Top Spots For Your 2014 Travels

It’s that time of year again, when lists are everywhere. Once the calendar flips to December, we’re bombarded from all sides with yearly wrap-ups and “best of’s” and “worst of’s” and “best EVER” collections of all kinds. It’s no different for all us travel freaks. There are a ton of these end-of-the-year round-ups, so what’s a Type A traveler to do? You guessed it; here’s a list of my favorite end-of-the-year travel lists. Because the only thing better than a normal list is a list of lists!

No matter what kind of travel you’re planning (or wishing/dreaming about) for 2014, there’s bound to be something here for you. And you might want to have a pen handy, to jot down some new must-see’s to add to your own travel to-do list.

Here you go:

International: Go beyond the well-established European capitals and venture off the beaten track with these spots featured on National Geographic’s Best Trips 2014. From Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda to Puglia, Italy to Cacao Trail, Ecuador; the National Geographic list makes me want to travel outside of my comfort zone.

Close to Home (US travel): If you don’t have a passport, don’t worry. There are plenty of awesome spots to explore in this great big country of ours. Lonely Planet lists the must-see spots around the US, and whether you want to go across the state or across the country, there’s something cool to see. I can personally vouch for the awesomeness of the Jersey Shore and the must-see factor of Las Vegas. And Cumberland Island, Georgia and Central Coast, California are definitely being added to my itinerary.

On A Budget: Is your wallet begging for a break? Is your bank account busted? And if so, do you think that means that your immediate travel plans have to be limited to the grocery store and the local library? Not so. Budget Travel has you covered with their list of the top ten budget destinations in 2014. Of course, “budget” is subjective, but they list some great destination deals and insider info. For example, did you know that Venice hotel rates are 7% lower than last year? Other great places to spend your heard-earned travel buck: Philadelphia, Buenos Aires and Riga.

Recommended: Finally, we have the places voted on as the best of 2013 by your fellow travelers. TripAdvisor.com’s list is organized into categories like hotels, beaches, all-inclusive resorts and destinations on the rise. So it should be easy to find the best choices, no matter what you’re looking for. I’m a big fan of TripAdvisor and the traveler reviews. As a compulsive researcher, I feel like I’m getting the (mostly) honest reviews of travelers like me. I haven’t been disappointed yet, so I can’t wait to try a bunch of spots from their 2013 list. Especially Moab, Utah and their #1 rated beach spot: Ka’anapali Beach in Lahaina, Hawaii. I’m dreaming of sand and sun (and looking wistfully at my sunscreen) as we speak.

What’s your top travel destination for 2014?

Find me on Twitter @StephSpitler

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