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A slip of a restaurant on Burnside, Canard is the least formal of Gabriel Rucker’s restaurants (Le Pigeon, Little Bird) yet is easily the most fun. The burger is justly celebrated by local critics, publications and even local food notables like former Simpsons writer Bill Oakley, all of whom praise Rucker’s take on the White Castle slider, steamed with onions, pickles, and cheese for $6 apiece. More decadent types opt for the “duck stack,” pancakes with duck gravy and foie gras, topped with a duck egg; or the foie gras dumplings. Canard is open all day until midnight. Because of the limited number of seats and lack of reservations, popping in at an off-hour is a smart move.

Downtown Orlando is a very social place, with blocks of bars and restaurants that stay busy from happy hour through late night. Along Orange Avenue—but delightfully removed from the more boisterous downtown stretch—this rooftop lounge overlooking Ivanhoe Row is a local favorite for drinking craft cocktails al fresco. Ride the glass elevator up the third-floor deck, where a horseshoe-shaped bar is shaded from the sun but open to the breezes. Seasonal sangrias spiked with whatever fruit is at peak ripeness go down easily. And another house favorite is the Majors Mule, which puts a tequila twist on the ginger beer and fresh lime classic.

Just north of the Red Cliffs National Conservation area and adjacent to the Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness, this recreation area is ready to accommodate day visitors and overnight campers in small or large groups. At 6,900 feet, it’s high enough to break the heat in the summer and provides lots of opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, and fishing. The camping and day-use areas are in a fragrant ponderosa pine forest with some oak trees in the mix. The camping possibilities are easy and inviting: picnic tables, fire rings with grills, tent pads, clean drinking water, public grills. Reservations can be made, but there are also a few first-come, first-serve sites available.

“The menu at this authentic Japanese restaurant changes constantly. This place is legit authentic Japanese, they even make you take off your shoes and wear their slippers … Men have to wear a button-down collared shirt, so be ready. You can order from their menu a la carte, but the thing to do is make reservations and get their tasting menu. This is what we do every time and it never disappoints. The tasting menu is about seven to eight dishes depending on what the chef decides to send. The meal is unforgettable. In signature Japanese style, the dishes are small, but compact with tons of awesome flavors.” —Kevin Diedrich, a bar manager and consultant who grew up in Northern Virginia.

With its white, single-story exterior and dark window frames, this 12-room inn on the Saratoga Race Course looks like a Tudor take on a vintage motor hotel. Once inside, however, visitors realize the boutique property is much more luxurious than a roadside motel. Rooms feature light-wood bed frames and equine-inspired art, while the bar offers an excellent wine and cocktail menu, which regular happy hours featuring Moscow mules served in copper mugs. There’s also an outdoor patio, where the hotel can arrange barbecue meals on request, and free bike rentals for those who wish to venture farther into town.

Housed in Hangar 1 at what used to be Lowry Air Force Base on the east side of Denver, the Wings Over the Rockies Museum devotes more than 182,000 square feet to everything flying-related, including space vehicles, historical military uniforms, modern and classic aircraft, and flight simulators. In addition to exhibition space, the museum offers an extensive calendar of special events like its Cine-Talk Series (which shows films that feature flying or space travel), the weekly Little Wings Club, Cockpit Demo Day, regular workshops and lectures, and a hugely popular annual Holidays at the Hangar.

Restoration Hardware, the upscale home-goods store, made its 2015 Gold Coast debut in style, taking over a building that was created in 1914 as a residence for young women studying music, drama, and the visual arts. Architect James Gillam of Backen, Gillam & Kroeger oversaw the redesign of the 70,000-square-foot structure, creating a six-floor showcase for luxury furnishings. It’s also the first Restoration Hardware to include a culinary element: The ground level features the Three Arts Club Café, where guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner while surrounded by heritage olive trees and a refurbished historic fountain.

Thanks to an owner and several staff members who hail from Italy, this Neapolitan-style pizzeria has an authentic feel that locals love. Its popularity shows—San Diego restaurants are rarely crowded, yet Buona Forchetta often boasts wait times of up to two hours. Much of the dining happens outside beneath an awning. Indoors, simple decor lets the gold Stefano Ferrara pizza oven shine. Go for perfectly blistered pies like the Nicola (mozzarella, mushroom, prosciutto di Parma, and truffle oil) or the Isabella (buffalo mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, onions, goat cheese, and rosemary). If Point Loma is more convenient, know that there’s a second, larger location called Officine Buona Forchetta in Liberty Station.

