17 Places You’ll Want to Go in 2024, According to Travel Journalists and Creatives
Oh, The Places We've Been!
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...” ~Dr. Suess
A friend gifted me Dr Suess’ Oh, the Places You'll Go! book days before uprooting my New York City life to move out west for love. While my marriage failed I still own this book and it’s a treasure to find when packing or unpacking my few remaining life possessions. It remains relevant no matter my age, and even more so as I have gone 100% nomadic this time.
This year was filled with so many great things but also a reality slap that I’ve become stagnant, often feeling robotic, in my job. BITCHEN has been a platform that’s helped me through the days where work was at a standstill — and also days where work was so life sucking that it was a nice place to let the written word flow like a river.
One of my last newsletters of 2023 is about a topic in tandem with a few of my fellow creative friends with newsletters: where we, without force or pressure, divulge some of our favorite places we’ve been to. No SEO, no affiliate marketing, just 17 places and regions that have touched us along the way.
In this specific piece, these amazing humans listed here are my travel trinkets:
I fell in love with a cheese-loving friend, Tenaya Darlington in the Netherlands while on a Cheese Journeys expedition to demystify Gouda; I asked Rooksana Hossenally on a blind friend date via an Instagram DM while in Paris this past summer and the rest is history….!); I originally crossed paths with Franca and Steve Gilbert at their bakery in Tarboro, North Carolina but adventured around Sicily with them earlier this summer — including partaking in a wild donkey migration hike that I’ll get to writing about soon; Jillian Dara and I met in Tequila, Mexico, and well….we’ve had many adventures around the world, including dancing on river boats on the Rhine River and too much fun debauchery in Hawaii ; Layla Khoury-Hanold I met days before she moved away from North Carolina and has morphed into my work wife (we still chuckle about exiting a party after eating too much jamón just as José Andrés was walking in — we were so peopled out…); Ari Bendersky and I lived to tell about an entertaining trip to Spain where we got stuck in a blizzard and wreck traffic on a bus with several other journalists….and way too much wine)!; Stacey Sprenz first cheered me on several years back while an emcee at a Fullsteam vs. Botanist & Barrel (beer vs. cider) strange snack smackdown in Durham and we can now be found finding ways to impromptu photoshoot and write about things (*one of our favorite pieces can be found here);
Allison Ramirez and I haven’t met (yet…but soon!) but she interviewed me for her and Omar Lewis’ podcast, Eat Drink Sleep Repeat earlier this and we talked about traveling and dating at least once a week; A dinner party at a friend’s house in Paris, overlooking the Louvre, where percebes were present, is where I met Elyssa Goldberg — and now we share coffee dates and long, inspiring convos whenever I pass through; Sailing for two weeks around French Polynesia, where Champagne crunchies were a daily occurrence, is where I knew Blane Bachelor and I would forever stay in touch; Natalie Compton partook in my divorce celebration on Maui and I’ll leave it at that…..!; and Carly Shea of Yolo Journal and I have not yet traveled together but it’s on my bucket list for 2024!
*links to all of these beautiful people and their newsletters can be found both above and below, which often go above and beyond what we publish in our regular pieces!
Oh, the places we’ve been and a few places we hope you’ll go :
1. BANON, FRANCE
I'd like to advocate for road-tripping through France and stopping at every village named after a cheese. That's how I found Banon this summer — a tiny village in Southeastern France that’s the spiritual home of Banon, a plush little PDO goat cheese wrapped in Chestnut leaves. The place has all the essentials of a cool small town: a great bookstore, a patisserie, a town square with a couple of homey restaurants, a silversmith who makes beautiful hoop earrings, and a wonderful cheese shop called SUPER BANON that only sells raw milk cheese (run by a cheese-obsessed Italian named Mario who visited the village once and never left). Banon is a hidden gem — it’s more authentic and alive than any of the towns I visited in the Luberon.
~Tenaya Darlington, journalist and cheese educator with the cheese-filled newsletter Madame Fromage
2. LOS ALAMOS, CALIFORNIA
I will die on this hill, but I went to Los Alamos for my birthday in 2015 before it was cool and then I pitched a story about the town and Shelter Social Club, where we stayed, to multiple outlets, and not one editor responded. Years later, it’s on everyone’s radar and graces the pages of almost every magazine, both print and digital. If you live in Southern or Central California, it’s an easy road trip destination. The town is tiny, just one walkable street, and has some great restaurants, and tasting rooms (Kurt Russell supposedly has/had ties to the 1800 Union Hotel and its wine bar), and bakeries. You can drive to Ostrichland and feed the ostriches, go horseback riding, or go olive oil tasting nearby in Los Olivos. Or you could just hang out, nap, put your cowboy boots on, or walk or bike around town.
