Our 50 Best Places to Travel in 2025 (Travel Lemming Podcast #6)

Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
The new year is upon us.
And the most important questionyou should be asking yourself about
2025 is where am I going to go next?
Lucky for you, the creators here at TravelLemming have you covered our freshly
released list of the top 50 places totravel in 2025 is out and it's entirely
created by humans like you and me.
No AI generated numbers, ideas,topics, or anything of the sort.

(00:23):
This is our biggest collaborativeproject of the year, where we handpick
the 50 best places around the worldthat our team has actually been to.
Today we have a very special episodeentirely dedicated to this project.
Our local and expert writers fromacross the globe are going to give
you their pitches for where, when, andwhy you should travel in the new year.
So stay tuned and get ready to adda whole bunch of incredible places

(00:46):
to your 2025 travel bucket list.
Check out the article on travellemming.
com or search best places totravel travel lemming on any search
engine to read this amazing list.
And get excited because we'reunlocking a whole new world for you
today on the Travel Lemming podcast.
Welcome to the show.
I'm your host, Betty Hurd.
I'm joined by my co host, Nate Haake.

(01:06):
Hi, Nate.
How are you doing
Hi, Betty.
Happy to be here.
, I'm coming to you from Buenos Aires,Argentina, where I recently got to,
and, , I've spent the last few daysas have you interviewing different
members from the travel lemming team.
We've got something of a special podcasthere, which is appropriate because
this article that we're talking about,our list of places to travel in 2025

(01:27):
is our most special article every year.
It's really the annual list thathelped build the travel lemming brand,
going back all the way to 2018, it'sa really important project that we do.
And what's cool about it is thatit brings together all of the dozens
of different creators that we haveall around the world, our local
and expert guides, to give theirrecommendations for places to travel.

(01:50):
And this is the first yearthat we have the podcast.
Cause as y'all know, We're onour first season of the podcast.
And the idea came to us a couple ofweeks ago, like maybe it would be a
good idea to have a podcast version ofthat article and to bring everyone on.
And it has been quite a lotof work to bring everyone in
and to interview them all.
But I think it's really cool.
And I think this will make for a funepisode because you're going to get to see

(02:12):
faces from around the travel lemon team,including some that you've seen in prior
episodes, if you watch some of our priorepisodes, but we have a lot more experts
who are really fun and each bring theirown unique perspectives and experience.
And so you're going to get a tasteof not only all these awesome
destinations, but also all the amazing.
human beings who really maketravel ending what it is.
So it's going to be a bit of adifferent format of an episode.

(02:35):
But I think it'll be really cool.
And hopefully we can help, youknow, inspire people to find
somewhere to travel in 2025.
Yes, I'm so excited for viewersto get to meet the team.
And Nate, for those who aren't familiarwith Travel Lemming, can you tell us
more about this special project andhow our team came up with this list?
Yeah, sure.
So every year, we have skippedone year during the pandemic,
but every year since 2018, we putout a list of places to travel.

(02:58):
And we used to call it emergingdestinations because we were really
focused and we still are focused.
Primarily on those underrated places,those hidden gems, the places that
are a little bit less well known.
And we would put out a list ofplaces to travel that we know we
call the 50 best places to travelin the coming year, but every best
of list is ultimately subjective.
What's unique about art is, is thatthere are places that we've been to,

(03:22):
places that we love and really thinkdeserve more love than they are getting.
It's our most popular article ontravel lemming every single year.
It's a ton of work.
We start working on it in thesummer, and then we release it at
the end of the year, just in time forthe new year, , it requires efforts
from every single person on travel.
I mean, there are dozens ofpeople who collaborate on this.

(03:42):
We have all of our creators providesubmissions for places that they
think deserve, , an entry on the list.
It's sort of a competition.
We get significantly more entries,than we have space for on the list.
The entries are then judged by oureditorial panel, which consists of
myself, our managing editor, Leah Rose.
Our editors, Abigail, Chelsea, Elizabeth,our marketing director, Taylor, and

(04:06):
also our two special board members whohave been on our board for several years.
Marty and Rach from theblog, Very Hungry Nomads.
They're just like two of the mostincredible travelers I've met.
And I've met a lot of amazing travelers.
They have recently completed a visitto every single country in the world.
So they've literally been toevery country on the planet.

(04:27):
And they help us, along with the restof our editorial board to decide what
destinations, what entries are themost compelling, the most striking.
And then we order it, based uponthe votes from that editorial board.
Of course, like I said, All of theselists are and there are hundreds of
destinations that you could say shouldbe the number one place to travel.
As we said in episode one, ultimatelywhat matters is what's important

(04:49):
to you and you shouldn't allowyourself to give travel FOMO because
of some list that folks put out.
But the idea behind this is to, inspire you to maybe think about some
destinations that you didn't know about.
And most importantly to share ourpersonal experience and all the
wonderful perspectives of thefolks in the Travel Lemming team.
And so we put together this list.
We release it, every year around theend of the year, November, December.

(05:10):
It typically actually getsquite a lot of press coverage.
I mean, we have appearedin dozens of newspapers in
countries all over the world.
I think we've been on every continentexcept for Antarctica, of course.
And, a couple of days ago, Taylorwas on, NBC radio to talk about this.
We've had creators go ontelevision to talk about this.
It has been covered in avariety of publications.

(05:33):
And it really generates alot of interest in the brand.
It is what has helped tobuild us the brand every year.
We just put in as much effortand we can to try to make the
best article we possibly can.
I really encourage everyoneto go read this article.
As you're listening to the podcast or tojust go read it and save it for later,
because there's a lot more informationabout each one of these destinations
than we really will have time for in thispodcast, you can find it by going to your

(05:56):
favorite search engine and just searchtravel lemming 2025 or travel lemming
places to travel or travel lemming,whatever the name of the destination is
that you're interested in, in the podcast.
And then that will pull up the article.
And, there's tons of info in there.
I encourage you to click.
There's all these drop down menus andthings it's truly a massive article.
So we have to kind of condensesome of it down in there.

(06:18):
But we hope you like it.
We certainly love these places and everyyear when we put this out, you know, a
few months will go by and then we'll getcomments from readers who have discovered
some new, really cool corner of theworld that they didn't know about before.
And I always really like it when it'ssomeplace that I like because very
often, you know, we're just sharingour own little personal finds.
And it's so one of the best things aboutthis job is helping people find somewhere

(06:41):
that they wouldn't have otherwise found.
So that's the goal for the podcast.
We're going to have on our whole team.
It's a bit of a new format for us.
So let us know what you think witheveryone, but we're going to go
through and, have everyone tellus about their favorite places
about a minute or two a piece.
Yes, and I wanted to touch on the themeof this year's introduction to the
list, which is AI, and you wrote toreject AI travel planners and get your

(07:01):
recommendations from actual humans.
You also gave an honest warning abouthow corporate billionaires like the
Google CEO and open AI CEO want to,quote, use AI slop to replace not
only travel blogs like ours, but Butalso the thing that makes travel truly
great, which is the human experience.
So you recommend to resistbecoming AI lemmings and in

(07:22):
2025 to travel like a human.
Can you tell us a little bitmore about what you mean by
Yeah, sure.
So, I mean, I think as everyone knows,the big trend of the last year has been
the rise of artificial intelligence,chat bots, and this really impacts
travel bloggers in a significant way.
You may have seen this when, forinstance, if you go to Google, they're
now starting to put these like littleAI summaries in the search results.

