52 Places to Travel in the U.S. This Year

This story is part of Afar’s America 250 coverage, which includes articles, podcasts, and social media storytelling.

In celebration of America’s 250th birthday in 2026, we’ve searched the country for the boldest, artsiest, buzziest, friendliest, tastiest, booziest things going on right now. Indigenous art galleries, immigrant-owned barbecue joints, revitalized rivers made for whitewater rafting, new expedition cruise routes, Nordic-themed sauna road trips, retro beach hotels: Here are 52 unique places and experiences that have us ready to book a flight and go explore.

The Midwest

Photo by Bryan Birks/The New York Times/Redux

Illinois: Meet Route 66’s new resident giants

In the 1960s and ’70s, the International Fiberglass Company made hundreds of giant fiberglass advertising figures—Paul Bunyan, Yogi Bear, cowboys, giant chickens, dinosaurs—for businesses to display out front as a way to attract road-tripping families. Now, many of these larger-than-life characters, which reach up to 24 feet tall, have found a second home at the American Giants Museum, which opened in 2023 in Atlanta, Illinois (pop. 1,669), on Old Route 66. The museum is adding more of these “muffler men,” as they were known, in preparation for next year’s Route 66 centennial, which will no doubt fuel plenty of nostalgic exploration. —Ellen Carpenter

Indiana: Rev up in Indianapolis

After a 17-month, $60.5 million renovation, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum reopened with an additional 40,000 square feet of gallery space and a renewed focus on interactivity and immersion. “[When we] show guests what an IndyCar looks like up close, what tires feel like, and how fast pit stops are, they’re more likely to feel connected to the race and become a fan,” says former museum president Joe Hale. To that end, visitors can take a spin in high-tech driving simulators, while an immersive video showcases the pageantry leading up to the big race’s start. —Justin Goldman

Iowa: Surf a river wave in the Midwest

It’s now possible for travelers to hang 10 in the Hawkeye State: Cedar Falls sits about 950 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, but that hasn’t stopped it from developing a surf scene. This spring, the college town debuted the $6.5 million Gateway River Park, transforming a sleepy stretch of the Cedar River into an aquatic playground for whitewater kayaking, fishing, tubing, paddleboarding, and surfing. Buy or rent gear (boards, life vests, helmets) at CrawDaddy Outdoors, 20 minutes away in Waverly, before tackling the rapids that give this section of the river a consistent beginner-friendly swell. —Nicholas DeRenzo

Kansas: Sip clever cocktails in the Kansas City suburbs

Courtesy of Wild Child

Fifteen minutes from downtown Kansas City, suburban Shawnee is home to one of the country’s most creative bars, Wild Child. Here, modernist cocktails made with hickory bark cordial, vermouth caramel, and tomato dust come served in glass ice cream cones or ceramic faces or topped with edible ink. Even cooler is the extensive menu of nonalcoholic concoctions, including twists on espresso martinis and Negronis. Owner Jay Sanders makes his own N/A spirits in-house by redistilling the booze out of ingredients like absinthe and gin. Do we understand the science? Not fully. Is it delicious? Absolutely. —ND

Michigan: Worship at the altar of art in Detroit

Detroit is a city constantly reinventing itself. To see a dynamic recent example of this transformation, head 15 minutes east of downtown to the new Little Village cultural corridor. Here, wife-and-husband gallerists JJ and Anthony Curis converted a 1911 Romanesque Revival church into a free arts space and performance venue with a Black arts library in the transept and a B&B in the former rectory. The creativity spills out onto the grounds, where there’s a skate park designed by skateboarder Tony Hawk and artist McArthur Binion, a sculpture garden with monumental pieces by Charles McGee, and a pair of “art altars” featuring rotating works, such as The Mothership Connection, a 26-foot-tall installation by British Trinidadian artist Zak Ové. —ND

Minnesota: Get steamy on a sauna-themed road trip

Courtesy of Ski Hill Cabins and Saunas

The North Star State is home to the highest population of Norwegians, Swedes, and Finns outside of Europe. That Nordic heritage has seeped into the cuisine, the accent, and especially the love of all things sauna—dating as far back as 1915, when the state’s oldest operating public sauna, Ely Steam House, opened its doors. Starting in Minneapolis and heading northeast, this road trip connects some of the hottest spots in the state.

In Minneapolis, the Hewing Hotel and the Four Seasons offer rooftop saunas, while the communal Watershed bathhouse is known for its multi-part bathing rituals. Come winter, the brave flock to Sauna Camp in nearby Excelsior, where the post-sauna plunge takes place in holes cut directly into the ice atop Lake Minnewashta.

About 100 miles north of the Twin Cities, in the town of Finlayson, Silvae Spiritus provides a meditative retreat that offers guided forest bathing, wood-fired sauna sessions, and sound immersion therapy. Visitors can spend the night in the cozy guesthouse or a tiny house hidden away in the Northwoods.

Up in the burgeoning port city of Duluth, an hour’s drive northeast of Finlayson, Cedar and Stone Nordic Sauna unveiled a floating bargelike sauna that’s docked in chilly Lake Superior. The company’s robust events calendar includes listening parties, community cold plunges, and marathon recovery sessions.

Another 90 miles northeast, within Superior National Forest (the largest east of the Mississippi) is the community of Lutsen and the newly opened Ski Hill Cabins and Saunas. It’s a rugged yet stylish retreat to warm up weary bones after a day of winter hiking, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing.

