Where to travel now

You might need a distraction from the world, so here it is...

Since we can still travel - and we’re not hanging on the wall yet - I figured I would keep it auspiciously light and give you some notions of where to go to skedaddle. You know - until we really need to escape Gilead, and then I’ll think of some more places for you to go on the lam.

Saugatuck, Michigan

Do it for the art baby

Known as Michigan’s Art Coast (with literally dozens and dozens of galleries all along this gorgeous area), Saugatuck offers pristine beaches and is a prominent all season road trip getaway for Chicagoans and Detroiters - but now with some broader appeal. Next year this is where the northern lights will be prominent on Lake Michigan from the towering coastal dunes, Saugatuck Dunes State Park (plus there will be a new brewery opening near the Saugatuck Dune Rides). Also 2025 marks 115 years since art students from The Art Institute of Chicago rebelled against traditional in-studio painting practices and began teaching plein air painting on the east bank of the Kalamazoo River, which today operates as Ox-Bow School of the Arts. They have all year festivals (like the Venetian Festival) shows, theatre and more - so worth exploring that.

Referred to as “Michigan's fruit belt,” and thus a host of new farm to table restaurants have opened and a list of new ones are in the process of opening - including Chef Christine Ferris from Farmhouse Deli & Pantry will open more sumptuous joints. Plus there is a new burgeoning wine scene such as Modales Wines, producing a wide variety of adventurous wines, from pét-nats to off-dry riesling. Wickwood Inn is a 88 year old property and have now opened their doors after a massive renovation with Soucie Horner interiors - plus open brand new bungalows and a pool. 

*My favorite part of discovering this place on a recent roadtrip this summer is in the 1950s, Saugatuck gained recognition as a welcoming getaway destination for same-sex couples. Despite the need for discretion among some visitors, many gay men and women lived openly there with their partners. Home to West Michigan’s first gay bar during the 60s, the Blue Tempo, the destination is now proud to host The Dunes Resort, one of the largest LGBTQ resorts in the country. And of course they will reopen in 2025 with a refurb (they haven’t done that since they opened in 1981). 

Messenia, Greece

Think history, food, family fun and authentic alternative to over touristed places in Greece like Santorini and Mykonos

When you think of Greece it is often the islands that come to mind, however the Peloponnese region, and specifically Messenia in the southwestern part is the perfect all-year alternative away from the crowds, but with the same incredible beauty and ancient medieval castles plus history - as referenced throughout Homer’s Iliad. It is also the origin point for the Mediterranean Diet (honored by UNESCO), as an agricultural goldmine of olive groves, fields and forests - plus it is Maria Callas’ ancestral home. Speaking of olives, this is where to come for single origin olive oil, straight from the historical source with new tours starting next year. New for the region is a road connecting the magical historical town of Pilos to the highway, the Archaeological Museum of Ancient Messene that will open with 19,000 prehistory artifacts (including sculpture, architectural elements, pottery coins and bones), Eliopoulos Museum has a new exhibition focused on the region, plus an updated airport at the region’s capital, Kalamata. In 2010, Costa Navarino started their 15 year eco-conscious project of slowly opening local-community focused hospitality options including hotels (try the new Mandarin Oriental), restaurants, olive oil productions, an outdoor cinema, local focused shopping and the only golf courses in Greece.

