50 Best Places to Go in 2027

Best for outback storytelling

Australia's outback is often characterized as a flat, barren place. But while it may be isolated, Central Australia is anything but empty. The landscape constantly shifts the longer you look at it, revealing beauty and teeming life to those willing to give it the time – or to capture it on canvas.

– Jessica Lockhart

Originally from Canada, Jessica is a Lonely Planet editor based in New Zealand.

Best for an Italian escape beyond Venice

This northeastern region of Italy attracts visitors to Venice, but few venture beyond it. Yet the Veneto is Italy in microcosm. It’s a region marked by spectacular natural landscapes, from the Dolomites to Lake Garda; sublime Renaissance cities, including Verona and Padua; and some of Italy’s best food and wine, from prosecco to tiramisu.

– Julia Buckley

Julia is one of the team behind Lonely Planet's latest Italy guidebook. She lives in Venice.

Best for cosmic road-tripping

Touch down in New Mexico (spaceship optional) and gear up for a Southwestern road trip that feels like time travel and a cosmic adventure rolled into one. From thriving Native American cultures and echoes of Wild West shoot-outs to explosively flavorful cuisine and Martian-worthy landscapes (above and below ground), the only thing that New Mexico is missing is crowds.

– Joel Balsam

Joel is a freelance journalist who has contributed to more than a dozen Lonely Planet guidebooks.

Best for catching your own dinner

Tiny Prince Edward Island is often overshadowed by its Atlantic Canadian neighbors, and if Anne of Green Gables isn’t on your radar, PEI may not be either. But this small island rewards visitors with some of North America’s softest beaches and stunning coastal scenery. A seafood lover’s paradise, it’s the place to catch your own dinner – by oyster tonging, lobster trapping, mackerel fishing or mussel gathering.

– Caroline Trefler

Caroline is a Lonely Planet editor based in New York City, but never home for long.

Best for futuristic skylines

On Kazakhstan's windswept northern steppes, Astana rises from the grasslands like a vision of tomorrow. A skyline of shiny skyscrapers seemingly defying the laws of physics makes the capital a bold showcase of 21st-century international architecture, sprouting dramatically from the heart of Central Asia.

– Anna Kaminski

Anna has researched guidebooks for Lonely Planet across six continents over 15 years.

Best for Patagonian trekking

San Carlos de Bariloche is a place to slow down and reset – whether you're trekking to an alpine lagoon, paddleboarding on Lago Gutiérrez or climbing one of the newly made rock climbing routes. Base yourself here in the gateway to Patagonia to explore Argentina's Lake District, full of lakes, mountains, mystery – and did we mention the artisanal chocolate?

– Christine Gilbert

Christine is a travel writer and Texas native, now based in Buenos Aires.

Best for cottage-lined summer calm

You can’t help but slow down in Skanör-Falsterbo, with its quiet streets and rows of wide, white-walled traditional cottages. During the Scandinavian summer, the gardens here overflow with blooms, making this beach-blessed Swedish Riviera a perfect seaside escape.

– Pia Peterson Haggarty

Pia is the Photo Director at Lonely Planet. She's based in New York City.

Best for a volcano-carved hideaway

Montserrat is a quiet Caribbean island that most travelers overlook, but once you arrive, you'll wonder how it stayed off your radar for so long. With emerald peaks, black sand beaches, award-winning dining and a volcano-sculpted landscape with stories to tell, this destination leaves you feeling like you've uncovered something rare. Come for the quiet, stay for the stories written into the landscape.

– Nerissa Golden

Nerissa is a writer and editor of Discover Montserrat covering Caribbean culture.

Best for fjord views

On the Wild Atlantic Way in the west of Ireland, hidden along the intricate coastline and down the tracklike roads of Connemara, Killary Fjord is a strong contender for the most breathtaking, achingly beautiful place in the country – and folks, let me tell you, that is saying something.

– Daniel Bolger

Hailing from outside Philadelphia, Daniel is Lonely Planet’s Italy editor, based in Dublin.

Best for a colorful step back in time

Stroll through Granada, the former capital of Nicaragua, and you’ll see a well-preserved gallery of architecture from its time as a Spanish colony, with colorful buildings and ornate entryways just begging to be photographed from every angle. Historic landmarks abound, as do chic restaurants and bustling street life. After centuries of triumph and tragedy, Granada feels more vital than ever.

– Robert Isenberg

Robert is a writer and multimedia producer covering travel for more than 20 years.