About 40 miles from the Canadian border, the artsy village of Grand Marais is home to Sisu + Löyly (Finnish for “stoic determination” and “steam”), which operates a stationary main sauna, America’s first floating public sauna (custom-built atop a tritoon boat), and a mobile sauna that’s sometimes based at an area winery. —ND

Missouri: Immerse yourself in children’s literature at a new Kansas City museum

At Rabbit Hole, an experiential museum of children’s literature in Kansas City, kids can take a bath with the titular pup from Harry the Dirty Dog, play in the kitchen from Blueberries for Sal, answer the phone in the great green room from Goodnight Moon—or simply find a nook to read, in and around each exhibit. Former bookstore owners Deb Pettid and Pete Cowdin opened the museum in March 2024, and with help from artists and fabricators, they’ll rotate exhibits through more than 70 iconic works from the past century. Here, exiting through the gift shop—fittingly named Lucky Rabbit—is a way to keep the story going at home. —EC

Nebraska: Take in a museum with a mission

Photo by Nic Lehoux

Opened in 1931 as a gift to Omaha from philanthropist Sarah Joslyn, the Joslyn Art Museum is beloved for its pink-marble art deco building, which practically glows during Great Plains sunsets. In September 2024, the museum unveiled a splashy new pavilion from global architectural firm Snøhetta, and curators shook up the collection: Once relegated to its own specific gallery, Native art now suffuses the entire place, meaning you might see a Mary Cassatt impressionist painting sharing space with beaded garments made by women on newly formed reservations and striking portraits by Ho-Chunk artist Tom Jones among other contemporary works. “Few museums can say that they have Native art on view in every American art gallery,” says curator Annika K. Johnson. “Indigenous arts are part and parcel of American art history.” —ND

North Dakota: Dine at a restaurant where Great Plains cuisine gets a glow-up

North Dakota’s rib-sticking cuisine originates from flavors enjoyed by its 19th-century settlers, including Scandinavians and Russian-born ethnic Germans. At Huckleberry House in Bismarck, Le Cordon Bleu–trained chef Cody Monson is bringing historic dishes into the present with global flavors and modern techniques. That means the knoephla (a creamy dumpling stew) comes with vadouvan curried pumpkin, the fleischkuekle (a fried turnover) is topped with dill pollen and birch sap syrup, and smoked bison sausage and toasted rye crumbs bolster ravioli-like cheese buttons. —ND

Ohio: Spend the night in an architectural landmark

Frank Lloyd Wright completists have a new building to add to their must-visit list: RiverRock House opened this March in the Cleveland suburb of Willoughby Hills—and it’s available to rent for overnight stays. So what took Lloyd Wright’s final residential commission so long to be finished? The blueprints had just been completed when Wright died in 1959, and it wasn’t until 2018 that a contractor named Sarah Dykstra bought the plans and revived the project. While there’s some debate if it “counts” as a Wright house (due to the fact that he couldn’t control every detail), Dykstra worked to ensure that the place looks exactly as he planned it, with some slight alterations to meet current building regulations. That means the house leans into Wright’s concept of organic architecture, focusing on open floor plans, clean lines, and the use of natural materials. —Bailey Berg

South Dakota: Eat and drink your way around Sioux Falls

The Badlands and Black Hills have a way of attracting outdoorsy types to South Dakota, but a fresh wind sweeping through the Sioux Falls restaurant scene is bringing food-loving explorers to its largest city as well. Top Chef: Just Desserts winner Chris Hanmer changed the game with the 2013 opening of his CH Pâtisserie, and the ensuing decade has seen such newcomers as BibiSol Bodega + Provisions, where chef-owner Marcela Salas combines modern Mexican flavors with ancient Indigenous techniques. Nearby, the tropical cocktail bar the Hello Hi serves concoctions like Nordern Exposure, a North-meets-South-Pacific fusion of Nordic-spiced rum, honey, guava, lime, cardamom, and the Caribbean syrup falernum. —ND

Wisconsin: Have a chic-meets-casual night out in Milwaukee

Few cities are better suited for a high-low night on the town than Milwaukee. Kick off the evening at the Dubbel Dutch Hotel and its intimate lounge, Agency, which bills itself as America’s first fully hybrid cocktail bar. That means every drink on the multi-course tasting menu ($95) at this nationally celebrated bar can be ordered with or without alcohol; guests indicate their choice with a two-sided, color-coded coaster, so they don’t have to make a fuss about it. Across town is the 78-year-old Koz’s Mini Bowl, a family-owned tavern with the last original duckpin bowling lanes in the country. Expect human pinsetters, paper scorecards, and a taxidermied lion behind the bar. —ND

The Northeast

Courtesy of Belden House & Mews

Connecticut: Check into a historic mansion

Set in the forested hills of northwestern Connecticut, Litchfield welcomed a new hotel this spring that perfectly captures its pastoral sophistication. Belden House & Mews merges an 1888 Colonial Revival mansion with an 1891 firehouse and a 1959 modernist building. The interiors are by Champalimaud Design (founder Alexandra Champalimaud is a town resident), and each of the 31 rooms offers guests a chance to celebrate area craftspeople: Items like ceramic lamps, grass-cloth wall coverings, and four-poster beds were created in studios mere minutes away. Particularly lovely is the jewel box bar, done up in a vibrant green that evokes snap peas and leafy trees on a summer morning. —ND

Maine: Wander the hippest (and most delicious) little street in New England

Photos by Greta Rybus

Portland is brimming with nautical charm and historic architecture—and visitors will find very little of that on post-industrial Washington Avenue. What they will find, however, is perhaps the most densely packed restaurant street in New England. Once dominated by a 1920s bakery factory, the roughly mile-long strip now houses dozens of places to eat, drink, and shop, including breweries (beer and kombucha), a gin distillery, international restaurants (East African, Salvadoran), and specialty spots dedicated to cheese, Maine oysters, and duck-fat fries. Here’s how to spend a day exploring this constantly evolving thoroughfare. —ND

• Washington Baths: Start your day at the inclusive public sauna, which hosts queer community nights, DJ sets, lectures, figure-drawing classes, and film screenings.
• Onggi Market & Café: Named for Korean earthenware vessels used in fermentation, the compact market sells vinegars, soy sauces, hot sauces, kimchi, and more.
• Moonday Coffee: Sharing a shipping container with other retailers, the tiny café serves locally wood-fire-roasted beans and hosts a weekly pop-up from a popular bakery called Mari.
• The Post Supply: The goods at this nouveau general store (gardening clogs, Maine maple syrup, Amazonian baskets) are as beautiful as the shop’s wood-clad interiors.
• Công Tu Bot: Expand your view of Vietnamese cuisine with such dishes as a brunch plate with sticky rice cha lua (sausage), sliced omelet, and pork floss, and burnt pandan pound cake.
• Izakaya Minato: The family-style omakase at this Japanese gastropub is a steal, and à la carte standouts include the “uni spoon,” with Maine sea urchin and raw quail egg yolk.
• Lil Chippy: The new seafood spot specializes in exceptional fish and chips, but the menu includes other options like chili-crisp tuna crudo and butter-poached crab sandwiches.