Lugano, Switzerland

Fabulous culture, as an alternative to Lake Como, Basel and Zurich

If you’re after culture, and you want to find somewhere different and a little off the usual radar to go, this is it. You may know the city from its embrace of crypto, but it is its embrace of culture that makes this Italian speaking part of Switzerland the celebratory culture destination for 2025. From year round art, culture, to music and film, in 2025 many of these fine establishments will celebrate big anniversaries and thus programming will be exceptional. This city merges the best of Swiss and Italian culture - with these 35 museums, including Lugano Arte e Cultura (celebrating 10 years in 2025 with a year of activities), and the Swiss–Italian Art Museum (also celebrating 10 years) plus the Bally Foundation just made the city their home and will celebrate 20 years of existence in 2025. Then the famed film festival will be celebrating 80 years in 2025, and the summer family favorite, LongLake Festival will be celebrating 15 years. And it is also home to a majestic lake, and is surrounded by incredible mountains (also it’s just hours from both Milan and Zurich) and it’s warm for Switzerland climate. No wonder this is where Nobel prize laureate Hermann Hesse lived until his death. New in town is an incredible design hotel right at the rail station, B5 Boutique Hotel, and electric public buses getting delivered in January 2025. And it’s Switzerland’s year to host the Eurovision singing competition, of course. 

South Luangwa, Eastern Zambia

If you want to support threatened places, care about sustainability, and want to go somewhere that will really benefit from tourism 

With two woodland savannah areas across a beautiful valley, South Luangwa National Park is where to "go to the bush" - where it is still wild. And this is specifically where the walking safari was founded (Africa’s first conservation based tourism), in 1904 and has the densest population of game anywhere in Africa. So with not too many lodges (although a few new ones that are gorgeous including: Tide and Time, Puku Ridge, Sungani and Shawa Luangwa Camp), an updated airport (Mfuwe International Airport), and additional flights from South Africa with ProFlight - finally - plus Zambia Airways has new flights also, plus a national park with no fences, this is a real safari for the adventure traveler who wants to see the Big Five plus be in a birders paradise, see as many hippos as you can imagine, plus aid in conservation so necessary in this drought-prone area of Zambia. This is also where to come and not just safari from a Jeep taking photos, but to be more connected with nature and to really contribute to conservation in a place excited for tourism. Chill Africa and Intrepid Travel plus Audley Travel all have new tours starting 2025 for this part of Zambia.

New Jersey

I mean it really is fun for the whole family throughout every season, and I am going to convince you to spend some time there if it kills me (I married a Jersey Boy, it’s the least I can do for his home state).

Bordered by New York City, with the Atlantic Ocean on its east side, the state of NJ stretches 150 miles from top to bottom and makes for the perfect underrated getaway, all jumping off one big highway - from the sandy long beaches of the Jersey Shore, to the Victorian inns of Cape May at its tip, to the famed Asbury Park music venues (yes Bruce Springsteen will be playing there on his world tour in 2025), or the live entertainment of Atlantic City. But besides for these iconic places (including West Orange where Thomas Edison invented the first motion picture camera and ), the state has so many newly redone, renovated places opening in 2025 to make it worth traveling to for the whole family no matter where you go - from the Pendry Natirar estate in Somerset Country opening with 400 acres of rolling hills, plus their farm to fork restaurant; the Delaware Water Gap’s renovation and bid to become a National Park; Summit Avenue Park and Trolley Park opening in Jersey City Heights; the opening Edelman Fossil Park & Museum at Rowan University in Sewell; the completion of Terminal A at Newark airport; and Journal Square in Jersey City (shopping, restaurants,etc); the Princeton University’s new Art Museum in the heart of the campus; of course the Gateway Project connecting New York to NJ with new tunnels and rail will kick off in 2025; also at the American Dream Mall, The Giant - a mammoth moving attraction featuring a skin of LEDs  - will open in January 2025; Six Flags will launch its new passport to all attractions in the state; the PATH train will complete its renovation including all its stations in 2025 better connecting Manhattan to NJ;  Morristown’s M station with promenade and public plazas will open in 2025; plus very importantly the Garden State has two of the host stadiums for the 2025 FIFA World Cup (MetLife will complete its renovation Q1, 2025). Oh and Patti Lapone will kick off the year at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (with its own giant project, ArtSide, underway) with her new show. I mean, it’s a big year for this little state - even Happy Gilmore 2 filmed in Bedminster will be released next year. 

California looks pretty good right now, just saying. Thank you Gov Newsom, never did I love you more.

Hopefully you’re booking some escapes whilst we still can. Safe travels.