It's a shiny new year, so this month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to Go list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales to explore this year.

Places like Saba, a tiny Dutch Caribbean island with no beaches, no cruise ports, and the world's shortest commercial runway—just 400 meters long. What it does have: lush volcanic landscapes, 20 hand-built hiking trails, and a population of just over 2,000.

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with ⁠Bianca Bujan⁠, a Vancouver-based travel journalist who shares the thrilling 12-minute flight from St. Martin, the island's gingerbread-house architecture, and why her teenager called it his favorite trip ever—despite spotty wifi and no beaches.

Plan Your Saba Getaway

Stay

Eat and Drink

See and Do

Resources

Listen to All the Episodes in our Where to Go 2026 Series

E1: T⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠his Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E2: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E3: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E4: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate ⁠⁠⁠⁠

E5: ⁠⁠⁠Why Morocco's Chill Capital Deserves Your Attention ⁠⁠⁠

E10: ⁠⁠The White Lotus Architect Designed a Hotel in This Vietnamese City—Now the World Is Noticing⁠⁠

E11: ⁠Malaysia's Most Overlooked Island Is a Feast for Every Sense⁠

E12: ⁠The Texas City Getting a Juneteenth Museum, FIFA World Cup Matches, and a Cowgirl Museum Expansion⁠

E13: ⁠The South Australian City That Punches Above Its Weight⁠

E14: East London's Olympic Park Has Transformed Into a Cultural Powerhouse

E15: (this one!) The Five-Square-Mile Caribbean Island That's Nothing Like Its Neighbors

Stay Connected

Unpacked by Afar is part of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a shiny new year, so this month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's ⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to Go list⁠⁠⁠⁠: 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales to explore this year.

Like East London, where a billion-pound investment has transformed the 2012 Olympic Park into a creative powerhouse.

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with ⁠Nick DeRenzo⁠, Afar's editorial director of newsletters (sign up here!) and a self-described Londoner at heart. Nick makes the case for hopping on the Elizabeth line and devoting time to the East Bank cultural quarter, where you can order a David Bowie costume at the V&A East Storehouse, dine on Chinese-Texas barbecue on a canal barge, and sweat it out in a community sauna.

Plan Your East London Getaway

Stay

Eat and Drink

See and Do

Coming in 2026

Resources

Listen to All the Episodes in our Where to Go 2026 Series

E1: T⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠his Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E2: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E3: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E4: ⁠⁠⁠Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate ⁠⁠⁠

E5: ⁠⁠Why Morocco's Chill Capital Deserves Your Attention ⁠⁠

E10: ⁠The White Lotus Architect Designed a Hotel in This Vietnamese City—Now the World Is Noticing⁠

E11: Malaysia's Most Overlooked Island Is a Feast for Every Sense

E12: The Texas City Getting a Juneteenth Museum, FIFA World Cup Matches, and a Cowgirl Museum Expansion

E13: The South Australian City That Punches Above Its Weight

E14: East London's Olympic Park Has Transformed Into a Cultural Powerhouse (this one!)

Stay Connected

Unpacked by Afar is part of⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a shiny new year, so this month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's ⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to Go list⁠⁠⁠⁠. And in 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. So our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure.

Places like Adelaide, Australia, a city within a park that punches above its weight with world-class wine, a booming food scene, and Australia's only UNESCO City of Music designation.

In this episode, producer Nikki Galteland interviews host Aislyn Greene, who traveled to Adelaide last year. Aislyn shares why she waited 10 years to visit, what makes Adelaide different from Sydney and Melbourne, and how to engage with Aboriginal history—including a new $35 million cultural center.

Plan Your Adelaide Getaway

Stay

Eat and Drink

Explore

Engage With Aboriginal Culture

Know Before You Go

Resources

Listen to All the Episodes in our Where to Go 2026 Series

E1: T⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠his Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E2: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E3: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E4: ⁠⁠⁠Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate ⁠⁠⁠

E5: ⁠⁠Why Morocco's Chill Capital Deserves Your Attention ⁠⁠

E10: ⁠The White Lotus Architect Designed a Hotel in This Vietnamese City—Now the World Is Noticing⁠

E11: Malaysia's Most Overlooked Island Is a Feast for Every Sense

E12: The Australian City That Punches Above Its Weight (this one!)

Stay Connected

Unpacked by Afar is part of⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a shiny new year, so this month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's ⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to Go list⁠⁠⁠⁠—24 emerging regions and overlooked locales to explore this year.

