Where to Go in 2024

Quito is a metropolis on the move, literally. This year the long-awaited expansion of its underground metro opened more than a dozen stations, a boon for the traffic-clogged Ecuadorian capital. To pave the way for its development, historic streets and plazas were meticulously deconstructed to build the rail lines, then painstakingly restored. Along the way, ancient cultural artifacts were discovered and moved to major museums such as Casa del Alabado.
 
For many the city has typically been a jumping-off point to the Galapagos Islands, but it’s becoming a destination in its own right. Quito’s skyline is brimming with new architectural marvels by boldface names including Philippe Starck, Jean Nouvel and Bjarke Ingels. And its restaurants are filled with talented young upstarts. Among them is chef Wilson Alpala, who recently earned Relais & Châteaux’s Rising Chef trophy, which honors only one emerging superstar worldwide each year. At Zazu the wood-fired ceviche is emblematic of his style: classical Ecuadorian with a modern twist—it’s served lightly charred. Cuenca-born chef Carolina Sánchez cooks in a similar vernacular. Her Kriollo restaurant opened last year to great fanfare; it’s her first homegrown project after earning a Michelin star with Ikaro, in the Rioja region of Spain.
 
Here to enjoy it all is a new creative class drawn to Quito by a novel digital nomad visa program that lets people with well-paying jobs stay for two years. Join them at trendy shops and galleries in La Carolina, an upscale residential neighborhood, right on one of the new metro stops. One word of caution: Organized crime is on the rise in Ecuador; be mindful and avoid downtown after dark.
 
Update: The security situation in Ecuador has deteriorated since this list was published, with the government declaring a 60-day, nationwide state of emergency on Jan. 8 after a spike in gang-related violence. Monitor the US State Department’s travel advisory page before planning any trip.

When to go: Quito’s equatorial location offers springlike climes all year round, with no marked seasons in terms of temperature. For guaranteed blue skies, travel during the dry season, from June to September.
When not to go: March and April are the rainiest months, though mornings can still be beautifully clear. Feriados—holidays such as February’s Carnaval and June’s Fiestas Patrias—can bring heavy traffic and more crowds, but the spectacles may be a worthwhile enough draw for the culturally inclined.
Whom to call: Metropolitan Touring

The city of lobster rolls, Fenway Park and big-name colleges, Beantown is known for many things—but not glamour. That’s changing in 2024, as it welcomes an increasingly international crowd, drawn not only by business (the city is home to 1,000-plus biotech companies) and universities but also by a growing number of world-class restaurants and hotels. Take the Singaporean luxury chain Raffles, which cut the ribbon on its first North American hotel here last September. The 147-room Raffles Boston arrived with an outstanding restaurant from Michelin darling George Mendes and the city’s only Guerlain Spa.
 
The citywide glow-up is most pronounced in Back Bay, where the Four Seasons Hotel Boston is fresh off a hip redesign, and new restaurants such as Contessa are attracting crowds with paper-thin squash carpaccio and sky-high views.
 
The Seaport District is flourishing as well: Its once lonely Institute of Contemporary Art is now surrounded by stellar places to eat, including a razzle-dazzle dinner club, Grace by Nia. Add the expanding train station and a recently completed $640 million terminal at Boston Logan International Airport, and you can see how far the city has come.

When to go: Spring and fall are especially beautiful, when the Boston Public Garden is still in bloom or the harbor is bustling with pleasure cruisers.
When not to go: Winters can be dreadfully cold, with snowstorms coming as early as October. Avoid May, when the city is flooded with visitors—and hotels charge their highest rates—for the city’s many college and university graduations.
Whom to call: TravelLustre

The most visited Caribbean island has long made its name on value—a reputation now extending to attainable luxury.
 
Instead of emphasizing 1,000-room megaresorts, the island will pivot to more intimate, upscale escapes such as St. Regis Cap Cana, opening by midyear with 200 beachfront accommodations. Its 10-room spa, seven restaurants and marina will be shared with $25 million residences—the island’s most expensive. In the same ritzy development is the all-suite, adults-only Sanctuary Cap Cana; it reopened in fall 2022 as the Luxury Collection’s first all-inclusive resort, with rates from $456. Joining them later this year is a W hotel, also all-inclusive and adults-only.
 
That’s part of a bigger trend across the island. Beyond Punta Cana, Hilton will add the five-star Zemi Miches Curio Collection to Playa Esmeralda, with 530 sea-view rooms and bungalows. And the new Cayo Levantado offers seclusion from $330 per person, all-in; it’s a private island where you can get lost among towering banyan trees or while away the hours in the spa’s thermal circuit pools.
 
Getting there is becoming more enjoyable, too, thanks to an $80 million expansion of Punta Cana’s airport and the arrival of Dominican carrier Arajet. Use its swanky new planes to island-hop to Aruba, Curaçao or Jamaica, and you’ll end up with a double dose of R&R that would’ve been inconceivable just a few months ago.

