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Kananaskis Country is a stunning wilderness area that lies just outside of Canmore, Alberta. The region borders Banff National Park and the scenery rivals it’s famous neighbour. The key benefit to outdoor fun in Kananaskis Country is the complete lack of crowds! It might be near Banff, but it feels a world away. Hiking trails, bike paths, and beautiful lakes abound and it’s quite common to have them all to yourself even during the busiest summer weekends! Check out the Upper and Lower Kananaskis Lakes at sunset, as it’s a prime location near the Continental Divide that offers stunning evening light.

If you look at a map of Rio, you’ll see a giant green spot: the Tijuca rain forest, one of the largest urban jungles in the world. This park includes more than 9,900 acres where visitors climb rocks, hang-glide, bike, or even take a drive (this last the easiest and fastest). The foliage—typical of Brazil’s huge rain forest, the Mata Atlântica—was nearly wiped out by coffee production in the 17th century. Thankfully, in the 19th century Brazil’s Emperor Pedro II encouraged reforestation here, and this national park displays the lush results.

Prague’s riverside along the Vltava are definitely been flowing in the right direction. The top spot is Naplavka near the Výton tram stop where on weekends during the warmer months the embankment is filled with people soaking up the laid back atmosphere and exceptional riverside view. Sip a local pilsner at the sidewalk cafes and grab dinner on one of the floating barge restaurants, plus there’s often live music and other perfomers. Bajkazyl is a bar and bike shop that also puts on films, concerts, dance parties, and spontaneous events. Check out the (A)void floating gallery and bar, and from October through April, there’s a floating sauna where you can sweat it out with 15 other people. Naplavka is also home to one of Prague’s best farmers’ market.

One of the most enjoyable things you can do in Munich is sit down at a bench in one of the many beautiful beer gardens, which serve as familiar gathering points for locals, friends, and visitors alike. The beer is top-notch, and the atmosphere warm and friendly—it’s impossible not to have a good time. The second largest beer garden in Munich is under a tall pagoda, the Chinesischer Turm, set against the beautiful backdrop of the Englisher Garten. Used under a [Creative Commons Attribution license|http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/].

The Golden Gate Bridge is probably the most photographed site in California, but this vantage point never gets old. Explore the hollowed out fort, learn some history, and marvel at the view from the top floor.

Why We Love It It’s a stylish haven in the heart of Nashville’s entertainment center. Highlights -Cycling fiends will appreciate the Peloton bikes in the third-floor fitness center. -The Terrace Suite comes with its own outdoor grill; any cookout catastrophes can be ameliorated by an on-call Barbecue Butler. -Don’t miss the speakeasy-style entrance to the nightclub Dirty Little Secret, through an All Saints retail shop on Printer’s Alley. Nashville’s transformation from honky tonk dive to urban playground is complete with the latest outpost of the Dream brand. Housed in two historic buildings on Printer’s Alley, the 168 rooms are neither a little bit country nor rock and roll, but rather art deco–inspired with deep blue walls, burled-wood armoires, overdyed oushak rugs, and Japanese-style marbled wall coverings. The central location makes it an easy walk to Ryman Auditorium, the Broadway strip, and the Frist Art Museum, but do hurry back before dark. The hotel has six splashy dining and drinking options, including the brasserie-style Stateside Kitchen, a late-night sandwich shop, a DJ-fueled nightclub, and a dimly lit cocktail bar serving local craft beers and inventive libations into the wee hours.

With its own shuttle flight service from St. Lucia and Barbados and an unbeatable location on one of the Caribbean’s most picturesque stretches of sand, Bequia Beach Hotel is an island unto itself. The 10-acre property, easily Bequia’s most luxurious, also includes a spa, two swimming pools, two restaurants, and a canvas-tented bar on nearby Princess Margaret Beach, plus 56 individually appointed rooms and suites furnished in an eclectic, island-chic style (think red four-poster beds, wicker armchairs, and palm-accented throw pillows). Adventurous types can take advantage of the hotel’s free sports equipment (including kayaks, paddleboards, and bikes), while those who prefer more subdued activities can opt for complimentary yoga classes.

The beautiful Koster Islands are Sweden’s most westerly populated islands with only around 300 year-round inhabitants and almost no car traffic. Sustainability and ecology are key values here and visitors flock to the islands’ sunny climate and natural attractions. The surrounding archipelago, with its seal colonies, skerries, and rocky isles, is a unique environmental treasure. The islands’ focus on sustainability and local traditions is especially evident at Koster Gardens on South Koster, operated by a collective of environmentalists dedicated to inspiring its visitors toward a more sustainable lifestyle. The prize-winning restaurant was built with materials such as straw and earth and is open year-round, serving lunch and fika (coffee break) from the best ingredients available from the garden and sea. Guided tours are arranged on foot, by bike, or kayak.

