If you’re tired of visiting places trod by millions of tourists previously, perhaps you should consider looking in less likely spots this year.
A cheat sheet for that can be found in Afar’s primer, “Where To Go in 2026: Places That Are on the Rise and off the Beaten Path.” The travel-media brand has collected two dozen destinations that serve as a “better way to travel the world: responsibly, creatively and with eyes on places long overlooked.”
Think of Buffalo, N.Y., whose Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor is getting a resurrected jazz club and a pioneering Black radio museum in 2026. Or West Cork, Ireland, a wild and enchanting side of the island that visitors don’t often patronize, or Rabat, Morocco, which is rising as a cultural hub with new museums and a rockin’ summer music festival.
Residents of Northern California might perk up their ears at the inclusion of the Columbia River Gorge, a rugged and waterfall-blessed region in Oregon and Washington that’s within striking range. Here are the first 10 on the list in alphabetical order; for more check the full guide.
Afar’s places on the rise and off the beaten path
1 Adelaide, Australia
2 Albuquerque, N.M.
3 Birmingham, Ala.
4 Bucharest, Romania
5 Buffalo, N.Y.
6 Columbia River Gorge, Oregon and Washington
7 Da Nang, Vietnam
8 East Antarctica
9 Eleuthera, Bahamas
10 Far East London
John Metcalfe
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