17 Trips T+L Editors Can't Wait to Take As Soon As We Can Travel Again (Video)

As editors at Travel + Leisure, we've been teaching ourselves how to lean into leisure while spending time at home lately — but it's always been travel that fuels us.

The excitement that comes with researching a destination, planning a trip, experiencing a place, and meeting new people — and helping you, our readers, do the same — is the force that drives us to come to work each day.

JOHN CRUX/GETTY IMAGES

We know how important it is to stay home right now, and we're so thankful to everyone helping us do so, from the healthcare workers and emergency responders fighting to keep us healthy and safe, to the grocery store and restaurant workers putting food on our tables, to the hospitality professionals who haven't given up on bringing the world to us, virtually. But that doesn't mean we aren't dreaming of packing our bags and getting back out there someday soon.

Now's a great time to reflect on past trips (maybe you'll finally do something with your treasured travel photos?) and think about future ones. When it's time to travel again, where will you go? Back to your hometown to hug loved ones or to revisit a favorite place you've been missing? Or is there somewhere you've never been that you're aching to cross off your list more than ever?

Below, we share the places on our minds to get you thinking.

Bermuda

GETTY IMAGES

Bermuda — a destination within easy reach for East Coasters — is like salvation for me and my family. We have been vacationing there for years; it's become our go-to spot, in part because of the the flying time (under two hours from New York City), but more because of the friendliness of the locals and the beauty of the island itself. The pink sand beaches. The historic homes, painted all the hues of the rainbow. The winding, narrow roads, marked by limestone walls. When the time is right, we can't wait to return to this beautiful island, which feels like home. —Jacqueline Gifford, Editor-in-Chief

Sicily

GETTY IMAGES

"The ride along the winding, cliffside roads above the Ionian Sea into Taormina has come to feel like a sort of homecoming for me — since my first visit in 2014, I haven't been able to stop going back. In part, it's the beaches, the food, the ancient history, the medieval architecture, and the romantic piazzas overlooking Mt. Etna, but it's also the friends I've made there who give me a reason to visit again and again. Along the way, I've been lucky enough to explore more of Sicily, from Palermo to Siracusa to Noto, and the island has become my favorite part of Italy — an entire country I absolutely love and am thinking of now more than ever. Quarantine videos of neighbors singing and eating dinner "together" from their balconies serve as reminders of what special communities still exist there and make me feel certain it will bounce back from this even stronger. Before long I hope to be having prosecco with breakfast (the ultimate sign of vacation) on the rooftop at my favorite spot, Hotel Villa Carlotta, with all of my Sicilian friends and New York family in tow." —Nina Ruggiero, Deputy Digital Editor

Cross-country Road Trip

GEORGE CLERK/GETTY IMAGES

"They always say you want what you can't have, and because current travel advisories warn that we shouldn't really go anywhere, naturally I want to go EVERYWHERE. That said, I'm hoping to embark on an epic coast-to-coast road trip across America post-COVID-19, and visit all the places I've been wanderlusting after in one go. I'd love to hit cities like Chicago, Denver, and Las Vegas, but I'm most looking forward to trading in my cramped, indoor, social distancing situation for the vastness of national parks like Arches and Bryce Canyon in Utah." —Hillary Maglin, Assistant Digital Editor

Philippines and Vietnam

GETTY IMAGES

"My friends and I originally had plans to visit the Philippines and Vietnam in May, but those plans, like so many others this year, have since been thwarted. I've traveled all over East Asia and Southeast Asia, but these two countries I've yet to check off my bucket list — and from what I hear, I've saved two of the best for last. It's incredibly unfortunate that Asians have experienced racism around the world just because the first outbreaks of the virus occurred in Asia. In the end, it's a global pandemic that has affected us all. I can't wait to get a chance to go back and spend some tourism dollars in this incredibly vibrant, culturally rich part of the world. The things I'm looking forward to the most, when this is all over? Lying side by side with my friends on a gorgeous tropical beach (perhaps within 6 feet of our neighbors on the sand!), and going to packed street food stalls and hole-in-the-wall restaurants, eating insanely good food elbow to elbow with strangers." —Karen I. Chen, Editorial Producer

