Alison Stewart: This is All Of It. I'm Alison Stewart, live from the WNYC studios in Soho. Thank you for spending part of your day with us. I'm really grateful that you're here. On today's show, laughter, it can make things better. Writer and podcast host Chris Duffy wanted to know why. He joins us to talk about his new book, Humor Me: How Laughing Can Make You Present, Creative, Connected, and Happy. Musician Annie DiRusso's debut album is titled Super Pedestrian, but the sound is anything but. She joins us for a live performance. It's happening in Studio 5.

We'll mark the one-year anniversary of the devastating fire in Southern California with Altadena resident Ondi Timoner, the director of a documentary called All the Walls Came Down. She'll be joined by neighborhood activist and Heavenly Hues. That's our plan. Let's get this started with some travel ideas.

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Alison Stewart: Thinking about travel is a lot easier than actually doing it. Let's start with something simple. Recently, Condé Nast Traveler published a list called The Best Places to Go in the US in 2026 for Retro Road Trips, Outdoorsy Getaways, and Citywide Revivals. In honor of America's 250th birthday, Condé Nast is looking at the best places to visit right here in the States. Think Indianapolis, Indiana, Portland, Oregon, Charleston, South Carolina. We're joined by Condé Nast Traveler's associate director of articles, Megan Spurrell. I said your last name right?

Megan Spurrell: You did.

Alison Stewart: Love it. Hi, Megan, it's nice talking to you.

Megan Spurrell: Hi, thanks for having me.

Alison Stewart: Listeners, we want to hear from you. What are your travel plans for 2026? Where do you want to go this year? Are you still deciding? What places in this country are at the top of your lists and why? Tell us what you want to do when you get there. Are you going to take a road trip, taking the train, or flying? Give us a call. 212-433-9692, 212-433-WNYC. You can also call if you're looking for recommendations. Megan Spurrell is here to be our guide today. 212-433-9692, 212-433-WNYC. You have 50 states to pick from. What was your criteria for the list?

Megan Spurrell: Ahead of every year, we do a list of the best places to go, and we do look at the world. We do every region, but we always make time for a US list. This year with the 250th, there were so many different places to choose from. I think there's a couple of things. One is looking at places that have news, whether it's new things opening, museums being renovated, airport upgrades, whatever. Also, we want the final list to have a mix of places for different types of travelers. Some outdoorsy stuff, some cultural hotspots. We always want a mix of city and wild open spaces.

This year, we really did land on quite a mix. With the 250th celebration, we were thinking, "What stories do we want to focus on in this year? What history do we want to learn? What history do we want to relearn, and how do people want to experience this country at a time like this?" We have lots of thoughts.

Alison Stewart: In this time, we're thinking about America's 250th anniversary. Your article pointed out this great line. It said, "America probably looks a bit different right now from what our forefathers could have predicted." What kind of landscapes and attractions that this nation has that we can offer to our listeners that they might not think about every day?

Megan Spurrell: I think whenever we share a list like this, people do expect to see a lot of the classics. They expect to see New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Hawaii. I always like surprising people with what we choose, but especially this year. We talked about Arkansas, we talked about Buffalo, we talked about Route 66, and we can dive into all of these, but I think there are beautiful natural spaces that have been really well preserved by our amazing park system.

I think that's exciting because you can look at landscapes, mountains, and valleys that look the same way they did 250 years ago, which is unbelievable. You can also go to cities that have evolved so much during that time, that have stories of renovation and revitalization. I think it really is just which parts of America's history are interesting you. Is it more human history? Is it landscape? Is it cities? Then choosing how you want to spend that time.

Alison Stewart: Listeners, we want to hear your Travel plans for 2026. Where do you plan on going this year? Are you still deciding where to go? What places in the United States are at the top of your lists, and why? Is it a solo trip, a getaway with close friends, a family trip? Tell us what activities you plan to do once you get there. Our Phone number is 212-433-9692, 212-433-WNYC. We're going to talk about Route 66. This is such a great idea. Why did you decide to include Route 66?

Megan Spurrell: I love a road trip. Some people are love or hate on it, but I think just to be able to take advantage of the massive size of this country is a pretty spectacular thing. Road trips are a great way to do it. I actually was just in a Lyft on Sunday night and my driver was telling me about-- Out of nowhere started telling me about this drive he did on Route 66 a decade ago after a divorce. He was just talking about realizing all the nooks and crannies of this country.

Random roadside motels that have the classic neon signs out front, but a lot of those have been revitalized and remade. Again, as we look at history and think about the stories we want to tell and spotlight now, it's an interesting time. Along Route 66, it's not one road anymore. It's broken up. If you want to do it, there's apps, and we have links to them on sandtraveler.com that you can use to stitch it together, but you're really connecting different sections of the old road and new roads.

There are going to be events all along it throughout the year. 250th celebrations will start April 30th. In Missouri, in April, there's going to be a Route 66 Centennial National Kickoff happening. In May, Tulsa is going to do a World Record attempt for the largest ever classic car parade.

Alison Stewart: That's going to be great.

Megan Spurrell: Which I'm sure is going to have a lot of characters and a lot of fun cars. Amarillo, Texas is going to do a 10-day-long Texas Route 66 festival in June. There's going to be a lot happening besides the usual incredible, quirky museums and sights to see.

Alison Stewart: I Understand there are 25 tribal nations that lived along that route, right?

Megan Spurrell: Yes. I think when we talk about how do we want to tell the story differently of this country than we might have 10 years ago, 50 years ago, 100 years ago, this is a great example. There are some amazing indigenous-run institutions along this route. There's the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, which is operated by the 19 Pueblos in New Mexico. It'll have its 50th year happening this year. There's going to be a lot going on. In Oklahoma City, there's also a First Nations museum that tells the stories of Oklahoma's 39 nations. I just think to look at the people who have actually been here the longest and their stories, those are a couple of great places to start.

Alison Stewart: Let's talk logistics for a second.

Megan Spurrell: Oh, yes.

Alison Stewart: Where do you start when you're talking about Route 66, especially now that it's not one contiguous line? How do you start? What piece of it do you decide that you want to take part in?

Megan Spurrell: I think it depends on where you are in the country and how much time you have. You could spend a month enjoying this route, and there also are alternate ways across the country. You could do part of Route 66, and then maybe you want to go somewhere that's not along it and you veer off. Technically, it starts in Chicago, which is also one of our best places to visit in the US in 2026, and it ends in LA. I'm from LA, and I always remember being on the Santa Monica Pier, and there's some big sign that says, "The end of Route 66."

I don't know if that's actually the end or if it's maybe [unintelligible 00:08:12]. It's also somewhere more downtown, but basically, you're going from Chicago down and then swinging west through the south.

Alison Stewart: We got a text here, "Just spent five nights in Key Largo. Loved it and will return." That's Jeanette who texted in. This says, "I'm trying to decide where to go with my mom for vacation this year. We're big museum fans, art and natural history, and would love to go somewhere unexpected. Any ideas?"

Megan Spurrell: Absolutely. Speaking of unexpected, I'm really excited about-- This is really an outdoorsy destination, but we've been talking about Arkansas because there's a lot of new bike trails being opened throughout the state, but there's also the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville. I think Bentonville just seems super interesting to me when you think of a smaller city, small town, that has a lot of culture, and they have two new galleries showcasing five centuries of American art across over 100,000 square feet of space.

I think if you want to have somewhere with maybe a different pace than New York City, but a lot going on and beautiful landscapes around, I would head to Arkansas, head to Bentonville.

Alison Stewart: You can also check out the natural part of the States. That's huge hiking in Arkansas.

Megan Spurrell: Exactly. I feel like that's an all-year destination. If you go in spring, you're going to get wildflowers. Summer, obviously, everyone loves the Ozarks in different parts of the state during that time. Fall, you're going to get the foliage. Then one other spot I might talk about is Portland, Oregon, for culture.

Alison Stewart: Oh, sure. Let's talk about Portland. Love Portland. Put a bird on it.

Megan Spurrell: Put a bird on it. It's funny, we actually talked about how Portland, it had its big moment with Portlandia, and everyone thought of it as this very specific hipster city. Then, over the past few years, I think it's just gotten a little thornier by some accounts, but there's so much to love in Portland. The Portland Art Museum, which is the oldest art museum in the Pacific Northwest, just completed a massive expansion. I think we're also talking about an added 100,000 square feet of exhibits and also a lot of indigenous culture and history showcase. I think that would be another great city to go to.

Alison Stewart: Portland also has a very walkable downtown.

Megan Spurrell: Yes. I think it's known for its food, and just speaking of accessible, walkable, they're opening this year the James Beard-- This indoor-outdoor food complex, which is very highly anticipated. Again, you could spend your time running around the city going to so many of these great restaurants, bars, but you can also just plop yourself into that spot and try a ton of amazing food from the city's producers.

Alison Stewart: Let's talk to our listener. Sergio on Line 2 is calling in from Clifton, New Jersey. Hi, Sergio. Thanks for taking the time to call All Of It.

Sergio: Hi, how are you? It's a pleasure to speak to you.

Alison Stewart: Great. I'm doing well. Where are you going?

Sergio: We are going to Baltimore, Maryland. We're going to do a family trip, my wife and three kids, and we're going to celebrate my son's birthday. He's really big into aquariums and sharks. We're going to go to the National Aquarium, and there's a nice children's museum over there.

Alison Stewart: That sounds like a great trip for your family. Have a good time. We are talking about the best places to go in the US in 2026. We're discussing some budget-friendly options. Maybe not so much budget-friendly options. It's your choice. There's a lot of things to discuss. Our guest is Condé Nast Traveler's associate director of articles, Megan Spurrell. Listeners, we want to hear your travel plans for 2026. Where are you going in the United States and why?

Our phone number is 212-433-9692, 212-433-WNYC. I did want to ask one more logistics question. What's important to consider when you take a road trip versus flying to a place?

Megan Spurrell: So much. Where do we begin? I think you're going to want to plan out your days. When I've done road trips, and I did a cross-country road trip a couple of years ago, which was amazing, I use Google Maps to just really plot out each day, figure out how long it was going to take to drive from one place to another. Always add a couple of hours. It will take you a lot longer to stop and get gas, and have a great meal. You see Buffalo on the side of the road, and you want to pull over. All that takes time.

I think add a lot of buffer time. Don't do a ton of long days back to back. Really think about your itinerary, but also pack the stuff that's going to make you comfortable when you're sitting in the car. Have your playlist downloaded, have all your chargers, get some good snacks. It's always fun to stop, but also there will be some times where you're tired, and you just want to get where you're sleeping that night, and you want to have what you need to do so.

Alison Stewart: One time, I drove across South Dakota, and it was a great trip. We ended at Mount Rushmore.

Megan Spurrell: Wow.

Alison Stewart: It was a good, good trip. Corn Palace, all of it.

Megan Spurrell: Oh my. The Corn Palace. I also think over in that part of the country, there's Wall Drug. I've always wanted to pull over there and just go through all the aisles.

Alison Stewart: Oh, we did all the stuff.

Megan Spurrell: All of it.

Alison Stewart: All the South Dakota stuff. It was really, really fun. It was a really good road trip.

Megan Spurrell: That's so fun.

Alison Stewart: Let's talk to Carol. She's calling from Rockaway. Hi, Carol, thanks for calling All Of It.

Carol: Hi. We just got back-- Can you hear me?

Alison Stewart: Yes, I hear you great.

Carol: Okay, good. We just got back from a partial road trip. We flew to Arizona and drove all around the area around Sedona and we went to a great city there called Jerome, which is just amazing, a cool find. You were talking about Portland, and we flew then from Arizona to Portland because that's where my son lives. We love Portland, and it's not a dangerous city. It's very, very walkable and very safe. We went to the museum, and we've been to the museum many times, but it is amazing.

The Mark Rothko is just incredible. I really recommend that people fly out to, or drive, depending on which way they're going. The food is amazing. Everything is amazing about Portland, so I highly recommend it.

Alison Stewart: Carol gave good recommendations. Portland and Jerome is another great place.

Megan Spurrell: I wrote Jerome down. I was like, "That sounds great."

Alison Stewart: Oh, it's a pretty great place. This says, "I'll be going to Madeline Island, the largest of the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior. Lovely and quaint. My wish list, Yellowstone National Park for the out-of-the-world prehistoric experience, and Banff mountain views, and the turquoise lakes." Thank you. Thank you for texting in as well. This says, "San Juan Islands. Amazing views for not a lot of hiking." That's a good tip. "Whale watching, lovely local commerce."

Megan Spurrell: You can see orcas up there. It's gorgeous.

Alison Stewart: Let's talk about the East Coast. Let's talk about a road trip from New York. You suggest Boston. Everybody thinks about Boston, like, "Oh, 250th anniversary," but Boston's going to have a really big year this year. What's happening in Boston?

Megan Spurrell: Boston is going to have a big year, which already the first thing I think as working on travel magazine is you've got to plan soon. In addition to the 250th anniversary, which is going to bring a ton of different events, there's the return of Sail Boston in July, when historic ships from around the world will all arrive, and you can actually walk on and see them, but there's also going to be the World Cup this summer, and that is going to be a big one. Boston is one of the host cities.

Again, the World Cup this year is going to be different because it's going to be spread throughout North America. Host cities in Canada, US, and Mexico, the bulk of them are in the US. Boston's one of them. I think it's going to be exciting. I think also for people on the East Coast, we're going to have the flexibility of-- I love watching soccer, so I'm definitely wanting to go. If you don't get a ticket here for the games in Jersey, you have the chance to drive to Boston. That's really nice, but it's going to be busy.

I think for such a historic city, Boston's really been evolving recently. The food scene--

Alison Stewart: It's amazing.

Megan Spurrell: It's really special. I think Boston also has its love or hate it fans. I think it's really evolving into a place that has a lot for a lot of different types of people. I think that's going to be exciting to see this year.

Alison Stewart: We're talking to Condé Nast's Megan Spurrell. We're looking at the best places to go in the US in 2026. We want to hear where you want to go. What's on your bucket list? Our number is 212-433-9692, 212-433-WNYC. After the break, Megan is going to make the case for Buffalo.

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Alison Stewart: You're listening to All Of It on WNYC. I'm Alison Stewart. Joining me in studio is Megan Spurrell. She's from Condé Nast Traveler. She's associate director of articles. We're talking about the best places to go in the US in 2026. I shared with you during the break, I've been to all 50 states. I'm starting again. I'm thinking like, "Where haven't I been? What other parts of the United States haven't I been to?" I haven't spent a lot of time in Oakland. That's one of the places I want to go. I want to go to Detroit and spend some time there. Off the top of your head, where would you suggest I go?

Megan Spurrell: I did use to live in Oakland, so I can definitely vouch for it. San Francisco is one of our best places to go this year because I talk about again, revitalization, newness. I love both the cities you mentioned. I think I'm ready to make the case for Buffalo.

Alison Stewart: Make a case for Buffalo. Buffalo is right near Toronto, a different country. Make a case for Buffalo.

Megan Spurrell: I think Toronto is great. If you're going to get in the car, keep going as well. The hear-me-out on Buffalo is, I know everyone thinks of it as a gateway to Niagara Falls. Obviously, Buffalo's Bill fans are going to be heading up there. I love a Buffalo wing. I think for most people, that's where the associations end if you haven't spent time there, but there is a huge concentration of amazing architecture. It's also home to Frank Lloyd Wright's Graycliff, which has a new visitor center coming in the summer.

There is the Lipsey Architecture Center, where you can learn about this legacy. It's moving to the Richard Olmsted campus. The Olmsted brothers designed Central Park, the town that I'm from in greater Los Angeles. Really prolific. I don't think people realize you can go nerd out on American architecture in Buffalo, but you can. There's also a lot of restoration to the outdoor spaces coming. Huge openings on the Buffalo waterfront with hiking trails.

Alison Stewart: Oh, that's nice.

Megan Spurrell: Kayak and bike rental.

