The 2026 round-up called out four locations in the United States — including scenery and sites in North Dakota, Oklahoma, Hawaii and Pennsylvania.

Below are the U.S. states that NatGeo recommends visiting in the next year.

Badlands, North Dakota

North Dakota’s Badlands is known for its rugged landscape, including sweeping hills, prairie grasses, canyons and rock formations, as well as native wildlife.

National Geographic’s annual best of the year travel list included destinations in North Dakota, Oklahoma, Hawaii and Pennsylvania. (Robert Knopes/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images; iStock; Mario Tama/Getty Images)

The area is also home to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and will welcome the Theodore Roosevelt National Library on July 4, 2026.

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Roosevelt “sought refuge” in the Badlands and hunted bison in 1883, which later shaped the president’s character and thoughts on conservation as wildlife disappeared, according to NatGeo.

Next summer, the new library, measuring 93,000 square feet, will be “perched high on a butte” in the town of Medora, the publication shared.

The Badlands is home to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and will welcome the Theodore Roosevelt National Library on July 4, 2026. (Bernard Friel/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The library will reportedly include interactive exhibits on Roosevelt’s history and travels. The structure will also include a walkable roof covered in native vegetation that will be a part of a 1.3-mile trail toward the national park.

Route 66, Oklahoma

America’s famous Route 66, spanning the country from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California, will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026.

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NatGeo recommends taking the “Mother Road” through Oklahoma, which has been getting an “Americana glow-up.”

In the last four years, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation has invested more than $82 million on the state’s 400-mile stretch of iconic roadway, including “re-lit neon signs, revived motor courts and roadside attractions,” according to the article.

America’s famous Route 66, spanning the country from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California, will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026. (iStock)

Taking the road through the Meadow Gold District along 11th Street will lead to indie retail locations, “campy outdoor statues,” art galleries, “quirky” gift shops, record stores and western vintage boutiques.

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The Oklahoma Route 66 Museum, located in Clinton, Oklahoma, features a 1950s-style diner and historic exhibits.

Maui, Hawaii

Hawaii is already America’s tranquil getaway, attracting tourists with its blue waters and stunning beaches.

The devastating wildfires in Maui in 2023 caused more than $5 billion in damage and claimed more than 100 lives, specifically destroying the historic beach town of Lahaina.

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Many businesses in the area have since reopened, according to NatGeo, encouraging visitors to support ongoing efforts to rebuild.

A person golfs on the first day of tourism resuming in west Maui, two months after a devastating wildfire, on Oct. 8, 2023, near Lahaina, Hawaii. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

While tourism in the area is still down, there is a unique opportunity to explore the island without large crowds in a more intimate setting.

National Geographic reported that the Grand Wailea hotel just debuted Hawaii’s largest spa, and Wailea Beach Resort refreshed its grounds to include an adults-only wellness sanctuary with an infinity pool.

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There are also “voluntourism” opportunities, where guests of some hotels can participate in beach cleanups and native-plant restoration hikes.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

National Geographic highlighted Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as a not-to-miss city for its “thriving” cultural scene and museum variety.

Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History come recommended, as the Carnegie International, which occurs every four years, returns in 2026 with an anticipated contemporary art exhibit.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, touts a variety of museums and anticipated updates. (Robert Knopes/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The Andy Warhol Museum in the Pop District has also undergone a $60 million expansion, including a new performing arts venue.

The same area also houses the National Aviary, which NatGeo describes as a “hugely underrated attraction,” featuring free-flight habitats with hundreds of birds.

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Pittsburgh has 90 neighborhoods and widespread redevelopment plans across the city, including downtown restaurant hubs and city park spaces.

More of National Geographic’s 2026 Best of the World list can be found on its website.

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.

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Now 18, Jesse Butler recently entered a no contest plea to 11 felony charges, including attempted first-degree rape, strangulation and violating a protective order. Because authorities said the crimes happened before he turned 18, the court adjusted his legal status under Oklahoma’s youthful offender laws.

