The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2024 - Travel + Leisure

Well, you knew it was coming. This year, more than 20 Travel + Leisure staffers weighed in to create this hand-picked list of the places that thoughtful, curious travelers should consider in 2024.

These are the destinations that have captured our imaginations, the spots where T+L editors want to spend their own time in the year ahead. Among the picks are Canada's Métis Crossing, which headlined our October 2023 issue; Istanbul, for which our editor in chief makes a compelling case; and Paris, because there's a little thing called Les Jeux Olympiques coming up.

Other, lesser-known places are on the rise. Consider the small towns of Sonoma County, where new businesses are doing big things; a remote corner of Australia, where expedition ships are the way in; a Himalayan hideaway where visitors are left breathless and not just because of the altitude.

We hope this list inspires you to see the world in a new way in the coming year. We'll see you out there.

— Edited by Paul Brady and Maya Kachroo-Levine 

Travel + Leisure

Destination by Category

For Cultural Immersion

Ålborg, Denmark

Alexander Farnsworth/Getty Images

It rates as Denmark's fourth-largest city, with around 120,000 residents, but out-of-the-way Ålborg might seem an unlikely international-travel hub. That's not stopping Scandinavian Airlines, which is betting on the compact, alluring city with newly launched flights from Newark Liberty International, which will run three times a week from April through October. The cobbled streets of Ålborg's old town are lined with half-timbered houses and pastel exteriors; the attractively refurbished waterfront — where you'll find the newly renovated Pier 5 Hotel — is another walkable district. The city's rich cultural scene includes a modern art museum, an architecture center, and, a short drive away, Regan Vest, a Cold War museum that opened in a former bunker in February 2023. Indeed, Ålborg is a gateway to the wider region of North Jutland, with its dramatic coastline around the town of Skagen, long a draw to Danish artists; windswept dunes of Thy National Park; and 2,000-year-old Viking ring fortresses which have, at long last, been collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. — Peter Terzian

Cartagena, Colombia

Sofia Jaramillo

A perennially hot destination, Colombia is coming into its own as a luxury escape these days, thanks to a ton of excitement in and around Cartagena, on the country's Caribbean coast. In 2023, the city welcomed Casa Pestagua, a 16-room boutique hotel within a restored 17th-century building, in the historic center. Now, the same owners are working to open bungalows on Isla Barú, a popular day-trip spot, before the end of 2023. Sustainability minded travelers can find their fit at Blue Apple Beach, an eco-hotel on Tierra Bomba Island, just off the coast, that's B Corp certified and generates half its power from solar, as T+L recently reported. In 2024, Disney's "Encanto"-themed tour of Colombia will debut, shining more light on Cartagena, one of the many stops on the itinerary. And there's even more growth in the pipeline: Delta Air Lines is adding new nonstop flights to Cartagena from Atlanta in December 2023, a Four Seasons hotel is on the horizon, and the nation is investing in an airport expansion that will serve an ever-increasing number of visitors. — Susmita Baral

Eastern & Oriental Express, a Belmond Train

Courtesy of Belmond

After a four-year pause, this luxury train that crisscrosses Southeast Asia will ride again in February. Several new itineraries will be available on the revamped Express, which has 15 cherry wood–clad cabins and vibrant Malay-inspired decor. The Essence of Malaysia journey, for example, takes travelers from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, with side trips to Langkawi, for snorkeling in Pulau Payar Marine Park, and Penang, among the greatest food cities on the planet. Alternatively, a Wild Malaysia option includes a stop at Taman Negara National Park, where visitors might spot a Sumatran rhino or tiger. "These 'slow travel' journeys give our guests the opportunity to rest their mind, rekindle, and reconnect," said Dan Ruff, the CEO of Belmond. Much like a storied ocean liner, the majestic Eastern & Oriental Express is a destination unto itself, with a sultry piano bar car; an open-air lounge with wicker furniture where passengers can watch the Malaysian jungle rush by; and two restaurant carriages serving Peranakan food. You may not have had "eating laksa on a luxury train" on your 2024 bingo card, but you really should. — Maya Kachroo-Levine