When to go: From festive to spring break—December through April—days are practically guaranteed to be sunny and blue, but prices are as high as they get. Try May and June for similar temps and far better values.
When not to go: Avoid hurricane season, from August through November. Even in the best circumstances, it’s a season characterized by heavy rains and humidity.
Whom to call: Skylark

America’s glitziest ski town seems to have stiffer competition every year. But the Colorado icon is upping its game, starting with one area that’s long been overlooked: the skiing. This winter’s 153-acre terrain expansion is Aspen Mountain’s first major upgrade in four decades, adding mostly expert-level chutes and gladed trails, all above 10,000 feet.
 
Aprés culture gets a boost, too, with a half-dozen new restaurants, including an outpost of New York’s Sant Ambroeus right near the Aspen Art Museum, where you can pair prosecco with airy hazelnut sponge cake. There’s also a whimsical bar by mixology masters Death & Co., whose menu includes Douglas-fir-infused martinis. It’s set inside Mollie Aspen, the town’s first new hotel in five years. A 10-year, $50 million project, the 68-room indie hotel has a Scandi-meets-Japanese aesthetic and a rooftop pool with mountain views.
 
Because this is Aspen, there are fresh ways to get pampered, too: Many spas are raising the bar, including ski-in, ski-out treatment suites at the Little Nell; cell-revitalizing oxygen therapies at the refurbished St. Regis Aspen Resort’s RAKxa Wellness Spa; and a performance-and-recovery center coming to the spa at Aspen Meadows Resort. In other words, it’s not just Aspen that will look better than ever—its always-chic crowd will, too.

When to go: Ski season and its myriad attractions run from December through March, while June through September is a prime time for warm-weather adventures, plus annual events like the Food & Wine Classic.
When not to go: Spring brings heavy rains, making for muddy terrain with gloomy weather and still-chilly temperatures.
Whom to call: Embark Beyond

Time and again, Busan is called the Miami of South Korea, thanks to its sandy beaches, vacation vibe and cultural clout—which has been skyrocketing, along with tourism, ever since BTS played their “final” concert here in October 2023. (The K-pop stars, currently on hiatus, are Busan’s official ambassadors.) Luxury hoteliers have taken note: November marked the opening of the Wyndham Grand. The high-end brand’s first property in South Korea has 271 waterfront rooms, a lavish spa and the modern Chinese restaurant Fungwei. The hotel isn’t far from Jagalchi fish market, the biggest in the country, with stall after stall of freshly caught delicacies that can be cooked to order at one of the many restaurants upstairs.
 
If you want to stay in the city’s answer to South Beach, head to Haeundae, where the waterside Grand Josun Busan offers 330 airy rooms, most of them facing the Sea of Japan. More hotels are on the way from Banyan Tree and Lotte Hotels & Resorts.
 
But it isn’t just sun seekers coming to Busan—the city is fast becoming a haven for chefs and restaurant lovers, too. Michelin’s inaugural guide to the city, due this year, will surely include Born & Bred, a revered steakhouse that focuses on table-side grilling; order anything with hanwoo, a highly marbled and expensive beef that can’t be found outside Korea. And this spring, Busan will host the World Barista Championship, a testament to the city’s creative coffee scene. One of the best places to get your buzz? Momos, a local chainlet with its own state-of-the-art roastery, a list of unconventional drinks such as the orange-flavored “Candy” and a staff of coffee wizards that includes the 2019 barista contest champion.

When to go: Yes, it’s typically seen as a beach destination, but September through November offers beautiful fall foliage, and the weeks from March to early June bring colorful bursts of cherry blossoms across the city.
When not to go: Avoid the heat and humidity of July and August. And be aware that national holidays such as Seollal (Lunar New Year, in February) and Chuseok (a traditional harvest festival, in September) attract heavy crowds and widespread business closures.
Whom to call: Artisans of Leisure

Soaring inflation means most visitors will arrive with a strong foreign currency in their pockets, and they’ll encounter an economy yearning for their spending. In Buenos Aires, the exchange rate makes it possible to stay at Faena for $350 a night (versus $1,000 at the brand’s Miami address) and score deep discounts off essentially everything, from leather bags to tango shoes—at least for now. The Casa Lucía Hotel is scheduled to open in January in the fashionable Recoleta neighborhood; its 142 rooms and suites, some with outdoor showers, feature works by artist Cristián Mohaded. Later this year, W Hotels will open within a $100 million, 34-story tower in the boho Puerto Madero district.
 
Use the capital as a starting point for other adventures. If you’re drawn to glaciers and gaucho culture, try the newly renovated Estancia Cristina in Los Glaciares National Park, or sleep under a glamping dome at Pristine El Calafate Luxury Camp. Want to spot some of the jaguars that have recently been reintroduced to the country as part of a remarkable 12-year rewilding effort? Fly north to the wetlands of Iberá National Park and stay at Rincón del Socorro, an 11-room farmhouse restored by the late conservationist Douglas Tompkins.
 
Or head east to Mendoza, but not only for the region’s famed malbec. Trailblazing winemaker Susana Balbo’s new private jet company offers seaplane tours of the diamond-shaped Maipo volcano, the salt flats of El Nihuil and the imposing rock walls of Atuel Canyon. Base yourself at her family’s former country retreat in Chacras de Coria, where glass-walled rooms have concrete soaking tubs and private gardens with fire pits. (No surprise it’s a place where wine flows freely.) Her next project, the spa-centric SB Mountain Lodge, is expected to open by fall in one of Mendoza’s most prestigious winemaking domains, the rugged Uco Valley.

