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Nestled in Maryland’s beautiful Catoctin Mountains and within miles of Camp David, the U.S. presidential retreat, is the oldest family-owned restaurant in the state of Maryland. Since 1929, Wilbur and Mary Freeze with son Jerry at the helm today has hosted Presidents (from Hoover to George W. Bush), cabinet members, world leaders, secret service, media, and press corps. Within the Cozy, the Camp David Museum showcases the history of Camp David through pictures, memorabilia, and gifts. Its neighboring country inn, the original housing of the secret service who protected FDR while in Thurmont, contain charming suites (each with a jacuzzi and gas fireplace), rooms and cottages named after the presidents, dignitaries, and news media agencies who have lodged and dined at the cozy

Notice the archangel. Looks like a sculpture, doesn’t it? Actually, it’s a painting. After generating over 1,000 responses to his question, “What object represents the spirit of community to you?” nationally-known artist William Cochran incorporated their ideas in the form of 180 unique images and symbols from a chameleon to the Big Dipper constellation. Utilizing the trompe l’oeil style (meaning “that which fools the eye”) of painted “carvings,” Cochran transformed a once simple Carroll Street Bridge into the illusion of an meticulously carved, ivy-covered stone bridge.

Hudson Trail Outfitters is a local chain that caters to outdoor enthusiasts in the Washington, D.C. area. The first store opened in 1971 with the goal of selling the highest-quality specialized gear and apparel and providing top-notch customer service. The strategy worked: The shop became a huge success, and four more have since opened in Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. Part of what makes the company special is its focus on the community. It holds weekly events that include yoga, hiking, biking, paddling, and boot camp meet-ups. This is a must-stop for information on the area’s best trails and natural highlights.

Perhaps due in large part to the city’s notoriously harsh, never-ending winters, Montrealers have a profound appreciation of their green spaces, always jumping at the chance of spending a couple of hours outdoors, basking in the sun. The Mont-Royal Mountain is the most popular, however, simply by its size (529 acres!), its fabulous views over the city and its architect — Frederick Law Olmsted. Parc Lafontaine and Parc Sir Wilfrid Laurier are also local favorites, where sunbathers, young families, BBQ-ers and joggers mingle happily, enjoying every minute of the all too short summer months. The two parks are located near delicious take-out counters (Ma poule mouillée and Lapin pressé, respectively) making it a perfect pique-nique opportunity.

New Leaf Restaurant & Bar is an upscale eatery located in NYC’s Fort Tryon Park. Perched on one of the highest points in Manhattan, the 67-acre park features pristine views over the Hudson River. New Leaf is a wonderful dining option if you are visiting the park or its crown jewel, The Cloisters, the world-famous museum devoted to medieval art and architecture. The restaurant is housed in what was formerly a food concession facility from the 1930s. A renovation in 2001 enhanced the natural beauty of the cottage’s cobblestone exterior, 18-foot high ceilings and shaded outdoor patio. The food is fresh, seasonal and modern American cuisine - a top-notch Ceasar salad, plus Maryland crab cakes, hickory bacon wrapped pork tenderloin, ricotta ravioli and more. The non-profit restaurant benefits the New York Restoration Project - all proceeds support a cleaner, greener New York City. So feel good while eating well! www.newleafrestaurant.com

Fort Tryon Park is a jewel. Much more off the beaten path for tourists and even locals, the 67-acre park is located in far northern Manhattan on towering cliffs with panoramic views of the Hudson River, the George Washington Bridge, and the New Jersey Palisades. The park’s pedigree features impressive lineage. It was named after the last British governor of colonial New York and was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr., whose father was the architect of NYC’s beloved Central Park. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. purchased the land in 1917 and gifted it to New York City in 1931. Due to its secluded location, there are far less crowds than other parks. Visitors can luxuriate in quiet corners and tranquility as they stretch their legs. This is the perfect spot for a (hilly) bike ride, run, stroll or walk. Be sure to visit the overflowing Heather Garden and the shaded views from Linden Terrace. The park also has two dog runs, world-famous medieval museum The Cloisters, and upscale eatery New Leaf Restaurant & Bar.

For many centuries, the Hohenzollerns were one of Germany’s most powerful families, their influence only diminishing with the end of the monarchy after World War I. During their dominance, they lived in this majestic neo-Gothic castle, visible from miles away thanks to its prime location on a conical hill. Inside, a series of opulent rooms remain resplendent with period furnishings and valuable oil paintings. The Treasury—which hosts personal items of Frederick the Great and Queen Louise, the Prussian Royal Crown, and a great deal of expensive porcelain and silverware—and the royal chambers can only be seen via a guided tour, but the grounds are free to explore. Also open to the public is the café-restaurant Burg Hohenzollern, with decent regional food and an outdoor beer garden in summer.

