Planning a major trip when you finally have the freedom to explore the world on your own schedule comes down to one essential question: which journeys will truly leave an imprint? Active travelers today want hands-on discovery, rich local storytelling, and landscapes that take your breath away. That adventurous spirit drives National Geographic’s 15th annual Best of the World list, highlighting 25 remarkable travel experiences for 2027 selected by its global team of Explorers, photographers, and editors.
“For us, the thrill of building this list has always been about more than where to go. It’s about the places, people, and experiences that reveal something true about our world right now,” Nathan Lump, Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic, tells Parade. “Our global community of National Geographic writers, photographers, Explorers, and others has remarkable insight, and even after 15 years of tapping their enthusiasm to compile these destinations, they still surprise us. That spirit of discovery is what we hope to pass on. Sometimes that’s sparked by walking among the ruins of an ancient citadel in Peru’s cloud forests, and sometimes it’s just about seeing a familiar city in a whole new light.”
The collection focuses on destinations where rare celestial events, conservation milestones, and historic anniversaries create a compelling reason to visit now. In Luxor, Egypt, a total solar eclipse will plunge the ancient temples along the Nile into over six minutes of daytime twilight. In France, Normandy will mark a massive millennium celebration commemorating 1,000 years since the birth of William the Conqueror. At the very tip of South America, Chile’s newly established Cape Froward National Park opens up wild, windswept coastal fjords for intrepid explorers. In Africa, Malawi earns a spotlight for its uncrowded, restored wildlife reserves. Meanwhile, readers cast their votes closer to home, naming Southern California’s rugged Santa Catalina Island as the official Readers’ Choice winner.
The list also uncovers surprising adventures in places travelers might have overlooked. “Madison, Wisconsin, might surprise people who haven’t thought of it as a vacation destination,” Lump explains. “You have two beautiful lakes, more than 200 miles of hiking trails and bikeways, and a terrific food scene, including one of the country’s liveliest and most eclectic farmers’ markets. It’s an easy place to build a getaway around being outdoors and eating well.”
Cultural connection runs just as deep in Mexico’s Maya Ka’an region, located just south of the busy resort corridor of the Riviera Maya. “Travelers may know the nearby resorts, but here they can explore lagoons with local guides, learn traditional embroidery, or join Maya farmers to learn about the foods they grow,” Lump notes. “Those community-led experiences offer a different perspective on a region people might think they already know.”
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Immersive Expeditions Worth Setting Aside Extra Time For
National Geographic
For travelers ready to tackle an immersive trek, Lump points to Armenia’s evolving Transcaucasian Trail, where newly marked routes and trailside camps connect alpine valleys and rural villages beneath centuries-old stone monasteries. “The route has been in development for years but has really turned a corner lately, with improved trails and signage and new camps making it easier to explore,” Lump shares. “Even if you only tackle a section, you’ll want time to appreciate your encounters with locals and other hikers along the way.”
In Niigata, Japan, an expansive outdoor art triennale stages creative installations across villages, mountain tunnels, and terraced rice paddies. “Add the region’s sake breweries and centuries-old fermentation traditions, and you have a trip where the art, food, and landscape are all connected,” Lump adds. “Those are experiences you don’t want to rush.”
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Historic milestones provide another rich anchor closer to home. Baltimore, Maryland, marks the 2027 bicentennial of commercial American railroading with a $38 million modernization of the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation (formerly the B&O Railroad Museum). “You don’t have to be a train enthusiast to appreciate that story, and the anniversary is a great jumping-off point for exploring the city,” says Lump. “You can pair the museum with crab cakes at Lexington Market or a paddle along the Baltimore Blueway’s kayaking trails. That’s what we love about these milestones: They give you a timely reason to go, then open the door to everything else a destination offers.”
Lump’s personal bucket list is set on the high cloud forests of northern Peru. “Kuélap, in northern Peru, is high on my personal list. The Chachapoya people built this remarkable citadel in the cloud forests around 500 C.E., long before the rise of the Inca Empire,” Lump says. “New exhibits and trails there are offering fresh ways to explore, including a route to previously inaccessible ruins where visitors can watch archaeologists at work. That combination of a spectacular setting and discoveries that are still unfolding is enormously appealing to me. It’s a place I’d love to make time for.”
From remote ancient citadels to active Midwestern lake towns, 2027 is shaping up to reward travelers who venture out with genuine curiosity.
To explore the full list of destinations, visit National Geographic’s Best of the World.
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