Looking for some suggestions on where to travel to internationally from Atlanta, Georgia? Check out some suggestions below — there are options to suit various interests, as well as flight time and travel duration needs. All recommendations are based on my personal travels (not sponsored), and I’ll keep adding more as I continue to explore the world.

WHERE SHOULD YOU TRAVEL TO?

EUROPE: The Italian and French rivieras
If you haven’t been to the south of France and the Ligurian coast of Italy, please add both to your travel bucket list. This corner of the Earth boasts some of the most scenic landscapes and some of the best food, at the same time. Fly into a large airport nearby (Milan, Geneva, and Barcelona could all be good options) and travel the region by train or car. Make sure to stop in places like Marseilles, Saint-Tropez, Cannes, Nice, and Villefranche in France; the principality of Monaco; and Genoa, Portofino, and the Cinque Terre villages in Italy.

ASIA: Japan
Japan is the definition of culture shock in the best way possible. You can’t travel to Asia and not see everything Japan has to offer, including both its historic and futuristic elements. Tokyo is a must-see, with its fast-paced streets, endless restaurants, and trendy fashions. Seek respite from Tokyo’s neon lights in Kyoto, with its multitude of temples and tiny izakaya restaurants. Cross the country for some of the best hiking views on Miyajima. Go south to Okinawa for some beach time, or go an hour north of Tokyo for some skiing. A trip to Japan requires a long flight and a lengthy stay, but it is so well worth it.

SOUTH AMERICA: Peru
Peru is surprisingly versatile in its travel offerings. It is perhaps best known for Machu Picchu and the Inca trail, and while both are awe-inspiring, there is so much more to see in Peru. You can bathe in natural hot springs in Aguas Calientes and see the Maras Salt Flats, both of which are close to Cusco, the largest city near the start of the Inca trail. You should certainly explore Lima and see all of its metropolitan glory, including a shopping mall carved into the side of a mountain. Or go south of the country’s capital for some sand dune surfing. All of this is just a seven-hour flight away from Atlanta.

NORTH AMERICA: Mexico
Guadalupe Valley is a stunningly gorgeous wine region on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. If you like petite syrah and malbec varietals that come with a side of sweeping views of grapevines and mountains, then you’ll love this underrated area on the west coast of Mexico. Go in the springtime, when it’s sunny but isn’t too hot yet, and enjoy a full day of exploring the wineries. Stay in nearby Ensenada, where you can nosh on fresh seafood, the best tortillas you’ve ever had, and more wine, but this time, with ocean views. It’s a longer trip from Atlanta than Mexico’s east coast destinations, but still makes for a fun long weekend.

AUSTRALIA: Sydney, Melbourne & Adelaide
It takes almost a full day of traveling to get there, but Australia is magical. You can spend days just wandering around all the sites in large cities, like Sydney and Melbourne: Think the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, or the Queen Victoria Market and St. Kilda Beach in Melbourne. But perhaps the most exciting part of traveling to Australia is all the native animals you’ll see, like kangaroos, koalas, tasmanian devils, and echidnas. And to see them, you have to travel outside of the larger cities. If you’re up for making furry friends on your trip, check out Cleland Wildlife Park outside of Adelaide, where you can feed and interact with all sorts of animals without endangering yourself or them.

TRAVEL WISH-LIST:
Sadly, I’ve yet to visit Africa, but several African countries are on my bucket list, including Zambia, Morocco, Kenya, and South Africa. I would also love to set foot on Antarctica. I haven’t figured out yet what that would take or how long I’d want to go for, but it would be the trip of a lifetime.