Forget about ‘saving money’ in 2024. Your New Year’s resolution should be simple: go out more, do more things, and see more of the world. Life is short, and 2024 has a bunch of exciting festivals, art exhibitions, delicious food, and great music in store for you. There are new places opening up and old ones reopening. New train routes are crisscrossing countries and continents, and there are some quirky places to party. Even if your budget is a bit tight, there are lots of free and affordable events on this list. So, get ready to book your adventures in 2024 – this is our guide to the coolest new things to do in the world next year. See you out there!
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Top Fun Activities Around the World in 2024
1. Go on a bike ride through eight European countries.
The new Trans Dinarica trail, a cycling path in the Balkans, will be on many people’s 2024 bucket lists. It’s for everyone, whether you love cycling or just enjoy great views. The trail goes through national parks, along the Adriatic coast, forests, and villages. Each day, you can eat local food and have a good night’s sleep. The trip aims to show the region’s beauty in an eco-friendly way. There will be maps and recommendations for services when it opens.
2. Enjoy the stories and important people of hip-hop at a big new museum.
Hip-hop, known worldwide now, actually started in New York City, specifically in the Bronx. The borough played a big role in launching the careers of famous people like DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, KRS-One, D-Nice, and more recently, Cardi B and Ice Spice. New Yorkers have been waiting for a place that honors and celebrates this music genre and its heroes. Finally, in 2024, The Hip Hop Museum is opening its doors. This museum will have interactive displays with items, pictures, videos, AI, VR, and AR to teach visitors all about the beginnings and impact of hip hop across a large space of 53,000 square feet.
3. Ride a cable car to the highest disco in Europe.
Have you ever walked a long way to a party in a different part of town? Well, how about climbing to the top of a mountain for a party? Detour Discotheque is a special event that has been successful in faraway places like Iceland and Scotland, and in 2024, it’s happening in the Swiss Alps. Imagine dancing to music from experienced DJs in a spinning restaurant – that’s right! You’ll also get to stay in beautiful Alpine villages in the valley. It might take four cable cars to reach the party, but the breathtaking views make it totally worth it.
4. Explore big digital artwork.
When teamLab Borderless opened in Tokyo’s Odaiba area in 2018, it created a lot of excitement. The world had never seen digital art on such a large scale before—immersive, interactive, and truly groundbreaking. teamLab Borderless even earned a Guinness World Record in 2021 for being the most visited museum in the world dedicated to a single group or artist. Although the original venue closed in 2022, the art collective is now set to reopen its innovative teamLab Borderless museum in a new central Tokyo location in February. They promise new digital installations that have never been seen before in the world. From the sneak peek we’ve seen, get ready for an amazing and unique experience.
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Many big cruise companies go to the Caribbean coast of Colombia, but none go along the Magdalena River. This will change in November 2024 when AmaWaterways starts sailing on Colombia’s version of the Mississippi River. The seven-night journey on a riverboat lets you see the area’s wildlife and towns, famous from Gabriel García Márquez’s beloved novel ‘Love in the Time of Cholera,’ while staying in a comfortable sailing boutique hotel. The trip includes visiting a floating village (Nueva Venecia), a UNESCO colonial town (Mompox), and watching exotic birds (Magangué).
6. See top athletes in action in Paris, France
There’s a lot of interesting things happening in 2024, and one special event comes around only every four years. This time, it’s Paris hosting the world’s biggest sports event! Don’t miss the exciting Olympics Opening Ceremony on July 26. Stay in Paris to watch top-notch athletes competing in various sports like skateboarding and synchronized swimming. If you wait until late summer, you can catch the Paralympic games starting on August 28. Be amazed by the incredible talent of Paralympic athletes. It’s going to be a fantastic show!
7. Eat at a London landmark that’s now open again.
Simpson’s in the Strand started in 1828, initially as a chess club. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, this well-known and luxurious London restaurant had to close temporarily. But good news is on the horizon! Thanks to Jeremy King, a restaurateur, the classic London eatery, which was one of the first in the UK to get a Michelin star, is getting ready to reopen in 2024. Famous people like Arthur Conan Doyle and Charles Dickens used to love this place. King plans to bring the revamped Simpson’s in the Strand ‘fully into the twenty-first century.’ They sold off their dishes, chandeliers, and furniture last summer, so it’s a mystery how the place will look when it reopens.