Like Fort Worth, Texas, a city that blends its cowboy heritage with world-class museums, a thriving food scene, and major developments on the horizon.

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with ⁠Nora Walsh⁠, a travel writer and podcast host who fell hard for the "Unexpected City." She took line dancing lessons at the world's largest honky-tonk and had a chance sauna encounter that connected her with a community of female entrepreneurs. She digs into the city's incredible museum district, the revitalized Stockyards, and how to get yourself a proper cowboy hat shaped to your head.

Related reading: Circle L Five: The Oldest All-Black Riding Club in Fort Worth

Plan Your Fort Worth Getaway

(First, explore our Texas travel guide.)

Stay

—Check into Hotel Drover in the Stockyards for a luxe take on Western heritage

—Book The Crescent Hotel, a new modern hotel across from the Cultural District museums

—Stay at Bowie House, an Auberge hotel and resort

—Try The Nobleman, which just opened in Fort Worth

—Watch for the Sandman Signature Fort Worth Hotel opening in 2026

Eat, Drink, and Dance

—Take line dancing lessons and boot scoot at Billy Bob's Texas

—Have a drink at Low Doubt

—Catch live music at Tulips FTW, a local live music venue

—Explore the restaurants and bars along Mule Alley in the Stockyards

—Visit the annual Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival

Explore....\

—The Fort Worth Cultural District, home to four world-class museums

—The Kimbell Art Museum

—American West art and photography at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art

—Contemporary works at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

—The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame—expanding in 2026

—The National Juneteenth Museum breaking ground in 2026 i

—The daily cattle drive in the Fort Worth Stockyards

—The Cowtown Coliseum rodeo

—The Cowboys of Color Rodeo in January 2026

Shop

—Get a proper cowboy hat shaped to your head at The Best Hat Store

—Shop City Boots for cowboy boots specifically designed for women

—Pick up Fort Worth–branded gear at Morgan Mercantile in Southside

Resources

• Follow Nora's work on Instagram and her website and podcast

• Explore all 24 destinations on Afar's Where to Go in 2026 list

• Follow us on Instagram: @afarmedia

Listen to All the Episodes in our Where to Go 2026 Series

E1: ⁠⁠⁠⁠This Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E2: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E3: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E4: ⁠⁠⁠Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate ⁠⁠⁠

E5: ⁠⁠Why Morocco's Chill Capital Deserves Your Attention ⁠⁠

E10: ⁠The White Lotus Architect Designed a Hotel in This Vietnamese City—Now the World Is Noticing⁠

E11: Malaysia's Most Overlooked Island Is a Feast for Every Sense

E12: The Texas City Getting a Juneteenth Museum, FIFA World Cup Matches, and a Cowgirl Museum Expansion (this one!)

Stay Connected

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a shiny new year, so this month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to Go list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. In 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. So our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure.

Places like Penang, Malaysia, a small island with one of Southeast Asia's most fascinating and underrated food and cultural scenes.

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with Kathryn Romeyn, a Bali-based journalist who explored Penang for the first time last year. Kathryn shares what it's like to wander the UNESCO-listed streets of Georgetown. She digs into the food—from char kway teow to laksa to the elaborate Malaysian breakfast culture that UNESCO recently recognized—and shares what's new on the island, including boutique hotels and a weekend art market that's become a creative hub for locals and travelers alike.

Plan Your Penang Getaway

Stay

—Book a room the Millen Penang, Autograph Collection, a hotel on Millionaire's Row

—Watch for Soori Penang, a new 15-room boutique hotel opening in January 2025

Eat and Drink

—Try char kway teow, the iconic Penang dish of flat rice noodles stir-fried over charcoal flames with prawns, cockles, sausage, and bean sprouts

—Eat laksa, the spicy, aromatic noodle soup that's a Penang obsession

—Visit Mum's, a beloved Peranakan restaurant serving home-style cooking

—Experience Malaysian breakfast culture (a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage)

See and Do

—Visit Hin Bus Depot on weekends for the art market

—Visit Kek Lok Si Temple, home to the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas

—Ride the Penang Hill funicular, the oldest in Southeast Asia (opened 1923), for panoramic views

—Join the local hiking community via the Facebook group "Hiking Trails in Penang" (nearly 50,000 members)—they've created trails in the shapes of animals like elephants, unicorns, and even Pokémon characters

Resources

• Follow Kathryn's work on Instagram

• Visit Kathryn's website

• Explore all 24 destinations on Afar's Where to Go in 2026 list

• Follow us on Instagram: @afarmedia

Listen to All the Episodes in our Where to Go 2026 Series

E1: T⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠his Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E2: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E3: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E4: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E5: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Morocco's Chill Capital Deserves Your Attention ⁠⁠⁠⁠

E10: The White Lotus Architect Designed a Hotel in This Vietnamese City—Now the World Is Noticing

E11: Malaysia's Most Overlooked Island Is a Feast for Every Sense (this one!)

