As an owner of a travel media company, I’m fortunate to work with a knowledgeable team, publish great stories, and meet people who give me endless ideas about where to go next. The only challenge: It’s hard to choose.
One of my favorite sources of inspiration is AFAR’s annual Where to Go list. Our editorial team reaches out to writers, reporters, and correspondents around the world for their top picks of places our travelers should visit in the coming year. They then sort through them and select destinations that feel poised for “a moment,” whether it’s a new cultural institution, park, or food offering.
I just got back from a cycling trip to eastern Canada’s Prince Edward Island (PEI). I went there based on an early preview of this year’s Where to Go list (yet another advantage to being cofounder of AFAR!). In August of 2021, PEI opened the Island Walk, a 435-mile route that encircles this crescent-shaped province. I love that a destination would develop such a trail and what it says about how they want people to experience “the Island,” as locals call it: slowly, intimately, and up close.
I pedaled about 100 miles over three days in the central portion of the Island, starting in the capital, Charlottetown. At 2,195 square miles, PEI is the smallest of Canada’s 13 provinces and territories, as well as the most densely populated. But to me, a resident of San Francisco and New York City, it certainly didn’t feel crowded. The ride featured scenic views, family-owned farms, and a beautiful coastline. The people were warm and the seafood was fabulous. The lobster roll at Original Richard’s, a fish shack just off the beach outside of Prince Edward Island National Park, was the best I’ve ever had. That alone was worth the trip.
I urge you to read more about PEI and the other 11 destinations we recommend traveling to in 2023. I hope you will find quite a few places to go and reasons to do so soon.