(07:45):
So if you search for any sort oftravel advice, you will get like
a little AI written blog post.
What that is doing is, it is.
It's taking information from blogs likeours and it is combining it together and
providing it to you right there on Google.
The thing about that though is,that it dramatically reduces,
the number of people who clickthrough to actually read blogs.
And so then there isn'treally much of an incentive.

(08:07):
For us to, for other blogs to create thatcontent because it's very expensive to go
out and visit these places to hire allthis teams and the way that unfortunately
these tech companies are sort ofapproaching AI is that they're not really
including the actual content creatorsthat they are summarizing in this.
whole process.
They are also trying to sellthese AI travel planning apps.

(08:28):
You might have seen adsfor them on Instagram.
There are tons of them.
I think you'll see a lot more of thisin 2025 where a lot of these big tech
companies will want you to plan your tripwith an application and they'll maybe
just put it right within your phone.
I mean, Google is talkingabout doing it with Android.
It wouldn't surprise me if Apple didthis, with Apple intelligence, where you
just tell it a little bit about your tripand the AI plans the whole trip for you.

(08:50):
The problem is, is that because of the wayAI works is it's not truly intelligent.
You just show it a bunch of content.
And then it's basically like one of thoseword predictors, it's just predicting
what is the next most probable token basedupon all of the information that it's been
trained on, including blogs like ours.
And so what it means is that itwill, by the very nature of these

(09:12):
AI generators, it will put outwhatever is the most average.
Because whatever appears the most inthe training data set and the challenge
with that is, that when you'relooking for travel recommendations,
do you really want to travel to theaverage of everybody's recommendations?
And then what happens when that is thething that is shown to everyone else and
it becomes a self fulfilling cycle whereeveryone is traveling to the same places.

(09:34):
I think it's bad for users in the end.
It may be quicker because you getyour information with one fewer click.
But it will also over time kind ofremove that incentive to create.
And it's been such a problem thatI was actually invited out by
Google, along with 19 other creators.
I visited Google a month and ahalf ago, to talk about a bunch of
issues about the way that Googleis treating bloggers, including AI.

(09:55):
And I grilled one of their, vicepresidents of search about this and
he didn't really have a good answer.
His suggestion was maybe we shouldlearn to use AI to write our blogs,
which I completely pushed back on it.
I said, no, I think, the best thingabout travel mining is our humans.
So, you know, I think reallywhat it comes down to is do
people want human perspectives?
Do they want the advice ofother humans for travel or not?

(10:17):
I was just that in, the world travelmarket in London, and I met with
dozens of my blogger friends there andeverybody is facing the same issues.
We need our audiences to, if you wantus to continue creating the kind of
content that we're creating, we needyou to directly seek it out in order
to support it, or else the simply thebusiness model won't exist anymore.
And I think that it's a lot morefun when you get your travel

(10:39):
recommendations from a real human,because an AI cannot visit a place.
It cannot see, taste, smell, orknow what it is like to be there.
It can't give you.
Real honest impressions becauseit cannot know it cannot travel.
You would never accept travel advice froma human who had never been to that place.
Why would you accept it froma robot who by definition

(11:00):
cannot have been to that place?
And so this year, we're justreally pointing that out to
folks in the introduction.
You can read through the introduction.
I wrote for a little bit more contexton this and you're going to see all the
wonderful humans on this podcast who putin a ton of work over the course of months
to put together not only this article, butall of the guides that we have on travel.
Let me, And So ultimately it's up to you,the readers, to decide what it is you want

(11:23):
and what it is that you want to support.
So anyway, with that, I think, this willbe a fun way to highlight all of the
amazing humans behind, travel lemming.
And most importantly, to hopefullyhelp all of you discover some
great places to travel in 2025.
Yes.
And seriously, our team is so.
Knowledgeable about all theseplaces after having the pleasure
of interviewing so many people.
They really know their stuff.

(11:44):
So, I think that you're reallygoing to enjoy this episode.
Yeah.
So speaking of that, let's goahead and dive into the list.
So the way this is going to workis, Betty or I are going to read
out the name real quick of the list.
And then we are going to dive right intothe, summary of the interview that we
did with the creator who submitted that.
So you'll see different creators pop up.
If you're watching on YouTube,you'll get to see their faces.

(12:05):
If you're listening, we'll announcetheir names before each one.
So Travel Lemming's number one destinationfor 2025 is Lombok, Indonesia, which
was submitted by Laura McFarland.
Lombok is an island in theIndonesian archipelago.
It's the island right to the eastof Bali, but it feels worlds away
from the hectic streets of Bali.
It has something forall types of travellers.

(12:26):
If you're a budget traveller, you canstay in hostels for 10 a night, but
there's plenty of upscale resorts aswell that are still very affordable
. I spent three weeks in Lombok and it was truly one of the
best experiences of my life.
I climbed to the top of Mount Ranjani,the second tallest volcano in Indonesia.
I worked on a sailboat and sailed downthe west coast of Lombok I got to party

(12:49):
on places like ghillie truongan andsnorkel with sea turtles in ghillie air.
I rode my motorbike all aroundKuta and , swam in this incredibly
warm turquoise water, just hadan amazing time all around.
Travel Lemming's number one place to visitin 2025 is Lombok because it has some of
the most incredible beaches you'll eversee in your life, beautiful volcanoes that

(13:10):
you can hike, tons of wildlife, a reallyvibrant culture, and tons of variety
and places to stay for all price points.
For more on Lombok, Indonesia, Lauraand I had a full interview, which you
can check out in our previous episode.
And it was a great time getting totalk to her about her time spent there
and all of the ins and outs of Lombok.
Definitely check out that episode.

(13:32):
Once you finish listening to thisone, number two, El Calafate,
Argentina submitted by Clara Kessler.
The Calafate is a small city inthe end of the world, located
in Patagonia, Argentina.
If you love adventure, if youlove nature, you need to visit.
This place is famous for glaciers, butthe most famous is the Perito Moreno.

(13:58):
One thing that, make famous thisglacier is it's close to the road
so you can visit in your car oryou can take a bus with a tour
. I think that 2025 will be the really good time for a visit because historically
the glacier was growing every year butthis year it started to stop . With

(14:21):
time, the glaciers start to disappear.
If you go, you can See how the glacieris start to break up and crash in the
river and make the beautiful sound.
The sound like a really huge storm.
I think it's the most beautifulnatural show that I see in my life.

(14:45):
Take your camera and go to visit andgo up to the Glacier Perito Moreno
for the best Landscape in your life.
Next up at number three, wehave County Kerry in Ireland.
And remember, you can go listen to episodethree of the Travel Lemming podcast for a
much more in depth interview with Abigailall about her trip through Ireland.

(15:06):
I chose County Kerry after goingon a 10 day road trip through
Ireland and just found that CountyKerry is, in my opinion, the most
scenic region of the Emerald Isle.
So it's located in thesouthwest corner of the country.
And unlike a lot of other regionsin Ireland that maybe are known for
rolling green hills and its countrysidein that regard, County Kerry is.

(15:27):
It's actually very mountainous, and Iwas really surprised at just the dramatic
peaks as I was driving through the Ringof Kerry and the Wild Atlantic Way,
and then you come along the coastalside of County Kerry, and you discover
the Dingle Peninsula, which, in myopinion, the cliff views there rival
that of the nearby Cliffs of Moher,which are just iconic, but in my opinion,

(15:49):
County Kerry just offers a really local
feel and also just somereally unique heritage
I also think that, you know, it'salso something that can be appreciated
by just the general traveler.
You know, there's a lot ofreally great scenic drives.
So even if you don't necessarily havethe ability, you can take advantage of
that scenery and admire those views.
And I also think it's well suited forhistory enthusiasts . There's just a lot

(16:10):
of culture and local heritage in thatregion that's just really fascinating.
And differs from maybe some of the othermore major destinations in Ireland.
Don't forget to check out episodethree, where Nate and Abigail.
Get into an in depth conversation abouther 10 day road trip through Ireland.
Up next at number 4, Yoho National Park,Canada, submitted by Taylor Herperger.

