It seems like just yesterday, we were making our way into the Shadowlands. But now, we are just months away from Blizzard Entertainment‘s ninth expansion for World of Warcraft called Dragonflight. And with a new expansion comes the pre-expansion prep time. Some players are still enjoying their progression through the fated raids, while others are running Mythic Plus or PVP (player vs. player). But almost everyone has their eyes on what class they will be enjoying once Dragonflight is live.
But this means that leveling is in people’s futures, which can sometimes be daunting. Some love to speed level, but personally, I love to pick my zones based on the storyline, how fun the quests are and the atmosphere. So to help all my future adventurers heading back into old content, I have a list of some of my favorite zones to level in.
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Kalimdor
We are kicking off this list with one of the original continents that adventurers could explore when World of Warcraft kicked off. There are tons of zones to explore on Kalimdor, and some have been altered thanks to the events of Deathwing. If you are an alliance character, we highly suggest taking some time and questing in Darkshore. It’s definitely a must-play area for Night Elves as they help their fellow people rebuild after Deathwing’s attack. If you are a horde player, we highly suggest checking out Stonetalon Mountains. Spend your time uncovering the mystery of what lies under the mountain or dealing with the Venture Company.
Whether you are alliance or horde, we highly suggest checking out Uldum. The quests are great, but the real charm of this leveling zone is the atmosphere itself. Based on ancient Eqypt, players get to explore tombs, cities, and so much more. It is a nice change to the typical fantasy-based zones found on Kalimdor. The lore is some of our favorite found within the game that doesn’t tie directly to the main storyline. And the fact that it houses an Old God puts it really high on our list. And with the Battle for Azeroth expansion, the zone has seen updates thanks to N’Zoth leeching off the land.

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Eastern Kingdoms
On the otherside of the original continents, we have the Eastern Kingdoms. Alliance players would absolutely love the Westfall storyline. Most notably, we can’t get enough of the Defias Brotherhood. The way the story ties into events that took place in Stormwind help to show both sides of this long-time feud. It is also exciting to see how the game has grown as time has gone on over the years. If you are a horde player, Silverpine Forest is a must. There is something so satisfying about making your way through the zone and fighting against the Worgen and people of Gilneas.
Regardless of faction, another must-play zone for the Eastern Kingdoms is the Twilight Highlands. There is just something about facing off against the Twilight Hammer and diving into Grim Batol. This is the zone to head into if you are looking for answers about Deathwing and his followers. There are also tons of more minor storylines that will give players tidbits of lore surrounding some of their favorite sub-stories, like the Dark Iron Dwarves. It’s such an enjoyable place to explore, and anytime we get to be in the same zone as Cho’gal is a win in our books.
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Pandaria
We are going to be completely honest here – if we had to choose one expansion to level through strictly on story and enjoyment, it would be Mists of Pandaria. It was and will always be one of our favorite storylines and quests. The way Blizzard Entertainment was able to meld the East Asian influence with the fantasy world they have already built was extraordinary. The Pandaren have existed in the game since the Warcraft days, but this is the first time we actually get to really see their home. It is completely worth leveling the entire way through the expansion and enjoying the story and world at least once in your World of Warcraft gameplay.

Northrend
If your choice is to level through World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, we highly suggest checking out Howling Fjord and Sholazar Basin. The music in both zones is worth afking to zone out to relax, but the quests and atmosphere are worth playing and exploring. Each zone also gives us a look into the lore of the entire continent and what is going on in the background. Outside of that, there are also little bits of lore playing into what we will see in the upcoming World of Warcraft: Dragonflight expansion.
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Broken Isles
When World of Warcraft: Legion was released, we were introduced to more than a few new noteworthy zones. Each zone held a uniqueness that embraced the people within it. So, if we had to choose two zones specifically to spend our well-earned leveling time in, it would have to be Stormheim and Highmountain. Stormheim’s Nordic Viking inspiration is a ton of fun, and the music is super relaxing. Plus, any chance to hang out with Odin is one that we are willing to take even if we might be facing some near-death experiences.

Highmountain is another zone that is just so easy to fall in love with. From the music to the breathtaking landscapes and skyboxes to the lore-filled quests. And honestly, if you couldn’t tell, we really love the Deathwing story. And while he isn’t the main focus of Highmountain, he does pop up quite a bit. And we spend time exploring the past with Huln and learning more about the Highmountain Tauren tribe. Plus, we are rewarded in the end by getting the chance to become a member of the tribe through the allied races.
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Outland
Outside of leveling in the basic zones, leveling in World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade is the closest to the feel of vanilla leveling in the current game. And even then, that is a stretch. But there is just something so nostalgic about busting through the Dark Portal and exploring what is left of Draenor. Our zones of choice are Nagrand and Shadowmoon Valley. Nagrand is the ancestral home of the orcs and gives us a look into the lore behind one of the game’s founding races. Shadowmoon Valley is good for everything leading up to the Black Temple raid and our favorite anti-villain Illidan.

Draenor
One of the best places for leveling (currently, of course) is World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor. The amount of experience gained through quests and additional tasks is unbelievable. It’s a no-brainer to head there if time is of the essence. Since the Horde and Alliance start in separate zones, we highly suggest checking out Frostfire Ridge and Shadowmoon Valley. It helps to set up what is going on and your home base. Once you have completed those zones, expand to the Spires of Arak. Seriously, it’s fantastic. It’s the homeland of the Arakkoa and is packed with lore about our favorite fine-feathered friends.
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Battle for Azeroth Islands
World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth had its questing zones broken up. Members of the other factions do explore the zones but don’t get to partake in most of the questing. So, we have broken up the expansion into the Horde side and the Alliance side. So, for those who are for the Horde, we love the starting zone of Zuldazar. It’s rich in troll lore, we get the chance to hang out with King Rastakhan, and everything leads into the expansion’s second raid.

Now those who fight for the Alliance, we suggest heading to Drustvar. It is our favorite zone of the entire expansion and is packed with spooky, scary, wooden bone creatures around every corner. As players level through the zone, they uncover the mystery of what is going on, which eventually leads them to Waycrest Manor and one of our favorite dungeons from the expansion. It has the right amount of lore, fun quests and spookiness that remind us heavily of the darker side of World of Warcraft.
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Shadowlands
The most recent expansion, World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, will require you to spend your time in all four zones. You can choose to level by either following the base questline or doing side quests in the zones. But either way, you will be spending time in all of them. But, if we had to choose our two favorite zones to level in, it would be Maldraxus and Revendreth. The lore in both of these zones is such a pleasure to explore and dive into. Plus, it includes two of our favorite lore characters, Draka and Kael’thas. One badass fighter and one angsty man with some of our favorite monologues the game has ever produced.
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