It’s that time of year again. No, not autumn leaves tumbling to the ground or skeletons hanging from the neighbours tree, but travel list time!
Lonely Planet got things started this week with their look at 50 top places in th world to visit in 2027. It’s a nice list that includes some of my fave spots.
Here’s a look at a few of their options, followed by the full top 50.
FRENCH POLYNESIA – One of my fave places in the world, with dreamy, tropical landscapes, amazing food and welcoming locals with great stories to tell. The main island of Tahiti is great, especially the isolated Tahiti Iti peninsula. But I love the outer islands even more, including Bora Bora and Moorea. For a real sense of old Tahiti, check out Raitatea or Huahine, or take a journey to Rangiroa or the faraway Marquesas Islands, which I plan to visit next April.
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND – Fabulous seafood, picturesque lighthouses, red-earth beaches and more warm, engaging locals make this one of the best places to visit in Canada. Don’t miss the fire cooking experience at Inn of Bay Fortune; a feast for foodies. And check out the glass bottle houses and the PEI Potato Museum!
CALIFORNIA REDWOODS – Some of the most amazing (and tallest) trees on earth can be found in Northern California, especially around the north shore of Monterey Bay and in the San Francisco Bay Area. Fabulous spots include Big Basin State Park Redwoods State Park, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz, Muir Woods in Sausalito and Joaquin Miller Park, which is just ten minutes’ drive from downtown Oakland. Further north, check out Redwood National and State Parks near Eureka, where they filmed parts of Star Wars; Return of the Jedi. We also have amazing redwoods a foot from our family cabin in Soquel, but I don’t have enough room to invite all of you.
A grove of redwood trees at Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland, California. JIM BYERS PHOTO
MIAMI – You can’t beat the weather most of the year, and the beaches go on just shy of forever. There glitzy hotels galore and great food, as well as the artsy Wynwood District, home of some of the world’s best murals and street art.
AUSTRALIA’S RED CENTRE – I’ve often argued that you can’t really say you’ve seen Australia, and can’t begin to understand it, unless you visit the Red Centre, the virtual and emotional heart of this vast nation. To hear a local guide talk about the area’s importance to its aboriginal people is an experience you’ll never forget.
NEW MEXICO – Most Americans I know have never been to this state, but I had a terrific visit a few years back, exploring slot canyons and checking out cliff dwellings. You can drive for an hour and barely see another car. You also can take a spin to the artsy town of Roswell, famous as the home of an alleged alien aircraft spotting in the 1950s.
QUEBEC – Vive La Belle Province. Ontario, my home province, is great. But, just like you can’t understand Australia without visiting the Red Centre, you can’t grasp Canada without a visit to Quebec. Montreal is perhaps the most unique big city in North America, while Quebec City has charm to spare. I also love the Charlevoix Region, which has lovely villages such as Baie St. Paul, and the Eastern Townships, a delightful spot I visited just a week ago, including a night at the fabulous and super tasty Auberge West Brome. Don’t forget Les Iles de la Madeleine!
Lovely Baie St. Paul, Quebec. JIM BYERS PHOTO
KILLAY FJORD, IRELAND – I can’t say I’ve been to this exact spot, but I loved everyplace I visited in the Emerald Isle on my visit back in 2010 or so.
DUNEDIN AND WAITAKI, NEW ZEALAND – I’ve been wanting to visit this area for some time, but the two trips I’ve taken to NZ haven’t allowed me to get this far south. Next time for sure!
