2026-2027 Travel Trends: Hawaii & Alaska Cruisetours Are Stealing the Spotlight

Travel in 2026 and 2027 is shaping up to be all about immersive experiences, bucket‑list destinations, and meaningful, memory‑making travel. Travelers aren’t just looking for a getaway. They want something that feels special, curated, and worth the wait. And two destinations are rising above the rest: Hawaii and Alaska Cruisetours.

Here’s what’s trending and why these destinations are becoming the must‑book experiences for the next two years.

🌺 Hawaii: The Comeback Destination of 2026–2027

After years of fluctuating demand, Hawaii is having a major resurgence, especially for travelers who want a mix of culture, scenery, and ease.

Why Hawaii Is Trending

• Year‑round perfect weather makes it an easy “any season” choice

• Nonstop flights from more U.S. cities than ever

• Breathtaking history, tradition, food, and storytelling

• Each island has its own personality which satisfies all types of travelers

  
  

Best Months to Travel

For 2027 travelers planning ahead, May and September are the sweet spots. It's warm, calm, and less crowded.

A Luxury Twist: Perillo Tours

For travelers who want a deeper, more immersive experience, Perillo Tours is trending again. Yes, it’s roughly double the price of a cruise, but travelers get:

• Luxury hotels

• Guided cultural experiences

• Seamless transportation

• A “don’t lift a finger” vacation. Pair this with an expert travel advisor (cough cough.. me) you'll plan less and experience more

  
  

A guided Hawaii vacation is the perfect upgrade for couples celebrating milestones or travelers who want a completely effortless experience. It’s ideal for anyone who wants to show up, relax, and let someone else handle the details while they soak in the beauty of the islands.

But you absolutely don’t need a guided tour or a cruise to experience Hawaii. The best way to truly understand Hawaii is to stay on the islands to explore, taste, listen, and feel the rhythm of each place at your own pace.

Every island has its own heartbeat:

• Maui is perfect for travelers who love a mix of adventure and relaxation — think sunrise at Haleakalā, scenic drives, waterfalls, and beautiful resort areas.

• Kauai is the island for nature lovers and serenity seekers. It’s lush, peaceful, and quiet, with evenings that wind down early and days filled with beaches, cliffs, and hiking.

• The Big Island (Hawai‘i Island) offers dramatic landscapes, volcanoes, stargazing, and a more laid‑back, spread‑out feel. It’s not a big city. It’s a big island with small towns, diverse climates, and endless exploring.

  
  

To really connect with Hawaii, you need time on land. Time to wander, discover, and let each island show you its personality. That’s where the magic happens.

🏔️ Alaska Cruisetours: The Bucket‑List Trip Everyone Wants

If there’s one destination dominating year‑over‑year interest, it’s Alaska, and not just the cruise. The cruisetour is the real star right now.

A cruisetour is a combination of a traditional Alaska cruise plus several days on land, giving travelers the best of both worlds. You get the scenic Inside Passage sailing and the chance to go deeper into Alaska’s interior. To places you simply can’t reach from a ship, like Fairbanks, Alaska.

A typical cruisetour includes:

• The 7‑night Alaska cruise

• Traveling by train through the mountains

• Stays at wilderness lodges

• Time in places like Denali, Fairbanks, or the Kenai region

• Guided experiences and wildlife viewing

  
  

It’s the “level‑up” version of Alaska, perfect for travelers who want the iconic cruise and the chance to experience the real Alaska beyond the ports. Over the years, I’ve heard the same thing from so many cruise‑only Alaska travelers: they regret not adding the land portion.

While the land tour does add roughly 50% more to your overall vacation cost, it’s worth every bit. The guests who sailed Alaska without the cruisetour are the ones who come back to me first, ready to rebook the full experience so they can finally see Denali, ride the rail, and stay in the wilderness lodges they missed the first time around. When people say, “I want to see Alaska,” this is the version they’re talking about.

Why Cruisetours Are Surging

Travelers want more than the Inside Passage. They want:

• Denali National Park

• Wilderness Lodges

• Rail journeys through the mountains

• Wildlife, glaciers, and small towns

• A deeper, more immersive Alaska experience

• Best opportunities to view the Northern Lights

  
  

A cruisetour feels like a “level up”, especially for travelers who’ve already done a Caribbean or Mexico cruise and want something bigger.

Who’s Booking Alaska Cruisetours

• Couples in their 50s–70s

• Multi‑generational families

• First‑time cruisers who want a bucket‑list trip

• Repeat Alaska travelers who want to “do it right this time”

  
  

Alaska continues to be my bestseller year after year, and the demand spans every type of traveler. I’ve booked couples in their 50s–70s, multi‑generational families, and even groups who want to experience something unforgettable together.

Cruisetours work beautifully for all of them because they offer a balance of comfort, adventure, and meaningful time together. Depending on the cruise line, you can build a vacation filled with enjoyable activities for every age. There's wildlife viewing, rail journeys, glacier days, and cultural experiences. It’s the kind of trip people talk about for years, and the kind of Alaska experience travelers feel proud to have checked off their bucket list. Just ask anyone you know who's been there.

🌍 The Bigger Trend: Travelers Want “Effortless Adventure”

Across both destinations, the theme is clear: People want adventure, but they want it planned for them. That's why these destinations are outperforming DIY vacations because travelers want more than a trip. They want a moment that stays with them. They want to stand in front of a glacier, ride the rail through the mountains, watch wildlife in the wild, and feel like they’re part of something bigger.

This is the kind of vacation that makes you say, “I need to experience that.”

So, plan less and experience more. Contact me today to get started.