(16:31):
So Yoho National Park is locatedin southeastern British Columbia,
Canada, in the Rocky Mountains onlyan hour from Banff, but I like to think
of it as a more serene alternative.
So it has a fraction of thetourists, and because of that,
it has a fraction of the cost.
Here you can find turquoiseglacier lakes, cozy chalets,
waterfalls, and dense forests.

(16:51):
So I recommend visiting a couple timesa year, depending on your travel style.
So winter is really great.
I love winter.
I love winter hiking.
So March and early April areperfect times of year for visiting.
However, if you like a little bit warmerweather, then summer is definitely
one of the best times to visit.
From June to August specifically,Yoho National Park warms right up.

(17:11):
One of my favorite places in YohoNational Park is actually Wapta Falls.
So my brother and I went heremost recently in March, and it
was a gorgeous winter wonderland.
We were hiking in snow the wholeway, so we had our crampons on.
But Wapta Falls is just this gorgeouswaterfall, and we had it all to ourselves.
So in the background, we had thesegorgeous woods, and then there was this

(17:34):
beautiful glacier lake, snowy waterfalls.
It was just one of the most beautifulspots I've ever been in my life.
And number five, we haveLali Bella Ethiopia.
Which was submitted byRach of very hungry nomads.
And she says that this town in theNorthern Amhara region is a splendor
of ancient engineering and spiritualityvisit to explore stunning rock churches

(17:57):
that were carved directly into themountains more than 800 years ago.
She also goes to talk about how someof these are churches that date back
to the 13th century and that thereare some really incredible UNESCO
World Heritage sites in Lollibella
At number 6, we have El Nido, Philippines,submitted by our very own Nate Haik.
El Nido is a small beach town on thenorthern tip of the island of Palawan

(18:20):
in the Philippines, which makes itrelatively affordable, and It's
home to some of the most beautiful,stunning turquoise water I've ever seen.
city itself is situated the smallbay, and it's just absolutely stunning,
and if that's all there was, wasthis beautiful bay and this beautiful
beach, that would be worth a visit.
But the main reason to go thereis that El Nido is the launching

(18:42):
point to take these boat toursthat will take you out exploring as
you island hop through the largestmarine reserves in the Philippines.
They just call them tours A, B, C, andD, which is easy enough to remember.
And each of the tours takesyou to a different island,
but they're all stunning.
I mean, picture these, these lagoonsthat are where you can kayak and snake

(19:04):
between soaring limestone cliffs.
You've got all sorts of differentspecies of birds and animals and coral
so if you are someone who justwants that Perfect tropical vibes.
you're definitely going to getthat in El Nido, and it is a
fantastic place to visit in 2025.
at number seven is Kazbeki, Georgia,submitted by Marty, a very hungry nomads.
Kazbeki is a A region in Georgia thatoffers breathtaking mountain views

(19:28):
with stunning landscapes at everyturn, warm Georgian hospitality and
hearty homestyle dishes, she says.
And I have to agree with that,I've been to Kazbeki and it is
one of my favorite places in myfavorite country on the planet.
Number eight, Xmouth, Australia, alsosubmitted by Marty of Very Hungry Nomads.
She says this small coastal townin Western Australia is a nature

(19:50):
lover's paradise and renowned forits proximity to the Ningaloo Reef.
One of the largest fringingcoral reefs in the world.
She goes on to talk about the crystalclear waters where you can swim with whale
sharks and manta rays, camping in thepark, relaxing by the water, snorkeling,
and exploring the scenic terrain on foot.
At number nine, Ha Giang,Vietnam submitted by Scott.

(20:10):
So, ha Jang is a region that'slocated at the very north of Vietnam,
almost at the border with China.
And it's mainly known forthis big motorbike loop.
It's about 200 miles long and it is.
The ultimate activity for adrenalinejunkies, it takes a few days to complete.
Usually people do it inabout two or three days.
I did it in three fulldays, top to bottom.

(20:32):
And each night along the way, you'll stopat these adorable little towns with homes.
days and local families . Andit was a really cool way to get
in touch with the local culture.
Don't make the Hajin loop yourfirst time on a motorbike.
It will not work out well.
If you're going to drive ityourself, practice beforehand.
And if you don't want to drive ityourself, there's also options for that.

(20:53):
You can hire a local to go with you.
People come from all over theworld to do this motorbike trip
specifically because the landscapesare so gorgeous and out of this world.
And even after traveling all overthe world at this point, Ha Giang
was still probably the most naturallybeautiful place I've ever seen.
Number 10, Vega Baja, PuertoRico, submitted by Vanessa.

(21:15):
Outdoor loving travelers shoulddefinitely pick Vega Baja as a
destination, and they should includeit in a trip to Puerto Rico, I've
been to Vega Baja quite a few times.
It's a coastal town.
has mesmerizing beaches, likesome of the best in Puerto Rico.
Vega Baja actually has thelargest spring in Puerto Rico.
It has a historical town.

(21:37):
It has caves, rivers.
A local crowd, which actuallymeans you can mingle with locals,
you can get to know locals, youcan enjoy a local atmosphere.
And if you rather step away from thecoast and stay dry, the downtown Tua
Baja has lots of museums and colonialbuildings and structures to explore.

(21:59):
There's a lot of cute coffee shops too.
If you have to work, if you're workingremotely, Big Baja has a place for you.
So, travelers planning to visitVegabaja, should take into consideration
that rivers in Puerto Rico arereally prone to flash floods.
So, although we love visitingthese outdoors, destinations,
it's, really important to keepan eye out for the weather.

(22:22):
In a world.
Regardless of what you do, youwon't get bored in this city.
Number 11, Rachel, very hungry.
Nomads tells us about Polo.
Island in Samoa.
She says, choose your own adventure andsnorkel dive surfer explored striking
natural beauty through scenic heights,stunning beaches and cultural villages.
She calls it a dream destination forvacationers looking to disconnect

(22:43):
.At number 12, Austin, Texas, submitted by Taylor.
Austin, Texas isn't exactlyoff the beaten trail.
I mean, it is the capital city of Texas.
However, it is one of the best placesto visit in the world for live music.
I'm a huge live musicfan and Austin delivered.
And then some.
Here you'll be able tofind a ton of music venues.
The city is also very eclectic.

(23:04):
Their slogan is keepAustin weird after all.
So it's honestly awesome forpeople watching or to get
into more of the artsy scene.
There's a ton to discover there as faras arts and music and culture goes.
The food scene here is awesome.
I mean, I don't need tosell you on Texas food.
However, it's especiallygreat because of the barbecue.

(23:24):
They really take their barbecue seriously,as well as the food truck scene.
Of course there were lines becausethey're that popular and that good,
but that goes to show just how awesomethe food truck scene is in Austin.
If you're looking for more nature inAustin, of course, there's that too.
I recommend watching the batsunder the South Congress Bridge.
Especially if you're traveling with yourfamily, that's a really cool thing to see.
I recommend going over to McKinneyFalls State Park if you end up

(23:47):
visiting in the summer or if it'sjust really hot outside because it
is hot in Austin a lot of the year.
This is a great spot to cooloff with a little bit of a dip.
Number 13, Nazca, Peru by Louise
So Nazca is both a regionand a city in southern Peru.
Nazca lines are located justoutside of the city of Nazca.
These are some huge geological formationsin the desert which were formed by ancient

(24:11):
Nazcan people around 2, 000 years ago.
These are huge figures of animals andshapes and lines which can travel for
hundreds of miles in the desert andwhich can mostly be seen from the air
So most people who travel to Nazcawill go for the city of Nazca and
for the Nazcan lines in the desert.
I visited Nazca, I took a touristflight over the Nazcan lines.

