According to Skyscanner, one of the main drivers for travel in the new year will be cultural exploration. Luckily, we’ve got every month covered, from a hot air balloon festival in Colorado to Nevada’s 160th birthday, here are 24 reasons to travel in 2024.
JANUARY
Almond Blossom Season in Central Valley, California
Spring tends to kick off early in several of the county’s that make up the Central Valley. With a fast-and-frenzied spectacle of blooming fruit and nut trees, generally starting in mid-February, but sometimes even as early as January, the blooms last approximately three weeks. Capture the sights in Freso, Visalia and Modesto and wonder at the county’s orchards, festooned in rosy sprays of peach and nectarine petals, pink bouquets of apricot blossoms, and white blazes of almonds, plums, and apples. Visitcentralvalley.
Backcountry ski to Ostrander Ski Hut – Yosemite Mariposa County, California
Start the new year with a stay in the Ostrander Ski Hut, a cherished rustic stone cabin used by experienced cross-country skiers who make the strenuous 10-mile journey from Badger Pass Ski Area to Ostrander Lake in Yosemite National Park’s backcountry. The hut is suitable for individuals or groups up to 12. It is staffed by a full-time hut keeper and is open from 22 December 2023 – 6 April 2024. Facilities include single bunks with mattresses, community cookware stocked in a common kitchen, wood for heating, solar-powered electric lights for evening use and two outdoor toilet facilities. Rates are £42 per person, per night. Yosemite.com
FEBRUARY
Compass Hotel by Margaritaville – opening in 2024
Taking bookings from February 2024, Compass Hotel by Margaritaville will be an all-suite boutique property featuring 120 fully equipped guest rooms. The property will include amenities such as the “Sunrise at Compass” complimentary breakfast buffet, Welcome Cabana with daily light snacks and refreshments, 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill, and The Backyard – a destination unto itself with a pool, live entertainment, backyard games, palm tree tables, fire tables and multiple social gathering areas. Florida’s Paradise Coast.
Celebrate Tapati on Chile’s Easter Island
Share with the inhabitants of Rapa Nui their millenary and enigmatic culture by participating in the most important festival of the island, which reaches its 55th anniversary. During the Tapati festival, the people are divided into two clans that represent the island’s ancient castes which will compete for days and nights in ancestral sports showing their physical and artistic skills in traditional rituals. To close the festival, there is a massive parade and the crowning of the Tapati Queen. chile.travel/en/
Enjoy the best skiing experience in Utah’s Deer Valley
Located in the Wasatch Mountain Range just 36 miles east of Salt Lake City, the ski-only resort of Deer Valley offers exceptional service with well-groomed slopes. February offers the best time to explore the resort with the best snow conditions and as the resort is exclusively open to skiers, visitors can enjoy enhanced skiing across the 2,000 acres of varied terrain and runs. The resort also places a cap on the number of skiers on the mountain each day ensuring a seamless experience.
Skiers to Deer Valley can also get excited as the resort recently unveiled its ‘Expanded Excellence’, a transformative project enhancing its legendary ski experience. The project will double the skiable terrain and introduce a new base village as soon as 2025. Deer Valley is available on the Ikon Pass, offering 7 days access to 16 other North American ski resorts. www.alterramtn.co
MARCH
Travel through Japan with the new Hokuriku Shinkansen extension – Ishikawa, Japan
The 124 km Hokuriku Shinkansen extension, opening on 16 March 2024, will link Kanazawa and Tsuruga via Fukui, providing more convenient access to vibrant destinations such as the Zen Buddhist temple, Daihonzan Eiheiji and the historic Kaga Onsen. Prior to its launch, Mihama Town which neighbours Tsuruga published a “Wakasaji Mihama Trail” map for travellers looking to explore the area. The map highlights five routes to explore natural wonders, including the beech tree forest and fostering deeper immersion in the local community through visits to cultural centres, shrines and temples. www.japan.travel/en/
Wildhaven Glamping open for bookings from March 2024 – Yosemite Mariposa, California
Open for bookings from March 2024, Wildhaven Yosemite will be the second location opened by glamping operator Wildhaven which opened its first property in June 2020 in Sonoma County. The glamping tents will open on the former site of Yosemite Ziplines and Adventure Ranch just outside of the historic gold-rush town of Mariposa. The new grounds will expand the glamping options in Yosemite Mariposa County by as many as 80 glamping tents once it is fully completed over the coming three years. Prices start from £103 per night. www.yosemite.com
Disconnect with the Zen Altitude Festival (March TBC)
Spend 15 days recharging your batteries in the mountains at the Zen Altitude Festival. A rich and varied programme that focuses on well-being and relaxation, the festival offers various activities and workshops, such as barefoot snow yoga, raw foods workshops, breathing and mindfulness, meditation, facial reflexology and much more.www.meribel.net
APRIL
The Takayama Matsuri Festival, Gifu prefecture, Japan (14-15 April)
Takayama, a town in the mountainous Hida region of Gifu prefecture, boasts a beautifully preserved old town for visitors to explore. For those looking to immerse themselves into Takayama’s history, make the most of the April days at the Takayama Matsuri festival. The festival showcases Takayama’s long legacy of craftsmanship through centuries-old floats that are renowned for their extravagant carvings and karakury ningyo shows. Throughout the 14th and the 15th of April, the festival’s 12 yatai are on display in the heart of the town. Visitors can enjoy the evening on the 14th by following the floats, blanketed with lanterns, as they parade around the historic core. www.mitsuboshi-kaidou.
