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, produc...
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
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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