Alison Stewart: I like to do both of those.

Megan Spurrell: Go when it's warmer for that. There's going to be a public beach, and there's also the start of the rollout of this 100-acre Ralph C Wilson Jr Park in 2026, which will also have a bridge linking the west side to the waterfront. A little more walkable, if we can believe it.

Alison Stewart: You made a case for Buffalo. I'm proud of you. Let's talk to Lee from Greenwich. Hey, Lee, thanks for calling All Of It.

Lee: Hi, how are you?

Alison Stewart: Doing okay.

Lee: My third grader is studying national parks this year at school. We decided we want to take advantage of next month for a little winter getaway for a long weekend. We're headed to Nashville, and we want to use that as a home base because a little touch of the south, some great southern food, but then also not far away, about an hour, I think an hour and a half is Mammoth Caves in Kentucky. We'll get two new states in for her. The cave is open year-round, too. It's the longest cave system, I think, known in the United States. Hoping to get to visit that, Smoky Mountains and see what the food scene in Nashville looks like.

Alison Stewart: Sounds good. Have a great trip. Let's talk to Abby, calling from South Orange. Hi, Abby, you're on the air.

Abby: Hi. I would like to recommend St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. It's so beautiful. Beautiful beaches, great shopping, and just really good weather all year round.

Alison Stewart: Abby, thanks for the tip. Mihang is calling from Princeton. Hi, thanks for calling All Of It. You're on the air.

Mihang: Hi, thank you very much for picking up on my call. My son and I just finished a 10-day road trip starting from Princeton. We went down to DC, visit our family over there, and then we headed to Charlotte, North Carolina, to visit a friend couple over there. Then we went further down to Nashville. We spent three days doing all the things we're supposed to do, soaking the vibes, et cetera, and get together with our friends again. Then we headed toward to Charleston. We stay over there three Nights, it was an amazing city. It's beautiful, rich with history.

After that, we drove back to DC, stayed with another friend, and then back to Princeton. On the way down, we visit Thomas Jefferson's estate at Monticello. On the way back, we visit George Washington's Mount Vernon. We thought that's a trip we want to take, especially at this time, 250 years anniversary, which is very meaningful, especially if the founding fathers. It's amazing.

Alison Stewart: That's sounds like a great trip.

Megan Spurrell: You hit so many spots on that. I'm amazed.

Alison Stewart: You spoke to me about Catalina Island. This was a place where you grew up, you saw, and you was like, "Oh, that's Catalina Island." Tell me why you think about Catalina Island differently now.

Megan Spurrell: I've always known it's beautiful, and you see it across the glittering Pacific from the south part of Los Angeles County. I've never doubted that it's a beautiful place, but I think I went on Girl Scout trips growing up, and people do family trips. I think, being further from it, this year, Catalina is celebrating its 100th anniversary as a resort destination. I think just reading about it, as someone sitting in New York now, I'm like, "This is a haven." There's ferries from Long Beach, San Pedro, and Dana Point all out between Los Angeles and San Diego.

There's a faster ferry and a longer ferry, but either way, it's just a matter of hours. When you get there, it can look Caribbean. There is beautiful water, incredible wildlife. I think 88% of the island is protected. There are endemic species like the Catalina Island fox. You can go snorkeling and see sea lions and bright orange garibaldi fish. You can go kayaking as well. There's a trail 38.5 miles that goes across it, which I just was thinking, "Why am I not hiking that with my mom, who's a huge hiker?" It's this little oasis right off the coast of Southern California that I think this anniversary is making me think about differently.

Alison Stewart: This text says, "People neglect the plain states, but I did a national park trip through North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana, Badlands, Mount Rushmore, Needle Highway, Grand Teton, and Yellowstone. These are lovely states." Let's talk to Jonathan from Bayonne, New Jersey. Hi, Jonathan. Thanks for calling All Of It.

