It's a shiny new year, so this month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's ⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to Go list⁠⁠⁠⁠. And in 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. So our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure.

Places like Adelaide, Australia, a city within a park that punches above its weight with world-class wine, a booming food scene, and Australia's only UNESCO City of Music designation.

In this episode, producer Nikki Galteland interviews host Aislyn Greene, who traveled to Adelaide last year. Aislyn shares why she waited 10 years to visit, what makes Adelaide different from Sydney and Melbourne, and how to engage with Aboriginal history—including a new $35 million cultural center.

Plan Your Adelaide Getaway
(First, explore our ⁠Australia travel guide⁠.)

Stay

• Adelaide Marriott⁠

Eat and Drink

• ⁠Shobosho⁠, a Japanese izakaya with a custom yakitori grill


• ⁠Golden Boy⁠ for Thai food in an art-filled space


• 
  Fino Vino⁠ for a daily-changing tasting menu


• 
  Ondeen⁠ in the Adelaide Hills for fireside dining


• ⁠Salopian Inn⁠ in McLaren Vale


• 
  Lino Ramble⁠ Wines—ask for the fortified arinto

Explore

• 
  Barossa Valley⁠ for world-famous Shiraz


• 
  McLaren Vale⁠ and ⁠Adelaide Hills⁠ for boutique wineries


• 
  Small Batch Wine Tours⁠ for off-the-beaten-path tastings


• The newly expanded ⁠Adelaide Central Market⁠
  


• The Thebarton Theatre⁠, a 1928 theater reopened after an $8M renovation


• 
  Kangaroo Island⁠ for wildlife


• The ⁠Eyre Peninsula⁠ for a coastal road trip


• The ⁠Flinders Ranges⁠ for Outback landscapes

Engage With Aboriginal Culture

• ⁠Yipti Yartapuultiku⁠, the new $35.2M Aboriginal cultural center


• ⁠Bookabee Australia⁠ for the Adelaide Aboriginal Cultural Experience


• The Australian Aboriginal Cultures Gallery at the ⁠South Australian Museum⁠

Know Before You Go

• New: United flies direct from San Francisco to Adelaide
  


• Best time: Australian fall (March–May) for harvest and mild weather


• Or plan around ⁠Adelaide Fringe⁠ (Feb–March) or ⁠WOMADelaide⁠ (March)


• Very walkable; rent a car only for wine country and day trips

Resources

• Follow Aislyn on ⁠Instagram⁠


• Explore ⁠Afar's Where to Go in 2026 list⁠
  


• Follow us: ⁠@afarmedia⁠
  

Listen to All the Episodes in our Where to Go 2026 Series

E1: T⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠his Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E2: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E3: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

E4: ⁠⁠⁠Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate ⁠⁠⁠

E5: ⁠⁠Why Morocco's Chill Capital Deserves Your Attention ⁠⁠
E6: ⁠⁠Three Hours From Nashville, the South's Next Great Food Capital Is Waiting⁠⁠
E7: ⁠⁠The French Riviera's Last Stop Before Italy—and Its Best-Kept Secret ⁠⁠
E8: ⁠⁠Skip the Serengeti Traffic Jams for This Under-the-Radar Kenyan Safari ⁠⁠
E9: ⁠The Pacific Northwest's 80-Mile Playground Just Got Even Better ⁠

E10: ⁠The White Lotus Architect Designed a Hotel in This Vietnamese City—Now the World Is Noticing⁠

E11: Malaysia's Most Overlooked Island Is a Feast for Every Sense

E12: The Australian City That Punches Above Its Weight (this one!)

Stay Connected

• Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. 


• Explore our other podcasts, ⁠⁠⁠⁠View From Afar⁠⁠⁠⁠, about the people and companies shaping the future of travel, and⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

Unpacked by Afar is part of⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

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