Germany

Christian Kain

For one month between June and July, soccer — or should we say fußball — will take over Germany, as the nation hosts the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship. Held every four years, the tournament for men's national teams will take place in 10 cities across Germany, including Berlin, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Munich. "This will be an incredible, not-to-be-missed moment," said Sofia Markovich, a travel advisor on T+L's A-List who specializes in Austria and Germany. "I expect interest to go through the roof as this is a major sports event — second only to the World Cup." Even casual fans should find the atmosphere thrilling, Markovich said, particularly those who happen to pass through game-day destinations while cruising the country's rivers. One host city deserves a particular spotlight thanks to the new Rosewood Munich, which opened in October. Set across two buildings (one, formerly the headquarters of the State Bank of Bavaria, the other, a Baroque residence), the 132-key property is steps from the charms of Old Town, including the leafy Maximiliansplatz, and walkable to one of Europe's most surprising surf spots: the rapids of the Isar River. — Liz Cantrell

Métis Crossing, Alberta

Amber Bracken

"This is not a place where you look at old things behind glass," said Juanita Marois, the CEO of Métis Crossing, one of Canada's most compelling Indigenous tourism projects. "This is an immersive destination where you experience the culture and the warmth of the Métis people through our land, water, skies, buildings, food, and programs." The 688-acre retreat, which writer Carleigh Baker detailed in T+L's October 2023 issue, is today home to a 40-room lodge, a cultural center, and campgrounds. Depending on the season, visitors can learn about traditional crafts, enjoy festivals held on-site, or head out for bird-watching, canoeing, or snowshoeing. A new addition to Métis Crossing is a collection of eight Sky Watching Domes, luxe stand-alone suites with panoramic skylight windows. From the Domes, Marois explained, "guests can listen to Indigenous stories of the night skies, see the stars, and view the aurora borealis." — Jalyn Robinson

Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, Georgia

Getty Images

It's not every day the U.S. gets a new national park, but 2024 could see this central Georgia destination enter the fold. Presently managed as a national historical park, Ocmulgee is home to large earthen mounds, including temple complexes, created by numerous Native American peoples over thousands of years. Should Congress approve the new designation in 2024, Ocmulgee will become the first national park in the state and the first in the U.S. to be co-managed by a nation whose ancestors were removed from the area: the Muscogee (Creek) were forcibly relocated from central Georgia as a result of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. "We now have an opportunity to come back and not feel like we are visiting, but to feel like we are coming home," said Tracie Revis, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the director of advocacy for the Ocmulgee National Park & Preserve Initiative, a community group. The gateway to the park is the city of Macon, where the Muscogee (Creek) Nation flag flies alongside the Stars and Stripes, and the street signs are being replaced with ones written in both Muscogee and English. A particularly opportune time to visit will be in September, for the town's annual Indigenous film festival. — Liz Cantrell 

Rajasthan, India

Aparna Jayakumar

India's northwestern state of Rajasthan, with its wealth of iconic hotels and cultural attractions, is one of the best-known among U.S. travelers. It also promises new delights in the coming year, with several new addresses in Jaipur worth planning a trip around. There's Villa Palladio, a delightful nine-room hotel on the outskirts of town created by the Swiss-Dutch team behind Bar Palladio, an Instagram favorite in the city center. The Johri is a beautifully designed five-room property with a chic cocktail bar and organic vegetarian restaurant on the ground level, tucked away in a heritage townhouse in Jaipur's Old Town. Meanwhile, the Anantara hospitality group is set to launch its first-ever property in India next year. The 150-room, new-build Anantara Jaipur Hotel is designed with India's ballooning market for destination weddings in mind: it will have event facilities that can accommodate as many as 2,500 guests. In the meantime, the city and wider region are becoming more accessible than ever, thanks to a new six-lane expressway that connects Jaipur to New Delhi, a major hub for international flights. — Flora Stubbs

