26 U S Bucket List Destinations For 2026 According To Industry Experts

Leo Migdal

-Dec 3, 2025, 8:44 AM

26 u s bucket list destinations for 2026 according to industry experts

Travelers want trips that feel exciting again. They want places with big events, smoother access, and a sense of anticipation. And 2026 lines up well with that mood. Some destinations are rising fast because of new attractions and strong travel buzz. Others stay popular because they continue to deliver memorable experiences. This list brings both kinds together, using insights from travel analysts and major publications.

It highlights the places people are already talking about for next year. Celebrating its 100th anniversary with nationwide events in 2026. Route 66 is considered one of the biggest travel stories of the year. Communities along the highway are planning festivals, parades, and neon sign restorations that bring the centennial to life. What are the best places to travel in 2026? When the world’s top luxury travel advisors gather in one place, the conversations often foreshadow where travelers will be heading next.

That’s definitely the case at ILTM North America, held each fall at Baha Mar in the Bahamas. Now in its 13th year, the luxury travel conference has become a barometer for what’s trending and where the future is headed. “International hoteliers are coming from around the globe—Tasmania, Queenstown, Japan, the Philippines—to one little beach resort in the Bahamas to sit together for four days and have conversations about how we can make travel... With the event aimed at the U.S. outbound market—the market that drives global trends, according to Mayle—it’s no surprise that ILTM is where new hotel openings, cultural shifts and once-in-a-lifetime journeys come into focus. Ahead of the conference, which will take place in October, I caught up with Mayle and three other notable travel advisors to see what places they have on their radars for 2026—and beyond.

From Brazil’s growing safari scene to the shores of Albania, their picks reveal not just where to go, but how travel itself is evolving. According to Mayle, today’s travelers are looking for more than five-star service—they want meaning. He points to two themes shaping what’s next: a renewed interest in slow transport and an appetite for destinations that combine nature, culture and family connection. In your urban era? Same! A cave spa, baseball stadium with a lazy river, and book-filled treasure chest are surprising finds within the city winners from Good Housekeeping's 2026 Travel Awards.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process. Exploring new cities should be exciting for your entire crew. As part of the Good Housekeeping 2026 Travel Awards, our testers logged miles to uncover destinations with big-ticket thrills, budget-friendly bites and space to breathe back at the hotel. Along the way, we found surprising activities you might not expect — and definitely won’t want to miss.

Just outside of Dallas, Fort Worth ropes in littles and grown-ups with amazing new hotels, fun food, and, most of all, the chance to cosplay cowboys! Bedazzled boots and hats are practically part of the dress code, whether you’re at the Fort Worth Stockyards watching the cattle drive or feasting on blue-corn tacos at Don Artemio, a popular restaurant. TESTER NOTES: Our tester visited twice—once with her family and again with her girlfriends—and felt very satisfied with both trips. “My kids never got tired of seeing people on horses ride by, so we spent most of our time at Fort Worth Stockyards and Hotel Drover, within the historic district,” she said. For the weekend with friends, she stayed at the high-end yet laid-back Bowie House: “It was in a great location where we could walk to restaurants and a lot of the museums.” 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... Where should I go next? If there’s one question we hear more than any other at Travel + Leisure, it’s this enduring ask. Thankfully, our staff is constantly on the move, exploring the world on assignment and on personal adventures, so we have more than a few opinions on the best places to travel now.

That first-person expertise informs many of the picks on T+L’s annual list of the best places to travel. For this edition, our staff vetted more than 100 nominees, with an eye to what makes a place worth visiting in the year ahead. Many of our 50 winners are places that were once difficult to reach but are becoming more accessible thanks to ambitious new infrastructure projects or increased service from airlines. We also tapped the expertise of travel-world insiders and many members of the T+L A-List to find out which big cities are the most resonant right now—and which underrated spots are serving up culinary... Of course major cultural events including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Winter Olympics, and America250 also factor into our picks. Whatever the motivation for your trips in the year ahead—an adrenaline rush, some blissed-out beach vibes, or full-on cultural immersion—we trust our latest list will help with more than a few answers to that...