(24:32):
So this was about an hourand a half long trip.
And the plane actually wasonly an eight seater plane.
Explorers would love to visit Nazca,this is quite off the beaten track,
it's a natural wonder of the world.
And anyone who likes to really get intothe heart of a country to see things
which aren't immediately on the traveldestination list, which are a bit
undercover, would love to go to Nazca.
14, Tokyo, Japan, submittedonce again by our own Nate Haik.

(24:57):
Tokyo, Japan is one of those destinationsthat really needs no introduction.
It's the world's largestmetropolis and also one of its most
historic and significant cities.
And sure, it's probably been on yourlist for a while, but you've been
waiting to take a trip to Tokyo,, now's really the best time to do it.
And the reason for that is, is thatthe Japanese yen is at a historic low

(25:18):
against the U S dollar, which meanseffectively right now, if you go, you're
getting something in the neighborhood ofa 30 percent discount in dollar terms.
As compared to what that same tripwould have cost you a few years ago.
Tokyo is one of those places that blendsancient history, and yet somehow, is
living in the future at the same time.
It's a perfect place to visit, whetheryou're into nightlife or culture

(25:41):
or food, Tokyo really has it all.
Of course, there's lotsof great day trips.
A famous one is to go out andexplore Mount Fuji, but you also
have a city that sort of neversleeps, that has an endless variety.
Endless variety Of restaurantsand shops , and nightlife options
So if Tokyo has been on yourbucket list, 2025 really is one
of the best years to plan a tripthere and to Japan more generally.

(26:05):
and number 15, Chelsea tellsus about Rochester, New York.
So Rochester is a cityin upstate New York.
It's right near Lake Ontario, andthis is a mid sized industrial city.
It's got a lot of interesting history,festivals, and a lack of crowds.
So I think that history buffswill definitely love Rochester.

(26:25):
It has the Susan B.
Anthony Museum.
Rochester is also the birthplace ofthe modern, women's rights movement.
So you have a lot of history there.
You also have, the George EastmanMuseum, where you can learn about
the history of film and photography,
\ I spent my childhood there.
And as a child, you know,there's a lot there.
There's the StrongNational Museum of Play.

(26:47):
There's Sea Breeze and Six Flags.
And there's, of course, LakeOntario, which is a big draw as well.
summertime is the besttime to go to Rochester.
You have the Lilac Festival, andyou have the International Jazz Fest,
and Rochester also has a reallygreat, unpretentious bar scene.
There's lots of really great food.
Make sure you try a garbage plate.

(27:08):
It's the Rochester, delicacythat you have to try.
It's hamburger meat, the red or whitehocks, which is like hot dog, , macaroni
salad, home fries, it is kind of likea mash of things, but just, it goes
together perfectly when you have it.
At 16, we have Warsaw,Poland, submitted by Matthew.
So Warsaw is the capital ofPoland, and it's located pretty

(27:30):
centrally in the country.
Warsaw is special because, you wouldn'tknow it, but in World War II, it was
almost completely leveled with just, ahandful of buildings still standing,
and those also were not unscathed.
So, Walking around today, youknow, it rivals any major
European city that didn't sufferthe same fate in World War II.

(27:51):
There's skyscrapers and there'shistoric buildings, which were
rebuilt and yet it feels authentic.
I would recommend Warsaw toanybody who loves, for example,
classical music, because it's thebirthplace of Friedrich Chopin.
So, whenever you're in Warsaw,you're always surrounded by
something that has to do with Chopin.
There's daily concerts ofhis music in some of the
cathedrals in the Old Town area.

(28:12):
Warsaw is a great place for WorldWar II history buffs because
there are several museums.
You can buy, you know, artifacts fromWorld War II at local antique stores.
Warsaw is a great place to go for a budgettraveler because it's very affordable.
Warsaw is also a great place togo as a solo traveler because it's
very safe for a major urban city.

(28:33):
And Warsaw is also a fantastic placefor foodies to go because you have a
very rich, culinary heritage there.
You have all kinds of different, verygood, very delicious, very filling
dishes that you probably haven'theard of because Polish cuisine
isn't the most well known in America.
Next up at number 17, Page,Arizona, submitted by Betty.

(28:54):
Page is a town of about 7, 000people in northern Arizona,
right on the border with Utah.
And it's a special place because it'slocated within minutes of some of the
most notable geological wonders in theentire Southwest, not just in Arizona.
For example, Horseshoe Bend, whichis a meander of the Colorado River
where The river goes around this bigrock formations to make the shape of a

(29:14):
horseshoe, obviously, hence the name.
And also, the red winding slot canyonsof Antelope Canyon, Rainbow Bridge
National Monument, which is one ofthe world's largest natural bridges.
And Page is also situated right nextto Lake Powell, which is the most
gorgeous lake in Arizona, in my opinion.
All of these incredible Geologicformations and outdoor attractions.

(29:35):
Make it a photographer's heaven.
So Page is a fantasticdestination for really anybody
who enjoys the great outdoors.
Families can explorewith their little kids.
Couples can go on a romantic getaway.
Hikers and canyoneers are going tohave an absolute field day there.
It's Like a dream.
It feels like another world.
There's no place like Paige,and I think everyone will be
forever changed by its beauty.

(29:56):
Matthew tells us aboutJuneau, Alaska, number 18.
So Juneau is in thesoutheastern arm of Alaska.
It's the third largest city with apopulation of a little over 30, 000.
It's also the state capital.
And one unique thing about Juneauis that you can only get there
by taking a boat or a plane.
Juneau is definitely worth visitingif you love nature because the

(30:21):
landscapes are stunningly beautiful.
There is the mountains, the ocean,there's emerald green forests, there's
lots of trails to hike on in the area.
You can see the Mendenhall Glacier,which is, this huge glacier
coming down out of the mountains.
There's also Nugget Falls, whichis a waterfall that is pretty
unique in that it comes down more,diagonally instead of vertically.

(30:42):
So you really see this huge torrent ofwater rushing down out of the mountains.
And there's a lot of history there.
Whether it's the native Alaskanculture or Alaska's frontier
history with the gold rush.
You can even pan for goldat one of the local creeks.
And it's a great place to go for someseafood and, Alaska's best craft beer.
Overall, Juno is a great place togo for anybody who loves nature.

(31:05):
Number 19, submitted byBrooke, is Montreal, Canada.
Montreal is definitely a taste of Europewithout having to leave North America.
Montreal is, a city located in FrenchCanada, so in the region of Quebec, and I
would also label it as the foodie capitalof Canada because they're very well
known for having a great culinary scene.
So Montreal is, somewhere that is verydiverse in terms of arts and culture,

(31:29):
they have a lot of really great museumsto visit, they have a lot of great
restaurants that are really and theyalso have, , the old port, which is what
they're really well known for as wellwith a Ferris wheel, cobblestone street.
Montreal is definitely a destinationfor travelers that are looking
for a city break, but are alsofascinated by arts and culture.

(31:49):
I visited Montreal for the firsttime when I was in my early 20s
with a group of girlfriends.
So some of the highlights thatwe really enjoyed were going to
explore the local markets, visitingthe old port, hiking Mount Royal.
And definitely eating our weight in, allof the culinary delights in the city.
Once again, we have Matthew at number20, talking about Butte, Montana.

