Travel trends for next year are out, and it looks like travelers want to unplug and deeply appreciate their destination. Here’s a list of what these trends are and where you can experience them either in Colorado or from here to other places easily reached via a nonstop flight.
The “whycation”
Hilton conducted a survey of more than 14,000 travelers from 14 countries and is now dubbing one trend the “whycation,” which describes purposeful — but not overly busy — travel. In other words, people seek connection with a place through meaningful experiences for anything from feelings of deep relaxation to intellectual stimulation by learning a new skill.
Imagine you want to go someplace to immerse yourself in the history of Ancestral Puebloans, so you’re not focused on where but why. You might find yourself in southwestern Colorado at Mesa Verde National Park, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, or the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park near Durango.
Everyone’s why, or purpose, will be different. Other trend reports provide some options to consider, including finding peace and quiet, learning a new skill, seeing a natural phenomenon, and traveling with a minimal impact on communities and the planet.
Astrotourism, or “chasing wonders”
Chase Travel released a list of “26 Trips to Take in 2026” that includes a survey showing interest in several trends, such as 87% of respondents who want to travel to “chase natural phenomena.” This can include observing a whale migration; trekking to be in the path of totality for a solar eclipse; chasing the Aurora Borealis; and other fleeting moments of possible magic.
Icelandair has direct flights from Denver to Keflavik, Iceland, where visitors can choose to visit on Aug. 12, 2026, and be in the path of totality for the solar eclipse on the island’s west side. Keep in mind, this is the season of “midnight sun” (perhaps considered another natural phenomenon?), so there’s not a chance of seeing the Aurora Borealis, aka Northern Lights, during this season.
Explore Worldwide’s travel trends report cites astrotourism as a motivation for travel in the coming year. Astrotourism is traveling to places with low to zero urban light pollution to observe the night sky and celestial events such as a lunar eclipse and the Northern Lights. DarkSky International lists more than 200 places that have been certified by them as having good viewing of the night sky, thanks to local efforts to reduce light pollution.
In Colorado, there are several communities, national parks, state parks and national monuments that have dark-sky designation. Some of these places have introduced whole programs to augment the natural events. Rocky Mountain National Park has a Night Sky program in the summer with volunteer astronomers and their telescopes; Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch near Four Corners has live music and author readings to accompany stargazing; Aspen Snowmass, Winter Park Resort and Eldora Mountain Resort all have full moon dinners that involve skiing or snowshoeing as part of the experience. Tips: You have to choose between seeing the stars and seeing the full moon. And check the forecasts for conditions!
Throughout the West, there are opportunities to view the night sky with experts, such as Dark Skies Astronomy Tours in Hurricane, Utah; the Kosmos Stargazing Resort in Colorado’s San Luis Valley; and Hotel Ketchum within the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve, whose Gear Garage for guests includes items like a telescope, Miller Planisphere Star Finder, glow-in-the-dark star finder with zodiac dial and more.
Nonstop flights between Denver and the Cayman Islands on American Airlines, United Airlines, or Cayman Airways can lead to a nighttime kayaking adventure with Cayman Kayaks through Bioluminescent Bay, to see the water sparkle thanks to glowing organisms.
Although the Northern Lights have recently been seen as far south as Denver, they can dependably be seen in northern destinations. Head to Iceland on a nonstop flight from Denver from the fall through spring to glimpse the waving green, pink, red and even purple lights in the sky at night. Hotel Ranga, an hour from the country’s capital, Reykjavik, has wakeup calls for guests so they can rush outside in the middle of the night rather than wait up for the sky to light up. There are also direct flights from Denver to Anchorage, Alaska, where the Northern Lights are likely to be visible in the winter months, too.
“Hushpitality”
No matter what you call it — “hushpitality,” “unplugging” or taking a “digital detox” — people want to get away from their devices, messages and news alerts when they travel. Hilton is calling this trend “Hushpitality” in its 2026 Trends Report, stating that its survey found people are “seeking silence” as well as meaning on their trips.
One Colorado example would be at Mesa Verde’s Far View Lodge, which was ahead of this trend and designed rooms without televisions and no WiFi. Throughout the park, cellphone service is generally spotty, so your entire experience can be offline.
Hilton’s research found that 56% of its respondents are seeking rest and recharging, really putting the “leisure” in travel. They found that 37% want to spend time in nature, 36% want to improve their mental health, and 20% want “me time.” And, perhaps surprisingly, reading was listed one of the top three anticipated leisure activities for travelers, with 68% expressing interest — just above the 67% seeking nature immersion retreats, 60% with interest in spiritual retreats, and 60% seeking silent retreats.
For a silent retreat in Colorado, the Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center in Ward and the Drala Mountain Center in Red Feather Lakes are good options.
When I think of “Hushpitality,” what comes to mind is a trip to Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa in northern New Mexico, where a staff member routinely walks around the various soaking pools to gently ring a bell and shush people if they become too boisterous.
Sustainable travel
Virtuoso, a network of luxury travel advisors, has identified a desire for sustainable travel and avoiding overtourism as two travel trends. According to Jessica Hall Upchurch, Virtuoso’s vice-chair and sustainability strategist, sustainable travel is more than just booking an eco-friendly hotel. Ways that travelers try to protect destinations, she said, include “avoiding overtourism by choosing shoulder season or less-crowded places and embracing experiences that give back.”
“Sustainability is about slowing down, spending thoughtfully and leaving a positive mark rather than just ticking the ‘green’ box,” Upchurch said.
For something to be sustainable means that current needs are met while not compromising or impacting future needs being met, too. Overtourism is defined as “a situation in which too many tourists travel to a popular destination, causing the place to suffer negative environmental, economic and sociocultural impacts.” So perhaps try a place you haven’t seen on social media?
In Colorado, being a sustainable traveler might mean taking a train instead of driving your car to a destination to help minimize traffic. Train travel is considered sustainable because of the lower carbon emissions. Take the Amtrak Winter Park Express, which goes from downtown Denver to Winter Park Resort. Or take the Amtrak train from Denver to Glenwood Springs for a soak in the hot springs at Iron Mountain Hot Springs or the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool.
Internationally, there are nonstop flights from Denver to Zurich, Switzerland, on SWISS, where the small country is known for its sustainable practices. There is an extensive public transportation system in Switzerland, as well as a robust recycling program.
Entrée Destinations has partnered with Destination Canada to introduce “The Stories of Canada,” highlighting smaller communities that take travelers into less-visited places in order to spread out tourism dollars and provide more cultural immersion. (Bonus: The seven participating Canadian cities can be reached via direct flights from Denver.) These “stories” are packaged itineraries that expose tourists to local culture, art, food and indigenous people. Depending on the itinerary, travelers could experience astrotourism, hushpitality, and have a whycation, all while avoiding overtourism!
Great American road trip
Before there were interstate highways, there was Route 66, stretching from Santa Monica, Calif., to Chicago, Ill. Cars traveled across the “Mother Road” — or “Main Street of America” — stopping along the way in parts of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois.
Both Chase Travel and Hilton’s travel reports listed the Route 66 centennial in 2026 as a top trend. Each state will have commemorations of this 100th anniversary, with the majority in New Mexico. Visitors can go on self-guided tours of the historic neon signs in Albuquerque, or make a weekend of it with Route 66-related music and art festivals.
Many of the places along Route 66 went from boom to bust when the road became less traveled, so head for places like Grants, N.M., to practice avoiding overtourism. Colorado travelers can easily take a road trip from Denver to Albuquerque to explore Route 66 and feel nostalgic.