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Parque de Oueste is a shady park toward the north of the city. The park is known for its rose gardens, as well as being home to the Temple of Debod, a gift for the Egyptian state in 1968. The overlook of the park offers beautiful views of the Royal Palace and the larger Casa Del Campo. It’s an ideal spot to split a bottle of wine with friends and watch the sunset after a long day of exploring Madrid.

Don’t miss Parque del Retiro—a stunning area complete with a lake, playgrounds, gardens, and fountains. It’s the perfect public space where anyone can enjoy the day by taking a walk, playing a game, going on a boat ride, or exploring to your heart’s content.

Just minutes from PAMM, this festive downtown Miami marketplace is on Biscayne Bay. Take a stroll, rent a charter boat, or simply practice your photography skills, as the views along the bay are breathtaking, especially at sunset. Restaurants range from a Bavarian beer hall to a seafood bar and grill to a Cuban hot spot. To truly soak in the Miami music spirit, venture here in the evening for the free concerts. Expect crowds when there’s gorgeous weather (since this is Miami, that would be most days), but you will still be able to find some open space to take in the scene.

If you are in the San Lorenzo market area around lunchtime, this little enoteca (wine bar) with its old-fashioned, wood-paneled interior is a good place to stop off for a glass of wine and a sandwich or crostino. It’s usually standing room only, but the choice of wines is great and it’s got a buzzy, local feel to it. There’s a great, well-priced selection of wines to go too.

If you are in Venice, you will surely get familiar with local spritz (a fizzy, refreshing aperitif) and cicchetti, or small snacks. If you want to have a local experience, be sure to stop by Cantine del Vino Già Schiavi while walking around La Salute area.

It’s more of a wine bar or shop than a true restaurant, with floor-to-ceiling bottles along the walls and most patrons standing as they nibble cicchetti like bruschetta with a cod spread or brie and anchovies. Buon appetito!

Susana Balbo, Argentina’s first female winemaker, owns the Agrelo winery Dominio del Plata. The restaurant, Osadia de Crear, which translates to “dare to create,” offers a fusion of Argentinian and Mediterranean seasonal cuisine using local ingredients like Mendocenean tomatoes, domestic goat meat, and herbs from the garden. The caprese salad, the roll of suckling goat, and the cheese and sweets dessert are highlights on the menu. The restaurant also has a deli, offering meat and cheese platters, fresh salads, and gourmet sandwiches made with homemade bread. Picnic baskets are available for guests who want to dine alfresco among the vines. Don’t leave without trying the Susana Balbo Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, which is the winemaker’s personal favorite. Cochabamba 7801, Agrelo, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza; [email protected]; +54 261 498 9200

Situated on the northern end of Delaware Park, the Buffalo Zoo offers family-friendly fun for warm summer days. Built in 1975, it’s the third-oldest zoo in the country, but the facilities have been updated over the years to provide spacious habitats for the resident animals. The underground sea lion exhibit and Rainforest Falls are favorites, as they allow visitors to get close—but not too close—to the animals. Also be sure to catch a glimpse of the giraffes enjoying the sunshine from their street-side enclosure. To avoid crowds, arrive early in the day—the place can get packed, especially on nice days.

If money is no object or you’re up for a blowout weekend in Bordeaux, make like an aristocrat at this elegant 19th-century mansion set in a quiet residential neighborhood. Six sumptuous rooms feature a riot of luxury fabrics and wallpapers, plus spacious marble baths. The real revelation, however, is the three-Michelin-starred restaurant, run by world-renowned chef Pierre Gagnaire, who earned the top place on Le Chef’s 2015 list of the best chefs in the world. Here, you can expect thrilling dishes like duck foie gras biscuits and glazed wild sea bass, with impeccable service to match.

Bogotá’s museum of all things gold is one of Colombia’s greatest treasures. Yet despite the name, you’ll find more here than just the precious metal. In addition to stunning displays drawing on a collection of more than 30,000 gold treasures, you’ll find highlights from the institution’s more than 20,000 artifacts of clay, textiles, and other materials that reveal the history of Colombia’s diverse pre-Hispanic cultures. Audio guides enhance the experience with information on the objects’ purpose and provenance that connects various periods and movements. The museum shop offers dazzling (if somewhat expensive) souvenirs fashioned by members of Colombia’s many indigenous nations.

