Please tell me: who doesn’t like fireworks? Even better- free entertainment? Lambertville and New Hope (PA) combine the two and collectively ignite the warmer months with a fifteen minute firework show displayed over the Delaware River every Friday night from Memorial Day Weekend until Labor Day Weekend, starting 9:30 PM. There are plenty of great eats, sweets, and shops on either side of the bridge for enjoyment before and/or after, but if you’re looking for fun on a budget pack something tasty beforehand. You need only pay for gas and parking. Most of the towns’ lots and spots are metered or require a flat fee upfront, but (without giving away the *secret* locations locals use) there are several areas on the edge of town that are free and within walking distance. Be sure to arrive at least a half hour early to ensure you’re parked and street-side (or better yet, on the bridge); the crowd is usually as thick as a swarm the gnats surrounding the street lights. For more information, visit the event’s website.

I have to admit I was a little worried about making a stop at a ceramics studio. I've made these stops before, where you're supposed to see the traditional processes and all that, but it's really a slick showroom for a factory and they spend the whole time pressuring you to buy stuff. Not here. This was legit. Just a few young guys making pottery on wheels they spin with foot pedals, baking the clay in a homemade oven out back under the papaya tree. And no pressure to buy at all. But buy we did. The pieces were unlike any we'd seen anywhere else, with geometric designs etched on polychromatic glazes. Plus, they let our son try out the potting wheel. We visited this place as part of a half-day excursion with Tierra Tours that also went to the Masaya volcano and Masaya market.

After many hot days in Nicaragua, it was a relief to get up into the cloud forest on the Mombacho volcano. We did a short hike that took us past lots of cool plants and fumeroles where you could feel the steam coming out of the mountain. We even timed it right to see some wildflowers blooming, and had views for miles. There's a coffee plantation halfway up the mountain, so you can stop and get a little jolt of caffeine to get you rolling on your hike.

Nicaragua is proud of its volcanoes. We visited this one on a half-day trip from Granada. It's not every day you can look down into a steaming volcanic crater. And you don't even have to hike. You just drive right up to the edge. If you go at night, you can sometimes see glowing lava, but we went during the day and it was still cool. Plus they give you orange hardhats to wear, which my son thought was the best part. On the way up to the crater we stopped to see plumeria blossoms (the national flower) and spotted a motmot (the national bird). We did our trip with Tierra Tours, and our guide's name was Carlos. Carlos gets a big thumbs-up.

It felt nice to walk into the Hotel Dario. The trees and fountain in the courtyard make you immediately forget the heat of the street outside. The tile work and staircase showed a craftsperson's touch. The rooms were simple, but clean and spacious. The small pool was just right for a late-afternoon cool-off. The café served a hearty breakfast of Nica classics (rice and beans, plantains, fried cheese) or pancakes. The location was ideal, right on the main pedestrian street, just a few blocks from the main square. The staff was friendly. We were glad we stayed there.

Taking a boat out among the 365 islands near Granada was my favorite thing we did in Nicaragua. We went with Tierra Tours (we arranged it the night before, but we probably could have set it up that morning), and Carlos, our guide, was terrific. We ended up having a boat to ourselves, which was really nice. And Carlos knew his birds, which were the main attraction for me. They were all over the place—three different kinds of herons, other shorebirds, kiskadees—and Carlos could spot them and identify them. We stopped at the old fort that occupies one of the islands, and weaved among the other islands where folks, including a fair number of ex-pats, have built homes, some of which are quite opulent. We spotted a sleeping howler monkey, and then swung by Monkey island, where spider monkeys and capuchins that have picked up names such as J. Lo and Lolo came down to greet the boat. We also stopped off at La Pirata café for delicious fresh fruit smoothies. If I go back, I might try a kayak tour, which was another option. You wouldn’t cover as much ground, I assume, but you might sneak up on some good birds.

In a few years, there will probably be a guidebook to the various beaches along the Pacific coast of Nicaragua near San Juan del Sur. They each have different characteristics—some big, some small, some better for surfing, etc. We didn’t have time to do a comprehensive survey. But we can give a thumbs-up to taking a sailboat trip out from San Juan’s harbor and going north to Playa Costa Blanca. The boat belonged to our hotel, the Pelican Eyes, but you don’t have to be a guest there to join a trip. The ride along the coast was smooth and steady, and gave us a view of the coastline and some of the other beaches. When we got to Costa Blanca, we anchored offshore, then jumped in and swam to the beach. The water was cold, but the swim was short. Then the seven of us on the boat had the beach to ourselves. We walked in the soft sand and found crabs in the tidepools, and when we were ready, swam back to the boat, where fresh ceviche and drinks were waiting. We watched the sun set as we sailed back to San Juan. And the captain let my 6-year-old son steer the boat. I’m not even really a boat guy, but I can’t imagine a more relaxing way to spend an afternoon.

BMW Welt in Munich is everything you would expect, but nothing you’ve ever experienced. It is German precision and attention to detail at its finest. Completed in 2007 at the cost of US $200 Million, this World of BMW hosts BMW, MINI Cooper and Rolls Royce in feat of architectural genius. Next to the Munich Olympiapark and across the street from one of BMW’s production plants, BMW Welt was designed to reflect everything that defines their brand and is innovative, streamlined, technologically advanced, sharp and modern. Check out the showrooms of futuristic-looking BMW models that are coming into production, with electric cars that go from 0-60 in less than 4 seconds and get over 100 miles per gallon. Browse the MINI play land that inspires enthusiasm, featuring their new Roadster, their John Cooper sports series and the more spacious Paceman. Have a gloved-driver open the door for you to slide into a Rolls Royce, and experience what it feels like to own a Phantom of your own. After gaining inspiration from current innovation, head to the BMW Museum just across the street, and see the progression and development of the models throughout the years. It’s no wonder why BMW Welt receives more visits per year than Germany’s famous Neuschwanstein Castle: it truly is a world all its own.