When to go: For the best weather with affordable rates, visit Buenos Aires during the shoulder seasons: September to December and April to June. If you plan to add Mendoza or El Calafate to the itinerary, target narrower windows within those periods: Specifically, the months of October, November and April are best.
When not to go: To avoid high season crowds and inflated hotel rates, skip summer, which runs from December to February.
Whom to call: GeoEx

Get Dracula out of your head. This area of central Romania—which, yes, was the setting of Bram Stoker’s novel—is worth visiting for many reasons other than its castles and folklore. Prime among them is Matca, a brand-new rural retreat sitting in the shadows of the Carpathian Mountains. Its 26 rooms, suites and villas are spread across a rewilded stretch of forest and meadow. The featured experiences range from the intrepid to the spiritual: There are walking safaris through the woods to see brown bears; the purifying practice of hay bathing, which is meant to stimulate the metabolism and release toxins from the body; and praying with monks to the trance-inducing percussive sounds of toacă war drums.
 
Also raising the bar for luxury in Transylvania is Bethlen Estates, beautiful accommodations at the renovated 13th century ancestral manor of Count Miklós Bethlen. The activities delve deep into Romania’s natural beauty: Go e-biking, heli-skiing or hiking in the nearby mountains, and explore Transylvania’s budding wine country, known for its fetească regală (a green-skinned grape similar to sauvignon blanc). While in the region, Dracula’s fabled home, Bran Castle, is a must-see—as are many medieval churches. Other Unesco World Heritage Sites, including the 2nd century Roșia Montană gold mining complex, are also close enough for quick—and utterly fascinating—day trips.

When to go: September and October bring mild weather and vibrant autumn colors to the Carpathian Mountains; June is warm with highs in the mid-70s and few crowds.
When not to go: Winter months can be dark and cold, and like elsewhere in Europe, the height of summer is busy and hot. It’s best to stick to the shoulder seasons for better weather, fewer crowds and favorable hotel rates.
Whom to call: Essentialist

Whether it’s the dramatic views of Mount Kilimanjaro or elephants with some of the biggest tusks in Africa (100 pounds!), Amboseli National Park is full of superlatives. Yet it isn’t usually considered a top safari spot, because there hasn’t been a stellar place to stay. The nearby Maasai Mara reserve has many of the same cultural and ecological draws, and it’s packed with luxury camps.
 
In 2024, though, there will be no more coveted place to stay on the African continent than the intimate Angama Amboseli, a spinoff of the spectacular camp Angama Mara, which will bring guests right up close to those supertuskers and the rest of the Big Five animals. Amboseli will have only 10 tents, each tucked into the area’s lush fever trees and designed to channel the traditional rounded Masai home. It will be a base for flexible adventures—you can opt to walk or drive through the marshlands and forests that comprise Angama’s relatively crowd-free private conservancy—which is entirely owned by local families to maximize their economic benefit.
 
In fact Angama has gone to great lengths to incorporate its broader community, from its executive ranks down to its guest programs. The culinary program is run by Kenyan chef Sarah Saleheen, of Nairobi’s acclaimed, vegan-forward Boho Eatery, while deeply discounted rates for East African residents are aimed at ensuring accessibility.
 
Most lodges this remote require a semiprivate charter flight, but here guests can also drive in from Nairobi in three-and-a-half hours.

When to go: Mild temperatures are consistent year-round, and June through September is considered high season for a reason: You’ll get prime game viewing during these months. For a better-priced Plan B, October through February offers beautiful landscapes, with clearer skies revealing a snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro.
When not to go: While April showers can bring excellent game-viewing opportunities, chilly and gray days make game drives far less comfortable.
Whom to call: Micato Safaris

A creative reawakening is underway in the capital of Northern Ireland, energizing everything—restaurants, distilleries, the already dynamic arts scene. In 2024, Belfast will kick off a £9 million ($11.4 million) program of cultural events set to unfold everywhere from the city’s alleyways to its rivers. Among the highlights will be “Waterworks,” where people will be invited to build 10,000 boats in different shapes and sizes using recycled materials as a way to engage with the River Lagan, on which the city was built. Another notable project, “Guerrilla Walls,” will see the construction of a community garden along sections of the peace walls, which were built to minimize civil unrest in the 1960s and ’70s and now serve as public art spaces.
 
All this befits Belfast’s reputation as a culture hub. The success of the Titanic Belfast museum, which opened a decade ago, is now inspiring preservation projects all around it. Among them is the city’s first distillery in 90 years, Titanic Distillers, inside a historic pump house. Belfast Distillery Co. is expected to follow suit soon with a £22 million facility fit for visitors in the old Crumlin Road Gaol (the local spelling of “jail”).
 
