Happy New Year Reader! We calling it now - 2025 is going to be an amazing year of travel for you. Let's manifest it together!

Here's what we have on tap this month:

• ⛰ Dream hiking destinations with AllTrails 25 Trails for 2025
• 🏷️ New articles for the perfect trip to Chile and how to plan a Greek Island trip
• 🥾 Essential tips for strolling your way into an active new year

If you haven't yet, make sure to check out the latest on our social channels: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.

BEST FOOT FORWARD FOR 2025

Many of us start the year with ambitious plans for health and fitness, quite often that involves spending more time in the gym. But what about making a new years resolution to spend more time in the great outdoors?

Hiking is a great way to discover the landscape around you and there is very little needed to get started. For this we love to use AllTrails, it provides user-generated and reviewed trails all over the world so you can search for them in your local area or when you visit a new place and want to get out exploring.

AllTrails has created 25 Trails for 2025, these are the most iconic trails across the globe that will show you unexpected things as you hike. From toad spotting in Canada, monarch migrations in Mexico, and towering mountainscapes in Italy, this list inspires even the most reluctant hikers to discover incredible sights on your travels.

Discover 100 years of the Appalachian trail

One of the most famous trails in the US, the Appalachian trail spans over 2,000 miles across eastern USA, taking you through stunning mountain landscapes, lush forests, and treads the footsteps of countless infamous explorers.

Take the segment in New Hampshire for a more manageable distance without missing out on any of the scenery. The loop spreads over 7 miles and offers incredible mountain views in the heart of the White Mountain National Forest.

Katy Trail

Missouri, known for its BBQ and blues, also features the stunning 240-mile Katy Trail, the longest rail-to-trail path in the U.S. Accessible for wheelchairs and strollers, it will introduce a new welcome center at the renovated Treloar Mercantile in 2025. This scenic route showcases the state's natural beauty, rich history, and vibrant wine culture.

Running alongside the Missouri River, the Katy Trail meanders through the premier wine country and charming towns like Augusta and Hermann, offering a unique experience for outdoor enthusiasts and wine lovers. Cyclists can join supported rides like Big BAM (Bike Across Missouri) to fully enjoy the trail.

You can explore the Katy Trail on the final day of our 6-day itinerary in the Ozarks of Missouri!

Nachi Falls - Kumano Nachi Taisha - Daimonzaka

​The World Expo, held every five years, is set to dazzle visitors with innovation and culture in Osaka. However, amidst the excitement, attendees may seek some nature therapy at Nachi Falls, a breathtaking destination just a scenic ride away. This world-class trail offers a chance to recharge while experiencing Japan's natural beauty.

Nestled in Yoshino-Kumano National Park, Nachi Falls provides not only a hike but also a spiritual journey through lush forests, ancient stone paths, and sacred shrines, leading to the country's tallest single-drop waterfall.

If you're going to Japan, make sure to check out our 12 day itinerary!

Slaughter Pen

Slaughter Pen Trail in northwest Arkansas is a renowned destination for mountain biking, situated in Bentonville, known as "The Mountain Biking Capital of the World." With its impressive network of over 40 miles of trails, it attracts riders of all skill levels, offering a unique combination of urban amenities and natural beauty.

While we aren't hardcore mountain bikers, we had an opportunity to experience the epic-ness of Slaughter Pen during our 5 days in the Ozarks of Arkansas. It is legit an exhilarating biking experience with a great chance to unwind and celebrate at the end of the day.

So yes, AllTrails is also great for mountain biking as well!

Here's why you should get AllTrails+

• Offline Maps: Download maps ahead of time so you always know where you are, even without cell service.
• Trail Previews: Make planning even easier by getting a feel for the trail before leaving home. Check out the terrain, elevation at specific points, and get an immersive preview of any trail.
• Distance Away: Whether you only have an hour to spare or an entire day, find trails that fit your schedule.
• Wrong-Turn Alerts: It will ping you if you veer off path so you can enjoy more of the views ahead. Spend less time looking at the map and more time taking in the views with wrong-turn alerts.
• Advanced Conditions: Know what to expect from your day. Plan for the temperature along the trail, ground conditions, and mosquito activity with Advanced Conditions.

