Exuma, the Bahamas
Why you should go: This year Exuma got the equivalent of a misspelled lower-back tattoo when the monumentally disastrous Fyre Festival
came to town, sort of, and made it an international laughingstock. But
clear off the schadenfreude, and Exuma is still a must-visit destination
-- it’s the Bahamas, after all. The district’s largest island, Great
Exuma, is known for its sprawling, pristine white-sand beaches,
crystal-clear blue waters, marvelous scuba diving, and vibrant Bahamian
culture. None of that has changed. You can still soak in the sun on the
world-renowned Tropic of Cancer Beach, where two of the Pirates of the Caribbean installments were filmed, explore the charming city of George Town, and swim with feral pigs on Big Major Cay, aka Pig Beach.
Why you should go right now: Fyre
Festival, the biggest travel joke of 2017, unfairly stigmatized Exuma.
So swoop in, friends. The island will likely be relatively free of
crowds and, therefore, teeming with good deals. Plus, the Fyre Festival left many local Bahamian businesses with unpaid invoices; vendors are now owed hundreds of thousands of dollars.
You, as the dollar-spending tourist, will be a local celebrity right
about now. Not only would you be giving back to the local economy, but
you would also help steer Great Exuma out of pariah territory with all
your Instagram posts. May I suggest the hashtag #WeDidntStartTheFyre? -- Alicia Lu, Thrillist contributor
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Why you should go: Any normal summer brings a swell of
climbers and trout fishermen to this beloved ski town. Its big, dark
skies also make it one of the best places in the Lower 48 to get to know
your galaxy. Nothing beats peering into the Milky Way with the massive
Tetons in the distance. And you can go where the astronomy nerds gather
-- Wyoming Stargazing hosts stargazing events
that are free and open to the public on Fridays throughout summer, and
this year the organization is unveiling its new outdoor planetarium dome
at Rendezvous Park.
Why you should go right now: This won’t be a normal summer, and a city in love with stars is planning a proper party for the August 21 solar eclipse. (They’ve even invited retired NASA astronaut Scott Altman.) Jackson Hole will go lights-out for about two minutes in the middle of that Monday as the moon passes in front of the sun, giving viewers a rare look at the sun’s corona. According to NOAA, Wyoming is one of the best states
for a cloudless viewing experience. Of course, no promises, but if you
want to go, plan soon. Flights, hotel rooms, and campsite reservations
are going fast. Just make sure to pack your custom solar eclipse sunglasses, or you might risk some very serious retinal burns and possibly eclipse blindness. -- Tim Ebner, Thrillist Travel contributor
Manchester, England
Why you should go: Locals refer to Manchester as “UK’s
second city” and consider it a welcome antidote to the stresses of
London. It’s the home of Premier League soccer team Manchester United,
as well as numerous museums and art galleries, and the nightlife is
top-notch. The bars, in particular, are a crowning achievement for
locals. “The people here are really friendly, the music scene has been
incredible for over 30 years, and the independent food and drink
offering is on the up,” says Shane Kilgarriff, owner of Peggy’s Bar, a
seasonal cocktail spot in Manchester that opened its doors in early
June. “Manchester takes its beer seriously, too, so it’s not surprise we
also have some of the best pubs in the country. Marble Arch and Gas
Lamp are excellent, but my particular favourite is Briton’s Protection,
where the whisky selection is more than a match for the beer.”
Why you should go right now: Because
when someone gets knocked down, you help them up again. After the May
attack that killed 23 and injured 119, you’d be doing your part to spend
your tourist dollars at its hotels, bars, restaurants, and, yes,
concerts. You’re going to find a strong-hearted bunch of locals who
value music and a good pint. Late-summer flights are available for $500
from the East Coast, so book a trip, grab a drink, and be sure you know
all the words to “Don’t Look Back in Anger.” -- Emily Zemler, Thrillist contributor
North Bend, Washington
Why you should go: Driving east out of Seattle on I-90
is like traversing into some kind of alt-Jurassic Park, Pacific
Northwest edition. In less than an hour you leave the shimmering depths
of Puget Sound, and soon the highway is engulfed on either side by rich
pine forest... and then you catch your first glimpse of the towering
hump of snow-capped rock that looms above the beloved town of Twin Peaks. In reality, that's Mt. Si (pronounced sigh)
and the town is North Bend. Rather than a portal to some dark and
inscrutable dimension, this place is the gateway to excellent outdoor
recreation -- climbing, backpacking, kayaking, fly fishing,
hot-springing -- in the wild and scenic Cascades.