Stay Connected

Unpacked by Afar is part of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a fresh new year and this month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's Where to Go in 2026 list—but this year's picks are different. In 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. Our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure.

Places like Da Nang, Vietnam's fifth-largest city and a coastal destination long beloved by Vietnamese travelers that's now drawing international attention with new luxury hotels, airline routes, and a Michelin-starred restaurant.

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with Liz Provencher, a food, drink, and travel writer who spent several weeks exploring Vietnam in 2025. Liz shares why Da Nang offers the best of both worlds: a bustling city with motor taxis and night markets, plus 40 miles of coastline, one of the last coastal rainforests in Vietnam, and regional dishes you literally cannot find anywhere else.

Plan Your Da Nang Getaway

(First, explore our Vietnam travel guide.)

Stay

—Book a room at the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, located within the protected Son Tra Peninsula nature reserve, designed by Bill Bensley, the architect behind the White Lotus Thailand hotel

—Watch for the Mandarin Oriental opening in early 2026

—The Nobu hotel is also coming in 2026—once complete, it will be the city's tallest building, located on the beachfront

Eat and Drink

—Start your morning with mì quảng, a turmeric noodle soup topped with shrimp (or chicken, pork, or frog), herbs, and a crispy rice cracker

—Day trip to Hoi An for cao lầu, a noodle soup that can only be made there

—Explore the night markets for street food and the bustling energy Vietnam is known for

See and Do

—Spend time on Da Nang's 40 miles of stunning coastline along the South China Sea

—Hike the Son Tra Peninsula, a protected nature reserve in the northern part of the city that's home to one of the last coastal rainforests in Vietnam

—Take a day trip to Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site about 30 minutes away

—Travel the coast in style on the Vietage Train by Anantara, a luxury train service connecting Da Nang to other cities along the central Vietnam coast

Resources

• Follow Liz's work on Instagram

• Visit Liz's website

• Explore all 24 destinations on Afar's Where to Go in 2026 list

• Follow us on Instagram: @afarmedia

Listen to All the Episodes in our Where to Go 2026 Series

E1: T⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠his Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E2: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret⁠⁠⁠⁠

E3: ⁠⁠⁠⁠The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago⁠⁠⁠⁠

E4: ⁠⁠Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate ⁠⁠

E5: ⁠Why Morocco's Chill Capital Deserves Your Attention ⁠

E10: The White Lotus Architect Designed a Hotel in This Vietnamese City—Now the World Is Noticing (this one!)

Stay Connected

Unpacked by Afar is part of⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a shiny new year, so this month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's ⁠⁠Where to Go list⁠⁠. And this year's list is a little different. Because in 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. Our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure.

Like the Columbia River Gorge, a Pacific Northwest icon where waterfalls tumble from towering cliffs, the landscape shifts from rainforest to arid grasslands in under two hours, and a historic highway is being transformed into a car-free trail.

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with Zoe Baillargeon, a Portland-based travel writer who has spent years exploring this 80-mile stretch of cliffs, rivers, and vineyards. Zoe shares what's new in the Gorge—from a glamping resort with stargazing tents and views of Mount Hood to a newly reopened hot springs spa with thousand-year-old Indigenous roots, plus a James Beard–recognized wine farm and a historic highway being transformed into a car-free trail.

Plan Your Columbia River Gorge Getaway

(First, explore our Oregon travel guide.)

Stay

—Book a stargazing tent at Under Canvas Columbia River Gorge, a new glamping resort on 120 acres near White Salmon

—Soak in natural mineral hot springs at the newly refurbished Bonneville Hot Springs Resort & Spa.

Eat and Drink

—Get in line early at Grasslands Barbecue, a Hood River food cart that sells out daily

—Book a farm-to-table tasting experience at Hiyu Wine Farm, a biodynamic winery and James Beard semifinalist for outstanding wine program

—Drive the Fruit Loop trail through the valley behind Hood River for wine tastings, u-pick fruit, and farm stands—stop at the Gorge White House for tastings and views

See and Do

—Drive the historic Columbia River Highway, the nation's first planned scenic byway, for waterfalls, forest views, and towering gorge walls

—Hike or bike the newly opened Mitchell Point Tunnel section of the historic Columbia River Highway State Trail.

—Watch (or attempt) windsurfing and kiteboarding in Hood River, one of the world's top destinations for wind sports

—Visit the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center in The Dalles for regional history, or the Maryhill Museum of Art for an eclectic collection in a stunning setting

Resources

• Follow Zoe's work on Instagram

• Explore all 24 destinations on Afar's Where to Go in 2026 list

• Follow us on Instagram: @afarmedia

Listen to All the Episodes in our Where to Go 2026 Series

E1: T⁠⁠⁠⁠his Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude ⁠⁠⁠⁠

E2: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret⁠⁠⁠

E3: ⁠⁠⁠The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago⁠⁠⁠

E4: ⁠Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate ⁠

E5: Why Morocco's Chill Capital Deserves Your Attention

Stay Connected

Unpacked by Afar is part of⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's just-released ⁠Where to Go list⁠—but this year's picks are different. In 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. Our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure.

For Laikipia, that means looking beyond the overcrowded Maasai Mara to discover a Kenyan plateau where half the country's black rhinos roam, where you might be the only vehicle at a sighting, and where conservation and community go hand in hand.

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with Alexandra Owens, a travel writer who specializes in conservation tourism and sub-Saharan Africa. Alexandra shares why this network of community-run conservancies offers a model for what safari can be: high value, low impact, and genuinely beneficial to local communities.

Plan Your Laikipia Safari

(Listen to the View From Afar episode about the Great Migration controversy.)

Stay

—Book a stay at andBeyond Suyian, a new lodge that opened in July 2024 on Suyian Conservancy

—Try Segera Retreat, a conservancy with a collaborative relationship with local communities and a new rhino sanctuary

—Stay at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, one of the original conservancies in the region, known for its rhino protection program and house-made goat cheese

See and Do

—Visit Ol Pejeta Conservancy to see the last two northern white rhinos on Earth—a mother and daughter—and learn about groundbreaking efforts to bring the species back from functional extinction

—Consider hiring a safari advisor, especially if visiting multiple conservancies—they can help with charter flights and insider experiences. Alexandra recommends Tamsyn Fricker at Travel Artistry Africa and Chris Liebenberg at Piper & Heath

Resources

• Follow Alexandra's work on Instagram.

• Visit Alexandra's website

• Learn more about Space for Giants, the elephant conservation NGO working in Laikipia

• Explore all 24 destinations on Afar's Where to Go in 2026 list

• Follow us on Instagram: @afarmedia

Listen to All the Episodes in our Where to Go 2026 Series

E1: T⁠⁠⁠⁠his Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude ⁠⁠⁠⁠

E2: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret⁠⁠⁠

E3: ⁠⁠⁠The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago⁠⁠⁠

E4: ⁠Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate ⁠

E5: Why Morocco's Chill Capital Deserves Your Attention

E8: Skip the Serengeti Traffic Jams for This Under-the-Radar Kenyan Safari (this one!)

Stay Connected

Unpacked by Afar is part of⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's just-released ⁠Where to Go list⁠—but this year's picks are different. In 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. Our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure.

For Menton, that means looking beyond Cannes and Nice to discover a quieter corner of the French Riviera—one with candy-colored buildings, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant, and lemons so sweet you can eat them like apples.

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with Jenn Rice, a food and travel writer who fell hard for Menton after a birthday dinner at Mirazur. Jenn shares why this town of 30,000—perched where France meets Italy—deserves a spot on your list. From a subtropical microclimate that produces IGP-protected citrus to affordable hotels with sea views and a culinary scene shaped by one very busy chef, Menton offers all the glamour of the Riviera without the flash.

Plan Your Menton Getaway

(First, explore our France travel guide.)

