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Looking for a great afternoon or evening hike, high above the clouds of the East Bay? Need a few good labyrinths and a volcano to make it desirable? It so happens, I’ve found your place. Located on the border of Oakland and Contra Costa, the parking for Sibley is on Skyline Boulevard. This is a Regional Preserve and is managed by the East Bay Regional Park District. All the perks of hikes in this part of the Bay are here and include a great network of trails, soaring views and many a grassy vista. It also claims an extinct volcano and at least four or five labyrinths for potential meditation. You have two major continental plates to thank for the geological grandeur and a few thoughtful locals for the peace of mind, found within.

the Stockholm city hall building went up in the 1920s and has a variety of styles incorporated into it. Its possible to take a guided tour around the building and admire the architecture, especially the gold room which is made up of millions of mosaics. This is also the building where Nobel Prize winners party with the king of Sweden.

Part dive bar under the palms, part reggae dance hall, and part DJ club. This is the place to come for a great night out with friends. All Pura Vida!

The centerpiece of the city’s emerging Vulkan neighborhood, Oslo’s very first food hall is a culinary utopia. Let your nose guide you to one (or five!) of 27 eateries peddling everything from cupcakes to tapas to bento boxes. Can’t decide? Stop at the Torget stall and order the Taste of Mathallen menu to sample mind-altering dishes from the hall’s best restaurants. The communal wooden benches in the center of the hall encourage sharing, so you and your friends can divide and conquer. Finish your visit with a craft beer in the basement pub Smelteverket, which features Norway’s longest bar.

This sleek, LEED-certified beech-wood concert hall at Place des Arts is the performance space that Montreal’s award-winning symphony orchestra has deserved for years. Designed expressly for impeccable unamplified acoustics, the shoebox space can transform depending in the needs of the performance, accommodating up to 120 musicians and 200 voices onstage at once. Its flawless sound quality was achieved by building the structure like a box inside a box, protecting the inner sanctum of the hall from all and any exterior noise pollution. Sitting in one of the many balconies, you’ll forget anyone else exists, despite the 2,100-seat capacity – the concentration this space inspires is remarkable.

Delhi is brimming with temples, but the unique architecture of the Baha’i House of Worship blossoms above the rest. The temple resembles a lotus flower with 27 marble petals that shelter a central hall that can accommodate 2,500 worshipers. Many believe the land surrounding the site has an increased energy that raises self-awareness and vibrational frequency. Though not scientifically proven, I did feel a shift after spending 15 minutes of silence in the hall. The temple receives an average of 10,000 visitors each day, so be prepared to share the sacred experience. Note: Closed on Mondays.

Everyone is familiar with the breathtaking Flower Carpet, which takes place in Brussels’ UNESCO-listed Grand Place. Sadly, it only happens for one week, every other year. In an effort to curb the disappointment of tourists who visit during the odd-numbered years, the designers of the Flower Carpet have teamed up with a popular flower exhibition, based in Ghent, to bring us Floralïentime. Floralïentime lets dozens of Belgium’s top floral designers loose inside the dramatic city hall building. There, they create floral displays of all shapes and sizes. The Grand Place itself is transformed into a pretty park area, making the stunning square even more beautiful than normal. Best of all, for the cost of a 5 EUR ticket, Floralïentime offers visitors a look inside Brussels’ stunning city hall building, normally closed to the public. For more information and plenty of photos: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/08/floralentime-flower-exhibition-brussels-grand-place/

Are there any nobler or more beautiful horses in the world than the gray-white Lipizzans who wow audiences with their high stepping at the Spanish Riding School? In the 16th century, the Hapsburg empire used Andalusian horses to create the breed in Lipizza (located in Slovenia). As they have for centuries, the Lipizzans perform their acrobatic haute école dressage in the Hofburg Palace’s Winter Riding School arena, an all-white baroque hall designed by Fischer von Erlach. Riders still wear the traditional uniform of bicorne hats and tailcoats, part of the reason UNESCO granted the Riding School its Intangible Cultural Heritage status. In addition to watching the performances, visitors can also tour the stables and sit in on morning training sessions set to classical music.

Located in historic Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park, the Please Touch Museum has long been a favored attraction for families with kids ages 7 and under. (Parents—who are so often tired of saying no and holding kids in check in public places—are among the museum’s biggest fans.) Not only does the museum’s collection include over 25,000 toys, it houses a working carousel from 1908, and some of its permanent exhibits include a kid-size city, an interactive garden, and a space station. Special changing displays are also part of the fun. Current program updates and discount offers to followers are posted on their Facebook page.

