Share The Article

If you had to guess California’s next hotspots, you’d likely think they’re all lying along the coast.

I mean, it is California after all…

However, that’s not entirely the case. Sticking with Southern California, we at Travel Off Path have put our heads together and dug deep into the far corners of the interwebs to unpack where travelers are heading next — and it’s not the usual names like San Diego, Los Angeles, or even Disneyland.

Travelers are venturing beyond the norm into the lesser-known, largely thanks to new luxury hotels, new airports, and word of mouth showing how amazing these hideaways truly are.

Plus, it doesn’t hurt to have a local insider like me🕺🏻on the team to scope out all of these destinations firsthand.

As such, we’re stoked to unveil SoCal’s next 4 vacation hotspots for 2026 — and we all but guarantee they’re not what you expect.

4) Idyllwild: The Best Alternative To Big Bear & Julian

Think California doesn’t have small-town charm and stunning nature beyond the Pacific? Think again!

As you are likely well aware, Big Bear, a popular ski haven with horrendous traffic during peak season, and Julian, San Diegan’s long-kept secret that has made its way into numerous major travel publications, are left out.

Any time you hear of someone taking a weekend getaway nowadays, it’s not Big Bear or Julian anymore — it’s a rustic map-dot village boasting lush forestry, wooded cabins, and an artsy town center.

It’s true: Idyllwild is SoCal’s new hotspot for a break from the city grind and jam-packed beaches—the perfect spot for a quiet reset or even a “digital detox”.

With epic hikes, a homey “downtown”, and fresh mountain air, you’ll feel right at home, as many already do, so now is the perfect time to visit before it becomes a household name.

3) Jamul: Flashy Hotel Puts Unknown Town On The Map

Even heard of Jamul? That’s probably a hard “no” unless you’re a San Diegan like me.

That said, Jamul is already becoming more of a draw even since their flashy boutique hotel with a panoramic rooftop pool opened last August.

Formerly just a nice casino boasting it’s “San Diego’s Closest Casino” on many billboards across the county, now it’s a full-fledged destination — and guess who sold out to ring the New Year?

Yep, I tried.

Any time I want to bet big on black or take out my anger crankin’ slots, Jamul has been the place — and I’m not the only one.

Jamul draws a crowd not only for its casino and rooftop pool, but surprisingly incredible restaurants, including my favorite, Tony Gwynn’s Sports Pub, who offers endless Ultimate Seafood on Friday nights.

Let me tell you, for a buffet setting, it’s some of the freshest seafood you can find and well worth the $60 price tag.

2) Chula Vista: City’s First-Ever Resort Creates New Vacation Spot

Chula Vista is in big bold letters on the map as it’s one of California’s unsung cities, home to roughly 280,000 residents, including me!

But even though it’s a major suburb at the very least, tourists have long skipped out on venturing south of San Diego proper unless they’re making a Tijuana day trip.

Now, Chula Vista is becoming a convenient vacation destination solely thanks to the new Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center opening doors on its scenic bayside waterfront.

That’s not to say Chula Vista is a one-trick pony. The city’s Eastlake district is vibrant with trendy shopping and restaurants and majestic mountain views at such places as Mountain Hawk Park, a place typical San Diego tourists would ever step foot.

Not to mention my neck of the woods — Third Avenue. If San Diego’s bustling Gaslamp Quarter is too much to bear, check out Chula Vista’s much quieter downtown, lined with cafes, great Mexican food, and breweries.

1) Carlsbad: New Airport Shines Light On San Diego’s North County

Travel + Leisure just named Carlsbad as the best destination on Earth for 2026 — yes, you read that correctly.

The only question is how lesser-known Carlsbad popped up on their radar…

Hmm…certainly not because of this article…😉

Anyhow, that’s not to say we disagree with their selection. Carlsbad is gorgeous, laid-back, friendly, welcoming and offers something for everyone.

Whether you’re a kiddo ready to conquer LegoLand, a couple looking for a romantic resort getaway, a retiree wanting quiet shores to kick back and relax, or simply looking for the perfect photo-op at the kaleidoscopic flower fields, it’s hard to leave Carlsbad feeling disappointed.

Most notably, Carlsbad rebranded its private airport into a commercial airport with American Airlines being the first to take flight, and now United is slated to follow.

Travel + Leisure highlighted Carlsbad’s food scene, something my scale can attest to after devouring beachside tacos when I’m being cheap or splurging at one of my favorite SoCal eateries, Ember & Rye, masterminded by celebrity chef Richard Blais.

