Published March 18, 2026 09:29AM
Outside’s 2026 Travel Awards
Outside’s 2026 Travel Awards feature 25 trailblazers, places to stay, and travel companies that are rewriting the rules of adventure. From the best adventure basecamps and hotels to the coolest new trail initiatives, we’re celebrating the pioneers making travel in the outdoors more inclusive, innovative, sustainable, and wild.
America’s Best Hotels
From Route 66 to Maine, these base camps redefine American adventure.
Reset Hotel
Tap into Mojave magic at Joshua Tree’s newest build.
Postcard Cabins Shenandoah North
Marriott’s Outdoor Collection expands to Virginia.
Ensconced in the dense hardwoods of the Shenandoah Valley, these modernist timber cabins are designed entirely around a massive, wall-sized window, turning the forest into a 24-hour cinema where the plot is determined solely by the weather and the wildlife. Think of them as Thoreau with thread counts. You get the primal satisfaction of a wood-burning stove and a fire pit, but you also get a queen bed that feels like a cloud and a kitchenette that actually works. You come here to trade the minibar for a s’mores kit and room service for the crackle of hickory logs. If Virginia isn’t your local trail, the collection has quietly expanded to other high-value nature coordinates—including Big Bear, the Eastern Catskills, and the mossy fringes of Skagit Valley near Seattle—proving that sometimes, corporate innovation is simply knowing when to get out of nature’s way. —Kevin Sintumuang
Cataloochee Ranch
See the stars at this upscale ranch in North Carolina.
The secret to roping cattle? Patience. You have to let the rope do most of the work. I learned that in Roping 101, a course I took one crisp morning at Cataloochee Ranch, an 825-acre working cattle ranch and Relais & Chateaux resort on the edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The property spans a rolling ridgeline of meadows and forests sitting at 4,800 feet, with 12 upscale cabins and six suites surrounding a central lodge that boasts an expansive dining room flanked by a large hearth on one side and a wall of glass on the other. Time it right, and you can have dinner while watching the sun set over the Southern Appalachians just outside that glass wall. What’s on your plate? How about a tomahawk steak cut from the ranch’s own cattle and cornbread made from the chef’s grandma’s recipe. Show up on Wednesday evenings during warm months for an outdoor barbecue on the expansive main lawn.
Cataloochee Ranch has an upscale dude ranch vibe, so you can spend your days riding horses, feeding cattle, or learning how to rope. There is also fishing gear you can borrow if you want to try to pull trout from the small pond, and 12 miles of hiking paths. The daytime adventures are wonderful, but it’s the stars that have become the real attraction. Cataloochee Ranch, along with its sister property The Swag, has recently been designated a DarkSky Approved Lodge by DarkSky International, a non-profit that monitors the quality of night skies. Cataloochee Ranch and the Swag are the first DarkSky-approved properties on the East Coast, and boast dark skies because of their thoughtful approach to lighting and their proximity to a 500,000-acre national park with no lights at all.
Cataloochee Ranch hosts regular stargazing events if you want a guide to the night sky, but most nights you can just step onto the porch of your cabin and gaze upon stars that are rarely seen this side of the Mississippi.
Snow Peak Campfield
At this Washington resort, there’s more than one way to pitch a tent.
Terramor Outdoor Resort
Go glamping at this Acadia National Park base camp.
Stay in the wild without pitching a tent at Terramor in Bar Harbor, Maine. Owned by Kampgrounds of America (KOA), this glamping retreat ten minutes from the entrance to Acadia National Park has 64 secluded canvas-and-wood tents set among the trees. You’ll find hotel-level amenities: en suite bathrooms, Pendleton blankets, Celestron telescopes, a heated pool—and an elevated sleeping experience with soft linens off the forest floor.
Focused on making the outdoors more accessible for all, the resort partnered with GRIT Freedom Chair to add an all-terrain wheelchair as a complimentary amenity for travelers with mobility limitations. There’s also an on-site bee apiary and guided cold plunge experience. After hiking Acadia’s 58 miles of trails or Maine’s craggy coastline, enjoy a beer and listen to local experts share the history of the area at the “Pints for a Purpose” speaker series in the main lodge. —Kathleen Rellihan
The Golden Age of the Grand Canyon Motel
From the North Rim to Route 66, these two properties are turning the pre-hike crash pad into a destination all its own.
