Still don’t know where to use your precious vacation days next year? Lonely Planet has thoughts. The travel publisher has revealed its Best in Travel 2027 list, which includes 50 destinations and experiences across six regions. But rather than simply ranking cities and countries, this year’s edition combines broader destinations with specific adventures, from traveling on India’s Darjeeling Himalayan Railway to taking the polar leap in Antarctica. Seven U.S. picks appear on the list, including three locations: the coastal redwoods of California, Maryland and New Mexico. Lonely Planet also highlighted four experiences in the United States: serving as a temporary keeper at the Rose Island Lighthouse in Rhode Island, taking sightseeing flights over Alaska, traveling from hotels to South Beach in Miami, and driving the Slow Road in Minnesota. The picks make a pretty compelling argument for keeping travel closer to home next year: California’s towering coastal redwoods easily trump work emails and other small human concerns, while New Mexico offers desert landscapes, indigenous culture, and a strong arts scene. Maryland may be the dark horse on the list, with its Chesapeake Bay cities, Atlantic beaches, and excellent excuse to consume your body weight in crab. Meanwhile, some of the other experiences become even more specific. Travelers can spend a week as a Rose Island Lighthouse keeper in Newport Harbor, trading hotel check-ins for housework and waterside solitude. In Alaska, aerial sightseeing promises a much faster route to glaciers and remote wilderness areas. Miami’s entry encourages travelers to tour South Beach hotels, while Minnesota’s Slow Road offers a quieter tour of the state’s northwest. Elsewhere in North America, Lonely Planet selected Quebec and Prince Edward Island in Canada, along with Valle de Guadalupe in Mexico, where wine and food are top attractions. The full global list stretches from Okinawa, Japan and Oman to Veneto, Italy and Montserrat in the Caribbean. Food-focused travelers can follow a culinary route through Taiwan, while wildlife lovers can venture into orangutan territory in Sarawak, Malaysia, or hike through Tanzania’s Gombe National Park, where Jane Goodall conducted her groundbreaking chimpanzee research. The hardest part? Narrow down 50 tempting options to how many vacation days your boss will approve.
