January’s wildfires have absolutely devastated Los Angeles and its surrounding areas, prompting evacuation orders for hundreds of thousands of residents as the flames destroyed entire neighborhoods and iconic landmarks. While the focus in coming months will surely be on recovery, the southern California hub has been growing up in front of our eyes as it prepares to host the world for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, as well as both the Super Bowl and World Cup in 2026.
This year, Destination Crenshaw will open four acres of cultural space with pocket parks and the country’s largest public art project led by the city’s Black community. In November, the Natural History Museum debuted a $75 million project, NHM Commons, adding 60,000 square feet of space, while LACMA is set to open a new David Geffen Galleries building for its permanent collection. To top it off, the Intuit Dome opened in August 2024 as the new home court of the Los Angeles Clippers.
As visitors begin to return, they can still get a behind-the-scenes look at the city’s legendary film and television industry through the many studio tours available: the most popular is Universal Studios Hollywood, while Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood, Sony Pictures Studio Tour, and Paramount Studio Tour also offer intimate backstage peeks.
Click here for the latest on the Los Angeles area wildfires, including how you can help.
4. Orlando
Annual overseas visitation: 3.52 million
Endless family fun draws visitors from all over the world to Orlando year-round, thanks to the allure of Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, and Legoland Florida Resort. And the Florida vacation destination is bracing for its biggest addition in decades: a new theme park in the form of Universal Epic Universe, which will include a Super Nintendo World, set to open May 22, 2025. Ahead of its unveiling, a pair of new resorts will open adjacent to the park: Universal Stella Nova Resort on January 21 and Universal Terra Luna Resort on March 25. In the meantime, the park has already gone wicked, with the new Wicked: The Experience at Universal Orlando Resort, where visitors can dance their way from Shiz University to the Emerald City.
Contrasting the fantastical experiences, Orlando is also filled with natural ones. Take your pick from birding at Gatorland Bird Rookery, kayaking with Epic Paddle Adventures, or zip lining at Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Garden. Plus, there are more ways than ever to get to O-Town now, including the faster rail service Brightline, traveling between Miami, Boca Raton, and West Palm Beach, as well as Amtrak’s new The Floridian route, which made its first trip in November between Chicago and Miami with Orlando as a key stop.
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5. San Francisco
Annual overseas visitation: 2.28 million