MAY
Jet2.com launches new flight route to Tivat (2nd May)
2024 will see the launch of a direct route from Birmingham Airport to Tivat Montenegro with Jet2.com and Jet2holidays
The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2024
An underrated art city waiting to be discovered, 2024 sees even more reason for culture-seekers to add Pittsburgh to their bucket list. Next year sees the 30th anniversary of The Andy Warhol Museum – a beloved collection of work dedicated to one of the most famous artists in history. The largest museum dedicated to a single artist in North America, pop art fans can learn about the Pittsburgh-born artist through exhibitions, displays, interactive and informative tours. www.visitpittsburgh.
Vivid Sydney 2024 (24 May – 15 June 2024)
Celebrating its 14th year in 2024, Vivid Sydney will return to the city fusing art, innovation, and technology in collaboration with some of the most boundary-pushing artists, thinkers, and musicians of our time. Vivid Sydney is an annual festival of light, music, and ideas, including outdoor immersive light installations and projections across iconic buildings and attractions, performances by local and international musicians, and an ideas exchange forum featuring public talks and debates with leading creative thinkers. Last year’s program included the largest drown show in the Southern Hemisphere and, new for 2023, Vivid Food. www.sydney.com
JUNE
Chicken Ranch Casino opens in Tuolumne County, California
The northern gateway to Yosemite National Park, Tuolumne County is located 70 miles east of the San Francisco Bay area and made up of the Gold Country, High Sierra and the lion’s share of the aforementioned National Park. This month, Tuolumne welcomes the new and improved Chicken Ranch Casino, hotel and conference centre. Originally opened as a bingo hall in 1985 by the Chicken Ranch Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians, the new hotel will span five floors and offer 190 rooms and suites. visittuolumne.com
WeHo Pride, West Hollywood, California (first weekend of June)
For nearly four decades, West Hollywood’s Pride has been celebrating diversity and inclusivity across the storied city. Kicking off Pride month is the LGBTQ Arts Festival, with a schedule of events from exhibitions to multimedia projects. As June rolls round, WeHo Pride Weekend starts with a free street fair and the OUTLOUD Raising Voices Music Festival. The final event is the energetic and colourful Pride Parade with the whole city showing up to wrap up the festivities. Since its recognition as a city in 1984 with a US first majority gay council, West Hollywood has been advocating for the LGBTQ+ community and ensuring their visibility and expression. www.
