Thank you to everyone who took the time to attend and vote for TravelAwaits’ Best Of Travel Awards for 2021! Our team was excited to see how passionate you were about the small towns, national parks, and outdoor activities that helped make leaving the house a little less stressful last year. As we look forward to the new adventures that await, we take the time to celebrate these great places to earn this year’s Best Of Travel crown.
National parks
Being outdoors and avoiding the crowds was the norm in 2020, and there is no better way to achieve both of these goals than enjoying one of the numerous protected areas around the world known to be experienced and enjoyed National parks. There are over 400 parcels of land in the US alone that are in some way designated as protected by the federal government. 63 of these units are given the official National Park stamp, which most are familiar with. Our readers voted for their favorites; Let us know if you are okay with the results!
Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park (Photo credit: Susanne Pommer / Shutterstock.com)
Best US National Park
Yellowstone National Park – Idaho, Montana, Wyoming
Finalists:
- Yosemite National Park – California
- Glacier National Park – Montana
Banff National Park (Photo credit: Kabindra shrestha / Shutterstock.com)
Best national park outside of the US
Banff National Park – Alberta, Canada
Finalists:
- Kruger National Park – South Africa
- Fiordland National Park – New Zealand
Chilkoot Trail in the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park (Photo credit: Milan Sommer / Shutterstock.com)
Hidden Gem National Park
Klondike Gold Rush International Historic Park – Alaska and Yukon, Canada
Finalists:
- Acadia National Park – Maine
- Apostle Islands National Lakeshore – Wisconsin
The Narrows in Zion National Park (Photo credit: Galyna Andrushko / Shutterstock.com)
Best national park hike
The narrow ones – Zion National Park – Utah
Finalists:
- Chilkoot Trail – Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park – Alaska
- Flattop Mountain Trail – Rockies National Park – Colorado
Glacier National Park near Many Glacier Campground (Photo credit: Danita Delimont / Shutterstock.com)
Best national park campsite
Many glacier campsites – Glacier National Park – Montana
Finalists:
- Juniper Family Campground – Bandelier National Monument – New Mexico
- Piñon Flats Campground – Great Sand Dunes National Park – Colorado
melissamn / Shutterstock.com
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
Old loyal inn in Yellowstone National Park (Photo credit: shahnoorhabib / Shutterstock.com)
Best national park accommodation
Old Faithful Inn – Yellowstone National Park – Idaho, Montana, Wyoming
Finalists:
- El Tovar Hotel – Grand Canyon National Park – Colorado
- The Ahwahnee – Yosemite National Park – California
Airboat tours in Everglades National Park (Image: GagliardiPhotography / Shutterstock.com)
Best unique experience in a national park
Airboat Tour – Everglades National Park – Florida
Finalists:
- Red Bus Tour – Glacier National Park – Montana
- Niche House – Bandelier National Monument – New Mexico
Town
Small towns are great places to get to know a region and our readers didn’t disappoint when they voted for their favorites. Have you been to all of these great cities? If not, carve out some time this summer; you will not regret it!
Eisenhower House in Abilene, KS (Photo credit: SPOONPHOL / Shutterstock.com)
Best US small town
Finalists:
- Skagway, Alaska
- Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Boat near Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada (Photo credit: Matthewshutter / Shutterstock.com)
Best small town outside of the US
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada
Finalists:
- Annecy, France
- Lucca, Italy
Hanging houses in Skagway, Alaska (Photo credit: Mihai Stanciu / Shutterstock.com)
Friendliest small town
Finalists:
- Lindsborg, Kansas
- La Conner, Washington
Farleys Bar and Grill in Lindsborg, Kansas (Photo credit: Stephanie L Bishop / Shutterstock.com)
Most Hallmark Movie-esque small town
Finalists:
- Warwick, New York
- Ponchatoula, Louisiana
Best little city restaurant
Park Inn – Hammondsport, New York
Finalists:
- Skagway Brewing Company – Skagway, Alaska
- Little Gretel Restaurant – Boerne, Texas
Best small town ice cream parlor
Bellvale Farms Creamery – Warwick, New York
Finalists:
- Dippity Do Dah’s homemade ice cream – Corning, New York
- Kapaw’s Ice Cream – Coupeville, Washington
Outdoor activities
Being outdoors was a common theme last year, and we hope this trend will continue for years. From beaches to gardens, ski areas to nature experiences – here are your favorites.
Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota, Florida (Photo credit: Suncoast Aerials / Shutterstock.com)
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 Sulfur Springs, West Virginia
JGA / Shutterstock.com
Best bike / hiking trail
Finger Lakes Trail Hike # 7 – Bath, New York
Finalists:
- Bayshore Bikeway – San Diego, California
- Cathedral Rock Trail – Sedona, Arizona
Deception Pass Bridge in Deception Pass State Park in Washington (Photo credit: Steve Lagreca / Shutterstock.com)
Best campsite
Deception Pass State Park – Whidbey Island, Washington
Finalists:
- Silver Strand State Beach Campground – Coronado, California
- Little River State Park – Waterbury, Vermont
Under canvas Mount Rushmore in Keystone, South Dakota (Image credit: Missy Glassmaker)
Best glamping
Under canvas Mount Rushmore – Keystone, South Dakota
Finalists:
- Serendipity: Brownsville’s Event Venue and Resort – Brownsville, Tennessee
- Saddle Mountain Ranch – Carmel by the Sea, California
Alyeska Resort near Anchorage, Alaska (Photo Credit: CSNafzger / Shutterstock.com)
Best ski area
Alyeska Resort – Girdwood, Alaska
Finalists:
- Boyne Mountain Resort – Boyne Falls, Michigan
- Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley Resort – Park City, Utah
Jillian Cain Photography / Shutterstock.com
Best botanical garden
Flamingo Gardens – Davie, Florida
Finalists:
- International Peace Garden – Boissevain, Manitoba and Dunseith, North Dakota
- Dubuque Arboretum & Botanical Gardens – Dubuque, Iowa
youngryand / Shutterstock.com
Best zoo
Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Gardens – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Finalists:
- Saint Louis Zoo – St. Louis, Missouri
- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium – Omaha, Nebraska
Andrea Izzotti / Shutterstock.com
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’s no perfect place to live yours retirement Days because everyone has a different opinion about what the perfect home would be in its golden years. The variety of locations that were voted for at this year’s awards opened our eyes. When looking for your next retirement locale, consider these Best Of Travel Award finalists.
Edmund Lowe Photography / Shutterstock.com
Best place to retire in the US
La Conner, Washington
Finalists:
- Sarasota, Florida
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Arenal Observatory Lodge
Best place to retreat outside of the US
Finalists:
Accessibility
It is important to always carefully look for the accessibility of a place before traveling, as regulations can vary from country to country (and city to city) and you don’t want any unforeseen problems that keep you from making the most of your trip to enjoy. If you’re thinking of accessibility options for your next trip, TravelAbility in Sausalito, California is a great resource. Their mission is to make travel accessible to everyone. When considering what accessibility looks like to you, keep in mind these accessible options chosen by the TravelAwaits community.
mariakray / Shutterstock.com
Best resource for accessible travel
The most easily 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
Thurgood Marshall International Airport in Baltimore / Washington (BWI)
Virtual experience
We wanted to celebrate all of the companies that have worked hard to keep connected with their followers over the past year by going virtual. Here are just a few of the great ways our readers have been able to stay connected and travel virtually over the past year.
Civil / Shutterstock.com
Best virtual cooking class
Grandma Live: Italy comes to you!
Best virtual tour
Best virtual museum tour
The Guggenheim – New York City, New York
Thank you to everyone who voted at this year’s Best Of Travel Awards! As the travel restrictions relax further in the coming months, we hope that more and more of you will be inspired to plan this trip on the bucket list or take a spontaneous road trip. Do not leave you in the dust; Journey awaits!
