North America

Known for its steep rolling hills, eye-catching architecture, Karl (otherwise known as fog) and world-renowned landmarks, San Francisco is packed with endless places to see, things to do and of course, many delicious things to eat (and drink). So whether you’re in town for a 3-week sojourn or a whirlwind 48 hours, here’s everything you should see and do in San Fran. 

While the whole country is slinging tasty eats, should you be planning a visit to the country’s Baja Peninsula, you’ll want to carve some serious time out of your itinerary to check out Los Cabos and in particular, its delicious foodie scene. 

 *drops everything*

Sure, you wouldn’t say no to a fly-in, fly-out trip to New York for a week or so, but as a general rule of thumb a trip to the USA should last at least a week longer than your jetlag, and you’d ideally hope to tick off several states. With the necessary travel bans in place, however, the best way to tick off any is to take off on a virtual vacay through one of the many screens you’ve become so close to in the past few weeks. 

COVID-19 is quite literally taking over the world and if you’re one of the hundreds of thousands who had planned to travel in the next little while, you’re most likely re-thinking or are being forced to postpone your trip. 

Everybody knows that if you didn’t ‘gram it, it didn’t happen. Which is why when you find yourself in sunny California you’ll want to make sure you do your mates a solid and up your holiday spam game, what’s a few unfollows between friends?

Adventure is out there, people. 

Seeing as forest bathing is our new favourite wellness activity, we thought we better find a way to incorporate it into our travel plans for 2020. From tropical rainforests to 1000 year old trees, here are 10 of the world’s most incredible forests that are ready for you to bask in their glory.

As if you needed another reason to visit Mexico, we’ve found an under the radar town that will ensure you’re the envy of all your mates for suggesting the next group getaway there. Nestled in the middle of Los Cabos, the southernmost tip of the Baja Peninsula, is the postcard-perfect village of Todos Santos. 

If you’ve ever found yourself in Bali during school holidays or hoiking your suitcase up 100-year-old staircases in Europe during a heatwave, you’ve probably learned that choosing where to travel is just as important as deciding when to go.

While most of our beach getaways have been spent in Bali—or more recently one of Italy’s stunning beaches—we’ve found a hidden gem so ‘gram-worthy you’re going to want to blow your next lot of annual leave on.

An imperial capital for two centuries, St. Petersburg is Russia’s most beguiling city. From grand churches and palaces to jaw-dropping galleries and scenic canals, it's not surprising that this magical city has been named one of the go-to destinations for 2020.

​Want to know what one of the biggest travel trends for 2020 is? It’s all about escapism. That’s right, in the new year people want to zen out away from the hustle and bustle of big cities and we think we might have found the perfect, wanderlust-filled location for doing just that. 

A totally wild and remote region of islands, First Nations villages, towering peaks and glacier-lined valleys, The Great Bear Rainforest is one of the world’s last remaining coastal temperate rainforests and is home to some of the earth's most magical landscapes, oasis and wildlife – you’ll find cougars and wolves on the land, and sea lines and orcas in the water (hint: the best time to spot orcas in the wild is July – October).

When Canada pops up in conversation at Urban List, it’s often Vancouver or Toronto in the spotlight. And while the attention for both is well deserved, there’s so much more to this insanely beautiful country. Case in point: Banff National Park, Canada’s oldest national park and home to rocky mountain peaks, turquoise glacial lakes, picturesque mountain villages and wildlife.

If you’re feeling a little uninspired by the likes of a sweaty Christmas in Australia, then you’ll want to read this. We’ve compiled this list of the best Christmas markets from across the globe and if this doesn’t get rid of your inner Grinch, then nothing will. That’s right, we’re talking legit winter wonderlands filled with snow, lights, mulled wine and carols. 

Marrying the unmatched beauty of Canadian wilderness with the laid back culture of their Alaskan neighbours, British Columbia is a haven for travellers seeking an off-the-grid experience. From surfing along Canada’s famous surf highway to getting up close and personal with grizzly bears in their natural habitat, we've rounded up a list of absolute must-do experiences for all adventure seekers in British Columbia.

​Sometimes it’s nice to give up the gas guzzler for a big city holiday, but if you’re the kind who likes to explore beyond the beaten path, there’s no better way to do it than with your own set of wheels. From one day spins to month-long hauls, it’s time to fire up the playlist because these are the best road trips in the world.

Experiencing the local cuisine is usually the number one priority for us when on holiday, and there’s no better place to do it than at a local market. Whether you’re after ready-made deliciousness to dig into on the spot or you want to check out the local produce from the area, here are the best food markets around the world.

Set your flight alerts for Florida team, because Universal Studios is launching a brand spanking new theme park and it’s set to be their best yet. Aptly titled Epic Universe, the amusement park is set to take guests on a journey where beloved stories (read: Harry Potter) expand into vibrant lands. 

So, you’re thinking about heading to the playa for the first time?

YSL is turning heads again at this year’s Coachella Music Festival, with their extravagant beauty gas station on route 111 in Palm Springs, California.