Shinta Mani Mustang, Nepal

Courtesy of Shinta Mani Mustang

A once-forbidden kingdom is now home to some truly palatial digs. Nepal's Mustang district, which opened to outsiders in 1992, is a place to watch in 2024 thanks to this stunning, 29-suite hotel, which welcomed its first guests in August. Shinta Mani Mustang, the latest property from the Bensley Collection, delivers the luxurious wellness experiences and thoughtful design that devotees of the brand have come to expect. Guests can spend their days trekking the surrounding Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain ranges, searching for rare wildlife like the Pallas's cat and Tibetan wolf, horseback riding, and visiting local villages. "What caught my attention was that the outstanding aesthetics and architecture are in sync with sustainable and responsible tourism," said Carole Cambata, an advisor on T+L's A-List and expert in Himalayan travel. "They sourced local building materials and used Indigenous construction methods." The noteworthy opening comes at a time of positive change: in April, the Nepal Mountaineering Academy and the Nepal Tourism Board partnered on a program to educate the country's first-ever class of LGBTQ+ trekking guides, CNN reported, in an effort to make Nepal's hiking and climbing industries more inclusive. "Nepal is one of Asia's most progressive countries for LGBTQ+ people due to laws that forbid gender identity discrimination," said John Clifford, another A-List advisor. "Visitors to the country can even select 'other' as an option for gender identification on their visas." — Samantha Falewée

Tallinn, Estonia

Nina Ruggiero/Travel + Leisure

This country's literacy and secondary education rates consistently rank near the top in Europe, especially among women, so it should come as no surprise that Tartu, the university city to the southeast of Tallinn, has been designated Europe's Capital of Culture for 2024. Still, for first-timers to the Baltics, there's no better place to get schooled than the country's capital city, Tallinn: its walled Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved examples of Medieval architecture in the world. PoCo Art Museum, which opened in May with pop art by Andy Warhol, Banksy, David Hockney, and Jeff Koons, is now one of nearly 50 art institutions in the city, joining Fotografiska (world-renowned photography), Kumu Art Museum (contemporary Estonian art), and Kadriorg Art Museum (early European and Russian art). After soaking in the culture, head for the Noblessner district, an industrial shipyard area turned seafront hot spot that's now bursting with stylish cafes, shops, and Estonia's first restaurant with two Michelin stars, 180° by Matthias Diethe. (You might also try a "smoke sauna" at Scandi-chic Iglupark.) As for where to stay, the new Nunne Boutique Hotel has views over Old Town's Towers Square. — Nina Ruggiero

Warsaw, Poland

Christopher Larson/Travel + Leisure

The thriving contemporary art scene in Warsaw, which is home to art-circuit stalwarts like the Foksal Gallery Foundation and Raster Gallery, will get a big boost in 2024, when the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw finally moves into its own headquarters. Founded in 2005, the museum has burnished the city's art reputation for two decades, with its holdings of both foreign and Polish work, despite operating out of temporary spaces. The new HQ will be part of a 22-acre arts district centered on the existing Palace of Culture and Science, a Stalinist skyscraper that towers over the city. The museum, along with a new 800-seat TR Warszaw Theater nearby, was designed by Thomas Phifer and Partners, the architecture firm behind other notable institutions, including the Glenstone Museum in Maryland and portions of New York's Corning Museum of Glass. — Denny Lee

For the Food and Drinks

The Austrian Countryside

Kevin West

Journey south of Vienna and you'll find two of the regions that give the countryside of Austria its fairy-tale quality. Styria has rolling hills and hiking trails, with the medieval city of Graz at its heart. Mellow, rural Burgenland is home to Lake Neusiedl, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Both regions have a long, rich history of winemaking, and in recent years, have become the site of a burgeoning natural wine scene. Cult producers such as Winery Maria and Sepp Muster and Alice & Roland Tauss should be at the top of any visitor's list, as should Burgenland's beloved vintners Gut Oggau and Meinklang. Then, round out a visit to the country with a stay at Rosewood Schloss Fuschl, a meticulously restored 15th-century castle opening on the shores of a small lake near Salzburg in spring 2024. — Peter Terzian

Mérida, Mexico

Itzel Garrido/Travel + Leisure

The capital of Yucatán, this city has long been popular with Mexican travelers drawn to its Maya ruins, cerulean-blue cenotes, restored haciendas, and incredible food. But it has a growing acclaim among international visitors — especially LGBTQ+ travelers, who often describe Yucatán as very gay friendly. Mérida's historic beauty and laid-back cantina culture might explain why LGBTQ+ retirees have embraced the city in recent years, buying homes and bringing their friends along. Those not ready to make a full-on move will find lots of designer hotels carved out of stately mansions, not to mention wonderful shopping and plenty of food tours, both in the city and in the surrounding countryside, which is punctuated by haciendas, many of which host pop-up events or even overnight guests. Plans for a sprawling new "Yucatán Central Park," with a food market and amphitheater, remain hazy, as does an exact timeline for the arrival of the ballyhooed Maya Train, which is nearing completion and should make it easier to hop between Mérida and popular seaside spots such as Cancún and Tulum. — Denny Lee

