World's Greatest Places

Want to explore the world? Each year, TIME magazine makes a list of the World’s Greatest Places. TIME for Kids picks our favorites. Some places are a window on the past. Others have eyes on the future. Many locations have interesting wildlife. There are natural wonders and incredible human-made structures. Together, these places represent the range of beauty and culture in our world. Get ready for an adventure!

Island Living

Dominica is called the Caribbean’s nature island. It has waterfalls, hot springs, and volcanoes. There are beautiful views. Visitors can find many trails to hike. They can kayak along the coastline. Dominica is also eco-friendly. It aims to be the world’s first climate-resilient nation. The island hopes to reach this goal by 2030. —By Andrea Guthmann

Starry Nights

Want to see the northern lights? Canada’s Churchill, Manitoba, has great views of them 300 nights a year. That’s not all this small bay town has. It also has polar bears. The animals migrate through Churchill in the fall. In the summer, there are thousands of beluga whales. —By Nicholas Derenzo

Park Place

Yosemite National Park has a variety of wonders. Half Dome is a rock formation made of magma. Cook’s Meadow is a beautiful walking path. The park also has many waterfalls. Yosemite Falls is the largest, at 2,425 feet. Visitors can see all these sights at the California park. —By Jessica Shaw

Ancient Time

This year, the Grand Egyptian Museum opened, in Giza, Egypt. It has views of the Great Pyramid. The museum houses 100,000 artifacts. These include the artifacts from King Tut’s tomb. Others come from nearby Saqqara, which still has active excavation sites. —By Johanna Read

New Bloom

Kangaroo Island is special. It is off the coast of Australia. You can find beautiful greenery there. Native animals include koalas, kangaroos, and seals. Currently, the island is recovering from bushfires. But it is growing back better than ever. Flowers like the Kangaroo Island yucca are blooming again. —By Jen Rose Smith

City Central

Vienna is laying the groundwork for a more car-free future. It is the capital of Austria. In 2022, Vienna was named the world’s most livable city. It has more than a thousand miles of bike paths. Green spaces make up half of its area. There’s plenty to do indoors as well. Its Belvedere Museum just celebrated its 300th birthday. —By Julia Eskins

Family Fun

Phuket, Thailand, is known for its beautiful beaches. But there’s a new theme park called Carnival Magic. The park re-creates traditional festivals. Look at all the lights! At the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, visitors can feed the animals. Local shops offer ice cream made with coconut milk. —By Brad Japhe

Rain On

Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, is home to the only tropical rainforest in the United States National Forest Service. It is called El Yunque. Puerto Rico has more than 240 plant species. And it has 18 native bird species. A new visitor center at the park offers incredible views. —By Jen Ruiz

Green Hills

Chyulu Hills is a mountain range in Kenya. The volcanic landscape is covered in grass. There are elephants, zebras, and giraffes. The tallest hill is more than a mile high. There are views of Mount Kilimanjaro. That is the tallest volcano in Africa. —By Cindy Fan