Elsewhere young chefs are amping up the food scene. At the Michelin-starred Muddlers Club, Gareth McCaughey serves tasting menus with Irish produce—beef with wild garlic and asparagus, or cod with prawn and tomato consommé—to a rock ’n’ roll soundtrack. Self-taught chef Ryan Jenkins offers similarly artful yet unpretentious food at Roam in the city center.
 
The Harrison Chambers of Distinction makes an excellent bolt-hole for the bohemian traveler; its Victorian-style rooms are themed after famous local characters such as The Chronicles of Narnia author C.S. Lewis and Belfast poet John Hewitt.

When to go: Even during the summer months, temperatures average around 65F during the day and rarely go above 77F. Be prepared for rain, and consider skipping a visit in July when parades and special events often take over the city, making it more challenging to get around.
When not to go: If summer days are balmy and wet, winter is far less pleasant—though you might find the chilly weather appropriately atmospheric.
Whom to call: NoteWorthy

Peru’s capital had its best food year ever in 2023, when it claimed more entries on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list than any other city on the planet. It’s set to outdo itself in 2024, as a new generation of millennial chefs and winemakers are finding their stride.
 
Leading the pack is Juan Luis Martínez, whose Venezuelan-Peruvian restaurant, Mérito, reflects the culinary impact of the hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants in Lima who have fled economic collapse at home. This fusion yields dishes such as yuca root quesadillas and glazed pork belly arepas. (Seats at Mérito are a hot commodity; if you can’t get in, try Martínez’s two new offshoots, Demo and Clon, in the bohemian Barranco neighborhood.) Also gaining prominence are Jeremy López and Francisco Sime, veterans of Maido, one of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. They push the boundaries of Nikkei cuisine—a marriage of Japanese and Peruvian flavors—at their sushi-focused Tomo.
 
On the drinks front are innovators such as Fernando Gonzales-Lattini, who’s figured out how to make wine at 2,850 meters (9,350 feet) above sea level in the Peruvian Andes. His unique sauvignon blancs, cabernet sauvignons and sangioveses are now exclusively carried at Lima’s Central, the world’s top table per 50 Best, and its sister restaurants, Kjolle and Mil.
 
Plan your trip now. In 2025 both Lima and Peru’s Sacred Valley are set to open new airports, dramatically increasing arrivals. If nabbing a table is no sure feat after all of 2023’s praise, the competition will only get steeper.

When to go: Sunny weather and the freshest seafood are abundant from November to May. Go in April or May and you’ll get another benefit: thinner crowds.
When not to go: It can be foggy and gray from May through October, with damp and chilly conditions particularly in the evenings.
Whom to call: Jacada Travel

Koalas, sea lions, wallabies, Remarkable Rocks and the namesake marsupials, of course, are among the reasons Kangaroo Island is called the Galapagos of Australia. All of it was threatened when bush fires scorched nearly 40% of the island in 2019 and 2020—a natural disaster that also razed Southern Ocean Lodge, a bastion of six-star Australian hospitality. But it’s all springing back to life—hotel included—in 2024. The rebuilt lodge just opened in December, and its 23 standalone suites, tucked amid dramatic limestone cliffs, have been reoriented to face the ocean and outfitted with expansive decks, soaking tubs and smoke-free fireplaces.
 
In the intervening time, more affordable—but still very stylish—options have joined the fray, including a collection of five tiny modernist homes with built-in saunas called Cabn X. The eco-sensitive compound is on the island’s eastern tip, not far from the ferry terminal that connects Kangaroo Island to Adelaide. And more jaw-dropping accommodations are on the way: The Cliffs is expected to open atop a 500 million-year-old rock formation in 2025, with a heavy focus on golf.
 
As for those Remarkable Rocks, they’re a cornerstone of Flinders Chase National Park, which in January will see the opening of a A$19.5 million ($13.3 million) solar-powered welcome center equipped with EV chargers, rainwater catchment systems and a farmers market. It all marks a sustainable next chapter for a destination that has typically brought A$187 million per year to the Australian economy—and in many ways represents the country’s future.

When to go: High temperatures stay in the 60s and 70s all summer, from September to April. But focus on the early months of the season—September through November—if you want to maximize the odds of seeing wallaby or koala babies. That’s also when you might catch kangaroo boxing matches; older males are most competitive at breeding time.
When not to go: Skip trips from June through August, which generally have higher rainfall and colder temperatures.
Whom to call: Abercrombie & Kent

In 2023, Norway emerged as a major summer destination for European vacationers seeking a respite from the heat waves in Italy and Greece. That’s made Bergen—a charming, supersize fishing village set between fjords and mountains on the west coast—increasingly popular.
 
It would be a mistake, however, to limit yourself to the warmest season. This February the Norwegian cruise line Havila Voyages is for the first time taking its energy-efficient expedition ships to Kirkenes for northern-lights-focused itineraries that begin and end in the city. Come fall, six-day trips on the Norient Express (aka Norway’s Orient Express) head from Bergen to Oslo along one of the most scenic routes in Europe. No matter which adventure you choose, base yourself at the alluring, three-month-old Charmante Hotel—where each room has a distinct design that evokes turn-of-the-century Paris—or the Børs, a handsome, 127-room property in the old stock exchange, where a crowd-pleasing, seafood-focused restaurant recently opened in its frescoed grand hall.
 
