2019 was a big year for us.
Not to brag, but 2019 was a good year for us. (Just kidding, we love to brag!) This year, we continued our popular Go List and No List, showcasing the top 52 destinations to visit in 2020 and the places where you may want to think twice about spending your vacation. 2019 also saw the launch of our very first Fodor’s Awards, where we gave out accolades to the best in the biz, from headphones to airline seats to influencers. We also had the second iteration of our relaunched Fodor’s Finest Hotel Awards, an eclectic selection of the world’s best accomodations, from treehouses to palaces. Plus, with the help of our readers, we won the People’s Voice Webby for Best Travel Site. But, what we’re most proud of are the stories we got to tell. The stories that warmed our hearts, made us laugh, and sometimes shocked and disgusted us. From beautiful photo essays to personal narratives and thoughtful op-eds, here are our best reads of the year. Get ready for more bragging:
RHONY, the Queen of England, Anna Delvey, a Cat Juggler, and Bowler Hat-Wearing Wrestlers: Our Favorite People of 2019
Bethenny Frankel, Your Favorite RHONY Star, Tells Us How to Have a Sexy Time in Puerto Rico
Would You Like to Work at Buckingham Palace?
What to Do If You’ve Been Scammed in This Anna Delvey Hotel Con
Bolivia’s Answer to the Female Wrestling Revolution
The Most Delightful Attraction in Key West Isn’t a Place, It’s a Person
Even in Travel, the Internet Is Made for Cute Animals
Giant Purple Squirrels Are Taking Over the Internet and We Found Them IRL
I Spent the Day With an Airport Therapy Dog and It Was Shockingly Cute
This Incredible Safari Is the Real-Life Jungle Book
Tropical Destinations to Beat the Winter Blues and Lure You to the Jungle
The Caribbean Island Where the Billionaires Go to Escape the Millionaires
The Secret Is Out–This Is America’s Coolest Tropical Island
Why Adventure Travelers Are Obsessed With This Tiny Patch of Jungle
We’re Travel Experts With Very Specific Advice
From Soccer Moms to Dads Who Wear Socks With Sandals, Here’s Where to Take Your Parents on Vacation
Recommended Fodor’s Video
How to Pack Like Your Favorite ’90s Movie and TV Icons
The Definitive List of the Best Trader Joe’s Snacks to Bring on the Plane
10 Surprising Tips to Make Flying Economy Class More Luxurious
Can Someone Please Hire Us to Design Tourist Attractions?
These Movies Should Have Their Own Theme Parks
The Serious Stuff: Opinions and Think-Pieces on the Ethics of Travel
How Native Hawaiians Are Decolonizing Tourism
Stop Asking Women Why They’re Traveling Alone
Are Village Visits the New Human Zoos?
Why Travel Boycotts Are a Step Backwards for a Forward-Thinking Society
Would You Stay in a Hotel Built By Victims of the Nazi Regime?
Here’s How New Zealand’s ‘Hobbit Law’ Is Impacting the Country
Sometimes, We Get Invited to Do Really Weird Stuff
What It’s Like to Spend the Night at Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum
The Incredible True Story of One of the Most Insane Flights in the World
I Went to the Taco Bell Hotel and It Was Certainly a Hotel With a Taco Bell in It
The (Sometimes Ugly, Sometimes Incredible) Truth About Travel
Disney Characters Spill the Tea on What Goes on Behind-the-Scenes
This Is What Working at a Haunted House Is Really Like
What It’s Really Like to Visit an Infamous Swingers Resort in Jamaica
I Wore Prohibited Swimwear to a Budapest Thermal Bath–Here’s What Happened
A Honeymoon Horror Story in Belize
Photos That Gave Us Wanderlust (Or Just Made Us Smile)
Polaroids That Prove the Madonna Inn Is the IRL Barbie Dreamhouse
This Might Be the Most Surreal Place in Australia
10 Salty Scenes From the Dead Sea
The Best Airport Looks Not Worn by Celebs
Unexpected Adventures in the Remote Corners of the World
In a Country So Many Are Afraid Of, I Found a Paradise
The Unexpected Bonus of Midnight Sun Season in Alaska
This Is the One Cruise You Should Definitely Take Before You Die
We’re Convinced This Is the Most Magical Place on Earth
Cities We’ll Always & Forever Love
One of the Most Delightful Cities on Earth Is Still Totally Off Tourists’ Radar
This Might Be the Most Colorful City in Southeast Asia
This Is the Coolest Bar in the World
Paris, Je T’Aime: A Love Letter to Notre Dame Cathedral
Chiang Rai’s Colorful Temples Are Like Art Museums
And, Finally, Our Most Popular Stories of 2019
This Is the Most Ridiculous Travel Scam We’ve Ever Seen
10 Best Luxury All-Inclusive Resorts in the Caribbean
The 8 Dirtiest Cruise Ships, According to the CDC
A Former FBI Agent Tells You How Not to Get Murdered on Vacation
This Promises to Be the Dumbest Cruise Ever