8 Affordable Destinations for 2026

Plan your next getaway to one of these on-trend locations

a stretch of road above water in florida

These destinations offer new intrigue and on-trend positioning for budget-friendly travel in 2026. Islamorada, Florida, a collection of six islands in the Florida Keys, has a new Dolphin Life Hospital to visit.

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Elaine Glusac,

AARP

Published October 31, 2025

Citing physical and mental benefits, most Americans age 50 and up remain eager to travel, according to a 2025 survey by AARP. The biggest inhibitor to travel? The cost. Fortunately, these eight destinations provide new offerings and are on trend in 2026. They also offer a wealth of affordable activities and accommodations, with rates that start at around $200 a night. Since travel prices, particularly for airfare and accommodations, rise with demand, consider vacationing in the offseason to save the most.

A trip to the Berkshires, in the mountains of western Massachusetts, offers wellness, nature and cultural attractions that can be found in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

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The Berkshires, Massachusetts

Interest in wellness and nature is encouraging travelers to slow down and smell the (literal) roses. In the mountains of western Massachusetts, the Berkshires region offers digital detoxing and nature-centric lodging at two new properties. Occupying 123 acres, Huttopia Berkshires offers wood-framed, canvas-sided tents and tiny homes, with access to hiking and biking trails and a seasonal swimming pool. On Prospect Lake, the 30-acre Prospect Berkshires offers Scandinavian-inspired wood cabins with generous windows, two Finnish-style saunas, two lakeside saunas and a resident flock of sheep. There is also a range of glamping-style yurts, tents and tree houses available to rent in the region. In addition to the Berkshires’ natural appeal, its abundant cultural attractions span the live music venue Tanglewood and the homes of writers Herman Melville (tours from $20) and Edith Wharton (tours: $22; $20 for visitors 65 and up).

a boat traveling down the mississippi river

The Mississippi River flows through the Driftless Area of Wisconsin. The area provides access to the outdoors.

Danita Delimont

Driftless Area, Wisconsin

While retreating Ice Age glaciers leveled much of the upper Midwest, the unglaciated Driftless Area — which covers parts of Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin — remains hilly and rugged. It is a hidden gem befitting a “Midwest quest” cited by the online travel agency Priceline as a 2026 trend. The largest portion of the Driftless Area lies in southwest Wisconsin, where dairy farms offer agritourism appeal — or “farm charm,” as the vacation rental platform Vrbo calls it — and access to the outdoors. On the Mississippi River, the town of LaCrosse offers a handy base for scenic drives from the Charmant Hotel, housed in a former candy factory. Keep an eye out for Amish farms en route to Viroqua, roughly 30 miles southeast. Visit Wonderstate Coffee for a perk-up in what used to be a filling station, and wander over to Driftless Books & Music, a vast used bookstore occupying a onetime tobacco warehouse.

Kīlauea volcano has been erupting intermittently since December 2024 in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Tyler Hulett

Hawai‘i Island

Virtuoso, a consortium of travel agencies, has identified an urgency among travelers to jet to bucket-list destinations, then take their time in “slow-mo” once they arrive. Almost twice as big as all its sister islands combined, Hawai‘i’s Big Island offers a great variety to explore, from black-sand beaches and tropical rainforests to high-altitude volcanoes. In the south, Kīlauea volcano has been erupting intermittently since last December in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park (admission: from $15), which offers lava viewing from a safe distance. On the rainy side of the island, you can buy locally grown coffee and sample poke (a raw fish salad) at the lively Hilo Farmers Market. On the sunny side, the Kohala Coast and Kona District blend ancient Hawaiian temples with beach access. A waterfront base in Kailua-Kona, Royal Kona Resort, holds free live concerts weekly.

You can take a boat trip from Robbie’s Marina in Islamorada, Florida, to Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park, which is accessible by kayak or ferry.

