What are the top travel destinations for 2026 that need to be on your radar?

Lyn Hughes is the founding editor of Wanderlust Magazine and a leading voice in adventure and cultural travel journalism. She’s spent decades curating destination guides, championing responsible travel, and sharing stories that inspire deeper exploration.

I catch up with Lyn to explore her curated list of the best places to travel in 2026 and why you should prioritize these destinations for the new year or near future.

Lyn shares standout destinations including remote wilderness routes, under‑the‑radar cultural hubs, and wildlife-rich regions. She shares personal stories, explains why there is urgency around some of these locations, and gives insight into how we can engage more meaningfully and responsibly when we visit. If you're thinking ahead to your next big trip, this episode offers thoughtful guidance and some surprising ideas.

Which types of destinations spark your imagination right now? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

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Tune in for a quick update on what's to come on the Zero To Travel podcast in 2026! Happy New Year, my friend.

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My wife, Anne-Dorthe, and I are together on the pod to share all about Christmas traditions in Norway and the United States. You'll hear what it's like to taste Julebrus for the first time, see who will win the theoretical battle between Santa Claus and Julenisse, discover the three main traditional dishes in different parts of Norway, get a special Norwegian treat from my wife, and so much more!

Can you appreciate your traditions as if you were a traveler seeing and experiencing them for the first time? Have a wonderful Holiday wherever you are, my friend!

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.

What are your Holiday traditions? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.

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Looking for more creative and fun ways to reflect on your year and plan for the next one?

Join Caitlin and Janessa in this year-end Remote Roundup to explore personal reflections, unexpected lessons, goal-setting alternatives, and favorite travel moments from 2025. 

Remote Roundup is a monthly series hosted by Zero To Travel’s associate producer, Caitlin Sunderland, and partnerships manager, Janessa Klatt. Explore what's new in remote work and travel, including helpful tools and resources, need‑to‑know trends, destinations, and insight into what it really means to live and work around the world.

Caitlin and Janessa talk about identity, growth, community, habits, and how their remote lives are evolving as they plan for the new year. You'll walk away with insights and practical ideas for reflecting on your own year and setting more intentional goals, whether you're traveling full-time, working remotely, or simply ready for a reset in 2026.

What’s a moment from your 2025 that made you feel most yourself? We’d love to hear about it, and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.

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What happens when you step out of your life for a year to live, work, and connect in a completely different culture?

Don Jenkins is a 27-year high-school teacher from Washington state who spent a full academic year in Norway through the Fulbright Roving Scholar Program. Based in Oslo but constantly on the move, he traveled the country visiting schools and giving workshops on American history and government, reaching thousands of students along the way.

This episode explores Don’s journey as a cultural ambassador, educator, and traveler. We talk about the surprising differences between Norwegian and American school systems, how living abroad shifts your view of home, and what it takes to build connection across cultures - whether you’re in a classroom, a sauna, or a sawed-off tuk tuk.

Whether or not you’re a teacher, Don’s experience is full of lessons on curiosity, communication, and how to embrace the unfamiliar. From practical travel tips to deeper reflections on history, education, and societal values, this episode is a reminder of how much growth comes from stepping outside your bubble.

What’s one lesson you’ve picked up while traveling that changed how you see your home? I'd love to hear about your experience, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

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Which European dish is so good you’d plan a trip around it?

Kenny Dunn is the founder of Eating Europe, a food tour company that has guided over 400,000 travelers to the best local eats in 17 of Europe’s greatest cities since 2011.

In this episode, Kenny shares 11 European dishes you must try before you die, including cultural context, restaurant tips, and personal stories from his years of travel. 

Kenny explains how each dish connects to its place and people, how everyday locals enjoy them, and shares his go-to spots for trying them. To add a little flavor, we also pair each dish with a movie or TV show to turn your meal into an experience if you want to make these at home!

Which dish would you travel for or try to recreate at home? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

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How do you choose where to live, what to do, and when to go home when your life is fully remote?

Remote Roundup is a monthly series hosted by Zero To Travel’s associate producer, Caitlin Sunderland, and partnerships manager, Janessa Klatt. Explore what's new in remote work and travel, including helpful tools and resources, need‑to‑know trends, destinations, and insight into what it really means to live and work around the world.

In this episode, they’re reporting in from two wildly different corners of the world with stories, struggles, and insights about what it actually looks like to live and work abroad right now, plus a practical holiday wish list.

Caitlin and Janessa open up about the hard choices digital nomads face around holidays, family, and missing big life events. They talk about the growing trend of unexpected remote careers and explore how people are adapting traditional jobs to fit this lifestyle, a conversation about the myth of the laptop-on-the-beach image that won't die, and more. 

What has been your biggest struggle being away from home when you travel? We’d love to hear about it, and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.

Why Bangkok’s scale, café culture, and mall scene work so well for remote living

How Oaxaca brings together community, creativity, and tradition, especially around Day of the Dead

How Caitlin pulled off a cheap(ish) last-minute flight to Asia with an airport transfer hack

What it’s really like to grieve major life moments from abroad, and insight into deciding when going home makes sense

Thoughts on how to take traditional skills and repurpose them into location-independent careers

An honest take on the “laptop on the beach” stereotype (and why it’s still everywhere)

A holiday gift guide with digital nomads in mind

Two travel fail stories that involve passports, bowel movements, and a nearly missed bus in the Italian countryside

And so much more

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Remote Roundup: True Costs of Long-Term Travel, Taxes & Borderless Living, an Underrated Productivity Habit, + More (October 2025)

Building a Travel Lifestyle: Digital Nomadism, Slow Travel, Exploring Latin America with Kyle Cohenour

From Expat to Digital Nomad: Finding Your Travel Rhythm, Balancing Burnout, and the Digital Nomad Lifestyle with Kristin Wilson

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What are the most difficult countries to visit, and why do some require months of effort just to get in?

Gunnar Garfors is an author, journalist, and the first person to travel to every country in the world twice. Jacqui Kunz was named “World’s Most Intrepid Traveler” in 2023 and is also well on her way to visiting every country in the world.

In this Zero To Travel Host Collective episode, Gunnar and Jacqui go through ten of the world’s most difficult countries to visit from a visa and access standpoint.

Gunnar and Jacqui share their personal experiences and insights navigating the world’s hardest-to-enter countries, especially from the perspective of American and Norwegian passports. You’ll learn not just where the access is difficult, but why - whether it’s politics, reciprocity, red tape, or safety concerns - and what it says about global mobility. They also explore the ethical side of “ticking countries off the list” and how that mindset can warp the meaning of travel.

If you were to visit one country that you know is extremely hard to get into, which country would it be and why? We’d love to hear about it, and hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

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IMPORTANT: This episode was recorded before the conflict in Sudan, and Jacqui has since left the country. For additional information and ways to support the Sudanese people, you can visit eyesonsudan.net and follow Jacqui on Instagram.

Why would someone choose to travel to the world’s most dangerous places?

Today I’m joined by Jacquelyn Kunz, the first female to travel independently through Afghanistan after the Taliban regained control. In this episode, Jacqui shares some of the toughest moments from her time in Afghanistan, what led her to move to Sudan, and her life as an expat. We also talk about what it was like to hitchhike in Iraq and how these experiences have shifted her outlook on life.

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.

Do you consider yourself a risk-taker? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you will share them by sending me an audio message.

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