The Best Places to Go in North America and the Caribbean in 2024

This is part of our global guide to the Best Places to Go in 2024 – find more travel inspiration here.

The reasons why we travel are as varied and divergent as the places we choose to visit. One day, we’re seeking natural landscapes that leave us breathless and adventures that push our boundaries; the next, we’re craving the slickest hotels and buzziest nightlife. In a region as vast as North America, boasting everything from undulating plains to mossy rainforests and towering peaks, the biggest question is: how does one choose?

Certainly, there’s the draw of what’s fresh. In Detroit, for instance, the much-anticipated Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park project will be a game changer for the city’s western riverfront come summer 2024; a short drive away, the iconic Bonstelle Theater will get reimagined as an event and bar space, ready for any reason to celebrate. In Riviera Nayarit, along Mexico’s Central Pacific Coast, ritzy new hotels from the likes of Rosewood and St. Regis are adding a sheen of luxury to its laid-back surf beaches.

Equally, there’s novelty in the rebirth of old favourites. In Tucson, long a draw for foodies and backcountry adventurers, the culturally rich neighbourhood of Barrio Viejo will receive a National Historic Landmark designation in 2024, anchored by the soon-to-be-restored Teatro Carmen and a flurry of upcoming restaurants and cafés. And over in Mobile, Alabama, a new Amtrak route will link the port city with its sibling-rival New Orleans, just in time for a year-long spotlight on its African American history and a new Civil Rights and Cultural Heritage District.

But perhaps there’s nothing as filled with anticipation as the opportunity to forge a connection with untrammelled land – like in Nunavik, Quebec’s northernmost region, where, in the year ahead, ​​Inuit-led adventures in the uninhabited Gyrfalcon Islands in Ungava Bay will offer priceless access to a bonanza of wildlife.

All that and so much more await in our list of the Best Places to Go in North America & the Caribbean in 2024: the vibrant, pristine, and restorative destinations that celebrate this continent in all of its diversity. We hope you use it to plot your travels – and stumble upon entirely unique ways to enjoy them once you arrive. – Arati Menon

For the Best Places to Go in Central and South America, head here.

All listings featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you book something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

While it may have traditionally been overlooked in favour of, say, St. Barts or Turks and Caicos, Grenada has more than proven itself a worthy contender – especially for travellers based on the East Coast. Starting in November 2023, JetBlue is making it easier to get there, with the launch of a direct service from Boston to join existing nonstops out of JFK. Air Canada also recently ramped up service and now has up to four flights per week between Toronto and Grenada.

Several new hotels and resorts are also on their way. Six Senses has picked Grenada for its first resort in the Caribbean: La Sagesse is set to open in early 2024 and will spread out over 38 acres of land with unparalleled access to the ocean and a range of adventures, from shipwreck dives to waterfall trails. Also in January 2024, Beach House by Silversands will open its doors to a mix of 28 beachfront and cliffside villas and suites (Silversands Resort opened on the island in 2018 and boasts a 100-meter infinity pool, said to be the longest in the Caribbean). Further out, IHG has broken ground on a 150-room, 30-private-suite resort that will sit next to Six Senses and is projected to open in 2025.

August is a popular time to visit: Spicemas, Grenada’s Carnival and the island’s largest cultural event, shimmies in during this time and brings with it weeks of parades, food, dancing, and performances. This year, JetBlue added a second daily flight from JFK during the days of the festival to accommodate the diaspora and the growing number of travellers heading to the Spice Island. Things are only going to get busier in 2024. – Madison Flager

The year of 2023 was a blockbuster for the culinary landscape of Washington DC. In February, The Bazaar by José Andrés debuted at the Waldorf Astoria, with a menu of American classics intended as an homage to the capital’s history. In July, Chef Makoto Okuwa’s fast-casual Japanese food hall, Love, Makoto, unveiled its sprawling space in the East End, near Chinatown, with a sushi bar, a yakiniku, and a sake-and-snack-dishing izakaya. The same month, Death & Co. brought its meticulously crafted libations to the city, aptly located in the spot that had been home to now shuttered local favourite Columbia Room. Stephen Starr’s latest, El Presidente, opened its doors in September, as did The Square, a 25,000 square-foot food hall that dishes out tacos, oysters, gumbo, and everything in between, and is helmed by restaurant veterans Richie Brandenburg and Rubén Garcia.

