Why I’m Completely Changing Where I Travel This Year

Overtourism has been on my mind a lot lately. From the overcrowded streets of Venice to the long lines snaking through Machu Picchu, some of the world’s most beautiful destinations are groaning under the weight of their own popularity. Beyond the environmental impact, over tourism can sometimes impact local communities, as hotels and vacation rentals take up spaces where locals live and drive up living costs.

Even for the tourists going to those places, they’re increasingly faced with tourist taxes, making trips to those places more expensive.

So, this year, I’m doing something different. I’m deliberately avoiding overcrowded hotspots and instead seeking out destinations that not only can handle tourism — but both actively want it and are taking great lengths to mitigate environmental impacts.

The best cities for tourists in 2025 are those that even use tourism as a means of bettering the environment.

This change in mindset most recently brought me to southwestern Missouri on a trip that left me both inspired and hopeful about how tourism can work in harmony with conservation and community.

My trip began in Springfield, Missouri, a city that would otherwise see little tourism — save for one huge name in retail, Bass Pro Shops. I checked into my hotel, Angler’s Lodge Springfield, which — unsurprisingly — is also affiliated with Bass Pro Shops.

Bass Pro Shops CEO Johnny Morris built his original store just down the road. Today, the original store is not operational, but the city still draws throngs of tourists to come see a version of the store on steroids: the world’s largest Bass Pro Shops.

For wildlife enthusiasts, it’s like a multi-story, indoor Disneyland with multiple eateries and even an indoor carousel. Free-to-visit mini museums celebrate outdoor pursuits like archery and fishing.

Wonders of Wildlife, an aquarium and museum complex also built by Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, sits under the same roof (though unlike the Bass Pro Shops, this one requires a separate paid ticket). The award-winning museum follows that similar Disney playbook by taking an immersive approach. A room decked out to resemble a swamp has you walking on a footbridge over an albino alligator in the water just below.

And this unique aquarium doesn’t restrict you to admiring animals from outside their enclosure. Paid, add-on experiences like an Out to Sea Shark Dive and Penguin Encounter put you in the same exact space as the animals, adding on to that greater appreciation for the animals by removing the glass wall.

I was also impressed by how Wonders of Wildlife cared about animals beyond the ones tourists can pay to see. It’s the Midwest’s first and only destination for sea turtle rescue, rehabilitation and release. Largely driven by climate change, sea turtles are increasingly being stranded in cold waters during the winter.

So just this past December, the Johnny Morris Conservation Foundation (JMCF) received 20 sea turtles — 12 loggerheads and 8 Kemp’s ridley, the smallest and most vulnerable of all the species — which will spend roughly 12 to 16 weeks being rehabilitated (outside of the view of tourists) before being released back into the wild.

For dinner, I headed to Finley Farms, where I took a self-guided tour of the beautifully restored Ozark Mill, which is a historic building that anchors the property. Initially built in the early 1800s and preserved, the Mill underwent three fires and rebuilds and retired as the last commercially operating watermill in Missouri. Today, the renovated property is used for weddings, a history tour that guides guests through the Mill’s story, plus fine dining.

With multiple restaurants to pick one, I dined at the more casual of the two, The Ozark Mill Restaurant, which nods to The Mill’s original purpose via fire-baked grain mill pizzas adorned with novelty toppings. Many ingredients are sourced from the gardens on-property — and the signature green tomato cake (yes, it’s a dessert cake) is not to be missed.

The next day, I headed down south to Branson, a tourist town generally known as the “Live Entertainment Capital of the World.” Something like a Vegas of the Midwest, most people recognize Branson for its quirky roadside attractions like the Titanic Museum, Dolly Parton’s Stampede and plentiful carnival rides and wax museums. Down the road, Silver Dollar City is a popular amusement park anchored by a limestone cave that tourists can wander through. When I visited (the week between Christmas and New Years), it was so packed, that the wait for the parking lot tram was more than 30 minutes (and it took about the same amount of time to walk to the front entrance). Meanwhile, Dolly Parton’s Stampede sold out most of its dinner-time shows that week.

Rather than fight the crowds by spending too much time in those places, I headed just out of the way to Dogwood Canyon.

This 10,000-acre nature preserve offers a mix of guided vehicle tours (best for people with mobility challenges) and self-exploration opportunities including plentiful hiking trails for all skill levels. Part of the land is welcoming to tourists with well-marked trails, an education center, fun for kids in a treehouse, plus a stunning eatery on the water. Much of the land is off-limits, intended for preservation.

The crown jewel of lodging for nature lovers in the area is Big Cedar Lodge. The property’s sprawling grounds that span 4,6000 acres feel as though it’s part of the landscape rather than imposed upon it.

Sure, it has the standard resort amenities — a spa, multiple restaurants, five swimming pools and a championship golf course designed by Tiger Woods. But the standout reasons to visit are unique to the region — and deeply connected to nature.

Nowhere was this more evident than on the Lost Canyon Cave Trail. With it, you hop aboard a golf cart and drive through a course that takes you literally through the earth — the highlight being when you drive into a cave featuring a whimsical Bat Bar.

Similarly, the Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum is a 35,000-square-foot treasure trove of Ozarks history that spans the early days with models of non-extinct creatures, Native American artifacts and art, and an assortment of Civil War relics.

As I reflected on my time in Missouri, I realized how much this trip aligned with my new travel philosophy. It’s easy to get swept up in the allure of bucket-list destinations, but places like Springfield, Branson and the surrounding Ozarks remind me that lesser-known spots can offer just as much — if not more — authenticity and enjoyment. These destinations aren’t just capable of handling tourists; they thrive on it, with infrastructure to handle it — and initiatives to keep the environment flourishing.

This year, I’m doubling down on this approach. Instead of jostling for a selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower, I’ll be seeking out places that invite me in with open arms and plenty of space to breathe. Southwestern Missouri was the perfect start, and I can’t wait to see where this mindset takes me next. Because when we choose to travel to places that want us there, we’re not just making our own trips better — we’re making tourism better for everyone.