Visiting the Grand Canyon does not have to mean roughing it. We are now in the age of the high-design base camp, where the pillows are pliant, the merch is cool, and the suffering is optional.
One&Only Moonlight Basin
Big Sky’s newest property lives up to the hype.
Best International Hotels
Global sanctuaries from Bali to Belize designed to anchor you in nature.
Desierto Azul
Stay small at this micro hotel in Mexico’s wild Baja.
As one of the least populated states in Mexico, Baja California Sur provides seemingly endless wild untouched desert and coastline to explore. A world away from the big resorts on in Los Cabos but only an hour-and-a-half drive, Todos Santos lures those looking for a quieter escape. With some of the best surf breaks, access to incredible hiking, and a bohemian, artsy vibe, it’s not surprising why it’s risen in popularity.
Desierto Azul is part of a new trend of micro hotels in Mexico with a mission to have minimal impact on surrounding nature by reducing their footprint while prioritizing charm, culture, and an intimate guest experience. While this four-room boutique hotel minutes from the beach is all about wellness and sustainability, it’s not your typical yoga and spa escape. Instead, the focus here is on what guests put into their bodies—and leave behind—in Baja. On the solar powered property, there’s a gluten- and dairy-free bakery and juice bar, plant-based cooking school, a sun-heated saltwater pool, and an endemic garden. The rooms are completely chemical-free with organic products and linens. In 2026, Desierto Azul’s cofounder and on-site nutritionist will lead women’s retreats tied to personal enlightenment, hormone regulation through nutrition, and fertility preparation. —Kathleen Rellihan
Kanava Resort
Discover Nordic happiness, lakeside.
Finland has ranked “The Happiest Country in the World” for eight years in a row. Part of the reason this country stays so content: its deep connection to nature, no matter how extreme it can be in the Arctic. The undisputed sauna capital of the world, there’s approximately one sauna for every 1.6 people in Finland; there’s also one lake for every 28 people in Finland. Kanava Resort, nestled between two national parks, features nine sustainably built cabins along Lake Saimaa. These modern cabins have direct access to miles of well-maintained outdoor trails, so you can hike or cross-country ski throughout the year. The cottages are made from carbon-absorbing cross-laminated timber panels, and feature floor-to-ceiling windows with views of Lake Saimaa and Linnansaari National Park. Part of the recipe for Finnish happiness is making time to commune with the great outdoors, and you’ll have unlimited opportunity to do that here. —Kathleen Rellihan
Tierra Atacama
Unplug at this oasis in Chile’s high desert.
Hôtel du Couvent
Climb to this urban escape in Nice, France.
Despite its idyllic location, Nice can sometimes feel like a scrum of scooters and sunbathers. The Hôtel du Couvent is where you go to lower your heart rate. Perched at the top of Old Town, the ascent alone is a lung-opener, a steep, calf-burning pilgrimage that filters out casual tourists before you even reach the gate.
Once inside, the property acts as a luxurious trailhead. Nestled against the Colline du Château, you have immediate backdoor access to the city’s best trails and pine-shaded outlooks without ever touching a paved road. But the real recovery happens underground.
Forget the hotel spas you’re used to; this is Les Thermes, a nod to the Roman baths of Cimiez. The space is subterranean and monastic, a vaulted stone chamber where you cycle through baths of varying temps to shock the system and flush the lactic acid.
Post-hike, recover in 2.5 acres of terraced gardens where the air smells of rosemary and lemons, or swim laps in the 20-meter outdoor pool that hovers above the city roofs. It’s the perfect base camp: hard-earned elevation, deep recovery, and just enough distance from the chaos below to make you feel like you’re king of the hill. —K.S.
Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort
Explore Belize’s reef and rainforest at this regenerative haven.
