Galena, Illinois
Hidden from the highway just a 30-minute drive from Dubuque, the town of Galena was once the largest riverboat port north of St. Louis. That may have made it one of the state's most influential cities in its 19th-century heyday, but today, history buffs are more likely to recognize it by name as home to nine former Civil War generals, most famously Ulysses S. Grant. And in an era when all of us are rediscovering regional treasures instead of heading further afield, the town has all the makings of the perfect afternoon: A main street just blocks from the Galena River that can be fully explored in a few hours, regional history museums, quirky boutiques, art galleries showcasing local talents, a bar on every corner, and a handful of restaurants. The magic begins not at the P.T. Murphy Magic Theatre, but on the journey into the downtown district: the quick and distinct shift from convenient fast food stops and gas stations to Late Victorian facades and cobblestones sets an oddly comforting tone, whether you're a repeat visitor or not. Galena’s easygoing charm is enough to draw both domestic and international tourists, but taking a walk along what's locally known as the "Helluva Half Mile" will plant itself in your memory. If you're looking to extend your stay, book a room at the DeSoto House, the state's oldest operating hotel. —Erika Owen
Grand Staircase-Escalante, Utah
Glamping retreats gained new appeal in 2020 as travelers scrambled to safely scratch the vacation itch. And though the vaccine promises a slow return to normal in the months ahead, the taste for luxury in the wild is here to stay. That’s good news for luxury glamping operator Under Canvas, which will round out its western offerings with the new Under Canvas Lake Powell-Grand Staircase next year. The property sits on a 220-acre expanse right on the edge of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and guests staying in one of its 50 tents can enjoy all the standard Under Canvas amenities — chic, modern furnishings, s’mores by the fire — along with the option to tack on visits to the brand’s other area properties for a full Southwestern road trip experience. Just a few miles down the road in Canyon Point, Aman, too, is jumping on the tented-camp trend with Camp Sarika, a ten-suite Amangiri offshoot that has an away-from-it-all feel — along with heated plunge pools, fire pits, soaking tubs, and views of the sunset over the surrounding mesas. —Lila Battis
The Gulf Coast
Picture a white-sand beach, clear aquamarine water, gently swaying palms — the almost-too-perfect scene that looks for all the world like a Caribbean paradise or a remote cove in the Seychelles. Along the Gulf Coast, beauty like this is a given, and a road-trip is the best way to get your fill. Tampa is a great kickoff point; stay at the newly opened Hotel Haya, which nods to the city’s Cuban roots. On the Florida Panhandle, the cluster of towns that make up the Emerald Coast offer charms to spare. Grab a vacation rental for a few days to explore tony Alys Beach, which feels for all the world like it was plucked from a Grecian isle — its private shoreline, miles of meandering bike paths, and see-and-be-seen pool-restaurant complex have made it a favorite among the ultrawealthy. Over in Sandestin, Hotel Effie opens this February, with 250 rooms and a restaurant from chef Hugh Acheson. Time your trip right and you can make it to the Emerald Coast Open, a tournament focused on spearing invasive lionfish. At the corresponding Restaurant Week, local chefs work delicious magic with a fish long written off as bad eating. End your trip in Alabama’s twin Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, where repair efforts are underway after Hurricane Sally swept through this fall. Family-friendly Perdido’s Beach Resort will reopen in March after a full renovation, and closed areas of Gulf State Park are expected to reopen next year. Luckily, some of the area’s biggest highlights — its 32 miles of pristine powder beaches, the carnival of seafood delights at Fisher’s — remain unchanged. —Lila Battis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis may be famous for its annual Indy 500 motorsports race, but it’s the state capital’s arts and culture scene that’s revving on all cylinders. Next year, the eight-mile Cultural Trail will undergo a two-mile extension, making it even easier to explore Circle City’s attractions on two wheels, including the revamped Madam Walker Legacy Center and the new 12-acre Bottleworks District along Carrollton Ave. Here, a $300 million investment is giving new life to an Art Deco gem—a 1930s Coca-Cola bottling plant whose restored terracotta facade, original terrazzo floors and tilework, and vintage brass doors will be on full display at the 139-room Bottleworks Hotel debuting this month. An Asian-fusion restaurant, coffee bar, nail salon, and speakeasy