How to prepare for these extraordinary destinations right here in Seattle

The theme of travel in 2025 is empathy, to remind ourselves that the world is a big place, and that other people face obstacles as well. To quote Robert Louis Stevenson, it’s time “to come down off this featherbed of civilization, and find the globe granite underfoot.”

As we look ahead to the year in travel, we see emerging hotspots, exotic getaways, and overlooked gems — along with plenty of new flights from Seattle. From ancient temples to swimming in crystal clear waters to culturally diverse cities, here are 10 destinations that promise memorable voyages in the new year, and escape from the challenges that lie ahead. When possible, we suggest local ways to embrace these trips.

Seoul, South Korea

With shiny objects Tokyo and Bangkok getting most of the tourist attention, the South Korean capital sometimes gets overlooked. It shouldn’t: Seoul is one of the greatest cities in Asia and the world. With new non-stop flights on Alaska Airlines from Seattle to Seoul set to commence in October, more people will soon discover its subtle charms. As with any massive city, to admire Seoul is to appreciate its neighborhoods. We loved the Jongno District, with its restored hanok houses, lively street markets, and imposing temples.

Street Market in Jongno District, Seoul.

To prepare for the trip, visit Exit 5 BBQ in Renton for authentic charred meats in a replica Korean street-market environment.

Copenhagen, Denmark

From a world’s top 50 speakeasy hidden alongside the Georgian Embassy, to the Freetown Christiania former hippie enclave, Copenhagen is full of surprises. The Danish capital is famously one of the world’s most bikeable cities, but boat rides on the Nyhavn River are equally useful and relaxing. A visit to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art north of town is a must in this design-driven destination.

Sunset at Nyhavn River, Copenhagn.

Photo by Sabina Dobrin / Unsplash

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Photo courtesy of Louisiana Museum of Modern art

SAS recently announced direct flights, five times weekly from Seattle to Copenhagen. The new route begins May 21, so scour the web for introductory offers. Before traveling, head to the National Nordic Museum in Ballard to learn about all things Danish (and Scandinavian). Skål!

Oman, Arabian Peninsula

With visa-free travel for 98 countries (including the United States), Omani tourism is on the rise. Safe, peaceful, and welcoming, now is the time to go. Sip cardamom kahwa (coffee) in the shade of historic mosques and palaces, camp with the Bedouin among undulating 300-foot-tall sand dunes, hike trails above 9,000 feet in the Hajar Mountains, then swim in the world’s only desert fjords on the Musandam Peninsula, the “Norway of Arabia.”

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Muscat, Oman.

Photo by journaway Rundreisen / Unsplash

West Africa

News flashes from the Paris-Dakar rally or the surf breaks of Liberia have always made travel to West Africa appear as the most exotic travel frontier. Conversations with West Africans in Seattle only heighten the intrigue — from Abidjan to Abuja they enthusiastically encourage visits to their native lands. West African cuisine is also surging in popularity, with chefs winning prizes from New York to London.

For its mix of food, art, culture, beaches, and nightlife, Accra, on the Gold Coast of Ghana, might be the most intriguing option. To get excited for your trip, stop by Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen in First Hill for goat peanut soap, palm wine cocktails, and kosua ne meko — soft boiled eggs with spicy red pepper sauce.

Languedoc, France

Experience all the delights of Provence and the Riviera — wine, fromage, impeccable croissants — far from the tourist throngs. Montpellier is one of the oldest (1289) university towns in the world, with tobacco-stained students spilling out of sidewalk cafés like it’s Paris circa 1968. On the Mediterranean, Sète tempts with canals, boats, and a waterfront promenade stuffed with lively places to grab a glass of wine at sunset.

Montpellier offers historic charm, vibrant cafés, and Mediterranean allure.