Regenerative travel—the idea to leave a place better than you found it—rose as a buzzword post-pandemic when the world saw the positive (and negative) impacts of tourism shuttering. Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort, a traveler-favorite in Belize celebrating 25 years, has been leading the mission. A founding member of Regenerative Hotels, the diving haven is perched along the Belize Barrier Reef System, the second-largest reef system on the planet and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hamanasi understands you can’t protect what you don’t know: the resort is deeply committed to conservation and empowering local communities to be guardians of this prized spot. Providing direct access to the reef, the rainforest, and the Maya Mountains, Hamanasi is home to a PADI 5-star dive center and offers active adventures on land: think thrilling Jaguar Preserve night hikes, jungle canoeing, Maya ruins tours, plus complimentary use of kayaks, bikes, paddleboards, and more. —K.R.
Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape
See a different side of Bali.
Leaving behind the scooter jams and smoothie-bowl queues of the Bali coast feels less like a commute and more like an exorcism. By the time you wind your way up to Buahan, hidden in the chlorophyll-drunk folds of the central highlands, the concept of overtourism feels like a distant rumor. This property operates on a radical premise of absolute permeability: with its “no walls, no doors” ethos, you are essentially sleeping inside the lung of the jungle. The Ayung River valley isn’t a view you watch through glass; it’s a living entity that moves through your room. The mist is your air conditioning and the cicadas are your playlist.
This vulnerability to nature is anchored by a profound human connection. The team here is entirely Balinese, mostly born within shouting distance of the rice terraces that cascade down these hills. Their hospitality feels less like service and more like a homecoming you didn’t know you were owed. They are the stewards of this land, guiding you through the rhythms of their daily lives—from the spiritual purification ritual at the resort’s waterfall to foraging for ingredients that end up on your plate hours later.
You come here to disappear into the landscape, but you leave with something far heavier: a sense of belonging to a village and a jungle that measures time in harvests and rituals. It is a rare, unfiltered intimacy with Bali that remains sacred long after you’ve checked out. —K.S.
Best Adventure Travel Companies
Regenerative outfitters showing that travel can actually improve the world.
Community Homestay Network
Seeing Nepal through its people.
The world’s highest peak is without a doubt a special place, but there’s more to Nepal than Everest. The country is home to ten of the world’s highest peaks with a dense network of trails and trekking infrastructure making it perhaps the world’s ultimate hiking destination. While the country is famous for its summits, its people are the key to making a deeper connection to the Himalayas.
After decades of leading travelers up Everest Base Camp and Annapurna, Community Homestay Network (CHN) founder Shiva Dhakal created a way to give travelers a deeper experience while also supporting communities that were off the well-trodden route. Beyond just staying with local families in small villages, CHN connected travelers to experiences that are community-led. So instead of crowded trails on Annapurna route, you can trek the Annapurna Community Trek which takes you on less-touristy trails staying with locals and community-run tea houses (or lodges) along the way.
As Nepal deals with overcrowding issues on the ever-popular Everest Base Camp trek, CHN seeks to offer equally rewarding challenges but that are less harmful to the mountains and its communities. Since launching with just one homestay in Panauti in 2012, CHN has grown to more than 200 properties in 18 communities. Beyond the homestays, CHN connects travelers to locals in Nepal’s lesser-touristed regions offering immersive experiences, from cycling tours and cooking classes, which help support the wider community and safeguard Nepal’s extraordinary cultural heritage. —Kathleen Rellihan
Intrepid
Turning national park trips into hands-on public lands advocacy.
At a time of historic budget cuts to national parks, certified B Corp Intrepid Travel just launched “Active-ism” trips that transform traditional outdoor adventures in our national parks into powerful advocacy experiences. The itineraries connect travelers with grassroots organizations defending public lands and donate a portion of proceeds directly to those on the front lines. Every Active-ism trip—each one visiting some of the world’s most iconic landmarks—is led by a local Intrepid guide and hosted by a guest activist who provide travelers with information about the parks’ greatest risks. The five-day Zion and Grand Canyon trip, for example, is hosted by changemakers such as public lands advocate Alex Haraus or Wawa Gatheru, environmental advocate and founder of Black Girl Environmentalist. You’ll hike Zion’s canyons with an Indigenous guide while gaining insight into today’s challenges. —K.R.
Exodus Adventure Travels
Small-group adventures you can feel good about from a B Corp.
