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It may not be the smallest U.S. national park (that honor goes to Pennsylvania’s Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial, at 0.02 acres), but the Seattle unit of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park is a small hidden gem in Pioneer Square. Interactive exhibits allow visitors of all ages to follow actual gold-rush stampeders on their cross-country adventure through journals, personal papers, and artifacts. Step into a miner’s cabin or hop on a scale to calculate your actual worth in gold. Learn about the entrepreneurs, like John Nordstrom or George Bartell, who came to the area to make their fortunes outfitting gold prospectors (and whose businesses survive today). This fascinating free museum is kid-friendly and a welcome rest stop for downtown visitors.

The hike up Cerro de la Gloria in General San Martin Park is a steep 45-minute trek but worth the panoramic city views. Make sure you bring lots of water and go early in the day before the weather is too hot and the views too hazy. At the top, you’ll also be rewarded with an impressive bronze monument honoring the Army of the Andes led by Argentina liberator General San Martin, a battalion he marched from Mendoza to Chile to free the country from Spanish rule. The memorial was built to commemorate the Argentina Centennial of 1910. If you’re too tired to climb back down, you can take the public bus, but will need exact change to ride (check current price at the tourist office).

The location for the most charming scenes in the movie Amélie, this once-forgotten neighborhood is now a destination for the young and fun-loving. As soon as the weather turns warm, picnickers line the paths along this 19th-century waterway, watching bridges rise and turn to allow barges to pass. Shopping, food, drink, and diversions also abound here: Artazart (83 Quai de Valmy) is recognized as one of the best design bookstores in Europe, while Le Comptoir Général, just across the bridge, offers live music and cheap drinks. Chez Prune has one of the city’s most popular terraces for enjoying a glass of something refreshing and a chance to watch Paris go by.

So you didn’t have time on this trip to visit Salta, Jujuy, or other breathtakingly gorgeous destinations in Argentina’s north - put it on your list for next time. At least you can go home with some beautiful handcrafted objects produced in the region’s indigenous communities - and Fundación Silataj, a non-profit fair-trade organization, is the best place to do some responsible shopping. Items at Silataj are divided into four categories: accessories, art, home and textile. Browse through the online catalogue for an overview, or just poke around the store in person. There’s an affiliated shop downtown that’s more convenient for some travelers - Arte de Pueblos (www.artedepueblos.org.ar).

Touring this one-of-a-kind urban villa and archaeological site allows a unique insight into the city’s history. The beautifully restored urban mansion was once the residence of a wealthy Spanish family; they fled for higher ground when yellow fever struck San Telmo, and the abandoned building later served as tenement housing for countless immigrant families. When a new buyer purchased the property in 1985, he discovered layers of historical objects in the subterranean tunnels. Today, knowledgeable local guides take small groups through the grand villa and its underground maze, pointing out the old water cistern and display cases filled with antique children’s toys, old hairbrushes and beautifully painted dishes, reminders of an era gone by.

San Francisco’s seven hills and extensive coastline offer plenty of impressive views; why not enjoy them with a delicious meal or bubbly drink? The Burger Bar on the top floor of Macy’s and the Rotunda at Neiman Marcus overlook Union Square. Bay-side eateries like Epic Roasthouse offer travelers water views, while the Cliff House (shown) and the Beach Chalet are right on top of Ocean Beach. To see the city glittering at night, visit the Top of the Mark bar at the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel or the Americano at the Hotel Vitale, in full view of the Bay Bridge’s Bay Lights.

Bermuda waited 45 years for a new-build hotel, but the Loren has proved worth it. Situated on eight acres fronting the turquoise sea near the center of the archipelago, the architecturally sleek luxury property eschews standard tropical patterns and pastel palettes in favor of warm modernism, with world-class art, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a sculptural glass staircase off the lobby. Each suite provides a plush landing thanks to marble baths with freestanding tubs and private terraces with ocean views, plus sumptuous Sferra towels and bath products by Malin + Goetz. For those who don’t want to drive the 20 minutes to Hamilton, the elegant seasonal cuisine at Marée (Bermudan baby greens with goat cheese croquettes and wild strawberries, local snapper with fava bean puree) exceeds expectations, and the botanical-infused treatments at the beachside spa will make the real world seem like a distant memory.

Cemeteries don’t often end up on a traveler’s “must-see” list - unless they are going to Vienna. The massive Zentralfriedhof, or Central Cemetery, isn’t actually centralized. In fact, it lies far to the south of the city. With over 300,000 internments and around 495 acres, it’s one of the world’s largest cemeteries and the final resting place for a who’s who of Austrian cultural icons. Most notable are the final resting places of Vienna’s greatest musicians, including Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Strauss I & II, and even Falco. Architect Adolf Loos, sculpter Fritz Wotruba, and a crypt of Austrian presidents also make for a fascinating look at the country’s more well-known residents. The grounds also hosts the Art Nouveau Dr. Karl Lueger-Gedächtniskirche (Memorial Church), a Russian Orthodox Chapel, and burial grounds for Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist faiths. The cemetery is easily reached by S-Bahn and bus. Buses also travel between the sections, as do horse-drawn carriages.

