Leisure Report: 2026 Predictions

Jan 2

These are our 2026 predictions for the worlds of leisure, travel, and hospitality. A combination of trends we’ve already seen in place and are enjoying, predictions of what will gain popularity, and perhaps some good ol wishful thinking for ways of moving about in the world we hope take hold.

The common denominator being that in a world that’s craving connection, analog experiences, and ways to create core memories beyond posting an Instagram album, it would be wise for businesses and the travel industry to center these priorities when creating, curating, and sharing about their spaces and offerings. Read on to see what we believe this year will hold for us.

Experiences that keep you off your phone

Whether it’s going to establishments that have actual phone-free policies, or intentionally choosing to keep your phone put away during an outing, people are craving presence over capturing content and will prioritize locations and experiences that cultivate this environment.

The shift isn’t anti-technology. It’s pro-attention. We’re seeing more spaces design their experience around real-world immersion.

In 2026, “phone-free” will become less of a gimmick and more of a value signal. Presence becomes the flex.

Powder Room | Austin, TX, Photo: Opulist

Locations that incorporate history

The Siren Hotel | Detroit, MI, Photo: Opulist

Historic buildings being brought back to life as hotels, bars, and restaurants. Motels being restored and given new purpose. Places that offer beauty not just through shiny new construction and trends, but by layering in the charm and character of decades past.

We’re moving past “brand new and sterile” as the default aspiration. There’s a hunger for patina: worn-in materials, imperfect details, old bones with fresh energy. Spaces that feel collected, not constructed. Places that let you feel time.

This trend shows up everywhere—from hotel renovations that keep original tile and arches, to restaurants that embrace their building’s past instead of sanding it down. The result is richer, more emotional design: the kind that doesn’t just look good, it means something.

Brand collaborations across industries

Retail and hospitality brands joining forces. Beverage collaborations with creators or other brands. Events that bring multiple industries together at once—giving businesses permission to “play” and collaborate in a way that feels like your favorite brands deciding to hang out—and inviting you along.

Collaboration is becoming an experience format. Instead of one brand doing one thing, we’ll see more co-created moments: a hotel partnering with a fashion brand on a suite takeover, a café hosting a listening night with a local DJ collective, a restaurant collaborating with a fragrance brand on a scent pairing for the menu.

These crossovers are fun, but they’re also strategic: they create novelty without needing to reinvent the wheel. And they give you something we all want more of—an outing that feels like a little cultural moment.

Outings that prioritize connection

We’re seeing a rise in creative ways to get people out of the house and connecting in person. Speed-dating events in beautiful spaces, non-work retreats designed for connection (like “Camp Social”), supper clubs, pickleball leagues, and more. It’s socializing with a little structure—designed to make it easier, fun, and actually successful.

The key word here is designed. Less “random bar hang where you hope something happens,” more “a built-in container where connection can actually occur.” People want community, but they also want it to feel approachable.

Expect more formats that lower the friction: curated seating, conversation prompts, themed nights, small group experiences that feel intentional rather than overwhelming. The goal isn’t networking—it’s belonging.

Return of the Happy Hour

Beyond being a recession indicator, happy hour is a ritual: a soft reset from work mode to social mode. An embrace of the unhurried aperitivo hour—paired with actually-good deals—happy hour becomes a spark of joy and a built-in reason to gather, especially as in-person office life returns.

Happy hour is back not because we’re all bargain-hunting (though we love a deal that doesn’t insult us), but because we miss markers in the day. The ritual of transitioning. The permission to stop working. The gentle structure of “meet you at 5:30.”

In 2026, the best happy hours won’t feel like sad discount menus—they’ll feel like an event: well-designed drinks, special bites, music that signals the vibe shift, and spaces that encourage lingering instead of flipping tables.

South Congress Hotel Lobby Bar | Austin, TX, Photo: Opulist

Tangible takeaways

In a world that’s increasingly digital, places that offer tangible takeaways—matchbooks, postcards, personalized stationery, custom scents that seal in a memory—will stand out and be remembered long after the visit.

We’re entering a souvenir renaissance. Not the tourist-shop kind—the beautiful object that carries the feeling home kind. A matchbook you keep in a dish by your keys. A postcard you never mail but can’t throw away. A scent that instantly transports you back to that one perfect night.

Tangible takeaways are more than cute—they’re emotional anchors. They turn a place into a memory you can hold, which is exactly what we’re all craving: experiences that don’t disappear the second you close an app.

Multi-sensory spaces

We’re seeing more sensory-first venues that build a vibe through sound and scent, not just visuals. Think scent + cocktail pairings, listening bars designed around high-quality audio, and DJs popping up at coffee shops to shift the energy. In 2026, the most memorable places will be the ones that feel curated in more than one sense.

For years, “aesthetic” has been shorthand for visual. But the most impactful spaces have always been multi-sensory: lighting, acoustics, texture, temperature, scent, even the rhythm of service.

In 2026, more venues will design for the full-body experience. You won’t just walk in and think, “this is pretty.” You’ll feel your nervous system drop into a calmer gear. You’ll notice the music sounds better. You’ll remember the scent in the bathroom (in a good way). The future is less “photo op,” more “felt sense.”

More intentional partying

Bring back clubbing—and house parties while we’re at it. Not as a reason to rage or be debaucherous, but as an antidote to the loneliness and heaviness we’re constantly reminded we’re up against. Throw a no-frills party just because! Go out dancing! Meet people IRL! Let life be fun!

This isn’t about going harder—it’s about going together. Partying as medicine. Dancing as therapy that doesn’t require scheduling, a co-pay, or a 45-minute recap of your last situationship.

Expect a cultural return to casual joy: themed house parties, dance nights that don’t start at midnight, events that are more about movement and laughter than exclusivity. The most radical thing you can do in 2026 might be… having fun on purpose.

Media: Emotion-led storytelling

Media in the hospitality, leisure, and travel space will lean into emotion-led storytelling—using video, long-form writing, and other evocative content to show us how places will make us feel, not just what kind of pretty photos we can take while we’re there.

We’re collectively graduating from “here’s the shot” to “here’s the feeling.” The content that lands will be the kind that helps you choose: not just where to go, but why it’s worth going.

More sensory detail. More narrative. More “this place made me feel like myself again” energy. It’s not about documenting life—it’s about translating the experience so someone else can step into it, too.

A closing thought

Whether these are accurate, data-backed predictions or simply wishes we’re sending out into the world, the desire remains the same: for the experiences you venture out for to genuinely enrich your life.

Moments that connect you more deeply to others, invite you to pause long enough to be present, and offer awe and wonder through the beauty they hold.

Intentional leisure is anything that helps you more fully enjoy your life—and we’ll always support what makes that possible.

The Aesthetic Edit is your go-to source for design-forward restaurants, bars, hotels, and more. Keep following along to find more aesthetically appealing content just like this.

Head to Opulist’s search page to discover the most beautiful and aesthetic places to travel to across the country.