This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Kiernan chats with Stephen Hiltner, the New York Times editor in charge of this year's "52 Places to Go in 2026." Stephen walks us through this year's top picks and themes.

Here's what we cover in this episode:

"52 Places to Go in 2026"
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/travel/places-to-travel-destinations-2026.html

"Top 10 Reader Favorites from our '52 Places to Go' List"
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/travel/places-to-go-readers-picks.html

Ryan's guide to a perfect Madrid weekend, whether Salvador Dalí is your thing or not. Museums, parks, palaces, and the restaurants you should avoid, with plenty of great food instead.

Eat Here:

https://www.instagram.com/gotawine/

https://www.instagram.com/marcelle_madrid/

On this year's Christmas Spectacular episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Kiernan and Ryan hang up their socks and trade merry greetings. They discuss the official death of the Ugly Ornament Competition, the history of British Christmas crackers (no, they're not crackers), and their favorite Christmas tunes (including a Ryan original).. And for the Anglophiles out there, the boys sing the praises of one of the US's best importers of British goods, happily located right in Acton, MA.

Things we talked about in today's podcast:

The Bee's Knees British Imports
https://www.thebeeskneesbritishimports.com/

V&A Museum history of Christmas crackers
https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/the-christmas-cracker?srsltid=AfmBOopqIG_oE9tXOOtQdsUnnRHXaOH8bPLkOiNC52C9XAlXv0hzY_Kf

"Have Yourself an Out of Office Christmas"
https://www.mureka.ai/song-detail/WX3PuAjGnrbg8mx41mThs2?is_from_share=1

"Scrooge" from the Muppets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULaNvmjZWxg