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The Pont St-Bénézet is so famous it even has its own song, “Sur Le Pont d’Avignon” (as the bridge is more commonly known). The last crossing on the Rhône between Lyon and the Mediterranean Sea, the 3,000-foot bridge was built between 1177 and 1185, using similar engineering to the Pont du Gard (one of the world’s most famous Roman aqueducts, just up the road). As legend has it, the process began when a young shepherd named Bénézet heard voices telling him to build the bridge, then carried a boulder down from the mountains and threw it into the water to lay the foundation. The bridge was later destroyed during a siege in 1226 and rebuilt in 1234 with 22 stone arches. Due to flooding, all that remains of it today are four arches, but it’s worth a visit for historical purposes. You can purchase one ticket for entry to both this UNESCO World Heritage site and the adjacent Palais des Papes.

The soft, gold sand of Batibou Beach stretches along Dominica’s northeast coast, where the Atlantic is calm enough for swimming. Visitors and locals alike come here to relax in the shade of towering coconut trees, or sip rum punch in a hammock at the tiny, rustic beach bar. To reach Batibou, walk 20 minutes down a rough, often muddy trail, or hire a roundtrip ride from the Hampstead Country House. If you’re seeking solitude, avoid Sunday afternoons, when the barbecue scene is particularly lively.

San Diego’s first food hall is housed in the city’s former naval training center, a 361-acre site in Point Loma that now features a lively business district with wide lawns, a waterfront park, and historic Spanish Revival–style buildings. Here, vendors serve everything from coconut-curry chicken sausages to ahi tuna poke bowls, providing the makings of a casual lunch or dinner. Take your food to the patio, or sit inside at the high-top tables near the bar and enjoy the untouched murals that line the upper walls. Painted by naval recruits in the 1950s, they depict various vessels, from a late 18th-century sailing ship to a World War II aircraft carrier.

Hilo-born Sheldon Simeon realized the appeal of his soulful, heritage-based cooking as a finalist on season 10 of Top Chef. Once back in Hawaii, he opened the upscale Lineage in Wailea, where he’s earned a loyal fan base for dishes like kimchi dip, fried turkey tail adobo, and squid luau with creamed taro leaf. Cocktails here are equally creative, ranging from a mai tai made with banana milk punch, Earl Grey tea, raisins, and coconut to a cucumber vodka number garnished with huli huli chicken skin. Whatever you order, be sure to pair it with the chili pepper water, a condiment and digestive aid that’s served in a take-home flask.

Get a bird’s-eye view of Laguna and its famous sunsets at the Rooftop Lounge, which sits atop La Casa del Camino hotel. Drinks here include a lengthy list of red, white, and sparkling wines as well as specialty cocktails like mojitos in strawberry, mango, and ginger flavors. To pair with your sips, there’s a range of small bites, from barbecue meatballs with blue cheese slaw to bacon-wrapped dates and coconut-breaded shrimp. Just be sure to come prepared with sunglasses and a hat, as shade is limited, and bring your four-legged friend—the bar is dog-friendly.

Move over cupcakes: Popsicles are the next big dessert craze in Orlando. After my stroll around Lake Eola, I stopped at the popsicle shop Hyppo. You won’t find the popsicles of your childhood here. Hyppo’s version is inspired by Mexican paletas (ice pops) and comes in two varieties: milk-based and ice-based. When you walk in, you’re greeted by a colorful cooler of pops with seasonal flavors that might include pistachio-coconut, the Elvis (peanut butter, banana, and honey), cantaloupe-black pepper, strawberry-basil, key lime, and even some bourbon-based options.

One of my absolute favourite places to be at is the Meritus Club Lounge at the Meritus Pelangi Beach Resort in Langkawi. You have access to the lounge if you’re staying at one of the suites or Club rooms. Breakfast and tea are served here and it feels truly heavenly to be having your morning coffee and croissant under the coconut trees right by the beach. I especially love to come here for tea, around 5:30pm or so. A leisurely paced consumption of the delicious titbits served will ultimately end with a magnificent sunset.

