5 Top Travel Destinations Pre-COVID19 for 2020

While we are all sitting at home trying to flatten the curve, we thought it would be interesting to look at the top 5 travel destinations people were planning on visiting before COVID19 restrictions were imposed. Maybe, now that we have a bit more time we get to plan the trip of a lifetime or at least we get to dream of faraway places and exotic food.

If you have a passion for adventure and a burning desire to see the world, it can be hard to choose a place to spend your next vacation! You want somewhere new and exciting, full of amazing things you’ve never seen, but you don’t want it to be so remote that you have to spend half your vacation just getting there.  What are some of the hot places people wanted to go this year? Check out these five travel destinations and let’s see if they were any of your choices.

1. Marrakech

Once a major stop for camel caravans moving through northwest Africa, this Moroccan city is friendly to tourists and unlike anywhere else. You’ll be enchanted with the city’s stunning architecture, temperate climate, and welcoming people. In the Medina, or the old part of Marrakech, check out the souks, or the outdoor markets, and don’t miss the market in Jemaa el-Fnaa Square. Vendors hawk all sorts of wares and spices, including leather goods, the production of which is a major industry in the city. You’ll also find musicians, street performers, and even snake charmers and fortune-tellers. Must-see sites include El Badi Palace, Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, the city’s many public gardens, and the Bab Agnaou gate, while fashion lovers won’t want to miss the Yves Saint Laurent Museum. Head out of the city to appreciate the incredible scenery; do it on camel back if you dare! When you’re hungry, the regional cuisine is excellent and features traditional tagines and cous cous, regional fruits, vegetables, and nuts (many of which are hard to find at home), plus some of the loveliest mint tea you’ve ever had.

2. Tokyo

It’s the world’s largest metropolis, it’s the capital of Japan, and it has enough different districts to offer a fully varied experience within its urban confines. Fashionistas and trendsetters might head for Harajuku, while anime and gaming fans will feel at home in Akihabara. Love history? Check out Asakusa, home to the Sensoji Buddhist Temple (it’s Japan’s oldest). For a break from the urban density, head to Shibuya and the incomparable Meiji Shrine, plus nearby Yoyogi Park. You’ll find lively nightlife in Shinjuku after dark, but during the day, you’ll find the amazing gardens of Shinjuku Gyoen. And if you’re on a culinary adventure, you’ll always be in the right spot in Tokyo, with 230 restaurants earning one or more coveted Michelin stars.

3. The Maritimes

The coastlines of big water rarely disappoint, but if you’re a fan of the charm that comes with seaside towns, you’ve probably already been to the major destinations. This year, check out the Maritime Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. Natural wonders abound, like the Bay of Fundy with its impossibly high tides and Hopewell Rocks Park. In Halifax, the Citadel National Historic Site is well worth a visit, as is the city’s waterfront boardwalk. As you’re driving from New Brunswick to Prince Edward Island, you’ll cross the eight-mile long Confederation Bridge, Canada’s longest bridge and the world’s largest bridge over ice-covered water. Animal lovers will love the whale and dolphin watching opportunities on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. Like most 4-season regions, the Maritimes truly come alive in the summer, when the snow is gone and the streets are full of both locals and visitors, making it a perfect warm weather destination.

4. Asheville, North Carolina

If you’re staying stateside for your next vacation, you may want to head to the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. Asheville offers a cool small city vibe and everything that goes along with it: a big arts community, a thriving music scene, gorgeous scenery, outstanding cuisine, and so much more. Your time can be spent checking out the Biltmore Estate, the Folk Art Center, the Nature Center, the Basilica of Saint Lawrence, and numerous public gardens, or just walking the streets and seeing where the day takes you. For a more organized approach, there are tours galore: walking, hiking, trolley, and even kayaking are ways to explore the city. Sample and resample the offerings at the city’s dozen-plus breweries, and when you’re hungry, you won’t have to go far to find some of the best barbeque in the South.

5. Costa Rica

When you’re in need of a tropical getaway, it’s tough to beat Costa Rica, a country that is both friendly to tourists and completely committed to environmentalism and sustainability. The capital of San Jose is an amazing Central American urban center, where you’ll find bustling markets, restaurants, and shops, plus live music and street performers. To learn more about the history of the country, plan to spend some time in the National Museum of Costa Rica. Outside of the city, you’ll have your pick of gorgeous beaches, including Playa Conchal, where instead of sand, the terrain is made up entirely of crushed seashells. In the northern part of Costa Rica, there’s a lot to do for nature lovers at Arenal Volcano National Park, from mountainside hikes in the clouds that open out onto stunning vistas, to meandering around the lush vegetation on horseback, to zip lining over the tree canopy. The biodiversity of the park, and really of the entire country, makes it perfect for nature enthusiasts, birders, animal lovers, and outdoor adventure seekers.

We know many of you canceled or rescheduled your vacations and would love to hear what you plan to do when everyone is able to travel again. Visit our Facebook page and lets us know!