8. Visit a new food festival on a faraway island in Iceland.
People are always talking about food in Iceland, especially in Reykjavik. But guess what? There’s a cool new food festival happening on Vestmannaeyjar (the Westman Islands). It’s called Matey Seafood Festival, and it’s like a foodie party where chefs from around the world come to cook in the local restaurants. They use Icelandic ingredients, like haddock and cod, to make fancy and delicious meals. Last year, chefs from famous places like Copenhagen’s Noma and London’s Kol joined in. The festival is happening again from September 5-7 in 2024. But honestly, the Westman Islands are awesome to visit any time of the year. You can see the famous Elephant Rock, lots of puffins, and the population is only 4000 – it’s a must-visit place!
9. Enjoy a trip on Italy’s updated old trains
Air travel? That’s done. Now, we’re moving ahead with sustainable and affordable train travel, and Italy’s updated old tourist trains are an exciting addition to Europe’s new services. Italy’s national railway network, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, announced them last summer. These trains will take passengers from big cities to rural areas in charming vintage carriages. There will be three types of services: luxury, express, and the more budget-friendly ‘omnibus-regionali.’ The first service, a sleeper train from Rome to the Dolomites, starts this month, and the others will begin in 2024.
10. Find out about the latest exciting music event at a new weekend festival.
Dublin is a special place for music with famous artists like U2, Sinéad O’Connor, Fontaines DC, and Phil Lynott. The city supports new music talent, and now there’s an exciting event called Borderline. It’s a weekend showcasing new artists in February, including names like Fat Dog, Spider, and Lambrini Girls. These rising stars will perform at the iconic music venue, the Workman’s Club. It’s a weekend where future stars are born, and you can proudly say you saw them first.
11. Explore a cool new place in an old school!
The beautiful building at 46 Kim Yam Road in Singapore has a rich history. It was once used as a headquarters for volunteers during the Japanese Occupation and later served as a high school for girls. In 2024, it will be transformed into an exciting creative hub with over 50 creative and lifestyle brands from Singapore and beyond. You can enjoy a meal at the Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded The Coconut Club, have coffee at the local specialty coffee shop PPP Coffee, and attend a class at the boutique pilates center Off Duty Pilates. Some well-known chefs like Kerin Buck of Le Bon Funk, Mirko Febbrile of Fico, and The Trapeze Group will be introducing new concepts here. Additionally, there’s an option to stay overnight in one of the 86 serviced apartments.
12. Explore Africa’s Largest Art Fair: The Biggest Edition!
In February, Cape Town in South Africa becomes the cultural capital of Africa with the 11th edition of the Investec Cape Town Art Fair. This is Africa’s biggest art fair, and in 2024, it’s getting even bigger. There will be 112 exhibitors from 24 countries, showcasing the work of over 375 artists in more than 30 art forms. The theme for this year is ‘Unbound’, focusing on new and unrestrained creative voices from Africa and the diaspora. This theme will run throughout the three-day event, celebrating contemporary art as a platform for expression and diversity.
13. Party in an old airport.
People in Berlin really know how to have a good time, and they’ve come up with some really cool ways to do it. Two old buildings in the city have been changed into nightclubs: a really old fortress is now the Zita Club, and the old Tegel Airport is now Turbulence TXL. They turned the airport’s cafeteria into a huge new party place that’s open to everyone, starting with a rave called ‘lift-off’ last fall. The building, known for its unique brutalist architecture, can hold up to 700 people. According to the nightclub’s Instagram, they’re ‘planning exciting things for the open air season next year.’ So, get ready to put on your coolest dancing shoes!
14. Experience an amazing ‘Dream Circus’ that will captivate you!
Luna Park in Sydney is starting Dream Circus in 2024, an amazing experience inside a high-tech ‘Magic Box’ built in a 3,000sqm area. Enchanting characters guide visitors on a dreamy journey to the circus, underwater, and more. Unlike shows like Van Gogh Alive, projected on flat surfaces, the Magic Box is like a theater set. Specially made 360-degree projections, lights that respond to movement, holograms, and sound that matches the space all work with 3D sets, making you a part of the show happening all around you.
15. Find a special cultural treasure in the center of Europe!
Salt mines might make you think of tough times, but in the Austrian region of Salzkammergut, where Emperor Franz Joseph and composer Gustav Mahler used to relax, it’s anything but sad. This place has been chosen as the European Capital of Culture for 2024. Next year, this beautiful spot will come alive with music, art, and performances in special places that hold a lot of history. Some exciting things to look forward to are an acrobatic show based on Mahler, a concert of Bruckner in a salt mine, and the unique sounds of Notre Dame’s bells brought to life by US artist Bill Fontana in the ice caves of Dachstein.
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16. Dance in a pint of beer.
