If you’re tired of visiting places trod by millions of tourists previously, perhaps you should consider looking in less likely spots this year.

A cheat sheet for that can be found in Afar’s primer, “Where To Go in 2026: Places That Are on the Rise and off the Beaten Path.” The travel-media brand has collected two dozen destinations that serve as a “better way to travel the world: responsibly, creatively and with eyes on places long overlooked.”

Think of Buffalo, N.Y., whose Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor is getting a resurrected jazz club and a pioneering Black radio museum in 2026. Or West Cork, Ireland, a wild and enchanting side of the island that visitors don’t often patronize, or Rabat, Morocco, which is rising as a cultural hub with new museums and a rockin’ summer music festival.

Residents of Northern California might perk up their ears at the inclusion of the Columbia River Gorge, a rugged and waterfall-blessed region in Oregon and Washington that’s within striking range. Here are the first 10 on the list in alphabetical order; for more check the full guide.

1 Adelaide, Australia

2 Albuquerque, N.M.

3 Birmingham, Ala.

4 Bucharest, Romania

5 Buffalo, N.Y.

6 Columbia River Gorge, Oregon and Washington

7 Da Nang, Vietnam

8 East Antarctica

9 Eleuthera, Bahamas

10 Far East London

Source: afar.com/magazine/the-best-places-to-travel-in-2026