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Though there are plenty of surf shops to be found around Laguna and Dana Point, none is more important to the community than Hobie. Way back in 1950, Hobie Alter started shaping surfboards in his family’s Laguna Beach summer home. In 1954, he opened Southern California’s first surf shop in Dana Point, where his brand became synonymous with innovation and craftsmanship. Some 70 years later, his surfboards remain a favorite of top athletes like Phil Edwards, Joey Cabell, and Corky Carroll and continue to inspire surfers all over the world. Stop into the shop, which now stands just two blocks from the original location, to pick up a board of your own, plus apparel, accessories, and everything else you need for hanging ten.

For a fancy night out, head to Studio in the Montage Laguna Beach. Perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the restaurant offers a stylish setting in which to enjoy California coastal cuisine, much of it made with the freshest possible produce from the resort’s own raised-bed garden. The menu here is constantly changing to incorporate seasonal ingredients, but often includes such delicious options as braised Mediterranean octopus carpaccio, artichoke barigoule caramelle pasta, and 40-day dry-aged prime beef strip loin. Also on offer is an award-winning wine list with more than 2,000 bottles from all over the world. Inspired by an elegant yet charming beach cottage, the Craftsman-style space features expansive doors and windows, which let in the ocean breeze as you dine on dish after delicious dish.

Located in some of the last remaining coastal canyons in Southern California, Laguna Coast Wilderness Park offers some 40 miles of hiking trails that wind through oak and sycamore woodlands and up onto ridges with sweeping ocean views. The park is also part of the Natural Community Conservation Planning program, which helps protect rare and endangered species, so visitors should keep their eyes peeled for animals like the California gnatcatcher and the orange-throated whiptail. You might even spot mule deer, long-tailed weasels, bobcats, and red-tailed hawks while exploring the park’s 7,000 acres of pristine wilderness. Stop by the Nix Nature Center on your way in for maps, information, and anything else you might need for an epic hike.

Walking down the alley to the courtyard of Patch NYC, you’ll probably think-Where is she sending me? Trust me, there’s gold at the end of the tunnel! In the beautifully designed shop, you’ll find the the work of a highly curated group of vendors, vintage flea market finds, as well as the lifestyle collection of the owner/designers. Don Carney and John Ross have collaborated with such high profile clients as Anthropologie, Barneys and most recently Astier de Villatte. Their home decor and fashion accessories includes costume jewelry, original artwork and scarves and special occasion handbags.

Come for a sip of the Cliff Bell at happy hour (that’s Dewar’s Scotch, sweet vermouth, Absinthe Ordinare, and orange bitters), stay for the live jazz and the lively 1930’s atmosphere. Cliff Bell’s jazz bar in downtown Detroit is a slinky watering hole, and a legendary one at that, named for speakeasy owner and colorful local entrepreneur John Clifford Bell. Although the club was shuttered for 20 years from 1985 to 2005, it now swings on with nightly live music and even serves up bottomless mimosas for Sunday brunch.

Yes, there is Old Montreal and the shops of rue Sainte-Catherine. But Montreal is much more, especially in the Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood, a place famous for its alternative atmosphere. Here you find tons of street art, each piece more delightful than the next. Most murals aren’t spontaneous works by local artists but are part of the many street art festivals taking place on Boulevard Saint-Laurent throughout the year, like MuRAL. Artists come from all over the world to paint, lending an international vibe to the city but also some amazing pieces. This here is one of my favorites, located on the corner of Saint-Laurent and Des Pins streets.

Easy beach access and a laid back vibe.

Hotels often say they’re “steps from the sand,” but here, it’s actually true. Location is everything at Malibu Beach Inn; it’s right on the water, with all of the 47 guest rooms and suites overlooking the crashing surf from private balconies, and a few hundred meters from the historic pier. There are about eight steps from the hotel’s restaurant terrace to its private stretch of beach underneath, where guests can order a chicken club sandwich or a glass of wine from the extensive list to enjoy on loungers.

The hotel changed hands in 2015 and has since been re-imagined by L.A.-based interior designer Waldo Fernandez; rooms and communal spaces alike feature purpose built, hand-made white oak furniture and furnishings that make clever use of space. Our suite had custom built liquor shelves tucked into a tiny corner alcove. Across the hotel, artworks include prints by Donald Sultan and Jasper Johns.

The rooms are designed to evoke a private beach house. And as you drift off among Italian linens, gazing at the stars and lulled by the white noise of never-ending waves, it’s easy to dream.

Why we love it: A foodie hideaway from a three-Michelin starred chef

The Highlights:
- A Michelin-starred chef overseeing operations
- Gourmet—yet affordable—fare at the on-site restaurant
- A lovely setting in the Rhine Valley

The Review:
The Rhine Valley village of Fürstenau may officially be the world’s smallest city, but it does boast the famous Schauenstein Schloss restaurant and castle hotel—and, since 2018, this more casual and contemporary option set in the castle’s former stables. Designed by Spanish-born interiors guru Patricia Urquiola, Casa Caminada is, like its parent restaurant and hotel, overseen by Swiss chef Andreas Caminada, who can often be spotted bustling around the property.

