Time to look at some interesting lists again.
Trip Advisor has a list out of the top 25 beaches in the world, and in the U.S.A. I find these fun to look at, and I will say the world list includes a ton of places I don’t know. Still, I find the trouble with these lists is that Trip Advisor clients tend to go to a lot of the “usual” places, which skews the results. There are some unexpected spots on the world list, including Zanzibar and Indonesia. But Australia only gets one spot in the top 25, and it’s a beach that’s quite nice but is easily eclipsed by many others in Australia, including one just a five-minute walk away.
Still, I do enjoy these lists, and I hope it sparks some interest in exploring some great beaches you might not know.
TOP 25 WORLD BEACHES
- Praia de Falesia, Portugal
- Spiagga dei Conigli, Lampedusa, Italy
- La Concha Beach, San Sebastian Spain
- Ka’anapali Beach, Maui, Hawaii
- Grace Bay Beach, Turks and Caicos
- Anse Lazio, Seychelles
- Manly Beach, Sydney, Australia (lovely, but nearby Shelly Beach is even better)
- Eagle Beach, Aruba
- Siesta Beach, Siesta Key, Florida
- Varadero Beach, Cuba
- Playa Pilar, Cayo Guillermo Cuba
- Balandra Beach, La Paz, Mexico
- Reynisfjara Beach, Iceland
- Po’ipu Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
- Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands
- Playa de las Canteras, Canary Islands, Spain
- Ipanema Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Playa Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
- Falassarna Beach, Crete, Greece
- Nungwi Beach, Zanzibar, Tanzania
- Kelingking Beach, Indonesia
- Nissi Beach, Crete, Greece
- Myrtos Beach, Kefalonia, Greece
- Playa Norte, Isla Mujeres, Mexico
- Muro Alto Beach, Brazil
TOP 25 BEACHES USA: FLORIDA AND HAWAII DOMINATE
Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii.
- Ka’anapali Beach, Maui, Hawaii (long, wide and perfect)
- Siesta Beach, Siesta Key, Florida
- Po’ipu Beach, Kauai, Hawaii (great body surfing)
- Hollywood Beach, Florida
- La Jolla Cove, San Diego, California (so pretty)
- Cannon Beach, Oregon
- Santa Monica Beach, California (a great beach, and a fabulous city)
- Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island, Georgia (great beach for a stroll)
- Coligny Beach, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Ocean City Beach, Maryland
- Waikiki Beach, O’ahu, Hawaii (iconic for a reason)
- Clearwater Beach, Florida (easy access to Dunedin for Blue Jays spring training fans)
- Panama City Beach, Florida (amazing, soft, white sand)
- Napili Beach, Maui, Hawaii (protected swimming/snorkeling areas, body surfing, and the fabulous Napili Kai Beach Resort)
- Lauderdale Beach, Florida
- Ho’okipa Beach, Maui, Hawaii (amazing wind surfing)
- St. Augustine Beach, Florida (great beach and a lovely, historic city with wonderful galleries and museums)
- Henderson Beach, Destin, Florida
- Hanalei Beach, Kauai, Hawaii (drop dead gorgeous views)
- Tunnels Beach, Kauai, Hawaiai (ditto)
- Ogonquit Beach, Maine
- Bahia Honda Beach, Big Pine Key, Florida
- Wai’anapapa Beach, Maui, Hawaii (beautiful, black sand beach in Hana)
- Hapuna Beach, Big Island, Hawaii (lovely spot north of Kona)
- Sombrero Beach, Marathon, Florida
ALBERTA TOURISM SURGES
Canoeing on Lake Louise, Alberta. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Travel Alberta reports that international visitors spent $2.53 billion in the province in just the first three quarters of 2023. In the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic began, international tourism spending totalled $2.28 billion for all of 2019.
“There is no debate: Alberta is a premier destination for international travellers, and the demand to visit our province has never been higher. Increased visitor spending bolsters activity at local businesses and creates jobs not just in Edmonton and Calgary but across Alberta,” said Minister of Tourism and Sport Joseph Schow.
NEW YORK CITY NEWS
New York City. JIM BYERS PHOTO
I had a chance to catch up with New York City Tourism folks in Toronto on Monday, as they put on a great event in Toronto.
“It’s great to be here,” said Reginald Charlot, Senior Vice President, Tourism Market Development, New York City Tourism + Conventions. “We want to educate the travel trade about about what’s new and great in the city.
Charlot told me some 995,000 Canadians last year visited the City That Never Sleeps. That’s second only to the UK, which had just over a million visitors.
“Canada is just down the street from us,” Charlot said with a grin. “It’s a great drive market and a great fly market.”
Indeed. Air Canada alone has 38 flights to NYC-area airports every day, including 21 from Toronto and 13 from Montreal, as well as flights from Calgary, Vancouver, Halifax and Ottawa.
Charlot said there are tons of new things to see and do in New York City, and new places to stay, including a posh Aman hotel in midtown and a stylish Tempo by Hilton in Times Square.
On the cultural front, the Perelman Performing Arts Center opened last September in lower Manhattan, adjacent to the One World Observatory. He also said there’s a fine exhibit on now at the Brooklyn Museum called Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys. It runs through 7JUL, 2024.
Sports also is big tourism business in New York City which will host the final game of the FIFA World Cup in July, 2026, and also host the FIFA Club World Cup next year.
New York City this year is celebrating the 400th anniversary of the founding of the city in 1624.
WORLD’S BEST AIRPORTS FOR FOODIES: Vancouver, JFK and SFO Make Top 10
Food and Wine has a nice list of the top airports around the world for foodies. Here’s their top 10.
- Changi Airport, Singapore (hope to be there on Friday!)
- Tokyo-Narita, Japan (no surprise a Japanese airport would be in the top 10 food spots)
- Dubai International, UAE
- Heathrow Airport, London (don’t remember the food options, but I enjoy the airport)
- Istanbul Airport
- Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam
- John F. Kennedy, New York City
- Atlanta-Hartsfield, Georgia (surprised to see this, but maybe I go to the wrong terminal)
- San Francisco International, California (agreed, and it’s a lovely airport as well)
- Vancouver International (I clearly need to spend more time there, as the places I’ve been aren’t terribly interesting)
NEW HOTEL SOUNDS GREAT IN NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE
The Scotsman Hotel, the newest addition to Niagara-on-the-Lakes’s (NOTL) prestigious hospitality scene, proudly announced its grand opening on February 16th, 2024. Nestled amidst the breathtaking landscapes of one of Canada’s most cherished wine regions, this upscale country inn is set to redefine luxury and elegance for travelers seeking an unparalleled experience.
Behind The Scotsman Hotel are owners Brenda and Blair McArthur, whose vision was deeply inspired by their time spent in Scotland. Embracing an old-world, classic rural vibe, their hotel offers an exquisite blend of sophistication and charm, with amenities designed to cater to the discerning tastes of its guests. Each of the hotel’s five lavishly appointed suites, designed by Lori Morris, is a testament to the art of fine living.