(32:10):
So Butte is in southwestern Montanaand what makes it special is that got
a lot of history, especially if you'reinto the history of the old west.
, You know, used to be ahuge mining boom town and
There are a lot of speakeasies in town.
And even today you can toursome of the old speakeasies.
There's even a bar in one ofthe local historical hotels

(32:32):
that is speakeasy themed.
Butte is at over 6, 000 feet elevation.
So when you first get to Butte,there's a good possibility you might
have a little elevation sickness.
it Is surrounded by gorgeous Montanacountry, the rolling high grasslands and
you know, you really feel the sense ofadventure there's a lot of character,

(32:54):
it's just this cozy little small town
also great place for anybody thatloves Irish music because, They have
a big Irish festival every August.
At number 21, Rachelsubmits Strasburg, France.
Strasbourg's in the Alsaceregion of Eastern France.
It's on the border with Germany, andthat's part of what makes it special.
It's gone back and forth between Germanyand France for hundreds of years.

(33:17):
Obviously now well settled in France,but that history of the two countries
is so visible in every street thatyou'll see in Strasbourg, making it
this fascinating mesh of cultures.
When you're in Strasbourg, yousee the history on every street.
It has everything from half timberedhouses to these idyllic canals.
You can pop into any number of small nichemuseums to learn about different aspects

(33:42):
of the city's rich history, or just wanderaround winding cobblestone streets and
get a sense of that history for yourself.
It's also a great place to go if you'rea wine lover, because it puts you very
close to some great, districts forwine, both in France and in Germany.
I think a lot of people think ofStrasbourg as a winter city because
it's famous for its Christmasmarkets, and to be totally honest,

(34:05):
did, too, until I visited in springand summer, and as a canal city,
Strasbourg is gorgeous year round.
22, we have Douro Valley,Portugal, submitted by Chelsea.
So the Duro Valley is, up toward northernPortugal and it's most well known for
being the birthplace of Port, whichis the country's famous dessert wine.

(34:27):
So, I often say, if you're going toPorto and you want to try the port,
you can also go to the Douro Valley andyou can try it where it's made and you
can see the vineyards where it's made.
So definitely wine connoisseurs shouldpick the Douro Valley I also think,
couples who want a romantic, placebecause it's got that air of romance.
And a lot of Portugal is very, laidback and, low key in general, but

(34:50):
I found it was even more so here.
As for tips for the Duro Valley, Iwould definitely say to do a tour
where you can try a ton of port wine.
, I would also say if you are driving,and this is a place where you will
need a car, you do want to be carefulon some of those windy roads if you're
somebody who gets driving anxietybecause, the roads are pretty narrow

(35:13):
. and I think this is kind of anunderrated destination in Portugal.
At number 23, Katie tells us aboutUniversal Orlando Resort in Florida.
Universal Orlando is a themepark destination Florida.
It opened in 1990 with one theme parkbut has now grown to have two theme
parks, a water park, several hotels,entertainment, shopping, dining,

(35:36):
really everything you could need.
And in 2025, they will be opening theirthird theme park called Epic Universe.
It'll be bringing some really coollands like the Universal Monsters in
Dark Universe, How to Train YourDragon, Super Nintendo World, and even
more Harry Potter coming to Universal.
This is a great destination foranyone who likes theme parks.
I know they're not for everybody,but if you like thrill rides, fun

(35:58):
characters, meet and greets, thingslike that, Universal is perfect.
It's very similar to Disney,except I'd say it tends to
lean towards an older crowd.
So older children and adults.
It is going to be a fullvacation destination now.
You'll be able to spend an entireweek doing all the fun things
that Universal has to offer.
At 24, Laura tells us aboutthe Yasawa Islands in Fiji.

(36:22):
The Yasawa Islands are an islandchain off of the main island in Fiji.
So for anyone who doesn't know,Fiji has over 300 islands, but
I think the Yasawa Islands arethe best place to visit in Fiji.
They're incredibly beautiful.
They have turquoise, clear water,they have stunning accommodation
options, and they're reallyaffordable and easy to get to.
I think that Fiji is genuinelyfor every type of traveler.

(36:46):
It has something for everyone.
If you like snorkeling, you're goingto see the most incredible coral reefs
you'll ever see in your entire life.
If you like hiking, you can hike allthe way around these beautiful islands.
And it's also very affordable.
So it's great for budget travelers too.
There are hostels on the islands that youcan stay at for something like 20 a night.
And there's also really amazingupscale luxury resorts that

(37:08):
you can stay at as well.
It's a really, really wonderful placeto relax, get off the beaten path, and
just experience an amazing culture.
25, Portland, Oregon,submitted by Leah Rose.
So Portland is located in northwesternOregon, right on the border of
Washington, , along the Columbia River.
Portland, has a reputation for being areally weird, funky, quirky, offbeat city.

(37:32):
But then also it's surrounded by all ofthis, incredible nature, and dramatic
scenery like the Columbia River Gorge,Mount Hood isn't too far away, and then
the coast isn't that far away either,
if you're visiting Portland, I woulddefinitely recommend running a car.
I think it's kind of a necessity.
so a lot of different travelerscan enjoy Portland, I think.
Primarily I would say outdoor enthusiastsand outdoor adventurers, as well as

(37:56):
just people with kind of like a hippie,earthy vibe and young travelers.
I think there's kind ofsomething to appeal to everybody.
You know, eating at reallygreat local restaurants, , Luk
Lak, Vietnamese kitchen.
This awesome coffee shop, KalesaCoffee Shop that I went to, it's
Filipino, which was really delicious.
And I did some of the best thriftshopping I've ever done in my life.

(38:18):
There's a lot to be seen and experienced
At 26, we have Rachfrom Very Hungry Nomads.
with Bohol Philippines.
She says this scenic centralprovince is all about natural
wonders and unique wildlife.
It's white sand beaches, turquoisewaters, and serene rivers make
it an exciting getaway for naturelovers and adventurous travelers.

(38:38):
She says that it's truly a uniqueexperience gliding by boat through
the glowing Abaton River, whichbecomes lit by fireflies at night.
Next up at number 27, Betty tells us aboutAbu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
Abu Dhabi is the capital city of theUnited Arab Emirates, and it's actually
located on an island on the west coastof the country in the Persian Gulf.

(38:59):
So the UAE is located in the Middle East.
And it's on the Arabian peninsula.
It's a very dry landscape, lots of sanddunes that meet the sea, it's arid,
it's very hot, it's very, very pretty.
Abu Dhabi is super specialbecause it offers a lot of ancient
culture right up against modernarchitecture and attractions.
So you get this futuristic yet historiccity that offers so many different

(39:22):
things to Lots of cultural learningopportunities, like visiting the Sheikh
Zayed Grand Mosque, which was one of myfavorite things I've ever done anywhere,
and the, Qasr al Husn, which is thecity's oldest building, , and then they
also have Ferrari World and the Louvre,like, so many different things you get
to do, so it's really for everyone,
and it's only a two hour drive from Dubai.
So Dubai's, you know, very modern, flashy,just absolutely buzzing with energy.

(39:47):
But Abu Dhabi, has a verystoic kind of energy to it.
So it's really easy to hit both citiesand see what they both have to offer.
Abu Dhabi just offers a little bit moreof a cultural experience, in my opinion.
At number 28, Brooke tellsus about Copenhagen, Denmark.
Copenhagen is a very vibrant city locatedin the Scandinavian region of Europe.

