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The Staggering Ox is a unique beast. This sandwich shop – with locations in Billings, Helena, and Missoula – serves up their creative fare in vertical tubes known as Clubfoots. The idea here is that your delicious sandwich meat won’t spill out the bottom, and the clubfoot is easier to hold than traditional starchy vessels. Hey, whatever works. Gimmicky presentation aside, the sandwiches at the Staggering Ox truly are delicious. My favorites include the Blackfoot (black beans, cheddar, Monterey jack, salsa, and more) and the vertical taco (ground beef, cheddar, black beans, jalapenos, Monterey jack). I’m also a bit of a sucker for their green moon juice that comes spills forth from the futuristic beverage dispenser.

Lake Geneva is one of the gems of the Cloud Peak Wilderness. The picturesque lake, nestled in between great rocky mountains and old pine forest, is roughly 3.5-miles from the Coffeen Park trailhead, which makes it a breeze to access for hikers of even moderate experience. The trail to Geneva skirts Edelman Creek and runs past beautiful Duncan Lake, a host of old mine camps, and finally runs through the Big Goose Creek at a crossing that is at once thrilling and quite safe.

Geneva is one of my favorite destinations in the Cloud Peak Wilderness because it serves so many purposes - I love to overnight near the shore when taking off on long backpacking adventures, I get a kick out of running the trail to the lake when I’m feeling spry, and I’ve found few places this picturesque during all my time in the mountains. The view from Geneva Pass (pictured here) is simply unparalleled.

The Puntacana Farmers’ Market at the Puntacana Village is open for business each Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to noon, and features local producers and artisans selling goods ranging from fresh fruits and veggies to award-winning local honey to organic juices, jellies, and oils. You can also pick up fun souvenirs from the sea, including stuffed lionfish! The aim of the market, which receives financial and social support from the Puntacana Resort & Club, is to empower local entrepreneurs to work in their own community on projects that help sustain their arts and culture.

Nobu, at the Atlantis, is the Bahamian outpost of acclaimed master chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Venturing far beyond familiar sushi and tempura, the kitchen here turns out food so extraordinarily good that you will either guard your plate jealously or insist that everyone at the table try a bite. The mini tacos, filled with seafood or steak, are a fun starter, and for entrees, one of Nobu’s signature dishes is a black cod that has been bathed for three days in a marinade of miso and sake—the result, seared and served simply, is sweet and buttery and unforgettable. Dinner here often begins (and sometimes ends) at the magnificent bar, and if you get the chance, visit the sake cellar, one of only a few in the Western Hemisphere.

The only zoo in the Bahamas started as a tropical garden and nature preserve in the 1950s. Over the years, Ardastra evolved, adding a conservation center for Caribbean flamingos and a small zoo containing birds, reptiles, and mammals. The four-acre zoo is filled with the colors and fragrances of its tropical gardens, which feature paths through the tamarind, West Indies mahogany, and Indian tulip trees, amid the abundant blooms of yellow elder, the national flower of the Bahamas, and frangipani. Visitors can see flamingos, iguanas, and lemurs, while enjoying interactive experiences like feeding the rainbow lorikeets and playing with the rabbits in the petting zoo.

My everyday diet goes off the rails when I visit Montreal. This is my favorite food town in the world, and I often begin an adventure with a visit to Patati Patata. Poutine for breakfast isn’t a healthy option, but the beer I drink with it has plenty of organic ingredients, so it’s basically a wash. I’ve made plenty of photographs in this place, but I thought this shot of one of the cooks prepping a takeout box perfectly captures the atmosphere; there’s nothing quite like waiting for that first bite. Don’t be put off by the lines; this diner is a Montreal institution, and a joint you can’t miss. But I do suggest you punch a new hole or two into your belt.

Northern Spain isn’t nearly as popular as the south among foreign visitors (if you discount the El Camino de Santiago), but for my money the north provides a more pleasurable experience. The mountainous terrain is spectacular, the food in every town we visited is splendid, the beer scene is surprisingly bubbly, and the quaint fishing villages, like quiet Comillas, provide respite from the hustle and bustle of big centers like Barca and Madrid. Comillas, scene here from the hills surrounding gorgeous Pontificial University, features an excellent beach, dozens of neat cafes in an ancient town center, and El Capricho, a building designed by famed Antoni Gaudí.

Dingle is a charming fishing village in County Kerry, Ireland, and a popular tourist destination known for fresh seafood, sunrises, rolling hills, and live music. I enjoyed the music we heard in the bars and pubs we visited (the Guinness we drank keeps me from remembering all of it), but was particularly fond of the street buskers we met throughout the city. We met this gentleman on The Wood, and parted with a few pennies as he played us a tune. I was surprised at how many people walked right past him without lending an ear, only to slip into a crowded pub and stand some fifty yards away from the musicians on the stage.