The hits keep rolling in. This winter, Keith McNally and Stephen Starr will bring New York City hot spot Pastis to the city’s vibrant Union Market neighbourhood, which will also become home to McNally’s Minetta Tavern this winter. Next year, Palestinian chef Michael Rafidi of Michelin-starred Albi fame will be opening La’ Shukran, a restaurant and rooftop bar, in Union Market. Another outpost of his casual eatery Yellow will follow. And über-buzzy chef Kwame Onwuachi, who currently helms Tatiana (one of New York City’s most impossible-to-get tables), will partner with Salamander Hotels & Resorts on a new dining concept at its waterfront property, expected to begin service in the spring. Whatever follows, and plenty will, is only likely to punch up DC’s reputation as an exciting culinary destination – with ambition to match. – Rima Suqi

From the manicured hills of Punta Mita to the laid-back surf beaches near Sayulita, Riviera Nayarit is poised to be one of the most enticing areas to visit in 2024. Extending for nearly 200 miles along Mexico's Central Pacific Coast, the region is full of natural wonders, from breathtaking cliffside perches to a dense jungle canopy where jaguars and sea turtles flourish. And while Riviera Nayarit was once known for its sleepy fishing villages and off-grid surf breaks, it’s now synonymous with luxury thanks to newcomers such as Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort, Punta Mita, which opened at the end of 2022, and bespoke boutique properties like NICO, a new five-suite, micro-hospitality concept in Sayulita that opened in 2023.

Development shows no sign of slowing in the year ahead. Fresh off a multimillion dollar renovation is W Punta de Mita, which is also scheduled to debut the restaurant Rubra, by celebrated Mexican chef Daniela Soto-Innes, sometime this winter. The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort is also set to put the finishing touches on an ambitious refresh, spearheaded by Guadalajara-based designer Bibiana Huber, which includes a refresh of the resort’s 120 guest rooms, suites, and villas, as well as its restaurants and Remède Spa.

Further north, the Rosewood Mandarina is slated to welcome guests by the end of 2024. The property joins the 600-acre One&Only Mandarina development as Rosewood’s fourth property in Mexico. The resort will be situated amid lagoons, rivers, volcanoes, abundant vegetation, and almost 200 miles of beach along the Pacific Ocean. Beyond 2024, the region will welcome the Montage Punta Mita and Pendry Punta Mita, as well as an Edition which plans to offer 120 guest rooms, a sophisticated spa, and a robust culinary program overlooking the Pacific Ocean between the towns of Sayulita and San Pancho. – Michaela Trimble

Sitting in the heart of the Sonoran Desert, on the ancestral lands of the Tohono O'odham and Pascua Yaqui tribes, Tucson has always drawn travellers looking for outdoor adventure. And now, they will have a whole new reason to visit: a revitalised downtown. In particular, Barrio Viejo, which has a significant mix of cultural influences, will receive a National Historic Landmark designation in 2024. Originally home to Mexican and Chinese immigrants, among others, the neighbourhood boasts one of the largest concentrations of stylistically unchanged 1880s adobe buildings in the US, some of which have been converted into all-day cafés and restaurants. The new designation will likely light the fuse on even more restaurant and gallery openings.

Barrio Viejo is also where Tucson's oldest performing arts venue, the 300-seat Teatro Carmen, is currently being restored, with plans to reopen for live performances, film screenings, dining, and outdoor programming on its 8,000-square-foot patio. When in Barrio Viejo, shop for hand-glazed tiles at Carly Quinn Designs, sip a mesquite cold brew at Exo Roast Co., or learn about agave spirits at Crisol Bar, all within walking distance from the cool new Leo Kent Hotel that opened in summer 2023.

