If you are looking for an adventure in 2016, here is your ultimate resource. Once a year, Travel + Leisure creates the Where to Go in 2016 Master list, a cheat sheet of hot spots around the globe that are capturing the attention of plugged-in writers and editors. Whether you want to trek in Tanzania or check out the made-in Montana charm of Bozeman (Yes, a plug for my piece, #41), bookmark this slideshow for future use.
To compile our annual list of the best places to travel in the upcoming year, T+L editors thoroughly and meticulously consider a variety of factors. Which under-the-radar gems are most exciting to our network of contributing writers and global correspondents? Which destinations are our A-List travel specialists fielding requests for? Which classic vacation spots are starting to emerge—but for entirely new and compelling reasons? Which global events and changes in travel restrictions have made certain destinations easier to get to?
This year’s list ranges from the Andaman Islands, off India (which impressed even the most discerning ocean-lover, Jacques Cousteau), to an unspoiled stretch of the Caribbean, and nine other beach destinations with sun, sand, and beautiful views. For food lovers, we’ve got everything from Ghent, Belgium (where a group of young chefs is leading the culinary revolution and plans for a massive food hall are under way), to the canal town of Aarhus, Denmark, which is stepping out of Copenhagen’s shadow with three Michelin-starred restaurants of its own.
Closer to home, once-overlooked spots have proven themselves worthy of another glance. The bike-friendly town of Richmond, Virginia, has standout architecture, a burgeoning art and food scene, and a brand-new design hotel. Detroit’s renewal has been on our radar for a while, and with signs of life springing up in its abandoned buildings—including a hotel that set up shop in a historic fire-department headquarters—it’s finally earned a much-deserved spot on this list. And in San Antonio, the Roman and Williams–designed Hotel Emma, in a former brewhouse, sits at the heart of the restaurant- and shopping-packed Pearl district.
In the geopolitical sphere, the recently signed nuclear deal between Iran and the UN security council has opened up opportunities for Americans to more readily visit the cosmopolitan capital of Tehran and the mosques of Kashan. And while Cuba was on last year’s list, a spate of new cruises that dock in Havana—all thanks to eased travel restrictions for Americans—mean the destination is continuing to blossom. Cruise ships are also heading to Batumi, in Georgia, with its gorgeous botanical garden. It’s a Black Sea port that’s gaining attention from the big cruise brands given the safety concerns in Ukraine.
Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway close to home, a farther-flung bucket-list trip—or even a multi-stop tour that combines, say, the art- and design-filled Taipei, the classic Chinese retreat of Hangzhou, and the hip surf community of Canggu, Bali—consider the 50 incredible destinations on this list a road map for your planning and inspiration in 2016.
Flip through the slideshow for the full list, and share your thoughts (and travels) with us on social media with the hashtag #TLBestPlaces.—Stephanie Wu
41. Bozeman, Montana
Runners catch last light on Peets Hill near downtown Bozeman.
What was once a Podunk cowboy town has morphed into a mountainside mecca. The ingredients—university town, easy-to-access mountain adventures, proximity to a killer national park—were always there, but it took a high-concept boutique hotel to lasso the city’s artisan energy and stake Bozeman’s claim as an all-American hot spot. Opened last April, the Lark has swiftly become the community hangout. In the reimagined 1960s-era motor lodge, locals and tourists mingle in the laptop-friendly lobby, there’s an outdoor lounge, complete with fireplace, and a retro silver taco truck permanently parked on property. Outside the hotel, on Main Street, that made-in-Montana spirit continues with a variety of shops that range from old-school outdoorsman supplier Schnee’s to the trendy Revolvr Menswear. Restaurants like the Roost, Blackbird, Open Range, and the Feed Café combine sophisticated flavors with laid-back, rustic charm. And of course there’s great craft beer throughout town, but the new White Dog Brewing Company is the only place serving it on a handcrafted frost rail to keep your beverage ice-cold. —Amy Tara Koch
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