National Geographic just named its best places to visit in 2027, and Wisconsin made the list

The annual Best of the World list spans six continents. These 10 selections include a few personal favorites and places I’d love to explore.

There is no shortage of advice about where to travel next year, but I’m always curious to see which places National Geographic puts on its annual list.

Released October 20, Best of the World 2027 features 25 destinations across six continents. The selections draw on the publication’s global network of writers, photographers, and explorers, with new openings and major celebrations helping explain why the coming year is a good time to go.

These are 10 selections that caught my attention, in no particular order.

Madison, Wisconsin

Madison was a happy surprise. As a Wisconsinite, I love seeing our state included on a global travel list, and Madison is a delight. According to Destination Madison, this is the city’s first appearance on National Geographic’s list.

The capital sits between lakes Mendota and Monona, with bike paths connecting much of the city. National Geographic’s Madison coverage highlights the Saturday Dane County Farmers’ Market around Capitol Square and the Memorial Union Terrace, where those colorful chairs overlook Lake Mendota.

New exhibits and a trail into the Malcapampa archaeological area are among the reasons the publication highlights 2027. A cable car from Nuevo Tingo makes the climb to Kuélap considerably easier, with a ride of about 20 minutes.

For 2027, National Geographic highlights the August 2 total solar eclipse, which will bring more than six minutes of totality to the city. Planned hotel openings and the Guardian of the Nile, a luxury sleeper train set to connect Cairo and Aswan with a stop in Luxor, add to the reasons to visit.

My two-day Luxor itinerary covers both banks of the Nile. Take the heat seriously, though: temperatures were already above 100 degrees during my spring visit, which is why I’ve also shared how I dressed for the heat in Luxor.

Niigata, Japan

Having lived in Japan, I’m always interested in which parts of the country make these lists. This time, it’s Niigata, a prefecture on the Sea of Japan known for heavy snowfall and a long tradition of sake brewing.

The 2027 Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale is a major draw, with installations spread across roughly 200 villages between July and November. Food is another reason to spend time here. In Nagaoka, the mile-long Hakko Trip is a self-guided route with stops at miso producers and sake breweries, giving visitors a way to learn about the region’s fermentation traditions as they go.

Vestland, Norway

Vestland is the southwestern Norwegian county that includes Bergen and some extraordinary fjord scenery. On Nærøyfjord, travelers can take a two-hour electric boat cruise between Flåm and Gudvangen, passing steep rock walls and waterfalls along the way.

Bergen gives the trip a city base, with the colorful timber buildings of the UNESCO-listed Bryggen district to explore. Its Hanseatic Museum is expected to reopen in 2027 after a major renovation. I like the idea of leaving time for the city itself before heading farther into the fjords, especially with all those places to stop for a meal along the waterfront.

Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

Scotland’s southwestern corner caught my attention for its dark skies and coastal walks. National Geographic highlights the Scottish Dark Sky Observatory’s planned new home overlooking Clatteringshaws Loch in 2027, along with the new 83-mile Rhins of Galloway Coast Path.

Then there’s Wigtown, officially Scotland’s National Book Town, with 17 bookstores. The Bookshop alone holds around 100,000 titles, and the town hosts a book festival in early autumn. A day browsing secondhand books followed by an evening of stargazing would be an easy sell for me.

Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne’s laneways give visitors plenty of reasons to wander, with cafés and street art tucked between the larger streets. National Geographic also highlights the city’s varied food scene, where successive waves of migration have shaped the restaurants and neighborhoods.

For 2027, the publication points to plans for a dozen new parks and an expanded train network. The National Gallery of Victoria’s Triennial, scheduled for December 2026 through April 2027, adds another reason to visit. I’m happy to see an Australian city included, particularly one where you can spend several days working your way through cafés and galleries.

Malawi

My trips to Kenya and Rwanda have made wildlife travel an easy sell for me, so Malawi caught my attention. National Geographic highlights conservation work in Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve, where visitors can see wildlife including elephants and lions.

Liwonde also offers boat trips on the Shire River, which would add a different perspective to a safari. Lake Malawi gives the trip another dimension, with sandy shores and opportunities for kayaking and sailing. I like the possibility of following several days of wildlife watching with time beside the lake.

Southern Ozarks, Missouri and Arkansas

The southern Ozarks earned their place for outdoor adventures, with Bentonville, Arkansas, serving as a base for cyclists and art lovers. Nearby Bella Vista’s OZ Trails Bike Park has about 20 miles of gravity trails and a chairlift that carries riders and their bikes uphill.

The expanded Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art gives visitors another substantial stop in Bentonville, with a collection spanning five centuries. Across the border in Missouri, Table Rock Lake and Dogwood Canyon Nature Park offer more time outdoors. This is a pick where I’d want several days and a car to explore beyond one town.

Penang, Malaysia

Penang is one of the places on this list where I’d want to leave plenty of time for eating. In George Town, hawker stalls serve dishes such as char kway teow, a stir-fried noodle dish, and asam laksa, a tangy fish-based noodle soup.

The city’s historic streets and clan jetties are another draw, while the rainforest gives travelers a reason to head out of town. A new Penang Hill cable car, expected to open in 2027, will connect the Penang Botanic Gardens with the summit in under 10 minutes.

For more ideas for next year, I also picked out 10 places that caught my attention on Lonely Planet’s 2027 list.

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