This handicraft shop in the center of Oaxaca is run by a group of women artisans. It’s one of the best places in town to purchase well-priced handicrafts, and it’s satisfying to know that the profits go to the women who produce the pieces. Walk through the various rooms—don’t forget to look on the second floor—and make your selections, then make your way to the front of the shop to pay. The little tin magnets near the entrance always catch my eye. There’s a huge variety of designs, and they’re so inexpensive. What better way to keep the memories of your trip alive than with a fridge magnet? But there’s so much more to choose from—lovely embroidered blouses, rebozos, leather huaraches, woven handbags, pottery, rugs, tin work, and jewelry... they’ve got it all.

My sister freaked out when she heard that Kenny Chesney would be playing a special concert at the Atlantis Resort on Memorial Day weekend last year. She begged me to go, and with neither of us having been to the Bahamas, it was an absolutely fabulous experience. We shopped and laid out by the pool during the days, while experiencing all the nightlife and restaurants that the resort has to offer. We had a great weekend, and Kenny was the topping on the cake!

Originally a 15th-century convent, followed by stints as the headquarters of the Dutch Admiralty and Amsterdam’s town hall, the Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam—or simply, The Grand—presides over the heart of the old city. With its imposing brick facade flanked by canals and its location within a stone’s throw of Dam Square and De Oude Kerk, The Grand would be a legend even without Sofitel’s designation. The majestic entrance courtyard hasn’t changed since its construction in the 17th century—a fact that’s reinforced by the hotel’s horse-drawn carriage, which offers guests a different way to explore the city center—and even before the building became a hotel, landmark figures in European history stayed on site, including William of Orange.

While today’s interiors are starkly modern, the designers alluded to the hotel’s storied past in the decor and textiles featured in the 177 rooms and suites, which overlook either the interior courtyard and gardens or the canals, and come with touches like rainshowers and signature MyBed mattresses. The private Canal House Suites—especially popular with the dignitaries and celebrities who frequent the hotel—may appear boldly contemporary, but accents like round windows and wood-beamed ceilings hint at their past as the private homes of Dutch admirals. The hotel’s five dining options include the Michelin-starred Bridges restaurant—set in what was once the town hall’s canteen—as well as the casual, all-day Bridges Bistro, traditional Flying Dutchman café, sophisticated Library D’Or lobby lounge, and peaceful Garden Terrace. The two-floor SO Spa houses a gym, heated indoor pool, wet area with Turkish hammam, and treatment rooms for French-inspired services.

Commissioned as a public artwork for the Memorial Park Cemetery, Crystal Shine Grotto is the largest—and perhaps only—man-made quartz cavern in the country. In 1938, Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez had a 60-foot-deep cave dug into the hillside in the middle of the cemetery, then set to work creating a magical attraction out of sculpted cement and almost five tons of colorful quartz crystals. He even carved niches in the walls, which were later filled with biblical statues to complete an unusual but heartfelt religious shrine that now draws thousands of visitors each year. Accompanied by a loop of harp music, the Grotto can be a peaceful place to pray, though it’s also eminently Instagrammable and has become a favorite posing spot for special-occasion photos.

A 10-minute bus ride from Rotunde lies Camp des Milles, a former tile factory that served as an internment camp and deportation center from 1939 to 1942. In August and September of 1942 alone, the camp held 10,000 people, 2,000 of whom were eventually deported to Auschwitz. Today, the site functions as a history museum and memorial, with the purpose of honoring those lost during the Holocaust and educating against racism, anti-Semitism, and all forms of fanaticism. Over three floors, visitors can observe areas like the former sleeping quarters, and view illustrations and paintings left by the interned on the walls. In addition to its permanent exhibitions, the museum often hosts temporary shows, cultural events, conferences, educational workshops, and more.

According to the Book of Deuteronomy, it was from Mount Nebo that Moses first saw the Promised Land. Today, the Moses Memorial Church sits next to a viewpoint offering a dramatic—and windy—opportunity to see for yourself what Moses saw. Information boards point you in the direction of Jericho, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem, and also remind you that you’re standing in the center of the Holy Land. After taking in the vistas, explore the church, which, though modern in style, was built over a 6th-century basilica and features some of the most charming and well-preserved mosaics in the country (the animals in the hunting and herding scenes are particularly delightful). Below the church, a small museum excellently describes the history of the surrounding site.

Deep in the wilderness about an hour’s drive north of Kingstown, Dark View Falls cascade off a cliff and into a pair of natural pools, where everyone gathers to swim in the crisp, clear water. The hike to the falls takes only about 10 to 15 minutes, but involves crossing a jungle-style bamboo bridge across the Richmond River. After passing through a clearing in a picturesque bamboo grove, you’ll arrive at the first fall, where you’ll find a gazebo, changing room, picnic area, and viewing platform for enjoying the beautiful scenery. Another short, more difficult walk will take you up to the second fall, directly above the first.