BIRTHDAY BRILLIANCE
Some of the world’s top tourist attractions celebrate major birthdays in 2023, and we’ve got the lowdown on the ones you need to visit
2023 is a year packed with anniversaries, starting with a very special birthday for Australia’s Sydney Opera House, which is turning 50. There’s a packed calendar of special events to mark the occasion, although we recommend heading to one of the venue’s festivals, which include Inside/Out at the House in May and the Open House Festival in October.
If you’re heading down under, consider combining a visit to Sydney with a ride on the Ghan, the luxurious sleeper train. Next year marks 20 years since the first passenger train reached Darwin on the Ghan’s Alice Springs–Darwin stretch, allowing passengers to travel the entire 2,979-kilometre journey from Adelaide to Darwin by train for the first time.
Over in Las Vegas, it’s 30 years since the opening of the city’s most recognisable hotel, the pyramid-like Luxor, and there are plenty of reasons to head to the city this year. We’re not just talking about November’s Las Vegas F1, either. Recent openings include the brilliant Area 15, a sprawling complex housing art installations, interactive exhibits, bars and restaurants, as well as the Punk Rock Museum, which opened in March 2023. The brainchild of NOFX frontman Fat Mike, the museum will have the world’s largest collections of punk memorabilia, and the tour guides will be punk legends such as Noodles from The Offspring.
Over in Asia, next year marks 20 years since the opening of what was once the world’s tallest building – the 101-storey Taipei 101 in Taiwan. Our advice? Take in the view from the top of the tower then explore further afield. We recommend an exploration of the mountainous valleys northwest of the city of Taichung. Base yourself at the beautiful Hoshinoya Guguan resort, where you’ll have direct access to a network of hiking trails and a beautiful onsen in which you can soothe any aches and pains.
Finally, whether you’re travelling with little people in tow or you’re just a big kid yourself, consider a visit to Orlando, where Walt Disney World Resort celebrates its fiftieth birthday. New attractions to check out include the Tron Lightcycle / Run, which will become one of Disney’s fastest rollercoasters when it opens in the Magic Kingdom in April 2023, and Epcot’s Moana’s Journey of Water, which will be unveiled towards the end of the year. Over at Universal Orlando Resort, the hot new attraction is Minion Land, which will open this summer. Expect minions, mayhem and ridiculously cute merchandise.