Santorini

OLGA GAVRILOVA/GETTY IMAGES

"I've never been to Greece, and nearly every part of the country has been at the top of my travel list for as long as I can remember. Right now I am particularly craving the bright blues and whites and the strong sun of the photos I've been searching of Santorini. But with the island having been a major cruise hub (and generally full of tourists), I've ended up on alternative trips that have suited my desire for luxury with very few people. Greece has taken COVID-19 very seriously since the beginning of the year and has seen success in efforts to 'flatten the curve', which I hope continues for them (and the rest of us). Once we're able to fly again, I imagine Santorini becoming the ideal destination for travelers like me who yearn for warm waters, quiet streets, culture, and a touch of luxury, but also want to contribute to the tourism of a place that needs it." —Kendall Cornish, Associate Digital Editor

Jamaica

ANDRE CALCIU/EYEEM/GETTY IMAGES

"The first trips I’ll take once I can will be to visit my family in South Carolina and my husband’s family in Paris – both trips I make semi-regularly and have had to cancel this spring! But after those will come a too-rare, non-family-tied vacation for me and my husband. We’d been in the middle of planning one earlier this year and were so close to settling on Jamaica as a destination. I can’t wait to pick back up the thread on planning that vacation, which I’m hoping will include a stay at the Skylark, live music, lots of rum punch, and as much time on the beach as I’m currently spending in my apartment." —Skye Senterfeit, Photo Editor

Australia

JOHN CRUX/GETTY IMAGES

"Once we can fly again, I'm heading straight to San Francisco to see my adorably squishy niece, Edie, who just turned one. And then, since California happens to be on the way to Australia, I'm hoping to make my way to Queensland. Learning to scuba dive was one of my goals for the year, and there's nowhere I'd rather take the plunge than the Great Barrier Reef. As a science nerd, I'm eager to pepper the marine biologists with questions and see the incredible conservation work they're doing first-hand. Plus, between Cairns and the Whitsundays, there are tons of beautiful new and recently renovated hotels to choose from." —Sarah Bruning, Senior Editor

Rome

THOMAS PYTTEL/GETTY IMAGES

"Rome is my favorite city, no contest. I am a fairly adventurous traveler, and I love learning about how big our world is and challenging myself to find connection in places that are unfamiliar to me. But I keep going back to Rome. (I was actually supposed to be on a plane to Rome in two days, but what can you do?) There's something about the city that makes it feel elemental; it's been inhabited for so long, it's changed the course of the world ten times over. And yet every corner of it — from the crumbling marble ruins you run into when you're least expecting, to the patchwork of medieval apartment buildings and Renaissance churches, to the cold, commanding Mussolini-era structures — feels so lived in and natural. Whenever I go, I can feel that people are meant to be in Rome, and they will be, long after the other cities are gone." —Hannah Walhout, Associate Editor

Will Travel Change After Coronavirus? Here's What Experts Have to Say
The experience might look and feel different once the world begins to reopen, but people still can count on the positive impact of travel.
Play Video
YOU MIGHT LIKE
US TRAVEL ASSOCIATION RELEASES INDUSTRY GUIDANCE FOR 'TRAVEL IN THE NEW NORMAL'
NEVADA RELEASES GUIDELINES FOR WHEN CASINOS REOPEN — WHAT TO KNOW

Midwest

GETTY IMAGES

"I really don't get back to the Midwest to see family and friends that often, but the current travel restrictions are somehow making the distance seem even more vast. I can't wait to get home and see my family in Wisconsin, and spend time with friends in the Twin Cities (and check out the buzzy Lora hotel in nearby Stillwater)." —Erin Agostinelli, Editorial Operations Manager

London and Paris

ALEXANDER SPATARI/GETTY IMAGES

"I moved back to the United States from London in September, and I've been looking forward to visiting ever since I left. I can't wait to have afternoon tea at the Corinthia, revisit my favorite bars in Shoreditch, and wander through the Royal Parks. After a few days in London, I'll hop on the Eurostar and head to Paris for a few days of pastries, wine, and cheese accompanied by museums and lots of shopping. More than anything, I'm excited to get out and freely explore cities I love (and new destinations) once this is over — that feeling of waking up in a new city and not knowing where your day will take you is something I really miss."  —Elizabeth Rhodes, Associate Digital Editor

New Orleans with a side of Houston

GETTY IMAGES/CAVAN IMAGES RF

"I've been watching Treme during lockdown in NYC, and few things will make you miss New Orleans as much as the HBO classic. Since my last visit there, a ton of cool new hotels have opened that I'm keen to check out; the food and drink are obviously high on anyone's list. I'd love to tack on a few days in Houston, too, a place that's often overlooked by people headed to the Gulf Coast — even though it's just as much fun as New Orleans." —Paul Brady, Articles Editor

The beach. Any beach.

