New survey findings show 10 travel trends for 2025 that are also popular in the North Bay

If you’re thinking about traveling this year, it might turn out the best experiences aren’t far from home.

According to the findings of a new survey of more than 4,000 American travelers, the top three most popular of 10 travel trends can be found in the North Bay.

Slowcations (57%), foodie trips (57%) and experiential travel (55.9%) topped the travel trends in terms of mass appeal, according to San Francisco-based Future Partners, a national tourism and market research firm. The survey was conducted in November.

A slowcation, for those not familiar, may sound like a yawner of a trip, but the trend refers to active travelers with diverse interests who take time to focus on experiences based on quality rather than quantity.

“Future Partners terms this as slowcation, but it is, in fact, cultural tourism and is a core reason why people travel,” said Claudia Vecchio, president and CEO of Sonoma County Tourism. “Sonoma County Tourism has always talked about the more personalized experiences available in our tasting rooms — from meeting with the winemakers to exploring the vineyards. This not only creates a more immersive experience, but also creates a deeper connection with the destination and its people.”

More than 425 wineries call the county home, 100 of which are in the Sonoma Valley, said Tim Zahner, executive director of the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau.

In Napa Valley, slowcation-ers interested in wine experiences can learn about the county’s more than 400 wineries, noted Linsey Gallagher, president and CEO of Visit Napa Valley.

And then there’s the foodie offerings.

“With the bounty of Sonoma County’s agricultural offerings, chefs and restaurateurs, (visitors) have an almost limitless array of options,” said Vecchio.

The same can be said in Napa. Both regions have Michelin star restaurants, casual dining with locally sourced ingredients, food trucks, farmers markets and food-centered events.

Experiential travelers in Future Partners’ study said their top personal passions are food and cuisine, historical attractions and outdoor experiences.

“Napa Valley is well suited for … experiential offerings, such as the Napa Valley Vine Trail, hot-air balloon (rides), wine train excursions, Napa River experiences and more,” Gallagher said.

Gig-tripping, one of the other travel trends ranked in Future Partners’ study, didn’t score as high among those surveyed (42%), but it stands out in Napa Valley.

“For those interested in gig-tripping, the renowned BottleRock music festival has proven to attract new, younger and more diverse travelers to Napa Valley who come for the music and stay for everything else we have to offer,” Gallagher said.

Rounding out the travel findings

Plan-Free Travel (48%) Travelers who prefer to minimize preplanned itineraries, allowing for more flexible and unstructured experiences. The plan-free travel trend was found to be “highly attractive” to parents of younger school-aged children.

Sleep Tourism (45%) Trips focused on rest, relaxation and improving sleep. The appeal of this trend shows travel as a wellness activity.

Solo Travel (43%) These vacationers were found to be nearly twice as likely as other travelers to use travel agents and digital influencers to plan their trips.

Skillcations (39%) Taking vacations to learn or improve a specific skill. While being a smaller segment, skillcation travelers were found to have higher-than-average annual travel budgets, at nearly $7,000.

Coolcations (36%) Travelers who opt for vacations in cooler climates or during off-peak seasons to avoid extreme heat. Nearly half coolcation tourists said they expect to travel outside the United States in 2025.

Doom Tourism (26%) Travelers who go to destinations that are threatened by environmental or other factors, with the intention of seeing them before they change or disappear. Doom tourists were found to be the youngest of the groups surveyed.