The best places to travel for adventures in 2026, according to Reader's Digest

The year 2026 is stacking up like a travel highlight reel. Major cultural anniversaries, global sporting events, and high-profile openings are turning the calendar into a year of collective celebration. 

Travel experts reviewing trends from booking platforms such as Priceline, Tripadvisor, and Expedia $EXPE suggest travelers are prioritizing experiences over checklists. They want stories, not just photos.

The U.S. is celebrating its 250th birthday. Classic icons such as Route 66 turn 100 years old. The FIFA World Cup 2026 will spread matches across North America. Europe is hosting the 2026 Winter Olympics in northern Italy. Southern Spain will witness a total solar eclipse. These events are turning destinations into stages rather than stops. Travelers $TRV are booking around moments rather than just places.

Here are five of the top places to travel in 2026, according to Reader’s Digest.

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Brussels offers one of the most culturally dense experiences in Europe for 2026 travelers. The city is preparing to debut the Kanal—Centre Pompidou, opening in November 2026, which will become one of Europe’s largest new contemporary art museums. The museum will occupy a converted Citroën garage and will showcase modern European art in multi-level exhibition spaces. According to Reader’s Digest, this opening is a primary draw for cultural travelers seeking fresh museum experiences.

Beyond art, Brussels delivers classic European charm. Visitors can explore Grand Place, one of the continent’s best-preserved historic squares, then move directly into culinary tourism with Belgian waffles, chocolate, and frites sold throughout pedestrian districts. Cultural festivals also boost travel appeal. In August, the Floral Carpet event transforms Grand Place into a massive botanical design installation using thousands of flowers.

Accommodation trends in Brussels emphasize boutique historic hotels such as restored heritage buildings. Travelers $TRV are increasingly choosing centrally located properties to minimize transit time and maximize walkable exploration.

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Chicago is preparing for cultural tourism growth in 2026 with the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in June. The campus will function as a presidential museum, community performance space, and educational hub. Reader’s Digest highlights this project as a transformative cultural development for Chicago’s South Side neighborhood.

The center is designed as more than a historical archive. It includes gardens, recreation facilities, and event spaces, turning heritage tourism into community tourism. Urban tourism experts argue this model represents the future of cultural landmarks — blending memory preservation with active social use.

Chicago will also host UNESCO International Jazz Day concerts during U.S. 250th birthday celebrations in July. The city’s long jazz and blues history makes it a natural host for global musical gatherings. Travelers $TRV can pair museum visits with live music clubs across downtown and Hyde Park districts.

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Milan could be one of Europe’s most energetic destinations in 2026 as it hosts portions of the Winter Olympics. Sporting events will extend into the Dolomite Mountains, creating multi-region tourism routes across northern Italy.

Milan itself functions as a global design capital. Travelers $TRV can visit the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade, the Duomo di Milano cathedral, and La Scala opera house. Art exhibitions at Palazzo Reale will feature European masters such as Cézanne and Renoir during the Olympic season.

Olympic tourism typically increases visitor spending on dining, entertainment, and local retail. Economists note that Olympic host cities often see long-term tourism boosts if infrastructure investments remain useful after the games conclude. Reader’s Digest identifies Milan as a city where sports tourism and fashion tourism will intersect during 2026.

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Fort Worth represents classic U.S. cultural tourism in 2026. The city is preparing to host nine FIFA World Cup matches at AT&T $T Stadium, giving it more World Cup games than any other U.S. location, according to the report.

Cultural tourism could also expand through heritage institutions. The National Juneteenth Museum will open in Fort Worth’s Historic Southside neighborhood, led by civil rights advocate Opal Lee. The museum will provide interactive exhibits documenting emancipation history and modern civil rights movements.

Family tourism could grow in nearby Frisco with the opening of Universal Kids Resort. The park will feature themed lands based on DreamWorks and animated film franchises. Theme parks remain one of the most reliable drivers of domestic tourism spending, especially among multigenerational travel groups.

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Prince Edward Island is becoming a premier destination for book-inspired travel. The island’s connection to Anne of Green Gables, written by Lucy Maud Montgomery, continues to drive international tourism.

In 2026, tourism momentum will increase with musical theater productions based on the novel. Travelers $TRV can visit Green Gables Heritage Place to explore preserved historic settings connected to the story. According to Reader’s Digest, 57% of travelers show interest in literature-inspired vacations.

Nature tourism is equally important here. Visitors explore white sand beaches, coastal dunes, and small coastal villages through walking tours. Slow travel experiences are growing globally as travelers move away from crowded attraction-hopping itineraries.