VW PICS/UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP VIA GETTY IMAGES

"I tend to spend several weeks during the spring and summer lounging on various beaches across the globe (as a Pisces, I'm drawn to the water!). I need to feel the sand between my toes, the sun shining on my face, and really more than anything else, the sound of the ocean." —Deanne Kaczerski, Digital Executive Editor

Mexico City

GETTY IMAGES

"Recently, in the midst of an otherwise unremarkable Netflix binge, a scene of people eating tacos in a Mexican market sent me into full-on ugly tears. My first trips will be to see the faraway friends and family members I dearly miss, but after that, I'm making a beeline to CDMX and not coming home until I've eaten an unholy amount of masa-based foods. If you see me weeping profusely in Mercado La Merced, never fear: It's probably just some combination of wildly spicy chiles and unadulterated joy." —Lila Harron Battis, Senior Editor

Italy

GETTY IMAGES

"My May was set to look a lot different: I had planned to watch my best friend get married in Perugia, and then drive through northern Italy, stopping in Florence, Cinque Terre, Pisa, Lucca, and Rome. I dreamed of devouring heaping plates of pasta, sipping on cappuccinos and aperitivo, winding through historic towns and plunging coastlines, and generally soaking in everything that makes Italy the full package it is. It was going to be Italian-chef’s-kiss kind of perfect. But like so many others, my friend was forced to postpone her nuptials, and I had to take a rain check on that road trip. So when this is all behind us, I’m booking it to the Boot. I’ll do all the things I had mapped out the first time around: hiking the five, pastel-painted towns in Cinque Terre, admiring the Colosseum in Rome and Duomo in Florence, feasting on all the pizza, pasta, and seafood my stomach can handle, drinking my way through Tuscany’s bucolic vineyards, and then some." —Alisha Prakash, Senior Digital Editor

Puerto Rico

JOEL CARILLET/GETTY IMAGES

"Like so many others, a highly-anticipated trip was canceled thanks to the pandemic. So once this is all said and done I’m booking the first flight out of NYC to finally make it — for the first time — to Puerto Rico. There you’ll find me lounging by the pool at the historic Caribe Hilton sipping on the drink the hotel created, a classic Piña Colada. Besides breathing fresh air by the pool and the ocean, I’m going to Cocina Abierta for what I’m told will be the best meal of my life. Besides San Juan, I want to explore other regions of the island and, after spending so much time in my tiny apartment, can’t wait to get out in nature at El Yunque, a tropical rainforest waiting for visitors." —Tanner Saunders, Associate Digital Editor

Palm Springs and Texas

GETTY IMAGES

"Aside from immediately flying home to fill up on all of the comforts of Texas — because tacos, margaritas, and backyard BBQs with family and friends are my highest priorities post-quarantine — my first vacation back in the world will be to Palm Springs, California, a destination that keeps slipping my grip. A few years ago, my plans were squashed due to poor planning and I was supposed to be there this May before the summer heat picks up. I am determined to do all I can to make the trip finally happen, whenever that may be. I look forward to exploring nearby Joshua Tree, staying at the Ace Hotel, and hanging out by the pool in the desert sun. Finding peace and relaxation with the perfect balance of nature and the exploration of the laid-back city is the ultimate vacation goal." —Mariah Tyler, Digital Photo Editor

Copenhagen

ALEXANDER SPATARI/GETTY IMAGES

"I can’t wait to start traveling again, and one of the first places I’ll be excited to visit is Copenhagen. I’ve visited the Danish city a couple times before, and each time I’ve fallen more in love with the culture, food, and architecture. From browsing shops and lounging in cafes to taking a field trip out of the city to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, there’s no shortage of things to do. Plus, we could all use a little extra dose of hygge right now, which the Danes do so well." —Madeline Diamond, Associate Digital Editor

Travelandleisure