Where you should — and shouldn’t — travel in 2026

Welcome to 2026!

The new year is a great time to pause, relax and reflect — and start thinking about what you’d like to achieve in the next 12 months. While you’re easing into the new year, get started thinking about where you would like to go on vacation. CNN Travel has just revealed its list of places to visit in 2026. These 20 places include spots on six of seven continents (sorry, Antarctica!), so odds are good at least one will scratch your travel itch. Some places — like Bahrain and Adelaide, Australia — have new flight routes that will make it easier than ever for Americans to get there. Others, like Oulu in Finland and Brussels in Belgium, have exciting arts and culture offerings. And if you want the journey to be part of the destination, might we suggest the Chilean fjords or Mongolia’s remote Orkhon Valley? If too many choices make you feel overwhelmed, consider using a process of elimination to make your decision. We’ve also put together a list of places you can’t visit in the year to come. For example, several popular Paris attractions, like the Centre Pompidou and the Catacombs, will be undergoing renovation work in 2026, so you may decide to reorganize your itinerary.