Where to stay: Hotels We Love in New England

Massachusetts: Catch a show at a Berkshires dance institution

Photo by Megan Haley

The performance space Jacob’s Pillow opened in the Berkshires in the 1930s and has served as a center for boundary-breaking American dance ever since. A fire destroyed one of its three theaters in 2020, and in July 2025 the reimagined Doris Duke Theatre opened its doors with a building that has been specially designed to integrate dance and technology: Taiwanese inventor and choreographer Huang Yi and audiovisual pioneer Ryoichi Kurokawa, for instance, collaborated on a work that melds dance, robotics, and holographic projections. Those who didn’t make it to the summer festival will find year-round programming that includes pop-up performances, artist talks, and classes. —EC

Where to stay: Hotels We Love in New England

New Hampshire: Order a cone at New England’s coolest ice cream parlor

The cone of silence around Super Secret Ice Cream has long since crumbled. Kristina Zontini began selling her hyperlocal treats in 2019 out of an old ski-tuning shed, via a private Instagram account. Now, she operates from a brick-and-mortar shop in Bethlehem, in the foothills of the White Mountains. But even before back-to-back James Beard nods, locals knew the scoop—that’s because many of the ingredients Zontini uses for such flavors as sweetberry honeysuckle and strawberry baa baa (with sheep’s milk yogurt) are sourced from their very own backyards. The dairy for the base comes from less than 30 miles away, and Zontini plucks the plums directly off her family’s tree for a seasonal Sugar Plum Fairy flavor. —Naomi Tomky

Where to stay: Hotels We Love in New England

New Jersey: Recharge at a sylvan estate in the Garden State

New Jersey is the country’s most densely populated state, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room to roam: In October 2024, the Pendry Hotels group transformed the 1912 Tudor-style Natirar estate—once owned by the king of Morocco—into a sprawling countryside resort in Somerset County. While the 68 rooms are elegant and the spa beckons, the best way to enjoy Pendry Natirar is by spending as much time outside as possible: visiting with the chickens and sheep, touring the beehives and greenhouses, joining in archery and axe-throwing lessons, or setting off on a sunset e-bike ride through these bucolic settings only an hour west of Manhattan. —ND

New York: Sample the fruits of a burgeoning wine scene in the Finger Lakes

Photo by Abby Quatro (L); Matt Kazmierski (R)

A new crop of innovative winemakers is raising the bar in the Finger Lakes wine region, where unique grape varieties and low-intervention practices are increasingly replacing the sweeter wines long associated with the area.

“Compared to what I grew up thinking of the Finger Lakes, in a lot of ways it’s unrecognizable,” says locally born winemaker Kelby James Russell, who launched Apollo’s Praise winery on Seneca Lake in 2023. “There’s a flood of winemaking talent, 40 and under, that has filled the region.” In addition to acclaimed rieslings (one of the region’s signature wines), Russell has experimented with the little-known German grape scheurebe and is working on a lambrusco-like sparkling wine. Tastings are by appointment.

Ben Riccardi worked at wineries all over the world before returning home to start Osmote on Seneca Lake. His creations include a chardonnay and a pétillant naturel (a light, fizzy wine), and he’s growing hybrid grapes such as aromella and marquette in his estate vineyard. Riccardi is also planting a seed to help the industry grow: Julia and Alex Alvarez-Perez of nearby Usonia used his facility before founding their own winery on Cayuga Lake. “I can see a younger generation is really interested in hybrid wines,” Riccardi says, “not just for the message of sustainability, but for how fun they are to drink.”

This excitement, paired with land prices cheaper than those on the West Coast, is attracting new blood. César Vega and Louisiane Remy source Finger Lakes grapes for their Brooklyn-based natural winery, Barbichette. Michael Penn and Ria D’Aversa, meanwhile, relocated from California to start Ria’s Wines, where they make minimal-intervention wines. “There’s so much opportunity here,” D’Aversa says.

Ithaca, which is about 30 minutes to an hour by car from many of these wineries, makes for a convenient home base. Especially lovely is the Argos Inn, an 1831 mansion with Dalí prints and two cocktail bars; discerning oenophiles will also love the design-forward Lake House on Canandaigua, which opened in 2020 on the site of a former motel with a spa and outdoor barrel saunas. —JG

Pennsylvania: Go winery- and wine-bar-hopping through Philadelphia

Philadelphians can be a spirited bunch, and these days the hometown fervor is on full display in a once-overlooked arena. “That classic Philly pride extends to the wine community as well,” says Francesca Galarus, who co-owns Mural City Cellars with her partner, winemaker Nicholas Ducos. “We’re all deeply passionate about elevating the local scene and showcasing the incredible things happening in this region.”

In 2021, the duo opened the city’s first independent urban winery, and last year they moved into a converted auto body shop in formerly industrial Fishtown. They’ve since expanded their footprint to a laid-back wine garden across the street. Ducos, who trained in Napa and New Zealand, selects grapes from within a 300-mile radius and turns them into wines like pét-nat rosé and a house blend made with vidal blanc grapes grown on Lake Erie. The winery is a short stroll from Fishtown’s newly opened Hotel Anna & Bel, where the on-site restaurant Bastia has an extensive wine list that leans heavily toward bottles from Sardinia, Corsica, and Sicily.