Why you should go right now: Thanks to Twin Peaks: The Return,
we're in the midst of the much-anticipated revival of one of the most
influential television shows of all time, and North Bend is at the
epicenter. Summer and fall in the Northwest is about as good as weather
gets, with light lingering past 10pm -- plenty of time to explore town
with fellow fans drawn by the cult classic’s return to TV after a 25-year gap.
Visit Twede's Cafe (the Double R in the show) purely for the kitsch
factor and not the food; save your appetite for the Woodman Lodge in the
neighboring town of Snoqualmie, which has all the rustic roadhouse
ambiance of the Bang Bang Bar (minus Sharon Van Etten on-stage).
Bhutan
Why you should go: This Himalayan Buddhist kingdom is a
stunner to behold: a legendary cliffside monastery, mesmerizing dzong
architecture, colorful weekend markets, and rural idyll panoramas.
What’s easily overlooked is its dedication to sustainable eco-tourism.
The country’s governing philosophy puts environmental and cultural
preservation above all else -- yes, that includes profit and economic
growth. Thus its tourism works on a “high value, low impact” concept.
It’s just the ticket for mindful, eco-conscious,
leave-nothing-but-footprints jetsetters who want to see a land and a
culture determined not to let you change it for the worse.
Why you should go right now: Simply
put, it’s going to be overrun before you know it. The country is
gearing up for an influx of visitors with new tour packages, new
experiences and new hotels. It’s also working to lead the world to take
the long view. In 2016, Bhutan became the world’s first carbon-negative
country. If you’re feeling defeated about the future of environment,
it’s THE place to re-galvanize and regroup. -- Michelle Rae Uy, Thrillist contributor
San Francisco, California
Why you should go: For the past five decades it has been a truism: If you’re going to San Francisco / be sure to wear some flowers in your hair. As some of its residents have since ’67, the city is throwing a continuous party to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love.
The events kick off on the solstice, June 21, with a free concert in
Golden Gate Park featuring members of Jefferson Airplane plus a groovy
light installation. At the Marin County Fair you’ll find bunnies, chickens, carnival rides, and plenty of macramé or join a Summer of Love Sing-Along at the Botanical Garden. Walk to Haight-Ashbury, where the counterculture movement began, and make a pilgrimage to the Grateful Dead house or celebrate Jerry Garcia’s birthday with other deadheads. And don’t forget to see the Painted Ladies.
Why you should go right now: Because
its 2017, not 1967, and you can take advantage of the amazing food
scene that now exists thanks to cold hard tech cash pouring into the Bay
Area. (RIP, the counterculture.) Worth a visit: the new SFMOMA, gems like Leo's Oyster Bar for seafood and cocktails, and the Tartine Manufactory,
the bakery’s new 5,000-square-foot eatery for coffee, baked goods and
ice cream. (Come early for the brioche jam bun, stay for the
chocolate-banana bread pudding.) If food stalls are more your thing,
swing by the Ferry Building,
where you can sample the Bay Area’s best food including Blue Bottle
Coffee, Cowgirl Creamery’s artisan cheese, and Acme Bread Company’s
fresh sourdough. -- Jennifer Mattson, Thrillist contributor
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Why you should go: Perhaps it’s a hangover from its
days as Great Britain’s Gitmo, but Australia has a lot of “greats.”
There’s the Great Australian Bight (which btw rhymes with “aight”), the
Great Ocean Road, Great White Sharks. But none are more deserving of the
title than our Great Barrier Reef. Stretching 1,800 miles along
Australia’s east coast, the world’s largest coral reef system is roughly
half the size of Texas and is the only living thing visible from space.
Pick an island or a coastal town as your base, grab a snorkel, and get
ready for an epic underwater safari. The place is swimming with all
manner of marine life: whales, dolphins, dugongs, turtles, rays, giant
clams, and hundreds of fish and coral species. And also some venomous
sea snakes because this is Australia, after all, land of freaky animals that are trying to kill you.
Why you should go right now:
Craving a beach vacation without the risk of contracting Zika? The
Great Barrier Reef is in the state of Queensland, Australia’s answer to
the Caribbean, only with first-world amenities like drinkable tap water
and food delivery apps. It’s a tropical paradise of lush rainforests,
pristine white sand beaches, and bogans (Australian rednecks -- just
think of it as Florida Down Under). But on a more somber note, if you
want to see this Unesco World Heritage Site with your own eyes, you
don’t have much time left. In the last two years rising sea temperatures
have caused severe bleaching in two-thirds of the reef, and scientists
have described the damage as “terminal.” So get over there now before
global warming claims its latest, greatest casualty. -- Sarah Theeboom, Thrillist contributor
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