What Got My Attention...
I always look forward to reading this list and what struck me this time is that so many picks are experiences instead of places. That feels like a big shift in how we might plan travel in the coming years. Starting with 'what' or 'how' rather than 'where'. Of course publishing this list makes it a self-fulfilling prophecy, but the rationale behind the choices is the thing to read to see if any of them are for you.
Now, 'when' has come along and become another factor gaining in importance. We've been seeing shoulder season become peak season, and climate is continuing to affect when we travel. There isn't always a 'best time to visit' but more a 'best time for you to visit'. If you can be flexible on timing, the same place can be cheaper, calmer, cooler or even easier to book.
Then again, sometimes travel is just for fun, or connection, or even rest. Not everything has to be optimized. And not every kind of travel will suit everyone. A place doesn't need to be on any 'best' lists and the experience doesn't have to change your life. Sometimes you just need to go because you want to travel.
Optimizing can accidentally remove some of the good bits. Most travelers have likely had that moment where they turn the corner and find something unexpected. Something that becomes a core part of how they remember that place. That's less likely to happen on an itinerary where you're constantly focused on getting to the next thing.
At the end of the day, optimized or not, travel also needs us to consider 'at whose expense?' Going forward, I'll be more considerate of where I sleep. It's one decision for one traveler, but it's part of the million small decisions that are adding up.
Travel News + Trends
- How El Nino will impact travel in the coming year [The Points Guy]
- Eurail vs Interrail: What’s the difference + what the 2026 merger means for travellers [Finding Alexx]
- U.S. Embassies Issue Security Alerts for 10 Countries—What Travelers Need to Know About Possible Flight Disruptions [Travel + Leisure]
- A Little-Known Airline Law May Be Making Flying in America Worse [Matador Network]
- All the European airport, airline and transport strikes to watch out for right now [TimeOut]
...And Things Around the Edges of Travel
- What Patagonia Taught Me About Who Gets to Travel [Afar]
- Where Have All the Fireflies Gone? [Fodor's]
- Airfare Is Rising Fast. For Perspective, Here's What Your Grandparents Paid to Fly [Frommer's]
- 12 Of The Most Haunted Restaurants In The World [Islands]
- Want More Space in Economy? The Top 50 Long-Haul Routes for Empty Seats [Thrifty Traveler]