Favorite destinations of 2024 from the U.S. to Europe and beyond

2024 was the year travel stayed stuck in overdrive. Inflation left us hunting for deals, and everyone you vaguely knew in college seemed to pop up, somehow, in Europe — whether to catch the Eras Tour, watch the Olympics or stampede the Amalfi Coast.

Overtourism and the ensuing backlash encouraged travelers to be savvier and more thoughtful about their plans, to ignore the AI influencers and channel their inner Rick Steves. To dig up those vacation gems the crowds hadn’t yet found.

The Washington Post is here to help. We had reporters chronicle the northern lights from the Nordic countryside, explore the world’s largest cruise ship and its smallest film festival, and to test out better, cheaper ways to get around. Not every excursion was a winner — see: Margaritaville at Sea. But we learned something new from every trip (like, a $29 margarita can be just fine).

Here are 12 of our favorite destinations of the year.

An Amtrak ride from coast to coast

This summer, cartoonist Christine Mi traveled by train across America on a four-day journey from Northern California to New York. She made friends within hours of boarding and, from the observation car windows, took in the immensity of the Colorado River and the grand landscapes of 11 states. After 3,397 miles, she left with a new view of the country.

The winding road from Amsterdam to Paris

If you want more flexibility on your next trip to Europe, consider a road trip. Renting a car is straightforward, the road rules are mostly the same, and you’ll be able to hit cities that are less accessible by plane or train. Jessica van Dop DeJesus designed a 10- to 12-day itinerary that folds in the cheese capital of the Netherlands, chocolate shops and medieval architecture in Belgium and three cities in France before you end in Paris.

Or, with that rental car of yours, just keep driving.

A bougie fast-food joint in New England

Anyone who has traveled America’s highways has learned to lower their expectations for pit-stop meals. But about 30 miles west of Boston, just off Interstate 495, reporter Natalie Compton found a shock to the status quo inside a former Wendy’s: Nan’s Kitchen & Market. Chef and owner Jordan Mackey had spent most of his career in high-end hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants. Those chops showed in dishes like the original fried chicken sammie and a grain bowl with lemon-brined salmon. The experience was enough to make us wonder: Was Nan’s a unicorn? Or is road trip food getting better?

Morocco’s underappreciated capital

Rabat is Morocco’s most underrated city in plain sight, a tranquil and historic seaside capital that you can still discover on its own terms. Check out its new wave of artists energizing boutiques and galleries, or wander its inventive museums, which are leading a national rejuvenation. Rabat’s medina, or walled old town, is easy to explore, too. Markets sell piles of mint and "beldi" eggs, intricate doorways open to Sufi lodges, and artisans sell rugs and pottery.

A gay beach oasis in Michigan

The twin vacation towns of Saugatuck and Douglas form a lakeside rainbow bubble within Michigan’s Bible belt. The area is off the beaten path compared with the coastal hangs that typically attract huge gay crowds, yet its reputation rivals spots like Provincetown and Fire Island. At the Dunes Resort, the pool is packed with Speedo-clad gay men all summer long, and disco balls light up the confetti-filled dance floor every weekend.

"It’s paradise for somebody like me to be able to come to a place and just feel so welcome," Jeff West, 67, told us this summer.

Europe’s sauna marathon

Otepää toasts Estonia’s long tradition of schvitzing it with its annual European Sauna Marathon, in which teams navigate ice and snow to clock three minutes in 18 different saunas over one afternoon. Most of the saunas are run by local enthusiasts, friendly families and businesses giving out pre-sauna beers and grilled meats — or vodka and pickles.

One was a hobbit house with a snowy roof slide that ended in an ice hole. Another was a sauna in the sky, lifted by an industrial crane. Writer Lisa Lucas joined a team in February to explore how it all works.

The cheapest hotel room in Vegas

A month after hotel prices on the Strip skyrocketed for the Super Bowl, Post reporter Andrea Sachs found a night at some of the same lodgings for less than a stadium beer and pretzel. The rate at the Flamingo, which underwent $90 million renovations starting in 2017, was all of $11.36.

Sure, the Flamingo’s retail row reminded her of a dying mall, and, yes, the stores sold enough flamingo products to adorn every lawn in Florida. But a spacious and spotless room at that price? With a four-acre bird-and-turtle habitat out back? She’d do it again.

A paragliding haven in the Swiss Alps

There’s no view more exhilarating, photojournalist Salwan Georges learned, than soaring over the Swiss Alps in a parachute. That’s why a paragliding school in Verbier, a village near the French and Italian borders, is drawing visitors from all over the world.

Verbier Summits’ flights are particularly popular in winter, on days when you can launch off a snowy slope and feel the contrast between the cold air and the warmth of the sun on your face. Once you’ve had your fill of flying — or if you’re simply in the mood to explore — you’ll find a town known for its vibrant après-ski scene, shops with Swiss chocolates and mountain gear, and exceptional restaurants serving the local favorite: raclette.

Puerto Rico’s southern coast

You’ll have to rent a car to traverse the undersung southern coast of Puerto Rico. But once you do, you’ll find a region rich in culture, food, beaches, nature and hospitality. "Our greatest asset is the people, who make people feel at home," says Milexys Rosado Romero, the owner of a farm stay in Cabo Rojo.

Van Dop DeJesus learned that growing up in Guayama, a coastal city with restaurants on the rise. Head to Rex Cream, a classic spot, for a salty-sweet corn ice cream with cinnamon, perfect for a walk along the plaza.

The most Wisconsin store ever

Mars Cheese Castle is the Upper Midwest’s most medieval — and most eye-catching — roadside attraction: a landmark, a 46,000-square-foot grocery store and a bar, all in one. It’s a place where, as writer Joan Niesen discovered firsthand, a shopper can pick up 15-year aged Cheddar, gummy worms, a case of local beer and a polyurethane foam cheese hat in a single, rapturous trip. And it’s become a regal symbol for all things Wisconsin.

A portal to Spain’s past

Every May or June, religious brotherhoods flock to Andalusia, in southern Spain, for a pilgrimage called El Rocío that dates to the 17th century. To photographer Michael Robinson Chávez, witnessing it felt like stepping into a piece of Spanish literature.

The romantic power of El Rocío lies in the passion and devotion of the participants, including many young people. They’re warm and generous to visitors, too: If you pass by a wagon that has stopped for lunch, don’t be surprised if they beckon you to their table to sample some fine Andalusian food.

America’s scariest motel

Hundreds of desert miles from any major city, Tonopah — population roughly 2,200 — has become a modest tourist destination in the Nevada wilds for its mining history, stargazing and ghost stories. Compton and video producer Monica Rodman spent a night at the town’s Clown Motel, to find out whether it lived up to its superlative: "America’s scariest motel."

The verdict? If you’re into spooky destinations, well, Compton and Rodman had a literal nightmare.