The 36 Best-Ever Places to Travel in 2020
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Whether you get your best travel inspo from Instagram, travel blogs, articles, or word of mouth, you’re likely to come across a new potential destination idea you haven’t thought of before. But how do you narrow down your choices? For one, there’s the power of popularity. Say what you will about “touristy” spots, but there’s definitely a reason so many people flock to those vacay destinations.
Maybe you’re looking to stay within the same continent or spread your wings and go somewhere as far away as possible. Whatever you’ve got in mind, the world is your oyster.
And if you can’t take a trip right this second, it doesn’t hurt to daydream. Save up your coins using a money-saving app like Acorns, Chase bank’s AutoSave feature, or start tracking your spending. Having an exact destination in mind also helps. That’s because you can set flight alerts for cheap tickets and plan your dream itinerary while you wait for a good deal.
To help you narrow down your choices, we consulted the experts at SEMRush, which uses data from Google searches, to rank the top 36 most searched for travel destinations worth visiting in 2020, in order of popularity. The below picks are based off average search volume for flights from 2019.
Oh, and heads up: We’ve got our own Cosmo travel guides written by editors who’ve been to those spots. The Instagram Itinerary series focuses on the most Instagrammable places in the area. So if you want an even further dive into, say, which Greek island is best, we gotchu.
Thailand
Get lost in the jade rice paddy fields, explore some jungle gardens, and indulge in the most picturesque afternoon tea of your life in this Southeast Asian country. Hot tip: You’ll be wowed by Railay Beach.
(FYI: If you get an email from a cheap flight mailing list like Scott’s Cheap Flights, move quick. Tickets are a hot commodity.)
Read more about Thailand’s most Instagrammable spots here.
Japan
With the 2020 Olympics closer than ever, it’s no wonder Japan tourism is booming. Spend a few days exploring bustling Tokyo. (PSA: The Mandarin Oriental Tokyo has a special underground subway entrance right underneath it for cramming in all your sightseeing.)
Then, bookend your trip with a relaxing stay at one of Japan’s other prefectures, like Mount Fuji, Kyoto, or cutie mountain resort town Karuizawa.
New Zealand
Be wowed by Milford Sound park; see waterfalls, seals, and penguins; and stargaze at Lake Tekapo. New Zealand may be a looooong flight, but if you’re into nature, there’s really no cooler place to visit.
Puerto Rico
Explore Old San Juan, dine out on Fortaleza Street, stroll down Paseo de la Princesa, and grab a daybed at La Concha resort.
Read more about Puerto Rico’s most Instagrammable spots here.
India
Visit the Taj Mahal, Amber Palace, and Hawa Mahal (aka this pink-and-red sandstone palace also called Palace of the Winds).
Architecture’d TF out? There’s also Ranthambore National Park, where you can see tigers, leopards, marsh crocodiles, and more among the famous water lilies.
Jamaica
Vacation as Harry and Meghan do in Montego Bay. Eat and drink all the rum, meditate on a floating bungalow, and go horseback riding on the beach.
Read more about Jamaica’s most Instagrammable spots here.
Italy
Art history majors, THIS IS YOUR MOMENT. Visit Florence to see *the* David, Palazzo Vecchio, a bunch of Medici cribs, and basically every Renaissance slideshow image you watched in class—IRL.
Other options: Go to Rome to see the Colosseum or hit up the Amalfi Coast to live out your George and Amal Clooney fantasies.
Iceland
The Blue Lagoon in Reykjavik may be blowing up your feed, but if you want to see some less touristy parts of Iceland, you can’t go wrong visiting East Iceland.
Iceland will inspire even the most jaded of city dwellers—I can personally promise that.
Read more about Iceland’s most Instagrammable spots here.
Mexico
Become a certified tequila expert and stay in a legit tequila barrel room in Jalisco. Then pivot to mezcal and Día de los Muertos celebrations in Oaxaca.
Read more about Mexico’s most Instagrammable spots in Jalisco and Oaxaca here.
Costa Rica
Wanna go hiking on an active volcano or see rainforest wildlife on a beach? Do hot springs sound relaxing? Then Costa Rica is your jam.
Also, go see the cute bb sea turtles in a protected nesting area at Tortuguero National Park. Do it.
Canada
Canada is huge, so there’s plenty to do no matter what your interests. On the west side, there’s Banff National Park, home of glacial lakes and the prettiest mountain photos you ever did take.
If you want to explore the eastern coast, there’s Québec. It’s full of adorable fairy-tale-looking castles and buildings.
Singapore
The futuristic city boasts a netted walkway, sky trampoline, reverse waterfall, and more—and that’s just Singapore’s airport.
Staying in Singapore proper means you also have to visit the Marina Bay Sands infinity pool (aka that scene from Crazy Rich Asians). Then visit Singapore Flyer ferris wheel, go to Night Safari, and also get the best cheap eyelash extensions ever.
Greece
Party it up in Mykonos like Lindsay, stroll through the town to see some of the cutest little shops on winding streets, and stay out till 6 a.m.
Then book it to Santorini and stay in a traditional hyposkapha cave house. From there, circle the island on a caldera cruise and enjoy some of the best seafood of your life.
Read more about Greece’s most Instagrammable spots here.
Ireland
Visit the Cliffs of Moher, a 5-star-rated attraction on Google with the succinct description of “Cliff.” Then tackle the Giant’s Causeway, a geometric rock formation that looks like it belongs in an Asgardian tribunal. Finally, pop into the Guinness Storehouse for a tour.
Spain
Visit Palma for an approachable vacay that still gives you one hundred percent influencer vibes. Wander around Palma Old Town and visit Parc de la Mar. Then hop to Madrid and eat all the meat.
Read more about Spain’s most Instagrammable spots in Palma and Madrid here.
Turkey
Take a family-run carpet tour in Bodrum for major home decor vibes. Then pose next to the famous turquoise water of the Aegean Sea and check out the vibrant bougainvillea flowers.
It’s a vacation that’s as beautiful as it is relaxing.
Read more about Turkey’s most Instagrammable spots here.
Bahamas
Stay in an ocean-view villa in Exuma, go island-hopping, and visit some ethical pig beaches for the cutest photo ops of your life.
Read more about the Bahamas’ most Instagrammable spots here.
Portugal
Nestled between Spain and Morocco (two other destinations on this list), Portugal has some truly gorgina weather and tons of medieval castles and architecture to boot.
One million U.S. visitors flocked to the country in 10 months last year, making it one of the fastest-growing destinations for stateside visitors. Be the origin of your friends’ Portugal FOMO and get there first.
Hong Kong
While things are dicey there at the moment, there’s no doubt that Hong Kong is one of the most fun places to visit in Asia.
There’s Victoria Peak, which is best experienced by the Peak Tram, a train that takes the scenic route through a lookout point over the city.
If you’re going with family (or you just enjoy fun), there’s also Ocean Park, which is like Disney World but for sea animals (and you can see pandas there!).
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