I travel nonstop. Here are 12 places you have to see in 2024
There’s no shortage of fascinating places to visit in 2024. I know because I’m on the road 365 days a year, and in 2023, I traveled to a few destinations I can personally recommend.
I don’t just parachute into these places for a few days with my reporter’s notepad. I spent several weeks in almost all the cities on my list. I shopped in the markets, explored the city and befriended the locals. Sometimes, I also brought my collegeage sons along for the adventure.
You’d think “What’s your favorite destination?” would be the question people ask me the most, but it’s not. I’ll share the number-one question in just a minute. (Related : The complete guide to booking a trip.)
First, here’s my list of the 12 best places to see in 2024, along with the best time to travel.
JANUARY: ANTARCTICA
You’ll want to sail down to Antarctica during the Southern Hemisphere summer. Temperatures are relatively mild and the normally tempestuous Drake Passage is calmer. I traveled to Ushuaia, Argentina, and boarded the Hurtigruten Expeditions MS Fridtjof Nansen for a 10-day cruise down to Antarctica in late December and arrived in the White Continent just before the New Year. It was spectacular. Even though it looks a little risky, you should not miss a hike on
the ice to see the penguins. If you’re really brave, try the polar plunge into subfreezing water. Unfortunately, we missed our chance to dive into the Antarctic because the glacier was calving, sending large sheets of ice crashing into the water. Go see it before it’s gone.
FEBRUARY: DOHA, QATAR
Qatar is one of the most underrated destinations in the world. The weather in late winter is nearly perfect — warm days, cool nights. My sons and I spent time wandering around the world-famous Souk Waqif, a crowded market where you can buy almost anything, but the main activity seems to be drinking coffee and smoking vanilla-scented shisha (we tried the coffee, but skipped the shisha). Highlights of our visit included
an afternoon spent at the National Museum of Qatar, which explains where this gleaming metropolis came from, and a journey to the desert to see the monoliths by American sculptor Richard Serra.
MARCH: CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND
Christchurch, on New Zealand’s South Island, feels like a different planet. March is early fall in the Southern Hemisphere, but even then, the hills remain a brilliant shade of green. You’ll recognize this place if you’ve ever seen one of the Lord of the Rings movies, but there is so much more to it than the striking cinematic scenery. Christchurch is a welcoming city with terrific coffee shops (my favorite was Espresso Studio by Fushoken) and great dining options that are easy on the wallet. I spent days wandering around Hagley Park in the middle of town and admiring the Christchurch Botanical Gardens. Make sure you get out of town to hike up in the mountains. You don’t have to love Middle Earth to enjoy a trip to New Zealand’s South Island.
APRIL: KYOTO, JAPAN
If you can travel to Kyoto in April, you should do it. The cherry trees bloom in mid-March and usually reach their peak in early April. But even if you miss Sakura season, you really need to see this place. The former Japanese capital is filled with ancient temples and shrines. This is also the place to go to learn how to make sushi from the artisans at Kyoto Sushimaking or, as you are struggling to adjust to the new time zone, find a place that serves authentic ramen. My sons and I kept coming back to Kyoto Engine Ramen, hidden down a narrow alley and always crowded with jetlagged expats.
MAY: HOI AN, VIETNAM
Vietnam was the biggest surprise during my 2023 travels. I spent a long weekend in Hoi An, in the central part of the country, and I’m still processing the natural beauty of the place, with its steep green mountains and postcardperfect beaches. Hoi An is an ancient city filled with temples and a rich history of various cultural influences, including Chinese and French. Make sure you get down to the marketplace and out on the Thu Bon River at dusk, when the boats drift downstream with their colorful lanterns. And check out the pho for dinner over at the Anantara Hoi An Resort.
JUNE: FUKUOKA, JAPAN
If you’re looking for something different in Japan, outside of Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo, you should check out Fukuoka. It is easily the most friendly of the Japanese cities I visited. If you make this a second stop in Japan, I highly recommend getting there via the Shinkansen (bullet train), which is an engineering marvel. Fukuoka also has excellent shopping. We stocked up on green tea before heading back to the States. If you can catch the hydrofoil out to Iki Island, it’s well worth it. Don’t miss dinner at the Iki Retreat if you go. It’s worth the trip.
JULY: SANTIAGO, CHILE
Chile has some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world, and there’s no better time to visit than during the middle of the Southern Hemisphere winter. Some of the top resorts, such as Portillo, are only a short drive from Santiago.Even if you visit Chile during the summer, you can still look at the snow-capped Andes mountains and think about the world-class skiing in the southern hemisphere.
AUGUST: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
I know this is going to sound strange, but the best part of visiting Seoul was taking long walks in Gyeongui Line Forest
Park, a three-mile-long urban park that used to be an old railroad line. It takes you through some of Seoul’s famous neighborhoods, and you’ll find an almost endless variety of coffee shops and restaurants where you can stop and enjoy the view. Sure, there