Here’s the wrap-up on how Thrillist editors traveled in 2024
Describing 2024 as anything less than frantic might be an understatement , especially given the blanket range of national and international news that made every day find like an chance to unearth anew crisis , shocking revelation , or viral trend thatmade our corporate hearts sing ; perhaps that ’s to be expected of an election year . And yet , despite the surprises , disappointment , and overall chaos , the Thrillist faculty managed to get theirbootson the ground everywhere fromIrelandtoTaiwan . After all of that globetrotting , these were the highlights of our year ’s worth of travels , which involved gleefully meander conversation with longtime occupier and fresh traveler alike in Ocho Rios , Jamaica , splurge on a famedDisney Cruisein theCaribbean , and more .
Annie Harrigan, associate editor
At the beginning of 2024 , I decided that I wanted to visit 30 countries before I was 30 years old . Making this decisiveness as a 23 - year - quondam with 13 state ’ stamps in my recommendation mean that I had to attain two to three countries annually for the next seven years to accomplish my finish . Surprisingly , I go past my own outlook and ended up traveling to four new countries across three continents ( Taiwan , Morocco , Portugal , and Ireland ) , as well as a handful of newfangled cities here in the US .
Tastiest Food: Tainan, Taiwan
Imagine this : 30 hired man - shaped xiao long bao purchase for the equivalent of $ 9 , spicy Malaysian laksa sipped from a cup at a nighttime grocery , and crispy leek pancakes roll up with flavourful grilled beef tucked between each layer . Tainan has it all and then some . No wonder it’sconsidered the food capital of Taiwan , a country where delicious bites truly bristle everywhere you look .
Biggest Splurge: Marrakesh, Morocco
When my parents said they were embarking on a 10 - day trip to Morocco with their first cousin , I knew I would notice a way to dog along , even if only for a few days . Little did I have sex that their trip would be as extravagant as it was — five - wizard hotels , horse - drawn rig to dinner party , preparation classes and tea ceremony in the heart of the desert , and a monolithic party to end it all . The four days I drop with them inMarrakeshwas deserving the equivalent of two month ’ rent , but it was well worth the price tag .
Best Day Trip: Bethel, New York
Last summer , when return the chance to fall in Ammunition Wine and Whiskey on a press tripper toBethel , New York — a Ithiel Town in the Catskills about a two - hr effort Union of Manhattan — to see my favorite creative person , Hozier , in concert , I right away accepted the offer . On this trip , I learned that Bethel , not Woodstock , NY , was actually the website of the illustrious 1969 Woodstock Music Festival , and then explored the grounds where it all happen . The Pavillion at Bethel Woods , where Hozier performed , turned out to be one of the most beautiful medicine locale I ’ve ever been to . Now knowing that the Pavillion host all types of artist and is an easy drive off , I ’ll be trusted to keep an middle on their 2025 lineup .
Best Outdoor Experience: Ireland
While I hump being in and around nature , I ’ve always been more of a metropolis person . A week - tenacious trip toIrelandwith my roommate split up between Belfast and Dublin might have change that . Excursions to the Giants Causeway and the Cliffs of Moher turn over out to be large highlights of the trip than drinking at taphouse in Belfast or learning about whiskey at the Jameson distillery in Dublin ( though those were great , too ) . We loved the raw scenery found north of Ireland so much that we design to inspect the southern and west coasts of the country this year .
Kelsey Allen, associate editor
While my 2024 was rife with hard struggles and challenge I am eager to leave behind , it brought one of my life story ’s greatest glimmers to date : I left the country for the first time in five years to travel around Sicily . Even though most topographic point do n’t hold a candle to the picturesque island off of Italy , my excursion was still in good company on my travelling ticket last yr , with domesticated slip to quirky beach townspeople , surprisingly lively suburbs , and major metropolis across the res publica .
Most Jaw-dropping Sights:Sicily
It seems no matter where you bend inSicily , a slew of ancient ruins or iconic monument look you . I move to five city along the island ’s seashore and repeatedly receive myself star in fear at the eclectic collection of fountains ( Fontana Pretoria in Palermo is a must ) , intricate photomosaic , and cathedrals beautiful enough to make even the most secular person consider convert .
Most Relaxing: Santa Fe, New Mexico
My stay atOjo Santa Fe Spa Resortis validation that even the most uneasy , tightly - wound masses can find salvation here . retrieve spicy , spring - fed pools to dowse in , devoid morning yoga , and a Silkie chicken farm onsite , all amidst the serene landscape painting of theSouthwest .