Stay

—Book a room at Hotel Napoléon, right across from the sea and walking distance to old town—rooms with terrace patios and views of the candy-colored buildings start around $200/night even in summer

—Check out the newly renovated Villa Genesis, an older villa refurbished by Hotel Napoléon

—Try Hotel Gabriel, a newly renovated boutique option with a more modern, hip vibe

Eat and Drink

—Splurge on dinner at Le Mirazur, the three-Michelin-starred restaurant from chef Mauro Colagreco—it starts with a tour of his garden overlooking the sea and mountains, and yes, you'll eat a lemon like an apple

—Pick up sandwiches, lemon cake, and the famous lemon panettone (in season) at Mitron Bakery in old town, which uses the same artisanal ancient grains as Mirazur

—Try the lemon pizza at La Pecoranegra, Colagreco's pizzeria focused on quality ingredients

—For something unexpected, visit Colagreco's Argentinian steakhouse, Casa Fuego, down the street

See and Do

—Wander the old town, where candy-colored buildings tumble toward the sea in a scene reminiscent of the Italian Cinque Terre

—Stroll the brand-new promenade along the waterfront

—Hop on the train to Nice, Cannes, or other Riviera destinations—Menton makes a great, affordable home base

Resources

• Follow Jenn's work on Instagram

• Visit Jenn's website

• Explore all 24 destinations on Afar's Where to Go in 2026 list

• Follow us on Instagram: @afarmedia

Listen to All the Episodes in our Where to Go 2026 Series

E1: T⁠⁠⁠⁠his Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude ⁠⁠⁠⁠

E2: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret⁠⁠⁠

E3: ⁠⁠⁠The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago⁠⁠⁠

E4: ⁠Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate ⁠

E5: Why Morocco's Chill Capital Deserves Your Attention

E7: The French Riviera's Last Stop Before Italy—and Its Best-Kept Secret (this one!)

Stay Connected

Unpacked by Afar is part of⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's just-released Where to Go list—but this year's picks are different. In 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. Our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure.

For Birmingham, that means discovering what Alabama's second-largest city really offers—especially its quietly stellar food scene that's been racking up James Beard nominations.

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with Jenny Adams, a travel writer and Birmingham native now based in New Orleans. Jenny shares why this "big fish in a small pond" city deserves a second look—from its fourth-largest concentration of barbecue restaurants in America to Alabama white sauce, a downtown transformed by Railroad Park, and vintage shopping that rivals anywhere in the South. She also makes a case for an Alabama road trip, from Muscle Shoals to the Gulf Coast beaches.

Plan Your Birmingham Getaway

(First, explore our Alabama travel guide.)

Stay

—Book a room at The Elyton, a historic downtown hotel

—Try The Painted Lady, a new boutique hotel in the city center

Eat and Drink

—Start your morning at Continental Bakery in English Village for old-world European pastries

—Get a sandwich at The Garage Café, a collection of 1920s car garages with a courtyard bar where everything—including the furniture—is for sale

—Try Birmingham barbecue at SAW's BBQ or Jim 'N Nick's, and don't skip the Alabama white sauce—a tangy, mayo-based condiment invented in Decatur

—For Gulf seafood and oysters, head to Bayonet, a new raw bar

—Sip fancy cocktails at Adios, a Mexican bar and James Beard semifinalist

—For a bucket-list dive bar experience, go to The Nick for cheap domestics and live grunge bands

See and Do

—Walk or bike Railroad Park, a linear park built on former blighted railroad tracks

—Tour Sloss Furnaces, the historic ironworks that defined Birmingham's industrial past

—Visit the 16th Street Baptist Church and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute to engage with the city's essential history

—Catch a show at one of three restored historic theaters: The Alabama, The Carver, or The Lyric

Shop

—Browse Pepper Place, a collection of old brick warehouses with permanent shops and a Saturday farmers market

—Find vintage treasures at Devore, with pieces spanning the Victorian era to the 1970s

—Pick up artisan Alabama goods at Stone Hollow Farms (pickles, ginger syrups, cast iron cookware) and Design Supply (Southern artists and large-scale art)

—Visit Shoppe, a garden store with a charming general store next door where you can eat a BLT while browsing tablecloths and vintage spoons

Resources

• Follow Jenny's work on Instagram

• Visit Jenny's website

• Explore all 24 destinations on Afar's Where to Go in 2026 list

• Follow us on Instagram: @afarmedia

Listen to All the Episodes in our Where to Go 2026 Series

E1: T⁠⁠⁠⁠his Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude ⁠⁠⁠⁠

E2: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret⁠⁠⁠

E3: ⁠⁠⁠The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago⁠⁠⁠

E4: ⁠Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate ⁠

E5: Why Morocco's Chill Capital Deserves Your Attention

E6: Three Hours From Nashville, the South's Next Great Food Capital Is Waiting (this one!)

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