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Islamorada, Florida

Among the Florida Keys, Islamorada, a collection of six islands just south of northernmost Key Largo, captures the archipelago’s carefree spirit and arty creativity. Its Morada Way Arts & Cultural District features galleries, studio spaces and a monthly Art Walk when fine art vendors line the street. Now the island’s new Dolphin Life Hospital (tours: $20) adds ecotourism to its appeal. This nonprofit rehabilitation center, which offers behind-the-scenes tours of its rescue operation, houses a 56,000-gallon saltwater pool for rescued cetaceans and an aquarium with touch tanks. Visitors might catch dolphins in the wild on a boat trip to Islamorada’s offshore Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park (admission $2.50), accessible by kayak (rentals: $50 a day) or ferry ($51, including park admission) from Robbie’s Marina. Among more amenity-rich resorts, the well-located Sunset Inn offers views west over the gulf.

houses and businesses in medora, north dakota

The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is slated to open July 4, 2026, in Medora, North Dakota.

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Medora, North Dakota

President Theodore Roosevelt credited the Badlands of North Dakota, where he maintained a ranch, for nurturing his interest in conservation. Now, 107 years after his death, the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library (expected admission: $26) is slated to open July 4, 2026, in tiny Medora in western North Dakota, more than 130 miles west of Bismarck, the state capital. Set on 93 acres, the striking, sustainable design pays homage to the landscape by tucking into it, with a green roof that slopes like a rise in the prairie. A nearly mile-long boardwalk rings the bluff-top grassland outside, framing views of neighboring Theodore Roosevelt National Park (admission: $30 per vehicle). Divided into three units, the park offers hiking trails, wildlife watching along a 48-mile scenic drive and the remains of the 26th president’s Elkhorn Ranch cabin. Back in Medora, visitors can cool down in the pool at AmericInn by Wyndham Medora.

the sign for new mexico's route 66 painted on a road

New Mexico offers 535 miles of Route 66 – more than any other state.

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New Mexico’s Route 66

From the “Big Shoulders” of Chicago to the shores of California, Route 66, a.k.a. “the Mother Road,” was mapped out in 1925, knitting the geographically diverse country together. In its centennial year, travel companies are hailing the revival of the road trip. While tackling the entire 2,400-mile route requires a serious time commitment, New Mexico offers 535 miles of Route 66 — more than any other state — featuring everything from scenic landscapes to roadside kitsch. In the east, Tucumcari offers classic neon signage and the 40-acre Art City, a sculpture park (admission: $11.11). In the west, Gallup hosts historic trading posts filled with Native American art. Between them, Albuquerque claims the longest urban stretch of the route, including landmarks like the 1929-vintage Lindy’s Diner and the Dog House Drive In, which opened in 1948. Spend a night at a classic motel; many have been updated, including the 1936 El Rey Court in Santa Fe.

Head to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve during the day to see the dunes or at night to experience the dark sky park.

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San Luis Valley, Colorado

Hilton’s “2026 Trends Report” coined “hushpitality” to describe the growing interest in calm, quiet places to recharge. Seekers of uncrowded, expansive, off-the-beaten-path destinations will find one in south-central Colorado’s San Luis Valley. It is a sprawling high-desert region with access to more than 500,000 acres of public land, starry skies, quaint towns and hot springs pools. Visitors are welcome after dark at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (admission: $25 per vehicle), designated an International Dark Sky Park, as well as by day to explore the tallest sand dunes in North America. Birdwatchers can spot some 20,000 migrating sandhill cranes in March and September at the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge (free admission). The valley’s towns offer unexpected delights, including the farm-to-tap Colorado Farm Brewery in Alamosa, brewing with estate-grown grains, and the Frontier Drive-Inn in Center, with accommodations as well as films at a 1955 drive-in.

fireworks set off in the background of the jefferson memorial

Expect fireworks in Washington, D.C., for America’s 250th birthday celebration on July 4, 2026.

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Washington, D.C.

America’s semiquincentennial (250th birthday) is July 4, 2026, and while colonial settlements such as Philadelphia and Yorktown, Virginia, are vying for history-loving travelers, the nation’s capital will unveil a series of restoration projects that aim to open by that date. On the National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft Museum will debut underground galleries devoted to the memorial’s role in history. Nearby, Constitution Gardens, created for the American bicentennial, will be renovated and its memorial to the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence restored. Opposite the White House, Lafayette Park will get a makeover to beautify its fountains and green spaces, and a few blocks away, the National Geographic Society will open its expanded, tech-driven National Geographic Museum of Exploration. While rates inevitably spike during holidays, the city offers several reasonably priced hotels, including Motto by Hilton Washington DC City Center or The Normandy Hotel.