(40:08):
I visited Copenhagen a couple of yearsago with my cousin, and we had a great
time exploring the local food market.
Visiting Christianaville, which isa kind of hippie commune type place.
Going on the canal tour andeating our way in pastries
one of my top tips for visitingCopenhagen would be to do the canal tour.
So they have this great tourthat runs along the canals.

(40:29):
And, , it's a great way to see all thearchitecture around the city and learn
about the history of Copenhagen and alsosee the iconic little mermaid statue.
Copenhagen is a city filledwith sophistication, but in
a trendy and relaxed way.
Whether you're an architecturalfiend or a craft beer fan, there's
a little something for everyone inthe heart of this charming city.
Number 29, Bergen, Norway,submitted by Katie.

(40:50):
Bergen, Norway, is on thewest coast of the country.
It is a port town, and itis one of my favorite places
that I've ever been in Europe.
I consider it a Goldilocks city.
It's not too big, not too small.
It's quiet.
well known enough, but not overlypopular, and there is just so
much to see around that area.

(41:10):
You have the historicsites, but modern amenities.
I love the hiking and overlooksfrom the surrounding mountains.
You can go see stave churches.
It's just, it's the perfectEuropean city in my opinion.
I think Bergen is perfect for travelerswho like to take things a little
slower, really take their time in acity and explore, live like the locals

(41:31):
sometimes, you know, grabbing coffeein the morning, walking through the
historic, seaport, things like that.
There are so many, Outdoor beautifulenvironments just outside the city
and the public transportation makesit very easy to get out there.
There is a ton of history andbeautiful historic sites while
having modern amenities as well.
At number 30, Shanghai,China, submitted by Sarah.

(41:54):
Sarah says that Shanghai is aninternational mega city, home to
ancient culture, world class food,and a variety of experiences.
She recommends the Bund, a waterfronthistoric district, as well as visiting
Shanghai's Disneyland Park, which isa must if you want to visit all 12
Disney theme parks around the world.
At number 31, Sky tellsus about Kyoto, Japan.

(42:15):
Kyoto is about two and a halfhours west of Japan's capital city
of Tokyo, if you're riding on thebullet train, which is the way
that most people will get there.
It was once the capital of Japan, buttoday it remains one of the largest
cities in the country by population.
And I went to Tokyo, Osaka,Kyoto, and a few different towns
around Japan during my trip.

(42:36):
Japan in general is a very moderncountry, and there's a lot of
conveniences that come along with that.
But there was still this, traditional,, Aspect to Kyoto that I really loved.
Kyoto is a haven for strikingarchitectural wonders, delicious
food, and there's so many chancesto dive into Japanese culture here.
From tea ceremonies to traditional geishaculture, castles, and mystical shrines

(42:59):
like the Fushimi Inari Gates, there'sjust an endless list of things to do.
And when you run out of things to do,if that's even possible, Kyoto is in a
perfect location that you have easy accessto day trips like Osaka, Otsu, Arashiyama,
and I just believe it was the perfecthome base to really get around Japan.
At 32, Marty from Very HungryNomads tells us about São Tomé

(43:21):
from São Tomé and Príncipe.
She says welcoming locals, lushtropical landscapes, colonial
history, and a revived chocolateindustry makes this hidden gem quickly
She says that Sao Tome Island,part of Sao Tome and Principe
Nation, is a tropical paradise withwelcoming vibes and smiling locals.
She says that it's a dream fornature and adventurers with its

(43:43):
lush rainforest, stunning waterfalls,and superb wildlife viewing.
At number 33, Laura McFarlane tellsus all about Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Kuala Lumpur is the capitalcity in Malaysia, which is
a country in Southeast Asia.
It has a beautiful mix of Chinese culture,Indian culture, and ethnic Malay culture.
And also the major religionsthat impact the city.

(44:04):
So Muslim, Christian, and Hindu.
It's also a very quickly developing city.
They're opening the secondtallest building in the world
in 2025, the Merdeka 118.
But it also has some smaller areasthat are really cute and trendy
Budget travelers in Southeast Asia willmaybe not love Kuala Lumpur as much as
they love places like Vietnam or Thailand.
It's a little bit more expensivethan the surrounding areas,

(44:26):
but still very affordable.
I loved Kuala Lumpur a lotmore than I was expecting to.
I felt very, safe I loved visitingplaces like the Batu Caves or the
Sky Tower, or going to a really coolneighborhood a little bit outside of
the city called the Taman Paramountneighborhood, where I found really
cool restaurants and thrift stores

(44:47):
so anyone that's Looking for areally world class city, you should
definitely visit Kuala Lumpur.
At 34, one of our editors, Abigail,tells us about Grand Valley, Colorado.
So Grand Valley is locatedon the west side of Colorado,
almost on the Utah border.
And the major towns there arePalisade and Grand Junction.
I particularly chose Grand Valley becauseI visited a lot of wine regions throughout

(45:11):
the United States, and I found thatColorado wine is not only incredibly
delicious, but I think it's underrated,I don't think a lot of people think
to go to Colorado for its wine scene.
You know, it has more than 30wineries there in the Grand Valley.
One of the best times to go and visitthe Grand Valley is in September.
That is considered The peach seasonin Colorado and Colorado is famous

(45:32):
for its palisade peaches palisadeis a town there in Grand Valley.
I would recommend going and exploring theGrand Valley because I think it's just
a lesser appreciated region in Colorado.
You'll see fewer tourists, a littlebit more of a locals perspective.
, a lot of individuals maybe go as farwest as Vail or Breckenridge, but if
you continue going further west inColorado, the scenery goes from dramatic

(45:55):
mountain peaks to more of a desert feel.
Number 35, Harbor Springs,Michigan, was submitted by our
Managing Editor, Leah Rose.
Harbor Springs, Michigan is asmall town located on Little
Traverse Bay in northern Michigan.
Harbor Springs is just a very,Adorable, picturesque little
town that is the perfect placeto go, , for a very, nostalgic,

(46:18):
cozy, relaxing type of vacation.
so I grew up going to HarborSprings, Michigan almost
every single summer as a kid.
It's one of my favorite places on earth.
You know, I've been able totravel a lot, but I still say like
Harbor Springs is my happy place.
Harbor Springs has a lot of beautifulbut understated woodland scenery, Behind

(46:39):
everything is stunning Lake Michigan,which is kind of at the core of it all.
And Harbor Springs is very, picturesquein the sense that the downtown is,
perfectly kept, all these beautifullittle buildings are different.
pastel colors and there's allthese really charming businesses.
One of my favorites is Tom's Mom'sCookies, which is just this adorable

(47:00):
little cottage in downtown thatsells homemade cookies and it's
just full of little shops like that.
It's the perfect place, especiallyin the summertime, which is the
best time to go, to just enjoythe lake and enjoy a relaxing
vacation with, friends and family.
And Leah Rose also takes number36 with Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Also one of my favoriteplaces in the whole world.

(47:22):
So, Palma de Mallorca is the capitalcity of the the Balearic Islands,
which are an archipelago on theMediterranean coast of Spain.
Palma is a beautiful, smaller city andI think part of, its charm and appeal is
that it's not as crazy and touristed as,say, Barcelona or Madrid, but it still
offers a lot of Spanish culture and,Mediterranean lifestyle and appeal that I

(47:47):
think some other bigger destinations have.
Palma is largely known for beinga honeymoon destination or a
place for luxury and resort.
But
I actually had an amazing time asa solo traveler and I even made
some friends while I was there Eventhough I wasn't staying in a hostel
One of my favorite places in Palmawas this beautiful art museum
called, Fundacio Miro, Mallorca.

