Stephanie Pearson of The New York Times recommends Brisbane, Australia’s sunny capital city, renowned for its laid-back lifestyle and vibrant cultural scene. Explore riverfront parks, trendy neighborhoods, and world-class attractions. As one of the recommended destinations for 2024, she suggests checking out the $3.6 billion expansion of the Queen’s Wharf area, set to partly open in 2024.

The development includes the restoration of historic buildings, four new hotels, parks, and public spaces, and an 820-foot-long Sky Deck with bars and restaurants overlooking the Brisbane River. Rounding out the cultural experience is Brisbane Powerhouse, a 1920s power station reborn as a cultural hub, the site of the Melt Open, a celebration of queer arts and artists, and Vertigo, a restaurant where harnessed and clipped-in diners eat while dangling four stories above the ground. After dinner, they can abseil down the building’s exterior.