Brand USA has unveiled a sweeping lineup of new attractions, major anniversaries and headline events across the United States for 2025 and 2026, offering Australian travellers a wealth of reasons to return—or explore for the first time.
“There are so many reasons to visit the USA and even more reasons to return,” said Fred Dixon, president and CEO of Brand USA.
“The joy of travelling to the U.S. comes from the constant sense of discovery—whether it’s a new attraction, a reimagined destination, or a once-in-a-lifetime event. There’s always something new on the horizon, and we welcome travellers from around the world to experience it all.”
Getting around: new ways to explore
- American Cruise Lines will launch a series of 50-plus-day river cruises in 2026, coinciding with the United States’ 250th anniversary. Signature itineraries include The Great United States, Spring Across America, and Great American Fall Foliage cruises.
- Holland America Line introduces a “28-Day Glaciers & Volcanoes: Alaska to Hawaii” voyage, departing Seattle on 31 August 2025. This itinerary combines Alaska’s scenic ports with Hawaii’s beaches and volcanoes.
- Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service will commence in summer 2025, offering twice-daily travel between New Orleans and Mobile, with additional stops in Bay Saint Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula.
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) will open its new Metro Transit Center in June 2025, enhancing connectivity to the K and C Lines, and eventually linking to the LAX automated people mover train, expected in early 2026.
Culinary and cultural highlights
- The MICHELIN Guide expands to cover the American South, including Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
- Madison Public Market in Wisconsin and James Beard Public Market in Portland, Oregon, are set to open in 2025, offering year-round marketplaces with local food merchants and culinary experiences.
- Cure in New Orleans has been named “the best bar in the U.S.” by Food & Wine magazine as part of its 2025 Global Tastemakers awards.
Major sporting events
- The 2025 Club World Cup will debut its expanded 32-team format across 12 U.S. cities from 14 June to 13 July 2025, starting at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami and concluding at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
- Cobb County, Georgia, will host the MLB All-Star Game in July 2025, transforming Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta into a vibrant hub for sports fans.
- The 2025 Ryder Cup is scheduled for 25–28 September at Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York.
- Super Bowl LX will take place on 8 February 2026 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
- The 2026 World Baseball Classic returns to the U.S. from 5–17 March, with games in Houston, Texas; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Miami, Florida.
Attractions and anniversaries
- Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2025.
- The Utah Film Trail offers movie enthusiasts a chance to explore iconic filming locations throughout the state.
- Adirondack Rail Trail in Lake Placid, New York, has opened a 55 km scenic path along a former rail corridor, ideal for walking, biking, and rollerblading.
- Universal Epic Universe in Orlando, Florida, opens on 22 May 2025, featuring 50 attractions across five immersive worlds, including Celestial Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, and Dark Universe.
- Atlantic Park in Virginia Beach, a collaboration with Pharrell Williams, will begin unveiling in summer 2025, offering a mixed-use entertainment complex with live venues, dining, and boutique lodging.
- The Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, will launch the Model T Experience in June 2025, allowing visitors to learn about and drive a Ford Model T.
- MegaZip in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, now offers America’s longest zipline, soaring over 305 metres above the Great Smoky Mountains.
New hotels and resorts
- The Printing House in Nashville, Tennessee, will open in late spring 2025, celebrating the city’s printing heritage in a LEED-certified building blending mid-century design with historic elements.
- The Waldorf Astoria New York reopened in spring 2025 after extensive restoration, offering modern luxury with timeless Art Deco elegance.
- Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California, has unveiled the final phase of its multi-year restoration, celebrating over 135 years of coastal grandeur.
- Populus Seattle, opening in late spring 2025, will be the city’s first “carbon positive” hotel, featuring a rooftop bar and signature restaurant.
- The Curtis Hotel in Denver, Colorado, will reveal redesigned themed floors and 12 new “hyper-themed” guest rooms in summer 2025.
- The Ava Hotel in Paso Robles, California, will open in summer 2025, offering 151 rooms and the region’s largest rooftop destination.
- One&Only Moonlight Basin Montana resort in Big Sky will begin accepting reservations in November 2025, offering luxury amenities across 240 acres.
- The Compton in Bentonville, Arkansas, will open in late fall 2025, adjacent to a new pedestrian promenade filled with gardens, cafés, and food trucks.
Milestone anniversaries
- Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2025, alongside the 25th season of Dollywood’s Splash Country and the 10th anniversary of Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa.
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio marks its 50th anniversary with a year-long celebration, including speaker series, concerts, and ranger-led programs.
- Ashland Springs Hotel in Oregon celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2025, having first opened in 1925 as the Lithia Springs Hotel.
- Hotel Californian in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone commemorates its 100th anniversary in 2025 with a special centennial cocktail and overnight stay package.
- Lexington, Kentucky, the ‘Horse Capital of the World,’ celebrates its 250th anniversary in June 2025 with a full year of events, including live music, food and arts festivals, and speaker series.
- SLO CAL (San Luis Obispo County) in California celebrates the 100th anniversary of the original motel in 2025, honouring its road trip heritage.
- Lava Beds National Monument in California marks its 100th anniversary in 2025, celebrating the establishment of the monument in November 1925.
Wellness and relaxation
- Exhale™ at Thompson Central Park in New York City celebrates its grand opening in 2025, offering luxury spa therapies and fitness classes.
- Heritage Hotels & Resorts in New Mexico launches “The Heritage Retreat” in summer 2025, a wellness experience across four spas focusing on holistic healing.
- La Valencia Hotel in La Jolla, California, will debut its new spa in mid-2025, featuring six treatment rooms and restorative practices like sound healing and meditation.
Arts and cultural experiences
- The Getty Villa Museum in Los Angeles will reopen on 27 June 2025, showcasing its collection of ancient Greek and Roman art.
- The Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center in San Diego will open in September 2025, transforming a historic Naval building into a contemporary theatre.
