Where to Go in 2015

By Melanie Renzulli. United States Travel Expert

Travelers are spoiled for choice when it comes to deciding where to go in the United States. There are the old stand-by cities like New York City and New Orleans. both of which should be on anyone s short list for a first or fiftieth adventure. Then there are the sleeper (not sleepy!) destinations that feel like insider secrets (think Maine ), even if they re not. National parks, small towns, and beautiful beaches all vie for attention, too.

Los Angeles

Washington, DC

Dupont Circle Fountain in Washington, DC. Flickr/ncindc

America s capital city has always been a must-visit for school kids, history buffs, and families. DC has long had a (deserved) reputation for being buttoned-up and boring. But the city has changed a lot over the last decade, particularly with regards to its food scene. In 2014, Bon Appetit magazine named Roses Luxury the Best New Restaurant in America. Meanwhile, plenty of star chefs, from Jose Andres to Eric Ziebold to Mike Isabella, live and cook here.

Since the turn of the millennium, the capital s youth-skewing demographics have brought about big changes in dining, nightlife, and real estate. Nationals Park. one of the newest MLB stadiums in the country, has sparked a revival in the Southwest quadrant of the city. And other neighborhoods, from H Street to Petworth, have filled in with bars and boutiques.

Of course, one of the great things about visiting Washington is that it s one of the best travel bargains. The fact that the majority of the sights, including some of the country s best museums. are free makes it easier to justify splashing out on a week or weekend of memorable meals. More

Charleston, South Carolina

Palm trees and pastel buildings in Charleston, South Carolina. Getty Images

Charleston, South Carolina, has always been one of our favorite southern cities and we re not alone. The port city is frequently named to most friendly and best of lists (coming in at #2 in the world on Travel and Leisure s Winners List for 2014). With only a little more than 127,000 inhabitants, Charleston punches well above its weight, with a Museum Mile (museum month in January); haute couture boutiques and a fashion week ; and an indigenous and thriving culinary scene. Still, Charleston remains quirky and Southern, with a complicated past that it does not sweep under the rug. Go on a history tour of Charleston s Battery and Fort Sumter, where sesquicentennial commemorations of the Civil War will be finishing up in 2015. Walking and biking tours of the city s cemeteries, mansions, and former Slave Market are enlightening and provide soul to a town that is instantly lovable. More