In March 2025, Chloé Grigri—known for her natural wine bar, Superfolie—transformed a South Philly butcher shop into Superette, a cheerful bottle shop and bar à vin that sells private label rosé made with pinot noir and gamay from the Loire Valley. And don’t miss Olde Kensington’s standout newcomer, the urban winery and tasting room Pray Tell. Tom Caruso grew up making wine on the sidewalk with his grandfather in South Philly, before leaving the city to pursue winemaking in New York and Sonoma. He founded Pray Tell in Oregon’s Willamette Valley in 2017, with labels he made himself featuring paper cutouts and collages inspired by Matisse. Last summer, he moved operations to his hometown to experiment with Pennsylvania-grown grapes. “The dream,” Caruso says, “was always to do something back in Philly.” —Regan Stephens

Rhode Island: Celebrate local chefs at a new food hall

Providence’s Union Station opened in 1898 with 14 rail lines to shuttle passengers across New England. After shutting down in the 1980s, the space housed restaurants, before eventually sitting vacant. In March 2025, after a $25 million reimagining, it reopened as the Track 15 food hall, with seven local vendors serving everything from Mexican and Indian street food to fish sandwiches and Rhode Island–style clam chowder (that’s clear broth, for the uninitiated). Developer Chris Marsella says that supporting local restaurateurs instead of nationally recognized celebrity chefs was a no-brainer. “We have amazing talent here,” Marsella says. “Every place claims to be a ‘food city’ now. But Providence? We really are a food city. And now we have one more addition to a really vibrant scene.” —EC

Where to stay: Hotels We Love in New England

Vermont: Seek out a pilgrimage-worthy martini in a rural village

Four out of five finalists for best bar at the 2025 James Beard Awards are in big cities. The last one? It’s in White River Junction, a Vermont village of about 2,500 residents. A bar made from locally quarried marble is the centerpiece at tiny but mighty Wolf Tree, which attracts outsize attention thanks to its dedication to craft and use of seasonal farmed and foraged ingredients—rhubarb in spring, cranberry in winter. But it’s how the team executes the basics that tell you you’re in good hands. Martinis are served in frosty glasses, made with salt and orange bitters, alongside a trio of garnishes: lemon peel, house-pickled onions, and Castelvetrano olives. —ND

Where to stay: Hotels We Love in New England

The South

Courtesy of Equal Justice Initiative∕Human Pictures

Alabama: Book a trip to a Montgomery hotel built for contemplation

In 2018, the Equal Justice Initiative, founded by civil rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson, opened the Legacy Sites in Montgomery, comprising a museum about slavery and its ongoing impact and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, a sobering tribute to the 4,400-plus victims of lynching across the U.S. This fall, it’s adding to the sites with the opening of the new Elevation Convening Center & Hotel, which will feature 99 rooms and a restaurant serving reimagined Black Southern cuisine. Most important, the HKS architecture firm constructed spots designed for reflection and learning, such as peaceful gardens and a guests-only library, where they can dig even deeper into the history that necessitated the creation of these sites. —JG

Arkansas: Blaze new trails in Bentonville

Thanks in large part to the philanthropic arm of a local company called Walmart, the northwest Arkansas city of Bentonville has become a cultural hub, with such innovative institutions as the Crystal Bridges Museum of Art and its contemporary-focused satellite the Momentary. Now, several Walton scions are flexing their monetary muscles in the direction of outdoor recreation. They’ve pumped millions into the development of a 70-mile mountain-biking trail network that connects to an additional 400 miles of pathways through the Ozark foothills. Visitors can rent gear at Phat Tire, Bentonville Bicycle Co., and Mojo Cycling, and there’s even a roadside hotel aimed at cyclists, the Bike Inn, which has wall-mounted bike racks in each room. —JG

Delaware: Drink inside a historic bank

Shaker-inspired furnishings and bold floral wallpapers liven up the interiors of the stately 1885 Romanesque bank building in Wilmington that now houses Delaware’s coolest hotel, the Quoin. The 24 rooms and suites are enchanting, but the greatest riches are found in the former vault, which once stored gold bars and furs and has now been transformed into the Simmer Down cocktail bar. Here, a mural by Reverend Michael Alan pairs mid-Atlantic folk art styles with classic mythology and pop culture references. (Yes, that’s Chaka Khan next to the UFO.) —ND

Florida: Choose from three hotels inspired by nostalgic coastal architecture

Photo by Patrick Chin

Everything old is new again in the Sunshine State, where a trio of new and reimagined hotels are being born from historic properties—each of which perfectly showcases a notable moment in 20th-century American architecture.

• The Shelborne By Proper, Miami Beach: California-based Proper Hospitality revitalized this 1940 landmark, which straddles the line between art deco and tropical modernism. The $100 million renovation of the 251-room hotel kept such original elements as the midcentury diving board but also introduced a modern seafood-forward restaurant, Pauline, from Keys native and Eleven Madison Park alum Abram Bissell.
• The Vineta Hotel, Palm Beach: For its first U.S. property, the Oetker Collection, based in Germany, turned to this 1926 Mediterranean revival property, beloved by Palm Beach tastemakers for its pale-pink facade and plant-filled courtyard. Paris-based designer Tino Zervudachi is responsible for the overhaul, which will see the number of guest rooms reduced from 57 to 41 to maximize space when it opens later this year.
• Pier Sixty-Six, Fort Lauderdale: One of the finest examples of the futuristic postwar style known as Googie, this marina-front hotel debuted in 1965 on the site of the Phillips 66 Petroleum fuel dock that gave it its name. The hurricane-damaged hotel reopened in January after a $1 billion (with a b) redevelopment, complete with its iconic revolving rooftop lounge, which now leans posh with a menu of champagne, caviar, and oysters. —ND

Georgia: Escape to a swamp that’s even more magical after sunset

Although it doesn’t quite have the name recognition of the Everglades, the Okefenokee, on the Georgia–Florida border, is a wetland of mammoth proportions: North America’s largest black-water swamp, it could fit D.C. within its borders nine-plus times. The water gets its tea-like appearance from the tannins in decaying plants, and the night sky above is just as inky. No wonder the swamp’s Stephen C. Foster State Park was named the first “gold-tier” dark sky park in the Southeast, due to its exceptionally low light pollution. The best way to experience this wilderness is on a one- to four-day, naturalist-led excursion with Okefenokee Adventures. After a day of kayaking or canoeing, campers set up tents on floating platforms, and the hoots of barred owls provide the soundtrack for stargazing. Travelers may be hearing much more about the region soon: The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge was nominated to join the UNESCO World Heritage list. —ND

Kentucky: Stay in a petite slice of Paris in Louisville

Photo by Genevieve Garruppo

Louisville takes its name from Louis XVI, so when Austin-based Bunkhouse Hotels opened its first Kentucky property, Hotel Genevieve, in 2023, the designers leaned into the Francophile vibe. Named for the patron saint of Paris, the 122-room property has a banana-yellow market called the Mini Marché, rooms that hint at Parisian style, and a live jazz club where Josephine Baker would fit right in. This year, chef Jenner Tomaska and his wife Katrina Bravo opened Byrdie’s, an on-site, Southern-accented bistro serving such mashups as foie gras with apple butter and escargots with cornbread. —ND

Louisiana: Taste the future of Gulf Coast seafood at a New Orleans fish market

At Porgy’s Seafood Market in Mid-City New Orleans, fishmonger and co-owner Caitlin Carney is on a first-name basis with the Gulf Coast suppliers who help fill the counter. These relationships are a defining ethos of her petite market, with its vintage photos and racks of boil spice and fish jerky. But the beauty of the place is just how much of what’s sold here is left to chance: Porgy’s is on a mission to sell bycatch and boost the fishing industry in the process.