Best for offbeat Kiwi charm

Once celebrated for its Scottish ancestry, Dunedin has finally shaken off its European heritage to carve out its own identity. Combine it with a visit to neighboring Ōamaru, and you'll find yourself in one of New Zealand's most idiosyncratic corners – the kind of place that's hard to explain and harder to forget.

– Jessica Lockhart

Originally from Canada, Jessica is a Lonely Planet editor based in New Zealand.

Best for elephant herds and lava plains

Living in Nairobi means wildlife is never far away. When I need space beyond the city, I take the 4-hour train to Tsavo National Park or sometimes drive for 6 hours instead. Thanks to their vast red-earth savannahs, enormous elephant herds, dramatic lava flows and quiet, crowd-free horizons, the neighboring Tsavo East and Tsavo West offer a raw, soul-stirring adventure that still surprises me every time.

– Harriet Akinyi

Harriet is a Kenyan travel journalist who has spent eight years covering African destinations.

Best for Baja wine country

Mexico’s premier wine region, Valle de Guadalupe, is where farm-to-table dining, striking contemporary architecture and well over 100 wineries (and growing) come together across rolling vineyards. Set with hot, sunny days and crisp, clear nights year-round, it’s the perfect place to linger over exceptional wines, seasonal cuisine and boutique stays.

– Serina Patel

Serina is a Southern California native who leads marketing for Lonely Planet.

Best for Camino history and late-night energy

By day you'll encounter a city with its roots firmly planted in the soil of northern Castilla, with its grand monuments, Catholic heritage and access to the Camino de Santiago. By night León is taken over by a deep-into-the-night soundtrack of revelry that floods the narrow streets and plazas of the picturesque old quarter. Two cities in one.

– Mark Eveleigh

Mark is a travel writer and photographer who has visited over 70 countries.

Best for barefoot beach days

Panama's out-of-the-way archipelago has stayed slow-paced even as it's grown into a hangout for backpackers making their way around Central America. It is a prime location to de-stress and work on your tan, but there's plenty to discover away from the beaches and hammocks. Expect water sports, wildlife and an inspired culinary scene.

– Robert Isenberg

Robert is a writer and multimedia producer covering travel for more than 20 years.

Best for Underground Railroad history and Chesapeake flavors

Maryland is my adopted home, a place I love beyond measure. I am so proud of our heritage as a home to Harriet Tubman’s Underground Railroad, Frederick Douglass, Tupac Shakur and Oprah Winfrey. It’s a cultural powerhouse, a culinary destination and an outdoor paradise. Maryland will draw you in and keep you coming back for more.

– Julie F King

Julie is a pediatrician, travel enthusiast, writer, and fan of her adopted hometown, Baltimore, aka Charm City.

Best for Arabian hospitality

With spectacular desert landscapes and a mountain range that is as high as the coastline is long, Oman is a joy for adventurous travelers. But the most memorable part of a trip here is meeting the hospitable Omani people, who make a virtue of cherishing their visitors.

– Jenny Walker

Jenny has spent more than 20 years writing guidebooks, covering remote regions on three continents.

Best for Francophone Culture in North America

I’ll never understand why my American friends fly to Europe when Québec offers so much, closer to home. See cobblestone streets and fortress walls from the 17th century in Québec City, visit vineyards over bucolic plains in the Eastern Townships, whale watch along the St Lawrence River and eat your way through Montréal, a must for any food-obsessed traveler. Québec elegantly fuses North American energy with its own distinct Francophone culture.

– Joel Balsam

Joel is a freelance journalist who has contributed to more than a dozen Lonely Planet guidebooks.

Best for a Toy Train journey

It might seem unusual that tourists in the hill town of Darjeeling in eastern India clamor to sign up for a train ride that takes 2 hours to traverse just 14km (8.6 miles). But on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway – fondly dubbed the Toy Train – the journey is the whole point.

– Charukesi Ramadurai

Charukesi has visited 62 countries in her quest to make 100 in her lifetime.

Best for riad life and sunset surf

Alongside beautifully preserved archaeological sites, there’s a thriving coastal city culture in Rabat, with sandy beaches, cinemas, galleries, restaurants, festivals and shopping. I love waking up in a traditional riad, spending a day exploring historic sites and hitting the beach for a sunset surf at Oudaya. For dinner, I go to Rabat’s leafy embassy district.

– Sally Kirby

Travel writer Sally moved from the UK to Morocco, drawn by surfing and a love of Africa.

