Planning your 2026 travels? This is the year to look beyond the usual postcards and step into a world of bold, strange, beautiful, and utterly unforgettable experiences. The new travel calendar isn’t about ticking off the classics — it’s about chasing the extraordinary. Picture yourself wandering through a spellbinding art installation carved into a Parisian bridge at midnight, gazing at a total solar eclipse while dancing at a four-day festival, or zipping high above Australia’s ancient forests on a canopy ride that feels straight out of a fantasy film.
From mind-bending art installations and major cultural unveilings to rare celestial moments and thrill-seeking adventures, 2026 is shaping up to be a landmark year for travellers. Here are the top 10 coolest new things to experience across the world in 2026, distilled from Time Out’s curated list of 26 standout picks. Ready to rewrite your bucket list?
1. Walk Through a Giant Cavern Artwork in Central Paris — France
In June 2026, artist JR will transform Paris’s historic Pont Neuf into a fantasy cave. Massive rock-like structures will wrap the iconic bridge, creating an immersive, quarry-inspired tunnel you can freely walk through from June 6 to 28.
2. Celebrate a Four-Day Solar Eclipse Festival — Iceland
From August 12–15, Iceland’s Snæfellsnes Peninsula will host a mystical festival dedicated to the rare total solar eclipse. Expect music, art, tech, intimate gatherings, and—during two minutes of darkness—the experience of a lifetime.
3. Discover a New Frida Kahlo Museum — Mexico City, Mexico
A few minutes from Casa Azul, Museo Casa Kahlo—opened by Kahlo’s descendants—offers an intimate look at her personal world, showcasing her childhood belongings, letters, objects, and rotating exhibitions of Latin American artists.
4. Zipline Above Australia’s Stunning Lamington National Park — Queensland, Australia
Opening late 2025, the world-first Happitat Adventure Park brings Australia’s highest ziplines soaring 400 metres above lush rainforest. Choose a one-hour or two-hour zipline run, complete with thrilling cliff-edge views.
5. Experience Tomorrowland’s First Asian Edition — Thailand
For the first time ever, Tomorrowland brings its iconic EDM festival to Asia. Starting 2026, Thailand will host five mega editions expected to draw nearly one million festival-goers. Think huge stages, surreal visuals, and A-list DJs.
6. Ride the New “Passage to the Peaks” Route on the Rocky Mountaineer — Canada
In summer 2026, the legendary luxury train launches a limited-edition journey through Alberta and British Columbia. Expect unreal views of Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise, Calgary, and beyond on trips lasting one to nine nights.
7. Swim With Sperm Whales in the World’s First Whale Reserve — Dominica
Dominica is launching an 800 sq km sperm whale reserve, creating a sanctuary for 200 resident whales—and offering visitors a rare chance to swim alongside the world’s largest toothed predators.
8. Explore a Magic-Filled Mansion — Chicago, USA
Opening in spring 2026, The Hand & The Eye transforms the historic McCormick Mansion into a theatrical world of illusions, hidden rooms, magical parlours, and mind-bending experiences created with Broadway-level imagination.
9. Walk the Entire Coast of England on a Brand-New Trail — United Kingdom
After years in the making, the King Charles III Coastal Path finally completes in 2026. Spanning 2,674 miles, it becomes the world’s longest managed coastal trail connecting postcard beaches, dramatic cliffs, and charming towns.
10. Step Inside the Largest Skyspace Ever Built — Aarhus, Denmark
James Turrell’s most ambitious Skyspace opens June 19, 2026, featuring a 40-metre-wide dome framing the Danish sky with breathtaking light installations.
11. Join a Citywide Reading Marathon in UNESCO’s World Book Capital — Rabat, Morocco
Rabat becomes the 2026 World Book Capital, hosting massive literary celebrations, author events, workshops, and public reading marathons—plus the opening of a futuristic new theatre by Zaha Hadid.
12. Celebrate 100 Years of Route 66 — USA
The iconic Mother Road turns 100 in 2026. Expect festivals, vintage-car parades, concerts, and a celebratory rally beginning April 30 in Springfield, Missouri.
13. Explore Egypt by Boat and E-Bike Along the Nile — Egypt
A brand-new Nile tour launches February 2026, combining luxury boat stays with e-bike rides to ancient sites, pyramids, farmlands, and quiet rural landscapes away from tourist-heavy routes.
14. Time-Travel to Edo-Era Japan in an Immersive Theme Park — Kyoto, Japan
Opening March 28, Uzumasa Kyoto Village lets you step inside real Edo-period movie sets, watch live shows, enjoy tea ceremonies, and experience old Japan with cinematic flair.
15. Wander a Wild Experimental Art Park — Sydney, Australia
Until October 2026, Sydney’s Art Gallery of NSW hosts The Key’s Under The Mat, a bizarre, playful space where you can sit in saunas, run through waterfalls, swing on bars, record music—and even wash clothes.
As the world gears up for a year defined by imagination, innovation, and the pure joy of discovery, 2026 is already reshaping what it means to travel. Whether you're dreaming of stepping into an illuminated Parisian cavern, chasing a once-in-a-lifetime eclipse in Iceland, or diving into a whale sanctuary in the Caribbean, the coming year invites you to say yes to the extraordinary.
These 15 experiences are only the beginning. For the full roundup of all 26 coolest things to do around the world in 2026, explore Time Out’s complete list and start plotting your most unforgettable travel year yet.
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