With the new year’s arrival, it’s time for destination discoveries. Perhaps some are familiar, while others are new on our radars. Either way, this is an ideal time to plan your travel adventures for the new year. The destination discoveries below deliver a unique blend of adventure, history and culture.

Catalina Island

Travelers have ventured 26 miles across the Pacific Ocean for more than a century to explore this Southern California paradise. Unique in innumerable ways, Catalina Island offers a combination of intriguing history, laid-back island life, abundant outdoor activities, an art-deco masterpiece, and bison – yes, real bison.

Hollywood’s elite also played a significant role in the Catalina Island story, especially in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. More than 500 films, commercials, documentaries, and TV shows were filmed here. The filming of “The Vanishing American,” a western based on Zane Grey’s novel, brought a herd of bison to the island’s interior. Failing to round the animals up after filming, the bison remain and have become an island icon. Book a Bison Expedition Tour to explore the island’s interior in search of these magnificent creatures.

An island highlight, take a guided tour of the Art-Deco Catalina Casino. Not your typical casino, the Catalina Casino has never seen a single slot machine or blackjack table. Instead, it’s a gathering place for movies, stage shows, and events – and it has been for nearly 100 years. Commissioned by William Wrigley, Jr., Catalina Casino opened in 1929, marking the 10-year anniversary of Wrigley’s 1919 purchase of the island.

Once serving as the hub of Avalon’s nightlife, the Catalina Casino still plays an important role in the community hosting special events, movies, and performances throughout the year. Sign up for a guided behind-the-scenes tour for an in-depth look at the architecture and entertaining stories about the Hollywood elite who frequented the casino in its golden years.

Best of Winter Ferry and Hotel Packages

Getting to Catalina Island is part of the adventure with a scenic water ride on the Catalina Express. For more than 20 years, Catalina Express and its hotel partners have offered its Best of Winter ferry and hotel packages providing savings of up to 50% on lodging as well as a $184 value on two round-trip ferry tickets. The packages run through March 14th. Check out the offerings here: https://catalinaexpress.com/explore-catalina/hotel-packages/

Edmonton, Alberta

The beauty of Alberta, Canada, is undeniable. But while you’re soaking up all the grandeur of the province’s natural wonders, be sure to make time to explore Edmonton’s intriguing history. Fort Edmonton Park boasts a brand-new Indigenous Peoples Experience. This awe-inspiring new addition to the park’s exciting offerings explores life through the diversity of First Nations. It also explores life through Métis Peoples’ histories and perspectives. The stories, music, artwork, and text in the experience come from local Indigenous perspectives and voices.

For a glimpse into the architecture of days gone by, be sure to visit the Rutherford House Provincial Historic Site. This was the home of the first Premier of Alberta, Alexander Cameron Rutherford. Today, the restored and furnished Edwardian-era home maintains the Rutherford tradition of hospitality and offers visitors a glimpse into the part with costumed interpreters, guided tours, and special events.

Delve into the history of life in Alberta at Western Canada’s largest museum. The Royal Alberta Museum houses an extensive and wide-ranging collection of artifacts to foster wonder, inquiry, and understanding about Alberta. Pull the curtain back on Alberta life and landscape in a remarkable journey from petroglyphs to prehistoric dinosaurs and from 500 generations of First Peoples to new beginnings on the windswept prairies.

Daytona Beach

Yes, Daytona Beach is just up the coast from Wellington, but if you haven’t visited recently, this Florida gem offers plenty of destination discoveries. Beyond its famous boardwalk, Daytona Beach offers a delicious culinary scene. Start the day at Dunn’s Attic for breakfast at Rosie’s Cafe. Part of the community since 2013, Dunn’s Attic is an upscale consignment store and auction house. Inside, Rosie’s Cafe offers delicious breakfast and lunch options along with $1 mimosas for guests to sip while shopping.

For a fun evening in nearby Ormond Beach head to 31 Supper Club. Enjoy the art deco atmosphere and live music while sipping a handcrafted cocktail. Then, dine on a delicious assortment of surf and turf entrees, including sea bass, New England-style crab cakes, and prime filet mignon.

Black History in Daytona Beach

Daytona Beach also serves as a treasure trove of Black history sites and stories. The list of innovative and heroic Blacks who lived and worked in this area from the late 1800s and beyond is vast. Their stories live on along the Daytona Beach Black Heritage Trail which includes 18 locations, each with an inspiring story to uncover.

Arriving in Daytona Beach for the first time in 20+ years, my discoveries began at the Riverfront Esplanade – a gathering space and botanical garden spanning one mile alongside the Halifax River, a section of the Intercoastal Waterway. My first view was that of a 13-foot-tall, 829-pound bronze statue of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune – just one of many remarkable stories of the area’s Black heritage.

Jackie Robinson’s legacy as a baseball player is unparalleled – not just for his talent but also for breaking baseball’s color barrier. The story of his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947, is widely known. But that wasn’t the first time he broke the baseball color barrier. On March 17, 1946, Robinson played second base for the Montreal Royals (a minor league affiliate of the Brooklyn Dodgers) in a spring training game at City Island Ball Park in Daytona Beach. Despite games being cancelled in nearby Florida cities because local authorities objected to his presence, residents in Daytona Beach ignored the Jim Crow-era mandates and welcomed Robinson onto the baseball field. Today, City Island Ballpark bears his name as the Jackie Robinson Ballpark.