Another new hotel with excellent eating is a little beyond the city limits: At Beckerwyc House, you can immerse yourself in the quiet coastal lifestyle and sleep off dinner at Mirabelle by Ørjan Johannessen, whose namesake chef won the Bocuse d’Or in 2015.
 
In the heart of town, be sure to dine at Lysverket, the city’s leading restaurant. Its sensational tasting menu highlights delicacies from the sea such as steamed crab tartlets with caviar. And if you’re taking advantage of Bergen’s most famous attraction, the Floibanen funicular, don’t miss a meal at the 98-year-old Fløien Folkerestaurant at the top of Mount Floyen; it’s getting ready to reopen in April after a long renovation.

When to go: Spring is an ideal time to explore the Hardangerfjord and catch the Bergen International Festival. Early autumn is still pleasant, without the summer crowds.
When not to go: June through August is high season, and hotel prices peak accordingly; freezing winters with limited daylight are only for the strong-willed.
Whom to call: Up Norway

The future is especially bright for Las Vegas as the city puts entertainment, food and events—rather than gambling—in the spotlight. In late 2023 it celebrated the opening of the $2.3 billion Sphere, a spectacular immersive arena where U2 has been hosting “multisensory” concerts, as well as the inaugural Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix. In the year ahead, it’ll look to cement that newfound reputation: First by hosting Super Bowl LVIII in February and later by welcoming the globe’s top chefs for the annual World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards in June.
 
Attendees can check into the new Fontainebleau, which took $3.7 billion and 23 years to build. Among its 36 restaurants, the hotel counts Cantina Contramar, from Mexico City star chef Gabriela Cámara, and an outpost of LA’s beloved Mother Wolf. Also awaiting them is the first West Coast location of Peter Luger Steak House, which opened late last fall at Caesars Palace with $1 million worth of porterhouse and rib-eye in stock at any time. At the Bellagio Resort & Casino, the retro-themed Vault bar specializes in over-the-top drinks, including a $140 daiquiri made with 70-year-old Bacardi. (The bar’s name nods to its secret location; it’s concealed behind a cashier’s cage.)
 
Celebrities, too, are opening eateries: Chef star Jon Favreau teamed up with Korean taco expert Roy Choi to create the Chef Truck at the Park MGM. And soon a jazz cocktail bar called Pinky Ring will bow at the Bellagio, masterminded by Bruno Mars.

When to go: November through May offers prime weather and a great time to get out of the cold. Expect a great deal (along with mild temperatures) from January to April.
When not to go: Avoid June through September, when temperatures regularly exceed a sweltering 100F.
Whom to call: Embark Beyond

With its colorful saltbox houses and red-brick heritage buildings, Halifax feels less like a city of 400,000 and more like a small seaside town. But for all its quaint maritime culture, the capital of Nova Scotia is also a thriving startup hub. Its six universities have paved the way for an emerging tech industry, which is drawing a vibrant and diverse population. This influx explains why the official dish isn’t local seafood, as you’d expect in Atlantic Canada, but a gyrolike donair.
 
The epicenter of Halifax 2.0 is the Queen’s Marque, a 100,000-square-foot, $200 million waterfront development. It’s filled with sculptures, art installations and acclaimed restaurants, such as Café Lunette and Peacock Wine Bar. At the heart of it all is Muir Halifax, the province’s first and only five-star hotel. In 2024 the city will be easier to access, as more direct flights arrive from Dublin, Edinburgh, London and New York City.
 
And now that it has the luxury infrastructure in place, Halifax is planning a busy summer. In June it will host a sailing grand prix and a series of air shows for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 100th anniversary. By yearend downtown will welcome Canada’s first Moxy, a spunky, millennial-minded hotel where the front desk will be at the bar.

When to go: Summer and fall are ideal, not only for their pleasant temperatures and beautiful foliage but also because most tour providers operate seasonally, from early June to early October.
When not to go: Winter’s frigid temperatures will be a deterrent for many, though festivals like the Lobster Crawl and Icewine Festival (both in February) may be worth weathering the cold, for those seeking a cultural experience without the crowds.
Whom to call: Entrée Destinations

Despite a destructive earthquake, Morocco had a record year in 2023, welcoming about 14 million travelers—1 million more than in 2019. That’s in large part thanks to tourism authorities, who’ve encouraged people to explore the country beyond Marrakech.
 
On Morocco’s northern tip, several stylish boutique hotels are creating a scene away from Tangier’s coastal megaresorts. Among them is Yves Saint Laurent’s former hideaway, Villa Mabrouka, now a 12-room hotel. It’s near the waterfront yet removed from its bustle, with arched doorways, tropical gardens and a vibrant emerald-color pool built into the cliffs. Also notable is Accor SA’s Fairmont Tazi Palace, perched on a 9-acre hilltop where the views stretch to the Strait of Gibraltar.
 
Early this year, in the capital of Rabat, an 18th century sultan’s summer palace will become a lavish Four Seasons hotel. Called Kasr Al Bahr, it has 200 opulent beachside rooms and suites built within the original fortified walls. As much as it’s a destination unto itself, guests will be rewarded by venturing into the city, which is buzzing since the 2022 debut of the striking 2,000-seat Grand Théâtre de Rabat.
 
