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It doesn’t get more quintessentially Australian than this: waking up to a symphony of kookaburras and the heady scent of eucalyptus, the sight of kangaroos roaming freely about the 7,000-acre nature reserve. You might be tricked into thinking you’d slept under the stars—if it weren’t for the four-poster bed, flicker of a warm fire, and sunrise reflected from the glittering private pool. A three hours’ drive west of Sydney, this luxury ecolodge feels worlds away, surrounded by sandstone bluffs and sweeping plains filled with leafy gumtrees and Wollemi pines. It has 40 homestead-style villas that are as eco-friendly as they are indulgent: materials sourced within a 60-mile radius, solar panels for hot water and lighting. Highlights include the Aussie cuisine, mostly grown and sourced within 100 miles of the resort (and included in the all-inclusive rate, along with a premium minibar). A fruit orchard and edible garden supplies organic herbs, vegetables, fruits, and nuts.


The most intriguing aspect of the property is an original farmhouse, built around 1832, that hosted Charles Darwin in 1836. Today, the homestead functions as a museum that highlights the Indigenous, settler, and agricultural history of the valley. The comprehensive program of activities gets guests off the homestead: There are peaks to climb, glowworms to ogle, and horses to ride. Following a landslide in 2022, Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley has faced access issues. It is temporarily closed.

At the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon, above the town of Sandy, Utah, the Alta Resort offers 2,200 skiable acres and an average of more than 550 inches of snowfall a year. While the steep slopes of the Wasatch mountains draw expert skiers, there is plenty of terrain for intermediate skiers and a number of programs within the ski school to get beginners and first-timers out and enjoying themselves. As for families, even those with little ones as young as two months old, day care is available all day long and into the early evening through Alta Children’s Center, and on Fridays and Saturdays until 6:30 p.m. with its Après-Ski Care. To get tykes skiing and on the slopes, Alta partners with the ski school.

If you’ve kids in a tow, hiring a boat for a float around Houhai is a great way to relax. Houhai is a man-made lake that was once the royal family’s private pool. Today, it’s a popular place for families who come here to cycle around the lake, as well as couples who stroll hand in hand. Renting a covered paddleboat is ultra popular at the weekends, and you’d do well to arrive early, especially on sunny spring or fall days. Rentals at the boathouse are cash only, and you’ll need to leave a deposit, so bring a couple hundred renminbi.

For a spectacular hike near Nairobi, head to the Ngong Hills, just a 40–minute drive away. These knuckle-shaped hills offer panoramic views of Nairobi and the surrounding mountain ranges, and you can choose to turn back at any point if you don’t feel like scaling every peak (the highest rises to 8,071 feet above sea level). The easiest option is to leave your car at the Ngong Town entrance and pick up a ranger to guide your walk. Be sure to bring a picnic—the satisfaction of reaching the final peak is best celebrated by sprawling out on a blanket, enjoying a sandwich, and soaking in the views extending out from all sides.

History fans and art lovers will undoubtedly lose a few hours wandering through this museum (formerly the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India), which covers natural history, archaeology and art. With more than 60,000 objects in the collection, there’s an amazing amount of stuff to see, from ancient Indian artworks (including sculptures from Elephanta Island) and Indian miniature paintings to Indian arms and armor. Make sure you leave time to admire the gorgeous domed building of Indo-Saracenic design.

On the walking mall, on the corner of Hyman Avenue and Mill Street, there is a dancing water fountain where the children endlessly play in the symphonic pattern of the water spraying into the air. The fountain was created in 1979 by a local sculptor and computer genius who programmed the fountain to dance in different patterns. Test your skills and see if you can cross the entire fountain without getting wet or get some balloons and place them on the water rising. For the kids, I recommend either bringing a bathing suit or an extra set of clothes because they are not leaving dry.

Tom Blake Trail is a beginning-to-intermediate trail for hikers and mountain bikers. Located on the lower side of Snowmass’s Burnt Mountain, bikers zip through groves of Aspen trees on a single trail with the sunlight flickering through the leaves. Pick up the trail in either two spots: near Owl Creek or follow the Snowmass Gondola up Assay Hill, and just after the mid-station on the left is an opening in the trees. This is the first mountain bike ride I ever took and it was an unforgettable experience—it’s just hard enough to challenge you but easy enough to gain your confidence as a rider.

Central Plaza is a lovely place to spend the day and watch the community wind down in the evening. During the day, the plaza is full of music and children playing, and the surrounding streets are full of restaurants, shops, and art galleries. As the sun sets, the plaza gets quieter; the town’s lights turn on, and the children leave, one-by-one, to go home for the night. Stay late and enjoy the peace and quiet of the sleepy plaza, or head down one of the side streets and partake of the local nightlife!