A 20-minute walk away from Barrio Viejo, the Tucson Museum of Art marks its 100th anniversary in 2024 with an exhibition titled Time Travelers: Foundations, Transformations, and Expansions at the Centennial, which offers new interpretations of significant artworks collected by the museum over the past century, followed by the Arizona Biennial in October, which spotlights some of the most exciting new artists across the state – and all of that will be topped off by a celebratory centennial block party. – Amber Gibson

In 1973, Montana’s Big Sky Resort opened 44 miles south of Bozeman with four lifts and around 20 trails. Now, the resort is gearing up to celebrate its 50th anniversary with more than 300 runs and 38 state-of-the-art lifts (and weekly après-ski dance parties all season long) – the resort already boasts the most technologically advanced lift network in North America. The centrepiece of this celebration will be the new Lone Peak Tram debuting this winter and traversing the iconic 11,166-foot summit at 22 miles per hour, with views of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks waiting at the top.

In addition, over the last few years, nearly every hotel and restaurant at Mountain Village has undergone renovations, and Big Sky’s growing downtown provides plenty of watering holes and restaurants. Newer hotels like Montage Big Sky and the upcoming One&Only Moonlight Basin, scheduled for the winter of 2024-25, bring a five-star experience to the mountain – how much that impacts the delightfully rugged personality of the destination in a bigger way remains to be seen. Looking ahead, though, Big Sky Resort has also committed to net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, with active work underway toward that goal: 100 per cent of the resort’s electrical use has been carbon-free since 2021, and in summer 2023 the resort switched entirely to renewable diesel.

Development has also moved beyond Big Sky: about 70 miles away, Under Canvas Paradise Valley, near the north entrance to Yellowstone, debuted in July 2023. A tip: combine a ski trip with a winter visit to Yellowstone and be rewarded with zero crowds. – Devorah Lev-Tov

The Motor City is making a comeback. In 2024, Detroit will welcome a host of new hotels, green spaces, and cultural attractions – not to mention the NFL Draft, expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors.

The highly anticipated Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park project, which the state likens to Chicago’s Millennium Park, will introduce new ways to play along Detroit’s western riverfront. Walking trails, a water garden, expansive playgrounds, and a sports centre are among the 5.5-mile park’s many features. Its goal – to give more Detroiters access to the outdoors – could be realised as soon as summer 2024.

Fresh digs like an AC Hotel, opening in midtown in 2024, put travellers in the heart of Detroit’s developments. The century-old Bonstelle Theatre next door is getting its own facelift: the green-domed icon will reopen as an event and bar space alongside the AC Hotel (both the hotel and event space are expected to debut in time for the draft). Downtown’s Courtyard by Marriott in the Millennium Center will complete a $9.5 million renovation by 2024. And Corktown, Detroit’s oldest and arguably trendiest neighbourhood, unveiled the hip new Godfrey Detroit, Curio Collection by Hilton in August 2023.

Other 2024 milestones catalysing Detroit’s rebound: the completion of the $1.5 million Hudson’s Site, a stylish downtown retail, residential, and dining hangout with a to-be-announced hotel; and the opening of the Ford-backed Michigan Central, a historic train depot turned innovation centre featuring restaurants, retail, maker hubs, and public art. – Stephanie Vermillion

Dominica doesn’t have to do much to impress. One look out of your plane as it approaches the eastern Caribbean country, with its blanket of lush rainforests and towering mountains, and you’ll understand why it’s called the Nature Island. With three national parks perfect for hiking, bird-watching, and swimming in crystal clear lakes – as well as black sand beaches and natural hot springs – there’s little that an outdoor enthusiast can’t do here.

In 2024, Dominica will make it even easier to enjoy its show-stopping landscape, as it builds towards a more sustainable future – the island’s first geothermal plant will be commissioned in 2025, and will dramatically reduce its dependence on fossil fuel energy. In the first half of 2024, Dominica will become home to the world’s longest cable car system, with a 4.1-mile long route transporting riders from Roseau Valley to the top of Boiling Lake in just 20 minutes for extensive island views. It follows the 2022 opening of the Waitukubuli Sea Trail, a 37-mile marine route that takes hikers through a vibrant coastline to the western side of the island.

