Where You Should Travel Next Based on Your Hometown
Where do you live? Not asking in a weird way, just trying to help you find your next travel destination. Find your nearest major city in this handy guide and we’ll tell you where you should take your next trip.
by Reid Flynn
posted August 11, 2020
So many places to cross off your bucket list, so little time. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with pent-up travel energy trying to decide where your next trip will take you, allow us to help. We’ve created this handy guide to solve your “where to next?” problem.
We’ve matched 36 major US & Canadian cities (yes, friends to the north, we haven’t forgotten you!) to epic international destinations. And as a courtesy, we also point you in the direction of which of our amazing trips will take you there in 2021. Don’t forget that if you want everything expertly planned, all logistics handled, and a built-in group of like-minded new travel BFFs to experience it all with—that’s sort of our thing, as well.
Pick your city 👇
Where you live near: Atlanta
Where you should go: Mykonos
Why: Kiss the corner of Peachtree & Peachtree goodbye and find yourself at the corner of chill Mediterranean beauty and insane beachside nightclubs. The Greek man singing to you while you sip wine in a taverna may not have caught on to trap music yet, but hey, it’s still paradise.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: The Greek Islands
Where you live near: Austin
Where you should go: Turkey
Why: Finally settle the perpetual corn vs. flour tortilla argument with a walk through the street food markets of Istanbul. The answer? Doesn’t matter as long as it’s wrapped around a döner kebab. Then head to the Turkish Riviera for a dip in the sea that will put Barton Springs to shame.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Grand Tour of Turkey
Where you live near: Boston
Where you should go: Dublin
Why: Boston has a long history of Irish traditions brought by immigrants. If you can survive without Dunkin’ for 9 days, you’ll thrive amongst the pub culture and history of Dublin. By the way, when you’re back in Boston, come swing by our office and say hey!
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Grand Tour of Ireland
Where you live near: Charlotte
Where you should go: Morocco
Why: Sick of the humidity? Yeah, us too. Try a nice Moroccan dry heat on for size as you bargain your way through the souks of Marrakesh, taste test tagines, and have a ball on the edge of the Sahara Desert.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Highlights of Morocco
Where you live near: Chicago
Where you should go: Venice
Why: Everyone says you have to take the River Architecture Tour when you’re in the Windy City. But what if instead, it was Italian, the boat was a Venetian gondola, and the driver was singing beautifully? Need another reason to thrive in Venice next year? A chance to find out what actual pizza is? Ha ha ok don’t hurt me for that one, only joking.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Germany, Italy & Switzerland
Where you live near: Columbus
Where you should go: Florence
Why: If you’re all about college town life, you’ll love the intellectual hub of the Italian Renaissance. Sure, Florentines may not put chili on their spaghetti like those weirdos in Cincinnati (just kidding, Cincinnatians!) but the Bolognese will knock your socks off here.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Venice, Florence & Rome
Where you live near: Dallas
Where you should go: Rome
Why: Swap Tex-Mex for tortellini and treat yourself to a little time in the Eternal City. Trade in tailgating at AT&T Stadium—a veritable cathedral of football—for a tour of a literal cathedral in Vatican City. Consider Testaccio to be the Deep Ellum of Rome, and the nightclubs of Ostiense to be your new favorite watering hole.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Venice, Florence & Rome
Where you live near: Denver
Where you should go: Swiss Alps
Why: So you like to get high, huh? Elevationally-speaking, of course. Outside of the Rockies there’s no better place to do so than the Swiss Alps. Grab your hiking boots and keep an eye out for mountain goats and wineries on this epic mountain adventure.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Hike Europe: The Alps
Where you live near: Detroit
Where you should go: Costa Rica
Why: Get out of the Motor City and go to Costa Rica where flip flops, zip lining, and white water rafting are your main modes of transportation, and the sweet sound of distant howler monkeys soothes you to sleep each night.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Costa Rica Adventure
Where you live near: Honolulu
Where you should go: US National Parks
Why: We get it: you’re far from any other landmass, and why would you leave paradise anyway? How about a nice, relaxing trip to the American mainland to wander among redwoods in Yosemite, peer into the Grand Canyon, and experience the kooky American West, just to shake things up and say you did it.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: US National Parks: California to the Grand Canyon
Where you live near: Houston
Where you should go: London
Why: They say everything’s bigger in Texas, and Houston is no exception. In fact, it’s one of the only US cities larger in area than London. But imagine hopping around in style from pub to pub via the Tube, or getting way up high in the poshest way possible on the London Eye to see it all.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: London & Paris Escape
Where you live near: Indianapolis
Where you should go: Madrid
Why: They say all roads lead to Indianapolis. Who said that you ask? We did, that’s who. Similarly, Madrid’s Puerto del Sol is the crossroads of each of Spain’s six main roads. Get ready to salsa dance and look at great works of art in the Prado (though, maybe not at the same time).
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Spain, Morocco and Portugal
Where you live near: Jacksonville
Where you should go: Santorini
Why: You love the water and you hate traffic. Guess what? Santorini is a beautiful Greek island surrounded by water, and you can kiss gridlock goodbye. Get the flip flops, we’re walking to the winery.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: The Greek Islands
Where you live near: Kansas City
Where you should go: Scotland
Why: Just west of the Missouri border lay the Great Plains. Sick of flat lines in every direction? Get some altitude touring the stunning Scottish Highlands. Then head into vibrant Edinburgh—though the jury is still out on BBQ’d haggis.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: England, Scotland & Ireland
Where you live near: Louisville
Where you should go: Croatia
Why: Next time the crowds flood into town for the Kentucky Derby, ditch the horse race and head where dragons fly free and breathe fire—well, at least in Game of Thrones—filmed largely in the medieval town of Dubrovnik.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Croatia: Split to Split
Where you live near: Las Vegas
Where you should go: Amsterdam
Why: Take a gamble on a trip from the desert to one of the wettest places on Earth. Amsterdam is practically underwater, but that won’t stop you from snacking on stroopwafels and biking around the cute cobblestoned neighborhoods. And just like Vegas, Amsterdam is famously tolerant of… shall we say... all sorts of lifestyles.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Amsterdam, Paris & London
Where you live near: Los Angeles
Where you should go: Bali
Why: Everyone from Echo Park to Silver Lake was already doing it before it was cool. It, of course, being morning yoga, afternoon beach sessions, and all-day canyon tubing in Bali. If you can’t beat them to the next hot travel spot, might as well join ‘em.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Bali: Tropical Escape
Where you live near: Memphis
Where you should go: Barcelona
Why: It’s not a huge leap to go from BBQ & the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll to endless tapas and flamenco music. Besides, when was the last time you walked from your bed to the beach?
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Spain, Morocco and Portugal
Where you live near: Miami
Where you should go: Ibiza
Why: Admit it, you like to party. You like the beach. And you’ve picked up a few words of Spanish—or it’s your native tongue! Hope you like staying up late, ‘cause you’re going to love Ibiza.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Ibiza, Barcelona & Valencia
Where you live near: Milwaukee
Where you should go: Munich
Why: You know your way around a biergarten and you can list seventeen different types of bratwurst. Welcome home, you’re headed to beautiful Bavaria. Don’t forget to pack the lederhosen or dirndl that we know you have laying around at home somewhere.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Oktoberfest in Germany
Where you live near: Minneapolis & St. Paul
Where you should go: Paris
Why: Much like the Twin Cities being essentially one urban area separated by a river, Paris’s Left Bank and Right Bank have a long history of behaving like two separate cities. The former: bohemian, the latter: chic. In the City of Light, cheese doesn’t just go inside a burger patty, it’s a way of life.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: London & Paris Escape
Where you live near: Montreal
Where you should go: Hawaii
Why: Next time you’re snowed in, picture where you’d rather be, then picture Hawaii and realize that that’s exactly what you’re picturing. Go from “Canada’s Paris” to “America’s Paradise.” We think you’ll find that in loco mocos and poke bowls, Hawaiians share your poutine-esque fondness for creating delicious hodgepodge meals.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Hawaii: Big Island Adventure
Where you live near: Nashville
Where you should go: Iceland
Why: Gotta cool off after line dancing up and down Broadway all night? The Land of Fire and Ice will set you right. Glaciers, the Blue Lagoon, and black sand beaches await you. Local legend has it that your hot chicken is fried deep in the volcanos of this wonderland. Just kidding.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Iceland Escape