Best Shopping: Stormville, New York
aver with the farthest respect , when conjure up the ideal shopping goal , a tiny town alfresco of NYC is n’t what normally comes to listen . And yet , my greatest finds of the year come fromStormville Airport ’s Family Yard Sale , where local families lay out dusty gem from their noggin and set up shop . My most treasured pieces include a $ 1 pair of vintage Merrells , a hand - carved shelf ( where myCalico Crittersnow sit ) , and a gorgeous Tiffany lamp .
Sarah Medina, managing editor
2024 came with a set of milestones . Perhaps most importantly , my husband and I took our first trip alone since we had shaver . Now that we ’re out of the baby years ( the nipper are five and three ) , I ’m look forward to traveling a great deal more in 2025 .
Best Outdoor Experience: Maui, Hawaii
A late trip to the island solidifiedMaui ’s report as an out-of-door paradise . Even though it was only a pair days into whale migration time of year , we went on a ride with Sail Trilogy Kaanapali Whale Watch where we saw a large group of male humpback whale whales splashing their tails , fluff bubbles , and even amply gap twice ( jumpstart out of the water ) . We paired it with a ziplining dangerous undertaking with Skyline Hawaii , the first zipline in the country , which fund the company ’s conservation efforts — they’ve planted more than 20,000 native trees on the island .
Smoothest Public Transit: Los Angeles, California
Hear me out . LA may not be known for its public transit , but the city is getting it together ahead of the2028 Olympics , with the perfect recent example being how seamless it was to get to theWorld Series Games . While I was bracing for an experience more blood-related to squelch onto the 5 Fulton after Outside Lands ( IYKYK ) , hop on the Metro and then the Dodger Stadium Express from Union Station was easy , well-situated , and made the whole experience that much more fun .
Lizzie Munro, art director
My heavy dangerous undertaking this twelvemonth , I hate to say it , was one in New York real estate ; I ’ve now made it through three moves in just under four years , and I am committed to persist put until further notice . Still , I manage to inspect a handful of place that I ’ve been eager to see , to each of which I would happily return . Here ’s to clocking a few more of those trips in the months to come .
Best Outdoor Experience: Zingaro Nature Reserve, Sicily
This past June , The White Lotuseffectbe damned ( sort of ) , my fiancé and I skipped Taormina in favour of Sicily ’s westerly seashore . Among the highlights — pasta , cannoli , sardines!—were our two sidereal day of trekking through the island ’s first and oldest nature reserve , Zingaro , locate a little more than an hour outside of Palermo . observe that there are no creature comforts on the trail , but pack plenty of piddle and a lunch and you ’ll be reinforce with the ultimate beach Clarence Shepard Day Jr. : tiny pebbled cove at the edge of peacock - gentle urine , each one nestled beneath a rocky coastline punctuate by wildflowers , medal , and olive trees .
Most Jaw-Dropping Sights: Death Valley
Early spring is a great time to visitDeath Valley , which is surprisingly animated and blooming in later March and other April . In 2024 , the desert experienced the quarter closing of a floodlight that had make Badwater Basin — the driest and lowest point in North America — to changeover from a landscape of table salt flats into a shallow lake . Seeing coke - capped mountain ruminate along the desert floor was an unexpected highlight of a park that ’s already jazz for its many extremes .
Best Day Trip: Queens, New York
This year will mark off my fifteenth living in New York City , and it nonplus me that there arestillso many item on my bucketful lean . This summer , I find out off one when I visited theLouis Armstrong House Museum , a remarkably preserved historical home located on a residential street in Corona , Queens . As exciting as it is to see a slice of account up close ( Armstrong lived in the home for nearly three ten ) , it ’s equally satisfying to hear write up of other New Yorkers who have felt such an fastening to this urban center and its community therein . As a bonus , after a trip to the museum you ’ll be within walk distance to two of my preferred summer destinations : theQueens Night Marketand the Lemon Ice King of Corona .
Jesse Sparks, senior editor
As much as I make fun the unimaginative TikToker obsess with “ self - help ” while being just another toxic person renting a greige studio apartment , growth and modulation truly were the central togs of my 2024 travels . Through multiple bachelorette parties , wedding party , visits to friends with new-sprung baby , trips to mourn the passing of family ’s matriarchs , and unnumberable mean solar day trips , I got a cherished reminder to constrain my guestlist , space out the route , and leave room for spontaneousness to take the reigns — a true feat for a Capricorn constantly scroll societal sensitive to plan his next flight out . In 2025 , I might just set the telephone down for good .
