By: Travel + Leisure Editors | From: Travel + Leisure
Where to go in the year ahead? According to nearly two dozen staffers at Travel + Leisure, the best destination for 2025 might just be one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean, or an undiscovered corner of Europe, or a remarkable nation in Asia that’s about to become even buzzier thanks to a certain HBO show.
For T+L’s Where to Go in 2025, our staff vetted nearly 120 qualified contenders, debating the merits of not only what’s new, but what feels like right now. To make it on our list requires more than just a hotly anticipated opening or two. These are places that feel of the moment, whether that’s because they offer unparalleled access to the outdoors, a cultural immersion you can’t find anywhere else, a pulse-quickening hit of excitement, or the sort of blissful luxury only a true five-star property can deliver.
Each of these 50 noteworthy destinations may have their own distinct allure, but all are worthy of a closer look in the year ahead. In fact, the well-traveled staff of T+L is hoping to check out more than a few of them in the coming months. Who knows, maybe we’ll see you out there? — Edited by Paul Brady and Alisha Prakash
San Antonio, Texas
The first Michelin Guide to Texas just dropped, awarding 15 stars across the state — and acknowledging what many restaurant lovers already know: This state can cook. And there’s perhaps no better place to dive in than San Antonio, which has for years been on the cutting edge of culinary innovation: in the past three years, nine of its restaurants, bars, and breweries have been in contention for James Beard Awards, including Best Quality Daughter, Curry Boys BBQ, Mixtli, and La Panadería. (That last one, the bakery brand operated by past JBA nominee and chef David Cáceres, is planning more locations in the year ahead.) Elsewhere, chef and restaurateur Jason Dady will be opening Mexico Ceaty in early 2025, overhauling a food court to create a dining destination that highlights Mexican cuisine. The concept is certainly on trend, considering the 2024 opening of Pullman Market, a 40,000-square-foot dining complex that exemplifies the farm to market ethos. “Our market highlights the difference and value of truly fresh and truly local,” said CEO Kevin Fink, “whether it’s whole fresh fish from the Gulf of Mexico, Berkshire pigs from down the road, or butter from a herd of cows whose milk tastes of the Texas landscape.” San Antonio also has some worthwhile new places to stay, including Kimpton Santo, an upscale hotel near the River Walk that opened in August. Nearby is the InterContinental San Antonio Riverwalk, another newcomer under the IHG Hotels & Resorts umbrella. — Taylor McIntyre