On the hotel front, six-star, all-villa Relais & Châteaux Secret Bay recently unveiled eight new villas, an energy-efficient funicular that zips guests through lush rainforests, and a chef’s table experience set in the resort’s organic gardens. The waterfront Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort has also completed an $18 million renovation, adding 60 new rooms, an art gallery, and a retail space – a rooftop wellness garden and immersive experiences that include hiking and shore-diving will be ready for guests next year. – Kristin Braswell

Not since 2005, when Hurricane Katrina battered the Gulf Coast and damaged much of the railway infrastructure, have passenger trains rolled through Mobile, Alabama. That changes in 2024, when Amtrak officially unveils its Gulf Coast service, connecting the southern port city to New Orleans, Louisiana, with a string of charming Mississippi towns in between.

The long-awaited service is particularly well-timed for the flurry of recently unveiled and soon-to-come cultural moments in Mobile. July 2023 marked the opening of Clotilda: The Exhibition, a landmark show telling the story of the last ship carrying enslaved people (which arrived in to the US in 1860, 52 years after international slave trade was outlawed) through the lens of its survivors, as well as the story of the community they created, called Africatown. It’s one of a host of new sites aimed at honouring and interpreting the city’s African American history. Also among them, the Isom Clemon Civil Rights Memorial Park is planned for early spring 2024, with several public artworks, including one honouring the late labor leader and Civil Rights pioneer for which the pocket park is named. Located along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, it will be a gateway to the currently in-development Civil Rights and Cultural Heritage District. On the same stretch, in 2023 the new Historic Avenue Cultural Center unveiled Remembering the Avenue, an exhibition in conjunction with the Alabama Contemporary Art Center that chronicles the history of Black Main Street through the lens of its community – and will run through 2024.

Mobile’s hotel landscape will get an update too. Though The Admiral originally opened its doors in 1940, the 156-room boutique hotel will unveil a top-to-bottom refresh in early 2024, with a new restaurant and reimagined communal spaces and rooms, including a jewel-toned palette inspired by the city’s Mardi Gras heritage. Speaking of, the country’s oldest Mardi Gras celebrates its 321st anniversary in 2024, floating through town – and tossing signature MoonPies along the way – and culminating in Fat Tuesday on February 13. – Regan Stephens

In the Northwest Territories, traditions have roots as ancient as the land itself. The region is inhabited by 33 Indigenous communities, each possessing a unique tapestry of history, culture, and sacred sites – and all awaiting exploration. Now travellers can forge connections with this largely unexplored land through new Indigenous-led tours. Set out with Weber Arctic, which leads its guests to the ocean to kayak alongside beluga whales, then head on land for a wildlife safari that promises spotting Canada’s “Big Five:” polar bear, caribou, moose, musk ox, and wood bison.

While the Northwest Territories has long captivated the hearts of Northern Lights enthusiasts thanks to its perfect combination of clear nights and flat landscape, in 2024 it promises to further delight with a rare solar maximum. This celestial phenomenon occurs over a period of 11 years, and 2024 marks the zenith of solar activity observable from Earth, making it the perfect time for a sky-gazing vacation. Embark on an aurora journey through an Indigenous lens with North Star Adventures, B. Dene Adventures, or Aurora Village to explore their spiritual connection with the skies – some Indigenous peoples believe the lights are spirits of ancestors – and see the jewelled hues dance across the sky, which they do, on average 240 nights of the year. – Megan Honan

The largest of Canada’s 10 provinces, Quebec offers a vast stage for wide-ranging Indigenous-led experiences, from sipping beer at a Mohawk-run brewery near the US border to polar bear–watching with Inuit guides in the far north. Nunavik, Quebec’s northernmost region and homeland of the Inuit, has long been off most travellers’ radars, but new experiences offer immersion into both nature and culture.

Starting in summer 2024, Inuit-owned Ungava Polar Eco-Tours will offer five-day adventures to the uninhabited Gyrfalcon Islands in Ungava Bay. There, visitors will be able to spot wildlife from polar bears to musk ox and caribou, as well as experience some of the highest tidal elevations in the world. Even more wildlife-viewing experiences will become available in the summer when the Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk First Nation opens the Putep 't-awt observation site, providing a one-of-a-kind land-based location to view a beluga whale nursery on the St. Lawrence River.