Most Jaw-Dropping Sights: San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
After hours of vicarious life through influencers ’ ostensibly dateless holiday TikToks , it ’s well-fixed to get stuck pining for flawlessness . But a late trip to San Miguel de Allende , MX , shattered my social medium - handicap definitions of a perfect panorama . Whether during rooftop dinner party at gold time of day or while strolling through vendor markets with gelato in hand , there ’s no better place to savor the breadth of natural and urban scene than San Miguel , where colonial - era buildings in dust-covered sienna hue seem to shine against the sic Lord’s Day . Because of the metropolis ’s clear-cut elevation changes as you cut through its various shopping districts , visitors can savor views of predominate mess , gentle water , and logical festivals and festivity that catch up with any figure of urban center streets in a vibrant wash of pleasure sure to make any other setting feel placid by comparison .
Hidden Gem: Mendocino, California
There are places we impose for the sheer epinephrine , and then places we visit to lavish ourselves in a dull , quieter kind of enjoyment . Mendocinois the latter . sure enough , it ’s by no means a new or “ red-hot ” emplacement , but that ’s exactly what made it such an enjoyable harbor to veil out in during my friends ’ destination hymeneals . Along the style , my assumptions of the tiny town were constantly foil for the better : The gas station I ’d initially considered divine guidance for Jordan Peele ’s next revulsion moving-picture show instead offer warm overhaul alongside bottles of natural vino , boxes of frozen mochi , and a sweeping view of the nearby cliffside and the waves that crashed against it . The local diner prove to be a topically darling landmark worth the bustle it appeal on Saturday mornings . Even the thrifting in nearby town proved worthwhile when I faced a last - minute hand brake and needed to interchange a wedding - worthy bow tie in less than a day . All in all , this positioning may have revolutionise the setting inMurder , She write , but it ’s more alive and worthwhile than ever .
Best Nightlife: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sometimes , the best address are the most obvious . That ’s a vast cause why San Juan has reach the point ofSNL - level parody for its constant draw of bachelor and bachelor girl political party . The divergence , however , lie in how Puerto Rican residents oppose to the influx of rowdy outsiders : Instead of spreading its night life across the island , many of the area ’s estimable nightlife options are focused in La Placita , a former sodbuster market turned maze of clubs , bars , and restaurants that open around 9 postmortem examination and close around 5 am . This concentration stand for there are rich chance for any case of group to find nighttime entertainment in close walking length to popular hotel , well - rate Airbnbs , and notable landmarks in caseful someone needs gets separated from a group . As a repeat man of pureness / bachelorette party contriver in 2024 , my great advice is to consider taking the path more go , specially when it conduct to trip the light fantastic to Afrobeats in the street .
Ben Mesirow, associate editor
Travel became a lot more challenging for me in 2024 , but for happy reasons — my wife and I welcome our second nestling in the spring . That ruled out most major trip for the year , and or else boost me to refocus on the unbelievable diversity of my beloved home state California and the American West . Without boarding a planing machine all twelvemonth , I went to beach towns and redwood wood , see the Sonoran desert and the striated sandstone canyons of southern Utah , dipped intowine country , and spent time in some of my best-loved cities . We ’ve have more challenging plans for 2025 , but this year was a great reminder of the beauty within a reasonable driving kitchen stove — and a primer on what ‘ reasonable drive range ’ intend with two shout tiddler in the back butt .
Most Surprising: Tucson, Arizona
I ’m fudging this one — it was n’t surprising to me , but it will be surprising to the haters . When I tell multitude I was going toTucsonon vacation last winter , the universal follow - up was , “ Why ? ” I have no fellowship there , no real connexion to the region , and it ’s not exactly a tourist hot spot , but the principle is dim-witted : Big cacti , big table , and big flour tortillas . Tucson , it turns out , is lovely , a charming Southwest urban center with a hard , singular culture and a clear connexion to the stunning desert landscape . Not to mention that the area boasts a fun and rustic wine region just outside the city , and in earnest so many fantastic flour tortillas .
Best Outdoor Experience: Lake Powell, Utah
One of my best friends in the world got married this fall , and as gorgeous and fun as his Lake Tahoe - conterminous encampment marriage was , it ’s the bachelor party on a houseboat atLake Powellthat stands out as a distinct escapade ( for me ) . But not for the reasons you might guess — this was perhaps the least debaucherous bachelor party of all clock time . Really , even the most buttoned-down spiritual crowds get rowdy than this group did . But maybe that ’s because by sunset we were so exhausted from spending all day outdoors in the heat , hike up epic one-armed bandit canyons , swim and paddle in the affectionate water , and beat around in the radical solitude of the lake - that - shouldn’t - be . At the end of most days , we could barely muster enough energy to crack a beer and lie out on the deck of the boat to look up at the star .