Marrakech still brims with creative delights. The year-old, desert-inspired Nobu Hotel has sumptuous suites a mere 10-minute drive to the city’s main square, the Jemaa el-Fna. For those who want to stay in the heart of the medina, there’s Izza; its 14 rooms display Moroccan art, and the rooftop restaurant is helmed by a chef from the iconic El Fenn hotel.

When to go: You’ll get the most pleasant weather for exploring in the spring, from March to May. The fall, from mid-September through mid-December, is a very good runner-up.
When not to go: Temperatures can swing wildly in the desert, so avoid the extreme heat from June to August. You may also want to skip the chill that blows in from mid-December through early February.
Whom to call: Black Tomato

Since last April, Hong Kong has been slowly yawning awake after a difficult four years of political crackdowns and Covid-19 lockdowns. But against all odds, it’s expected to make a full tourism comeback by the end of 2024.
 
Visitors will find a city ready to boom anew, particularly on the Kowloon side of Victoria Harbour, where the 322-room, butler-serviced Rosewood Hong Kong is leading the Tsim Sha Tsui neighborhood’s ascendance. It’s a passion project of the Cheng family, billionaire tycoons who are also behind the striking K11 Musea mall next door. (The Rosewood ranked second on the first-ever World’s 50 Best Hotels list in 2023.) More accessibly priced competitors are coming to the area, too, including outposts from Kimpton and Mondrian.
 
Any Hong Kong itinerary should focus on new institutions such as the expansive harbor-front lawns of the 99-acre West Kowloon Cultural District, a multibillion-dollar destination that’s been in development for more than 20 years. Earning the hype: M+, a contemporary art powerhouse with 33 galleries containing artwork from across the Chinese and Asian diaspora, and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, with tantalizing royal relics from Beijing’s Forbidden City. The Central neighborhood will see the opening of cocktail bar Kinsman, focused on made-in-Hong Kong spirits such as Yuk Bing Siu, a pork-fat-washed rice wine. The clubby dining complex Forty-Five, meanwhile, is aiming for the (Michelin) stars with its lavish Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic, a restaurant done in collaboration with Baccarat.

When to go: November through April is cool and dry. The December holidays and Lunar New Year are especially popular with travelers for festive experiences and consistently comfortable temperatures.
When not to go: Typhoon season runs from late May through September, bringing severe and unpredictable weather; June through August is hot, wet and humid.
Whom to call: Scott Dunn

This year, California’s retreat for the 0.001% is opening up to the (relative) masses—owing largely to a pair of feuding billionaires. In one corner, there’s Ty Warner (of Beanie Babies fame), who—after a prolonged public fight with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts over management strategies—will reopen the beloved Biltmore Santa Barbara this fall. Next door, Warner is also revitalizing the tony Coral Casino Beach & Cabana Club, once a hangout for Zsa Zsa Gabor, Clark Gable and Greta Garbo. For the first time in its 87-year history, it will welcome the public, with Tydes, a new Thomas Keller restaurant, accepting reservations from nonmembers.
 
Just down the shore, fellow billionaire Rick Caruso has built up his own hospitality bona fides at his recently rebranded, 193-room Rosewood Miramar Beach resort. More family-friendly than the Four Seasons, it now has a whimsical train chugging through its 16 acres. In special suites, high-tech Bryte Balance beds warm and cool your body to ensure optimal sleep stages. Looking for Oprah? Try Caruso’s, on-site; it’s beloved by posh locals for its seasonal Italian prix fixe.

When to go: August offers perfect beach days and epic sunsets; from October through December you’ll get moderate temperatures ranging from the high 40s to the low 80s.
When not to go: Avoid early summer, characterized by Southern California’s infamous May Gray and June Gloom.
Whom to call: Fora Travel

This nation made up of more than 340 islands stretching between the Philippines and Papua New Guinea may count lush jungles and 4,000-year-old Micronesian cultures among its draws on dry land, but it contains an even greater range of riches underwater. Long revered as one of the world’s top scuba-diving destinations, Palau has also been incredibly difficult to visit; most people exploring its blue holes and kaleidoscopic reefs, filled with manta rays and stingless jellyfish, do so from bare-bones live-aboard ships. But the country has embarked on an ambitious campaign to increase its volume of visitors—and is raising the bar for luxury.
 
First is the launch of its national airline: Alii Palau began flights from Singapore in November 2023, and in recent months regional carriers Air Niugini and Nauru Airlines have added service from Brisbane, Australia. On the lodging front, Four Seasons is making a bold gamble on the archipelago as the full-time base for its first “floating hotel,” a yacht called Explorer. The company will use speedboats to shuttle guests to and from the three-deck, 11-suite ship so they can check in or out at any time, much like at a normal hotel, while sailing around a protected marine territory where divers can go spelunking or encounter gray reef sharks. Not into cruising? InterContinental Hotels Group will unveil the Hotel Indigo Palau later in 2024, with 200 rooms fronting an inviting house reef off Malakal Island, accessible from main island Koror by car.

