Destination Guide
Split or Dubrovnik in 2026: How to Pick the Right Croatian Coast Base
Both cities sit on the Adriatic. The cost difference is 25 to 30 percent. Here's which one fits which trip, and how to do both in one go.
· 6 min read
Destination Guide
Guides and stories about destination guide from Best.
Destination Guide
The Amalfi Coast in 2026: What to Know Before You Book
The Amalfi Coast is as beautiful as advertised and more expensive, crowded, and logistically complex than most travel content admits. Here's how to plan it properly — right base, right timing, right approach to getting around.
· 6 min read
Destination Guide
Bangkok for First-Timers: A Practical Guide to the City That Converts Skeptics
Bangkok is the most-visited city in the world most years. Here's how to navigate it for the first time — which neighborhoods to stay in, how to get around, what to eat, and when to go.
· 6 min read
Destination Guide
Lisbon in 2026: What the City Actually Looks Like When You Go Past the Guidebook
Lisbon has been written about endlessly. This guide skips what you already know and covers neighborhoods, real costs, what most visitors miss, and when to go for the best combination of weather and value.
· 6 min read
Destination Guide
Okinawa for First-Timers: Japan's Island That Plays by Its Own Rules
Okinawa sits closer to Taiwan than Tokyo, has its own cuisine and culture, and some of the best diving in Asia. Here's what first-timers actually need to know.
· 6 min read
Destination Guide
Quebec City in Summer: The North American Trip That Feels Like Europe
National Geographic named Quebec City one of the world's top destinations for 2026. Chase Travel's booking data shows it's among the fastest-growing summer destinations for American travelers this year. Both are unusual recognitions for a city that's been sitting 90 minutes north of Montreal for centuries, looking like someone lifted a French medieval town and placed it on the banks of the St. Lawrence River. Most Americans have been to Paris or dream of going. Quebec City is not Paris. But it'
· 6 min read
Destination Guide
Helsinki in Summer: What Makes This Scandinavian City Worth the Flight
Helsinki appeared on Chase Travel's fastest-growing summer destinations list for 2026. It sits alongside Quebec City and Tokyo on a list of places that American travelers are booking at a significantly higher rate than prior years. Most people who travel to Scandinavia still default to Stockholm or Copenhagen. That's understandable. Helsinki sits further north, the weather reputation is mixed, and it doesn't have the same brand recognition. But Helsinki in summer is a genuinely different city f
· 6 min read
Destination Guide
Where to Stay in Cancun: A 2026 Neighborhood Guide
Cancun has topped Tripadvisor's most popular summer destinations list for the third consecutive year. More people are booking it than ever, which also means more people are running into the same problem: the Hotel Zone is a 22-kilometer strip of resorts stretching along a sandbar, and choosing the wrong section can mean a very different trip than expected. This guide breaks down the actual differences between the main areas, gives you real price ranges for 2026, and helps you pick the right bas
· 5 min read
Destination Guide
Alicante in 2026: Europe's Fastest-Rising Summer Destination
Tripadvisor's Summer 2026 Traveller Index put Alicante at the top of its European trending destinations list. Most American travelers have never considered it. Most European travelers have been sleeping on it too, routing instead to Barcelona or Mallorca without realizing there's a city on the Costa Blanca that offers the same sun and seafood at a fraction of the price. Alicante sits roughly halfway between Valencia and Murcia, on a bay that faces southeast and catches afternoon light in a way
· 5 min read
Destination Guide
Croatia in 2026: Where Flights Are Cheap and Hotels Still Have Deals
Airfare to Split, Croatia dropped 33% year-over-year in 2026. That's not a rounding error. That's the market signaling that it's finally cheaper to fly somewhere that used to be expensive to reach, in a country that was already a good value for hotels and food. Croatia has been on the overrated-and-overcrowded list for years. Some of that reputation is deserved, specifically for Dubrovnik in July and August. But the country is larger and more varied than its most photographed corner, and the pr
· 5 min read
Destination Guide
Why August Is Actually One of the Best Times to Visit Japan
Almost everyone who travels to Japan does so in spring, for cherry blossoms, or in fall, for the foliage. Summer gets a reputation for brutal heat and packed crowds and is largely written off as the wrong time to go. That reputation is mostly wrong. July and August are one of the cheapest times to visit Japan, with hotel rates dropping 20-40% from spring and fall peaks. And if you know how to handle the heat, the experience is different from any other season in ways that are genuinely worth it.
· 5 min read
Destination Guide
Eastern Europe Is Having Its Best Year Ever. Here’s Where to Start.
Seven of the top ten trending travel destinations in the world right now are in Eastern Europe. Prague search interest is up 180% year-over-year. Sofia is up 136%. Krakow up 106%. Budapest up 86%. This isn't a new story. Eastern Europe has been "about to have its moment" for years. But 2026 is different. The combination of falling airfares, new direct routes from North America, and genuine word-of-mouth from travelers who skipped Paris and London and came back raving about Riga has pushed the r
· 5 min read