The 14 Best Places to Travel This Year
What a long, strange trip 2020 was. As traveling picks up speed again, here are some of the destinations we believe are worthy of your consideration in 2021. And, when you’re ready for that much needed vacation, we’re ready to help protect your trip.
Great places to visit in the U.S.
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe simply has to be experienced. Words fail. The architecture, the food, the skies, the people – they’re all like no place else in the country. Rent a large room or a small cottage, toss your bag in the corner, and start strolling through the old Spanish mission town. We all need a little more Santa Fe in our lives, especially these days.
Also read: 6 Best Hiking Trips in the U.S.
Hudson River Valley, New York
Since we’re all about the road trip right now, here’s a classic American road trip that’s hardly talked about anymore. The Hudson is one of America’s great scenic rivers, and the towns that grew up along it in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries are often gorgeous and definitely worth exploring. The stretch from West Point to Albany is the most famous, but continue north of Albany to Glens Falls and you’ll find it hard to believe that New York City is just a few hundred miles down the waterway. And by all means take the two-lane roads!
Glacier National Park
See it while you can. Global warming threatens the namesake glaciers in this iconic park high on the Montana-Canada border, but nothing will alter the incredible scenery and diverse wildlife, from bighorn sheep and elk to mountain goats and mountain lions. Hiking trails from mild to wild abound in this expansive park, but the Going-To-The-Sun Road is a must-drive. (Go the eco-friendly way: hop onto a historic, restored red tour bus.) A bonus: Waterston Lakes National Park, just across the border in the Canadian province of Alberta, is just as breathtaking.
Also read: Top 8 National Parks For Family Vacations
Sanibel Island, Florida
Sanibel Island is America’s shell-collecting capital. Hundreds of thousands of shells are on Sanibel and its sister island, Captiva, just for the picking-up, meaning anyone can be a first-class shell-hunter with zero experience. It’s really all geography: Gulf currents are gentle, but Sanibel sits on the windward side, juts out into the water and just rakes in the shells.
Don’t like shell-hunting? There are 22 miles of bike trails, and the sea kayaking is excellent. Rent a condo for your stay, and make sure you have a car to explore the nearby Fort Myers area.
Getting reimbursed if you need to cancel your trip for a covered reason is only one of the many coverages that you get with a Generali Global Assistance travel protection plan. If you get injured on your trip, plans include Emergency Assistance and Transportation coverage that can get you to the nearest suitable medical facility and help to return home if medically necessary. Learn more
Great places to visit around the world
Montreal, Canada
No matter your question, Montreal is always the right answer. Affordable, safe, and close-by, Montreal is also as close as you can get to a great European city without hopping the pond. There are so many definitions of a great day in Montreal, but it’s hard to top a spin around Old Montreal followed by a stroll through the Atwater Market, an afternoon riding the roller-coasters at La Ronde, Montreal’s island amusement park, and poutine at Chez Claudette. It’s not quite France, but it’s thoroughly charming.
Uruguay
Beaches in Uruguay? Absolutely. You can hang on the sand in Montevideo, the country’s capital, play at Playa Mansa and Playa Brava, or go trekking in the country’s hilly, unspoiled interior. Wherever you go in Uruguay, you’ll find an experience that’s more laid-back and friendly than other South American destinations, yet with that bright urban edge that people find appealing about cities like Buenos Aires.
Costa Rica
Like trekking through jungles, sleeping by the beach, ziplining through forests, hiking up old volcanoes? Then you’ll love Costa Rica. Long a prime destination for single travelers and Spring Breakers, Costa Rica has upped the ante with an increased emphasis on the country’s history and culture, new, wellness-oriented resorts in places like Nosara, and a dedication to celebrating one of the country’s most popular exports – coffee.
Norway
Scandinavia gets so many things so right, and that especially applies to the original Land of the Midnight Sun. Oslo is underrated compared to Copenhagen and Stockholm, but its dining and nightlife are up there with Scandinavia’s best. What makes Norway special is its gorgeous north country. Visit the country’s fjordlands and be prepared to be amazed by everything from the color of the water to the heights of the country’s misty peaks.
Portugal
Start with Lisbon, as you should, but don’t neglect the other charms of this sea-facing, sun-loving country. The country’s interior is great for hikers and trekkers; don’t miss the Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês. And Portuguese cuisine, with its emphasis on seafood and earthy wines, is memorable by itself. Still, the country’s shoreline gets much of the attention, and rightly so. It’s long and incredibly varied, and Portugal’s seashore sunshine fills your soul with smiles.
Albania
“Albania” and “beaches” – not often heard in the same sentence, but Albania nonetheless has some of the best sun and sand in the Balkans, with a rugged interior and cities like the UNESCO World Heritage site of Barat that are rapidly becoming some of the most engaging and cosmopolitan in the region. Whether you’re hiking or sunning, the people are friendly and the food and drink are exceptional.
Also read: 7 Amazing Nature Vacations Around the World
Asturias, Spain
Spain’s Mediterranean coast gets the press (and the tourists), but that’s just one of the country’s coasts; Spain borders the Atlantic as well. The Atlantic side isn’t as sunny as the Mediterranean shores, and that’s just one of the reasons why it feels vaguely Irish. The region has a Celtic heritage, complete with heritage sites filled with crumbling ruins. High-speed rail will whisk you there from Madrid in a matter of hours, but you can be forgiven if it feels like you’re going back in time. Like you need more reasons to visit, Asturias is also Spain’s dairy country, and the cheese has to be tasted to be believed.
Anguilla
If you want to escape the crowds, Anguilla is the place to do it. And with a variety of lodging options, from simple rentals to upscale resorts like the Zemi Beach House or the old favorite Cap Juluca, you really have the choice of doing the Caribbean your way. If you feel like it’s been a hectic year and you need some kick-back time, Anguilla is definitely your destination. It doesn’t overflow with things to do, but that’s the point. It’s a place to get away and unwind in a manner only the Caribbean can provide.
Dominica
Nature sounds beyond perfect at this moment. That would mean a call to the bullpen for Dominica, the Caribbean’s “Nature Island,” and one of the region’s most biodiverse destinations. The island has hundreds of native rare or endangered species, led by the spectacular Sisserou parrot at Morne Trois Pitons National Park. Miss the parrot? No problem! You still have black-sand beaches, steep cliffs and incredible waterfalls to fall back on. And did we mention that Dominica is the whale-watching capital of the Caribbean?
Morocco
This North African hotspot borders two oceans, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, and freely mixes French, Spanish, Arab, and Berber cultures and architecture. You can go from the Sahara desert to beach to the snow-covered Atlas Mountains in a matter of hours, high-speed rail teleports you from Tangier to Casablanca in a snap, and the food is as varied as the scenery, the buildings – and frankly, everything about the country.
Also read: The Best Cities to Visit in The World for Each Month of the Year
What Smart Globetrotters Know
Wherever in the world you choose to travel in 2021, help protect your journeys with travel insurance from Generali. From our Medical and Dental coverage to our lost luggage and passport assistance, there are plans to suit virtually every traveler, and it offers more than you might think. Get a quote today.
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