This Month's Travel Deals

Here are a few selects from January that are still valid. Remember, we have our deals group on Facebook. It's free to join if you haven't yet!
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• Patagonia: Their Winter Sale is now live with select colors from our men's, women's, kids'/baby, and packs/equipment lines from Fall '24 and earlier. You can find it on the US and Canadian site.
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• Airalo: *PSSST* Use the code TELUSHEALTH20 to get 20% off all eSIMs.
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• Priceline: Use coupon code XPLORE30 to save an extra $30 off Express Deal Hotels of $250 or more! This is valid from 01/21/25 - 02/03/25.
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• IHG: Unwind and recharge - Book and Save up to 20% with our limited offer. Ends Jan 21, 2025.

✏️What's New on the Site

In case you're not subscribed to our "let us know whenever you publish something new" list, here are our new posts and a couple we spruced up for 2025.

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☝️ What's Next at Going Awesome Places

Well January didn't end up being quite as quiet as we thought!

Knowing that things are just going to get busier as the year goes on, I wanted to do a proper vacation (ironically quite rare for us) and to thank Chantelle for everything she did for me after the surgery.

Canadians have a pretty sweet offer at Disney World where theme park access starts at $109 USD if you buy their 4-day package. With that, we did a whirlwind 4 parks in 4 days. It was SO MUCH FUN!

We also got to go to NYC this past week for IMM which is surprisingly one of the few big travel industry conferences in North America that covers global destinations.

🍪 Travel Tidbits

How to plan the perfect hiking trip

If AllTrails 25 Trails of 2025 has you inspired, or if you are just motivated to get outside and explore trails close to home there are ways to make sure your hiking trip passes without any stumbles.

Whether your trip is a morning around your local area, or if you are tackling an epic trail over a few days we have a few things we always prepare with to maximise hiking enjoyment.

• Good hiking boots: We swear by the Arc'teryx AR Mid GTX Boot for all terrains but for warmer weather we also love the Keen Newport H2 which we have reviewed extensively.​
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• Packable waterproof jacket: The Arc'teryx Beta LT Hadron is the ultra lightweight and packable waterproof shell that you'll slip on if it's raining or as an additional layer for warmth.
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• Water bottle or water bladder: Our trusty GRAYL water bottle comes everywhere with us. It also filters if you need to refill your water from a freshwater source.
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• Snacks: Trail mix or tracker bars: Pack a few bags of trail mix or tracker bars to keep your hunger levels at bay in between any stops for a proper picnic meal.

Travel news

Here's the latest from the industry with a few articles that we think you'll enjoy.

• ​Pompeii excavation reveals large private bathhouse built 2,000 years ago: Archeologists have discovered a well preserved bathhouse hidden beneath the lava from the explosion that obliterated Pompeii in 70 AD.
• ​Travelling to Greece this summer? Your hotel swimming pool could be filled with seawater: As tourism puts pressure on freshwater resources, Greece is considering other options to keep hotel pools filled.
• ​2025 holidays are selling fast: What you need to know about when to book and when to go: Travel agents have welcomed high demand in the first weeks of the year, but is January really the best time to book your 2025 travel?
• ​Travelers are playing TikTok's 'vacation roulette': This is a trend worth following especially if you are always second guessing your vacation plans.

Bet this has happened to you before

Thank you to everyone that filled out our end of year survey. Every bit of feedback helps! We're hoping to make it better and if you have any ideas. If you had ideas of wanted to hear about a specific topic, don't hesitate and just reply back.

Hoping all of you are doing well and we'll see you next month!

Cheers,

Will Tang
​Chief of Awesome, Going Awesome Places

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