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The New York Times lists Philly as the top travel destination for 2026

While noting that there will be no shortage of celebrations for the Semiquincentennial, as the national milestone is known, Philly landed the top spot on the paper’s “52 Places to Go” list for 2026.

First lady Abigail Adams, portrayed by Johanna Dunphy, introduces city, historical, and cultural leaders to start a news conference in April 2025 at the National Constitution Center announcing 52 Weeks of Firsts as part of Philly's Semiquincentennial festivities.
First lady Abigail Adams, portrayed by Johanna Dunphy, introduces city, historical, and cultural leaders to start a news conference in April 2025 at the National Constitution Center announcing 52 Weeks of Firsts as part of Philly's Semiquincentennial festivities. Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer

With the nation’s 250th birthday fast approaching, the New York Times named Philadelphia as the number one travel destination in the world for 2026.

While noting that there will be no shortage of celebrations for the Semiquincentennial, as the national milestone is known, Philly landed the top spot on the paper’s annual “52 Places to Go” list published each January. Because where else would you want to be this year than the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence?

“Celebrate the Semiquincentennial with fireworks and themed balls,” the paper wrote, before mentioning just a few of the slew of major events Philly has planned for America’s yearlong birthday bash, including a Red, White & Blue To-Do Pomp & Parade, two new galleries at the National Constitution Center, a grand exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and a World Cup match on Independence Day.

That’s not to mention other big-ticket events coming our way in 2026, like the MLB All-Star Game, a pumped Fourth of July concert with soon-to-be-announced special guests, and TED Democracy talks, plus a host of neighborhood programming.

With its unmatched Revolutionary bona fides, Philly edged out global travel destinations for the top spot. Like Warsaw, with its gleaming new Museum of Modern Art, and a greener-than-ever Bangkok. Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula and India’s Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve rounded out the paper’s top global spots worth visiting in 2026.

Compiled yearly by Times editors and reporters, the exhaustive list noted that other original colonies — Massachusetts, Virginia, New York, and New Jersey — will also have stacked Semiquincentennial calendars.

Whatever.