“Bycatch is a fish or crustacean that ends up in a net meant for something else,” says Carney, whose arms feature colorful fish tattoos. Traditionally, bycatch species went to waste, got tossed back, or were used as bait, but Carney leans into their delicious potential. “We purchase them instead.”

As a result, the case at Porgy’s offers an ever-evolving roster of species not often found on NOLA menus: porgy, the place’s sweet, buttery namesake; colorful parrotfish; sheepshead, which have oddly human-like teeth; and even barracuda. Shoppers can take home whole fish to cook or order them in dishes like po’boys, crudos, sashimi, or smoked fish dip.

These species also have a way of inspiring culinary creativity. “Our crispy ’cuda bites came about on a whim,” Carney says. “We had trouble getting folks to try barracuda, so we made it into fresh fish nuggets, battered in our proprietary dredge and fried.” She serves them with herbs, chilies, and a Thai-style dipping sauce. “They’re a cult classic now.” —Jenny Adams

Maryland: Buy high-design items at a Baltimore hotel

It’s not unusual to buy the lotion or bathrobe found in your hotel room. But what about the light fixtures or the chaise longue? At Guesthouse by Good Neighbor, a seven-room boutique hotel in Baltimore’s trending Hampden area, almost everything is for sale. Owners Shawn Chopra and Anne Morgan first opened Good Neighbor as a café and retail shop celebrating local designers; they added a hotel in 2023 to offer shoppers a chance to test out items—like a Hide Side Table by Hem or a Kendo swivel chair—before taking them home. Community is at the core here. Chopra and Morgan have added a Design Garage where makers can work and collaborate, and they host a festival each summer that brings together design aficionados. —EC

Mississippi: Stop into two restaurants bridging old and new in the Deep South

Photo by Mary Rooks

The all-day Jackson hangout Elvie’s has earned national acclaim for its chic take on Southern hospitality. The space effortlessly glides from a.m. bakery (bacon and egg grit fritters) to afternoon bar (French 75 Jell-O shots), and dinners highlight area farmers and anglers. In 2024, co-owners Hunter Evans and Cody McCain revitalized the nearby Mayflower Café, an institution opened 90 years ago by Greek immigrants. Order the daily blue plate special, which might include crawfish tetrazzini or feta-brined fried chicken—plus salad, two sides, bread, and iced tea for under $15. —ND

North Carolina: Embrace community at Asheville’s joyous queer spaces

Asheville queer-owned bar and gathering space DayTrip had been open just 32 days when Hurricane Helene hit in September 2024. “It started raining on a Wednesday, and by Friday, our building was under 23 feet of flood water,” says co-owner Brandon Davis. His story of a small-business owner affected by the widespread destruction isn’t unique. What is remarkable, though, is the comeback. Less than eight months after the storm, Davis and his husband, Davie Roberts, reopened DayTrip, thanks to more than $200,000 in donations that they used to both rebuild and share with other area businesses and charities. The duo transformed a former brewery into “grandma’s living room in the ’70s,” says Davis, complete with shag rugs, crushed velvet sofas, and vintage floral glasses.

In a time when many gay and lesbian bars across the country are shuttering, the swift reopening feels like a beacon of hope. And DayTrip isn’t alone. Other queer-centered businesses around town that are holding strong include Banks Ave. Bar, the place to go for drag shows and line dancing, and the beloved dive bar Shakey’s, which hosts comedy showcases, benefit parties to help rebuild, and pop-ups with local pickle makers.

Some spots are even slated for expansion. One of the city’s buzziest restaurants is Neng Jr.’s, a James Beard–finalist Filipinx Southern restaurant where chef-owner Silver Iocovozzi serves dishes like scallop and peach inihaw (barbecue) and duck adobo with coconut milk. This year, the business will grow with Harmony, a neighboring bar and bottle shop run by Iocovozzi’s husband, Cherry, that will focus on natural wines.

“It’s important now more than ever that we are showing that we’re not afraid,” says DayTrip’s Davis. “More places like us are going to keep popping up.” —Shayla Martin

Where to stay: Hotels We Love in Asheville

Oklahoma: Enjoy nouveau Native cooking

After years cooking at fine-dining spots in Tulsa, Jacque Siegfried decided to open her own restaurant, Nātv, in Broken Arrow, a suburb about 14 miles southeast of the city, in 2022. The restaurant celebrates her own Shawnee and Cherokee heritage and pays homage to the 37 other federally recognized tribes in Oklahoma. Siegfried sources local, precontact ingredients for Indigenous classics like three sisters stew (made with corn, beans, and squash) and pashofa (a thick soup of pork and hominy). She also creates her own inventive dishes, such as sunchoke gnocchi with mushroom conserva and barbecue duck wings with wojapi (berry sauce). —EC

Puerto Rico: Embark on an artsy cocktail crawl through San Juan’s coolest neighborhood

Located just south of beachfront Condado, Santurce is an edgy, art-filled barrio that is sometimes overlooked by visitors who stick to the tourist-friendly, colonial confines of Old San Juan. Once home to numerous salsa record labels, Calle Cerra has transformed into a nightlife and street art corridor filled with murals from the annual Santurce Es Ley festival. Here’s where to eat, drink, shop, see art—and drink again. —ND

