As I write this, it’s Thursday, January 1st. Prior to the proliferation of social media, travel was thought about, planned, and carried out in very different ways. We (or maybe just I) didn’t think about “where to travel in 2026” in the way that we do today. Books, conversations, curiosities, and the unknown fuelled future adventures and the trip planning process. Before leaving a lot more was unknown about the destination than it is now. While there are pros and cons to each side of that coin, I do miss “the old ways”. Recently I’ve found myself returning to those travel planning roots to inspire my wanderlust.
The idea behind putting together this blog post was to return to those snip-its, those little seeds that make you go “ooo that sounds interesting. I think I might book a flight!”. To help widen the circle of inspiration, I’ve reached out to friends and colleagues to sprinkle ideas for where to travel in 2026 and beyond.
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Kazakhstan: Tara (me!) at Travel with TMc
This is wild to me. I’ve had “The Stans” on my travel bucket list every since my childhood friend (and longtime adventurer) Emily visited Turkmenistan many many years ago. Safe to say, my knowledge and awareness of Central Asia was scant before she came home, sharing photos and recounting tales. Emi has long inspired me – she lived in Cambodia, Germany, and Montréal, worked in the airline industry, and is a voracious reader. She does not participate online. She simply lives and her curiosity has brought her (and subsequently me) to some amazing places in the world. A conference is taking place in Kazakhstan this year, which I automatically jumped at buying tickets for. I cannot wait to add time around the conference, as I often do, to explore at least one of the stunning countries in this magical part of the world. (If you have been, I would love any recommendations!)
Check This Out: Pay Yourself to Travel
Pay Yourself to Travel is an online course that teaches you how book super affordable flights with points and miles. I take you every step of the way, from figuring out which card is best-suited to your needs, to learning the ins and outs of the reward program you’ll use, to maximizing your points earning potential, and finally to confidently booking your own reward flight.
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Podcast: Travelling Through Life: A Podcast on the Go
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Uzbekistan: PJ at Hey PJ
This year, I’m gearing up for a Stans Summer, and I am BUZZING with excitement! If I have to choose one country, I’m most excited about Uzbekistan for its culture and beautiful architecture. But if you ask me, in general, Central Asia seems to be one of the most underrated regions in the world. Between interesting cities, breathtaking scenery, and (from what I hear) very kind people, I don’t think it gets the credit it deserves.
I’m looking forward to seeing what it has to offer, and hope I’ll be get to share some unique perspectives about a part of the world that many people don’t really think of as a “destination”. So far, some of my favourite places have been the countries that make people ask, “why would you want to go there?”, and I get that a lot when I mention anything in Central Asia, so I’m taking that as a sign that the trip will most likely blow my socks off!
Check This Out: Pack Small, Travel Big
Pack Small, Travel Big is the ultimate guide to packing light. This e-book takes 10 years of experience in travelling in carry-on and personal item ONLY, and teaches you everything you need to crack the code on packing light. You’ll learn how to pick the best bag for your needs, build out the perfect capsule wardrobe, and even get away with a bag that breaks the size and weight limits. With 100s of actionable tips, PSTB will help even the chronic overpacker fit in a carry on bag!
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Website: heypj.com
Instagram: @hey.pj
Tiktok: @hey.pj
Costwolds (England): Jen at Travel Books and Movies
It’s hard to narrow it down, but one place I’m especially excited to visit this year is the Cotswolds in England–and I’m not just going to visit the storybook villages, I’m going to walk the entire Cotswolds Way. I’ll be walking 102 miles in just about ten days, so it’s no small undertaking. I’ve already started training: building up my endurance, getting comfortable with long walking days, and reminding myself just how rewarding this type of “slow travel” can be.
And, of course, I’ll also be preparing by reading A Cotswold Family Life by Clare Mackintosh and rewatching favourites like The Holiday and Downton Abbey, which perfectly capture that cozy, lived-in English charm.
What draws me to walking the Cotswolds Way isn’t just the landscape, (though the rolling hills, honey-coloured stone villages, and footpaths are pretty amazing), it’s the full sense of place the walk will give me—the feeling that life there unfolds at a gentler pace, the small pubs and inns along the way, and, hopefully, the kind strangers I’ll meet. It’s going to be a trip that’s a blend of challenge and comfort – something I think I really need right now.
Check This Out: Reading Retreat Guide
My free Reading Retreat Guide helps book lovers turn their love of stories into a thoughtful, cozy getaway–either on their own or with friends!
Follow Jen at:
Website: Travel Books and Movies
Instagram: @travelbooksandmovies
Facebook Group: Travel Books and Movies
Mauritius: Nadine at Traveling Black Women
This year I am heading to Mauritius for my 43rd birthday, and I am extremely excited about it! Last May, when I visited Nosy Be, Madagascar, several of the other tourists I met raved about how beautiful Mauritius was. As soon as I got home, I researched it and decided that it would be the place I would spend my birthday in 2026. I am looking forward to amazing seafood, quiet mornings and evenings on the beach, catamaran sails in the Indian Ocean, and the company of the family and friends that join me each year.
Check This Out: Travel Guide Series
Diary of a Traveling Black Woman: A Guide to International Travel is a travel guide series with guides written in travelogue format to centre Black women’s travel experiences. In these guides you can find general tourist information as well as first hand experiences that prepare our target readers for what to expect when navigating a destination.
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Website: Traveling Black Women
Instagram: @TravelingBlackWomen
Facebook Group: @TravelingBlackWomen
Alaska: Erin at Flying Off the Bookshelf
For the past couple years, I’ve been pushing my parents to take some of the trips on their bucket lists. In 2024, we went on a trip to Hawaii together, and this year we’re taking a family trip to Alaska! We’re spending a few days in Anchorage and then joining a Cruise Tour where we’ll get to see Denali National Park before hopping on a cruise ship to sail through Alaska’s glaciers and port towns. None of us have been to Alaska, and my parents have never been on a cruise!
