Lonely Planet has unveiled Best in Travel 2027, pairing 25 destinations with 25 experiences across the globe. For American travelers, the selection stretches from California’s coastal redwoods and Maryland’s seafood traditions to Caribbean islands, African wildlife reserves and cultural journeys across Asia.
Chosen by the publisher’s global community of travel experts, the collection combines places to explore with activities worth building a vacation around. Its appeal lies in that range: a domestic weekend, a regional road trip and a major international expedition all have a place. The selections are available online and in a commemorative book, with additional destination content in Lonely Planet’s app.
American Escapes and Adventures Close to Home
The U.S. destination picks include Northern California’s coast and redwoods, Maryland and New Mexico. California offers encounters with towering ancient forests, while Maryland brings together maritime heritage, coastal scenery and fresh seafood. Across the Canadian border, Quebec and Prince Edward Island expand the North American choices. Quebec’s mix of French-Canadian culture and wilderness gives the selection another contrast, connecting urban exploration with time outdoors rather than focusing exclusively on major sightseeing attractions.
Several U.S. experiences give familiar destinations a different purpose. Travelers can become temporary keepers at Rhode Island’s Rose Island Lighthouse, taking on chores and maintenance during overnight or weekly stays. Other recommendations include flightseeing in Alaska, hotel-hopping in Miami’s South Beach and following Minnesota’s Slow Road.
Nearby international options include wine and fine dining in Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe and the volcanic landscapes of Montserrat. Panama’s Bocas del Toro and Granada in Nicaragua also make the destination list. Farther south, the experience selections include tango in Buenos Aires, a Galápagos expedition cruise and exploring Costa Rica’s Monteverde cloud forest.
Global Journeys Built Around Culture and Nature
Across Asia, Lonely Planet highlights Okinawa’s island culture in Japan, Chengdu’s teahouses and food scene, Gujarat’s landscapes and Vietnam’s Danang. Fulidhoo offers a local-island alternative to the private-resort image of the Maldives. Experience picks include Taiwan’s food trail, India’s Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and longboat journeys into orangutan territory in Malaysia.
Africa and the Middle East contribute Oman, Rabat and Kenya’s Tsavo East and West National Parks. The experience list adds Abu Dhabi’s museums, Tanzania’s Gombe National Park and São Tomé and Príncipe. In Oceania, travelers can explore New Caledonia, Australia’s Tweed region and New Zealand’s Dunedin and Waitaki, or discover Indigenous art in Australia’s Red Centre and traditional culture in Samoa.
Europe remains part of the mix, with Veneto in Italy, Dessau, Šibenik, León and Sweden’s Skanör-Falsterbo. But the broader message is to look beyond familiar tourism circuits, a theme also reflected in Intrepid’s 2027 Not Hot List. Choosing a distinctive experience can matter as much as choosing a destination, whether the trip involves a nearby coastline or a polar plunge in Antarctica.
The 25 Best Places to Visit in 2027
- Quebec, Canada
- Northern California Coast & its Redwoods, USA
- Maryland, USA
- Prince Edward Island, Canada
- New Mexico, USA
- The Veneto, Italy
- Dessau, Germany
- Skanör-Falsterbo, Sweden
- Šibenik, Croatia
- León, Spain
- Montserrat
- Bariloche and the lakes, Argentina
- Granada, Nicaragua
- Bocas del Toro, Panama
- Oman
- Rabat, Morocco
- Tsavo East and West National Parks, Kenya
- Dunedin & the Waitaki, New Zealand
- The Tweed, Australia
- New Caledonia, South Pacific
- Okinawa, Japan
- Chengdu, China
- Gujarat, India
- Danang, Vietnam
- Fulidhoo, Maldives
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