LONELY PLANET TOP 50 SPOTS FOR 2027
The Veneto, Italy
Astana, Kazakhstan
Australia’s Red Centre
Skanor Falsterbo, Sweden
Valle de Guadeloupe, Mexico
Bariloche and the Lake District, Argentina
Montserrat, Caribbean
Grenada, Nicaragua
Batang National Park, Malaysia
Bocas del Toro, Panama
Antarctic Pensinsula, Antarctica
Route de Napoleon, France
Dessau, Germany
New Caledonia, South Pacific
Dunedin/Waitaki, New Zealand
Prince Edward Island, Canada
Celebrity Chef Michael Smith shucks local oysters at the Inn at Bay Fortune, PEI. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Tsavo East and West National Parks, Kenya
Danang, Vietnam
Gujarat India
Miami, Florida
Galapagos Islands
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Quebec, Canada
Rose Island, Rhode Island
Sibernik, Croatia
Aegean Sea, Greece
Aeolian Islands, Sicily, Italy
Redwood Parks, California
St. Cuthberts Way, United Kingdom
Abu Dhabi
New Mexico
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is a marvellous area near Santa Fe, New Mexico. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Gombe National Park, Tanzania
Northeast Minnesota
Taiwan
Darjeeling, India
Okinawa, Japan
Fulidhoo, Maldives
Samoa
Rabat, Morocco
Alaska
The Tweed, Australia
São Tomé and Principe
Tohoku, Japan
Leon, Spain
Oman
French Polynesia
Canoeing in Tahiti. TAHITI TOURISME PHOTO
Maryland
Montverde, Costa Rica
Killary Fjord, Ireland
Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
MOST INSTAGRAM WORTHY BEACHES
A study by Hot Spring Spas NZ finds the most Instagrammable beach in the U.S. is Laguna Beach in California. The company looked at the number of hashtags per meter for beaches across the States and came up with the following for their top ten.
Laguna Beach California. Starboard Creek/Unsplash Photo
- Laguna Beach, California
- Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
- South Beach, Miami, Florida
- La Jolla Cove, San Diego, California
- Venice Beach, Los Angeles, California
- Newport Beach, California
- Huntington Beach, California
- Redondo Beach, Los Angeles, California
- Manhattan Beach, California
- Asbury Park, New Jersey
That’s seven for California in the top ten, likely in part due to the huge population (and number of people snapping photos for Instagram). I’ve always counted Laguna as one of my fave beaches in California. A few of my faves that didn’t make the list are Carmel (maybe the prettiest of them all), Malibu and Capitola. In Florida, I’d also choose Caladesi Beach in Dunedin/Clearwater. For Hawaii, I’d have to add Napili Beach and Kapalua Beach on Maui, for sure.
EXPLORA JOINS RIVER CRUISE CRAZE
Explora Journeys has signed a Letter of Intent with Dutch shipbuilder Den Breejen Shipyard for the construction of its first luxury river ships, marking the brand’s planned entry into river cruising.
Since launching, Explora Journeys has sought to change the way people experience ocean travel through its Ocean State of Mind philosophy — combining the freedom and discovery of travelling by sea with the elegance and refinement of European hospitality and design. The brand now intends to bring that same approach to Europe’s most iconic rivers.
Further details regarding ship design, onboard experiences, delivery schedules and initial itineraries will be announced in due course with sales planned to open in 2027.
FOUR SEASONS LUXE ITINERARIES
Four Seasons is expanding its collection of curated itineraries, introducing three new multi-destination experiences that connect multiple Four Seasons properties through one seamlessly coordinated itinerary. The latest additions include stays and experiences across Japan, Thailand and Hawaii.Thailand and Japan. The Hawaii program is for the two Four Seasons properties on the fabulous island of Lana’i.
Sensei Lanai, a Four Seasons Resort in Hawaii.
“This itinerary reveals two distinct sides of Lana’i, experienced through two unique Four Seasons resorts,” the company says. “Guests begin at Four Seasons Resort Lanai, where the island’s rugged landscapes, rich cultural heritage and surrounding waters come to life through private experiences including a catamaran sail and personalized exploration led by renowned storyteller Tuma, whose unparallelled knowledge offers insight on Lanai’s people, history and hidden corners.
“The journey shifts to Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort, where mountain forests, personalized wellness guidance and transformative experiences such as private forest bathing restorative spa rituals offer a completely different way to experience the island, without ever leaving it.”
The Four Seasons Resort Lana’i, located on the edge of wonderful Manele Bay, is an outstanding property I’ve stayed at several times. I haven’s stayed at Sensei, but I can attest to the stunning grounds and excellent food!
