebrating the centennial, such because the Texas Route 66 Festival (June 4-13) that runs by way of varied communities within the state’s panhandle, or the Route 66 ExtremelyRun, a long-distance race spanning 140 miles of Route 66 in Arizona (Nov. 13-16). If you are not an ultramarathoner, think about the Route 66 Fun Run as an alternative (May 1-3); it is a automotive parade that travels the identical stretch.

— Stefanie Waldek

Tanzania

Best for thoughtfully designed safari lodges and numerous landscapes

From snowcapped Mount Kilimanjaro to tropical Indian Ocean islands plus a few of the greatest safari experiences in Africa, there’s by no means been extra attractive choices for incomes or redeeming factors in Tanzania.

Marriott plans to greater than double its portfolio within the nation by the tip of 2027, however the 37-suite Turaco Ngorongoro Valley, a Tribute Portfolio Lodge opened final March, simply 30 miles from Ngorongoro Crater National Park, a volcanic caldera that naturally supplies a fertile and guarded surroundings for uncommon black rhinos, elephants and lions. A standard Maasai village impressed the lodge’s round buildings, pitched roofs and meandering watering hole-like pool. The modern Lemala Osonjoi Lodge additionally opened on the Ngorongoro Crater’s quieter jap rim in July with 20 suites with panoramic views of the crater.

Mapito Safari Camp, situated subsequent to Serengeti National Park, opened in September as a part of the Autograph Collection. With 15 tented suites that includes out of doors decks, fireplace pits and retractable roofs for stargazing, friends can watch wildebeests, zebras and gazelles journey alongside the Great Migration route.

On the banks of the Great Ruaha River in south-central Tanzania, Banyan Group’s all-villa Ubuyu, A Banyan Tree Escape will open in May with an open-air spa and personal plunge swimming pools. The largest protected space within the nation, Ruaha National Park, is dwelling to many species of massive cats in wholesome numbers, however receives solely a fraction of the guests Tanzania’s different parks see.

On the island of Zanzibar, greater vacationer charges and a brand new digital fee system will triple funds for marine conservation efforts. It’s a small worth to pay for exploring the winding streets of historic Stone Town and staying at Marriott’s Le Meridien Zanzibar, which can open in 2026 with 75 rooms overlooking the Indian Ocean.

TPG tip: In 2026, vacationers could have loads of choices for reaching locations all through Tanzania from Europe. Air France’s new Paris- Zanzibar-Kilimanjaro route will resume subsequent summer season, as will KLM’s each day flight from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro and on to Dar es Salaam.

Travelers needs to be conscious that the U.S. Department of State has issued a “Level 3: Reconsider Travel” advisory for Tanzania due to unrest, crime, elevated terrorism threats and concentrating on of people who find themselves LGBTQ+. Following an election in October 2025, there was political violence in lots of the nation’s cities, together with Dar es Salaam. We’ve spoken to tour operators, hoteliers and journey planners who’re nonetheless selling journey to Tanzania and say the safari expertise hasn’t been affected. We suggest touring on to your vacation spot, not lingering in city facilities, and reserving with respected resort manufacturers and tour operators.

— Casey Hatfield-Chiotti