Lonely Planet's Top 10 Places in the US to Travel to in 2017

Travel media company Lonely Planet announced its annual list of the top 10 most exciting places to go in the United States in the year ahead.

Best in the US 2017 (lonelyplanet.com/best-in-us), selected by Lonely Planet's travel experts, names 10 destinations poised to shine next year, whether they're up-and-coming, overlooked or offer new reasons to visit in 2017.

This year, the charming enclave of Asheville, North Carolina was named the #1 destination in the US to visit in 2017. The vibrant city is known for its welcoming, creative spirit, thriving artistic community and booming food and drink scene.

Following in second place is Western Washington, where iconic landscapes made their way into popular consciousness in Twin Peaks, the show making a comeback in 2017, and in third place is heartland hub Lincoln, Nebraska. Other notable places that made the list include the desert area of California (#4) and Texas' relatively unknown wine country (#8).

"This year's list is incredibly diverse, spanning from coast to coast, giving a panoramic tour of America," said Lonely Planet magazine managing editor Rebecca Warren. "Whether travelers want to escape to the mountains, get transported back in time or relax by the beach, these are the destinations to be excited about. Some of them are on the public's radar, while others are recently emerging, and they all offer compelling reasons to visit in 2017."

Lonely Planet's Best in the US is a highly anticipated list of cities, regions and states worth traveling to in the year ahead, selected and ranked by Lonely Planet's US destination editors, writers and travel community. The complete list is available online at http://www.lonelyplanet.com/best-in-us, featuring a video and a chance to win a weekend away for two in #1 Asheville.

Top 10 Places in the US to Travel to in 2017

1. Asheville, North Carolina

2. Western Washington

3. Lincoln, Nebraska

4. California's Low Desert

5. Montana's Flathead Valley

6. Atlanta, Georgia

7. The Adirondacks, New York

8. Texas Hill Country's wine region

9. Denver, Colorado

10. Florida's Emerald Coast

About Lonely Planet: Travel media company and the world's leading guidebook publisher, Lonely Planet, has been inspiring and informing travelers since 1973. Over the past four decades, Lonely Planet has cultivated a dedicated traveler community and printed more than 130 million books in 14 different languages to almost every destination on the planet. The brand now offers compelling travel content across various channels, including an award-winning website, guidebooks, illustrated reference books, Lonely Planet Kids, 12 international magazines, mobile apps, video and more. Visit us at lonelyplanet.com, and join us on Facebook (facebook.com/lonelyplanet), Twitter (@lonelyplanet and #lp) and Instagram (instagram.com/lonelyplanet).