Just because the champagne and confetti have been cleared doesn’t mean you have to stop celebrating the dawn of a new decade. From illuminating festivals to boundary-pushing performances, these dynamic destinations are kicking off 2020 with a bang.
Already missing that holiday sparkle? Head for NorCal’s wine country to soak up a little more magic during the third annual Napa Lighted Art Festival.
From January 11 to 19, the downtown and Oxbow districts will take on a dazzling glow after dark with animated artwork, twinkling installations and laser shows. Other highlights of the multi-day showcase include a lantern parade down Main Street and Night Bloom, when an array of illuminated hot air balloons lights up the night sky.
To make your evening even more enchanting, take in the festival’s shining displays from the swanky surroundings of Sky & Vine Rooftop Bar atop Archer Hotel Napa. Afterward, rest your head in an artistic room at this chic boutique downtown stay.
Winters in the Northeast can be brutal, butForbes Travel Guide Five-Star Boston Harbor Hotel finds plenty of reasons to welcome the season as it kicks off the 31st edition of the Boston Wine Festival (January 11 to March 27).
Curated by famed chef Daniel Bruce, the longest-running wine fest in the U.S. is an 11-week extravaganza of all things vino, with tastings, Q&A sessions and wine dinners and brunches hosted by renowned winemakers like Peter Mondavi Jr. (he’ll showcase a new cabernet from Charles Krug) and Diane Flamand of French favorite Les Domaines Barons de Rothschild.
Between talks and tastings, refresh in one of the hotel’s elegant harbor-view accommodations or opt for a waterside meal at The Sea Grille.
Start the New Year on a delicious note during dineL.A.’s winter restaurant week. This 15-day (January 17 to 31) foodie fest features specially priced menus from more than 400 SoCal eateries, so you can nosh your way through your bucket list from Santa Monica to Silver Lake.
To up the epicurean ante (and bolster your Instagram feed), check out exclusive tasting menus from 25 of the city’s best restaurants, including Four-Stars Jean-Georges Beverly Hills and Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air.
For a chic home base in the vibrant city center, check into Forbes Travel Guide Recommended JW Marriott Los Angeles, LA LIVE. The hotel, which is close to 50-plus downtown restaurants participating in dineL.A., hosts its own culinary adventure with palate-pleasing Tacos. Mezcal. Repeat, a pop-up serving Mexican-inspired bites and beverages through summer.
The Caribbean’s most famous culinary extravaganza returns January 15 through 19 to The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman.
Hosted by acclaimed chef Eric Ripert, the 12th edition of Cayman Cookout will feature famous headliners like philanthropist-toque José Andrés, Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmern and renowned San Francisco chef Dominique Crenn for five sun-drenched days of wine tastings, cooking classes, cocktail workshops and once-in-a-lifetime experiences like Ripert’s private jet excursion to Jamaica’s The Ian Flemming Villa at Golden Eye.
To make the most of your time at the beloved beach gathering, book the host hotel’s Cayman Cookout package to enjoy access to events such as January 17’s Barefoot BBQ and the closing-day Rum and Robusto tasting, plus posh ocean-facing accommodations at which to rest your head after the fun.
Dusted in fine white snow, Austria’s capital is breathtaking come this time of year. You could spend hours just strolling its historic streets (or skating its ice rinks), but we highly recommend warming up indoors during the Vienna Coffee Festival.
From January 10 to 12, this high-energy event showcases all things caffeine with talks, tastings, displays and demonstrations celebrating Viennese coffee house culture.
Continue your culinary education with a stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna. Not only does the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel have a prime perch along the famous Ringstrasse, but also organizes guided chef tours of nearby Naschmarkt and some of the best steaks in the city at Dstrikt.
It’s easy to be inspired by the stellar blue waters surrounding this South Pacific island chain, but if you need a little boost, visit Vakkaru Maldives this winter when fashion illustrator Megan Hess will host a drawing masterclass on January 6.
Learn how to compose stylish sketches under the watchful eye of Hess, who has put her talents to use for clients like Tiffany & Co., Bergdorf Goodman, former first lady Michelle Obama and actress Sarah Jessica Parker.
If you can’t snag a seat (the masterclass is limited to 10 budding designers), you can still get some face time with the portrait artist on January 5, when she hosts a reading of her most recent children’s book, Claris: Bonjour Riviera, starring the adventures of a very fashionable mouse.
From bountiful brunches to sensational shopping, there’s plenty of reasons to visit this busting British Columbia metropolis right now. This January, the 16th edition of PuSh International Performing Arts Festival provides another enticing opportunity to see the city’s offerings.
The two-week (January 21 to February 9) fete features 27 boundary-pushing productions by performers from nine countries, covering topics from politics and discrimination to stories of perseverance.
Events take place all over the city, so we’d recommend holing up in a chic downtown stay like JW Marriott Parq Vancouver. In addition to stylish accommodations, you’ll have access to all that the Parq Vancouver casino complex has to offer, including a 72,000-square-foot gaming floor, eight restaurants and Canada’s first Spa by JW.
Escape winter’s chill and cross a new destination off your bucket list with a tropical getaway to China’s Hainan Island. To bask in a fun-filled resort atmosphere with a touch of barefoot luxury, check into Four-Star The Ritz-Carlton Sanya, Yalong Bay, where ocean-view accommodations come standard.
If a white-sand beach and four pools aren’t enough to tempt you outdoors, maze-like gardens, alfresco eateries and nearby golf courses should do the trick. Of course, a Four-Star, 30,000-square-foot spa is also on hand for those times when you need a break from the island sun.