Where you live near: New Orleans
Where you should go: Thailand
Why: You thought we were going to say Paris, didn’t you? Nope. Take that joie de vivre to the beach parties and floating markets of Thailand. Be sure to trek to the stunning Buddhist temples of Chiang Mai to get acquainted with a different kind of saint.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Thailand Getaway
Where you live near: Pittsburgh
Where you should go: Jordan
Why: Citizens of the Steel City, meet Petra: the Rock Kingdom. These 2,500-year-old temples carved into massive rock walls will blow you away. And take it from us: a dip in the nearby Dead Sea beats a swim in the Allegheny.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Israel & Jordan: Deserts & the Dead Sea
Where you live near: Portland
Where you should go: New Zealand
Why: West coast best coast, if you’re trying to cut down on travel time to an epic, remote spot like New Zealand. When Mt. Hood starts to beckon, get out of town for some geothermal geysers, mud pools, and general adrenaline enhancements, courtesy of the kiwis.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Australia & New Zealand Adventure
Where you live near: Salt Lake City
Where you should go: Banff
Why: You think you know natural beauty? Think again. And you don’t even have to go that far from home. Follow the Wasatch Mountains to the Rockies all the way north until you hit the bluest blues of Lake Louise and the real-life postcard views of Canadian wilderness.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Canadian Rockies: Banff to Vancouver
Where you live near: San Francisco
Where you should go: Lisbon
Why: Your glutes are used to the all-day uphill/downhill workout. Trade in the tech scene for trolley rides, tinned fish (a delicacy in Portugal) and day trips to countryside palaces.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Spain, Morocco and Portugal
Where you live near: Seattle
Where you should go: Australia
Why: Maybe you’ve seen the surfers out in Westport and thought to yourself “I could do that.” Maybe you’ve also thought about how you’ve always wanted to see a kangaroo and swim in the Great Barrier Reef. If you haven’t yet, you are now.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Australia & New Zealand Adventure
Where you live near: St. Louis
Where you should go: Prague
Why: Bet you can’t eat a Czech chimney cake as high as the Gateway Arch, but you can try. Another reason you’ll love Prague: rumor has it a little local brewery near you called Budweiser ripped off the lagering process from famed Czech beer Pilsner Urquell. Crack one open and let us know what you think.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Budapest, Vienna & Prague
Where you live near: Toronto
Where you should go: Dominican Republic
Why: You’re busy, you miss the sunshine, and you can’t remember the last time you ate a pineapple. Introducing: the Dominican Republic. Get ready to boogie down, beach it up, and sip a piña colada colder than Lake Ontario.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Caribbean Adventure: Dominican Republic
Where you live near: Vancouver
Where you should go: Belize
Why: Is it safe for us to assume you don’t mind the rain? Well what if instead of raining on you in line for a cup of coffee, the rain stayed in the rainforest and you spent most of your time zip lining above the canopy, suntanning on the beach, and climbing Mayan ruins? Pretty sweet, eh?
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Belize: Rainforests, Reefs & Ruins
Where you live near: Washington, D.C.
Where you should go: Machu Picchu
Why: It’s a persistent myth that D.C. was built on a swamp, but it’s true that it’s close to sea level. Elevate your 2021 with a hike into the sacred Incan mountain site of Machu Picchu nearly 8,000 feet high.
Which 2021 trip takes you there: Peru & Machu Picchu Adventure
So what do you think? Ready for life-changing group travel? We thought so. And if you aren’t instantly sold by your destination match, be sure to check out all of our trips here.
Written by Reid Flynn
Reid is a copywriter at EF Ultimate Break. He loves cheese, playing guitar, and speaking loudly about indie rock to anyone who will listen. His favorite place in the world is Amsterdam.
