10 Insanely Gorgeous Destinations to Visit in 2016

Planning a successful trip can be time consuming; once you decide where you want to go there’s scheduling the time away, saving up, choosing your attractions, finding transportation, and booking a hotel. One of the most helpful planning tools many people have used for a long time, including myself, has been TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor is a great resource for reading reviews and comparing prices — and now booking!

I use TripAdvisor to research hotels and it’s one of the first places I go to read reviews, so when they approached us about sharing this new booking feature, I was happy to hear the news! TripAdvisor’s new ability to book hotels directly through their site is fantastic, blending trip researching, planning, price comparison, and booking all into one resource.

TripAdvisor’s #BookToWin Trip-A-Day Giveaway

To help kick off this new feature, TripAdvisor is hosting a travel giveaway! Their #BookToWin Trip-A-Day Giveaway is a great opportunity to win some extra spending money for your 2016 trip. Every day between March 1st to March 31st, 2016, 31 winners from every day in the month of March will receive $1,500 towards their next trip booked on TripAdvisor, and 1 grand prize winner will receive $15,000 towards a getaway of their choice, anywhere in the world, booked on TripAdvisor.

In honor of this giveaway, we thought we would share ten of our favorite destinations just in case you’re not sure where you want to travel in 2016. Kauai is one destination our personal bucket list and now it looks like we have more incentive to book that ticket this March!

10 Unforgettable Destinations to Visit in 2016

Fjord Norway

The Nordic fjords are absolutely breathtaking monuments of nature, and offer numerous sightseeing and outdoor activities. Nearby villages like Bergen provide quaint regional food and lodging opportunities. We recommend visiting in the summer for the best hiking weather and visiting after September if you want to see the Northern Lights! Read about our best tips for traveling in Norway on a budget.

Jasper National Park, Canada

Our January trip to Jasper National Park was fantastic, including dog sledding, a winter walk of Maligne Canyon, and a cozy stay at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, which you can book on TripAdvisor. Jasper is a perfect destination any time of year, but it’s especially magical in the winter. For more trip ideas, read my suggestions on the best winter activities in Jasper.

Big Sur, USA

The best place to stay in Big Sur is the great outdoors! Fernwood Resorts offers both tent camping and indoor rooms so it’s a good compromise for a group with less adventurous members and the view of the beach is spectacular.

Aitutaki, Cook Islands

Aitutaki is one of the southern Cook Islands and provides a luxurious sun-and-surf backdrop perfect for honeymooners—and snorkelers! Try a lagoon tour for some of the best underwater opportunities. For more information about these islands, visit our insider’s guide to travel in the Cook Islands.

Cinque Terre, Italy

A must-visit if you’re into photography, Cinque Terre in the Italian Riviera is a beautiful, multicolored Italian beach town stacked high on the nearby rocky hills. Great food and sunsets!

Palm Beach, Aruba

We visit Aruba again and again; it’s one of our favorites! Soaking up the sun on Palm Beach makes a relaxing day that can be followed up by fun and good food at the nearby Bungaloe Beach Bar and Grill. You can even hang out with flamingos for the day!

Tenby, Wales

Tenby is named “The People’s Favorite Place in Wales” for a reason! It’s an absolutely gorgeous city that still holds much of its medieval charm. It’s quite popular so I’d recommend visiting in the off-season. There’s so much to see in Wales, especially along the Pembrokeshire coast.

Santorini, Greece

This beautiful Grecian volcanic isle of Santorini is so well-known that its white and blue terraces are practically iconic, immediately bringing to mind exquisite Mediterranean beaches. A visit to Santorini can be extended to an island-hopping tour of Ios, Naxos, Paros, and other nearby islands.

Molokai, Hawaii

Unlike some of the more popular tourist islands in Hawaii, Molokai feels secluded, natural, and full of authenticity. A visit to this island might make watersports less attractive because of the close to shore reefs, but its natural, rugged beauty makes this island worth a visit.

Kauai, Hawaii

Kauai represents the perfect quiet, relaxing Hawaiian vacation. With beautiful natural spectacles like the Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail and Waimeia Canyon, there’s so much outdoors to explore at your own unhurried pace.
 

Are you a TripAdvisor user? Planning any fun trips for 2016? Share your vacation plans with us in the comments and on Twitter with the hashtag #BookToWin. Also, don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Disclosure: This is a compensated partnership with TripAdvisor. As always, all opinions are our own.