• Identidad Cocktail Bar: The 2025 James Beard Award winner for best new bar uses ingredients like mushrooms and tonka beans—but casual bargoers can still get a $2.50 local lager at happy hour.
• Peccas Helado Artesanal: The cheerful ice cream parlor leans into the calle’s nightlife vibe with boozy flavors—think gin lavender and pistachio martini.
• La Disquera: A disco ball and paper lanterns hang over the Japanese pub and listening bar known for its refreshing highballs and expertly curated sake list.
• Café con Cé: The best way to sample Puerto Rican–grown coffee at this sunny café is with a colao, a style of pour-over made using a fine mesh strainer called a colador.
• Recinto Cerra: The storefront gallery hosts group shows and solo exhibits from the likes of ceramist and textile artist Alana Iturralde and sculptor Lea González.
• Orí Micro Galería Afro: Dedicated to Afro-diasporic art and narratives, the gallery hosts workshops, talks, screenings, and folk performances.
• Discotecario: The island’s largest collection of used vinyls offers a primer on local genres like jíbaro (country music born in the mountains) and Afro-Caribbean bomba.
• Machete: “It’s just a bar,” the website insists, but the neighborhood spot serves creative Latin-inspired drinks like the Jíbaro All-Star, made with aged rum, bitters, and mavi, the fermented bark of a Caribbean tree.

South Carolina: Shop local in Charleston

Photo by Catherine Hurt

A new generation of design boutiques is making it easy to re-create Charleston’s craveable interiors back home. In June 2024, event designer Gregory Blake Sams opened Wentworth, which sells one-of-a-kind goods and curiosities such as Pompeii-inspired terra-cotta urns, crystal match strikers, and woven grass baskets from Cambodia. Neighborly, meanwhile, focuses on Charleston-based potters, painters, and other makers; a great souvenir from here is a Smithey cast-iron skillet, designed and crafted on a local naval base. The loveliest shop might be the Black-owned Estelle Colored Glass, which is lined with candy-hued, handblown stemware and cake stands. Before taking any glasses home, shoppers can try them out at the on-site mocktail bar. —ND

Where to stay: Hotels We Love in Charleston

Tennessee: Tune in at hi-fi listening lounges in Nashville and Memphis

Photo by Ray Di Pietro

Honky-tonks and juke joints are a classic way to enjoy a night out with music in Tennessee; as of the past few years, hi-fi listening lounges offer a sophisticated alternative. Inspired by Japanese kissa jazz bars, these urbane spaces feature incredible audio systems and DJs spinning records for people who value the communal experience of taking in excellent music. Opened in Nashville last September, 888 is an intimate sushi and cocktail den from the design team responsible for the Ace Hotel Kyoto, with a 2,000-strong vinyl collection and a sound system designed by renowned acoustical engineer Steve Durr, who has worked with the likes of Taylor Swift and Willie Nelson. While not technically a listening bar, the nearby Golden Sound, in the Gulch neighborhood, evokes a similar vibe thanks to its location in a repurposed 1960s-era recording studio.

Over in Memphis, the Central Station Hotel is home to a vinyl collection with more than 40,000 Memphis-related songs, EgglestonWorks speakers made right in the city, and an intimate listening lounge behind the lobby bar. True audiophiles can skip the bar scene altogether and head to the Memphis Listening Lab, which opened in 2021 at the Crosstown Concourse, a repurposed Sears building from the 1920s. This public archive houses 35,000 45 rpm singles, 25,000-plus LPs, and 25,000 CDs donated by a recording studio company founder. Visitors are invited to drop by, pick up a record, and listen to it on one of the turntable stations. —ND

Texas: Savor the globally inspired flavors of an immigrant-led barbecue renaissance

Photos by Jody Horton

The best thing since sliced bread? Naan, pita, and injera replacing it on barbecue platters across the Lone Star State. Once defined by its rigid rules, Texas barbecue is getting a shake-up thanks to a growing class of pitmasters telling stories of migration and global flavors through such dishes as seekh kabab sausage and smoky brisket tacos.

• Smoke ’N Ash BBQ, Arlington: He’s from Waco, she’s from Addis Ababa. When Patrick and Fasicka Hicks transitioned their barbecue truck to a brick-and-mortar spot west of Dallas, they added a few Ethiopian dishes and loved the fusion. “Somehow hickory wood goes perfect with berbere spice.” Now, they glaze meat with awaze (a chili sauce) and fry pieces of injera flatbread to make nachos, too.
• Kemuri Tatsu-Ya, Austin: Prolific Tokyo-born chef Tatsu Aikawa melds Texas barbecue with Japanese izakaya bar food. Combining the two cuisines was a natural progression for him, resulting in serrano-miso barbecue sauce brisket, pork ribs with carrot-ginger glaze, and banana pudding with matcha. “When people migrate, they take the flavors of their upbringing with them,” Aikawa says.
• Jiménez y Friends Barbecue y Taquería, Lubbock: Mike Flores quit his job at a local barbecue shop in 2022, when his mom and brother opened a bakery and burrito place like those his family has run since 1969. He held barbecue pop-ups there on weekends, before the concepts merged. Now, they serve smoked meats on sweet Mexican concha rolls with apple-jicama slaw—Tex-Mex identity, on a plate.
• Habibi Barbecue, Arlington: When Marc Fadel competed on his high school’s barbecue team (only in Texas!), he hewed closely to the state’s traditions. Now in college, he runs his own barbecue truck, bringing flavors from his Lebanese American roots. “To serve Texas Lebanese–spiced brisket with tabbouleh and batata kizbara (garlic potatoes) warms my heart and my stomach,” he says.
• Sabar BBQ, Fort Worth: Zain Shafi began thinking about adding spices found in Pakistani seekh kabab to sausage while working at Goldee’s BBQ. According to Shafi, “It kind of spiraled from there.” He now pairs tandoori smoked turkey and burnt-ends nihari (meat stew) with dal. “Our form of beans are lentils,” Shafi says. Fruit chaat and kachumber salad, meanwhile, offer a cooling crunch that mimics coleslaw. —NT

