But, if you\u2019re more interested in the bread and butter of Lonely Planet\u2019s best places to visit in 2016, stay tuned! I\u2019ve called out the best places on their list, so you can focus in on the cr\u00e8me de la cr\u00e8me of 2016 travel.<\/p>\n
Best Country: USA<\/h3>\n![\"ventdusud](\"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Key-West-1.jpg\")
<\/a>ventdusud \/ Shutterstock<\/p><\/div>\n
While the Lonely Planet list for top countries<\/a> includes many appealing nations like Botswana, Japan, Latvia, Australia, Poland, and Fiji, coming in at number three is one of my personal favorite countries to travel through\u2014the good ol\u2019 USA. Americans are notorious for skimping on international travel, but really, it\u2019s so awesome here that failing to leave is totally understandable.<\/p>\nI\u2019ve spent a ton of time exploring the US, and I can tell you firsthand\u2014this country is ridiculously diverse. From the people to the landscapes to the cities, no two places in the US are the same. One of my favorite spots is in and along Florida, where I recently road tripped through the Keys<\/a>. I drove down the Overseas Highway\u2014a destination in itself\u2014and saw incredibly colorful architecture and historical sites like the Hemingway House.<\/p>\n![\"Dean](\"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Arches-National-Park-1.jpg\")
<\/a>Dean Fikar \/ Shutterstock<\/p><\/div>\n
But it doesn\u2019t end with our coastlines! This country is filled with cities, each with its own unique character. From Chicago<\/a> with its hot dogs, historical Wrigley Field, and homey spirit, to New York<\/a> with its skyscrapers and never-ending hustle, urban America is something every traveler should experience.<\/p>\nThe real kicker, though? Our national parks. The American West is full of them, and they\u2019re ridiculously impressive. Check out the Grand Canyon, the California Redwoods, or Arches National Park, home to over 2,000 natural stone arches. Amazing!<\/p>\n
Best Region: Bavaria, Germany<\/h3>\n![\"Oleksiy](\"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Bavaria-1.jpg\")
<\/a>Oleksiy Mark \/ Shutterstock<\/p><\/div>\n
Lonely Planet<\/a> named some fairly obscure regions in its 2016 list, including Transylvania, Romania, West Iceland, Valle de Vinales, Cuba, and St. Helena, British Territories. However, for me, Bavaria<\/a> stands out as a visited favorite.<\/p>\nThis southern German region looks like it walked straight out of a fairy tale. It\u2019s home to mystical forests, storybook castles, and a smattering of medieval towns. I\u2019m kind of surprised I\u2019ve never caught Sleeping Beauty stumbling down a cobbled, Bavarian lane!<\/p>\n
![\"Ondrej](\"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Neuschwanstein.jpg\")
<\/a>Ondrej Prosicky \/ Shutterstock<\/p><\/div>\n
Bavaria is most famous for Munich\u2019s Oktoberfest and Nuremberg\u2019s Christmas market, but this region doesn\u2019t just dazzle with its events. It\u2019s filled with museums\u2014the few days I spent in Munich<\/a> last summer weren\u2019t enough to see them all!\u2014gorgeous scenery, and pretzels bigger than my head. (Not kidding. You\u2019ll need some beer to wash those down.)<\/p>\nThe coolest thing in Bavaria? Back to that storybook charm, it\u2019d have to be the fairytale castle Neuschwanstein. Set against the edge of a mountain, and flanked by a slightly more humble abode, Schloss Linderhof, this castle is about as picturesque as it gets. Auf Wiedersehen! <\/em><\/p>\nBest City: Kotor, Montenegro<\/h3>\n![\"Ihor](\"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Kotor-1.jpg\")
<\/a>Ihor Pasternak \/ Shutterstock<\/p><\/div>\n
Lonely Planet<\/a> named some surprising cities this year! Quito, Dublin, Rotterdam, Nashville, and Rome all made 2016\u2019s list, but which city is the best? Kotor, in the tiny nation of Montenegro, would have to be my pick. I visited the historic little town this past summer, and let me tell you\u2014you\u2019ve got to go visit.<\/p>\n![\"Darko](\"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Bay-of-Kotor-1.jpg\")
<\/a>Darko Vrcan \/ Shutterstock<\/p><\/div>\n
