Travel + Leisure is back with its annual list of Best Places to Travel for 2020. Jacqui Gifford, Editor in Chief says the guide is the ultimate resource for singling out the go-to vacation spots for the new year. “Whether you’re exploring new locations or seeing your favorite places in a new light, the destinations on our list are some of the most compelling across the globe right now.”
“Each of this year’s picks offers fresh reasons to visit in 2020, from hotel openings and intriguing new adventures to innovative culinary scenes and enhancements in transportation that make them more accessible than before. This list is a welcome reminder of all the things that inspire us to travel in the first place.”
To narrow each year’s list to just 50 places, Travel + Leisure’s editors pool their up-to-the-minute industry knowledge and consult trusted travel experts, from writers around the globe to the brand’s A-list travel advisors.
The editors identify the places that are at the forefront of the global conversation and also consider perennial favorites that are reinventing themselves in exciting ways.
North America & Caribbean
Asheville, North Carolina
With a small-town feel and big-city cultural cred, Asheville, North Carolina is home to artists, musicians, and food and drink entrepreneurs who were making microbrews and serving farm-to-table meals long before such things were de rigueur. Now the mountain town is becoming more traveler-friendly than ever, with new offerings that showcase the sophisticated side of Appalachia. Read more here.
Baja Sur’s East Cape, Mexico
Barbados
Big Island, Hawaii
Boston
California’s Central Coast
Maine
Dominica
Jalisco, Mexico
New Brunswick, Canada
Oklahoma City
St. Bart’s
The Great Lakes
Turks & Caicos
South & Central America
Arequipa, Peru
Chilean Lakes District
Costa Rica
Guyana
Maldonado Department, Uruguay
Quito, Ecuador
Australia & Oceana
Brisbane, Australia
North Island, New Zealand
Tasmania
Asia
Beijing
Last September, the largest airport in the world opened in Beijing. After five years of work and an estimated $25 billion, the 7.5 million-square-foot behemoth, designed by starchitect Zaha Hadid, is predicted to greet some 70 million travelers annually. Though you could visit the airport alone, Beijing has seen a surge of new developments over the past year. Read more here.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kyoto, Japan
Singapore
Songyang County, China
Sri Lanka
Rajasthan, India
Taiwan’s Mountains
Europe
Manchester, U.K.
North Macedonia
Paros, Greece
Rijeka, Croatia
Rome’s EUR District
Tbilisi, Georgia
Lille, France
Crowned as the World Capital of Design 2020 for its advances in urban development, the once-struggling industrial city of Lille is on its way to enjoying optimized public spaces thanks to a slew of sustainable design initiatives. It’s also quickly becoming a cosmopolitan oasis with new galleries, museums, restaurants, and boutiques. Among the new art-forward destinations is La Piscine, an Art Deco indoor swimming pool turned art museum that just reopened after a two-year renovation. Read more here.
Austria
The Douro River, Portugal
Klitmøller, Denmark
Middle East & Africa
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Botswana
Caesarea, Israel
Doha, Qatar
Dubai
Istanbul
Malawi
Rwanda
Durban, South Africa
Despite a thriving food scene and tropical beaches, Durban has always lurked in the shadows of Cape Town and Johannesburg. But with the unveiling of Durban’s new seaside promenade, part of a $2.5 billion development designed to rejuvenate the waterfront area, the city is becoming South Africa’s next cultural and coastal getaway to watch. Read more here.
What location are you eyeing for your next trip? Let me know in the comments!
