Unearth The Voyage
Spring 2026 is still months away, but Americans are already pulling out their laptops and searching for the perfect sunny escape. Whether you want white-sand beaches, ancient ruins, or colorful cobblestone streets, next spring is shaping up to be a seriously exciting travel year.
From Florida’s Gulf Coast to the islands of Vietnam, the options are as varied as they are tempting. Here are 14 destinations that are already lighting up search engines and travel wish lists across the country.
Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Fort Walton Beach just got a serious glow-up in the travel world. Expedia named it a 2026 Destination of the Year, and honestly, it makes total sense.
This Gulf Coast gem sits right next to the more famous Destin, but without the bumper-to-bumper beach traffic that makes summer travel feel like a chore.
The water here is that ridiculous shade of emerald green that makes your phone camera look like it’s on a filter. Spring is the sweet spot, when temperatures are warm but the crowds are still manageable.
You can actually find a parking spot and a beach chair without a strategy session the night before.
Fort Walton Beach also has a legit food scene, solid fishing, and some surprisingly fun local spots that feel nothing like a tourist trap. Flight and hotel searches for this destination are climbing fast.
If you want Gulf Coast magic at a pace that doesn’t stress you out, this is your 2026 move.
Hawaii
There is something about Hawaii in spring that hits differently than any other time of year. AAA ranks it among the top trending destinations for 2026, and the numbers back that up.
Travelers are booking early, and for good reason.
Spring in Hawaii means fewer crowds than peak summer, lower hotel rates in some spots, and weather that is basically perfect every single day. The humpback whales are still hanging around Maui through April, which is a bonus that nobody warns you about until you are already on the boat screaming with excitement.
I booked a spring trip to Kauai a few years back on a whim, and it remains the best decision I have ever made involving a credit card. The Na Pali Coast looked like something out of a movie.
Each island has its own personality, so whether you want adventure, relaxation, or a little of both, Hawaii delivers without making you leave the country. That alone is a win.
Sardinia, Italy
Most people think of Rome or Florence when someone says Italy. Sardinia is playing a completely different game.
This Mediterranean island made Expedia’s 2026 Destinations of the Year list, and spring is genuinely the best time to visit before the summer crowds turn every beach into a standing-room-only situation.
The water in Sardinia is so clear it looks fake. Beaches like Cala Golorize and La Pelosa have that jaw-dropping quality that makes your Instagram followers deeply suspicious of your editing skills.
The food is also spectacular, featuring slow-roasted meats, fresh seafood, and a local wine called Cannonau that pairs well with literally everything.
Spring temperatures hover in the comfortable mid-60s to low 70s Fahrenheit, which is ideal for exploring the island’s ancient nuraghe stone towers or hiking coastal trails without melting. Flights from major US cities to Cagliari or Olbia are becoming more accessible too.
Sardinia is the kind of place that makes you wonder why you ever went anywhere else.
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
San Miguel de Allende is the kind of place that makes you feel like a more interesting person just for being there. Expedia flagged it as a 2026 Destination of the Year based on surging flight and lodging searches, and travelers clearly know something good when they see it.
This is not a beach trip. It is something better: a sunshine-soaked colonial city sitting at 6,000 feet elevation in central Mexico, packed with art galleries, rooftop bars, and some of the most photogenic streets on the planet.
The famous pink cathedral, the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel, has been photographed so many times it should be charging royalties.
Spring is peak bloom season here. Jacaranda trees explode in purple across the city, and the weather is warm without being oppressive.
The food scene is outstanding, blending traditional Mexican cooking with serious international influence. Budget travelers will love the value.
Food, accommodation, and experiences cost a fraction of comparable US cities. San Miguel rewards slow travel, the kind where you wander without a plan and somehow end up having the best day of your trip.
Phu Quoc, Vietnam
Phu Quoc is Vietnam’s largest island, and it has been quietly becoming one of Southeast Asia’s most exciting destinations. Expedia’s 2026 data shows strong growth in traveler interest, and it is easy to see why once you get there.
The beaches here are genuinely world-class. Long Beach and Sao Beach offer that postcard-perfect combination of soft white sand and calm, warm water that makes you want to cancel your return flight.
Unlike some overhyped tropical islands, Phu Quoc still has stretches of coastline that feel uncrowded and unspoiled.
Spring is an ideal time to visit because the dry season runs through April, giving you reliable sunshine and smooth seas. The island also has a surprisingly vibrant food scene built around fresh seafood, pepper plantations, and fish sauce production that is world-famous in culinary circles.
