I spend an ungodly amount of time at work reading about spectacular places I’ve never been. And honestly, how lucky am I? Naturally, I’m often asked about the destination I want to visit most. | | | | | I spend an ungodly amount of time at work reading about spectacular places I’ve never been. And honestly, how lucky am I? Naturally, I’m often asked about the destination I want to visit most. While I could tell you something clever and insider-y like an under-the-radar village in the south of France or otherworldly islands in the Philippines, the truth is I’m just like everyone else. In other words, that place for me is Japan. But when I do go to Japan, I’m going to do it right. I want to slurp udon noodles in an if-you-know-you-know restaurant in Tokyo, and I want to bathe in a hot spring at a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn), which is one of the top 25 experiences on our Best in Travel 2026 list. When I go, I’m going to enlist our trip-planning service, Lonely Planet Journeys, to do it all justice – planning, booking and unlocking the coolest local experiences. All I’ll have to do is show up. More dream journeys: | I’m declaring 2026 the year of “life is short, let’s take the trip.” You with me? | | | Lonely Planet Journeys is our travel-planning service – a real-life extension of Lonely Planet's decades of experience and guidance. We pair you with a local expert whose on-the-ground knowledge and insider connections will guarantee the best trip ever. Just book your flights, and Lonely Planet Journeys will do the rest. Get started by messaging us here. | | | Photography by: Jonathan Stokes/Lonely Planet, Jo Panuwat D/Shutterstock, James Pham/Lonely Planet, DestinationsInNewZealand/Shutterstock, quintanilla/Getty Images | This email was sent to you by: | Lonely Planet Publications Ltd. | 1101 Red Ventures Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29707 | | | |
