Girl About the World

Whenever I convene with a group of travelers, the biggest question is usually: “Where are you headed next?” (The current answer: New Mexico.) People are always looking for the next hot destination, the next memorable experience. And with the new year just beginning, now is the perfect time to reflect on what will be big in the world of travel in 2012.

FourSeasonsMagazine.com asked Four Seasons Magazine contributors and star chefs to weigh in on what they anticipate seeing on the road in the coming year — read the story to get the scoop on gear, wellness, family travel, food, and more for the next 12 months. (You may recognize one of the contributors — *cough, cough* me — in the spa and global travel sections.)

Beachgoers wade into the waters at Huntington Beach in California.

As I look out the window, ice is raining down on a snow-white scene, the temperature below freezing long enough that I’ve had to turn the heat on — and anyone who knows me knows I try to do that as little as possible! It’s our first snow of the year, so I’m enjoying the picturesque views and winter wonderland for now, but a few more days of this and I’ll be ready to escape to the beach.

When I do get the desire to run from the snow to the sands, I’ll know where to go, thanks to this piece I did for Away.com on the best beaches for 2012. From the buoyant waters in Jordan’s Dead Sea to the quiet, under-discovered Baisha Beach in Taiwan to the rustic cabins and clam digging on Copalis Beach in Washington, these hot spots are sure to please sand-and-surf stalwarts in the coming year.