Night markets in Duong Dong town are lively and affordable. Getting there usually involves a connection through a major Asian hub, but the journey is absolutely worth the layover.
Phu Quoc delivers tropical island energy without the cliche resort-bubble experience most travelers are trying to escape.
Okinawa, Japan
Japan gets a lot of attention for cherry blossoms in Tokyo and temples in Kyoto, but Okinawa is the version of Japan that comes with a beach and a snorkel. Expedia’s 2026 list calls it out specifically, and it deserves every bit of that recognition.
Okinawa is a chain of subtropical islands at the southern tip of Japan. The water is warm, the coral reefs are stunning, and the local Ryukyuan culture is completely distinct from mainland Japanese traditions.
Spring brings comfortable temperatures and clear skies, making it perfect for beach days, diving, and exploring the island’s fascinating history.
The food culture here is legendary for a different reason: Okinawans have one of the longest life expectancies on Earth, and their diet of bitter melon, tofu, and local pork dishes is considered a major factor. You can eat incredibly well for very reasonable prices.
Spring also means cherry blossoms arrive here earlier than anywhere else in Japan, usually in late January through February, so if you time it right, you get tropical beaches AND blossom season. That is a genuinely hard combination to beat.
Greece
Greece in summer is famous. Greece in spring is a secret worth keeping, except we are telling everyone right now.
AAA lists it among the top trending destinations for 2026, and spring is honestly the smartest time to go.
By April and May, temperatures in the Greek islands are warm and gorgeous, hovering around the mid-60s to low 70s. The beaches are not packed wall-to-wall yet.
You can actually walk through Santorini’s famous Oia village without feeling like you are in a very scenic subway car. Mykonos, Crete, and Rhodes all hit their stride in spring too, offering that iconic blue-and-white beauty without the full summer price surge.
The ancient history sites are also way more enjoyable when it is not 95 degrees. Visiting the Acropolis in Athens in May feels like a totally different experience than sweating through it in August.
Greek food is another reason to go any time of year: fresh grilled fish, creamy tzatziki, and feta cheese that tastes nothing like what comes in a grocery store container back home. Spring in Greece is a genuine shoulder-season win.
Spain
Spain is already one of the most visited countries on Earth, but 2026 is shaping up to be an especially big year. AAA highlights Spain for 2026 partly because of the total solar eclipse happening in August, which is drawing massive international attention to the country’s visibility and travel infrastructure.
Spring is actually the time to get ahead of that wave. April and May in Spain are spectacular, particularly in Andalusia, where Seville and Granada come alive with festivals, blooming orange trees, and temperatures that feel like a warm hug after a long winter.
The famous Feria de Abril in Seville is one of the most joyful events you will ever stumble into.
Spain also rewards travelers who go beyond the obvious. Barcelona and Madrid are brilliant, but cities like Bilbao, Valencia, and Cadiz offer world-class food, culture, and architecture at a fraction of the cost and crowds.
The food alone is worth the flight: jamón, pintxos, paella, and churros con chocolate at 11pm because that is just how dinner works there. Spain has broad appeal for a very good reason.
Italy (Beyond the Obvious)
Everyone has Italy on their list. The difference in 2026 is that there are extra reasons to go beyond the classics.
AAA flags Italy as trending, pointing to post-Jubilee ease and momentum building around the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, which is boosting travel interest in the northern regions especially.
Spring is peak season for the Italian countryside. Tuscany and Umbria turn into rolling green paintings with wildflowers everywhere.
The Amalfi Coast is stunning in May before the summer traffic makes driving those cliff roads a genuine act of courage. Sicily in spring is warm, colorful, and far less crowded than you would expect from an island that good.
Northern Italy also shines in spring. The lakes region around Como and Garda is breathtaking when the flowers are out and the water is calm.
Milan is always worth a visit for design, fashion, and food. The Dolomites offer dramatic mountain scenery that feels completely different from the Italy most tourists see.
Italy rewards travelers who explore beyond Rome and Florence, and 2026 gives you more reasons than ever to do exactly that.
Egypt
Ancient wonders never go out of style, and Egypt is having a serious moment. AAA includes it in top trending picks for 2026, specifically calling out the boom in Nile river cruising and the buzz around major heritage experiences like the Grand Egyptian Museum, which opened recently and is genuinely one of the most impressive museums on the planet.