Court filings show Butler was originally charged as an adult in March. He’s now being prosecuted as a youthful offender for rape, sexual battery and domestic assault and battery by strangulation.

His next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 8 in Payne County District Court.

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Parents in Payne County express anger after a high school student facing multiple serious charges had his status changed to “youthful offender” in court. (Google Maps)

The Stillwater Police Department said officers were first notified Sept. 12, 2024, of incidents that reportedly took place earlier that year.

“A full investigation was initiated the following day that resulted in SPD submitting the case to the Payne County District Attorney’s Office, where it was reviewed and charges were filed,” the department said in a statement.

At the time, Butler was a student in Stillwater Public Schools. Court records obtained by KOCO include several emotional victim impact statements describing lasting fear and trauma.

“You didn’t just strangle me with your hands — you strangled my voice, my joy, my ability to feel safe in my own body,” one victim wrote.

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Jesse Butler in a baseball uniform before the criminal allegations came to light. (Risin Baseball)

She said Butler also threatened to kill her if she spoke out.

A mother of one of the victims told KOCO the justice system “failed” her daughter.

“As a mom, I never thought I’d have to watch my daughter fight this kind of battle, one where she had to prove she was the victim, over and over again, while the system made excuse after excuse for the person who hurt her.”

Jesse Butler’s father, Mack Butler, is the former director of football operations at Oklahoma State University, located in Stillwater.

A police affidavit reviewed by Fox News details brutal acts, including a girlfriend who said she was repeatedly raped and strangled if she refused, and a doctor warned she would have died in one instance if the strangulation lasted seconds longer.

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Court documents show Butler remains bound by a sentence issued Aug. 25, 2025, contingent on full compliance with a state-supervised rehabilitation plan.

While Butler was sentenced to a total of 78 years, the sentence is suspended under Oklahoma’s youthful offender program, meaning Butler will not serve prison time unless he violates the plan’s conditions.

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The Payne County Court Office in Stillwater, Okla. (Google Maps)

He remains under Office of Juvenile Affairs supervision until his 19th birthday, subject to counseling, therapy, more than 100 hours of community service, a curfew, no social media, daily check-ins and weekly counseling, according to documents obtained by Fox News.

The Payne County District Attorney’s Office said it followed state law in handling the case, noting that Butler was 17 at the time of the offenses and therefore fell under Oklahoma’s youthful offender statute.

The office said the designation allows the court to maintain supervision until the defendant’s 19th birthday and gives him a chance for rehabilitation while still holding him accountable.

Jesse Butler sitting down on a bench with his sister and mother standing nearby.  (Amber ‘mckinzie’ Selvey)

A spokesperson added that the law does not erase the crimes or minimize their impact but provides “a legal path for accountability and rehabilitation under state law.”

If Butler fulfills the terms of the program and avoids further legal trouble, he can remain out of prison, though any violation could result in the full sentence being enforced.

State Rep. J.J. Humphrey, R-Lane, called the outcome “unacceptable” and said he plans to file a petition for a grand jury investigation into how Payne County prosecutors handled the case.

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State Rep. J.J. Humphrey is questioning the lenient sentence for a Stillwater teen convicted of rape and calling for an investigation. (State of Oklahoma House of Representatives)

“If that don’t set you on fire, your wood’s wet,” Humphrey told Fox News Digital. “You know what I mean? You’ve got a bad deal. That sets me on fire.”

He accused local officials of showing “favoritism” and contrasted Butler’s case with others in which defendants faced harsher penalties.

“Does it absolutely smack of political favor that you’re going to erase rapes and sexual crimes so you can give this guy a slap on the wrist?” Humphrey said. “Oklahoma, better pay attention. Wake up.”

Neither the presiding judge nor the District Attorney’s Office has issued additional comment beyond the written statement. Fox News Digital reached out to Butler’s legal team for comment.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.

Stepheny Price is a Writer at Fox News with a focus on West Coast and Midwest news, missing persons, national and international crime stories, homicide cases, and border security.

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