Best for pandas and easy living

Chengdu, Sichuan's capital, is a showcase for the art of living well. Michelin-starred restaurants, cycling and giant pandas are among its eclectic charms. China's unofficial queer capital and leading hip-hop city, it is also the birthplace of Sichuan opera and center of the Shu kingdom, with its spellbinding relics. At the city's parks and teahouses, the good life is simply part of daily routine – and you're invited to join in.

– Piera Chen

Piera is a Hong Kong-born writer and translator who has co-authored 20 Lonely Planet guides.

Best for subtropical island culture

Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost prefecture, is a 3-hour flight from Tokyo and well beyond the shinkansen (bullet train) network, making it easy to overlook. Yet those who make the journey discover what many Japanese already know: a chain of subtropical islands with a distinct culture, spectacular natural beauty and a laid-back atmosphere that feels worlds away from the fast pace and pressures of mainland Japan.

– Selena Takigawa Hoy

Selena is Lonely Planet's Northeast Asia Destination Editor. She lives in Tokyo.

Best for laid-back city beaches and UNESCO stops

Located roughly in the center of Vietnam, Danang is blessed with mountains, a long city beach and a cool vibe. The scenic Son Tra peninsula offers moments of solitude and sweeping coastal views, while day trip options include three UNESCO-listed sites: the tombs and temples of Hue, the Cham temple towers at My Son and the photogenic town of Hoi An. Add in exceptional food, and there's even more to love.

– James Pham

James is a travel writer, editor and photographer based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Best for unpolished island life

Say Maldives, and people think of luxe overwater villas on private islands. However, I went in search of something less tourist-brochure-friendly and simply more ... friendly – a place where people lived rather than stayed, where a typical day might be spent watching a volleyball game, digging my toes in powdery sand, seeing sharks and rays languidly patrolling the surf, pausing for a call to prayer. What I found was Fulidhoo.

– James Pham

James is a travel writer, editor and photographer based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Best for sexy, stylish and spa-like stays

Miami may be perennially hot, but it’s also cool in an unapologetic, look-at-me way, especially when it comes to the city’s always-fresh hotel scene. From waterfront glamour and wellness havens in South Beach to downtown towers with views for days and artsy escapes in Wynwood and the chic Design District, there’s a hotel room here for whatever mood you’re in.

– Rebecca Wallwork

Rebecca is a travel writer who lives near her favorite art deco hotels in Miami Beach.

Best for salt flats and wild lions

Gujarat moves between sunbaked salt flats, temple-studded towns and a long coastline that kisses the Arabian Sea. Here, Asiatic lions still roam wild, and artisans keep traditional crafts alive generation after generation. Few places blend heritage, wilderness and warmth quite like India's fifth-largest state.

– Prachi Joshi

Mumbai-based Prachi left the corporate world to follow her passion for travel and food writing.

Best for Bauhaus design roots

A century ago, the less-is-more design principle of Bauhaus was born in the small town of Dessau – now Dessau-Rosslau – in Berlin’s hinterland. One of the most enduring ideas in design, Bauhaus remains at the heart of our everyday lives, deeply infused in the streets and architecture of this delightful German town.

– Anthony Ham

Anthony is an Australian writer who travels the world in search of stories for Lonely Planet and others.

Best for a Pacific culture mix

New Caledonia breaks the mold entirely, blending French and Indigenous cultures with scenes straight out of the Wild West. As well as being a region rich in Melanesian and Polynesian traditions, the South Pacific is synonymous with the sweet life: tiki-style cocktails, colorful coral gardens and exhilarating cultural shows.

– Jessica Lockhart

Originally from Canada, Jessica is a Lonely Planet editor based in New Zealand.

Best for hinterland detours

Famed surf town Byron Bay is only a 45-minute drive from Gold Coast Airport, but it’s the bit between the two that you shouldn’t miss. This is the Tweed, a region loaded with forests, mountains, rivers and plenty to do. Take the Tweed Visitor Pledge, and explore this stunning region with care, curiosity and respect.

– Sarah Reid

Sarah is an award-winning Australian travel writer and sustainable travel expert.

Best for a South Pacific paradise with soul

Well over the quota for white sand beaches, turquoise waters and swaying palms, Samoa easily satisfies expectations for a South Pacific paradise. Through generations of outside influence, it has held fast to its own identity: Samoa and its people have clung to Fa'a Samoa – the cherished Samoan Way.

– Craig McLachlan

Based in Queenstown, Craig has been writing for Lonely Planet for more than 25 years.