Spring is a smart time to visit. March through May brings warm but manageable temperatures before the brutal summer heat sets in.
A Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan is one of those experiences that feels almost cinematic: floating past ancient temples, felucca sailboats drifting by, and sunsets over the desert that look completely surreal.
Cairo is loud, chaotic, and absolutely fascinating. The Khan el-Khalili bazaar alone could eat up an entire day of your trip.
Egyptian food is also underrated: koshari, ful medames, and freshly baked aish baladi bread are cheap, filling, and delicious. Egypt is not a passive destination.
It demands your full attention and rewards it with some of the most extraordinary historical experiences available anywhere on Earth in 2026.
Limon, Costa Rica
Most people head to Costa Rica’s Pacific side and call it a day. Limon, on the Caribbean coast, is the version of the country that feels like a genuine discovery.
Skyscanner’s 2026 trending destinations data puts Limon at the very top of its list, which is a strong signal that travelers are actively seeking it out.
The Caribbean side of Costa Rica has a completely different personality from the Pacific. The food has heavy Afro-Caribbean influence, featuring rice and beans cooked in coconut milk, fresh seafood, and flavors that feel worlds away from a typical resort menu.
The beaches around Cahuita and Puerto Viejo are wild and beautiful, lined with jungle that comes right down to the sand.
Spring is a solid window for visiting, with drier conditions on the Caribbean side typically arriving between March and April. Wildlife is everywhere: sloths, toucans, howler monkeys, and sea turtles depending on the timing of your trip.
Limon is not polished or packaged. It is real, a little rough around the edges, and completely worth it for travelers who want something that feels less like a brochure and more like an actual adventure.
Miami, Florida
Miami does not need an introduction, but it does need a spring booking. Skyscanner data, reported by the New York Post, calls out Miami as a standout affordable 2026 destination for American travelers, which is a sentence you do not hear often about a city famous for its nightlife and luxury hotels.
Spring in Miami is genuinely one of the best times to be there. March and April bring warm temperatures, low humidity compared to the summer swamp season, and a city that feels electric without being completely overrun.
South Beach is gorgeous when the weather is perfect and the light turns golden in the late afternoon.
Beyond the beach, Miami has world-class food from every corner of Latin America and the Caribbean, a booming arts scene in Wynwood, and neighborhoods like Little Havana and Coconut Grove that reward slow, curious exploration. Day trips to the Everglades or the Florida Keys are easy from here too.
Miami is the kind of city where you can spend a week and still feel like you barely scratched the surface. For spring 2026, it is one of the smartest domestic picks on this entire list.
Guadalajara, Mexico
Guadalajara is Mexico’s second-largest city and one of its most underrated. Expedia’s affordability picks for 2026 include it specifically as a low-cost, high-reward destination, and that framing is exactly right.
This city punches well above its weight on food, culture, and pure enjoyment per dollar spent.
Tequila is literally from here. The town of Tequila is just an hour away, and the agave fields surrounding it are actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
You can tour the distilleries, taste the real thing, and feel very educated about your choices for the rest of the trip.
The food scene in Guadalajara is outstanding and deeply local. Birria, tortas ahogadas, and pozole are staples here, and the street food is some of the best in Mexico.
Spring brings warm, dry weather and a calendar full of cultural events, including the massive Guadalajara International Book Fair, which runs in late November but keeps the city’s creative energy buzzing year-round. The historic center, with its grand cathedral and sweeping plazas, is stunning and walkable.
Guadalajara is a city that rewards travelers who show up curious and leave stuffed.
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City moves fast. Walking out of the airport and into the city for the first time is a full sensory experience: motorbikes everywhere, street food sizzling on every corner, and an energy that makes it immediately clear this place operates on its own frequency.
Expedia’s affordability coverage for 2026 includes Ho Chi Minh City as an increasingly popular base for warm-weather Southeast Asia trips, and the logic is solid. Flights from the US are more accessible than ever, the cost of living is low, and the city has enough to fill a week without even leaving the metro area.
The food scene alone is worth the trip. Banh mi, pho, fresh spring rolls, and ca phe sua da, the famous Vietnamese iced coffee, are available on practically every block for less than two dollars.
The War Remnants Museum is sobering and essential. The Mekong Delta day trip from the city is one of the best half-day excursions in all of Southeast Asia.
Spring temperatures are warm and the skies are mostly clear before the rainy season arrives in May. Ho Chi Minh City is loud, alive, and completely unforgettable.