Tucked away from the open sea on the Bay of Kotor, Europe\u2019s most southerly fjord, the historic city of Kotor<\/a> lures in cruise shippers and other tourists to its Stari Grad. The old town is covered in churches, shops, bars, and restaurants\u2014but it\u2019s the city\u2019s historic fortifications that are the real draw. I made the daunting 1200-meter ascent up the city\u2019s defensive walls to check out the view of the Bay of Kotor, and it was amazing. All 1,350 steps to the top are absolutely worth it!<\/p>\n
<\/a>ventdusud \/ Shutterstock<\/p><\/div>\n
While the Lonely Planet list for top countries<\/a> includes many appealing nations like Botswana, Japan, Latvia, Australia, Poland, and Fiji, coming in at number three is one of my personal favorite countries to travel through\u2014the good ol\u2019 USA. Americans are notorious for skimping on international travel, but really, it\u2019s so awesome here that failing to leave is totally understandable.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve spent a ton of time exploring the US, and I can tell you firsthand\u2014this country is ridiculously diverse. From the people to the landscapes to the cities, no two places in the US are the same. One of my favorite spots is in and along Florida, where I recently road tripped through the Keys<\/a>. I drove down the Overseas Highway\u2014a destination in itself\u2014and saw incredibly colorful architecture and historical sites like the Hemingway House.<\/p>\n Dean Fikar \/ Shutterstock<\/p><\/div>\n But it doesn\u2019t end with our coastlines! This country is filled with cities, each with its own unique character. From Chicago<\/a> with its hot dogs, historical Wrigley Field, and homey spirit, to New York<\/a> with its skyscrapers and never-ending hustle, urban America is something every traveler should experience.<\/p>\n The real kicker, though? Our national parks. The American West is full of them, and they\u2019re ridiculously impressive. Check out the Grand Canyon, the California Redwoods, or Arches National Park, home to over 2,000 natural stone arches. Amazing!<\/p>\n Oleksiy Mark \/ Shutterstock<\/p><\/div>\n Lonely Planet<\/a> named some fairly obscure regions in its 2016 list, including Transylvania, Romania, West Iceland, Valle de Vinales, Cuba, and St. Helena, British Territories. However, for me, Bavaria<\/a> stands out as a visited favorite.<\/p>\n This southern German region looks like it walked straight out of a fairy tale. It\u2019s home to mystical forests, storybook castles, and a smattering of medieval towns. I\u2019m kind of surprised I\u2019ve never caught Sleeping Beauty stumbling down a cobbled, Bavarian lane!<\/p>\n Ondrej Prosicky \/ Shutterstock<\/p><\/div>\n Bavaria is most famous for Munich\u2019s Oktoberfest and Nuremberg\u2019s Christmas market, but this region doesn\u2019t just dazzle with its events. It\u2019s filled with museums\u2014the few days I spent in Munich<\/a> last summer weren\u2019t enough to see them all!\u2014gorgeous scenery, and pretzels bigger than my head. (Not kidding. You\u2019ll need some beer to wash those down.)<\/p>\n The coolest thing in Bavaria? Back to that storybook charm, it\u2019d have to be the fairytale castle Neuschwanstein. Set against the edge of a mountain, and flanked by a slightly more humble abode, Schloss Linderhof, this castle is about as picturesque as it gets. Auf Wiedersehen! <\/em><\/p>\n Ihor Pasternak \/ Shutterstock<\/p><\/div>\n Lonely Planet<\/a> named some surprising cities this year! Quito, Dublin, Rotterdam, Nashville, and Rome all made 2016\u2019s list, but which city is the best? Kotor, in the tiny nation of Montenegro, would have to be my pick. I visited the historic little town this past summer, and let me tell you\u2014you\u2019ve got to go visit.<\/p>\n Darko Vrcan \/ Shutterstock<\/p><\/div>\n Tucked away from the open sea on the Bay of Kotor, Europe\u2019s most southerly fjord, the historic city of Kotor<\/a> lures in cruise shippers and other tourists to its Stari Grad. The old town is covered in churches, shops, bars, and restaurants\u2014but it\u2019s the city\u2019s historic fortifications that are the real draw. I made the daunting 1200-meter ascent up the city\u2019s defensive walls to check out the view of the Bay of Kotor, and it was amazing. All 1,350 steps to the top are absolutely worth it!<\/p>\n<\/a>Best Region: Bavaria, Germany<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/a>Best City: Kotor, Montenegro<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/a>