Best for hidden island forests

São Tomé and Príncipe remains one of the African continent's least-visited island nations. The country's two main islands are covered in forests and fringed with islet-studded bays and deserted beaches. With its Portuguese-influenced architecture and fabulous food and music, it's easy to see why so many who visit never want to leave.

– Anthony Ham

Anthony is an Australian writer who travels the world in search of stories for Lonely Planet and others.

Best for scenic flights

Soar above a wilderness of glaciers, forests and mountains and you’ll discover why Alaska is known as the Last Frontier. The USA’s largest state is also its most rugged, with a mere 20% of its territory accessible by road. There’s no better way to experience this awe-inspiring northern realm than on a scenic flight.

– Regis St Louis

Regis has contributed to more than 100 Lonely Planet titles, from Morocco to Papua New Guinea.

Best for Michinoku trail hiking

In the north of Honshū, Japan’s main island, the beautiful and storied Tōhoku region is often overlooked by visitors, but with epic scenery, rich culture and charming hospitality, it’s a worthy place to visit. Tracing Tōhoku's Pacific edge, my hike on the Michinoku Coastal Trail was paved with warm welcomes and dramatic natural beauty.

– Lisa Wynne

Lisa is a hillwalker, writer and maker from Ireland who has travelled extensively in Japan and Europe.

Best for checking off the Big 15

Some places have their Big Five – the Galápagos Islands are so rich in wildlife that they have a Big 15. Every time I visit, I love to check off as many species as possible: penguins, iguanas, tortoises, blue-footed boobies, flightless cormorants, red-footed boobies, Galápagos hawks, Santa Fe iguanas, Nazca boobies, Galápagos flamingos, Galápagos albatross, Galápagos fur seals, land iguanas … have I gotten to 15 yet?

– Kristen Pope

Kristen covers outdoor adventure, science and conservation from her base near Wyoming.

Best for steamy tango nights

Argentina’s frenetic capital is a pulsing, passionate city where couples and strangers come together each day in a sensual embrace to tango. Watching this celebrated dance in its hometown, Buenos Aires, can be spellbinding, but trying it yourself is an even bigger thrill. So skip the touristy shows and join the locals on the dance floor.

– Isabel Albiston

Isabel has written for Lonely Planet for more than 10 years, covering destinations from Borneo to Malaysia.

Best for polar extremes

Of all the things I’ve ever done, hurling myself from a Zodiac inflatable boat into the Southern Ocean off the Antarctic Peninsula is the most extreme. The intensity of anticipatory adrenaline was immediately overwhelmed by the shock of penetrating 32°F (0°C) water. I’ll never be the same.

– Brekke Fletcher

Brekke is a travel writer and editor who has worked at Lonely Planet for five years.

Best for cloud forest immersion

Monteverde's tropical cloud forest is an environment unlike any other – wrapped in mist, echoing with birdsong, and full of life at every turn. Around 400 bird species pass through, from the dazzling resplendent quetzal to keel-billed toucans and hummingbirds that hover, buzzing, at trailside feeders. It's a magical, multisensory escape from the everyday and a rare chance to see nature this untouched.

– Sarah Gilbert

Sarah has tracked gorillas in Uganda and sampled llama jerky in Bolivia, all in the name of work.

Best for a night as a lighthouse keeper

Growing up in Rhode Island, I loved to visit Newport’s cobblestone streets and revel in the summer tourist buzz. Today, the city’s music festivals and Gilded Age mansions are no secret, but few know that nearby, in Narragansett Bay, you can play keeper for the night at one of the state’s iconic lighthouses.

– Pia Peterson Haggarty

Pia is the Photo Director at Lonely Planet. She's based in New York City.

Best for a historic alpine drive

Follow in Napoleon’s footsteps on one of France’s most scenic drives. Winding through perfumed coastal villages, lavender-scented plateaus and cinematic alpine scenery, the Route Napoléon traces the emperor’s legendary 1815 march from the Côte d’Azur to the French Alps. This journey is best enjoyed in the slow lane.

– Chrissie McClatchie

Chrissie sold fine wine to superyachts in Nice, now she writes about that world instead.

Best for a crowd-free Adriatic escape

For eons, Šibenik was one of those places whose appeal was shared by Croatians with their Croatia-phile friends (yes, this was me). Now Dalmatia's best-kept secret is on the up: the old town's ornate yet quaint alleys ooze Adriatic elegance and local charm, and the food scene punches above this pint-sized city's weight. But it's the expanding festival calendar to look out for – word is spreading fast.

– Lucie Grace

Lucie is a freelance travel writer who has lived nomadically in Croatia, India and Thailand.