(48:09):
Another thing that people should do inPalma is take the vintage train car.
To this nearby town called Solaire, justbecause it's a really unique experience.
I think a lot of differentpeople can enjoy it.
And then also enjoy the promenade Irented a bike and that was one of my
favorite memories from Palma was bikingalong the water and enjoying the scenery.
Number 37, Zamora, Spain,submitted by Catherine.

(48:32):
Zamora is one of myfavorite places in Spain.
It's about 250 kilometersNorthwest of Madrid.
So by train, you can getthere in just over an hour.
It's got 24 Romanesque churches andas an art lover, that's something
that I really connected with.
I really loved seeing that oldarchitecture and it's so pretty
at night, especially at night.

(48:53):
It's one of my favorite cities in Spain.
I chose to go there for just arandom weekend that I had off.
And the second I got there, I just feltlike I was stepping into a fairy tale.
I stayed at one of the most wonderfulhotels I stayed at in Spain.
It's called Hostel Chiqui.
It's perfect for solo travelersand very budget friendly.

(49:14):
Zamora is walkable and small andit's not on a tourist radar at all.
So many places in Spain, like Barcelonaand Malaga, they're so crowded.
So it's a, the perfect place to go if youjust want to unwind and really immerse
yourself in just art all around you.
Another one by Catherine at38, Salt Spring Island, Canada.
Salt Spring Island is thelargest of the Gulf Islands in

(49:37):
southwestern British Columbia.
It is One of the most magical places I'vebeen , certainly stepping off the ferry
there, I felt like I was in a differentworld, even though it's not too far away
from where I live in Vancouver, it's.
Been a place that hasinspired artists for decades.
And that's what I love most about itis it's got a really artsy vibe, with

(49:59):
lots of markets and artists studios.
And that really spoke to me.
It's also a really special placefor people who like the outdoors.
So anybody who's into hiking and cyclingand any water sports, , it's a perfect.
Place for that as as it'ssurrounded by a forest and mountains
the biggest tip about getting tosalt spring island would be just to

(50:20):
book your ferry ride in advance.
Cause the phrase got really, reallycrowded and it's really difficult
sometimes to get a place on that ferry.
So as soon as you know, you're goingto go make the ferry reservation
it's just the perfect placeto shut off from everything.
Next up at number 39, Franschok,South Africa, submitted by Betty.
Franschhoek is one of theoldest towns in South Africa.

(50:41):
It's located on the Western Capeabout two hours east of Cape Town.
And it's actually considered thecountry's food and wine capital.
It has some of the best wine in theentire world, with vineyards that
were established over 300 years ago.
I think anyone would be dazzled bythe sight of Franz Schubert's got
these incredible, sharp, rigid,towering mountains surrounding
this valley full of vineyards.

(51:02):
Their main production isSauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.
And you can hop on and off thewine tram to all these different
vineyards and wineries and explorethe most charming little town.
And it's built with gorgeous CapeDutch architecture and safari land
is only a 90 minute drive away.
Cape Town is less than one hour west.
Franschhoek is just in this perfectlittle beautiful spot in South Africa

(51:26):
and I can't recommend it enough.
It is simply stunning and it's somuch fun and relaxing and you get
to learn all about this incrediblehistory while sipping wine.
. At number 40, we have Brisbane,Australia, submitted by Laura.
So Brisbane is on Australia's east coast.
It's the third biggest city inAustralia and it's the capital
of the state of Queensland.

(51:46):
I picked this destination becauseBrisbane is actually going to
be hosting the 2032 Olympics.
The city is revamping theirentire downtown district.
They're building new hotels.
They've completely redone theinternational terminal in their airport.
Brisbane is a really great place forpeople that are looking to budget travel
because it's less expensive than thebigger cities of Sydney and Melbourne.

(52:06):
right now is kind of the time toget in while prices are still cheap
because I anticipate that as Brisbanekeeps developing, things are going to
get a lot more expensive , especiallyonce it gets closer to the Olympics.
I loved Brisbane.
There's a lot of great cafe culture.
Really beautiful parks.
I loved the riverbank.
There's a gorgeous running trail rightalong the riverbank with all these
beautiful waterfront bars and restaurants.

(52:28):
And it was a really great spot to do theseamazing day trips outside of the city.
Places like the Gold Coast or the SunshineCoast or Kigari or the Great Barrier
Reef are only a few hours drive away.
And so if you're really looking fora place in Australia that has it all,
where you don't need to travel all theway around the continent to experience
the best of the best, Brisbane iswhere you're going to want to go.
And number 41, Vanessa tells us why youshould visit Las Piedras, Puerto Rico.

(52:52):
Las Piedras is located in theEast region of Puerto Rico.
It's located really near ElYunque, which means you get that
Humid tropical weather all year.
There is no luxury here.
There's no, shopping malls.
But what it lacks in maybe shoppingmalls and resorts, it has in Outdoors,

(53:14):
landscapes and places to relax.
it comes to learning about PuertoRico's history, Las Piedras is probably
one of the best options out there.
Its archaeological sites arewell preserved, are hidden, and
uncrowded, so they allow you to learneverything you wish to know about
Puerto Rican indigenous inhabitants.

(53:36):
You'll enjoy nature, you'll enjoygreat green landscapes, a small
downtown with coffee shops, and a fewstores, and locals that will help you
out to get whenever you need to go.
And the best of all, although it'ssecluded, it's remote, it connects to
multiple towns and some of the bestattractions of Puerto Rico, including

(53:57):
El You'll stay in a place that's muchcheaper, that will save you money,
and you'll be just a short ride awayfrom El Yunque, Luquillo, and Fajardo.
So yes, if you haven'tconsidered Las Piedras yet, you
probably should be doing so.
Next up at 42, Catherine tellsus about Santander, Spain.

(54:17):
Santander is in Northern Spain inthe Cantabria region, and it's about.
An hour and a half west of Bilbao.
It's really great place foran alternative to San Sebastian
or an add on to San Sebastianbecause it's not quite as crowded.
You'll be among the locals, whichwas my favorite part of my visit.
And what struck me most was waterfrontarea with its beautiful architecture.

(54:42):
It's very regal because it was a holidayhome for the royal family at one point.
Santander is not going to beas warm as some of the other
beach destinations in Spain.
So a great time to go there would be.
In the summer just to get the warmerweather because in the north of Spain
there it can be quite rainy and alittle bit cooler than everywhere else.

(55:04):
Stantender was probably mybiggest travel surprise ever.
It's definitely worth a visitthere for somewhere that's a
little bit more underrated.
If you're looking for that,it's the perfect place.
At number 43, Chelsea tells usabout Bellingham, Washington.
, so Bellingham, Washington is the biggestcity in northern Washington, and it's

(55:25):
such a special place because it's closeto so many great outdoor attractions and,
The city itself is full of hidden gems.
It's only 15 minutes from larrabeeState Park, and it is close to the
North Cascades National Park as well,which is one of the least visited,
and in my opinion, most underratednational parks in the country.

(55:48):
You are close to Mount Baker, soif you do visit in the wintertime,
then, you can go skiing there.
And, you know, it's close to Lumi Island.
You can just take a ferry to, like,this little slice of paradise.
So if you love the outdoors,you'll love it there.
I also think younger travelers,because it is a college town.
Western Washington Universityis located in Bellingham.
So, you know, that definitely givesit like a youthful atmosphere.

(56:10):
Another thing I'll say is always make sureyou get something from Mallard ice cream.
That is one of my favoriteice cream shops in the state.
So highly recommend.
Number 44, Dortmund, Germany.
Submitted by Ruthie.
Dortmund is an often overlookeddestination in Germany, but it has a lot
of in terms of culture, history, friendly,local people, and good food and drinks.