Virginia: Sleep in at a folksy new hotel in Richmond

Photo by Blake Shorter

Richmond’s Fan District—between the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and Virginia Commonwealth University—will soon welcome its first boutique hotel, Shenandoah Mansions, set in a 1906 red-brick apartment building. Its owners describe the property as “a Southern darling with a dark side,” and indeed, the decor pays homage to mystical folk culture. The 73 rooms are outfitted with mahogany beds draped in richly colored fabrics, celestial-patterned rugs, and Delft-inspired bathroom tiles painted with vignettes depicting the seven deadly sins. Feeling inspired? Pen the next Southern Gothic fable from the writing desk or cast-iron tub in one of the suites. —ND

Washington, D.C.: Move to the beat at a museum rooted in D.C. music history

How many of D.C.’s museums speak to the culture of the District itself? A few miles from the National Mall, across the Anacostia River, the new Go-Go Museum & Café is dedicated to the funk subgenre that developed here in the 1970s and was declared the official music of the city in 2020. “It came out of the ground here,” says chief curator Natalie “Dr. Go-Go” Hopkinson, a professor at American University. “It’s the expression of the Chocolate City.” Under the musical direction of Anwan Glover (an actor from The Wire and go-go band member), the museum features physical and digital artifacts, a backyard concert stage, and a recording studio for aspiring area musicians. “The best way to learn about go-go,” Hopkinson says, “is to hear it and move to it.” —JG

Where to stay: Hotels We Love in Washington, D.C.

West Virginia: Visit a state park that’s a climbers’ paradise

In May, West Virginia welcomed its first new state park in three decades, Summersville Lake—and it’s the first in the USA to focus on climbing education. Access to its sandstone crags is impacted by seasonal water levels: In summer, climbers often reach the cliffs by boat and ascend right from the water; in winter, the lake gets drained. “After it dries out, you get on the lakebed and hike all the cliffs, anywhere you want,” says Gene Kistler of the New River Alliance of Climbers. “Winter climbing on the lake is one of my favorite things.” First-timers can rent shoes or buy gear at Water Stone Outdoors in Fayetteville and book half- or full-day private climbing trips with New River Mountain Guides. —EC

The West

Photo by Catie Bergman Photography

Alaska: Head (far) west on an expedition cruise

Any cruise through Alaska can feel like a far-flung adventure, but a journey to the Aleutian Islands feels like traveling to the ends of the Earth. HX and UnCruise Adventures now sail to this remote archipelago, which stretches 1,200 miles and offers blockbuster wildlife (orcas, sea otters) and stunning landscapes (active volcanoes, a petrified forest). On HX, cruisers can venture even farther afield to St. Matthew Island, in the middle of the Bering Sea, where millions of seabirds—such as the crested auklet and tufted puffin—come to feed and nest each summer. “Located more than 200 miles from the nearest village, St. Matthew Island is uninhabited and seldom visited,” says Alex McNeil, chief expedition officer at HX. “The island’s dramatic landscapes and rich wildlife are fully protected as part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, and it is often described as the most remote place in Alaska.” —EC

Where to stay: Hotels We Love in Alaska

Arizona: Tour both sides of the southern border

Cofounded by husband-and-wife duo Alex and Rocío La Pierre (he’s American, she’s Mexican), Borderlandia aims to demystify the contentious international boundary with experiences and tours that celebrate the culture, cuisine, and history found on both sides. Visitors to Tucson can join them on a quick guided walk around the city’s historic districts, but to truly get immersed in the dual cultures, travelers should book a longer tour, which ranges from a couple of hours to multiple days. On the U.S. side, that might mean a tour of the mission at Tumacácori or a hike along the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail; on the Mexican side, there are taco tastings in Nogales, visits to rural distilleries of bacanora (Sonoran mezcal) in the Sierra Madres, and excursions to nearly millennium-old ruins in Chihuahua. —ND

California: Bask in maximalist design treasures in a reborn San Diego landmark

Courtesy of Lafayette Hotel

Need proof of maximalism’s grand return? Look no further than San Diego’s Lafayette Hotel. First opened in 1946, the colonial revival landmark welcomed such stars as Frank Sinatra and Lana Turner and re-emerged in 2023 with new interiors replete with wildly contrasting colors and patterns. The hotel’s transporting public spaces include a midcentury diner, a Oaxacan mezcalería, an Amalfi Coast–inspired pool deck, and a live music venue with a clamshell stage.

In the riotously eclectic lobby, look for such unique design details as tassels hanging over the espresso bar (which doubles as a check-in and concierge desk), checkerboard marble floors, Murano glass chandeliers, and embroidered way-finding banners that point guests to their rooms and other parts of the hotel. New Jersey–based textile artist Meghan McAleavy had to remake one after it was stolen. (They’re just that popular.)

The attention-grabbing banquettes are upholstered with a floral velvet inspired by 19th-century textile designer William Morris, paired with green leopard spots—a pattern that recurs throughout the hotel, including on the pool table in the downstairs bowling alley. In fact, animal prints appear all throughout the property. They’re a nod to Olympic swimmer and Tarzan star Johnny Weissmuller, who designed the hotel’s just-shy-of-Olympic-size outdoor swimming pool in the 1940s. —ND

Colorado: Stargaze from bed at a new dark-sky resort

Southern Colorado’s San Luis Valley has everything from quirky roadside attractions (peep the UFO Watchtower) to the otherworldly Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, where piles of sand stretch five times taller than the Statue of Liberty. As of this spring, it’s also home to one of the country’s most exceptional astrotourism retreats. Kosmos Stargazing Resort & Spa recently opened the first two of its planned 20 villas, featuring a geodesic dome living area, a hot tub in a bubble (for star-watching while soaking), and an observatory deck with telescopes. In the works is a planetarium with astronomy lectures and a greenhouse-inspired spa. —ND

Hawai‘i: Get in the cowboy spirit in Maui

In Upcountry Maui, on the northwest slope of Haleakalā, is the art-filled ranching town of Makawao, long populated by paniolo, or Hawaiian cowboys. Known for its annual rodeo and colorful clapboard buildings, it has welcomed a spate of new businesses in recent years. Among them is Makawao Public House, which serves dishes such as kanaka stew, made with invasive axis deer, sweet potato, and taro; and Upcountry Gallery, which debuted in June 2024 and showcases the works of Lahaina-based artists who lost their studios in the devastating wildfire. Just down the road, visitors should stop in at Moku Roots, an organic, zero-waste farm that moved up here from Lahaina; the idyllic space offers twice-weekly farm dinners overlooking the property, outdoor harvest brunches, and a market selling vegan treats, including taro-mushroom breakfast sausage and cheese made from macadamia nut milk. —ND