Once, a friend and I visited on our way up the coast and met a couple who were traveling to Big Sur in a van. They gave us some pointers and insider information on where to eat and drink — and they instructed us on how to sneak into the spa and outdoor sauna at Ventana in Big Sur. (If you try this today I’m sure you will get caught). I will never forget lounging under the stars here. There is a certain kind of magic you find along California’s Central Coast and for me it started in Los Alamos, drinking wine by the campfire and making new friends. I will return over and over until I die.
~Allison Ramirez, a journalist with the travel-centric newsletter Eat Drink Sleep Repeat
3. UDAIPUR, INDIA
Retreat from the friendly chaos of India’s big cities to the City of Lakes. Marked by smoggy-misty mountains and an unusual concentration of 5-star hotels — from the Leela Palace to the Taj Lake Palace to The Oberoi Udaivilas and more — you can sink into impeccable hospitality and the tranquility of white palaces and forts glimmering on islands in the distance.
~Elyssa Goldberg, founder of Drift Magazine and Ambrosia with a newsletter Bokeh, focused on travel, life, reflections, and food
4. THE FRENCH ALPS IN SUMMER
I would say the Alps in summer or winter in a rustic guest house or cabin. Just because of the sheer beauty of the area and the capacity it has to help you rest and reset, which I think is today’s true new definition of luxury.
~Rooksana Hossenally, journalist and founder of What’s Up, Paris? (a compendium of fantastic people and unsung places, that might not have the budget for a fancy PR company!)
5. OKANAGAN VALLEY, BRITISH COLUMBIA
If you’re into wine and natural surroundings, British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley is worth the trek. Set in the interior about a 40-minute flight from both Vancouver and Calgary, this area is heaven. With a bit more than 200 wineries set among mountains, lakes, forests, adorable towns, and plenty of other outdoor activities, the Okanagan is one of these unsung North American wine regions that deserves more attention. The wines are fresh, bold, expressive, and on par with anything else in the Pacific Northwest.
~Ari Bendersky, journalist with a travel and wine-focused newsletter, Something Glorious with Ari Bendersky
6. MOLDOVA
It’s a bit unconventional but in 2022 I went to Moldova, a former Soviet bloc country that borders Ukraine, to report on the country’s incredible war support initiative, and it made such an impression on me that I’ve been spreading the word among fellow travelers who aren’t afraid of visiting a place that others may see as risky. Moldova is the poorest country in Europe, but it has nevertheless helped nearly one million refugees escape Russia’s war on Ukraine. The countryside is beautiful, full of cozy, family-run guesthouses and wineries big and small, and its history as a wine-producing nation also tells the fascinating story of how this tiny country unshackled itself from its Communist eastern neighbor. Oh, and Moldovan wine is some of the best, and most affordable, I’ve ever had.
~Blane Bachelor, journalist with a travel-focused newsletter, The Bachelor (Note) Pad
7. VAIL, COLORADO
Vail Valley in summer. I didn’t think it was possible but I almost love the mountains of Colorado more in the summer. Ski slopes become hiking trails dotted with wildflowers that are only interrupted by signs warning of bears and elk mating, or by an impromptu game of cornhole where a ski lift stands at sunset – my kind of place.
~Elyssa Goldberg, founder of Drift Magazine and Ambrosia with newsletter, Bokeh, focused on travel, life, reflections, and food
8. BRETAGNE, FRANCE
Breton people understand butter, shellfish (home of blue lobster, oysters, langoustine, and more), and intimate windswept beaches with icy waters that make you feel alive without the disruption of big box hotels–need I say more?
~Elyssa Goldberg, founder of Drift Magazine and Ambrosia with a newsletter Bokeh, focused on travel, life, reflections, and food
9. BADEN-BADEN, GERMANY
I'm not a travel guru by any means but we loved Baden-Baden for the spas. We swam outdoors and it was so cold — coupled by the festive atmosphere of the Christmas Season.
~Franca and Steve Gilbert run Sicily Connect in Sicily, and co-write a newsletter called The Revelate: Longing Purpose and Place
10. ANYWHERE BY TRAIN
To give people a little peace of mind, the yearly list we do at By The Way focuses on where people are traveling as told by travel data, versus press trips/freebies. That means no pay-to-play!
But for my own 2024 recommendation, I'd say anywhere by train. Taking the train slows you down, and gives you time to process where you've been and where you're going. I loved going from Saigon to Hanoi by train this spring.
~Natalie Compton, a reporter at The Washington Post with a personal travel newsletter showcasing BTS of her job and more
11. NAPLES, ITALY
There’s nothing perfect about Naples and that’s exactly the point. The people are loud. The food is assertive, with each meal better than the last. Go for a swim, don’t stop walking, and let the city envelop you. Wild and full of possibility and I can’t wait to go back.
