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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles T-shirts, Members Only jackets, Beavis and Butthead outerwear, Max Headroom sunglasses… oh yes, these are all the droids we’re looking for. Visitors on the hunt for totally tubular leg warmers, an acid-washed jean jacket, and a Michael Jordan bobblehead need look no further than Rad Vintage, supplying all the vintage toys, clothing, videos, and accessories that our inner kids could ever dream about. It’s one of the biggest vintage stores in Andersonville; the merchandise is in spectacular condition, and the prices are reasonable. It’s rad, man.

Verspertine isn’t so much a restaurant as an experience—a collaboration between chef-owner Jordan Kahn and architect Eric Owen Moss. The futuristic four-level structure, wrapped in undulating steel with glass walls and minimal design elements, sets a dramatic stage for the art on the plates. The restaurant serves dinner only—and by reservation only. Pull up to valet parking and they already know who you are. Wait briefly on the garden’s heated benches for the elevator up, where chef Kahn—whose bona fides include French Laundry and Per Se—is the first to greet each guest by name. Tables seat four people at most, keeping things intimate for a sensorial multi-course meal that’s unique each night. Sculptural dishes could include delicate snowy white asparagus with sword fin squid and macadamia nut, or hirame (fish) served in a glittering black bowl that appears empty at first glance. (They do accommodate dietary restrictions and can offer modifications.) Essentially, get ready for a lot of surprises. One thing that doesn’t change: the layered, effects-heavy original score created by the band This Will Destroy You specifically for Vespertine. Pro tip: Opt for the I beverage pairing option (III features nonalcoholic juices and infusions), which offers a libation for each course.

I’m not sure at what age humans develop the skill to stand still and appreciate scenery, but based on a scientific survey of kids who live in my house, it’s not age seven. (On a trip to the Canadian Rockies, as my wife and I snapped photos of the relentlessly picturesque mountains, my son, Luke, investigated how quickly he could break his toy helicopter.) Luke expects Mother Nature to be his playmate. At Bandelier National Monument, about an hour’s drive from Santa Fe, New Mexico, she is. The visitor center offers kids a booklet of activities that, when completed, earn them a Junior Ranger patch. (You could call it a bribe. We prefer the term incentive.) The scavenger hunt sent us off on the Main Loop Trail in search of birds, trees, and bugs, as well as the feature that sets Bandelier apart and makes it perfect for kids: cave dwellings. Ladders of salvaged wood lead to rooms that the Pueblo people carved out of the cliffs here over 800 years ago. “I don’t want to go up, Daddy,” Luke said. “It’s too steep.” “You’ve got this, buddy,” I said. “Just take it slow.” There were no lines of impatient parents pushing their children to race up the ladder. (We saw no more than 20 people on the trail.) Luke could climb the rungs at his own pace. He paused in triumph at the top, then set off to wander the caves. While Mom and Dad squatted—“Watch out for your bald head, Daddy”—Luke could explore without even hunching. After about 45 minutes, we were walking back toward the visitor center. We crossed a nearly dry creek by hopping hand in hand from one downed log to another and were back in time for lunch, before hunger, fatigue, or boredom could set in. It was a parent’s—and child’s—dream hike. This appeared in the August/September 2014 issue.

The black basalt ruins of Umm al-Jimal have to be one of Jordan’s most intriguing historical sites. Hardly anyone ever makes it out here, which is a shame because this vast Roman and Byzantine town built uniformly out of volcanic basalt is packed with interesting half-toppled houses and churches to explore.

Go beyond the highlights with archaeologist-led tours and time with Bedouin families.

On a rocky plateau overlooking the Dead Sea lies the 2,000-year-old cliff-top fortress of Masada. Next to Jerusalem, it is the most popular destination for tourists visiting Israel. In addition to its sheer natural beauty, Masada is also the setting of one of the most powerful and tragic stories in Jewish history. During the First Roman-Jewish War in 73 or 74 C.E., 960 Jewish zealots—men, women, and children—committed suicide on top of the mountain rather than submit to capture by the Romans. Among the ruins are the Northern Palace, an ancient synagogue, and a Roman-style bathhouse with mosaic floors. The ascent to Masada can be done by cable car or by walking up the Snake Path, a moderate climb which should take around an hour.

Soak in the Dead Sea, learn Jordanian recipes, and camp in Wadi Rum on this epic adventure.

Hike through Jordan’s ancient cities, stargaze in a premium desert camp, and watch the sunset from the shores of the Dead Sea.

In this week’s episode of Unpacked by AFAR, Erin Hynes—host of the podcast Curious Tourism—shares the ways that travel can help us navigate the difficult moments in life.

Read articles from this print issue of Afar Magazine.

This weeklong journey spans Naples, Capri, and the Amalfi Coast, complete with cliffside stays and superb local specialties like pizza and limoncello.