Where to stay: Hotels We Love in Hawai‘i

Idaho: Sail into an unlikely new cruise port

A land of underrated natural beauty, Idaho also has a surprising superlative: At 465 miles from the Pacific, the Port of Lewiston ranks as the West Coast’s most inland seaport (meaning it can accommodate seagoing vessels). It’s now a river cruise destination, too. In spring 2025, American Cruise Lines started to end many of its Columbia and Snake River itineraries—which retrace the path of the Lewis and Clark expedition—at the Lewiston port; the line will split itineraries between Lewiston and its twin city, Clarkston, Washington, just across the river. On arrival, cruisers can taste wine at Rivaura Estate Vineyard & Wine or take a scenic helicopter ride over Hells Canyon, North America’s deepest river gorge. —ND

Montana: Walk among eye-catching contemporary art

Set on a 12,500-acre ranch just north of Yellowstone, Tippet Rise Art Center features a collection of monumental sculptures by the likes of Alexander Calder and Ai Weiwei. Last August, the campus debuted an open-air music venue, the Geode, comprising four triangular structures that reflect the music played within them as audiences take in views of the Beartooth Mountains. Those who don’t snag a seat through the ticket drawing can still hike or bike through the art-filled landscape. Also new is Ursula von Rydingsvard’s Bronze Bowl with Lace, and codirector Lindsey Hinmon is excited for visitors to “see firsthand how the sculpture’s patina and hued texture reflects and merges with the surrounding grasses, sage, soil, and rocks.” —JG

Nevada: Time travel in Vegas

Courtesy of the Pinky Ring

Las Vegas is having a ‘70s moment. The circus company Spiegelworld launched its immersive DiscoShow last year at the Linq Hotel, with an attached restaurant called Diner Ross, serving disco fries, green goddess wedge salads, and Midori sours. Over at the Bellagio, pop star Bruno Mars looked to the Me Decade for his exclusive Pinky Ring lounge, which centers around a retro sunken conversation pit. Next up, the Evel Knievel Museum is in the process of relocating from Topeka to the Arts District in downtown Las Vegas; its massive new location will house an outpost of Evel Pie, a cult pizzeria that pairs Dungeons and Dragons and Chuck E. Cheese aesthetics, complete with an arcade, a carnival ride, and an animatronic metal band. —ND

Where to stay: Hotels We Love in Las Vegas

New Mexico: Dive into the Taos art scene at a restored motel

This spring, Taos welcomed the Hotel Willa, a Casetta Hotels property, which opened in a converted 1940s-era motel. But despite its no-frills start, the 50-room property has been reborn with high-desert design: terra-cotta walls, repurposed vigas (wooden beams), even bear fetishes (ceremonial carvings) made of clay from the Taos Pueblo. There’s an artist-in-residency program organized in partnership with the Paseo Project and a gallery; its inaugural show celebrated artists whose works are found throughout the hotel and artisans who helped with renovations. Johnny Ortiz-Concha, a chef and artist who grew up on the Pueblo, helped develop the on-site restaurant, Juliette, and he and his partner, Maida Branch, source ingredients, such as mountain oregano, from their own farm. —ND

Oregon: Brave the rapids on a river that’s rushing back to life

One of Oregon’s many wild and scenic rivers recently got a lot more wild and scenic. Last year, after decades of advocacy from Native tribes and environmental groups, four hydroelectric dams were removed from the Klamath, restoring about 45 miles of free-flowing river. Now, area outfitters have begun leading rafting trips on challenging whitewater runs (up to Class IV+) that snake between vertical canyon walls. “Having seen these places prior to dam removal, I still have to pinch myself when we run those sections,” says Will Volpert, founder of Indigo Creek Outfitters, which offers one- to three-day rafting itineraries. (Other rafting operators in the region include Momentum River Expeditions and Noah’s River Adventures.) “The most remarkable change was seeing salmon upstream of the [removed] Iron Gate Dam on our first few training trips. It’s amazing how quickly our natural world can bounce back.” —JG

Utah: Admire the red rocks by rail

Courtesy of the Rocky Mountaineer

The most luxurious way to see Red Rock Country is from the climate-controlled comfort of a slow-moving locomotive. The Canadian-owned Rocky Mountaineer train chugged into the U.S. market in 2021 with the debut of the Rockies to the Red Rocks route, which travels between Denver and Moab with an overnight stop in Glenwood Springs. Glass-domed coaches offer panoramic views of the rugged desert landscape, which scrolls by like the reels of an old western movie. Come spring 2026, the train will rebrand as the Canyon Spirit, with an expanded three-day itinerary that continues to Salt Lake City, while the seven-day Mighty 5 Explorer trip pairs two days on the train with a greatest-hits bus tour of national parks: Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion. —ND

Washington: Pop into an Indigenous gallery that looks to the future

In September 2024, photographer Matika Wilbur (a member of the Tulalip and Swinomish tribes) opened her Seattle gallery, Tidelands, as a showcase for Indigenous creativity. Rotating exhibits include this summer’s IndigiQueer, with works by 14 artists brought together from a wide variety of backgrounds, including Chamorro (Micronesia), Otomí (Mexico), and many from the Pacific Northwest. Tidelands also doubles as a luxury boutique featuring contemporary Indigenous designs, including Natasha Alphonse’s nature-inspired ceramics, Copper Canoe Woman’s “salmon ghost earrings,” and wax canvas jackets from Ginew, the only Native American–owned denim collection. —NT

Wyoming: Snooze under the stars near the Grand Tetons

Opened in May 2024, Tammah Jackson Hole is a year-round glamping resort where adventurers immerse themselves in the Wyoming wilds. Less than a five-minute drive from both Grand Teton National Park and the town’s ski center, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Tammah’s 11 geodesic domes feature king-size beds, fireplaces, and unobstructed views of the Teton Range by day and the starry skies at night. Visitors can also take in those panoramas from the property’s barrel sauna or around campfires, perfect spots to unwind after a day out on the slopes or trails. —JG