Thank you to everyone that took the time to participate and vote in TravelAwaits‘ Best Of Travel Awards for 2021! Our team was excited to see just how passionate you were about the small towns, national parks, and outdoor activities that helped make getting out of the house slightly less arduous during the last year. As we look ahead to the new adventures that await us, let’s take the time to celebrate these great locations for earning this year’s Best Of Travel crown.
National Parks
Getting outdoors and avoiding crowds was the norm in 2020, and what better way to achieve both of those goals than to enjoy one of the numerous protected areas around the world set aside to be experienced and enjoyed known as national parks. The U.S. alone has over 400 parcels designated in some way as protected by the federal government, with 63 of those units receiving the official “National Park” stamp that most are familiar with. Our readers voted for their favorites; let us know if you agree with the results!
Best U.S National Park
Yellowstone National Park — Idaho, Montana, Wyoming
Finalists:
- Yosemite National Park — California
- Glacier National Park — Montana
Best National Park Outside Of The U.S.
Banff National Park — Alberta, Canada
Finalists:
- Kruger National Park — South Africa
- Fiordland National Park — New Zealand
Hidden Gem National Park
Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park — Alaska and Yukon, Canada
Finalists:
- Acadia National Park — Maine
- Apostle Islands National Lakeshore — Wisconsin
Best National Park Hike
The Narrows — Zion National Park — Utah
Finalists:
- Chilkoot Trail — Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park — Alaska
- Flattop Mountain Trail — Rocky Mountain National Park — Colorado
Best National Park Campground
Many Glacier Campground — Glacier National Park — Montana
Finalists:
- Juniper Family Campground — Bandelier National Monument — New Mexico
- Piñon Flats Campground — Great Sand Dunes National Park — Colorado
Best National Park Food
Huckleberry Bear Claw — Polebridge Mercantile — Glacier National Park — Montana
Finalists:
- Huckleberry Ice Cream Sandwiches — Mammoth General Store — Yellowstone National Park — Idaho, Montana, Wyoming
- The Ahwahnee — Yosemite National Park — California
- Metate Room — Mesa Verde National Park — Colorado
Best National Park Lodging
Old Faithful Inn — Yellowstone National Park — Idaho, Montana, Wyoming
Finalists:
- El Tovar Hotel — Grand Canyon National Park — Colorado
- The Ahwahnee — Yosemite National Park — California
Best Unique Experience In A National Park
Swamp Boat Tour — Everglades National Park — Florida
Finalists:
- Red Bus Tour — Glacier National Park — Montana
- Alcove House — Bandelier National Monument — New Mexico
Small Town
Small towns are great places to explore when getting to know a region, and our readers didn’t disappoint when voting for their favorites. Have you been to all of these great towns? If not, carve out some time this summer; you won’t regret it!
Best U.S. Small Town
Finalists:
- Skagway, Alaska
- Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Best Small Town Outside of the U.S.
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario — Canada
Finalists:
- Annecy, France
- Lucca, Italy
Friendliest Small Town
Finalists:
- Lindsborg, Kansas
- La Conner, Washington
STEPHANIE L BISHOP / SHUTTERSTOCK
Most Hallmark Movie-esque Small Town
Finalists:
- Warwick, New York
- Ponchatoula, Louisiana
Best Small Town Restaurant
Park Inn — Hammondsport, New York
Finalists:
- Skagway Brewing Company — Skagway, Alaska
- Little Gretel Restaurant — Boerne, Texas
Best Small Town Ice Cream Shop
Bellvale Farms Creamery — Warwick, New York
Finalists:
- Dippity Do Dahs Homemade Ice Cream — Corning, New York
- Kapaws Iskreme — Coupeville, Washington
Outdoor Activities
Getting outdoors was a common theme last year, and we hope that trend continues for years to come. From beaches to gardens, ski resorts to wildlife experiences, here are your favorites.
Best Beach
Siesta Key Beach — Siesta Key, Florida
Finalists:
- Black’s Beach — San Diego, California
- Hilton Head Island Beach — Hilton Head, South Carolina
Best Multigenerational/Family Resort
Big Cedar Lodge — Ridgedale, Missouri
Finalists:
- Walt Disney World Resort — Orlando, Florida
- The Greenbrier — White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
Best Biking/Hiking Trail
Finger Lakes Trail Hike #7 — Bath, New York
Finalists:
- Bayshore Bikeway — San Diego, California
- Cathedral Rock Trail — Sedona, Arizona
Best Campground
Deception Pass State Park – Whidbey Island, Washington
Finalists:
- Silver Strand State Beach Campground — Coronado, California
- Little River State Park — Waterbury, Vermont
Best Glamping
Under Canvas Mount Rushmore — Keystone, South Dakota
Finalists:
- Serendipity: Brownsville’s Venue and Resort — Brownsville, Tennessee
- Saddle Mountain Ranch — Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Best Ski Resort
Alyeska Resort — Girdwood, Alaska
Finalists:
- Boyne Mountain Resort — Boyne Falls, Michigan
- Park City Mountain Resort & Deer Valley Resort — Park City, Utah
Best Botanical Garden
Flamingo Gardens — Davie, Florida
Finalists:
- International Peace Garden — Boissevain, Manitoba, and Dunseith, North Dakota
- Dubuque Arboretum & Botanical Gardens — Dubuque, Iowa
Best Zoo
Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden — Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Finalists:
- Saint Louis Zoo — St. Louis, Missouri
- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium — Omaha, Nebraska
Best Wildlife Experience
Dolphin Research Center — Grassy Key, Florida
Finalists:
- Manatee Observation and Education Center — Fort Pierce, Florida
- Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery — San Simeon, California
Retirement
There is no perfect location to live out your retirement days because everyone has a different opinion about what would make the perfect home during their golden years. As such, the diversity in locations voted for in this year’s awards was eye-opening. If you are looking for your next retirement locale, consider these Best Of Travel Award finalists.
Best Place To Retire In The U.S.
La Conner, Washington
Finalists:
- Sarasota, Florida
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Arenal Observatory Lodge
Best Place To Retire Outside Of The U.S.
Finalists:
- Belize
- Italy
Accessibility
It is important to always carefully research the accessibility of a location before a trip, as regulations can vary from country to country (and city to city), and you don’t want unforeseen issues keeping you from enjoying your trip to the fullest. As you consider accessibility options for your next trip, a great resource is TravelAbility in Sausalito, California. Its mission is to make travel accessible to all. As you ponder what accessibility looks like for you, specifically, consider these accessible options as voted by the TravelAwaits community.
Best Resource For Accessible Travel
Most Accessible Beach
Myrtle Beach — Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Most Accessible Museum
The Louvre Museum — Paris, France
Most Accessible Cruise Line
Holland America Line
Most Accessible Airport
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
Virtual Experience
We wanted to celebrate all of the businesses that worked hard to stay connected to their followers over this last year by going virtual. Here are just a few of the great ways that our readers were able to stay connected and travel virtually this past year.
Best Virtual Cooking Class
Nonna Live: Italy Comes To You!
Best Virtual Guided Tour
Best Virtual Museum Tour
The Guggenheim — New York City, New York
Thank you to everyone who voted in this year’s Best Of Travel Awards! As travel restrictions continue to ease in the coming months, we hope that more and more of you will be inspired to schedule that bucket-list excursion or set out on an impromptu road trip. Don’t get left in the dust; travel awaits!