States across the U.S. updated delegates attending IPW in Chicago on a raft of new attractions and product news. Here’s a round-up of some of the key developments.
Missouri
Springfield has been selected as the host city for the National kick off-of America’s Route 66 Centennial Celebration in 2026.
The city was named by the U.S. National Route 66 Centennial Commission and the Road Ahead Partnership national non-profit organisation working to revitalise and sustain Route 66 as a national icon and international destination.
A kick-off concert featuring “A-list entertainers” will be held in the Historic Shrine Mosque on April 30, which will be streamlined around the world with cut-ins from Route 66 cities across the U.S.
April 30 is the anniversary of the telegram that was sent in 1926 from Springfield to Washington DC requesting that a new transcontinental road be named Route 66.
In Kansas City, the brand-new Museum of BBQ highlights how this quintessential American cuisine is made and the regional styles that make BBQ distinct across the USA.
visitmo.com
New York State
The New York Susquehanna Basin Water Trail, the state’s newest water trail, invites paddlers to discover the area’s natural beauty and lush farmlands by canoe, kayak, or rowing boat.
The trail is set across 190 miles of the Chemung and Susquehanna Rivers in the south-central region of the state.
From a leisurely sunset paddle to several days on the river, paddlers of all abilities can explore natural beauty, historic sites, local shops and restaurants.
Elsewhere, nature lovers can trek the newly completed 34-mile Adirondack Rail Trail. The year-round recreation trail will attract bicyclists, runners, walkers, birders, and wheelchair users in the summer, and will be used for snowmobiles, snowshoeing, and skiing in winter.
iloveny.com
Arkansas
Trails of Mena, near the City of Mena, is a new Mountain biking trail coming to northwest Arkansas in the next yar or so.
The 100-mile trail is billed as the largest in the world specifically built just for mountain biking and will be suitable for riders of all abilities. Bentonville has recently been named as the home of the U.S. Mountain Biking team.
Also in Bentonville, The Compton – a new boutique hotel nestled in the town’s historic square -—offers a fresh take on small-town luxury with walkable access to parks, food trucks, and galleries.
arkansas.com
Wisconsin
In Green Bay, a town best-known for its NFL (American football) team, Bay Beach Amusement Park is celebrating 100 years of welcoming visitors to its amusement rides such as a Ferris wheel, tilt-a-whirl, giant slide and Zippin’ Pippin’ Roller Coaster.
Described as a ‘truly American park’, rides are still available for less than a dollar.
California
In Los Angeles, the David Geffen Galleries at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) will open in April 2026, adding 110,000 square feet of modern art and architecture.
Dataland, the world’s first museum dedicated to AI art, is expected to open in late 2025 at The Grand LA, a development in downtown Los Angeles.
New hotel openings include AC Hotel Pasadena and the boutique Hotel Lucile, which will be housed in a historic 1931 church in Silver Lake, one of the city’s hip neighbourhoods known for its diverse food scene and architecturally significant homes.
The Whisky Hotel in Hollywood opened in March, complete with rooftop bar and whisky-themed experiences, while the new Regent Santa Monica’s luxury offering includes an oceanfront vibe with a pool deck and beach butler service.
In San Francisco, several new openings this year and next include the Beacon Grand hotel in Union Square, which is being given a style makeover.
In Haight-Ashbury, the Counterculture Museum opens this summer, exploring the city’s roots from the civil rights movement to women’s liberation.
Popular Fisherman’s Wharf has had a £1.1 million revamp to the promenade, bringing visitors closer to the Bay with new seating, greenery and a variety of pergolas.
A six-acre waterfront park will open on Treasure Island this summer, part of a major redevelopment bringing new homes, green spaces and new attractions to the man-made island in San Francisco Bay.
DiscoverLosAngeles.com; visitcalifornia.com
Virginia
Atlantic Park, is a large-scale, mixed-use development that includes a surf park, will open in phases from this summer.
The centrepiece will be the Wave Garden Cove, a 2.67-acre surf lagoon capable of generating up to 1,000 waves per hour with varying heights to accommodate all skill levels.
virginia.org
Pennsylvania
Gettysburg, a small town with a big history, is planning to recreate a major moment in American history next year.
Known for being the scene of the biggest battle of the Civil War in 1863, it is also where Abraham Lincoln made his famous Gettysburg address which defined the meaning of the war. And in November (18/19), Gettysburg plans to recreate the entire 25 hours Lincoln spent in the town, with details of activities to follow.
destinationgettysburg.com
New Jersey
Atlantic City Aquarium at Historic Garnder’s Basin has reopened its doors for the first time in five years after renovations and repair work, showcases more than 100 species highlighted by Groman – a 225-pound Loggerhead Sea Turtle, plus diamondback turtles, southern and cow nose rays, sea horses, pipe fish, lionfish, horseshoe crabs and more. New exhibits as of the reopening include the “Under the Sea” colouring area, hurricane simulator and photo booth.
visitnj.org
Texas
San Antonio Zoo’s new luxury Spek boom Lodge will fully immerse guests in wildlife experiences, who can now stay overnight in a new suite, “alongside giraffes, zebras, ostriches and other African species. They also enjoy exclusive zoo access, allowing entry up to two hours after closing and an hour before opening.
visitsanantonio.com
Tennessee
The new MegaZip in Pigeon Forge is the longest zipline in North America. Riders are sent soaring over a mile through the Smoky Mountains at speeds up to 55 mph, all on one continuous cable. Up to three friends can ‘race’ side-by-side from an elevation of 2,472 feet, dropping over 1,000 feet in vertical descent
tnvacation.com