It’s an absolute must if you can swing it.

Share The Article

Up for adventure? If so, there’s one place you can now easily visit that’s almost certainly never been on your radar.

Set near Spain’s Canary Islands lies a disputed city with a history of controversy. Is it Morocco? Is It Western Sahara? You be the judge.

Point being, despite governmental conflicts, tensions are nowhere near the level of Morocco and Algeria, where land borders have been closed since the mid-90’s, or even worse, Russia and Ukraine.

More on par with disgruntled family members at Thanksgiving dinner, we’ll go with Western Sahara because that’s technically the location, and just know it’s widely considered a safe destination for tourists.

Regardless of quite possibly never knowing the city of Dakhla existed, new flights, ritzy resorts, and old world culture await on virtually untouched shores lining North Africa’s unknown slice of paradise.

Note: The United Nations considers Western Sahara, including Dakhla, a Non-Self-Governing Territory not classified as “Morocco”.

Why Visit Dakhla?

As Fodor’s just released 9 destinations to avoid, largely in part due to overtourism concerns, travelers are beginning to open their eyes to new possibilities and adventures off-the-beaten-path.

Rather than following what you know about, say, Spain’s plethora of popular islands, Dakhla lies on the opposite end of the spectrum, embracing visitors rather than pushing them away.

In the same vicinity as the Canary Islands, your journey will only be a tinge longer by air. Better yet, Dakhla’s pristine coastlines are largely undiscovered except for locals in the know.

In fact, Dakhla’s claim to fame, if any, is a kite-surfing destination.

Beyond this, a new playground for explorers is calling, with city streets full of ornate buildings reminiscent of Morocco’s sprawling cityscapes.

Buzzing markets, eye-popping mosques, and an array cultural subtleties will have you magnetized to the Sahrawi way of life and warm welcoming to visitors.

Set along a ready-to-be-discovered peninsula overlooking the Atlantic, one very important reason to consider visiting is Dakhla is already equipped with high-end resorts, boutique stays, and easy-to-navigate streets, such as the tranquil Corniche promenade.

You never know what surprising delights you’ll find, from hidden alleyways to charming cafes, such as Cafe Anastasia, set bayside with a breezy patio.

Plus, Dakhla boasts splendid weather year-round despite being located just out of range of a very desolate region of African desert.

Expect the 70s from winter through the low to mid-70s winter months through July and a slight uptick to the 80s late summer and early fall.

Dakhla Is Taking Flight In More Ways Than One

When airlines begin taking notice of a particular place, that usually means there’s something brewing.

In Dakhla’s case, the potential has simply long been ignored, and all it takes is one airline to shine a light.

Ryanair is doing just that by offering not one but two new routes to Dakhla for the first time in its history.

Known as being one of the stricter budget airlines in terms of luggage allowance, seat assignments, and downright hilarious social media feeds, Ryanair is well-connected and safe, so there’s no need to worry about booking with them.

Ryanair’s new routes are as follows:

• Starting January 8, 2025: Madrid (MAD) to Dakhla (VIL) twice weekly
• Starting January 11, 2025: Lanzarote (ACE) to Dakhla (VIL) twice weekly

Better yet, you don’t have to wait until January as there are already easy connections from Paris and Casablanca through Transavia and Royal Air Maroc.

Another development to keep an eye on is Air Oasis, a new airline expected to be headquartered in Dakhla, but there is no official word on when or where it will take to the skies.

Dakhla’s Affordable Beach Resorts

One of Dakhla’s most notable bright spots is that the city’s ritzy resorts have yet to benefit from supply and demand, making them very budget-friendly.

Dakhla’s beachfront hotels are scattered across the peninsula, but these 5 are ones to consider for amazing value and prime real estate:

3-star properties:
Bavaro Beach Dakhla – $84
Dakhla Attitude – $94

4-star properties:
Hotel Oasis Dakhla – $103
Dakhla South Bay – $107
Dakhla Club Hotel & Spa – $151

↓ Elevate Your Travel↓

Sign Up Now For Travel Off Path Premium! No ads, VIP Content, Personal Travel Concierge, Huge Savings, Daily Deals, Members Forum & More!

✈️Join Our Travel Off Path Community Forum: Where travelers unite, ask questions, share experiences and even find like-minded travel buddies!

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS

Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path’s latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox.