Walking through the narrow streets of Boston‘s North End might have you thinking about a delicious Italian meal. Take the time, however to explore the area on Hanover Street where the surrounding brick buildings suddenly give way to a park where Paul Revere stands guard. Commemorating his ride to warn the colonists of the impending British Invasion, the statue stands in front of a small park leading to the famous Old North Church. The setting is a perfect spot to relive the beginning of the American Revolution, and after exploring, leaves you in a location filled to the brim with restaurants and cafes to recharge before moving on.

If you’re a shopper, then Bologna is the city for you. Thanks to the combination of a large student population and a robust corporate climate, the ability to spend some money shopping abounds. One of the top buys can be found at the many food shops around town. Bologna is one of the culinary centers of Italy and you can find everything from the freshest of foods to the coolest of kitchen gadgets around town. This is also northern Italy, so fashion is always close at hand as well. If high-end labels are your thing, then a walk through the main shopping district won’t leave you disappointed.

Good luck if you’ve come here to witness the eponymous monster—though, given the dark, brooding waters of Loch Ness, seemingly anything is possible. At the very least, you’re bound to enjoy some beautiful scenery, from verdant shores to snowcapped peaks. One of the best ways to experience the loch is by boat tour, several of which leave daily from the Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition in Inverness. Alternatively, you can drive up the A82 highway along the lake’s western shore, stopping at such spots as Castle Urquhart, a romantic stone ruin that’s some 1,000 years old.

Fancy trying to get a gander at the Loch Ness Monster? There’s only one way and that is on a boat trip out onto the deep and foreboding waters of Loch Ness. “Nessie” has certainly defied many a scientific attempt at location. The earliest mention of the serpentine beast with a snakelike head dates back to Adomnán’s account of the life of St. Columba, completed in the late 7th century. Cruises leave from just south of Inverness and feature interpretive guides who can tell much more than monster stories.

Cesare al Casaletto is far off the well-beaten tourist track, but it is easy to get to: just take the 8 tram from Piazza Venezia or Largo Argentina and get off at the very last stop. Fifty yards from the tram tracks sits Rome‘s best trattoria, where spectacular fried appetizers (get them all, or at least the gnocchi fritti and polpette di bollito) give way to classic pasta dishes like carbonara and gricia. The second courses are excellent and fall-off-the-tailbone braised oxtail is a favorite. Pair it all with fairly priced natural wines from all over Italy and be sure to leave room for dessert, preferably the panna cotta.

The Pacific Asia Museum’s collection includes art and artifacts from the Pacific Islands and Asia, and the museum offers free cell phone audio tours in multiple languages. The audio tour includes a curatorial tour, a family-friendly tour focusing on animals and legends that appeal to kids, and a poetry series featuring original music and poetry relevant to the collections. Even if you’re not a shopper, don’t miss the gift shop as you leave. One of the highlights of my visit was discovering the gift shop’s collection of old photographs (certified, authentic, and matted for sale)—most are originals taken in Asia during the 1800s and early 1900s.

You don’t have to leave the Texas sunshine behind to get a little shopping done at The Shops at La Cantera. The outdoor shopping mall is home to some of the most elite names in retail including Neiman Marcus, Burberry, bebe and Tiffany & Co., but not everything here will break your budget. Lined with palm trees and water features, this mall is a great place to take a leisurely stroll, and that’s something that won’t cost you a penny.

The Japanese-inspired Nobu Ryokan Malibu, located on the ocean just north of Los Angeles, sets the tone with its smooth teak exterior. An entrance gate leads to a garden where water flows over honey-colored rocks into a pond, and palm trees shade stone paths lined with black Japanese grass. In the 16 guest rooms, there are no exposed nails or screws, just smooth surfaces of teak and Jerusalem limestone and linen. The art on the walls is original—a watercolor of sparrows in muted tones, a panel of delicately carved black lacquer depicting waves and leaves. The furniture is oak, all right angles and brass fittings, and the bedside lamps look like lanterns. The bathrooms feature skylights, rain showers, and deep teak soaking tubs.

Hotel guests get first dibs on reservations at Nobu restaurant, just two doors down. If that seems too far away, you can get Nobu food delivered to your room: think scallop tiradito, salmon sashimi, and smoked duck with cherry and hibiscus. Another highlight of a stay here are the well being experiences, including yoga with partner studio ALO and an affiliation with Malibu Fit Concierge that offers private fitness classes and guided hikes.

Nobu has partnered with Surf Air to transport guests from various cities in California and Texas. Surf Air flies small planes out of regional airports (if you’re coming from the Bay Area, for example, it’s a 90-minute ride). A car in L.A. takes you on the 40 minute ride north on the scenic Pacific Coast Highway.