Given the hotel’s foodie cred, most guests come for the eats—whether they choose the fine-dining option at the castle or the restaurant at the Casa, which offers similarly elegant Swiss fare at more wallet-friendly prices. Breakfast is included in the room rate and features epic breads from the on-site, traditional-style bakery. After all the great meals—and some bracing hikes along nearby trails—relax in the guesthouse’s garden with a glass of wine, then retire to one of the 10 rooms. While they’re all different sizes and shapes, each is awash in warm woods, simple furnishings, and crisp Italian linens, and equipped with a private balcony that lets the views take center stage.

Yeah Baby! The Strip might get all the attention, but if you want the real Vegas the only place to go is Fremont St. With its enclosed light show of a ceiling, freak show of people watching, and rock ‘n’ roll show of live entertainers you could be there for hours. Of course, it has casino or two should you want to make a wager, but my bet is that you’ll be fully occupied just taking it all in.

Maxxi, Rome’s first major contemporary art museum, cost €150 million and took renowned architect Zaha Hadid 10 years to complete. The result—a vast, bold space with exhibits on architecture and art—proves that modern Rome can produce masterpieces, too.

But it’s not just the building that’s worth visiting. Inside, visitors can explore a rotating set of art exhibitions dedicated to paintings, sculptures, and more from the 21st century. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11 am – 7 pm. It is closed on Mondays. You can get tickets in advance online.

For a taste of Miami by way of St. Lucia, look no further than Sugar Beach. Set on a white-sand crescent between the Piton mountains—within a 100-acre former sugar plantation studded with shady palm trees—the resort’s white-on-white cottages have all the amenities worthy of a five-star retreat, from sumptuous Egyptian cotton linens to butler service and access to a private chef. (No wonder Gwyneth Paltrow and Matt Damon have stayed here.) But don’t linger too long in your room. The coral reefs in the bay are home to triggerfish, turtles, and exotic sponges that can be viewed on an instructor-led dive or snorkel trip, and whale-watching, waterfall hikes through the rain forest, and adventure tours on ATVs await. If you have more leisurely pursuits in mind, the tree-house spa offers treatments using locally sourced ingredients for the ultimate in relaxation.

This property is currently closed for hurricane-related repairs.

Peter Island is “an oasis of tranquility,” known as much for its five flawless beaches as its word-class spas and luxurious ocean view villas. The island is the largest of the private islands and the fifth largest of the 60 islands in the BVI. Visitors can hop a ferry to reach the island from Tortola or opt for booking a helicopter, water taxi, or private yacht.

Anguilla’s most social beach is full of local flavor. From visiting boats to residents who flock here for the best island-style bar-and-nightlife atmosphere—home to Johnno’s, Elvis’ Beach Bar, and the Pumphouse—there’s never a dull moment on Sandy Ground’s long, soft strand. The water here is calm, making it an ideal stretch of sand for families as well. Sandy Ground is also the site of Anguilla’s August Monday, the most important day of the summer carnival season, when the entire country seems to be in the same location to celebrate J’ouvert: some folks on the beach, some on boats blasting music. By 1 p.m., the August Monday sailboat race kicks off—the first round of qualifying for the final carnival boat race at week’s end.

Because it’s a major cruise port there are plenty of tacky restaurants on St. Thomas, but it doesn’t take a lot of effort to get under the skin of the island and find places where the locals eat. One such restaurant, Gladys’ Cafe, serves up traditional Caribbean fare and is known as one of the best on the island. Skip the a la carte menu and instead get one of the lunch plates including curried chicken or goat served with red beans and rice, mac and cheese and fried plantains.

Built into a mountainside with uninterrupted views of Zermatt and the Matterhorn, The Omnia is a contemporary take on a mountain lodge, envisioned by the late modernist architect Ali Tayar. From below, the glass, metal, and larchwood exterior—and, most strikingly, the slanted roofline—seem to echo the great mountain itself. Entering the hotel is similarly dramatic; from the street, guests walk through a softly lit tunnel to glass elevators, which lift them out of the rock toward the hotel lobby, with dizzying views of the village below. Inside the 30-room property (12 of which are suites), Tayar employed soft, neutral colors to harmonize with the surroundings and create a sense of understated luxury. No two rooms have the same layout, yet all but one have balconies with views. A freestanding fireplace separates the granite-and-leather-accented lobby from a small library stacked with oversize art and design books, while two outdoor terraces are perfect for sipping coffee with views of the Matterhorn. The spa features an outdoor whirlpool, Turkish bath, and steam room as well as an enclosed heated pool that opens to the outdoors through a glass wall on one end.