This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com

Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

Share The Article

Last Updated 1 month ago

Set on the beautiful shores of the Atlantic lies a lesser-known beach town conveniently located between the fun-filled city of Orlando and the glitz and glamour of Palm Beach.

Home to luxe beach resorts along gorgeous waters, the spotlight is beginning to shine brighter as it forges its path, emerging as Florida’s new “it” destination.

To back up this claim, one budget airline is betting big on this sunny destination this summer, holding monopoly status as the only carrier serving this pint-sized airport…for now.

The town isn’t much bigger, but what vacationers get in return proves once and for all size doesn’t matter.

Savings + luxury = the perfect vacation if you ask me!

With new direct flights and lavish resorts, Vero Beach is destined to become Florida’s new vacation hotspot.

Florida’s Hidden Gem: Vero Beach Is Late To The Party

There are a plethora of beaches along the Atlantic in neighboring states well worth visiting, but Florida is always the leader of the pack.

Even Orlando, an inland city an hour away from the nearest beach, sees hordes of tourists, so it’s not all about the beaches.

In Vero Beach, however, there are 26 miles of gorgeous coastline with far fewer tourists than Orlando, Miami, all the Caribbean-esque beaches near Tampa, and any other trendy beach town your mind can muster.

In other words, Vero Beach is late to the party, but better to arrive fashionably late than to never show up at all.

Vero Beach does show up dressed to impress with vivid blues and greens and a mix of soft white or golden sand, depending on where you are along the shoreline.

This small, inviting beach town is laying down its welcome mat in preparation for more tourists despite Vero Beach Regional Airport (VRB) not having much success.

Multiple airlines ceased operations over the years, to no fault or lack of appeal of Vero. I mean, have you heard of Eastern Air Lines? Not exactly a household name…

Breeze Airways, one of America’s newest low-cost carriers, plans to change that. And so far, so good.

In fact, it’s the only airline that serves VRB at all.

Breeze’s 5 Routes To Vero Beach

East Coasters get first dibs taking a crack at Vero Beach. Launching their first VRB flight in early 2023, the network has grown evermore to 5 routes thus far.

Obviously, Vero Beach has been a hit, unlike other budget airlines that dip their toes in the water too quickly only to pull out at the drop of a hat. (*cough, cough. Frontier…)

The latest was announced last week—a nonstop flight from Newburgh, NY (SWF), one of New York City’s handful of alternative airports.

Speaking of, Long Island/Islip (ISP) and White Plains (HPN) also serve VRB.

That leaves Providence, Rhode Island (PVD) and Hartford, Connecticut (BDL) to round out the 5 routes.

Breeze offers promotions frequently, including the new Newburgh – Vero Beach route on sale right now as low as $99 the week it launches November 21, 2024.

Lavish Beach Resorts Without The Crowds

Sure, you could spend your paycheck at Disney World or splurge on the finer things in life in Palm Beach, but about half between lies Vero Beach – typically more affordable, yet still a luxurious beach vacation spot.

Disney World can be a blast, but your bank account will take a pounding! Try sticking to a $250 per day budget, especially with kiddos—good luck!

But did you know Vero Beach actually makes for the perfect Disney World alternative? That’s right.

You may not be aware of Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, where rooms average a smidge over $250 per day.

Rather than have the soundtrack to your life of screaming roller-coaster-riding kids all day, what about a Disney hotel nestled upon an idyllic beach on sea turtle nesting grounds?

Talk about A Whole New World…

To level up even more, especially without the kiddos, name-brand resorts such as the posh Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel & Spa got you covered, among other paradisal beachfront stays:

• Costa d’Este Beach Resort & Spa
• The Caribbean Court Boutique Hotel
• Prestige Hotel Vero Beach

Dolphins, Manatees, And Birds, Oh My!

Lastly, vacationers in Vero Beach would be doing themselves a disservice by not visiting the surrounding Indian River Lagoon.

Outdoor enthusiasts will love renting a paddleboard or kayak along the scenic waterways, which are teeming with opportunities to spot wildlife, especially dolphins, manatees, and a variety of bird species.

For those who don’t want to put in work on vacation (understandably so!), fun boat tours are also an option ranging from tiki boats to private guides.

↓ Elevate Your Travel↓

Sign Up Now For Travel Off Path Premium! No ads, VIP Content, Personal Travel Concierge, Huge Savings, Daily Deals, Members Forum & More!

✈️Join Our Travel Off Path Community Forum: Where travelers unite, ask questions, share experiences and even find like-minded travel buddies!

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS

Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path’s latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox.

This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com

Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.