JULY
Capitol Hill Block Party, Seattle, Washington (19-21 July)
Celebrating the Capitol Hill neighbourhood in Seattle, Capitol Hill Block Party has 100 local and national acts performing at bars, outdoor stages and restaurants in the area. Known for creating the world’s most influential musicians, such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam, Seattle is the city for music fanatics and Capitol Hill is where the newest and best in the industry can be found. This year’s headliners are still to be confirmed. visitseattle.org
Summer skiing in Mammoth Lakes
As California’s highest chairlift serviced peak, Mammoth Mountain is well known for its extended spring seasons and has long been one of few resorts that can operate far into the summer months, an occurrence which happens almost every year. Last season the mountain received record levels of snowfall, allowing the resort to continue its winter operations into August, the same is expected for 2024 so visitors will be able to ski and ride whilst enjoying the California sunshine. www.visitmammoth.com
50 years of the Snowmass Rodeo
Next summer, the iconic Snowmass Rodeo will celebrate 50 years of bringing western charm to Snowmass Village. Taking place every Wednesday from June to August, this long-standing tradition is a Snowmass summer staple and offers a range of entertainment for the whole family to enjoy. Complete with music, horses, cowboys, cowgirls and incredible mountain views, visitors can try their luck at ‘chicken poop bingo’ or get hands on with mutton bustin’, a locals favourite. www.gosnowmass.com
AUGUST
Moffat County Hot Air Balloon Festival, Craig, Colorado (August TBC)
With so much natural beauty, Colorado is a destination that should be seen from the skies, and everyone who takes part in Craig’s Hot Air Balloon Festival gets that luxury. With a colourful ascension scheduled each morning, hot air balloons dip and soar over lakes with magical mountainous views as the backdrop. Saturday boasts a full day of entertainment and activities in Loudy-Simpson Park, including a classic car show, a cardboard boat regatta and bouncy castles. Music can be found playing all day long. www.colorado.com/
SEPTEMBER
Sacramento’s Farm to Fork Festival, Sacramento, California
Going into its 11th year, Sacramento’s Farm-to-Fork Festival celebrates the region’s incredible food and agriculture, introducing people to the chefs, farmers, ranchers, vintners and brewers who are bringing delicious food and drinks to the city’s tables every day. The festival pairs good music with great food every year with a lineup of musicians to enjoy alongside the plethora of street food stands that are set up for the three day event.
Getty launches Art and Science Project across Southern California, California
September is the perfect time for culture lovers to head to Southern California with the launch of Getty’s PST ART: Art & Science Collide project. The project will span over 60 exhibitions, involving 800+ artists exploring topics from ancient cosmology to environmental justice. The five-month extravaganza spans rocket launches, participatory art projects, and a free family festival, making it the largest U.S. art project. Partner programs by institutions like LACMA, LA Dance Project, and The Huntington Library promise a captivating blend of art and science. From outdoor performances to youth summits on sustainability, the events unfold across multiple locations, culminating in PST ART Weekends—a festival of festivals. Don’t miss this unprecedented collision of creativity and discovery, shaping the cultural landscape of Southern California. www.
OCTOBER
Nevada’s 160th Birthday, Carson City, Nevada
Nevada will celebrate its 160th anniversary in October of 2024, the anniversary marks the state’s official statehood and celebrates its history. The annual celebrations are some of the biggest in the U.S. and take place in Carson City, home of the “official” Nevada Day Parade. Since 1938, the Nevada Day Parade in Carson City has been an annual tradition to celebrate Nevada’s heritage and the founding of the state on October 31, 1864. The celebrations include flyovers, beard competitions, balloon launches and much more. travelnevada.com
NOVEMBER
Outrigger Canoe Hawaiki Nui Va’a race, The Islands of Tahiti (November – dates tbc)
The Hawaiki Nui Va’a takes place every year in October. It is a Va’a (Outrigger canoe) race with six rowers, on the high seas and in the lagoon, over 128km long, divided into three legs, between the Leeward Islands (Huahine, Raiatea, Taha’a and Bora Bora). There are no crew changes on this water “Marathon”, but substitutions are possible before each leg departure. This frenzied and exhausting island-to-island race over three days remains a unique event that connects the islands and its welcoming people. www.tahititourisme.uk
Iconic Lowell Observatory to launch new Astronomy Discovery Centre, Flagstaff, Arizona
In November 2024, northern Arizona’s famous Lowell Observatory will launch a new Astronomy Discovery Center where visitors can witness the city’s famous Dark Skies at the centre’s open-air rooftop planetarium to gaze at the countless stars and constellations. Explore the galaxy at the new Universe Theatre to learn about astronomy from live presenters who take guests on a journey through the galaxy with the help of the theatre’s two-story, 165-degree curved LED screen. www.visitarizona.com
DECEMBER
Enjoy the sunny city of Valencia in December
With year-round sunshine, Valencia is perfect to visit at any time of the year but it is particularly needed during December when some vitamin D is well and truly needed. With beautiful sites in the Old Centre including the Cathedral of Valencia and San Nicholas Church, known as Valencia’s very own Sistine Chapel, there is no shortage of rich history to explore. Valencia is also European Green Capital in 2024, an accolade awarded thanks for the city’s commitment to sustainability. As the only Mediterranean city to have earned this title, Valencia continues to prove it is paving the way in green tourism. In fact, as the first destination to measure the carbon and water footprint generated by tourist activity, it is setting the bar for other destinations. www.