(56:33):
You can go in mining museums,in breweries, go to lakes, go to
the Christmas market and see theworld's largest Christmas tree.
And if you're into football,there's a German football museum and
Germany's largest football stadium.
So Dortmund has a lot to offer interms of destinations and sites.
So there's a huge amount of museums,industrial sites, monuments.

(56:56):
And it's a very great city interms of location because of where
Dortmund's located in northwestGermany, you can travel really easily
to other European destinations.
At number 45, Rachel tells usabout Saint Tropez, France.
tropez is in southeasternFrance on the French Riviera.
It's special because it's a FrenchRiviera town that has the glamour of the

(57:20):
area, yet it also has a small town feel.
And the surrounding areas are justhilly and gorgeous, and it makes a great
destination no matter what your budgetis, which is really surprising when you
think about Riviera prices in general.
Honestly, I think anybody who canget to Saint Tropez should get
to Saint Tropez at some point.
For hikers and those who love nature,there are gorgeous beaches, some

(57:44):
of them more remote than others.
There's great weather.
You don't get the absolute heatof the summer year round, but you
do get milder wet winters, mildsprings, really gorgeous falls.
There's everything from local markets, to upscale hotels and the absolute, you
know, pinnacle of designer shopping.
So really there's somethingfor everyone in St.

(58:06):
Tropez.
At 46, Taormina, Italy,submitted by Leah Rose.
Taormina is a town that's locatedabout an hour north of Catania
along the east coast of Sicily.
And I think like Sicily in general,this town is just very overlooked and I
think to most people is totally unknown.
I would say that, couples, groups offriends, and maybe families with older

(58:28):
kids, as well as retirees who aremore mobile, would all love Tarmina.
I don't think it's the best placefor families with younger kids
just because there are quite a fewcliffs, , and, even little shops
with a lot of ceramics in them.
Tarmina is, a small town so Ithink it's great for a day
trip from Catania like I did.
Or maybe even like a longweekend or something like that.

(58:51):
Taormina is the perfect place to go ifyou want to enjoy the classic Italian
lifestyle and beautiful Mediterraneanscenery, but you don't want the chaos
of visiting some over touristed placesI think it's the perfect introduction
to visiting Sicily And definitelywon't disappoint in terms of charming,
beautiful little Italian streetsand scenery overlooking the water.

(59:13):
And number 47, Claudicet, tells us aboutCabrera and the Dominican Republic.
Cabrera is a little gemlocated in the Caribbean.
It's in the north coastof the Dominican Republic.
It's a, About a 45 minute drive awayfrom Santo Domingo, the capital,
what makes it so special is thatit is a peaceful retreat for many,

(59:36):
but it also offers some of thedreamiest beaches to play around in.
Travelers who want to escape crowds.
Should definitely hit up Cabreraversus going to a tourist heavy
destination like Punta Cana.
It is a charming little townsurrounded by lush tropical
landscapes and amazing ocean views.

(59:57):
So I have family who live in Cabreraand it was always a sweet escape for me
from the of the city and the capital.
Of course, I appreciate Cabrera for itsnatural beauty and the beaches and the
sense of tranquility that it offers.
But I think the stick factor forme of Cabrera is the opportunity to
experience true Dominican hospitality.

(01:00:19):
The locals are just so warmand inviting and they are just
so willing to be of service.
So I always felt like family andtaken care of while I'm there.
At 48, Oak Park, Illinois,submitted by Rachel.
Oak Park is a western suburb of Chicago.
It is home to the Frank Lloyd WrightStudio and the Hemingway Birthplace.
But that's not only reason that I put iton the list of destinations for 2025.

(01:00:44):
Oak Park is the best place in theMidwest to go for lovers of the arts.
The architecture is stunning.
In autumn especially, the leaves aregorgeous and there's a ton of, really fun
things to do from the Frank Lloyd Wrightrun in the fall to the botanical gardens.
So it's a place that I really love.
Readers who go to Oak Park should preparefor the weather to be a lot like Chicago.

(01:01:08):
So, autumns are crisp and lovely.
Winters can be absolutely bitter cold.
So, go during fall or spring,which, in my opinion, are two of
the best times to be in that area.
It may seem like a bit out of theway, but Oak Park is absolutely
doable as a day trip from Chicago.
even when just a few hoursyou can get there and back.

(01:01:30):
So if you want to spend anhour at the botanical gardens,
just get out of the city.
This is a great place to do it.
Coming almost to the end of our list here,at the penultimate spot, Cartagena, Spain.
Submitted by Luis.
Cartagena is a city in Spainon the southeastern coast.
It's about an hour and ahalf south of Alicante.
It is a really beautiful city,but it's been overlooked by

(01:01:51):
tourists for a long time.
I lived in Cartagena for five months,so I got to know it very well.
It's very historic.
It was a very key Roman city, andthere's lots of Roman ruins still there.
There's actually still excavations ofRoman ruins that they're discovering,
including the most impressive one ofall, which is the Roman amphitheater,
which was only rediscovered in the 1980s.
People who love history wouldlove to go to Cartagena.

(01:02:12):
It's got lots to offer, it's got Romanhistory, it's got Moorish history,
there's some Spanish Civil War historythere, people who love to enjoy
the sun would also love Cartagena.
It's a bit of a micro climate,it's good weather year round.
It's very hot even in winter, so peoplewho love to go to the beach, who love
to have a bit of Spanish food in thesun, Cartagena is the place for you.
And for our very last spot onthe list, number 50 is Lugervat,

(01:02:35):
Iceland, submitted by me.
Lugervaat is a tiny lakeside town locatedin southern Iceland just over 50 miles
east of the capital city of Reykjavik Itoffers visitors a natural spa getaway
unlike anything on earth because itutilizes Iceland's unique volcanic
features The geothermal hot springs,and you're sitting in a geothermal hot
spring with it bubbling up around you,looking at this freezing cold lake, and

(01:02:57):
there's a massive volcano in the distance.
Lugervat is located on the GoldenCircle, which is a famous driving
route that takes you to some of thecountry's most iconic and stunning
natural cultural sites like GullfossFalls and Thingvellir National Park.
I hope I'm pronouncing these right.
Icelandic words are very hard for me.
Older people I think wouldreally love to go to Lugervaat.
It's also kid friendly, but I thinkit's more of something that like, more

(01:03:20):
mature, Older couples would reallyenjoy because you get to do a lot of
self care things and just relax andspend quality time with each other.
It's also just greatfor couples in general.
Especially with the ability todrive to all these other Icelandic
hotspots and incredible sights nearby.
But yeah, it's just such a great self carerelaxation destination as, as they say.

(01:03:42):
Well, there you have it.
Travel lemmings list of the 50 bestplaces to travel in 2025 and wherever
you're traveling, remember thatwe have lots of guides on travel.
I mean, to help get you there fromour wonderful team of locals and
experts, some of whom you've seenand heard from in today's podcast
to go check out the full article,there's actually a lot more detail on
all of the places that we mentioned.

(01:04:04):
Just search your favorite searchengine for Travel Lemming 2025 or
Travel Lemming places to travel.
There you have it.
How are you doing, Betty?
I am so excited about this list.
Thank you all so much for joiningus on this journey around the world.
Nate and I are so appreciative to ourwhole team for their contributions.
And we're appreciative to you,our dear listeners, and we hope

(01:04:25):
that you feel set to explore allover the place in the new year.
With that, we want to wish youa very happy and safe new year.
And don't forget to like, and subscribeto the Travel Lemming podcast to stick
around for more episodes to come.

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