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If you’d like the space and privacy of a vacation apartment but still want the service and amenities of a hotel, the Cottages & Lofts at the Nantucket Boat Basin are ideal. You’ll be whisked away from the Hy-Line ferry and taken to the wharves of Nantucket’s harbor, about as close you can get to the water without staying on a boat. Cottages and loft rooms range from studio-size to three bedrooms, all with full kitchens and private patios. A complimentary shuttle bus can take you to the beach, and bicycles can take you wherever you can’t walk from the cottages. There’s no restaurant on-site, but plenty of options are at the marina, and guests get a discount at the White Elephant’s Brant Point Grill. Children and pets are VIP guests as well: Kids get fishing and beach gear to use during their Nantucket stay, and a pet concierge will assist with stays at the “Woof Cottages.”

Head to the edgy Santa Fe Railyard District—just a 20-minute walk from the plaza—to browse the various contemporary galleries that have taken up residence there. Stroll through the small parks, enjoy a meal at offbeat Southwestern eateries like La Choza and Tune-Up Café, and of course, visit the bountiful farmers’ market to check out the local produce and, in season, the famous Hatch green chile peppers.

In the center of Seoul, the natural haven of Mt. Namsan and its namesake tower rising over Korea’s capital is the focal point of the city. Nestled amid the trees yet overlooking the sprawling urban landscape is the exclusive Banyan Tree Club & Spa. The resort, which covers 70,000 square meters, offers a relaxing respite from Seoul’s frenzied pace. The Banyan Tree is housed in what was once the Tower Hotel building, crafted in 1967 by Kim Swoo Geun—the same architect who designed the Olympic stadium in Seoul—as his commemoration of the Korean War. The Banyan Tree brand’s in-house design firm Architrave has since remodeled the hotel using inspiration from the five oriental elements of water, fire, metal, wood, and earth. The results are a luxury hotel that is equal parts tranquil, modern, and sophisticated—an alluring combination that draws a plethora of Korean celebrities to luxuriate in the exclusive surroundings.

One of the best coffee shops in the city, the Haas “Collective” (haas means “rabbit” in Afrikaans) has grown organically over the years to include not only coffee, but also design, art, and advertising. Formerly located in an old slave home in the Bo Kaap, Haas now takes up a refurbished colonial building in the city, where you can also have light meals at the plush yet relaxed venue. Selected artworks for sale include must-have gilded African bowls by Michou.

Waterfront Park runs a picturesque half-mile along the Cooper River, from an exuberant fountain at its north end (near the cruise ship terminal), to North Adgers Wharf at its southern border. There is much to recommend a stop in this small eight-acre space: a great path for running or strolling with expansive views of ships moving in and out of the harbor; a fountain topped with a pineapple sculpture that splashes water into a small wading pool where children are permitted to play; and, also welcome on hot Charleston afternoons, a tree-shaded promenade lined with benches for those in search of a sea breeze.

Sit down in the comfy leather couches and read up on the local news while you sip on a perfect whisky or hustle up a game of pool and sink a cold beer while keeping your cool, either way you’ll love the Library Bar at the Melrose Arch hotel for it’s classy, old school opulence and it’s cosy atmosphere. Hot Summer evenings can be enjoyed on the verandah with cocktails and friends while cooler evenings can be spent cosying up on the couches at the fire side with a hot cup of cocoa. A well thought out bar food menu, is also available if you’re feeling a little hungry.

The Carnivore is a long time favourite for locals and tourists alike who want to have a good buffet of game meat. There’s Giraffe, Crocodile, Imapala, Kudu, Springbok, amongst other traditional and more western dishes on the menu and all are very tasty! The restaurant works on a stop-go basis with servers coming to your table with large skewers of sizzling meat, straight off the grill, and only ceasing when the stop sign is displayed. However if red meat isn’t your thing, there are vegetarian and fish dishes available. The decor really makes you feel like you’re in the deepest, darkest reaches of Africa, even though you’re just a stone’s throw away from civilization!

