7 travel tips for 2026 – play board games with locals, skip Michelin restaurants and more
Forget TikTok recommendations and soulless one-star restaurants; focus instead on the experiences you want to taste, drink, and enjoy
Lately, each passing year feels like an entirely new era of travel as trends shift with the speed of a centrifuge.
A decade ago, independent media recommendations were made after unearthing new, cool things all over the world and bringing them to light. Today, it is just as much about testing all the things everyone on social media is buzzing about and determining whether they pass the sniff test in real life.
Reflecting on it all, here is a report on the state of travel now, packed with of-the-moment tricks that will elevate your 2026 holidays.
1. Put board, card and table games on your to-do list to meet locals
02:34
Learn to play mahjong in 2.5 minutes
Games in general are trending. In Las Vegas, try hitting up Casino Quest, a venue where you can sharpen your blackjack and poker skills alongside aspiring dealers – and get the hottest tips on the city’s best off-Strip restaurants and bars.
Toronto, Canada, has minted its own board game cafe chain, Snakes and Lattes, which has recently spawned locations across the border in the US, in Arizona and Chicago.
2. Big-ticket sights should not dictate your touring circuit
Blame old-school guidebook templates for billing museums, parks, places of worship and other popular attractions as the cornerstones of any good city itinerary.