So, where will the new year take you? —Edited by Paul Brady and Alisha Prakash “The culinary scene in Carlsbad has really changed,” says Emily Brubaker, winner of NBC’s Yes! Chef and executive chef at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, a property previously known more for golf and tennis than food. She now hosts a thriving “Chefs and Friends” dinner series and oversees eight dining outlets with ingredients sourced from on-property herb gardens and beehives. “When I grew up here, it was fish tacos, burritos, sandwich shops, but there was no 'dining,'" Brubaker notes.

Now she’s able to rattle off the names of Michelin-star destinations in her own backyard. Many of those stars are linked to restaurateur John Resnick and Eric Bost, executive chef at Jeune et Jolie, a modern French bistro, which has maintained its Michelin star since 2021, and the intimate... Equally noteworthy are the rustic live-fire restaurant Campfire and the buzzing all-day café and bar Wildland. Each venue has its own personality, but Bost says they have one thing in common: “They’re all California restaurants: outdoor dining, local farms, vibrant food.” To make fine dining work in a casual SoCal... California wines are also easily explored in the area, particularly at Little Victory Wine Bar, which Jeremy Simpson of L.A.’s Bestia opened earlier this year with a focus on natural wines. Autograph Collection’s Hotel Solea is slated to open its doors in spring 2026, adding a new alfresco Italian restaurant, Verise, to the mix.—Nina Ruggiero

Breakfast in Malaysia is more than just a meal—it’s a shared ritual that binds the country together. If that sounds like hyperbole, consider that UNESCO recently recognized the country’s morning spread as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Made up of such dishes and beverages as nasi lemak, roti canai, and teh tarik, it is “a distinctive element of culture and identity that connects diverse ethnic groups within Malaysia,” according to UNESCO. The country’s food scene is getting elevated in other ways, too. The world’s second-tallest skyscraper, Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, is home to a Park Hyatt, which has a 75th-floor restaurant doing wood-fired cuisine. The building is also slated to add both an al fresco “Eat Street” and a Malaysian Artisan District that will spotlight the nation’s culinary heritage.

Other soon-to-open hotels, from the likes of Conrad and Waldorf Astoria, will lend high-end dining options to the city’s scene. Meanwhile, Malaysia as a whole has become a go-to destination, thanks to the return of Belmond’s Eastern & Oriental Express, which knits the country together and enables visitors to savor it slowly.—Denny Lee The rich history is still there, but Philly these days is all about the innovative, award-winning chefs from around the globe who are making the city a must-experience food destination. “There’s a constant stream of things to be excited about,” says Amanda Shulman, co-founder of Libbie Loup Hospitality and executive chef of Her Place Supper Club in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. “There are more and more spots bringing different flavors and vibes—a lot of people are just going for it and trying new models and new styles and seeing what happens.” Among the hottest venues... (She also likes Emei, Osteria, and Ocean Harbor.) Global tastemakers are certainly taking note: Philadelphia just got its own section in the new “Michelin Guide Northeast Cities,” recognition that will shine a spotlight on...

As electric as the food scene may be, there are plenty of other draws in the year ahead, including America250 celebrations. Then there’s the soccer: Six FIFA World Cup matches will take place at Lincoln Financial Field in June and July.—Jess Feldman The U.S. is full of destinations that surprise, inspire, and capture the imagination. As travel trends evolve, 2026 is shaping up to spotlight both iconic cities and hidden gems you may have overlooked. From mountain retreats and desert adventures to coastal escapes and historic towns, these spots promise unique experiences.

They come with unforgettable scenery and offer fresh ways to explore America. Fort Walton Beach is rising fast on Florida’s Emerald Coast. The area’s white powdery beaches offer a calmer atmosphere compared to larger Florida resorts while still giving visitors access to dolphin tours, waterfront dining, and a friendly boardwalk scene. Visitors now discover more than a classic beach getaway as festivals, eco tours, and nature-based activities continue to expand year-round. With its blend of quiet shoreline and growing experiences, Fort Walton Beach stands out as a relaxed coastal option. Tucson is gaining recognition as a top destination thanks to its dramatic desert landscape and access to outdoor adventure among the surrounding mountain ranges.

Travelers explore places like the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum, Saguaro National Park, etc.

26 U S Bucket List Destinations For 2026 According To Industry Experts

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From Brazil’s Growing Safari Scene To The Shores Of Albania,

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