Every year, National Geographic produces its 25 ‘Best of the World’ travel list and this year five U.S. destinations made the 2023 list.
The list which encourages travelers to travel to far flung destinations all around the globe chose: Big Bend National Park, TX, Milwaukee, WI, Utah, Charleston, SC and San Francisco, CA in its top 25 destinations.
List curator and National Geographic senior editor Amy Alipio collaborated with a collective of editorial teams and explorers around the world, looking for an interesting mix to include in the list. Broken up into five categories: culture, nature, adventure, community and family, this list gives travelers a launching point to a curated vacation based on their likings.
In National Geographic’s nature category, Big Bend National Park of Far West Texas made an appearance in the list. Bordering Texas and Mexico, it’s one of the least visited national parks, but still offers amazing landscapes.
In National Geographic’s new community category, Milwaukee, Wisconsin was included thanks to its recently reclaimed Deer District along with a new African American art and cultural center.
For the adventurer, Utah is great for a plethora of outdoor thrills. From mountain climbing, numerous hikes, paddleboarding and more, guests will surely get their adrenaline rush in popular spots like Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument and more.
Well-known for its Southern charm, Charleston, South Carolina was listed under National Geographic’s culture category. Nicknamed ‘The Holy City’, Charleston presents stories of triumph from slavery, delicious low country cuisine and cultural history. January 2023 will see the opening of Charleston’s International African American Museum.
Whilst San Francisco is widely known as an international city, its re-imagined outdoor spaces have made the city very family-oriented. The new Presidio Tunnel Tops offers a stunning view of the Golden Gate Bridge and ample space for picnicking, a nature center and playground and the new Crosstown Trail cuts diagonally across San Francisco.