When to go: The best underwater visibility correlates with the calm currents and warm temps of dry season, which stretches from November through April. But diving is feasible all year round.
When not to go: Heavy rainfall, choppy seas and higher temperatures come with typhoon systems from May to October. In July and September, there’s an additional disadvantage, as diving visibility decreases with murkier waters.
Whom to call: SmartFlyer

You may think of it as the backdrop for Gladiator, Game of Thrones, Troy and other historical productions, but Malta is embracing the present, opening Europe’s most significant museum of the year. The 16,000-square-foot Malta International Contemporary Art Space will be housed inside a 17th century fortress, overlooking the dramatic Marsamxett Harbour in the capital, Valletta. Come fall, it will dedicate its seaside galleries to immersive artist installations.
 
But the art world will likely descend sooner, from March through May, when Malta hosts its inaugural biennale. Its theme, White Sea Olive Groves, will revolve around building peace and fighting nationalism across Europe’s south. Pavilions will be installed in historic palazzos and forts throughout Valletta and Gozo. With a new 250-berth superyacht marina soon to open north of the capital, more of these culture hounds will be arriving by sea, on itineraries that circumvent Malta’s popular (and overcrowded) neighbor, Sicily.
 
Staying on dry land will be no less luxurious, particularly if you want to explore the charming villages beyond Malta’s main cities. Casa Bonavita, with 17 rooms in a baroque mansion in the picturesque town of Attard, opens early in 2024; it’s a passion project from the owners of the luxe Rug Company Ltd. Inside a new skyscraper by Zaha Hadid Architects in the seaside resort town of St. Julian’s, the ME Malta Hotel will have Italian celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo running its bars and restaurants. And in the fortified city of Senglea, set on a car-free, cobblestone street across the grand harbor from Valletta, is the most exciting newcomer of all: Cité Privée Maison. In mid-January, its five art-filled rooms will promise butler service and private pools; guests will also have access to outdoor spa treatments and a 53-foot yacht, for further exploration of the glimmering Mediterranean.

When to go: October is the ideal month: It has lovely weather, few crowds, plus the fun of Notte Bianca (White Night), when museums and galleries stay open all night and streets are filled with performers and food stands. More broadly, the shoulder seasons (from April to June and September to October) leave little to complain about.
When not to go: Many of the historic buildings in the capital do not have air conditioning, which makes it hard to escape the sweltering heat in July and August.
Whom to call: Red Savannah

Rolling hills, towering Italian cypress trees, the figgy punch of a fine Brunello di Montalcino: Tuscany sells itself. For 2024, though, it’s pulling out new tricks while dusting off some of its old charms.
 
Take the 14th century Ponte Vecchio, one of the most iconic sites in Florence, which is undergoing its first major restoration ever, wrapping in the fall. Near this bridge is a new attraction: the Stanza Segreta, or secret room, at the Basilica di San Lorenzo. Opened to the public in late 2023, this is where Michelangelo awaited a death sentence for treason, which was eventually rescinded; it’s lined with drawings that reveal his state of mind during his imprisonment.
 
The city is welcoming a spectacular urban resort, too: Auberge’s Collegio Alla Querce will open by summer in a cluster of 16th century, Unesco-protected buildings, including an old chapel, a theater and a school. It has its own terraced gardens, a spectacular pool and 81 handsome rooms.
 
Farther afield, Belmond’s Castello di Casole, on a lush 10th century estate teaming with vineyards and olive groves, is revamping its suites and unveiling two new private villas; they’ll have outdoor kitchens with wood-fired ovens, so you can hire a pizzaiolo (or learn how to become one). In Pisa the Leaning Tower is celebrating its 850th birthday, with related exhibitions running through August.
 
One way to connect the dots: The new, 11-car La Dolce Vita trains from Orient Express are a Gilded Age fantasy brought back to life. Hop aboard for one night or two, as you chug along from Rome to Montalcino or Siena, enjoying truffle-laden meals served in a dining car with lacquered walls and leather seats.

When to go: Beat the summer crowds from April through June—the spring weather and fresh produce won’t disappoint.
When not to go: January through March. After the festive season glow fades, you’re left with just chilly, rainy weather.
Whom to call: IC Bellagio

On most isles, it’s what’s on the outside that counts: beaches, boating and coral reefs. But Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are looking within, as they build an arts and culture scene on land. 
 
It started with the Cayman Arts Festival, a live-music extravaganza now in its 20th year. Each February its concerts highlight many genres of local and international talent. In the post-pandemic era, the music fest has been joined by Cayman Art Week, which in May will spotlight 60 local artists with open studios, workshops and pop-up shops across the three islands. Meanwhile, Grand Cayman is celebrating the opening of Ironshore Studios—a state-of-the-art recording facility—and a revived film business, which has drawn several Hollywood movie shoots. 
 
Plus, Grand Cayman’s airport is now the only one in the region with direct flights from the West Coast. (Weekly service from LA on Cayman Airways began in 2022 and doubled last fall.) 
 