Best for a pilgrimage

St Cuthbert’s Way winds through the wild uplands of the English–Scottish border region, following in the footsteps of its namesake early medieval saint. It’s a pilgrimage route but is no Camino: the miles are mostly quiet as you tread among windswept hills, little villages and tumbledown farms. Most sublime of all is its last stage, where pilgrims cross an intertidal zone at low water to reach the Holy Island of Lindisfarne.

– Oliver Smith

London-based Oliver has been named Travel Writer of the Year four times over.

Best for wreck and cave diving

Greece's islands and peninsulas are an ideal gateway to the Aegean Sea and what lies beneath its surface – centuries-old wrecks and dramatic underwater caves waiting to be explored. Just as Athens' Acropolis honors the ancient Greeks' legacy, each coastline tells its own story about the people and the aquatic life below the surface.

– Deepa Lakshmin

Deepa is a journalist, certified diver and Head of Social Media and Video at Lonely Planet.

Best for ancient giants and misty coastlines

Living in Northern California means there are redwood trees at the playground and in your friends’ backyards, but my family and I still drive the 6 hours north to marvel at the real giants, the tallest trees on earth in Redwood National and State Parks. They’re breathtaking every single time, plus you get dramatic cliffsides and moody, foggy beaches. Wandering through the fern- and moss-laden forests feels like you’ve just gone back in time.

– Becca Hunt

Becca is the Publisher of Lonely Planet's Illustrated + Gift books.

Best for honoring Jane Goodall's legacy

Whenever I travel to western Tanzania, it feels like a special opportunity to connect with one of conservation’s most heartwarming stories. Today’s chimpanzees of Gombe are the descendants of those that Jane Goodall came to know during her pioneering research, begun here in 1960. They remain every bit as accessible as their ancestors, making a visit a powerful way to experience her enduring legacy.

– Anthony Ham

Anthony is an Australian writer who travels the world in search of stories for Lonely Planet and others.

Best for architectural icons

I’m not sure what I expected from Abu Dhabi, other than high rises and high-octane action. What astonished me was the breathtaking architecture of this ever-evolving city’s cultural institutions. I marveled at gleaming buildings designed by masters such as Jean Nouvel, whose Louvre Abu Dhabi is so stunning, it is hard to believe.

– Brekke Fletcher

Brekke is a travel writer and editor who has worked at Lonely Planet for five years.

Best for Lake Superior detours

Minnesota’s North Woods and Lake Superior come together with a grandiosity that feels singular and expansive. The scenic route up the North Shore between Duluth and the Boundary Waters invites you to pause, breathe and appreciate the forces – natural and human – that have shaped this place. Here, you get it all: Indigenous and immigrant history, outdoor adventure and a window into some of the wildest places in the USA.

– Bailey Freeman

Kentucky-born Bailey chases mountains as a writer, then defies gravity as an aerial acrobat.

Best for island hopping by sailboat

I love Italy, and I don’t care who knows it. As a repeat visitor to the Bel Paese (Beautiful Country), I have always longed to explore its islands and coastlines by sea, to drop anchor and dive off a sailboat. My wish came true last summer on a weeklong sail around Sicily’s famous Aeolian Islands.

– Brekke Fletcher

Brekke is a travel writer and editor who has worked at Lonely Planet for five years.

Best for a longboat rainforest journey

The island of Borneo has been shaped by rivers for thousands of years – as have the Indigenous communities and wildlife, who have relied on waterways to settle and survive in the vast rainforest. Take a longboat across the dark green Batang Ai Lake and experience it firsthand on the fringes of Batang Ai National Park.

– Marco Ferrarese

Marco is a travel writer and author based in Penang who covers Southeast Asia

Best for night market grazing

Sixteen Indigenous groups, waves of migration from China and 50 years of Japanese rule resulted in Taiwan's versatile culinary repertoire. This is enhanced by fresh seafood and a terroir that produces both high-mountain tea and sun-loving mangoes. The island is compact – come with a small travel bag and healthy appetite.

– Piera Chen

Piera is a Hong Kong-born writer and translator who has co-authored 20 Lonely Planet guides.

Best for lagoon snorkeling

Does it feel a bit obvious that we’re suggesting a tropical South Pacific destination for its aquamarine waters? Fair enough. But in French Polynesia, ocean adventures aren’t limited to flopping on white sand beaches; they’re an opportunity to gain deeper insight into the Polynesian culture and way of life.

– Jessica Lockhart

Originally from Canada, Jessica is a Lonely Planet editor based in New Zealand.