STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Are you one of those who breathed a sigh of relief when the last of the visitors left this busy Christmas season?

Then brace yourself.

The New York Times has published its annual 52 Best Places to Go. And it’s telling its readers that Sun Valley is one of the best places to go in 2025.

In fact, Sun Valley is No. 8 on the list compiled by nearly a hundred journalists and photographers who try to find destinations that will inspire readers and spark their travel curiosity. The destinations must be compelling, geographically diverse and news driven, a spokesperson for the New York Times told the Idaho Statesman.

Sun Valley’s choice was no doubt influenced by the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals, which will be held in Sun Valley from March 22 to 27. It’s the first time the best alpine ski racers in the world will come to the United States for the finals since 2017.

During past years, the list invited readers to dive into the underwater world of the Red Sea near Hurghada, Egypt, explore the world’s largest salt flat in remote Bolivia and discover kaleidoscopic cathedrals in Kazakhstan’s capital.

This year, the No. 1 site on the list is a little more sedate--Jane Austen’s England. It’s followed by the Galapagos Islands; New York City museums; Assam, India, which is known for its wildlife; the White Lotus throne of Buddha in Thailand; Greenland, and the postcard-worthy community of Aix-en-Provence in France.

Ninth and tenth after Sun Valley is the pilgrimage site of Lumbini, Nepal, where the founder of Buddhism is said to have been born, and Sydney, Australia.