In 2014, Szczecin, a pleasant seaport town in western Pomerania, received a very welcome addition: the new Philharmonic Hall. Now the unofficial symbol of the city, the magnificent building appears to be built of light. Barcelona-based design firm Barozzi Veiga constructed the building on the exact site of the 19th-century Konzerthaus (which was destroyed by Allied forces during World War II), helping to resurrect Szczecin’s musical spirit. Bright and daring, the award-winning structure is still rooted in a neo-Gothic context, with beautiful interiors and flawless acoustics. In addition to the Szczecin Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonic hosts a variety of top orchestras, ensembles, and bands throughout the year, as well as numerous festivals, competitions, workshops, and educational programs for children. When visiting Szczecin, the building is an absolute must-see—in fact, people have been known to travel specifically for the purpose of visiting the Philharmonic. Time your trip to a concert, or simply take one of the regular tours of the building.

Supposedly De Ysbreeker (‘Ice breaker’), arguably one of Amsterdam‘s most coveted café terraces overlooking the Amstel river, was formerly an inn for men who broke the ice on the river - hence, its name. Incarnations as a theater and dance hall followed before settling into its permanent role as a café/restaurant with prime people-watching real estate. When it changed ownership in 2010, it also underwent massive renovations to modernize the space. Today, it boasts a commodious interior which includes a bar, armchairs near a fireplace, a billiards table, a work space, loads of dining nooks and a concert hall in the back. Go for coffee and people-watching or a pre-dinner drink and nibbles, that’s where it shines.

If walls could talk, you’d be stuck in conversation with the Fillmore for hours. The building was a dance hall when it opened in 1912 and a roller rink during the 1940s, and led its first concerts in 1952 with artists like James Brown and Ike & Tina Turner. But in the mid-1960s, the venue really had its moment. Concert promoter Bill Graham made the ballroom a hub for psychedelic music and brought would-be legends like the Grateful Dead, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Jefferson Airplane, and Santana to the stage. Needless to say, there’s history here. Learn it best by attending a show. The standing-room-only ballroom still brings in big-name artists—think Lorde and the 1975—at budget-friendly prices, along with a constant stream of smaller acts. There’s a full-service restaurant and a bar, and the vibrant collections of old photos, artwork, newspaper clippings, posters, and billings will school you on the club’s colorful past.

Why we love it: A conveniently located boutique property where history meets hip

The Highlights:
- A location just steps from bustling Market Square
- Handcrafted furniture and local art throughout the property
- A popular speakeasy that draws guests and locals

The Review:
From the team behind the recently refurbished Hotel Clermont in Atlanta and the design-forward Fairlane Hotel in Nashville, The Oliver shares the same dedication to historical preservation and cool, minimalist design as its sister properties. It’s also extremely convenient, with a location near Knoxville’s popular Market Square and some of the most beloved restaurants in the city. The circa 1876 building was home to a bakery, a drug store, and a dancing hall before becoming a hotel in time for the 1982 World’s Fair. When two young developers took control of the property in 2011, they set out to create a hotel that honored that history but also offered the modern amenities guests crave. Their success is your gain at this boutique stay, which features 28 elegant rooms filled with regional art, handcrafted furniture, and fixtures created by local artists.

Dining options include Oliver Royale, which uses ingredients from local farms and purveyors in its elevated comfort food, and an outpost of the popular farm-to-table Tupelo Honey café, where guests can enjoy lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch just steps from the hotel lobby. Most notable, however, is the much-buzzed-about Peter Kern Library, with its speakeasy vibe and craft cocktails. Now that the word is out, patrons line up under the red lamp in the alley that marks the secret entrance, but hotel guests can just stroll in through a door in the lobby like they own the joint.

You know summer is here when people are renting Stand Up Paddleboards to float down Stillwater. About 3 miles up Independence Pass there is an area were the river meanders through the North Star Preserve in fairly tame waters. There are many methods to get you down the river, Kayaks, Canoes, Inner tube, but a new favorite is the Stand Up Paddleboard. You can rent them from a few local shops, like Up Snowboard Rentals and when they ask you if you need booties I recommend that your answer is yes. Although in theory you are floating above the water there are times when your feet dip into the very cold, fresh snowmelt water and you can get very chilly. Shuttle the cars and leave one at the take out point then drive up to the drop in near Wildwood. Bring a few beverages for the nice and relaxing float while the river snakes around corners. Near the end there is “the Beach”. This is accessible other ways and you don’t have to float the river but it is always fun to stop and hang out with other river floaters. Play Frisbee or beach badminton and pretend you are on a beach somewhere tropical.

With its flamboyant facade, art deco foyer, and main hall outfitted with love seats and private boxes, the Pathé Tuschinski Cinema makes going to the movies a romantic affair. Framed by ornate twin towers, the historic building between the Munttoren (mint tower) and Rembrandtplein was constructed by Polish immigrant Abraham Tuschinski, a Jewish tailor who capitalized on a new craze. The imposing 1,200-seat theater mixes art deco elements with Dutch Amsterdam School style, art nouveau, and Tuschinski’s own taste. Today, Hollywood blockbusters are screened in the theater, now operated by Pathé. In the main hall, snuggle up in love seats or order wine and a meal from a private box. On red-carpet-premiere nights, watch celebs arrive in stretch limos and preen for the paparazzi to the delight of local filmgoers.