Podcast Summary: "Top US Travel Destinations For 2026"

Podcast: All Of It with Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Date: January 7, 2026
Guest: Megan Spurrell, Associate Director of Articles, Condé Nast Traveler

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode explores the best United States travel destinations for 2026, in honor of America’s upcoming 250th birthday. Host Alison Stewart talks with Megan Spurrell from Conde Nast Traveler, who shares insights from their annual list and discusses how US travel is evolving with historic milestones, city revivals, indigenous heritage, outdoor adventures, and listener bucket-list suggestions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Criteria for the 2026 "Best Places to Go" List

• Selection Approach:
  • Places with recent or upcoming changes (museum openings, renovations, airport upgrades)
  • Aiming for diversity: retro road trips, outdoorsy getaways, citywide revivals
  • Special attention to history and how we tell American stories in the nation's 250th year
  • Quote (Megan Spurrell, 03:24): “We want the final list to have a mix for different types of travelers. So some outdoorsy stuff, some cultural hotspots... with the 250th celebration, we were thinking, what stories do we want to focus on in this year?”

2. Celebrating Evolving US Landscapes

• Surprising Destinations: Arkansas, Buffalo, Route 66, alongside classics like New York, LA
• Natural Spaces:
  • The preservation of parks means some landscapes still look as they did 250 years ago
  • Cities showing revitalization represent changing American stories
  • Quote (Megan, 04:36): “You can also go to cities that have evolved so much during that time, that have stories of renovation and revitalization.”

3. Spotlight: Route 66 (06:05 – 09:10)

• Why Route 66:
  • The archetypal American road trip, representing discovery and connection across the country
  • Not a single roadway anymore; apps help travelers “stitch together” the journey
  • Centennial celebrations along the route with car shows, festivals, and local quirks
  • Events:
    • Centennial National Kickoff in Missouri (April 30)
    • Tulsa: World record classic car parade (May)
    • Texas Route 66 festival in Amarillo (June)
  • Indigenous Heritage:
    • Numerous tribal nations along Route 66
    • Highlights: Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (Albuquerque); First Nations Museum (Oklahoma City)
    • Quote (Megan, 07:37): “There are some amazing Indigenous-run institutions along this route... those are a couple great places to start.”

4. Museum Lovers & Unexpected Gems (09:30 – 11:37)

• Arkansas:
  • Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (Bentonville) – expanded galleries, small-town pace with culture
  • Outdoor attractions: hiking in the Ozarks, wildflowers in spring, autumn foliage
• Portland, Oregon:
  • Portland Art Museum’s major expansion and indigenous collections
  • Walkable downtown, emerging food scene, James Beard indoor-outdoor food complex
  • List Recommendations reinforced by listener Carol (14:23)

5. Listener Contributions: Travel Plans & Recommendations

• Family-Friendly: Baltimore (National Aquarium, children’s museum)
• National Parks Road Trips: Popular “plain states” loop (North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho); Mammoth Cave, KY; Smoky Mountains
• Hidden Treasures:
  • Madeline Island (Apostle Islands, Lake Superior)
  • San Juan Islands (orca watching, commerce, little hiking)
  • Shelburne, Vermont (Lake Champlain, historic inn, farm experiences)
  • Auburn, Indiana (ACD Festival – classic car nostalgia, Gatsby era, Labor Day)
  • St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (beaches, shopping, year-round warmth)

6. Cities Experiencing a Revitalization (16:08 – 20:13)

• Boston:
  • 250th anniversary events, “Sail Boston” parade, World Cup host city (plan ahead, crowds, food scene)
  • Quote (Megan, 16:08): “Boston’s really been evolving recently. Like the food scene, it’s amazing. It’s really special.”
• Buffalo:
  • Not just for Niagara Falls or wings – architectural tours, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Graycliff, restored waterfront with trails, beaches, and new park
  • Quote (Megan, 18:50): “There is a huge concentration of amazing architecture... And there’s also a lot of restoration to the outdoor spaces coming.”

7. Travel Logistics Tips & Road Trip Wisdom (12:59 – 13:46, 25:52 – 27:19)

• Planning:
  • Plot out manageable distances, add buffer time, allow for detours/discoveries
  • Comfort: snacks, downloads, playlists
• Getting Off The Interstate:
  • Adds richness to trips, especially in “flyover” states; small detours yield big experiences
  • Listener Rebecca (25:52):
    “We’d always find something really great off the beaten path, especially in the middle states... there’s something so beautiful about the flatness and the expanse of it.”

8. Unique Travel Prompts (29:09)

• Looking for the Unexpected:
  • Listener Aaron asks for somewhere to feel “bewildered, surprised, confused.”
  • Megan suggests a Southwest ghost town tour or Nevada’s weird, historical saloons
  • Quote (Megan, 29:09): “If I wanted to just be bewildered, I would do a journey of ghost towns... go somewhere warm and dry, deserty, [and] sit in a saloon and have a sarsaparilla.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Alison Stewart (Host) [00:58]:
  “Thinking about travel is a lot easier than actually doing it. So let’s start with something simple.”

• Megan Spurrell [03:24]:
  “We want the final list to have a mix for different types of travelers. So some outdoorsy stuff, some cultural hotspots... with the 250th celebration, we were thinking, what stories do we want to focus on in this year?”

• Megan Spurrell [07:37]:
  “There are some amazing Indigenous-run institutions along this route... those are a couple great places to start.”

• Listener Rebecca [25:52]:
  “We have loved learning about this country and the beauty of this country. Even in... Oklahoma, flat, nothing Oklahoma. There’s something so beautiful about the flatness and the expanse of it... people that don’t travel our country are really missing out.”

• Megan Spurrell [29:09]:
  “If I wanted to just be bewildered, I would do a journey of ghost towns... some are completely abandoned, but other ones, you know, they have reenactments at noon... I think I would go somewhere warm and dry, deserty, and I would sit in a saloon and have a sarsaparilla.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:24]: Criteria for Conde Nast’s list
• [06:05]: Route 66, history, travel logistics, centennial events
• [09:30]: Museum and art/culture recommendations (Arkansas, Portland)
• [12:59]: Road trip planning advice
• [14:23]: Listener Carol’s recommendations for Portland/Jerome, AZ
• [16:08]: Why Boston & East Coast cities in 2026
• [18:50]: Buffalo’s revival and architectural draws
• [20:22]: National park travel and southern city weekends
• [25:52]: Epic cross-country trips, getting off the interstate, flyover states
• [27:27]: Shelburne, Vermont – hidden gems in New England
• [29:09]: "Bewildered and surprised" travel prompt; ghost towns advice

Flow & Tone

The conversation is enthusiastic, inviting, and rich in both practical detail and inspiration. Both host and guest blend curiosity, nostalgia, and a forward-looking sense of adventure, with recurring reminders to mix “classic” destinations with new, offbeat, or underappreciated American travel experiences. Frequent, passionate calls and tips from listeners make the episode feel interactive and community-driven.

For Those Who Haven’t Listened

If you’re looking for inspiration for US travel in 2026—whether it’s a city revival, a centennial road trip, an outdoors retreat, or somewhere truly “bewildering”—this episode lays out a roadmap combining expert insight and listener wisdom. Practical advice, deep appreciation for America’s diversity, and hidden gems await, whatever your travel style or budget.