Photo by Travel-Fr / Shutterstock

To tantalize your palate for le vin d’Oc, Seattle wine purveyors Princess & Bear focuses on the region exclusively at their itsg room and wine club. We will have more info on travel to this enticing destination in the March issue.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

The oldest European settlement west of the Mississippi River is one of the United States’ most unique must-visits. Founded in 1610, Santa Fe will celebrate its 415th anniversary in 2025 with cultural events, expanded art markets, and a focus on its Native American and Spanish heritage. It is a city of history, culture, and art. Its Indian Market is one of the premier Native American showcases in the country. The original Meow Wolf immersive art installation began there in 2008, sparked by the creativity of the haunting New Mexico desert.

Santa Fe’s Indian Market celebrates Native American art and culture in the heart of New Mexico.

Photo courtesy of SWAIA by Kitty Leaken

Santa Fe is also a mecca for unique food and drink, with blue corn tortillas and hatch chile omelets by day, and a Smoked Sage Margarita at the Secreto Lounge awaiting as a nightcap. Awaken the senses for your upcoming voyage with a quest for hatch chiles and tequila at Bang Bang Kitchen in Othello — Western Washington’s premier New Mexican cantina.

Kelowna, British Columbia

Just a six-hour drive or one-hour flight from Seattle, the Okanagan Valley is a dramatic, appealing, and accessible 84-mile lake and wine country in central British Columbia. In August, Alaska Airlines announced the return of year-round non-stop flights between Seattle and Kelowna, to begin Jan. 17.

The lakeside town is the central hub for all the skiing, hiking, wineries, breweries, and eateries the Okanagan has to offer. Take a short journey in any direction along the slim, fjord-shaped lake to find excellent wine and food. We loved Mission Hills Winery for its epic views and opulent wines, and BNA Brewing for burgers and beer.

Montevideo, Uruguay

Stepping off the passenger ferry from Buenos Aires to Montevideo is a transporting experience, the essence of travel. Tiny Uruguay, wedged between Argentina and Brazil, is an oasis of serenity next to its huge, noisy neighbors. Car-free comparisons to Victoria, B.C., are apt: From the ferry you can walk straight to dinner and your hotel.

Visit the Mercado del Puerto across from the port. Constructed more than 100 years ago from steel, the market houses several countertop restaurants with asado, empanadas, and other delights. The city teems with museums, cafes, and bistros (favorites include La Fonda, Sometimes Sunday, and CandyBar). It’s an alluring combo — part South America, part Europe. It is composed entirely of familiar parts, yet feels completely mysterious and new.

Chișinău, Moldova

Moldova is so far off the travel radar that it is like stepping back in time. The country — a tiny sliver of land next to Romania — is for wine lovers, adventurous travelers, and Cold War nostalgics. Moldova’s vineyards once produced wine for the entire Soviet Union. Take a tour at Cricova Winery, the second largest system of wine tunnels in the country and the world. Taste at the subterranean bar where Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin once went on a bender, then buy a bottle to take home. You won’t find Moldova’s excellent red wines in Seattle.

The underground wine tunnels of Cricova Winery, Moldova.

Photo courtesy of Cricova Winery

Getting there is easier than it appears on a map. It’s a direct flight to Istanbul followed by a short flight to Chișinău. Bonus travel points: Slip across the border into Brasov and Iași, Romania, for buzzing restaurants, gorgeous Transylvanian mountain scenery, and (Orthodox) Christmas markets that last until Jan. 7 every year.

French Polynesia

Air Tahiti Nui launched direct flights from Seattle to Papeete in 2022. For glorious swimming and snorkeling, white sand beaches, emerald mountain peaks, welcoming locals, bounteous seafood, and French charm (and French rosé), it’s impossible to beat the warm embrace of Tahiti. Bora Bora’s coral garden makes visitors feel as if they are swimming inside a tropical screensaver. With multiple Society Islands within easy reach by boat or plane, island hopping is the ultimate cure for the Big Dark. We will have more on the best ways to visit French Polynesia in an upcoming issue.

Snorkeling in the coral reef lagoon of Bora Bora.

Photo by François Pierrot / Unsplash