The Best Travel Experiences Fodor’s Editors Had in 2024

I had several memorable trips in 2024. I visited Germany and saw Saxony for the first time, including the magnificently renovated Hotel Taschenberger Palais Kempinski Dresden. I also attended the Calgary Stampede in July (definitely go to Calgary if you can). But for me (and apparently half of the people in the known universe), the highlight was a trip to Japan, where I visited four places I’d never seen, including Osaka (busy, great food), Hiroshima (sobering sights), Miyajima (that “floating” torii!), and Himeji (a magnificent castle).

Although I tried to go to Kobe for an authentic Kobe beef lunch, fate had other plans. Now, there are many places in Osaka and Kobe to have a $300 lunch or dinner featuring that famous, deliciously fatty beef, but because I’m also famously cheap, I sought out the Osaka branch of a well-known Kobe steakhouse, A-1, a 6-seater that offered an excellent full dinner for the equivalent of $60. But I also love great hotels, so if you go to Osaka (an excellent base to explore the Kansai region), you will not be disappointed by staying at the Intercontinental Osaka.

– Douglas Stallings, Editorial Director

When my original plans to visit the Dead Sea with another tour group fell through due to low demand, I turned to GetYourGuide for the assist. I booked a private trip with a local driver (who ended up doubling as a friend and guide), lunch, plus hours bathing in the fountain of youth. The best part was how GetYourGuide enabled the driver to pivot and make a recommendation—we traded the basic, starchy accommodations I booked for a resort that was more on my vibe without any issues. Super friendly, flexible, and professional—GetYourGuide got me where I wanted to go in 2024 when no one else could!

– Rachael Levitt, Managing Editor

In 2024, my husband and I flew to Iceland for our first wedding anniversary. After a few days stay at the five-star Reykjavik EDITION, we hit the road and embarked on a trip that took us from a charming cabin stay on an Icelandic horse farm to the island of Vestmannaeyjar (which made Fodor’s 2025 GO List!) and past the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon to see Vestrahorn and venture into East Iceland. Although it was my fourth time visiting Iceland and my husband’s second, everything about the trip felt new and exciting. I can often visit places once and then move on, but this trip reminded me of the joy of slowly peeling back the layers of a destination and discovering something new on each visit.

Another favorite trip of 2024 was my recent visit to Switzerland, where I stepped into a winter wonderland. I tried my hand at skiing after a few days’ stay at the oh-so-chic Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski in St. Moritz and quickly learned I’m much better at the aprés ski. Afterward, I traveled to gorgeous Engelberg, which was like stepping into a holiday snow globe. After a few days’ stay at the stunning Kempinski Palace Engelberg, I fell in love with the cozy mountain town, draped in a blanket of pristine snow and surrounded by towering snow-dusted pines and glistening mountains.

– Nikki Vargas, Senior Editor

The highlight of 2024 for me was my trip to the Grand Canyon and Arches National Park with my family and Adventures by Disney. I’ve seen thousands of pictures of the Canyon and the Arches—I edited the first edition of our Complete Guide to the National Parks—but that first glimpse of the Grand Canyon, ingeniously choreographed by the Adventure by Disney guides, actually took my breath away as did every other time I looked at the canyon over the 3 days I was there. I couldn’t stop looking at its ever-changing colors, curves, and corners.

From there, we drove through the gasp-inducing Monument Valley and tried rafting on the Colorado River. The icing on the cake was our time in Arches National Park, where we hiked to the Delicate Arch, and I got to stand underneath it. It was an experience I am forever grateful for.

– Alexis Kelly, Senior Editor

In 2024, I visited the Black Hills of South Dakota—a region long on my wish list. Mount Rushmore was the impetus, but I was gobsmacked by just how much there is to do beyond this iconic national monument. An absolute standout was Custer State Park and its many scenic drives, including Needles Highway, known for its bizarre rock formations, and Wildlife Loop Road, where you’re steps away from free-roaming buffalo (the park’s annual Buffalo Roundup, which takes place each September—next year is its 60th—is quite the thrill).

Other must-sees are Crazy Horse, the massive still-in-progress mountain carving to honor the Lakota warrior, and Spearfish Canyon, home to several stunning waterfalls. And no Black Hills trip is complete without a stay in the Wild West town of Deadwood, where you can belly up to the bar at a historic Main Street saloon just as Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane once did.

– Jill Fergus, Senior Editor

In 2024, I made a trip out west to Arizona, where I drove across the hot Sonoran Desert to visit Arcosanti—an experimental town striving to achieve principles of self-sufficiency and sustainability. Standing amidst the striking modernist architecture of Arcosanti, I saw the most beautiful and unspoiled night sky sprawling across the arid desert. The colorful cast iron bells produced onsite have a storied past and made an excellent souvenir, even for my small New York City balcony.

– Yoojin Shin, Associate Editor