Sonoma County, California

Gentl & Hyers

More than double the size of Napa, Sonoma might offer twice as much to do. It's not just about the wine — though with the addition of a new American Viticultural Area (AVA) called West Sonoma Coast last year, Sonoma County now has 19 AVAs slinging chardonnay, pinot noir, and zinfandel at established wineries, such as Flowers and Scribe, and new ones, including Vérité Wines. There's also a long coastline to explore, from Bodega Bay up to Sea Ranch, where the dreamy, cliff-top Sea Ranch Lodge is newly renovated. Inland, the opening of Dawn Ranch shines a spotlight on Guerneville, a crunchy town along the Russian River known for its LGBTQ+ scene and proximity to the Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. Tear yourself from the 22-acre haven, with tree house–like cabins, creekside glamping tents, and alfresco redwood tubs at the idyllic spa, to bike into town where the reimagined Piknik Market serves one of Oprah's favorite biscuits. The changes coming to Sonoma County in 2024 are largely shaped by the area's most famous chefs: in Healdsburg, California, Noma alum Stu Stalker debuted the plant-based restaurant Second Story, above Little Saint and down the street from Michelin three-starred SingleThread and chef Dustin Valette's The Matheson. Restaurant powerhouse Charlie Palmer plans to launch his hotel brand, Appellation, in Healdsburg by the end of next year. — Maya Kachroo-Levine

For Big-city Thrills

Bangkok

Tessa Desjardins/Travel + Leisure

"It's a classic Asian megacity: frenetic, neon-lit, and overwhelming to the senses," said Jack Tydeman, a Southeast Asia specialist at Audley Travel and member of T+L's A-List. But change is coming to Bangkok, in the form of many megaprojects, including Dusit Central Park, which is slated to open in 2024, with the 259-room Dusit Thani Bangkok Hotel and a multi-terraced roof park. Also coming soon will be King Rama IX Memorial Park, a park that honors the sustainability initiatives of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Meanwhile, Lumpini Park, Bangkok's original public green space, is getting a massive refresh next year that will add a new food hall, a vegetable farm, and a sports club ahead of its centennial. Even while sprinting to finish these new developments, Bangkok is finding time to slow down and prioritize wellness. Luxury travel network Virtuoso recently named Thailand as just one of five "emerging self-care destinations" worldwide, noting that "travelers are seeking a more spiritual journey, turning to Thailand for more than the traditional Thai massage." The forthcoming Aman Nai Lert Bangkok, slated for 2024, is sure to deliver, with 52 spacious suites overlooking Nai Lert Park and a multifloor wellness sanctuary. — Susmita Baral

Cleveland

Courtesy of Cleveland Museum of Natural History

The year ahead has the Land set to shine, thanks to national and international events, world-class cultural expansions, and the rebirth of historic hotels. It all starts in April, when the NCAA Women's Final Four comes to the state-of-the-art Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and a total solar eclipse sweeps over the city on April 8, 2024. Cleveland will see even more action when the Pan-American Masters Games crisscross the city July 12-21. And in November, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which was held in Brooklyn in 2023, will return home. Meanwhile, many institutions are in the midst of revitalization. The Cleveland Museum of Natural History is nearing completion of its multiyear $150-million expansion, with updated exhibits and new public spaces in University Circle. Karamu House, the nation's oldest Black producing theater, will debut a new restaurant, outdoor stage, and an additional venue in the Fairfax neighborhood. The city's oldest hotel will reopen in 2024 after extensive renovations as a Marriott Autograph Collection called Hotel Cleveland. Also coming is the Fidelity Hotel, a new boutique property with a speakeasy that's slated to launch in a landmark building downtown. There's development along the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie, too, where paved hiking and biking trails are livening up a waterfront that has, for many decades, been underutilized. — Jennifer Salerno Yong