are coming soon to the property, while old maintenance garages across the street are being converted into a 20-vendor food hall, a duckpin bowling bar and an independent movie theater. This spring, James Beard-nominated chef Abbi Merriss will open Kan-Kan, an arthouse cinema and brasserie in Windsor Park, while chef Craig Baker is using colorful shipping containers to repurpose a 40,000 square foot building in the 16 Tech neighborhood into a food lover’s paradise with a European-style marketplace and dining venues. In June, THE LUME will permanently transform The Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields’ 30,000-square-foot fourth floor into a digital art space with an inaugural exhibit featuring 3,000 moving images of Vincent Van Gogh paintings set to a classical music score. —Nora Walsh
Kansas City, Missouri
The City of Fountains has so much more to offer than its (rightly praised) barbecue. The Crossroads Arts District, in particular, has seen notable growth since the Crossroads Hotel reopened inside the former Pabst bottling plant in 2018. Last February saw the arrival of Mean Mule Distilling Co.’s Agave Lounge, a tasting room dedicated to blue-agave–based spirits. James Beard finalist Michael Corvino’s late-night burger (served at his fine-dining supper club) became so popular that, in September, he decided to launch a dedicated venture, Ravenous, inside food hall Parlor KC. Several new breweries have also established roots in the neighborhood, with Casual Animal, Border Brewing Co., Double Shift, and Torn Label. Elsewhere in the city, female entrepreneurs have proven particularly resilient in the face of the pandemic. When actor Jackie Nguyen’s touring production had to close, the first-gen Vietnamese-American started Cafe Cà Phê, a mobile coffee shop serving both the classic beverage and Nguyen’s creative riffs. Yoli Tortilleria brought Sonoran-style tortillas to the city — first with its own retail shop, then through several local markets and restaurants. There’s also cultural news of note for 2021: after almost three years, the long-awaited renovation of the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum is finally complete, and the facility — with its new multimedia and interactive exhibits — will be ready to go once cultural institutions are allowed to reopen. And don’t miss the chance to check into KC’s latest arrival, the new Hotel Kansas City, which opened this fall in the 1920s building that once housed the Kansas City Club. —Sarah Bruning
Las Vegas
You don’t go to Las Vegas seeking solitude — you go to indulge, to splash out, to revel in the nonstop energy of this shimmering, seductive oasis in the desert. A city defined by its hypnotic pool parties, around-the-clock gambling, epic nightlife scene, glitzy, over-the-top hotels, and next-level restaurants — each one trying to one up the other — just dreaming about a visit is enough to push your endorphins into overdrive. And after a year of staying still within our own four walls — the extreme antithesis of Sin City — getting back to Vegas and its many venues designed to bring crowds together will feel like the ultimate luxury. Throw in exciting new properties, like the Resorts World Las Vegas, a 3,500-room mega-resort and casino combining Hilton Hotels & Resorts, LXR, and the Conrad across 88 acres; the recently completed Circa Resort & Casino, the first adults-only casino resort with a pool amphitheater; and Virgin Hotels, set to replace the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, and well, you’ve hit the jackpot. — Alisha Prakash
Lexington, Kentucky
A handful of pilgrimage-worthy culinary and cultural developments will draw travelers to the Bluegrass State’s second-largest city in 2021. It’s not just The Queen’s Gambit that has drummed up excitement around Lexington. After sitting empty for 20 years, Greyline Station has been newly reimagined as a 70-stall open market populated by dozens of local small businesses like North Lime Coffee and Donuts and Old North Bar, which will have a “sip and stroll'' license so visitors can enjoy a beverage while they browse. The anchor tenant — taking up just over a third of the 65,000 square feet — is Julietta Market, an open-air grocery in the vein of Seattle’s Pike Place and Barcelona’s La Boqueria. Elsewhere in the city will be the new Fresh Bourbon distillery from entrepreneur Sean Edwards, who grew up in Lexington and learned the craft from his grandfather and uncles. The 34,000-square-foot facility is set to be the largest Black-owned distillery in the state when it opens and will offer tours and guided tastings. Cultural sites are also furthering initiatives to tell a richer, more diverse history of Kentucky: Don’t miss new walking tours of Lexington from the Faulkner Morgan Archive, an organization dedicated to preserving and chronicling the state’s LGBTQ+ legacy. —Sarah Bruning
