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Dining in a beach chair—or at least a chair by the beach—is an essential part of the experience at Spice Mill Restaurant, which looks directly across the water to St. Kitts’ sister island of Nevis. The menu here journeys across the global culinary landscape, but the fish and produce are sourced as locally as possible—including from the restaurant’s own gardens. Expect fine dining with your toes in the sand.

Since 1831 Deyrolle has been the taxidermist for Parisians. In the two-story shop on the lovely Rue du Bac, you’ll find everything from domestic animals and large exotic mammals (lions! zebras!) to insects, shells, birds, and educational books. Parisians bring their small children here to teach them about the natural world because it feels like a beautiful natural history museum as much as an odd little shop of curiosities. In one room, drawers display beautiful insects and seashells for purchase. A small gardening shop on the first floor may be of interest to companions for whom taxidermy feels icky.

Nestled within a landscape of moss and lava less than an hour from Reykjavik, the Ion Adventure Hotel is one of the few true luxury hotels outside of Iceland’s capital. Under the careful eye of owner Sigurlaug Sverrisdóttir, a no-frills barracks for geothermal power plant workers was transformed into a concrete-and-glass Nordic-modern showpiece that wears its reverence for the natural setting on its sleeve. Sverrisdóttir is committed to using local products—everything from the artwork to the bath products to the food are sourced from the area—and the hotel’s sustainable materials and practices, like using geothermal cooling for power, have earned it a number of awards. Plus, all 45 of the sleek but comfortable rooms feature fair-trade organic linens and floor-to-ceiling views of Lake Thingvellir or Mount Hengill, an active volcano. The glass Northern Lights Bar juts out toward the horizon, providing a perfect viewing spot when the aurora borealis appears; beneath it sits a large rectangular hot tub adjacent to the spa. As for adventure, the hotel is happy to arrange any number of excursions, including fly-fishing, horseback riding, kayaking and, for the truly bold, snorkeling in the Silfra fissure.

The first Disney resort built inside one of its theme parks, the Grand Californian puts you in the epicenter of the happiest place on Earth. And being on the inside has its benefits: Hotel guests get extra time at Disneyland before normal visiting hours, as well as a special entrance for Disney California Adventure Park. The upscale hotel’s 948 rooms, which were redesigned in 2017, blend the park’s playful magic—you’ll find subtle murals of Disney characters throughout—with an authentic arts and crafts motif (for views of the park, choose a deluxe or premium room). At the Storytellers Café and Hearthstone Lounge, kids can hobnob with Mickey Mouse and friends. No less notable is Napa Rose executive chef Andrew Sutton, who connects with diners at his Chef’s Counter, where personalized menus are available alongside the seasonal prix-fixe selection. More than 50 servers with sommelier training can help you choose from the 17,000-bottle wine cellar. Pro tip: Recover from a long day at the park with the Zen Buddhist tea ceremony and Balinese massage at the Mandara Spa.

Named for a Dominican-style fishing boat, this open-air restaurant and bar in Punta Cana’s elegant Marina Estates sits on a wooden deck built over the water. Whether you’re seated under the thatched palm roof or the open sky, you’ll have perfect views of the marina as you dine on fresh seafood like grouper ceviche and grilled Caribbean lobster. Also available are Mediterranean-inspired dishes such as caprese salad, spaghetti with pesto, and glazed lamb shank, as well as an extensive list of international wines.

If you’ve ever heard the Eagles song “Hotel California,” you’ve probably wondered whether it was inspired by a real-life equivalent. Eagles members have denied “Hotel California” is anything other than a metaphor, but that’s never stopped visitors to the Baja California town of Todos Santos from assuming its Hotel California gave name to the song. Regardless, the hotel and Todos Santos itself remain fascinating places to visit. Among fun facts: The hotel was the first place in town to serve ice cream.

Outerlands is an Outer Sunset institution. The small restaurant near Ocean Beach serves local, organic cuisine in a rustic-chic setting. Covered floor-to-ceiling in warm, rough-hewn wood, the interior invites lingering over an artisan cocktail or a ginger-lemon apple cider. Lunch and dinner feature such refined but hearty options as cast-iron grilled cheese brushed with garlic oil and slow-cooked lamb shank with nasturtium leaf pesto. The weekend brunch draws a crowd and is worth the often lengthy wait. Standouts include the Dutch pancakes and the house-roasted turkey. You can always make the most of waiting for a table and head to the beach for a quick jaunt before you indulge.

