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My bucket list included seeing the Northern Lights. This took me to the Chena Hot Springs Resort located an hour outside of Fairbanks, Alaska (the address is WRONG on the map). The Northern Lights are best seen in clear dark skies which is abundant in the Fairbanks area. It was 22 below (which is way cold!), but you could stay snuggly warm in the natural hot springs. The medicinal powers of the hot springs are also a high point. Maybe my imagination, but I went into the pool with an achy hip and came out pain free. The rock hot springs pool is surrounded by snow covered trees. This one looks to me like a tree nymph pointing to the sky and promising you a night time glimpse of the Northern Lights. What a spectacle it is! Mother Nature at her best is the colorful dancing lights that can be seen in this Alaska wonderland. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that the Northern Light will appear so I am not promising you or guaranteeing you that if you go you will definitely have that remarkable experience. But, if you are one of the lucky ones that are blessed with a view of this remarkable phenomenon, it is worth the trip. If not, you may also see shooting stars in the dark night sky filled with more stars than you can imagine, go on a one horse open sleigh ride or go mushing in a sled pulled by a group of eager sled dogs! Also enjoy the cozy pub that has a great menu and drinks aplenty! Call the resort to confirm what activites will be available during your stay.

Museum of Islamic Art Café, located in the atrium of the museum, overlooking the Doha Bay and skyline, combines French with Arabic cuisine in a limited, but superbly delectable, selection of homemade signature creations. The high-end menu, on a user-friendly iPad, includes a selection of foods created by Adam Ducasse, the famous chef preparing the food in the exclusive IDAM restaurant upstairs and a collection of teas and coffees, as well as mocktails. This mixture of Arab-French cuisine, the mind-blowing architecture of the museum, the view, the peaceful atmosphere of the atrium, make this café a mandatory stop after an afternoon at the museum or a stroll along the corniche.

You enter Mister Jiu’s off of Waverly Place and step first into the dark and dreamy bar, a perfect place to pause for one of the restaurant’s inventive cocktails. With the mood set, follow the hallway, which gives way to the light and bright dining room that overlooks the lanterns and Chinese signs of Grant Avenue. Chef Brandon Jew and his talented team buzz around the open kitchen, whipping up small and large dishes of organic, locally sourced meat, fish, and vegetables. The cuisine makes modern versions of old classics: instead of the usual white doughy wrap, pork buns here are served on Dutch crunch rolls; hot and sour soup is served with Dungeness crab; and shui jiao dumplings are filled with lamb. Banquet-style dining is encouraged—how else will you get to test out that old-school Chinese restaurant mainstay, the lazy Susan, built into each round teak table? A prix fixe menu and à la carte ordering are available. Within six months of opening, Mister Jiu’s earned a Michelin star.

Placencia’s best sit-down local restaurant is located smack in the heart of the village. Wendy’s is a favorite with locals for its hearty breakfast—fried eggs with refried beans and tortillas—before work or before heading out on a sun-and-sea excursion. The restaurant is also a solid choice for lunch and dinner, and is reasonably priced for the wide variety of dishes it offers, like quesadillas, sandwiches, burgers, pastas, beans and rice, and seafood. The walls are covered with local art, and the spacious veranda offers views of the comings and goings along the village’s main road. Wendy’s rarely closes and seldom disappoints, in food or in service.

One of Canada’s most iconic hotels, the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is cradled by the Rocky Mountains, its grand, castle-like structure surrounded by towering peaks and the pristine, protected wilderness of Banff National Park. The hotel was founded in 1890 by Cornelius Van Horne, the general manager of the Canadian Pacific Railway, who envisioned creating a refuge for “the outdoor adventurer and alpinist.” What began as a one-story log cabin ended up helping to kick-start tourism in the Canadian Rockies, launch the Canadian mountaineering scene, and draw a host of notable names to the region, from Marilyn Monroe to Queen Elizabeth II.

Today, guests arrive in a grand lobby outfitted with imposing chandeliers and sweeping staircases. Common areas are decorated with old-timey photos from the hotel’s past, while the 552 spacious rooms and suites are all about showcasing views of the stunning turquoise lake and snowcapped Victoria Glacier. There are plenty of activities to enjoy year-round, from canoeing, hiking, fishing, rafting, and horseback riding in warmer weather, to skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and snowmobiling in the winter. In between, savor everything from European alpine dishes, authentic Italian fare, and Canadian comfort food to a large selection of bourbons and whiskeys at the seven dining outlets, or head to the spa and health club for a pampering treatment or dip in the indoor heated pool.

Valley of Fire is the oldest state park in Nevada, and a great place to see 3,000-year-old Indian petroglyphs and explore the red sandstone formations created during the age of the dinosaurs. Bring your camera to photograph the landscape while hiking this rocky landscape formed over 150 million years ago. The red sandstone gives off an incredible light, which makes the grey rocks nearby appear turquoise. Great place to camp while watching incredible sunrises and sunsets! Photographers will go crazy for this place, especially in spring, when a variety of wild flowers bloom. Skip the Las Vegas strip and head straight to this magical place!

