National Geographic just dropped its Best of the World 2026 list, 25 must-visit destinations ranging from Milan’s Dolomites to Dominica’s whale reserve and even Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
That’s right. Pittsburgh!!!!
The Steel City made the cut for its museums, art scene, and downtown revitalization. And while that’s great news for Western PA, those of us on the other side of the state were left flipping through the list like: no Bethlehem? no Easton? not even Tatamy?
Sure, the Dolomites have stunning mountain views, and Dominica’s getting a whale reserve. That’s great. But have the folks who made this list ever watched Musikfest from the top of the Hill-to-Hill Bridge?
Have they ever wandered through Bacon Fest in Easton, elbow to elbow with thousands of hungry people and the smell of sizzling pork in the air?
Have they ever lined up at Yocco’s for a hot dog that’s somehow both simple and perfect?
Have they ever sat trackside at the Velodrome in Trexlertown on a Friday night?
Have they even been to The Great Allentown Fair Demolition Derby?
Have they ever driven down Freemansburg’s finally omg took forever newly paved Main Street, windows down?
Have they ever biked the Saucon Rail Trail in Hellertown on a crisp fall day and ended up in a tavern debating who makes the best wings in the Valley?
And if the National Geographic team really wants to see world-class tourism, they should try visiting Jim Thorpe in the fall if they can find a parking spot. That town’s been so good at it, you can’t even visit!
We’re not saying National Geographic got it wrong. We’re just saying maybe they’ve never walked Main Street Bethlehem in December.
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