If the recent -30° weather in North America has you second guessing a transpacific trip, you’ll be pleased to hear about Toronto’s secret weapon—a hidden underground network of cafes, restaurants and shops spanning 30km. Stay in the right hotel and you won’t even need to go outside for an Australian worthy cup of coffee. As we learned it can be disorientating for a first timer, so here are some tips on how to navigate and enjoy the Toronto underground PATH. 

Busabout is on the hunt for six travel hungry content creators to undertake the job of a lifetime. That’s right, you could be getting paid to travel around Europe, Asia or the USA.

If you’re planning a trip to California in the next few months, you’ll be excited to know Desert X is coming to the Coachella Valley in February and sticking around until 21 April. The free and interactive art exhibit spanning Greater Palm Springs successfully launched in 2017 and is back for 2019, featuring more than a dozen new installations.

Travellers the world over know this conundrum all too well—where to stay so you’re close to the sites, minus that sinking feeling you get when you realise you’ve landed in a tourist trap. Enter, The Renwick Hotel NYC.

If you find yourself in Boston and you don’t stay in a classic brownstone, are you even really in Boston? Exactly. So, if you, like us, choose your hotel based on character, with a whole lot of luxury thrown in (because you’re worth it), then you’re going to love our latest discovery.

Cities don’t come better than New York and hotels don’t come much cooler than The Arlo NoMad. 

Love the idea of living it up in the Big Apple without breaking the bank? We hear you and raise you Moxy Times Square.

It’s the eternal questions: What are *actual* best things to do in New York City? Specifically in neighbourhoods that aren’t Soho. . Lucky for you, we’ve pulled together the best spots to hit in four NYC ‘hoods that are brimming with coffee to drink, pizza to eat and culture to soak up. Load up your Google Maps and get ready to brave the crowds, it’s time to act like a local. 

When it comes to travel, you always have options. Of course, first you have to decide where you want to go but it’s also important to choose the right person to travel with. And if you’re anything like us—AKA terribly impatient and constantly planning your next trip—you probs don’t want to wait for your mates to get it together before booking.

One of the most fascinating places in the world to visit right now is Cuba. Having only emerged from the grips of communism relatively recently, it’s a captivating and mystifying destination—with the capital of Havana an undisputed highlight.

Set to launch during next month’s New Fashion Week—when else(?)—iconic fashion and beauty house, YSL is levelling up once again, opening a hotel dedicated to all things YSL beauty. Seriously, we can’t make these things up…

BrewDog has taken things to a whole new scale and instead of just opening up any old bar has opened the world’s first craft beer hotel, DogHouse!

This pop-up is purely dedicated to a food that we all know and love as it can never do us wrong, PIZZA!

Starbucks ain't the only internet hub around.

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but it shouldn’t.

A modern take on the classic Hawaiian vacay, The Modern is a sanctuary just off the tourist strip.

The Laylow Waikiki has turquoise hues and pastel pink tones aplenty.

Guys, stop everything. It’s no secret that our unabashed obsession has no boundaries and when we discovered that a festival dedicated to this luscious, green delight we pretty much lost our shit

Because everything that comes out of a food truck is better, right?

Let’s be honest, no bucket list is complete without an appearance from the USA. From the Hollywood Hills and Golden Gate Bridge to Texan BBQ and deep-dish pizza, there’s no shortage of things to see, do and—most importantly—eat!

As said by Michael Embry, “You don’t have to look far to find treasures, you discover them every time you visit a library." And here at The Urban List, we couldn’t agree more. The appreciation for libraries and all they do for us is so real. We thought it fitting to round up all the most beautiful libraries because not only are they awesome, they’re just nice to look at.

You’re going to want to be on the next plane STAT.

Check out everything this buzzy desert town has to offer

Home to deep dish pizzas, hot dogs and that weird bean, it’s not all that surprising we’re kinda obsessed with Chicago—if it’s good enough for Oprah, it’s good enough for us! 

Guys, we’ve got news that will just make your day. You’d be lying if you said that the children’s classic – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory didn’t have you dreaming about visiting the magical land of sweets and happiness, well those dreams can actually come true now!

Boston might just be one of the prettiest cities we’ve ever set foot in. The leafy green streets of this US town are the perfect place to wind down after a hectic few days in New York City.

Crack open your diary and make room for one of these epic trips in 2018

​We know what you’re thinking. Only a crazy person would try to take on New York City in 48 hours. Correct. But we’re a little bit crazy here at The Urban List and we like to make the most of every minute, so if all you can manage is 48 hours in the city that never sleeps, you damn well better take it. If you can manage more, lucky you, we’ve got some extra tips for you at the bottom

And it's even dreamier than you could ever imagine! 

To take the pressure off your next visit or stopover to La-La-Land, we’ve pulled together a guide on how you should spend 48 hours in Los Angeles.

Pass the cocktail pls. We're about to show you how to kill it in Palm Springs. This Cali desert oasis is actual heaven. 

The Urban List’s sandwich tour of New York.