On Main Street in downtown Bozeman, the Garage is a funky place for a casual meal. Car parts hung on the walls and license-plate-frame menus (not to mention the name of the place) reveal the eatery’s former life as a fix-it shop. Now the space serves suped up diner fare such as bison burgers with grilled mushrooms and Swiss cheese. Be sure to visit the self-serve “soup shack” where the cooks’ latest creations might include sausage and mustard, green chili pork, or Thai coconut soup. Save room for a huckleberry ice cream dessert.

Twelve years after Ace Hotel transformed Manhattan’s NoMad neighborhood into a destination worth visiting, the brand opened its second NYC property on the edge of Brooklyn’s residential Boerum Hill neighborhood and Downtown Brooklyn in the summer of 2021. Built from the ground up, the 13-story building features a concrete Brutalist facade designed by Roman and Williams. Inside, organic elements like green leather couches, wooden walls, and textile and fiber art pieces add warmth to raw concrete pillars and ceilings in the expansive lobby and throughout the 287 rooms.

This Nashville institution often has a line out the door and wrapped around the building. (“It moves fast!” everyone will tell you.) Once inside, the scene is no-frills, but it’s not the atmosphere you’re here for—it’s the people, the tradition, and the pancakes, of course. You can choose from flavors like traditional buttermilk; Caribbean with shredded coconut, banana, and powdered sugar; Swiss chocolate chip; sweet potato; and many, many more. Everything is made from scratch, including non-pancake dishes like omelets, sandwiches, and salads.

At this stunning restaurant in the Grand Wailea Maui, Lahaina-born chef Alvin Savella wows diners with bright flavors and striking plating. Start with appetizers like Cantonese barbecue-style char siu pork belly, squid ink bao, and ulu (breadfruit) risotto with nasturtiums, then move on to impressive mains like lobster ramen in red miso–coconut broth and free-range huli huli chicken with garlic fried rice and charred pineapple relish. Set in a lagoon, the round, thatched-roof restaurant—named for Hawaii’s state fish, the humuhumunukunukuapuaa—offers spectacular sunset views, so plan your dinner accordingly.

This industrial-chic eatery has a covered patio and floor-to-ceiling doors that welcome good weather inside, all overlooking the ocean on Dominica’s east coast. Pagua Bay puts a strong emphasis on seasonal, farm-to-table fare—a commitment made trickier by Hurricane Maria’s destruction in autumn 2017. Still, the restaurant continues to serve reliable American fare with Caribbean twists, including ceviche, goat tacos, chicken Creole, and mahi-mahi salsa. Wash it all down with a frosty beer or coconut rum punch.

The Lobster Palace scores high on service, seaside ambience, and Caribbean charm. At this northwestern, coastal hotspot, the signature crustaceans are boat-to-bib fresh and served flambéed or pan-fried in massive portions. Note that, when the waves kick up and ground the fishing fleet, the restaurant can sometimes run out of lobster. Never fear, however, as the chef turns out other great dishes like tenderloin, moules frites, and shrimp in coconut sauce that are just as satisfying.

Disneyland in Hong Kong is ideal for families with young kiddos. As the smallest of Disney’s worldwide parks, it’s easily walkable, and the tram service can get you where you want to go. Character meet-and-greet photo sessions are scheduled throughout the day and so are parades and shows like the 30-minute Festival of the Lion King, with acrobats and fire dancers playing the roles of Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa. The park is divided into themed sections: In Grizzly Gulch, rides and shows follow a Wild West frontier theme; in Fantasyland, the gentler mood focuses on Cinderella, Dumbo, Winnie the Pooh, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White; Tomorrowland looks to the future with Buzz Lightyear, Iron Man, and Star Wars characters taking center stage; and Adventureland offers a jungle river cruise and Tarzan’s tree house. The park makes a great day out.

Also known as the Papenoo Valley, the Maroto Valley is a magical place once inhabited by ancient Polynesians. If you go with a guide -- I recommend Marama Tours -- you’ll be able to learn about the history of the area as well as learn to forage like they did in the past. The above photo is of a local fruit called noni, whose juice gets rid of mosquito bite itch. A few other natural remedies the group learned include lime can be a deodorant, coconut juice aids digestion and taro is good for strong bones and teeth.