As for hotels, the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman on Seven Mile Beach reopened in 2021 after a multimillion-dollar makeover. The renovation is still awaiting completion of a spa by designer Alexandra Champalimaud, coming in late 2024. This spring, Hotel Indigo will also arrive, with an airy design scheme and candy-cane-striped umbrellas by the pool. And in the near future, projects from Grand Hyatt, Hilton’s Curio Collection, and Mandarin Oriental are in the works as well.

When to go: From December through March you’ll get the best conditions for snorkeling and diving.
When not to go: Avoid hurricane season, which peaks in August and September.
Whom to call: Andavo Travel

British Columbia had devastating wildfires in 2023, which destroyed almost 10,000 square miles of forest and grassland and pushed plumes of smoke into the US. Now, as it rebuilds tourism, the province is trying to steer guests away from some of its more crowded spots, such as the Hamptons-esque Tofino and ski-famous Whistler. Instead, locals point toward Ucluelet, a sacred First Nations domain on Vancouver Island.
 
A boom in posh hotels there is being led by Pluvio Restaurant & Rooms, with prim suites inside converted shipping containers. Its kitchen doles out hyperseasonal, locally sourced delights such as poached steelhead with kelp gnocchi. Nearby, the Japanese-inspired, eight-room Nami Project recently opened on the edge of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, where thickets of birch meet the stony coastline. It joins the Indigenous-owned Wya Point Resort, whose timber-framed cottages are scattered across 600 acres of old-growth forest.
 
New, First Nations-led experiences are equally bountiful: Explore the Wild Pacific Trail and the ʔapsčiik tašii (pronounced ups-cheek ta-shee) trail circuit, both in a protected reserve of mossy, mushroom-filled coastal woods overseen by the Native population.

When to go: May through October is the season for whale watching and black bear tours; July and August are perfect for hiking and biking—plus salmon fishing and bird-watching.
When not to go: The winter months are especially rainy and windy, and most tour operators close for the long, cold stretch between late fall and early spring.
Whom to call: Audley Travel

This year, trade Napa for Oregon’s Willamette Valley, where several winery, restaurant and hotel openings are cementing the region’s reputation for diversity, climate awareness and, of course, great wine. Attend a tasting by André Hueston Mack, a Black sommelier known for his unpretentious wine videos, or Japan-born Akiko Shiba, who learned to make wines with wild yeasts in Germany. Both are developing passionate followings for their beloved small-batch productions. They’re among the emerging talents attracting a new audience to this 150-mile-long region.
 
Destination restaurants are luring serious foodies, including 2022 debut Ōkta, chef Matthew Lightner’s innovative farm-to-table concept, and chef Kari Kihara’s Hayward, which features “new Northwest” cooking. They join luxury hotels such as the Tributary Hotel, the Allison Inn & Spa, and the minimalist eight-room Inn the Ground, set on a working regenerative farm. While its guests enjoy their farm-sourced breakfasts, deer graze on wildflowers in the adjacent meadow.
 
And don’t forget that wine: Local favorite Archery Summit took best in show for its pinot noir at the lofty Decanter World Wine Awards last year, while winemaker Maggie Harrison is now offering her coveted Antica Terra wines served alongside snacks made by in-house chef Timothy Wastell.

When to go: Wine tastings among the vines are a great reason to plan a trip in June or July; harvest and its many festivals run from late August through October, though weather then may be somewhat less predictable.
When not to go: The majority of wineries are open year-round, but November through February can be dark and dreary, with heavy rains and chilly temperatures.
Whom to call: Willamette Wine Concierge

This coastal city in Spain, which claims the most Michelin-starred restaurants per capita, is heating up as Europeans look for more summertime places to cool down.
 
Take the 48-room, Belle Époque-style Hotel Luze: It will offer 97,000 square feet of stunning, cooling gardens when it opens later this year, plus an infinity pool facing the Cantabrian Sea and a restaurant by Iñigo Lavado, who trained under Ferran Adrià and Alain Ducasse. The Palacio de Bellas Artes, one of Spain’s first cinemas, will be reborn as an 84-room Hilton Curio hotel. These openings, along with a new Nobu property overlooking the beach, will boost the limited number of luxury accommodations in the city.
 
Sustainability has become San Sebastián’s mantra. A massive, wave-shaped extension of the Basque Culinary Center will open in 2024, designed by Bjarke Ingels Group. Its huge rooftop includes a public square where locals and chefs can convene. To reach it, you’ll climb a series of stairs built into its ridge-like exterior.
 
Of course there will be great new restaurants, too, extending beyond San Sebastián’s traditional Basque fare. At Artean Barra Abierta, tortillas and Basque talo flatbreads are combined to make shrimp-stuffed tacotalos. Bantxu II has phenomenal (and very trendy) Korean eats. And Ibai, a beloved, seafood-centric mainstay, is returning after a three-year closure, now under the direction of celebrated Argentine chef Paulo Airaudo.

When to go: Anytime from May to September is great, but the city comes alive at the end of September for the annual film festival, which brings an overload of cultural activities and celebrity sightings.
When not to go: San Sebastián gets more than 150 days of rain every year, and you can rely on April and November to be especially wet.
Whom to call: Made for Spain & Portugal