On a hilltop perch overlooking 8,000 acres of grounds designed by famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, the Inn on Biltmore Estate’s 210 rooms and suites evoke traditional 19th-century manor houses, with dark mahogany beds and desks, billowing window treatments, and comfortable overstuffed chairs; book a room with a balcony to breathe fresh mountain air while appreciating views of rolling hills—or simply take in the vista from the hotel’s veranda. The formal dining room showcases seasonal specialties using estate-raised cattle and lamb, vegetables from the on-site garden, and wine from the property’s own winery, where you can participate in a free tasting, then ride back in a complimentary shuttle. If you’re looking for something more casual, the lobby lounge and library bar offer salads and sandwiches—and no dress code. But the main attraction is the 250-room Biltmore château, the Gilded Age mansion George Vanderbilt built here in the late 1800s, and its 16th-century tapestries, Renoir and Sargent originals, and 65 fireplaces.

The 40-room John D. Rockefeller estate is sometimes described as being modest compared to other Gilded Age mansions on the Hudson. While it is true that it doesn’t have the same over-the-top quality of the Vanderbilt mansion, it does have one thing that distinguishes it from the other estates nearby, its gardens. Laid out at the beginning of the 20th century with Frederick Law Olmsted (of Central Park fame) leading the project briefly before being replaced by William Welles Bosworth, the gardens are one of the best examples of Beaux Arts garden design in America. Bosworth’s design consists of a number of different gardens spread over terraces descending from the house, many with views of the Hudson and the Palisades on the other side. (The Rockefellers helped protect the land on the opposite side of the river, assuring their views would never be ruined.) Japanese, French, and other styles are contained in separate garden rooms, while the grounds are also home to a number of contemporary sculptures, fitting given the Rockefellers’ legacy as patrons of the arts. It is only possible to visit Kykuit on guided tours offered from the beginning of May to the end of September. (Members of the Rockefeller family continue to use other buildings on the estate and they are apparently not interested in having visitors wander away from Kykuit and drop by unannounced). Choose the “Landmarks Tour” if you are interested in spending more time in the gardens than the house itself.

Clyfford Still brought new energy to the art world after World War II with his large-scale, color-splashed paintings, and is considered one of the most important American artists of the 20th century. Though his influence on the Abstract Expressionism movement was at least as important as that of contemporaries Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko, Still eventually broke all ties with the art world after moving to a farm in Maryland, and following his death in 1980 a huge collection of his work was sealed off completely for more than 30 years. His is widow donated his pieces to the city of Denver in 2004, and in 2011 the Clyfford Still Museum opened, housing 94 percent of his life’s work, including some 825 paintings on canvas and 1,575 works on paper, as well as sketchbooks, journals, and his library—in a museum considered one of the best examples of contemporary architecture in the city.

Since few areas within the city of Venice afford high perspectives of the entire city, take the elevator (no stairs) to the top of San Marco’s Campanile in Piazza San Marco. You may have to put up with a few elbows to get a spot against the railing, but it is all worth it for the spectacular panoramic views of Venice and the lagoon. While here, contemplate the history of this spectacular bell tower and observe the view from the same spot where numerous doges have stood, as well as Galileo. It was here that he introduced his telescope to the doge!

Rum is the Caribbean’s signature spirit, its production documented in the region since colonial times. Just as there are dozens of varieties of rum, Caribbean travelers can select from a wide variety of rum distillery tours. The one offered at Cruzan Rum Distillery highlights the rum-making prowess of the 19th-century Nelthropp family, considered Cruzan rum royalty by many. The Nelthropp family endeavored to craft a spirit incorporating the “warm, tropical breezes that circulate through the open-air warehouses of the distillery.” A sip after your tour will allow you to judge whether they managed to capture St. Croix in a bottle.

Mount Royal Park starts at the edge of the city just beyond the McGill campus and runs alongside neighborhoods like Plateau before rising to the top of 764-foot-tall Mount Royal (Mont Réal), the hill that gives the city its name. The twisting roads and paths of this crown jewel of Montréal’s park system were initially laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed New York’s Central Park. While Olmsted’s plan was not followed in all its details, the final result was true to his vision of a woody park that takes advantage of the site’s hilly topography. There are two belvederes with views of the city skyline and the St. Lawrence River, and one of Montréal’s iconic landmarks, a 103-foot-high cross, sits at its northern end. The park is most popular in summer, but residents flock here in every season, to enjoy the colorful foliage in the fall and the cross-country ski trails and toboggan runs in the winter.

One afternoon, I went to the top of Northcliff Hill by the Water Tower with my brother and cousin on a random outing. From up there you can see the whole of Johannesburg. A full 360 degree view all the way to the Magaliesberg mountain range! If you go, park at the bottom of the hill and trek up to the top. Don’t forget to pack some drinks and snacks for an awesome sundowner experience!

If you are in Venice, you will surely get familiar with local spritz (a fizzy, refreshing aperitif) and cicchetti, or small snacks. If you want to have a local experience, be sure to stop by Cantine del Vino Già Schiavi while walking around La Salute area.

It’s more of a wine bar or shop than a true restaurant, with floor-to-ceiling bottles along the walls and most patrons standing as they nibble cicchetti like bruschetta with a cod spread or brie and anchovies. Buon appetito!