Guarded by the Hammering Man sculpture outside, this superb museum collection romps from native tribal art to African masks to carvings from Oceania. Highlights include the 16th-century wood-paneled Italian Room and The Studio, a portrait of the Seattle home of Jacob Lawrence, arguably the most acclaimed African American painter of the 20th century. Check the calendar for world-class temporary exhibits, not to mention lectures, performances, film screenings, and evening SAM Remix dance parties. If you need some air, head for the waterfront Olympic Sculpture Park to catch a glimpse of art in the wild. Free to visit, this green space offers stunning views of Puget Sound and the ferries trundling across it.

The 17th-century estate where Simón Bolívar died in 1830 is the site of several Bolivar monuments as well as an art museum featuring works by Latin American artists inspired by Bolívar, the hero who freed Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela from colonial rule. The estate serves as the city’s botanical garden, also worth your time for its magnificent, centuries-old trees.

Around 100 miles from Reykjavik, and easily accessible due to its location on the main ring road, the tiny and cute village of Vík í Mýrdal has only under 300 inhabitants but is nonetheless one of the south coast’s key highlights. This is mainly because of its distinctive black-sand beach, Reynisfjara, which offers striking basalt columns and lava formations to admire, cliffs and caves to explore and, slightly out to sea, Dyrhólaey, a small promontory featuring a famous arch. Right behind the village also lies the mighty Mýrdalsjökull glacier, which offers some great hiking and other activities, and its worth walking up to quaint white village church (Reyniskirkja) for the views back down to the sea.

Cherry Hill Historic House and Farm at 321 Park Avenue is a social center and a tourist draw. Built in 1845, it was once a thriving 73-acre farm owned by William A. Blaisdell and was occupied during the Civil War. Today, it is owned by the City of Falls Church and operates as a museum showcasing 18th and 19th-century furniture and tools, a buggy shed, a tackle barn, a corn crib, a well-house, and “necessary” (outdoor toilet). Guided tours are offered Monday-Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays (April-October) from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition, events and public programs such as afternoon teas, concerts, children’s activities, workshops, weddings, and receptions occur year round.

Straddling Cancun’s sandy beach in the heart of the Hotel Zone, the CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort features 450 re-modeled rooms and suites with balconies with ocean views. The AAA Four Diamond-award winner houses a wide selection of restaurants and bars, offering Argentine, Japanese, Southwestern, Italian or Thai cuisine. La Isla-Pool Bar serves poolside snacks and drinks in a family setting, while Bahia dishes up fresh seafood on the beach. Las Ventanas Lobby Bar is the place to meet for drinks and appetizers and enjoy nightly entertainment, while Las Ventanas Gift and Coffee shop offers “grab and go” and late night snacks. A full-service fitness center, pool and onsite tennis and water sports complete the recreational package. The Marriott Kid’s Club offers entertainment for the younger guests. High speed Wi-Fi is available in rooms and public areas throughout the resort.

San Juan Cemetery lies on the coast adjacent to El Morro (San Juan’s beloved fort) and nestled in the district La Perla, a rougher part of town. Its statues and tombs make it as beautiful as a New Orleans cemetery. Exiting El Morro, head down the grassy field to your left to catch this flustering overhead view. On this day, a powerful storm was rolling in, casting everything in gray.

Don a headset, approach an exhibit, and wirelessly listen to African thumb piano or Mongolian throat singing at the vast Musical Instrument Museum. Besides browsing some 15,000 artifacts that represent different musical genres, visitors can catch a concert, take a drumming class, or recharge at the café, which serves global fare made from local products.

There’s a little slice of New Brunswick, Canada, off the coast of Maine, and it’s well worth a visit. Grand Manan Island is accessed by ferry from Black’s Harbour NB. The island is only 34km long and 18km wide, so it doesn’t take long to explore by car. Another popular option is to walk onto the ferry and rent bikes on the island. The main sights on Grand Manan are the beaches, rocky cliffs, and lighthouses. It’s a haven for artists, bird-watchers, and hikers. It’s also a great spot to enjoy fresh seafood. The journey to the island is one of the best parts as you often see whales, seals and other sea life from the ferry decks.