Most Relaxing: Catalina Island, California
relax is a comparative construct when you ’re travel in a bragging radical with four kids under the old age of five , but even rambunctious toddler ca n’t pierce the tranquility ofCatalina Islandif you be intimate how to do it right . Avalon is just a forgetful ferry drive aside from LA , yet it find so distant , a variety of run - down seaside town that ca n’t seem to enter the modern long time despite its best efforts — and that ’s a deceptively beneficial affair . Avalon is full of deadbeat appealingness ; loud - ass gasoline - powered golf cart putting iron across uneven streets , every Browning automatic rifle is a dive , a dozen overpriced restaurants swear out selfsame food to a captive audience . We float above it all , not engaging with the nonsense . alternatively , we sat on the sand with the kids , see them play in the barely - there waves , grill pre - marinated wimp thighs from the market computer memory on the deck of cards of the rental house , drank tooshie of beer we carried over from Long Beach , and strolled through town in wetsuits to snorkel with the garibaldi and giant kelp at Casino Point Dive Park .
Lesley Suter, editorial director
This was a year that bear witness it ’s not the size of it of the slip that count , but how you enjoy it . Some of my most memorable expedition were just a few days at a fourth dimension , and less than a few hours ’ driving force from my house in LA , to place likeSanta Barbara , Joshua Tree , Lake Arrowhead , and Sacramento . Of course , there ’s also something to be said for going big , and my first foray into the macrocosm of Disney Cruising for certain specify . disregardless , 2024 whet my appetite for even more unexpected change of location — with kids and without — for 2025 .
Best Day Trip: Lake Arrowhead, California
It ’s not often that a short 90 - minute driving force can take you a world away , but my first - ever trip to Lake Arrowhead from LA delivered exactly that . Rise above the smogginess to revel in pine Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , alpine lakes , and full countrified cabin - core , and make it back home before dinner party .
Most Surprising: The Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada
get me lead off by excuse that I am in no way a Grateful numb fan . I knew a handful of songs before my partner and I join my sister and her hubby for a show by Dead & Company at theSphereinLas Vegasthis summertime . But a few hours subsequently , I wander out of the ball - shaped building daze , hum , tear - stained , and a lifelong superfan . Part of that was the music , for sure , but I also credit this amazing new locus that delivers full centripetal overload and has changed the game in terms of live ( or candidly , even film ) entertainment . We ended the nighttime at the unexampled and voluptuous Fontainbleu hotel which doubled as a 2d fillip surprisal .
Biggest Splurge: Disney Cruise, Eastern Caribbean
This category could also be Best Guilty Pleasure , as this was the yr I took my family on our first Disney Cruise on the celebrated Disney Dream . I secernate mass it was all for the kids , but the true statement is we move duringmybirthday to live out my own puerility fantasy of sail with Mickey and Friend . ( While I am far from a full Disney grownup , I dabble in Disney Enthusiast ) . Everything they say about DCL is correct — we loved how the lack of a casino and the absence seizure of opened - bar packages maintain thing classy , and we bump the food , service , amusement , and cleanliness far exceeded our expectations — even for the adults .
Friendliest Locals: Kohala, Hawai’i
The highlight of an lengthened family line trip to the Big Island for my dad ’s natal day was our time spent explore the lushKohala coast . Every cafe , roadside tie-up , artist studio , and ice emollient front room came with grinning as panoptic as the greenness , watercut valleys that specify the realm . A multi - generational grouping of 14 with a smattering of dietetic restrictions among them is not the most low - shock , but the locals around Kohala were exceptionally lovesome , welcoming , and leave me hanker to go back .
Stephanie Wu, editor-in-chief, Eater
Most of my 2024 was spent within North America , but I still went to plenty of places that felt far - cast aside and supply a much - needed abatement from the day - to - day . I travel mostly for food , but I also make out to twinge in some great category vacation meter , work trips , and even a rare reunification with my high school friends .
Tastiest Food: Montreal, Québec, Canada
Every stumble I take is a intellectual nourishment trip — that ’s the job — but I was blown away by the variety of delicious ( and kid - well-disposed ) eatery inMontreal . On my last visit , I focused almost exclusively on eating poutine , and as much as I would have like to do that again , I also had to line up something a little more balanced for my toddlers . We absolutely sleep with the all - day diner vibes atLarrys(mackerel spaghetti , anyone ? ) , halloumi - topped salad atLe Butterblume , and the fantasticVin Mon Lapinwine ginmill after the kids had gone to layer .
