The Best Places to Go in North America and the Caribbean in 2026
Arkansas
Go for: a world-class mountain biking destination; new hiking trails flanking the Mississippi River
Fittingly nicknamed the Natural State, Arkansas is rich in outdoor landmarks that include the bubbling thermal waters at Hot Springs National Park and teeming forest ecosystems across Ozark National Forest and the Ouachita Mountains. In 2026, two new chairlift-served mountain cycling parks will cement the state as the country’s cycling epicenter and broaden its reputation as a gateway for outdoor recreation. In the Ouachita Mountains, the Trails at Mena project, which breaks ground in 2026, will become the largest lift-served mountain bike park in the world when it opens, featuring 100 miles of exhilarating trails built for all levels, including mountain bikers and backcountry users. In northwestern Bella Vista, OZ Trails Bike Park will be the state’s first chairlift-served downhill mountain biking park when it opens in mid-2026, which will will offer a state-of-the-art Poma-Leitner high-speed chairlift system that can carry four passengers and their bikes; more than 20 miles of downhill biking trails across 200 acres; dedicated paths for hiking and running; and a buzzing central hub with restaurants, bars, and communal gathering spaces. Set against pin-drop-silent remote flatlands and forests buoyed by swamp and marsh wetlands, new segments of the Delta Heritage Trail next spring will round out 84.5 miles of hiking and biking trails flanked by the Mississippi River. When you’re ready to head indoors, find your way to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, where there are two new galleries showcasing five centuries of American art across 114,000 square feet of new space, broadening the cultural appeal of a city already well-loved for its biking opportunities. Just steps away from the museum—and a stone’s throw away from the forest trails that beckon adventure travelers—visitors can check into The Compton, a newly opened 142-room boutique property that celebrates the region's great outdoors with a sculptural bluff in the central atrium inspired by the natural cliffs of Buffalo National River. —Kristin Braswell