Staying at the elegant old Estancia Candelaria del Monte is like stepping back in time. The ranch dates from the 1830s, and it feels like it - it’s incredibly quiet here, seemingly disconnected from the modern world. Towering sycamore trees cast shade over the sprawling grounds and a picturesque swimming pool that looks like it belongs in an English period piece; inside the house, four-poster beds and afternoon tea call to mind gentler times. Hop up on one of the estancia’s rugged Criollo horses for a guided ride across the property - you can even help the ranchhands herd cows if you’re really in the mood. A beautiful park, from the 1830´s, jealousy guards the intimacy of the house and the swimming pool, with centenary Sycamores, Ginkgo Bilobas, Elms and a large variety of Pines that fragrance the air. And in the distance, rustic and timeless, it opens up the endless plain landscape of “The Pampas” where the green tone of the land and the deep blue of the sky combine with scattered sights of cows and native horses, together with the isolated flocks flying high up.

The Southernmost Point buoy, at the corner of Whitehead Street and South Street, marks not only the spot for the southernmost point of the continental United States but also the distance (90 miles) to the next country, Cuba. The buoy, installed by the city in 1983, is visited by thousands of people each day. (Before the buoy, a small sign stood at the spot alongside a line of seashells for purchase.) Taking a photo in front of the buoy is imperative for a first visit to Key West, so bring a tripod, or ask a stranger to snap a few shots. Buskers play music, and street vendors sell food and goofy souvenirs and slash open coconuts to drink.

If Southern California had ever been annexed by La Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia, the Fairmont Grand Del Mar would be the governor’s palace—all marble columns, gold-leafed staircases, and hand-stenciled ceilings. Even the 400-acre grounds, with their classical fountains, garden rotundas, and neatly arranged cypresses, are true to the retro Italianate vibe. The luxuries, however, are modern—namely, the 18-hole Tom Fazio–designed golf course and the critically acclaimed restaurant Addison. There, Relais & Châteaux grand chef William Bradley lures locals and travelers with his contemporary French cuisine, a seasonal tasting menu, and a wine list of more than 3,500 selections. (There are a few other drinking and dining options, too, including a casual all-day option, a clubby grill room, and a nightclub for live music and weekend DJs.)

The hotel’s 249 guest rooms and suites feature European-style soaking tubs, and views over the gardens, golf club, or Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve. Two opulent villas—ranging in size from 4,500 to 5,000 square feet—are tailor-made for families and larger groups. The spa here is also one of San Diego’s best: Book a signature Renaissance spa therapy, and follow the scent of eucalyptus-infused mist all the way down a grand staircase to your Moor mud wrap.

The building in which the Museo del Palacio is housed was the main building of the Oaxaca state government until it was converted into a museum in 2008. Located on the south side of Oaxaca’s Zocalo, the green quarry stone building itself is quite lovely. There’s a mural on the main staircase that was painted by Arturo Garcia Bustos that depicts three phases of Mexican history, with the prehispanic period depicted on the far left, the colonial period on the right and independent Mexico in the central panel. Benito Juarez and his wife Margarita Maza figure prominently in the central panel, and other important figures in Mexican history are depicted below them. The museum has many interactive exhibits that are good for kids, as well as some interesting displays about Oaxaca’s natural and cultural diversity.

La Fonda del Recuerdo is one of those places (though not uncommon in Mexico City) where the servers are still called waiters and they dress like it: white button-down shirts topped with black vests, matched with black trousers. Everything here is traditional—from the food, which is Mexican with a special emphasis on the gastronomy from Veracruz—to the entertainment served up during your meal. Mariachis roam among the tables, serenading patrons with a full complement of instruments. Maybe it all sounds gimmicky and touristy, but that’s not the vibe here at all, as the tables full of Mexican businessmen and businesswomen enjoying leisurely late lunches attest. Try the tacos sudados. Though the translation (“sweaty tacos”) may not sound appetizing, these delicious tacos are so-named because they are “sweated” during cooking in clay pots.

La Poza del Obispo (Bishop’s Pool) is a hidden treasure near the Arecibo Lighthouse in Puerto Rico. This beach is loved for its contrast. You will find a calm spot (though it can get rough in bad weather) where you may float, swim, or simply stand around talking to friends. This area is surrounded by limestone rocks. On the rocks and beyond them, as you near the open sea, large bursts of water spray into the air. The water is so clear that a fish and I once became friends. He kept swimming by my side and stopping when I stopped. The tiny silver and blue fish amused me for quite a few minutes. It’s a clean little area where you can sift through seashells and, if you snorkel, you can take a peek at coral on the rocks. Feel free to bring food and have a picnic, since there are a couple of tables and trashcans around.