From the arts to wellness, TOWN highlights some of the best reasons to travel
For those of us with wanderlust, all travel is good travel. But each year, trends bubble up that showcase new ways to experience culture, scenery, art, and cuisine.
Here are five travel trends we shared in our pages this year, and a few places where you can experience them for yourself.
Glamping
In this upscale travel trend, you’re treated to all of the comforts of a hotel along with the immersion in nature you can only get while camping. Our stories on WYLDStay in Fountain Inn and AutoCamp in Asheville (currently undergoing cleanup after Hurricane Helene) offer fun options. Emberglow Resort, which we covered in 2023, suffered only minimal damage and is ready for visitors.
Art-focused Hotels
People who are passionate about travel are often equally enamored with art, and hotels are increasingly offering museum-worthy displays that add color and culture to your trip. 21c Museum Hotels feature permanent and rotating collections in eight cities, including the newest in St. Louis, Missouri. Other artful options include the Blind Tiger in Asheville, John Rutledge House Inn in Charleston, and the Edwin Hotel in Chattanooga, not to mention our own Grand Bohemian Lodge in Greenville.
Music Tourism
Music tourism is considered one of the fastest-growing travel trends, with groups heading to destinations for concerts and festivals. We showcased some fantastic music-centric travel locales this year, including Macon, Georgia; Memphis, Tennessee; and Charleston, especially in spring at Spoleto.
Be Well
Vacations can be the perfect time to recommit to wellness efforts, and numerous destinations offer ways to encourage health. A trip to Blue Ridge, Georgia, can include private yoga, farm-to-table cuisine, and spa experiences; get active with hunting, archery, and mountain biking at Windy Hill Farm in Loudon, Tennessee; or boost your cardio with hiking and paddling at Nantahala Outdoor Center in Bryson City, North Carolina.
Live and Learn
Trips are the perfect time to expand your knowledge, and locations throughout the Southeast allow you to take a deep dive on topics that inform our world today. For example, you can learn about conservation on Bald Head Island, North Carolina; agriculture and wine in White County, Georgia; and the story of the African Diaspora at the International African American Museum in Charleston.