Of all the reasons to hike in B.C.’s Coast Range, visiting a train wreck would not rank high elsewhere. This is Whistler, though, where a train derailment becomes a canvas for artists and a must-see novelty that remains well off the beaten track (sorry!), even for many locals. A new bridge spanning the Cheakamus River makes the hike legal and considerably less treacherous. The trail’s steel-meets-seedlings design is reminiscent of New York City’s High Line, and among the many spurs are a boardwalk into the coastal rain forest and a longer trek that leads to the Sea to Sky Trail. Once a hush-hush locale for graffiti artists and mountain bikers, the Train Wreck hike and suspension bridge route are now well-marked at the Sea to Sky trailhead, just outside of Function Junction.

The sustainably designed andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge on the edge of the NamibRand Nature Reserve captures the raw beauty of the world’s oldest living desert. The otherworldliness of the environment has been consciously translated into every aspect of the experience. The off-grid design factors in the extreme climate and harsh elements, and the desert’s forms, colors and textures are reflected in sculptural stone and steel lines that give way to soft, organic shapes. Throughout, glass walls slide away to amplify the big-sky views. The 10 guest suites are self-sufficient, solar-powered private retreats, each generating ample energy to run on photovoltaic power for everything from the AC and the deep swimming pools to the water harvesting and recycling systems.


Activities include climbing the world’s highest dunes at Sossusvlei or e-biking along gravel trails to caves with rock art by the desert’s earliest inhabitants. Back at the lodge, dishes that reflect Namibia’s cultural history include venison and Kalahari truffles and fresh seafood from the Atlantic Ocean. With close to zero light pollution, the Namib is one of the best dark sky locations in the Southern Hemisphere. The best way to end any evening is in the lodge’s observatory. You can also fall asleep counting stars, thanks to a skylight above your bed.

Central Vienna lies not on the Danube proper, but on its curved canal whose banks were utterly neglected for decades. Today, in warm months, the canal’s banks are a recreational paradise packed with fishermen, bike riders, dog walkers, and joggers. Entire beaches with imported sand and swimming pavilions host a city’s worth of bars and restaurants. Guests at the Strandbar Herrmann, in front of the elegant art nouveau Urania observatory, lounge on deck chairs, while the Badeschiff is a docked boat with a pool. On the left bank of the canal, Tel Aviv Beach bar hosts lively DJ parties on summer evenings. On Danube Island, which sits in the middle of the river, Copa Cagrana Beach has been popular for several decades.

It’s a quick train ride from Paris to Vernon and the 19th-century home of impressionist artist Claude Monet. From the station, most visitors hop on the bus waiting to take them to Giverny, but right across the street, a bike rental shop can easily turn the visit into a romantic day in the country. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, pick up supplies for a picnic at the farmers’ market in the quaint Norman town. Your bucolic ride along the Seine follows a protected bike path all the way to the pastel-tinted home and gardens that inspired many of Monet’s masterpieces.

Located on a half-mile stretch of white-sand Ha My Beach, a short drive from the UNESCO World Heritage town of Hoi An (a hotel shuttle can ferry you back and forth), the Nam Hai sits on the grounds of a former fishing village (a temple from that time is preserved on-site), and it still feels like a community. Guests bike between public spaces designed to evoke the high-ceilinged Tu Doc royal tombs found in the region, as well as 86 acres of tropical gardens and 100 villas, each outfitted with indoor/outdoor lounging spaces, king beds, lacquered bathtubs, and alfresco showers. The dining options range from a casual beachside spot to a fine-dining restaurant, and serve everything from Vietnamese and Western fare to Indian tandoori specialties; learn how to make some of your favorite dishes in a chef-led cooking class, or join the kiddos at the Junior Cooking Academy, part of the kids’ club. When you’re ready to take a break, don’t miss the central trilevel infinity pool and the exceptional spa, where the eight individual treatment pavilions appear to float on a koi-filled lagoon.

It’s a five-minute walk from the parking lot down to the immaculate sands of this popular shelling beach on the western end of Sanibel Island. Stretching for several, uninterrupted miles, the beach is the perfect place for doing the “Sanibel stoop”—strolling the sands crouched over, searching for beautiful shells. Among the beach’s amenities, you’ll find picnic tables, grills, bathrooms, and bike racks, making it easy to settle in and spend the day. There’s also plenty of space to stretch out and find your own slice of paradise.

Take the boardwalk—or the tram that runs alongside it—to reach this stunning state park, which stretches for two miles on the southern end of Fort Myers Beach. The gently lapping waters on the barrier island push ashore all manner of natural treasures from the Gulf of Mexico, making Lovers Key a magnet for shell hunters. You’ll also find a concession stand that runs kayak tours, as well as bike, canoe, kayak, paddleboard, beach chair, and umbrella rentals onsite.