If winter weather has you dreaming of warmer days or far-off adventures, travel trends for 2026 offer plenty of inspiration. This year’s biggest trips are about slowing down, reconnecting, and choosing experiences with meaning.
Nostalgic Travel Is Back Especially on Route 66
One of the biggest travel trends for 2026 is nostalgic travel. Inspired by the rise of “grandma hobbies” and analog living embraced by Gen Zers, travelers are revisiting places and experiences that feel familiar, comforting, and timeless.
There’s no better example than Route 66, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Stretching from Chicago to Santa Monica, this legendary highway is the ultimate slow-travel road trip. One of my favorite sections runs through Tulsa to Oklahoma City. Spend a night at the art deco Tulsa Club Hotel before hitting the road to spend a half to full day enjoying the quirky roadside attractions, neon signs, and tiny towns on this stretch of Route 66 that still feel wonderfully untouched by time. It’s Americana at its finest, best enjoyed with the windows down and making detour stop along the way.
America Turns 250: A Road Trip Year Like No Other
With the United States marking its 250th anniversary, 2026 is a standout year for road trips that go beyond national parks. Travelers are exploring America’s story through historic sites, battlefields, national monuments, and lesser-visited National Park Service units.
A powerful route runs through Louisiana and Mississippi, linking places like Poverty Point National Monument, Vicksburg National Military Park, Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, the Natchez Trace Parkway, Natchez National Historical Park, and Cane River Creole National Historical Park. These places tell America’s story in ways that are moving, complex, and deeply relevant today.
The Wild Appeal of Lesser-Traveled Places
Travelers are also seeking destinations that feel undiscovered, with a focus on sustainability, culture, and wide-open landscapes. Tasmania, Australia’s island state, is having a moment.
Often described as Australia’s “wild south,” Tasmania delivers some of the best hiking and stargazing in the Southern Hemisphere, along with a growing reputation for cool-climate wines and spirits. Basing in Hobart puts you at the center of a creative culinary scene, with The Tasman Hotel offering an elegant home base. Wildlife encounters are meaningful here too, especially at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, which combines conservation, rescue, and education.
Smaller Cities Are Stealing the Spotlight
Big cities will always have their draw, but 2026 is shaping up to be the year of smaller, walkable cities that combine outdoor adventure with standout food and wine.
Santa Barbara, often called the American Riviera, fits the bill perfectly. The Santa Barbara Channel is one of only two Whale Heritage Areas in the U.S., and I spotted six humpback whales and hundreds of dolphins on a ferry ride to Channel Islands National Park, where sea kayaking with Santa Barbara Adventure Company feels like discovering a secret. Add biking, hiking, wine tasting, sunset cruises, and phenomenal dining, and it’s easy to see why Santa Barbara feels like a hidden gem.
Hush-pitality: The Rise of Quiet, Remote Travel
One of the most talked-about travel trends this year is “hush-pitality.” Travelers are craving quiet, remoteness, and true digital detox experiences.
In Canada’s Yukon Territory, that looks like a 100-kilometer dog sledding expedition with Boreal Kennels, followed by a small-plane flight to Otter Island for a stay at a remote cabin with Terre Boreale. Based out of Whitehorse, a historic Klondike Gold Rush town, you can chase the aurora borealis, soak in hot springs, and experience the kind of silence that’s increasingly rare in modern travel.