~Elyssa Goldberg, founder of Drift Magazine and Ambrosia with a newsletter Bokeh, focused on travel, life, reflections, and food
12. ALSACE, FRANCE
This year, Alsace's wine route celebrated its 70th anniversary - making it the world's oldest wine route. A visit to this fairytale region of the world is impressionable for both wine connoisseurs and casual imbibers, alike. While many travelers will visit the region's capital of Strasbourg, still only a handful will venture to its smaller, medieval villages, like Niedermorschwihr and Riquewihr, that are along the route. Although I went for the wine, I would happily return for the architecture, history, cuisine, and kindness of the locals. Alsace restaurants have 26 Michelin stars among them, plus quick bites like crepes, macarons, and tarte flambees are perfect snacks to break up the white tablecloth dinners. An amalgamation of Germany and France - the culture is also fascinating - with some towns completely intact from the 15th century, with others having been rebuilt after being flattened during WWII.
~Jillian Dara, journalist with a travel-focused newsletter, Jilux
13. BRIGHTON, UNITED KINGDOM
Just an hour from London by train and long a hen/stag-do location for kids getting wasted, Brighton is now lovely. On the beach with old mid-century beach-town boardwalks, piers, and glamor from a bygone era. Have a funky night out playing games at the casino/arcade and take a morning dip in the sea alongside seals if you can handle the brisk water.
~Elyssa Goldberg, founder of Drift Magazine and Ambrosia with a newsletter Bokeh, focused on travel, life, reflections, and food
14. BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
Paris has been on every "where to go in 2024" list I’ve read so far due to the Olympics and plenty of exciting hotel openings — but if you want all the charm with only a fraction of the crowds (and cost!), consider heading to Buenos Aires, aka the 'Paris of South America.'
During my recent visit, I was astonished by the warm, unpretentious energy that permeates the city. Large families with young kids lingered at restaurants until midnight, everyone was encouraging and patient with my mediocre Spanish, and nothing felt too precious. The standing section of the Teatro Colón was filled with twenty-somethings in jeans watching opera on a Tuesday night, and the Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo is entirely free, and, most shockingly to me, nothing is roped off! You could reach out and touch the art (not that you should).
Traveling alone, I felt perfectly comfortable, thanks in part to the fantastic team at Jardin Escondido, who treated me like family. On my last day, as I checked out, a member of their team joked that I needed to call them once I was at the airport, at home, and to wear my jacket so I wouldn't get cold, etc., like a jesting parent. As my taxi turned down the block, I looked back, and he was still standing there waving.
~Carly Shea, editorial assistant and social media manager at Yolo Journal (newsletter here, and Carly’s adventuring can be found at @_carlyshea_)
15. BATH COUNTY, VIRGINIA
I can’t wait to return to Bath County, Virginia — there’s something so restorative about Warm Springs and Hot Springs, besides the actual Warm Springs Pools bathhouses. You can tour an apple orchard and sip cider at Troddenvale, experience a multi-course dinner and a world-class concert at Garth Newel Music Center, go hiking and exploring, and there are so many cute B&Bs!
~Layla Khoury-Hanold, journalist with a newsletter featuring life lessons and a play on words called Words with Layla
16. DENIA BEACH, SPAIN
Dénia Spain. It is a hidden gem on the Balearic Sea coast. Especially the area near Les Rotes. It is definitely off the beaten path and a wonderful way to experience both the rocky coast of eastern Spain and the beautiful sandy beaches. It’s only an hour from Valencia so if you are craving a bigger city vibe, you don’t have far to go. The food is wonderful there, too–plenty of amazing restaurants you can walk to along the shore.
~Stacey Sprenz, photographer and storyteller with a monthly newsletter
17. ASTURIAS, SPAIN
I just spent 16 glorious days in Asturias, Spain, driving all over from Oviedo, dubbed Spain’s gastronomy capital for 2024, to the tiny fishing villages and striking cliffside beaches — to the mountains that’ll make you sing the prelude to The Sounds of Music. Gijón is my ideal city, situated on the Cantabrian Sea with a slight modernity to it. If you like San Sebastian this is the place for you. There’s sidra, cheese, gastronomy, wine, mountains, beaches, cities, colorful villages, plus a new high-speed train from Madrid that’s a little over 3 hours, making it a little more accessible. I am writing a guide for Vogue in January so more to share when it publishes!
~Jenn Rice, journalist with pleasure-focused newsletter BITCHEN
Coming next:
I’ll be sharing more with my fellow creatives above, such as bites as good as sex for 2023, our personal bucket lists for the new year, amazing and undiscovered hotels, and more — but for now I’m snuggled up in Padova with a handsome Italian!
xxJenn
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this is a keeper! again great read. now I wanna hit’em all! makes me wanna pack a bag and go! look forward to watching and seeing you in the new film release Stella.