We all love to go our own way, but adventuring with like-minded people makes a trip unforgettable. For more than 50 years, Exodus Adventure Travels has redefined small-group active adventures with responsible journeys across more than 90 countries. A certified B Corp, Exodus curates trips that take you off the beaten path to foster deeper cultural exchange and minimize environmental impact, guided by local experts. Kasia Morgan, head of sustainability, spearheads the Mountain Lioness Scholarship, empowering women in Tanzania to become certified Kilimanjaro guides. New for 2026: the Mera Peak Climb, a high-altitude Nepal trek for experienced hikers; Trek the GR20 of Corsica, one of Europe’s most demanding and rewarding long-distance hikes; and Summits of the Transylvanian Alps. Or, ride new cycling tours in South Africa’s Garden Route and Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula. —K.R.
WHOA Travel
Bringing women together for epic treks.
WHOA (Women High on Adventure) Travel cofounders Allison Fleece and Danielle Thornton met while hiking Kilimanjaro in 2013. Trekking one of the world’s toughest summits together was so life-altering they wanted to empower more women to meet that challenge. “You can’t be what you can’t see, and supporting representation in the outdoor adventure space has always been a priority for WHOA,” says Fleece.
Now in its 13th year, this adventure travel company has brought more than 1,000 women up Africa’s tallest mountain—including local women, enabling them to be guides of their own mountain. “This helps create a cultural exchange that shifts the paradigm for local communities, travelers, and the mountains they share,” says Thornton.
WHOA leads epic adventures all over the world: the Tour du Mont Blanc, Patagonia’s W-Circuit, and a three-summit Cotopaxi Challenge. It also offers unique trips tailored to often-overlooked groups, including body-positive adventures and trips for women 50-plus who want to travel together. The company’s nonprofit, the Carabiner Collective, was founded from the idea that the outdoors and adventure should be accessible and affordable for all. Through award programming, they are building a stronger, more diverse outdoor community where everyone feels welcome. —K.R.
Wilderness Travel
Expert-led journeys to the world’s wildest, hardest-to-reach places.
The name says it all: Wilderness Travel takes intrepid globetrotters to some of the planet’s wildest corners, plotting grand adventures that pair unsung landscapes with unvarnished cultural immersion. The Berkeley-based company has been at the forefront of adventure travel since 1978, enlisting authors, photographers, conservationists, mountaineers, archaeologists, and other experts to lead its far-flung tours. Deep local roots allow its teams to cut through the permitting and visa hurdles that so often bar access to some of the world’s more challenging destinations.
Newer trips for 2026 include a 17-day journey through Pakistan’s northerly Gilgit-Baltistan region, where the mountains of the Himalaya, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush collide. With five of the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000m (26,247ft), including K2, it’s a place of staggering alpine beauty. There are more than 7,000 glaciers capping the hills of Gilgit-Baltistan, and travelers on the new trip can trek alongside them following visits to ancient Buddhist monuments and mud-brick forts. Remarkably, Wilderness Travel is one of just a handful of companies offering backcountry excursions here.
Other new itineraries for 2026 include a 14-day trekking expedition through Australia’s Northern Territory replete with croc sightings in Kakadu and a rim walk at Kings Canyon. Or, you can sign up for a 15-day adventure across Senegal, Gambia & Guinea-Bissau, which includes birdwatching in the Saloum Delta and turtle nesting in the remote Bijagos Archipelago.
Longer-running hiking trips take you everywhere from Western Greenland to the sea cliffs of the Faroe Islands, the steppes of Mongolia, or the Tien Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Wherever you go, Wilderness Travel sends out a lengthy pre-departure document detailing everything from cultural considerations to medical precautions and environmental concerns. The company even curates a recommended reading list full of insightful books by local writers. The goal is that you’ll arrive informed and leave enlightened. —Mark Johanson
Best New Trail
A groundbreaking Vermont bike network is proving that nature is for everyone.
Travel Trailblazers 2026
From pioneers making “the extreme” more accessible, to visionaries bringing solar power and epic trips to the remote Himalayas, these are our 2026 Trailblazers redefining the impact of adventure travel.