Opened in 1998, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park is home to animals, animated attractions, and thrilling rides for the entire family. The animal lovers in your entourage will swoon over the fun, informative Kilimanjaro Safari Rides, during which you’ll take an open-air vehicle across the “savanna” to spot herds of giraffes and elephants, while thrill seekers will love the roller coasters, rafting rides, and character meet-and-greets. There are also exhibits on everything from gorillas and okapis to hippos, flamingos, and living coral reef, as well as the new Pandora—The World of Avatar area, which features 3-D rides and other, milder attractions for little ones. Standard admission tickets include enough to keep you busy for two days, plus you can add on experiences like evening safari rides, dining packages, and behind-the-scenes tours with naturalists to learn about the day-to-day care of the African elephant herd.

Tsavo East National Park was created in 1948, making it one of the oldest National Parks in Kenya. Situated in the east of Kenya, halfway between Nairobi and the coast, this is a beautiful, wild and hot place (the heat rises as you lose altitude coming from Nairobi) that retains a lot of its original splendour. One of the most special reasons to visit Tsavo East is for sights of the soil-covered, rusty-red elephants playing in the shady Galana River waters. Some of these were once orphans at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and have now been released back into the wild.

‘Purveyors of artisan sausage’ is an excellent description of this gourmet dog and beer spot in Austin‘s Warehouse District (4th and Colorado). The loft ceilings, large vintage murals, friendly neighborhood bar and funky table seating all create a cool, hipster spot to chow down. They’re now serving coffee and breakfast and it’s a great place to hit on a Friday or Saturday night, when they often have live music to kick off the weekend. Don’t forget the waffle fries and the root beer float, to make your trip to Franks complete.

Recalling Saigon’s past, Cuc Gach Quan offers fine Vietnamese fare in a cozy setting that re-creates the home of the owner’s grandmother—a French-colonial house with worn, wood-plank floors; retro furnishings; warm lighting; and a floating staircase to connect the two levels. It’s grown in popularity ever since Brad and Angelina ate here in 2011, but the menu continues to focus on Vietnamese dishes while following the approach summarized in its motto: “Eat green, live healthy.” Expect menu items such as fresh spring rolls with shrimp, crispy sea bass, and fantastic homemade tofu fried with chili and lemongrass.

Lanikai Beach is no secret to the locals, or to tourists, as it is consistently ranked among the best beaches in the world, and it’s arguably the best beach on the island of Oahu. Chances are that if you’re visiting Hawaii then you’re probably on vacation which should make it easier to visit Lanikai during the week. This will increase your chances of finding a secluded spot to lounge in privacy. In fact this amazing beach is usually empty during the week (I would recommend avoiding this beach during peak tourist season or on the weekends). There is no parking, no public bathrooms, and no vendors of any kind within proximity to the beach so come prepared. Pack your sunblock, snacks, and drinks and lounge on this secluded, white-sand beach for the day. Enjoy doing nothing at all or read a book. Or you can fall in love like we did!

It’s not just the real animals that attract people to Sweden’s largest zoo and wildlife park, located two hours’ drive southwest from Stockholm. Many Swedish children love to come because of Bamse’s World, an amusement park dedicated to a popular cartoon bear, Bamse, who is the world’s strongest bear due to his consumption of thunder-honey. There are real brown bears, too, at Kolmården, along with the big-name Nordic animals (moose, wolves, reindeer, etc.) and foreign visitors (elephants, giraffes, tigers, gorillas, and bottlenose dolphins in Scandinavia’s first dolphinarium), plus roller coasters and other rides.

While the large pool hot springs of Glenwood Springs are great for a soak, it can get busy there (and the ambience is nothing special). The Ogilby/Jacober family, owners of the Avalanche Ranch Hot Springs in the Crystal River Valley, took a bit of a risk when they drilled to access what they suspected was a geothermal reservoir. But they hit the jackpot, and built three beautiful and intimate pools of naturally hot water set in a wooded area, with views of Mount Sopris, Elephant Mountain, and Avalanche Creek Valley. The original farmhouse on the property was built in 1913 and has since been renovated; it includes an antique shop, available to day guests as well as overnight patrons.

Jambe de Bois is an unpretentious food escape set idyllically in Pigeon Island National Park. The café—made of stone, driftwood, and thatch—serves up a beach view, an island atmosphere, and a simple menu that will keep you happy for hours. Sit on the deck at one of the picnic tables, and snack on sandwiches, salads, or local dishes like rotis, curries, or fish fillet with rice and peas at lunch and dinner. Come for happy hour or join the locals for live jazz on weekend evenings. The local art on display inside is for sale.