Fort Worth, Texas

Mariah Tyler

Offering classic Western experiences like bull riding, cattle drives, and stock shows, Fort Worth, Texas, is booming, bringing in $3 billion in tourism revenue last year alone. With all of the renewed interest in the city, luxury hotels are flocking to Cowtown's Cultural District. The Crescent Hotel, Fort Worth opened in November, home to the first-ever wellness club by Canyon Ranch and a Mediterranean restaurant by Food Network chef Preston Paine. Bowie House, Auberge Resorts Collection, is slated to open its doors December 2023, with a tree-lined pool terrace, chic spa, and upscale chophouse called Bricks and Horses. Walking distance from both hotels is The National Cowgirl Museum, which will run a 2024 exhibit honoring the Mexican female horseback riding tradition of escaramuza charra. Looking ahead, the National Juneteenth Museum is scheduled to open in the city's Historic Southside neighborhood in 2025. — Mariah Tyler

Istanbul

Getty Images

Turkey's style capital is seeing a resurgence of life along the Bosphorus, thanks in part to the Galataport, the world's first underground cruise ship terminal with a pedestrian promenade and the Renzo Piano–designed Istanbul Museum of Modern Art just above. Another neighborhood anchor is the 177-room Peninsula Hotel, spread out over four buildings, three of which date to the early 1900s. Highlights include a glittering pool facing the Hagia Sophia; a sprawling, subterranean spa; and Gallada, a rooftop restaurant from whiz kid chef Fatih Tutak, whose eponymous restaurant is Turkey's first to earn two Michelin stars. The hotel staff wears posh uniforms courtesy of Arzu Kaprol, a designer who has a boutique in the nearby Paket Postanesi, a historic post office turned chic shopping mall. Also on the waterfront, in Beşiktaş, the lavish Çırağan Palace Kempinski has been reimagined by local interior designer Serdar Gülgün, with rooms that lean into Ottoman-era grandeur (think tulip-pattern motifs and mother-of-pearl furniture). Finally, don't miss The Basilica Cistern, open again after a five-year closure, and now hosting contemporary art exhibits amid the ancient columns. — Jacqui Gifford

Kansas City, Missouri

Jonathan Tasler/Courtesy of Visit KC

World famous for barbecue and jazz, KC is now staking a claim as a global leader in sports and entertainment — and not just because of Taylor and Travis. In March, the Kansas City Current, of the National Women's Soccer League, will open the first-ever purpose-built stadium for women's pro sports. "It will be a destination for sports lovers and will inspire generations of girls to follow their dreams," said Katie Mabry van Dieren, CEO and curator of The Strawberry Swing, a brand that organizes events and pop-ups in the city, as well as Shop Local KC, a string of boutiques. The stadium's construction has spurred other developments around the city, including the forthcoming Origen Hotel KC, a 118-room boutique property; the massive Berkley Beer Garden; and an extension of the free KC Streetcar that will serve the Berkley Riverfront area. Also coming soon is the country's first entertainment district of its kind, the Rock Island Bridge, a reclaimed rail crossing over the Kansas River. "Visitors will be able to enjoy two levels of entertainment with food from two restaurants and three bars, plus a covered event space with a dance floor and open veranda seating overlooking the river and city," a source told T+L of the High Line–inspired project that will connect Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas. — Jalyn Robinson

Las Vegas

Raf Willems/Getty Images

Just when you think Sin City can't get any bigger, louder, or glitzier, Las Vegas turns it up another notch. On the heels of blockbuster residencies from Adele, Katy Perry, and Lady Gaga, U2 kicked off their inaugural stint at the long-anticipated Sphere this fall. Filmmaker Darren Aronofsky's immersive sci-fi production "Postcard from Earth" will also show off the new arena's 16K LED display, beginning this fall and continuing through 2024. Formula 1 and Netflix's Formula 1: Drive to Survive captured a growing American audience for the international racing circuit, and the Las Vegas Grand Prix will hit The Strip Nov. 16-18, 2023, and again Nov. 21-23, 2024. It won't be the only megaevent on the sports calendar: Las Vegas will host Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium, marking the first time the game will take place in Nevada. Still not enough? The 67-story Fontainebleau Las Vegas will open in December with 3,700 rooms and a ton of buzzy restaurants, including a Casa Dragones Tasting Room and a Chinese noodle den from the restaurateur behind Wagamama and Hakkasan. — Elizabeth Rhodes

Louisville, Kentucky