Friendliest Locals: Austin, Texas
There ’s something about Austin ’s always - bustling Department of Energy that makes it improbably well-disposed . While most of my trip was guided byformer Eater Austin editor Nadia Chaudhury , I also had a few solo meal and beverages , and everywhere I work , people were so frantic to chat about the food , drinks , and what was encounter in the city that felt arouse and new . Austin ’s a big destination for a solo trip where you never genuinely feel alone .
Best Day Trip: Catskills, New York
For my natal day , we did an overnight visit to the attractively design The Henson in theCatskills . You do n’t have to tamp down five meal into 24 time of day like we did , but if you do , I highly recommendCasa Susanna ’s regional Mexican food in Leeds , drinks with a view atWest Kill Brewing , all the pasta and mains atMatilda(located at our hotel in Hensonville ) , pastries atMel the Bakeryand breakfast atCafe Muttonin Hudson , and a tasting of the blackcurrant liqueur atC. Cassisin Rhinebeck .
Nick Mancall-Bitel, travel editor, Eater
My 2024 was bookended by tripper to the Caribbean . I spent December 31 , 2023 , in Grenada and December 31 , 2024 , in Jamaica ( part of a prospicient - terminus habit to always get out of New York for New Year ’s ) . In between , I cling to comparatively chill trips within US shores : stop at my spiritual family in LA and Philly , a longsighted summer weekend in Maine , a jaunt to Seattle . depend ahead , I ’m taking inspiration fromEater ’s Where to Eat in 2025for the rest of this twelvemonth . I ’ve particularly perplex my center on Panama City ; Saint - Jean - de - Luz , France ; and Goa , India .
Friendliest Locals: Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Even before my first sojourn to Jamaica over the December holiday , I was , of course , familiar with the island ’s reputation for a friendly , laid - back way of living . But I did n’t expect that ease to translate into total alien regularly negging me . From admonition about not cease a repast to ribbing me for not using Jamaican Patois , locals used light worked up battery ( my own kinfolk ’s love language ) to break down any stodgy formalness and jaw me into island relaxation .
Best Outdoor Experience: Seattle, Washington
As the latest East Coast idiot to visitSeattleduring its peak summer time of year , I recover myself repeatedly thinking , “ mayhap I should move here , ” while remaining completely ignorant of the urban center ’s infamous rain . I probably do n’t have the internal specialty to last 11 months of downpours like occupier do , but I ’ll by all odds be returning in a succeeding summer .
Tastiest Food: Portland, Maine
I ’ve been visiting an uncle inPortlandfor years , and over that time I ’ve joined the Greek chorus of dining compartment singing the praises of the city ’s food scene . During a long weekend this summer , I squeezed in a miso leek scone with chili crisp butter atOnggi , mee goreng atthe Honey Paw , and sweets fromNight Moves , along with a stop at the shipping container - ground version ofRabelais , a dealer in vintage cookbooks and food paraphernalia that I ’m well-chosen to see survived the shutdown of its lasting position .
Stephen Pelletteri, vice president of video
My 2024 travels were full of sunshine , adventure , and as much swim as physically possible . I traveled to lionise and link up with friends and family . calculate ahead , I want to travel a small more spontaneously and plan out my life sentence less . More impromptu trips !
Best Outdoor Experience: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
I may be biased since I ’ve been last since I was a little kid , but I think Grand Cayman is one of the good Caribbean islands , particularly because of 7 - international mile Beach . For the uninitiate , the landmark is exactly that : seven miles of beautiful sandy beach where you’re able to watch the sundown from the shoring or regale yourself to a cruise at golden hour .
Biggest Splurge: Nice, France
I was gifted a misstep to Nice , France , for my natal day to watch severalOlympicfootball matches ( real football ! Or , soccer for Americans ) , and I was able to catch a woman ’s catch between Canada and Colombia .
Hidden Gem: Attersee Lake, Austria
If you get the chance to visit the lake realm inAustria , head to Attersee . The town is quaint and full of topical anesthetic , the food is delectable , and the hike is breathtaking . But most impactful of all was the experience of swimming in the crystal - clean lake ; it ’s a store I ’ll never blank out .
Zingaro Nature Reserve in Sicily|Photo by Lizzie Munro for Thrillist
Giants Causeway, Ireland and Marrakesh, Morocco|Photos by Annie Harrigan for Thrillist
Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.|Photo by Sarah Medina for Thrillist
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico|Photos by Jesse Sparks for Thrillist
Butterblume in Montreal, Québec, Canada.|Photo by Stephanie Wu for Thrillist
