Matador Network Wellness Destination Award: Calistoga, California

In 2023, travel came back with a vengeance, with travel bookings climbing to near pre-COVID-19 numbers, according to a recent Prosper Insights & Analytics survey. But many destinations struggled to manage the heightened influx of tourists, and some governments actively took measures to limit the quantity of visitors. Among the changes: new or increased tourist taxes, campaigns aimed at discouraging problematic visitors, and attendance caps at popular attractions.

In early 2023, Miami Beach was officially named “North America’s Leading Beach Destination” and “North America’s Leading City Destination” by one of the travel industry’s most respected organizations. Now, the world-famous destination has been recognized as the “World’s Leading Lifestyle Destination 2023” by the World Travel Awards, adding to Miami Beach’s collection of awards and accolades designated in the 2023 calendar year. As a diverse city with an abundance of experiences for all travelers, Miami Beach is home to a renowned public art collection, variety of museums and galleries, a selection of globally-recognized luxury hotels and spas and travel-worthy restaurants with both established and rising chefs at the helm.

When you think of an adrenaline-pumping, outdoor lover’s dream destination, you probably don’t think of Redding, California — but you should. In Northern California, just south of the Oregon border, Redding is an up-and-coming outdoors destination that’s quickly becoming known for having endless places to hike, bike, kayak, and fish — and that’s just when the weather’s warm.

Sometimes you need a break from reality and the fast-paced lifestyle so many of us live. That reset and breath of fresh air is exactly what I found in central Wisconsin this fall as the weather started to change. Looking out of the plane window on my flight in, all I could see were changing leaves and greenery for miles. In Wisconsin, nature and wellness experiences are readily available for all, whether you’re after adventure, relaxation, or just reconnecting with yourself.

The Airbus A380 may be the largest commercial jet, but something far larger took to the skies in recent months.

New Orleans is the most expensive destination in the world for hotel stays over this year’s New Year’s Eve period, a new survey has revealed. he survey by TravelMag.com compared accommodation rates across 60 major global cities. For each destination, the price for the most affordable available double room for a 3-night stay from December 30 to January 2 was recorded. Only hotels with a central location and rated three stars or more were considered.

Vibrant orange and black wings fill the skies above coastal California each winter as thousands of western monarchs take flight. But these iconic butterflies are disappearing. A new trail brings attention to their decline and invites travelers to help protect them. 

Wellness used to be as one-dimensional as a spin class and a smoothie. Diet and exercise are of course still fundamental, but we’ve finally started to embrace a more holistic approach to achieving better health. This means focusing on long neglected areas like a solid sex life, socializing, rest and recovery, and emotional and mental wellbeing. Feeling good now trumps looking good and healthspan—the quality of our years—has become just as important as lifespan. Longevity, the concept of living a longer and healthier life, will be the biggest buzzword of 2024, with wellness clinics as well as sybaritic beach retreats offering the latest biohacks (cryotherapy, infrared light treatments, poolside vitamin IV drips) to optimize our performance. Tantra gurus and sex therapists will be the new must-have in-house expert and artificial-intelligence empowered smart beds are fast becoming an expected amenity.

Wellness travel is hotter than ever, and the Nordics are a fantastic region in which to explore travel while also giving back to your personal well-being and recharging. Here are some specifics to explore.

Walking inside the sustainable, wellness-minded 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, the outdoors and indoors appear to seamlessly merge, thanks to stellar views of the hotel’s namesake bridge hovering over the East River, lower Manhattan and neighboring DUMBO; alongside calming interiors, earthy neutrals, reclaimed woods, plenty of natural light and native leafy greens (which seemingly pop in every nook and cranny).

As I sipped my coffee while watching the sunrise, painted with deep hues of pink and orange, I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I glanced over just in time to catch a majestic gray whale breaching in the subdued morning waves of the Pacific Ocean, leaving nothing but white foam in its wake. At that moment, as the birds chirped and neighborhood dogs played below, I felt more at peace than ever before.

Set in the upscale Bunker Hill neighborhood in downtown Los Angeles and walkable to iconic landmarks like the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Grand Park, The Broad, and The Music Center, the Conrad Los Angeles seamlessly blends with the city’s high-class cultural atmosphere. The legendary architect Frank Gehry designed the property, drawing inspiration from the neighborhood’s impressive surroundings.