This breathtaking experience tops America’s 2026 bucket list

When people plan a trip to Copenhagen, they usually fill their itinerary with colorful harbor views, Michelin-starred restaurants, and endless bike rides through the city. What they often don’t plan for is slowing down.

That’s where Rox Resort comes in.

A highlight of my last trip to Japan was sampling the country’s remarkably diverse styles of lodging. The first week found me in rustic ryokan, sleeping on tatami mats, slipping into a yukata, and soaking in geothermal baths beneath the stars. Later, in Nara, I stayed in a lovingly restored machiya, a 19th-century merchant townhouse converted into a boutique inn.

In Tokyo, I checked into Imperial Hotel Tokyo, Japan’s iconic Western-style grand dame. Nicknamed the Jewel of the Orient, it has welcomed foreign dignitaries, captains of industry, and Hollywood stars since 1890. It’s Japan’s answer to New York City’s Plaza Hotel—a venerated institution synonymous with opulence, impeccable service, and timeless elegance.

Pickleball might seem like a new concept to some, but in reality it’s been around for the better part of a decade. From the outset, telling anyone you enjoy playing pickleball risked some ridicule or chuckles. Pickleball had the same reputation as, say, someone who enjoys hitting the park for a little hacky sack.

But the joke’s on the jokesters. Pickleball’s gained significant steam in just the last few years. In fact, pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in America. Can’t tell? Hit up your trendiest neighborhood bars. You’ll likely find a bar that now features a pickleball court or two. They’re springing up everywhere in Austin, TX, where I own a home. Hospitality groups are now jumping on the trend, combining people’s love for travel and pickleball.