The 21 Places to Go in 2024

Happy 2024 everyone and welcome to the 7th annual “Best Places to Go According to the Travel Powers that Be” List. This list is not my personal recommendations on where to travel – that will come later this month. Rather this is a snapshot of where top travel publications all agree people should go this year. (If you’re interested, here’s all the previous years’ lists).

If you are new to reading the annual Travel Powers That Be list, here is how it works: Every year I compile the “where to go” lists from top travel publications – this year Lonely Planet, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel and Leisure, CNN, and The New York Times - into one massive list. Any location that multiple organizations mention is considered one of the Best Places to Go per the Travel Powers that Be. If a smaller part of a country – like a region or a state – is recommended by one publication and another does a specific location – like a city within the region - that is included as well.

This year had one big surprise – the regions with the most recommendations were Asia and North/Central America (excluding the US). Europe came in third and there were only two recommendations for the United States. However, no-where in Sub-Saharan Africa made the list.

Without further ado, here are the 21 places the Travel Powers that Be recommend for 2024.

Mongolia
2024 is the year to check out Mongolia, a Lonely Planet and Conde Nast pick. It is still off the beaten track, but starting to increase its accessibility for tourists, including an current visa-free travel campaign set to run through the year and new cultural tours and lodges. If you’re looking for a specific time of year to go, have your trip coincide with the Naadam Festival, which starts on July 11. The festival focuses on the three manly games - Mongolian wrestling, archery and horse racing – and its origins are said to go back to Genghis Khan. And to get you in the spirit, I highly recommend you check out the Mongolian folk metal group The Hu.

Trans Dinarica Cycling Route – Western Balkans
If cycling is your thing, than 2024 is the year to head to the Western Balkans for the opening of the Trans Dinarica Cycling Route. The cycling route, which is recommended by Lonely Planet, Conde Nast, and CNN, weaves its way through eight countries, giving you myriad different highlights and ecosystems, including coastlines, national parks, and mountains. The trail is set up in stages, so you can do a short trip, a few days on the trail, or, if you are extremely fit and motivated, the full, more than 2,000-mile long trail.

Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
A perennial favorite, if you’re looking to check out Mexico in 2024, the New York Times recommends heading to the Yucatan Peninsula. Getting around the region has become easier this year thanks to the new (and controversial) Tren Maya which connects several different states and cities and currently runs from near Palenque in Chiapas to Cancun. Within the peninsula, CNN and Travel and Leisure recommend going to Merida. Merida is known for its art scene, historic architecture, and is a base for some truly epic ruins, such as Uxmal. Merida is also known for being particularly LGBTQ-friendly.

Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan is absolutely one of the top places I want to go in the world, and apparently I’m far from alone, with both CNN and Lonely Planet naming it a top place to go in 2024. A key part of the historical silk road, and crossroads of civilizations gives Uzbekistan a unique history and architecture. There is a new high-speed rail that connects the capital Tashkent and the Silk Road cities of Samarkand and Bukhara, which are absolutely must-sees of any trip to the country. You can also visit the Nuratau Mountains, for a very different experience of the country and to see its natural, albeit sometimes stark, beauty.

Chile
Stretching most of the length of South America’s Pacific coast, Chile is one of the top places to visit this coming year, according to CNN and Lonely Planet. The country as a bit of everything, from glaciers to beautiful sea towns to the driest desert in the world, to solid wine region. I personally recommend checking out the town of Valparaiso and the island of Chiloe, in the mid-southern part of Chile. This year, the two extremes have the biggest highlights, with Lonely Planet recommending a trip to Patagonia. Conde Nast recommends the other end of the country, San Pedro de Atacama, which is the gateway to the famed Atacama Desert. And the New York Times recommends the middle region of O’Higgins, just south of Santiago, where local winemakers and farmers are working to preserve and promote their rural identity and local identity with food tours and restaurants and wineries focusing on local ingredients.

Montana
A Lonely Planet pick, Montana has even more going for it that they sky and nature it’s well known for. Montana has a rich history to check out, such as in Butte, which went from mining camps to the first major city in Montana, thanks to its silver and copper mines. You can also learn about the Native American history of the state, with archeological sites and visitors centers in state and national parks providing a wealth of information. If you are looking for the great outdoors, Travel and Leisure recommends Big Sky, where you can hike, ski, fish, ride horses, and commune with nature to your heart’s content.

Tuscany, Italy
Home to the birthplace of the Renaissance and renowned world-wide for its food and wine, it’s hardly surprising that Lonely Planet recommends Tuscany for 2024. However, this year really encourages people to see Tuscany, and not just a few days in Florence, as in order to combat overtourism the Uffizi is moving some of it’s masterpieces to towns and other locations across the province, as part of its Uffizi Diffusi project. One of those locations, and a New York Times pick is the Massa-Carrara area. The town of Massa is hosting a collection of works from the Uffizi, and the surrounding area is where the marble for so many of those masterpieces came from. In keeping with checking out lesser known bits of Tuscany, stay in an agriturismo, a working farm that also acts as a B&B for tourists.