Puntacana Village is a neat little collection of shops, boutiques, restaurants, and cafes that is never more than a 15-minute shuttle ride from anywhere on the Puntacana Resort & Spa compound. Shopping here is perhaps the most laid-back retail experience you can have anywhere on the island. There are no touts, no buskers, and no pressure—just high-quality, handmade goods, ranging from jewelry to textiles to home décor. You can also dine on excellent island cuisine (Punta Cava, the lively local bar and tapas joint, is well worth checking out), and even visit the Puntacana grocery store for under-the-radar treats you might not otherwise find.

Dolphin Island is a curious collection of sea pens not far from the beach at Bavaro, where visitors have the opportunity to swim with dolphins, sea lions, sharks, rays, and more. The animals here seem well cared for, though you should decide for yourself whether or not it’s worth visiting a place with no stated scientific or ecological purpose; Dolphin Island is offering unique experiences for visitors, and generating income while these experiences take place. But if visiting a place where you can swim with sea animals in a safe, controlled environment results in visitors becoming more interested in marine conservation and wildlife conservation in general, then there is certainly long-term potential for a visit to do some good.

As proof that Dallasites aren’t all about the carnivore life, this downtown market has been peddling farm-fresh veggies, dairy, and more since 1941. What started as a small horse-and-wagon wholesale market is now a 26,000-square-foot hall lined with farm stands, artisan food vendors, and specialty purveyors, plus food hall–style stalls and four permanent restaurants. From fresh baked goods to gourmet cheeses, globally sourced spices to locally grown produce, and seafood to spirits, you’ll find everything you need to stock your pantry or picnic basket. After shopping, grab some coffee or lunch to enjoy at the indoor or outdoor seating areas—the latter facing views of the downtown skyline.

An archaeological site of some renown (I have yet to uncover which type of renown this is specifically), An Riasc is basically a giant circle of stones with an ancient Celtic cross in the center. No pub, no Guinness, no bacon and cabbage. Nothing but a couple of old fellas excavating stones, day after day, in the Irish countryside. An oratory, shrine, garden, burial ground, and corn kiln used to occupy the site in the 6th Century. All that remain today are the stones - so use your imagination. Have a bit of heart and stop by on your way around the peninsula, and lend these fellas a hand. They’ll be glad you did. They might even let you touch the cross (not nearly as disease-addled as the Blarney Stone). The Office of Public Works in in charge of the site, and admission is free.

Feast your eyes upon the Francesinha. What is in this curious looking sandwich, you ask? Heaven. Sausage. Cheese. Port wine. Onions. And a bit more heaven. If you visit Porto - and why wouldn’t you visit the home of Port wine - you’ll come to know the Francesinha. How well you come to know this sammy has a direct correlation to how good of a time you have in this gem of a throwback European town. Restaurants throughout Porto claim that they were the first to invent this sammy or that they were the first to add foi gras or the first to serve it with prawns - none of that matters. All that is important is that you ear more than your fair share of one of the world’s sauciest culinary marvels. And that you do it with a pint of beer, and a glass of port nearby.

This national park is centered along the spine plateau above Bryce Canyon, which drops to the east from the main park road. Along the road are numerous pull-offs for enjoying views down into the canyon, with its miles and miles of awe-inspiring sandstone hoodoo spires. Drive to the far south end of the park where the road terminates for the best views of Rainbow Point, named for the colorful rocks that lead into the Grand Staircase National Monument, then get away from the crowds by hiking one of the many trails that drop into the canyon. Visitors can also pick up a backcountry permit and stay overnight to see the stars. While most tourists come during the spring and summer months, Bryce is particularly stunning in the winter when it’s covered in snow.

One of the most beautiful bits of Bimini are the mangrove forests – yet this unique eco-system rarely gets the attention it deserves. Bimini’s mangroves are home to many important island species, including lobster, conch, sharks, the Bimini Boa, and the critically endangered smalltooth sawfish. This delicate system is seriously threatened by development – an important marine reserve may soon be leased out to hotel developers, who would destroy much of what little mangrove remains. Often, one first-hand experience is enough to show visitors that change is needed. You can support the health of the mangroves by choosing a low-impact tour with a local guide or kayak or paddle board adventure to explore the mangroves – local guide Strata G Smith (as well as Ebbie David and Ansil Saunders) can combine mangrove visits with charter tours (depending on tides and boat size). Photo courtesy Kathleen Fisher/Bimini Healing Arts