So where in the world have your friends not been to yet? With travel quickly becoming a way of life for the millennial generation, it’s hard to impress folks with your travel itineraries these days. Of course there is nothing wrong with going to places like Mexico, Italy or Thailand, but if you want to be one step ahead of everyone else, these five places should be on your radar as they will be among the top destinations of 2017.

Some of us might only know of Fort Worth because it’s attached to Dallas via their shared airport, but the smaller city, living somewhat in the shadow of Dallas, actually has a lot going on for itself, especially when it comes to family travel. Being that it’s relatively next door to Dallas, it’s worth checking out next time you are in the area and are searching for something different, and or a break from the big city. Don’t get us wrong, Fort Worth is not a tiny town by any means, and it’s transformed over the last decade, making it a go to destination for Texans and neighboring states, but now more than ever it’s ready to welcome visitors from all over, especially those coming with young ones.

During a recent trip to Chicago, travel writer David Duran stayed at the brand new LondonHouse Chicago. Here’s his take on the experience.

The floodgates have opened – ok, maybe not exactly, but that’s how many people feel after the laws for US citizens changed earlier this year, allowing for American visitors to travel more easily to the island of Cuba. The island stuck in time is now open to everyone, and with that means there will be lots of changes, right? We’ve already seen the introduction of flights from the US as well as the first cruise ship arrival to Havana. Before we know it, Cuba will be just another island in the Caribbean that most stop by during a 7-day cruise. The realities of what’s to come for the poor island nation are truly unknown, and yes, there will be changes, but now is not the time to rush to get there, here’s why…

As a travel writer, and someone who travels full time, visiting places all over the globe, a day doesn’t go by where I’m not asked, “What’s your favorite place you’ve been?” Most realize immediately, after seeing the expression on my face, that I am not going to be able to answer that question, mostly because, I’d have to break it down into categories and then sub-categories, until I was able to at least list out 10 destinations, due to the fact that I’ve enjoyed so many places during my travels, and narrowing it down to one, would be impossible. I’m also asked often to recommend places to visit, and that list can be exhausting, because again, there are too many amazing places to list off. So, what I thought might be fun would be to recommend three places that one would never expect me to recommend, and I’ll state my case for each one, starting with one so obvious that you might think my credibility is on the line, but trust me on this one, as well as the other two – I wouldn’t steer you wrong.

During a recent trip to Cincinnati, travel writer David Duran stayed at the Renaissance Cincinnati Downtown Hotel. Here’s his take on the experience.

What comes to mind when you think of Houston, Texas? What might come as a surprise is just how distinctly unique the Texas City is when compared to its fellow neighboring cities in the Lone Star state. Some might go as far as to say that Houston is a bit quirky, out of the box, or unlike the reputation that might precede it. Houston is most definitely a hustling and bustling major city, but it’s also a really fun city, something that might be unknown to those who haven’t spent much time there, so next time you are in town, spend a little time discovering some really cool things that make Houston, well…Houston.

It’s always funny how the cities we don’t know much about or talk about, end up being pretty awesome, and Cincinnati is most definitely one of those cities. What once was a city known for internal turmoil, is now a thriving city with one of the best arts and culture scenes that rivals cities across the nation. Cincinnati has spent a lot of time and money redeveloping neighborhoods, adding public transport and making sure that they are attracting small businesses that understand the new direction of the city. Cincinnati is thriving, and has so many great things to offer…and it’s time we all knew about it.