Another 365 days may be gone but a fresh 365 set of days await. While most people have set new goals and resolutions for the new year, like getting healthier, working out more, or fulfilling any personal aspirations, we’ll be planning our travel and how to maximize our out-of-office days for the year.
If there’s any entity that knows how to travel properly and make the most of it, it’s Lonely Planet. The global authority recently published the 15th edition of its “Best In Travel 2025,” revealing its top 30 destinations to visit in the year ahead. Similar to Uproxx’s acclaimed Fall Travel Hot List and Spring Travel Hot List, this “love letter to the world” also includes 10 travel trend predictions for the year ahead.
Among these top trends for 2025 includes “Following the Music.” Uproxx had its boots on dance floors around the globe this year, and it’s only expected to grow even more in this upcoming year as experience-based travel continues to resonate with music lovers in search of iconic venues and destination music festivals.
To get the most of Lonely Planet’s guide, we asked the team’s VP of Experience Tom Hall to tell us more about the must-visit island destinations and the iconic music venues that should be incorporated in travel itineraries for 2025.
Fiji
[Fiji] feels like a true paradise destination. If you look closely, it really stands out as a sustainable travel destination due to its ongoing preservation and protection efforts of the South Pacific, specifically for diving. It has 460 protected marine areas. It’s a community-driven reef destination and resorts are working to protect this delicate ecosystem.
Vanuatu
Vanuatu isn’t super developed, making it a beautiful, ancient land brimming with ancient culture to explore. With fewer than 45,000 tourists a year, it really is a perfect getaway in the South Pacific without the crowds. You can visit Tanna Island’s Yasur volcano and see lava spurt into the air and also sip on its signature beverage, kava. There are also many resorts working with fisheries to protect various marine areas.
Trinidad & Tobago
There is so much culture between these two islands, it’s full of vibrancy. Trinidad is more of a party destination, where its months-long celebration, Carnival, takes place. Tobago is a place to explore for its people and beaches. Both share an amazing selection of food flavors with African, East Asian, French, Spanish, English, Dutch, Chinese and Indigenous influences.
Launceston and the Tamar Valley, Australia
In Tasmania, many people automatically go to explore the capital of Hobart, the largest city of the island. Instead, go to the second-biggest city of Launceston within the Tamar Valley to explore the world’s best selection of sparkling wine. The Tamar Valley Wine Route spans 30 vineyards and also offers amazing food. There’s also the “Australia’s Grand Canyon” Cataract Gorge to explore, with plenty of trails to trek your boots on. It’s truly a happy marriage of nature and play here.
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Palma de Mallorca is a fantastic alternative to the European cities in Spain and Portugal that visitors may be more familiar with. It’s really a true European beach destination, which can be few and far between out there. It hosts a flourishing food scene full of markets, while the nightlife scene welcomes going out late and popping around the town. Many of the hotels and accommodations are converted historical buildings, such as Palma Riad, Portella Palma, and Can Cera. Also in 2025, this ancient, Mediterranean-hugging regional capital will debut a 2.2 mile waterfront promenade. Try to go in one of its shoulder seasons in May or September to beat the crowds.
2025 Travel Trend: Following the Music
Music is a key part of traveling, and more travelers are combining music experiences while on a big trip. It’s not just seeing an artist, but where you see them, making the venue a key element in this travel trend. In the United States, we’re seeing a lot of the same venues, whether it be in the look or offerings. We wanted to showcase some venues that market themselves on individual aspects for a unique music experience.
One of these includes the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. As the historic original venue of what is now the Grand Ole Opry, many notable artists started their career there. It’s really a special set of walls with so much heritage and history, seeing a show here is a must.
There’s also the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. The city wouldn’t be the same without it.
Internationally, travelers should check out St. Clement’s Cathedral at the Klementinum in Prague. It has some of the best acoustics in the world, so seeing a classical concert or orchestral arrangement while exploring the country should be on your itinerary.
If India is on your horizon in 2025, seek out The Royal Opera House. Located in Mumbai, it’s India only surviving opera house since the early 1900s.
For a truly unique music experience, seek out Cape Verde’s new floating venue. The Floating Music Hub sits in West Africa’s port city of Mindelo and is made up of three structures, accessed by a walkway that stretches over the water.
Lastly, there’s Dalhalla in Rättvik, Sweden. This open-air venue surrounded by limestone used to be a limestone quarry in the 1900s. Throughout the summer, a wide range of events, attracting over 100,000 visitors, takes place here.