Jonathan: Hi. What a nice topic. I was telling your screener, I don't plug my hometown very often, but something that's-- People are into the Roaring Twenties, Gatsby era. I grew up in this little town called Auburn, Indiana, which is very much like a Main Street USA. On Labor Day weekend, they have what's called the ACD Festival, which means Auburn, Cords, and Duesenbergs. This was the headquarters of the Auburn Automobile Company, which produced these classic cars. When I was a kid, they used to actually have the world's largest classic car auction.

They no longer really have the car auction. However, the town goes very, very much Gatsby era out, I guess you could say. Sometimes you get celebrities come in. Leno, a few others have been there in the past, and they showcase all these old Duesenbergs, which are million-dollar cars from this era. It's something pretty cool to see on Labor Day weekends.

Alison Stewart: That sounds like a great trip. Thanks, Jonathan. Rebecca is calling in from Manhattan. Hi, Rebecca, thanks for calling All Of It. You're on the air.

Rebecca: Hey. I love this topic so much because I've driven cross-country with my family 13 times.

Alison Stewart: Wow.

Megan Spurrell: We have hit every state in the union, because that was our goal. Our last state was North Dakota. Shout out to North Dakota, and its absolute beauty. You were talking about planning your trips because we always took a different route. We took I10, we took I40, we took I80, we took I90 just to see different parts of the country. Went up to Canada one time and then dropped down by the Great Lakes. We would always try to get off the interstate because it only adds maybe an hour to your day of travel.

We'd get up early, travel all day, hit the hotel, but we would always find something really great off the beaten path, especially in the middle states, the flyover states. I have to just say that we have loved learning about this country and the beauty of this country. Even in Oklahoma, flat, nothing Oklahoma, there's something so beautiful about the flatness and the expanse of it all, the clouds in Montana. We've been to a dozen or more national parks. What an absolutely beautiful country we have. People that don't travel our country are really missing out because it's really a spectacular place.

Alison Stewart: Thanks for the call. Kathy from Westport. Hi, Kathy. You want to put a pitch in for Vermont?

Kathy: Yes. There's a place that we love in Vermont. It's spectacular. I don't know that many people from the mid-Atlantic or New England states know about it, but Shelburne is just spectacular. I think it's one of the most beautiful places in the world. It sits on Lake Champlain. There's a beautiful old inn that's been restored, Vanderbilt Mansion, 501C3 with a farm. It's spectacular. I'm surprised at how few people from the Northeast have been there. That's my pitch. One of my favorite places in the world.

Alison Stewart: Thank you for that pitch. I saw you writing that down.

Megan Spurrell: Sounds gorgeous.

Alison Stewart: Let's talk to Aaron from Richmond Hill because he has a question. Hi, Aaron. You're on with Megan Spurrell from Condé Nast.

Aaron: Hey there. Thank you so much for having me. I love this topic, and so many of the people have had great advice. I totally second getting off the interstate if you're going cross-country, but I need advice. Every year for my birthday, I have a rule that I have to go somewhere I've never been before. It's not just about the technicality. There are blocks in the Bronx I haven't been to, but the idea is to go somewhere I am bewildered, surprised, confused. I have been all over this country.

Oh, I should mention my birthday is at the end of January, start of February. Don't want to say on the air when my birthday is, but I'm looking for advice. I'm planning at the last second this year. Give me somewhere that's just going to startle me and confuse me.

Alison Stewart: What do you think?

Aaron: How's that for a description?

Megan Spurrell: I love this prompt. I wish I got questions like this more at work. I'm going to go off the list. If I wanted to just be bewildered, I would do a journey of ghost towns. I think the ghost towns in the Southwest, or also in Nevada, are just some of the weirdest places. Some are completely abandoned, but other ones, they have reenactments at noon. I don't know if you've already done something like that, but I think I would go somewhere warm and dry, deserty, and I would sit in a saloon and have a sarsaparilla. That is something I did as a kid, and I loved it.

Alison Stewart: Megan Spurrell is from Condé Nast Traveler. They have put out the best places to go in the US in 2026. Thank you so much for coming in and joining us. That was a lot of fun.

Megan Spurrell: It was so fun. Thanks for having me.

Alison Stewart: For our listeners, don't forget, in a few days, we'll have transcripts of this conversation so you can figure out all the places you'll want to go.