Set on what was once the original campus of the University of Washington, this downtown landmark was opened in 1924, and now sits on the National Register of Historic Places. Its stately spaces have played host to generations of weddings, proms, banquets, and other opulent events, as well as a number of notable guests; John F. Kennedy stayed in the Presidential Suite during his visit to Seattle, for example.

Following a renovation in 2016, the Fairmont Olympic Hotel now features 450 rooms and suites with sophisticated décor, comfortable furnishings, and Le Labo products. Among the dining options are the elegant Georgian, a much-lauded favorite for breakfast, lunch, and the famous Afternoon Tea; The Terrace Lounge, for great drinks and live music; and Shuckers, one of the city’s oldest (and best) oyster bars. The latter pairs fresh seafood with local microbrews, including the hotel’s signature honey ale, made using honey from the building’s rooftop hives. Other amenities include a day spa and salon, and a health club with Jacuzzi, sauna, and indoor pool.

Two architectural wonders helped put Dubai on the map: the Burj Al Arab hotel, which resembles the sail of a ship out on the gulf waters, and the Palm Jumeirah, a residential development on a manmade archipelago that fans out in the shape of a huge palm tree. But in 2010, the sleek Burj Khalifa stole their thunder. Now the world’s tallest structure, the tower soars 830 meters (2,722 feet) into the sky. Visitors can zoom by elevator up to the 124th floor to experience incredible views and explore interactive displays on Dubai’s history and the tale behind the building of this futuristic marvel. Another observation deck is even higher, on the 148th floor.

San Francisco’s only authentic Eastern European banya experience, Archimedes Banya is where to go to sweat it out in a friendly, clean and contemporary looking day spa environment. Okay, you’ll have to get used to detoxing naked with members of the opposite sex, but as long as you’re not hung up on your body, this is the place to do it. Combining ancient detoxing with heat traditions of Greek laconica, Turkish hammam, German thermen and Russian banya with modern rooms and pools, and a sun-lit deck with stunning views, it makes a great location to recover for jetlag especially. They also have a healthy restaurant and a spa offering a menu of massages, scrubs, wraps and herbal and mineral bathes.

Go shopping at Villagio Mall, an opulent Venetian-style shopping mall traversed by water canals and a fleet of gondolas offering rides to the shoppers. The Mall is inconspicuously partitioned into two sections: one geared to cater to middle class patrons which resembles an elegant shopping mall in the USA, and the exclusive side with high-end boutiques (Cavalli, Roles, Versace, Louis Vuitton, etc), French restaurants and designer jewelries, all under a lavish glass dome and flanked by balconies evocative of an old Italian town.

Welcome to Rajdhani, also known as “that yummy Thali place.” A Thali is a round platter that serves a selection of various dishes. Traditionally, a proper Thali offers six flavors on one plate: spicy, salty, sweet, bitter, sour, and astringent. The platter can be veg or non-veg, but Rajdhani specializes in veg cuisine from Rajasthan and Gujarat. Make yourself comfortable and enjoy the 22,464 delicacies from 72 rotating menus. With four locations in Delhi, you will never be too far from an endless platter of goodness.

Open for dinner under the stars from Thursday through Sunday nights, flavors, live music, and dance harmoniously come together for an incredible evening out at Blue Dragon Restaurant and Musiquarium. The menu focuses on the freshness factor and celebrates items made with ingredients from their own organic farm and more than forty Hawaii ranchers, farmers, and fisherman who provide the freshest foods to the table. The ambiance at Blue Dragon can be electric with live music every night that spans genres and encourages guests to get up and dance in the open air restaurant underneath the stars.

The cathedral, usually called the Duomo, is Florence’s most recognizable building. You are able to catch glimpses of its magnificent red-tiled cupola from just about anywhere in the city center. Construction on the church complex began in 1296 and the work—Brunelleschi’s dome and his Baptistery, and Giotto’s bell tower—was completed in 1426. The interior of this architectural is reserved in contrast with the exterior’s marble Gothic facade and its green, pink, and white stripes. Climb the 463 steps up into the dome for a close-up look at Giorgio Vasari’s fresco, The Last Judgment, and a bird’s-eye view of the city.

One of the top restaurants in Namibia is located in the tiny shipping industry town of Walvis Bay. Lyon des Sables is located on the upstairs level of a small oceanfront shopping complex and boardwalk. The restaurant is run by two French men, so you can expect dishes like chanterelle mushroom and parmesan risotto and apple tart. Game meats are particularly popular in Namibia, so this is also a great place to try oryx steak.

No matter how many postcards you’ve seen of Rome’s iconic Colosseum, you just don’t get it until you pass beneath its crumbling arches. Built by Emperor Vespasian in 72 C.E., the huge amphitheater held 50,000 spectators and marked its opening with 100 days of brutal spectacles like gladiator combat and animal fights. The Colosseum was in use for four centuries, and now you can tour the ruins. Walk through the Hypogeum, an intricate series of tunnels and elevators originally used to transport animals, slaves, and gladiators, to the performance above, or take a moonlit tour to have one of the world’s most storied structures all to yourself.