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This city is laid out in a grid system—seven streets by seven streets. Although established in 1751, Frederiksted was rebuilt in 1878 in a Victorian gingerbread style following a great fire due to a labor revolt. St. Patrick’s church, which was constructed in the 1840s, is an impressive sight. Other buildings of note include the Customs House and the eponymous fort. Steps from the pier, Frederiksted Beach has chair, umbrella and paddleboard rentals.

A lively produce market takes place in the Grand Marché Couvert, a huge 1880s glass-and-steel building tucked into Fort-de-France’s tight town center. Rows of vendors sell mangoes, pineapples and other tropical fruits, as well as herbs, spices and medicinal elixirs. The pointy, wide-brimmed straw hat called the bakoua makes a great souvenir.

Situated in the suburbs just outside Copenhagen, Charlottenlund Beach Park is a small oasis in one of Denmark’s wealthiest areas. The old fortress retains several naval artillery batteries in a space that has been converted to a park and overlooks a small, but beautiful, Danish beach. Just behind the park you can head into the park itself, which is a richly forested area that is absolutely stunning in fall. Head to the nearby Charlottenlund Palace, built by Christian the VI in 1733, as part of your stroll through the park. There’s also a lovely cafe down by the beach which is open to visitors and offers a view over the water.

When traveling to Miami, it’s important to get a taste of the Cuban culture that started this community decades ago. To immerse yourself in Latin music and Cuban tradition, head to Hoy Como Ayer, a high-end Cuban nightclub in Little Havana. The wood-paneled walls are adorned with portraits of music icons like Celia Cruz and Benny More, stained glass and picturesque old Cuban ads. On any given night you might see one of the best musicians and acts in the Latin Music scene. The most popular event Spam Allstars on Thursdays, where you’ll see the house band perform Latin-fusion music on a small stage at the front of the bar. You might even see a Latin celebrity or two hiding in the corners.

For a taste of the good life, head to South Beach, known for its Art Deco hotels lining Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue, glittering nightlife, and see-and-be-seen vibe. The long stretch of beach, starting with the pier at the top of historic Washington Avenue, is a great place to take in the Miami of postcards and enjoy the sunset over the cityscape. This is where you’ll find some of Miami’s best shopping, top-tier nightlife, and award-winning restaurants, not to mention great people-watching and luxury-car spotting.

Blue Heaven is a favorite in Key West—Jimmy Buffett even mentioned it in one of his famous beach tunes. The whimsical courtyard is filled with brightly colored tables and chairs, twinkly lights, foliage, and stray animals. The bar and restaurant is owned and operated by a husband and wife whose creative backgrounds in art and literature inspired the space. There’s a mini art gallery, a sandwich shop, and roaming roosters on the grounds. Once a boxing ring (with Ernest Hemingway as referee), the spot now pays tribute to the Caribbean, with bright accents and Cajun seasonings on the menu. Menu highlights include the scallops, which are locally celebrated, served with white wine and lemon butter with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, and lots of garlic. Locals say the Key lime pie is one of the best in town.

One of the best spots to relax in Miami is Bayfront Park, 32 acres of lush grounds that include the Klipsch Amphitheater and the Tina Hills Pavilion. The Fourth of July fireworks and the New Year’s Eve countdown are just two of the community events that occur here throughout the year. From the beach you can watch dolphins jump and play while luxury yachts pass through Biscayne Bay, and you’ll also have great views of the cruise ships and marina. Take the renovated baywalk, shaded by oak and palm trees, past the rock garden and waterfall and several benches. Fitness classes are offered in the park during the week.

This is the oldest and grandest art institute in a city that’s long captivated artists. The Neoclassical building sits amid the greenery of massive City Park (conveniently at the end of the Canal Streetcar Line). It’s an especially good destination for admirers of Edgar Degas, who spent an extended vacation in New Orleans visiting relatives in 1872; a number of his works are displayed here. Just outside the museum is the beautifully landscaped and well-curated five-acre Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, which perfectly melds the old and new. Some 60 sculptures are arrayed amid reflecting lagoons and 200-year-old live oaks.

This botanical wonder is home to thousands of native plant species, including heliconias, hibiscus and bromeliads. Guests enjoy strolling around the three-hectare (seven-acre) grounds, where hundreds of palm trees tower over creeks and tiny hummingbirds flit among the lush foliage. An aerial walkway suspended 15 meters (49 feet) high in the canopy gives visitors views of the Balata Garden, the mountains and Fort-de-France Bay. There’s also a fine old plantation house on the grounds.

For the time it takes most Angelenos to commute to work, you can be ferried into the alternate reality of Catalina Island, a romantic escape far from the daily traffic jams and urban sprawl. The evergreen-shrubbed hills spotted with an artists palette of summer homes and surrounded by bright hues of blue waters, coves and marinas feels more like the islands off the coast of Spain than the United States. It is rejuvenating to arrive at a place so close to the city yet feel so completely removed.

To reach this state park off the north end of Captiva Island, you’ll need to travel by private boat or Captiva Cruises ferry. Once there, though, you’ll find 2,400 spectacular acres, including nine miles of pristine beach perfect for shelling and swimming. Keep your eye out for manatees and dolphins, which are often spotted in the surrounding waters. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even pitch a tent or rent a primitive cabin and spend the night in the real Florida.

Hidden away at the end of small byway off Telok Blangah Road, Labrador Nature Reserve (also known as Labrador Park) is a quiet hillock where you can find the remains of Fort Pasir Panjang. It was one of about a dozen coastal artillery forts built by the British in the 19th century to defend the western passageway into Keppel Harbour. Military buffs will enjoy seeing the old gun placements, supply tunnels, and pillboxes of the former fort, while others will get a kick out of seeing cruise ships and giant yachts coming within a few yards of the seawall as they squeeze through the narrow passage into Keppel Harbour.

Though the beaches of southern Kerala may get more attention, the Malabar coast shores of the northern part of the state are no less beautiful—and offer plenty of their own attractions. Case in point: Bekal Beach, a wide, sandy stretch along the Arabian Sea, set under historic Bekal Fort. The cove-shaped beach offers plenty of room to stretch out and soak up the sun, shallow waters for swimming, and artistic touches like a rock garden, murals, and public sculptures. If you don’t want to get sand in your shoes, take a stroll along the boardwalk, or venture up to explore the Fort complex. Little ones will like the beach’s children’s park, while adults should come back at night, when the beach is illuminated, to enjoy the magical atmosphere. Further along the shores, you’ll spy fisherman bringing in a daily catch that might include mackerel, reef cod, and tuna.

Yes, Hauz Khas Village is perhaps most known for its artsy vibe, boutique shops, and trendy restaurants. But before it became a lively commercial district, Hauz Kaus was (and remains) a 13th-century historical complex with a mosque, tombs, and an Islamic seminary. Take a break from the bustle of shopping and dining to explore the sites from Muslim royalty, then spend some time at the charming lake with its swans, ducks, and other wildlife.

The Great Wall of China runs more than 21,000 kilometers (over 13,000 miles), not as one continuous wall but rather as fortified wall sections. Some of the sections date back more than 2,500 years, though only 8.2 percent of the existing wall is original. The Mutianyu Great Wall is one of the more accessible portions. Hike (because that is what you’ll be doing, even on the wall itself) up the Great Wall, then slide down the side of the mountain on a toboggan. Alternatively, explore the Simatai Great Wall, which retains a more authentic feel—save, of course, for the fake water town at the bottom. Even more remote is the Jiankou section, which is largely unrestored, so book with an experienced group like Beijing Hikers or Wild Great Wall.