Time Out releases list of the 26 Best New Things to Do in the World in 2026

From sleepovers in sculpture parks, major milestones for world-famous highways and e-bike tours of ancient lands – 2026 will offer lots of exciting things to do

Time Out – the global brand that inspires and enables people to experience the best of the city – today releases its annual list of the best things to do for the next year, packed with everything from long-standing bucket list and off-the-beaten-track experiences to brand-new festivals, cutting-edge culture and exciting travel highlights.

Handpicked by Time Out’s global network of local editors and travel experts, the selection features something for everyone in 2026, from sleeping over in an open-air museum to journeying through ancient landscapes on e-bikes, zip-lining over glorious wildlife reserves and partying through a solar eclipse.

Liv Kelly, Time Out Travel Writer said: “Ticking off those long-standing bucket list destinations should play a role in your 2026 holiday plans, but Time Out’s definitive calendar of debut festivals, brand-new adventure experiences, stunning gallery spaces and major landmark anniversaries offers fresh new inspiration for travellers in 2026.”

Time Out’s list of the 26 best new things to do in the world in 2026 – more details can be found here:

 

1. Walk through a cavernous artwork in the centre of Paris (France)
2. Worship the celestial at a four-day solar eclipse party (Iceland)
3. See a new side of Frida Kahlo (Mexico City)
4. Zipline over one of Australia’s most glorious national parks (Australia)
5. Party like it’s 2026 at the first Tomorrowland festival in Asia (Thailand)
6. Trundle through the Canadian Rockies on what’s been dubbed ‘the world’s best train’ (Canada)
7. Take a dip with the world’s largest toothed predators (Dominica)
8. Visit a living, breathing magic house (Chicago)
9. Loop the English coast on this long-awaited walking trail (England)
10. Study the sky at the world’s ‘largest and most ambitious’ Skyspace installation (Aarhus)
11. Race in a reading marathon in Unesco’s World Book Capital for 2026 (Rabat)
12. Get out on the 100-year-old open road (USA)
13. Traverse the world’s longest river by boat trip and e-bike (Egypt)
14. Step into the world of Edo-era Kyoto (Japan)
15. Climb, play and do your laundry in an art gallery (Sydney)
16. Dance to old-school and new-wave R&B at this stunning new festival (Cape Town)
17. Unearth brand-new cultural and archaeological hubs at two working train stations (Istanbul)
18. Catch ’em all at the world’s first permanent Pokémon theme park (Tokyo)
19. Sleep over in a sculpture park (Brazil)
20. Discover the power of visual storytelling at this futuristic museum (Los Angeles)
21. Hike South Korea’s first coast-to-coast trail (South Korea)
22. Explore two new mega-museums in Abu Dhabi (UAE)
23. Lose yourself in the largest dedication to immersive art in Europe (Germany)
24. Eat, drink and dance at this shiny new queer spot (Stockholm)
25. Zoom around in an air taxi (Dubai)
26. Grab a plate at one of two new Time Out Markets (Vancouver and Abu Dhabi)

TERMS OF USE:

Use of this story is granted solely for use with a reference to Time Out and link to the article: https://www.timeout.com/travel/best-things-to-do-in-the-world-2026

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Notes to Editors

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About Time Out 

Time Out Group is a global media and hospitality brand that inspires and enables people to experience the best of the city through Time Out Media and Time Out Market. Time Out launched in London in 1968 to help people discover the exciting new urban cultures that had started up all over the city – today it is the only global brand dedicated to city life. Expert journalists curate and create content about the best things to do, see and eat across over 350 cities in over 50 countries, and across a unique multi-platform model spanning both digital and physical channels. Rooted in the Time Out brand, Time Out Market is the world's first editorially curated food and cultural market, bringing a city's best chefs, restaurateurs and cultural experiences together under one roof. The portfolio includes 13 Markets in cities such as Lisbon, New York and Dubai, and several new locations with expected opening dates in 2026 and beyond, in addition to a pipeline of further locations in advanced discussions. Time Out Group PLC, listed on AIM (AIM: TMO), is headquartered in the United Kingdom. Learn more at www.timeout.com and LinkedIn.