Discover Copenhagen’s newest attraction, the Home of Carlsberg – where you can do some really fun stuff! You can make your own beer, choose sides in a family feud, create a cool beer label, explore where Niels Bohr lived, and try special beers in the old cellars. This amazing museum took five years to create and is not just a regular brewery visitor center. It has cool things about science, teamwork, history, traditions, and culture. Don’t worry, they also welcome you with alcohol-free beer, and the tour finishes in the bar. Cheers! 🍻
17. Enjoy 12 weeks of delicious food adventures!
After a break because of the pandemic, the famous Galle Literary Festival in South Asia is coming back to the city of Galle in Sri Lanka this January. And to make up for the time we missed, in 2024, there will be an exciting food event called Gourmet Galle. For 12 weekends from January to March, Gourmet Galle will organize supper clubs, cooking classes, and small dinner parties in different special places along Sri Lanka’s South Coast. All the chefs will create their menus using local ingredients, and the locations include beaches, hilltops, and coconut plantations. Yummy!
18. Enjoy Canada’s Coolest Festival’s 25th Birthday Bash!
Montréal en Lumière is like the coolest party in Canada. In 2024, it’s turning 25! This awesome event has been showing us fun ways to enjoy winter for 25 years. You can join in the excitement with free outdoor games, music, and more in downtown. There will be over 25 top chefs and wine experts from around the world, plus special guests from 50 Montréal restaurants. If you’re tired of winter and feeling a bit down, come to Montréal – this festival is like a magical cure for the winter blues!
19. Sleep beside lions in a big see-through bubble.
The place to stay at Kent’s Port Lympne Safari Park is really amazing. Imagine taking a bath while tigers watch you! This year, they have something new called the Lookout Bubble. It’s like a clear bubble with two parts, and it’s very close to where the lions live. You can sleep under the stars and wake up to the sounds of animals. They even give you a free golf cart to use. If you don’t have plans for Valentine’s Day, it’s a good idea to start dropping hints now.
20. Go on the first-ever cruise all about Taylor Swift!
Did you know there’s going to be a special cruise all about Taylor Swift next fall? It’s called ‘In My Cruise Era,’ and it’s the first of its kind. Starting from Miami on October 21, the cruise will go around the Bahamas on the Allure of the Seas for a whole week. People on the cruise can enjoy singing Taylor Swift songs, exchange friendship bracelets, participate in Taylor Swift trivia, dance at Taylor-themed parties, and even dress up like Taylor. If you’re not into all things Taylor, there’s also zip-lining and waterslides for some extra fun. It’s going to be an awesome time, no matter how you choose to enjoy it!
21. Enjoy an ancient nomadic celebration.
Naadam is a big celebration in Mongolia, happening every July to honor the country’s independence and nomadic culture. It begins with a grand opening ceremony in Ulaanbaatar’s National Sports Stadium, which is a bit like a mix of the Olympics and Eurovision. There are horses racing, contortionists, yaks, camels, dancers in traditional clothes, wrestlers, archers, and even Harley Davidson motorcycles. This sets the stage for the festival, which includes exciting events like wild horse racing, wrestling, and knuckle bone shooting—a traditional sport where people throw sheep ankle bones at a target. People from nearby and distant places come dressed in their best to watch these sports. In simple terms, it’s a wonderful reason to visit this remote and beautiful country.
22. See two big museums open again in Lisbon.
Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, has lots of concerts and music festivals planned for 2024. However, what people in Lisbon are really excited about is the reopening of two big museums. In the first part of the year, the Gulbenkian Modern Art Centre, also known as the CAM, will open its beautiful new building to the public. It has the most famous collection of modern and contemporary art in Portugal. At the same time, the MUDE (Lisbon’s Design and Fashion Museum) is expected to reopen in the second quarter of the year. It has been closed since 2016.
23. Take a Fancy Trip Around the World on a Fancy Train.
Dreaming about exploring the world? Feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the planning? Have a good amount of money to spend? Well, you’re in luck! In August next year, Railbookers is starting an incredible luxury train journey around the world. This adventure will last for 80 days, taking you to 20 cities in 13 countries across four continents. You’ll get to experience the comfort of seven of the world’s most luxurious trains, such as Canada’s Rocky Mountaineer and the ultra-luxurious Belmond Venice-Simplon Orient Express. If the full three-month journey is too much, you can customize your trip and book just one part of it.
24. Get some food at the two new Time Out Markets.
In 2024, Time Out Market is going to open in two big cities in Spain and Portugal: Porto and Barcelona. If you’ve been to the original market in Lisbon or the new ones in Dubai and Cape Town, or any of the four in North America, you’ll know what it’s all about. We bring together the best food, drinks, and culture from the city, so both locals and visitors can enjoy the city’s highlights in one lively place. The Barcelona market will be on the top floor of the Maremagnum shopping complex by the waterfront, offering amazing views of the city skyline. Porto’s market will be in the historic São Bento train station. Keep an eye out for the official opening dates!
