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What did you miss out on in 2020? Maybe it was going to be the year you checked that epic adventure off your bucket list. Or the year you would finally gather three generations for a family trip. Or maybe you and your soulmate had been looking forward to time away—just the two of you. Whatever travel dreams you had for 2020, here’s to making them come true in 2021.
Need inspiration? Each of these four travel ideas comes with a new twist for the new year.
Experience total relaxation in the Caribbean.
If 2020 left you in need of some get-away-from-it-all, forget-your-worries downtime, head for the curvaceous swaths of sand and aquamarine waters that make up the Caribbean. Some 30 island nations dot the ocean from just beyond Florida’s southern tip to the northern coast of South America. No matter how you get there, each country offers its own brand of escape—from zip lining through misty rainforest treetops to blissfully floating in a freshwater cenote.
Got questions about traveling to the Caribbean? AAA Travel Advisors have answers.
Get AdviceYou could pick an island and stay awhile at an all-inclusive resort, where every part of your stay—room, food and activities—is included in one price. Nothing to think about but burying your toes in the sand and letting the sun-warmed breeze wash over you. Think butler service and beachside balconies, or even an over-the-water bungalow for two.
If you prefer to island-hop via a cruise, you can do it on a brand-new ship in 2021. Carnival Cruise Line plans to debut the Mardi Gras—featuring the world’s first roller coaster at sea—while Royal Caribbean is set to launch Odyssey of the Seas. It’ll have a skydiving simulator and a bungee trampoline for those seeking thrills, and a redesigned resort-style pool complete with shady casitas and hammocks for quieter moments.
Get a glimpse of Hawaii’s natural wonders.
A Hawaiian vacation is a bucket list-level adventure for many travelers—and going there in 2021 will carry even more significance. The year brings the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, which will likely come with moving remembrances at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Honolulu.
Beyond the pull of history, the 50th state beckons with jaw-dropping scenery—think black-sand beaches, lunarlike lava flows, emerald-green peaks and gushing waterfalls. Travel restrictions limited access to all that natural beauty for much of the year, but as rules begin to ease, people can experience the state in a few new ways.
There’s a side of Hawaii for just about every travel personality. Find the one that suits you best.
Read MoreAmong the most recent offerings from island outfitters: a solar-powered e-bike tour of Honolulu’s Koolau mountain rainforests and a helicopter flight over Oahu that includes tales of Hawaii’s legends and deities. On Kauai, you can go whale-watching via kayak, paddling the same sea paths traveled by early Polynesians and whaling captains (October–April), and take an ATV tour of the fossil-rich limestone Makauwahi Cave.
And, of course, there are the classic experiences: hiking lava-filled landscapes in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, snorkeling the crystal-clear waters of Maui’s Molokini Crater and cruising along the ultrascenic Hana Highway.
6 Hawaii facts as eye-popping as the scenery
Get to know the 50th U.S. state before you visit.