If you think 2025 is heavy on travel aspirations, just wait for what is in store. National Geographic just announced their Best of The World list for 2026, and you won’t find the typical “Paris–Tokyo–New York” offerings. Simply, the 2026 list highlights a mixture of cultural treasures, overlooked cities, and sheer natural wonder, all curated by a multinational team of editors and global explorers.
But before we go there, here’s the twist: we will actually begin from the end. The message of this list isn’t “where do we want to go next?” It is “how do we want to travel differently?” After all, sites like Maui, who has barely begun to recover from the wildfires in 2023, and Fiji, who is innovating with sustainable tourism through voluntourism, make it clear that travel in 2026 is about meaning, not bylines.
Now, back a few beats. Editor-in-chief Nathan Lump really couldn’t stop raving about how the curated list reframes the meaning of what is a “must-visit” in travel. For Lump, Pittsburgh in the U.S. stood out to him — one time a post-industrial city, as he called it, bustling with young creatives, art, and energy that feels completely revived. And yes, Collier, that is the kind of glow up story that travelers glom onto.
Additionally, South America has its Got-It-Back story, with Medellin — once a notorious city — now seeing its gardens flourish and its streets flexible with culture. In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil also is polishing its act, adding museums and even a hiking path all the way to the iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer (and right now, it’s a must-do).
Of course, Europe has its triple threat: Oulu (future European Capital of Culture 2026), Guimarães, Portugal (future European Green Capital), and Hull, U.K., a maritime city that is wealthy with, among other things, a world-famous aquarium. As Lump put it, “Sometimes the best travel ideas come from re-examining places you never thought to visit.”
And some of the best destinations come from the further reaches. On the Black Sea coast of Turkey, you have stunning views overlooking nothing… literally uninterrupted scenery thousands of miles away from the overcrowding of the Mediterranean. In Khiva (Uzebekistan), things have changed from a hidden gem, to a now high speed train trip from Tashkent — great because it is becoming easier to visit before the people flood in to the historical open air museum that it exhibits.
Now, let’s not forget East Asia and Korea’s new Dongseo Trail. It’s exactly 800 kilometers of walking motivation, divided into daily itineraries, much like Spain’s Camino de Santiago. Japan’s Yamagata Prefecture is winning followers by being an absolute antidote to Japan’s other tourist spots. It’s mountain temples, hot springs, and satisfying food you’ll wish you could have later.
Now let’s jump to the nature folks: Dominica is establishing the world’s first sperm whale sanctuary — you guessed it, whales you can see year-round in the Caribbean. If you’re a land wanderer, though, Rwanda’s Akagera National Park offers lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and none of the people.
Then, and then something cool from the U.S. is the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, set to open in North Dakota’s rugged Badlands by mid-2026. It’s architecture meets wilderness in a forward-thinking concept designed by Snøhetta.
And, oh, you like the dark and you like watching the sky. Spain’s Basque region is sure to experience a total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026. You’ll find want-to-be stargazers, astrophotographers, and a few thousand people you wish it was a constellation you understood.
Soon, Down Under, Australia’s Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park will enable brief overnight stays in the national park’s iconic Uluru dress circle with both campfires and night skies that could easily be taken from a dream.
Sports fans? Not forgotten. Vancouver’s ready for the FIFA World Cup and the Dolomites the Winter Olympics. Simply meaning 2026 will be animated for the adrenaline viewers and stamp collectors.
And somewhere from America, Oklahoma is preparing for the 100th anniversary of Route 66, and a commitment of more than $82 million to revive its neon allure. Resulting in a living postcard of roadside diners, neon signs and vintage Americana.
So yes, Best of The World 2026 is not just a travel list – it really is a mood board for the curious, the ones who dream and the ones who are prepared to take a detour from the normal.
Because perhaps the best place to go next year…. Is the place you didn’t think you’d fall in love with.