Visitors to the Quebec City region can look forward to refreshed experiences in the Huron-Wendat community of Wendake, where, in summer 2023, the Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations opened 24 new and renovated suites, and Sagamité restaurant in Old Wendake reopened after a nearly five-year closure and with plans to add a microbrewery and pub in 2024. While you’re in Quebec, definitely don’t miss the Contemporary Native Art Biennial, which will be held across Montreal throughout the year. – Karin Gardiner

Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed film Oppenheimer may have sparked new interest in Santa Fe, the closest town of note to Los Alamos, but the New Mexican capital has held its own for centuries. One of the oldest cities in the country, it’s known for its adobe-style architecture, storied arts institutions (including the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum), and vibrant mix of Native American, Mexican, and Spanish cultures.

Fresh art and cultural programming with an emphasis on Indigenous efforts makes 2024 a banner year to visit. From May 2 to 5, the Southwestern Association for American Indian Arts will launch the inaugural Santa Fe Indigenous Fashion Week to showcase Indigenous designers, artists, and runway models. Indigenous Art Fair Contemporary, a gallery show spotlighting present-day Native American art, is slated to roll out August 15 to 18 as well, timed to the renowned Santa Fe Indian Market; and a two-block walk away, FaraHNHeight, a Native American–, First Nations–, and Indigenous-forward gallery, is new on the scene and well worth a visit. Travellers visiting before the end of April can catch “Shadow and Light,” the debut exhibition at Vladem Contemporary, the first major museum building to open in The City Different in more than a decade. (Part of the New Mexico Museum of Art, the 38,000-square-foot space is the latest anchor to join the Santa Fe Railyard arts district.)

Furthermore, 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the Burning of the Zozobra, a beloved cultural tradition that brings to mock-trial a 50-foot effigy known as Old Man Gloom. The marionette, which is stuffed with paper “glooms” such as old love letters, speeding tickets, and divorce summons, is dramatically set ablaze after dark – a moment of catharsis that encourages locals and visitors alike to release their worries and start anew. – Ashlea Halpern

Sought out year-round for its vibrant small towns, nature preserves, culinary hot spots – and its proximity to New York City – the region is humming with new opportunities for travellers to surrender themselves to its legendary landscapes in 2024.

In the Hudson Valley, New York State Parks will celebrate the centennial of the founding of the statewide park and historic-site system. Community events and special performances are on the calendar, plus discounts on park admission fees and new opportunities to volunteer. Also in 2024, the much-loved Storm King Art Center debuts new hospitality pavilions, a conservation and fabrication facility, and ADA-accessible pathways. And in the summer, the 160-acre Klocke Estates will open its doors, with artisanal brandy and stunning views of the Catskills.

When it comes to exceptional lodgings, the Hudson Valley has seen a wave of hospitality projects since 2020. From the aesthetic delight that is Habitas-on-Hudson, near Rhinebeck, to Inness, the chic all-in-one getaway in Accord, to Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection, a bucolic escape in the shadow of the iconic Shawangunk Mountains, the region has gone from being a New Yorker-favourite to a top draw for travellers from further afield. And there are fresh digs to look forward to in the year ahead. The Front Boutique Hotel in Port Jervis is opening in May with a 120-seat restaurant and easy access to 50 miles of trails; and in the spring, famed wellness haven The Ranch opens its first East Coast property.

About three hours away by car, the Adirondacks' towering peaks replace the Hudson river valleys. Its majestic forests, farmlands, mountains, and meadows make up a fifth of the state, and the region will be in the path of totality of April’s solar eclipse. Go stargazing at the Adirondack Sky Center, or use the website of the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism for self-guided viewing. You can also walk, bike, snowshoe, or snowmobile along the 34-mile Adirondack Rail Trail, which will be completed over the course of 2025. And on Whiteface Mountain, one of the five Adirondack High Peaks, a detachable quad lift launching just in time for ski season allows you to access more slopes than ever before. For a peaceful getaway, stay at the Lodge at Schroon Lake, which reopened in June 2023 after an extensive $21 million renovation, or NewVida Preserve, a new members club meets traveler’s oasis on 2,000 acres with 360-degree mountaintop views. – Robin Catalano