The Top Picks for the Best Trips

This weird and wonderful world doesn’t want for award ceremonies. There’s already an award for just about everything—movies, books, dogs, magicians, even idiots have numerous awards. And, of course, so, too, does travel. There are myriad travel awards, both by competitors and this very publication—we already give annual awards to hotels and destinations, after all. So why is this necessary? Why are we creating yet another award for something that doesn’t need yet another award? First, and apologies for the humblebrag, but we’re well traveled. The Fodor’s editorial team spends an unusual amount of time wandering this globe—we’re a fortunate bunch. It allows us to see and experience the world and test out the best (and sometimes worst) of travel. Second, we’re damn opinionated. There are no shrinking violets in our offices. We loudly, and sometimes proudly, declare our loves and loathes. We fight among ourselves and debate the most pedantic of travel topics, and we’re thrilled to share them with you. Lastly, we wanted to establish these awards to answer questions that we had posed to ourselves. What’s the best airline for plus-sized passengers? Which is the best airport to grab a good meal? What’s the best cruise to snag a date? Who are the Instagram Influencers who aren’t obnoxiously awful, but genuinely inspirational? We wanted to answer useful questions, but also keep it light. Travel is fun, after all. And so often, travel awards are weirdly stiff and dull. The Fodor’s Travel Awards are not meant to be the Peabody of Perambulating, the Academy Awards of Aviation, or the Grammys of Going Places. This is not a black-tie award. Rather, it’s a list of companies and individuals that we—a passionate group of well-traveled individuals—believe in. And we think these winners will make your own travels a little bit better.