There is so much I’m looking forward to about this trip (the wildlife, the landscapes, the culture!). I’ve been reading a lot about Alaska to get even more excited!. But what I’m most excited about is getting to experience Alaska on a multi-generational trip with my husband and daughter as well as my parents. I know it will be one of the highlights of all of our years!
Check This Out: 100 Books Around the World
Want to explore the world through a great book? Get my list of must-read books set around the world!
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Website: Flying Off the Bookshelf
Instagram: @FlyingOfftheBookshelf
YouTube: @FlyingOfftheBookshelf
The Open Road: Sveni & Basti (& Pepper!) at Neuland Stories
We’re incredibly excited to explore Europe in our tiny micro camper with a rooftop tent and see where the road takes us. Our home might be small, but our curiosity is huge, and that’s exactly how we like it. We don’t have a fixed plan or a strict route yet. Just a rough idea and a strong desire to follow warmer weather and sunshine.
This is completely new for us so, some days will be carefully planned, others completely spontaneous. We’ll park wherever feels right, wake up with new views, and let each destination surprise us. The goal isn’t to tick off places on a list, but to enjoy the journey, meet inspiring people, and make memories along the way. One thing is certain though: we’re heading south, chasing sunshine, warmer days, and that unmistakable feeling of freedom you only get on the road.
Check This Out: Vanlife Cookbook (*in German!)
We’ve put together our favourite delicious and easy recipes to cook on the road. Currently it’s in German, though we may add an English version too.
Follow Sveni, Basti, and Pepper at:
Website: Neuland Stories
Instagram: @Neuland Stories
YouTube: Neuland Stories
Podcast: Zweimal um die Welt (*in German!)
Stonehenge (England): Brinsley McNamara at Weird Ireland
One of my big goals this year weirdly enough is to head to Stonehenge in England for the Midsummer gathering where thousands of people congregate to bring in the pinnacle of the brightest day of the year. I remember seeing it on an episode of ‘Coast’ (or a similar programme) years ago and thought it looked cool and I love witnessing the gathering of the people wherever and for whatever obscure reason it may be for that gives them meaning and purpose 🙂
Not to mention there’s a tenuous link between Stonehenge and Ireland I can explore whilst I’m there because seemingly there’s an old legend where the stones of Stonehenge originally came Ireland and were brought over by Merlin. In fact, seemingly they specifically came from a Mount Killarus, which is the Hill of Uisneach in County Westmeath (the area around Uisneach is called Killare even today). Is this story true? According to archaeologists I don’t think so, but since when did that put an end to a good story?
Check This Out: Weird Ireland: An Unofficial Guide to the Island
I wrote a book! ‘Weird Ireland: An Unofficial Guide to the Island’. Out now and available in bookshops and online. The book is loaded with scoops about all sorts of interesting and eccentric places and stories from across Ireland, from the legend of the Lough Ree Monster, magic hills where cars roll up against gravity, and even Irish fizzy drink lore.
Follow Brinsley McNamara at:
Instagram: @Weird.Ireland
TikTok: @WeirdIreland
Facebook: Weird Ireland
YouTube: Weirdly Ireland
Podcast: Weird Ireland
Unalaska, Aleutian Islands (USA): Valerie at Valerie and Valise
I’m still working on my Alaska travel plans for this year, but one place I’m really hoping to visit is Unalaska, in the Aleutian Islands. In the past few years, I’ve been building out genealogy resources for my family, including my granduncles who served in World War II, and one specifically who served in that part of Alaska. I’d love to visit that part of the state – which is very different from other regions – and to experience that history first-hand at the Aleutian Islands World War II National Historic Area, visiting local war sites and the museum there.
Increasingly (and understandably as an American), I find myself drawn to understand that generation’s experiences, and I think it will provide me a special perspective to understand how his time in Alaska shaped my granduncle – with whom my dad was very close – and in turn might have changed the path of my life, since it might be why my dad chose to take a job in Alaska and thus why I grew up there!
Check This Out: Alaskan Trip Planning Service
New in 2026, I’m a travel advisor specializing in Alaska; I want to provide white-glove service for people who want it, in addition to all of the free resources on my blog and social media.
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Instagram: Valerie and Valise
Facebook: Valerie and Valise
YouTube: Valerie and Valise
Website: Valerie and Valise
Where to Travel in 2026 – I want to hear from you!
I’m curious to know what places are catching your eye for 2026. They could be trips you’ve booked or ones you’ve added to the year’s bucket list. Let me know in the comments below!
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Helpful Tips for Booking Your Trips
Flights
If you want affordable flights, you must get into the points and miles game. Check out my Points and Miles Travel Coaching services to help Canadians fly for less than a tank of gas!
Car Rentals
To help you explore new destinations, turn to Discover Cars for a huge range of vehicle options and excellent prices.
Accommodation
There are so many options for affordable, comfortable, and unique accommodation. Some of my favourite accommodation options are housesitting and hostels. I’ve been using Trusted Housesitters and Hostelworld for years. If you prefer hotels, then check out Booking.com.
Activities
Get Your Guide is a fantastic resource for different activities to try when travelling. They have everything from walking tours, food tours, tickets to attractions, and multi-day trips, and more. Check out this super cool view I had of Tallinn when I was in Estonia for the Christmas markets in 2023, all because of a Get Your Guide experience. My favourite tour so far that I’ve been on with Get Your Guide is a fantastic walking food tour I did in Dublin. That experience had a wild twist, but you’ll have to read this blog post to find out why!