Located along the Great Smoky Mountains Arts & Crafts Community route, this iconic spot has been a local lunch favorite for more than three decades. The homey log-cabin interior spills out onto a dog-friendly patio surrounded by forest, where diners enjoy light, healthy fare like seasonal veggie platters, lobster pie, and a signature chicken salad. Inspired by Alpine teahouses in Austria and softened with Southern hospitality, the Wild Plum has proved a hit—advance (not same-day) reservations are highly recommended unless you want to wait for a table. Visitors should also note that the last seating of the day is at 2:40 p.m.

Also known as the High Test Deli & Sweet Shop, this local standby—situated just over the state line in Bryson City, North Carolina—has fueled hikers, area residents, and tourists for more than a decade. The signature Cuban is a best seller, but every sandwich is customizable, with more than a dozen bread varieties, nearly as many cheeses, and all the proteins you’d expect from a top-notch deli. Still, you wouldn’t be blamed for skipping the meats altogether and heading straight for the “frozen sandwich” section, where you can choose from a creative selection of ice cream sandwiches that will challenge even the most decisive sweet tooth.

Complete with an in-shop florist and white, honeycomb-tiled wall, this light-filled coffee shop is one of San Diego’s most Instagramworthy spaces. Luckily, it offers more than just good looks—the coffee comes from San Francisco’s Sightglass and the menu includes lavender-honey toast, chia pudding, and an assortment of croissants from Wayfarer Bread & Pastry. Owner Jen Byard is also the cofounder of San Diego’s popular Maker’s Arcade, a holiday market that takes place every December, so she has an eye for artisan items. Communal’s retail section is always stocked with tasteful finds like ceramic mugs and Mexican blankets.

Unlike the gussied-up lodges on the north flank of Yosemite Valley, Curry Village offers decidedly more casual fare, catering to the crowds in the campsites and tent cabins that sprawl along this side of the valley. The Pizza Deck has indoor and outdoor seating and, conveniently enough, shares space with the Curry Village Bar—a particularly popular place in nice weather. The Meadow Grill serves burgers and grilled sandwiches, while the Pavilion offers all-you-can-eat buffets for breakfast and dinner, including a salad bar, pasta bar, make-your-own taco station, and dessert table. Note: There are food options available from January through November.

Local restaurateur Hide Sakurai—also the force behind Shokudo next door—brings healthy grab-and-go options to the heart of Honolulu’s Ala Moana, the state’s largest shopping center. An artisan café and pinot wine bar, Bread & Butter seats around 50 and serves three meals a day. Argentine chef Arnaldo “Masa” Gushiken adds hints of Spanish and Japanese cuisine to the otherwise very locavore American menu. Highlights include the beet-peach-arugula salad and the house-smoked-ahi sandwich, balanced by the bright crunch of pickled vegetables in its side salad. Regulars also rave about the single servings of paella, the bell-pepper-goat-cheese dip, and the decadent truffle chicken starring an entire game hen.

One of the most recognizable sites in Hawaii, this volcanic ash cone overlooks Waikiki’s coastline—a tectonic memory from an explosion half a million years ago, measuring almost 3,500 feet across. British sailors named it Diamond Head in the 1800s, mistaking calcite crystals in the crater’s soil for jewels. Despite its volcanic grandeur, the ascent takes most hikers an hour or so, clocking in at 560 feet of elevation gain and 1.6 miles round-trip. At the top, on a clear day, you can see all of Oahu’s south shore, from Koko Crater and Waikiki to the mountains of the Wai’anae Range.

The food at the Wawona Hotel is unfussy and satisfying, whether you choose dinner in the Victorian-era dining room, lunch on the veranda, or the summer Saturday barbecues on the big lawn. Dinner specialties range from smoked salmon cakes and cornmeal-crusted trout to flatiron steak and pot roast, while lunchtime fare includes tried-and-true favorites like chicken sandwiches, wedge salads, burgers, and pasta. For even more casual options, the bar-lounge offers bites like caramelized-onion-and-pear tarts, cheese samplers, and turkey-and-bacon sandwiches that you can enjoy on the terrace. Note: This restaurant is open seasonally.