Greenland
The desire for the great outdoors and spectacular, less touched natural sites remains a theme of travel, leading CNN and Lonely Planet to recommend Greenland. The autonomous region becomes more accessible this year with two new international airports opening, one in Iluissat, home to the Ilulissat Icefjord, and one in the capital Nuuk. However, even Greenland’s largest (and government-owed) travel site wants visitors to know what to expect from a visit and only go if they’re really sure. So go to Greenland but travel smarter and sustainably.

Morocco
As such an evocative and yet accessible place for Westerners, it’s no surprise that Morocco was a CNN, New York Times, and Lonely Planet pick for 2024. The heavy hitters of Tangiers, Fes, and Marrakesh are always a great choice, but the focus this year was to look at some of the smaller cities. Meknes was founded in the 11th century CE and is one of the four imperial cities of Morocco. It’s also an excellent base to see the Berber-Roman ruins at Volubilis. Another city to check out is Chefchaouen, which is known for its distinctly blue houses and buildings. The country was badly hit by an earthquake in the High Atlas Mountains last fall, so if you’re visiting, make sure you don’t travel into areas where the infrastructure is still unsafe or put burdens on areas that are still recovering. Tourist money is often important for recovery, but only if done in a way that helps, rather than burdens, the affected community.

 South Island, New Zealand
If you’re looking to go to New Zealand, which was closed most of the pandemic, in 2024 Conde Nast suggests you go to the South Island, home to some particularly heavy hitters, such as Milford Sound and the Fiordland National Park. There is a new Great Walk - Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track, which is a three-day loop in the Fiordland National Park. Lonely Planet recommends the Southern Lakes and Central Otago region in the South Island as well, which has excellent biking trails. I have also been told, though personally haven’t verified, that Central Otago produces the best Pinot Noir in the world.

Quito, Ecuador
A Conde Nast and the New York Times pick for 2024, if you’re going to Ecuador, don’t just pass through the country to the Galapagos, but visit Quito. The ancient Andean city is adding contemporary design to its existing architectural draws in the UNESCO-protected colonial center. Quito is also scheduled to have a new metro line become operational this year. Please note that there has been a very significant increase in civil unrest, including political assassination, in Ecuador in the last few months and as of writing this, Ecuador is under a state of martial law due to “internal armed conflict” with narcotics gangs. Please check the most recent safety information.

Quebec, Canada
If you’re thinking of Canada in 2024, Conde Nast says to go to Quebec. Conde Nast focuses on the variety of First Nations-based experiences in the province. This includes visiting the far north of the province to join an Inuit-owned ecotour to the Gyrfalcon Island or checking out a Mohawk-run brewery near the Canadian-US border. Or go up to the Mingan Archipelago, a New York Times recommendation, where the Innu First Nation offers programs on spirituality and wellness. The archipelago also offers kayaking, beach exploration, and a home to puffins. Lonely Planet and Travel and Leisure suggests Montreal, a perennial favorite. The city has festivals all year round and is considered the culinary capital of Canada. It’s also invested in visitor- and green-friendly infrastructure, including a new light-rail system and hundreds of miles of bike lanes. You can always pair a visit to Montreal with a trip up to Quebec City, checking out the UNESCO-listed Old City with its French colonial architecture. 

Hokkaido, Japan
With Japan having been reopened for over a year now, Travel and Leisure and Lonely Planet are recommending you check out Hokkaido this year. The northern-most of the four main Japanese islands, it’s relatively accessible by bullet train from Tokyo. Hokkaido is one of the best winter-sports and skiing destinations in the world, and its largest city, Sapporo is particularly known for it’s ramen. Also, its eponymous beer, but I recommend checking out the Japanese craft beers and breweries. If you, like me, hate cold, Shiretoko National Park has plenty of excellent hiking, and the island has its own share of spectacular places to see cherry blossoms.

Paris, France
Paris is always a good idea, and Lonely Planet, the New York Times and Travel and Leisure reinforce that for 2024. Their reason – Paris is the host of the Summer Olympics and the Summer Paralympics. The games take place from the end of July through early September, with a couple weeks in August between the events. I wasn’t in Paris, but being in France for the Rugby World Cup was an amazing experience, so I can see the appeal. However, if you don’t want to visit Paris in crowded, hot, and expensive conditions, I’d recommend the shoulder seasons of late fall or early spring. If the weather cooperates, have a glass of wine outdoors at a café. And if it doesn’t, you have the best museums in the world to enjoy. And at the end of the year, the Notre Dame Cathedral, which was horribly damaged by a fire in 2019, is set to reopen in December.

Dominica
If you’re looking for a Caribbean island getaway, one of the top choices, according to both the New York Times and Travel and Leisure, is the island nation of Dominica. Dominica, nickname the Nature Island, is home to rain forests, waterfalls, mountains, and of course, beaches and sea. Recent developments encourage visitors to appreciate the country’s natural beauty. It just inaugurated the Waitukubuli Sea Trail, which leads sea kayakers along the west coast of the island (although I’m not totally clear on how a sea trail works to be honest). They are also planning on opening a cable car up to the Boiling Lake, a 200ft long lake that is, in fact, filled with water at close to boiling temperature. Currently the only way to get there is a challenging hike, which of course, it still an option for those who prefer it.

Kansas City, MO
Chosen by Lonely Planet, the New York Times, and Travel and Leisure, 2024 is the year to visit Kansas City, MO. The Kansas City Current, the city’s women’s soccer team, is unveiling their new stadium in March which will be the first stadium built specifically for women’s soccer in the world (a fact that hurts my soul a little). Kansas City is also inaugurating a new entertainment area – the Rock Island Bridge. The Rock Island Bridge is built on top of a long-unused railroad bridge, and will have two restaurants, a bar, and space for public events such as farmer’s markets or festivals. And of course, there are always the two things the city is already known for: Kansas City jazz and Kansas City barbeque.

Mustang, Nepal
While most people know Nepal best for Kathmandu and Mt Everest, in 2024 the New York Times and Travel and Leisure suggest going to Mustang. The Nepalese district is culturally and ethnically Tibetan, preserving culture and was a restricted area for tourists until the 1990s. The area has become slightly easier to get to due to Chinese-financed roads to the region. Tourists can learn from and about Tibetan culture untouched by the Chinese government, see the medieval city of Lo Monthang, which was the capital of the Kingdom of Lo and is a UNSECO World Heritage site. They can also enjoy the region’s spectacular scenery and wilderness treks with local licensed guides. There is also a new luxury property opening, Shinta Mani Mustang, which includes wellness and adventure packages.

Normandy, France
2024 really is the year to visit France, with not just Paris as a top location, but also Normandy, according to Lonely Planet and the New York Times. 150 years ago, a Claude Monet painting entitled “Impression, Sunrise” depicting the sunrise on the Normandy port city of Le Havre was included at an exhibition, ushering in the start of Impressionism. To celebrate, the province is holding the Normandy Impressionist Festival, which will last from March through September. For those interested in other bits Normandy’s history, there is the famous Abbey on Mont Saint-Michel, the Bayeaux tapestry which depicts the lead up to the Norman invasion of England across more than 230 feet of embroidered cloth, and, of course, the famous D-Day beaches.

The Kimberley, Australia
Forget Australia’s famous cities, according to Conde Nast and Travel and Leisure, 2024 is the year to go to the remote Kimberley region of Australia. In the northwest of the country, the Kimberley has sites along the coast of the region, as well as inland. In the coastal areas there are bays and reefs with diverse marine life, such as Roebuck Bay. Inland one of the biggest draws is the Bungle Bungle range in Purnululu National Park. The range is comprised of large orange and black beehive-like sandstone domes, and are a world heritage site. The Kimberley has been hard to reach, leaving it known as one of the last wilderness frontiers. This is changing though, as the region is set to see a rise in new cruise ships lines. Given the frequently negative impact of cruises on local areas, I say go in 2024 and enjoy the area before the cruise ships take over. 

Grenada
Another island getaway pick, New York Times and Conde Nast recommend checking out Grenda in 2024. One reason - more flight routes have opened up from Boston and Toronto to the Caribbean island in the past several months (as a Californian, I feel the need to point out the East Coast-centric bias of this rationale). In addition, Grenda is celebrating 50 years of independence from the UK in 2024. Once you get there, there are plenty of resorts and the like if that is your holiday preference. For a unique snorkeling experience visit the Underwater Sculpture Park, in the Molinere Beauséjour Marine Protected Area. The sculpture park showcases Grenadian art and culture while also providing artificial reefs to support and attract marine life.

Singapore
My mom and I have an ongoing joke that next year we will spend Christmas in Singapore (we spent Christmas of 2008 there), and 2024 would be a good year to make that happen, according to the New York Times and CNN. Singapore is renowned of course for its fantastic cuisine and it’s cityscape. 2024 is a year to go a bit beyond that into the nature side of things. CNN recommends Singapore’s small outlying islands, which are undeveloped and largely uninhabited. St John’s Island has a 1.7-mile trail that highlights native plants and Sisters’ Island is opening a marine park this year, which includes a coral protection area. And if you want some nature while staying in the main part of Singapore, the National Botanic Gardens are truly spectacular.