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One of El Salvador’s great surf spots, El Tunco is a beach whose crescent of sand is reached by scrambling over sea-smoothed stones.

El Tunco is also the name of the town where the beach is located, and a popular places for Salvadorans and foreigners alike to come and relax, chill, and enjoy a laidback vacation by the ocean.

When the tide’s just right, you can explore beach caves, which are tall enough to walk through. Even if you don’t surf, you’ll want to leave time to spend some time swimming as well—this is one of the area’s better swimming areas.

If you’re here in the afternoon or evening, take a short walk to Monkey La La, a bar and hotel on the other side of the Rio Grande to catch the sunset, cold beer in hand.

The most northern of the Northern Beaches, Palm Beach makes for a relaxing day or weekend trip. Here, a sandy isthmus straddles ocean waves and harbor sails, and the Barrenjoey Lighthouse stands watch a short hike up the hill. Snag a spot on the deck of the Boathouse—a Hamptons-style beach shack complete with crab traps, striped awnings, and all manner of flowers and produce on display—for a bacon and egg roll, croissant French toast, or beer-battered flathead and chips overlooking the water. After finishing that cappuccino, which started with an anchor stamped into the foam, take the ferry across the inlet to the Basin campground in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park to swim, stand-up paddle board, and search for wallabies in the wild.

Salishan Spa & Golf Resort, a lifestyle hotel from Crescent Hotels & Resorts, is a beautifully revitalized property just south of Lincoln City. If you want to escape the dog-days of summer or in winter watch the natural world of Siletz Bay and take a walk along miles of ocean beach- this is the place. Built with quality materials in a thoughtful lodge-style architecture decades ago, covered walkways wind throughout the resort taking you from your room to the common areas of the full-service covered Tennis Center ( with resident pro), outdoor sport court, main lobby, fitness center and pool, conference and event areas, Samphire Restaurant, lobby and Sun Room restaurant. The incredible Salishan Spa, Shops at Salishan, and golf pro shop and golf course are also steps away. Rooms are newly renovated, polished, bright and large. I stayed in the Chinook section and our private patio looked through large firs to the captivating bay across U.S. Hwy 101, perfect for sitting in the rocking chairs with a glass of wine.. The food is also revitalized with Executive Chef Andrew Garrison at the helm, and along with visionary General Manager Steve Hurst they are making a name for themselves in terms of guest care and the jewel of a restaurant here called Samphire. The name Samphire is the name of a salty tasting water plant found nearby. Chef Garrison uses it frequently to ramp up the flavors in his straight-from-the-farm, forager, cheese maker, or fisherman, in his flavorful and fresh cuisine. Tip: Samphire is so popular, book a dinner seating when you make your hotel reservation. So head out to the gorgeous Oregon Coast soon and plan to stay here. You’ll be surprised and delighted. And may not want to leave.

Overlooking the ocean, 12 massive sculptures bear silent witness to history, inviting interaction and contemplation. Galician artist Manolo Paz created the granite sculptures in 1994, inspired by the Neolithic menhirs, or standing stones, that are found throughout the Iberian Peninsula. Visitors come to view the sunset, the Torre de Hercules, the Atlantic Ocean and the city framed by square holes cut through the monumental stones.

Among vacationers who’ve been coming to Grand Cayman forever, there’s a whole faction that essentially camps out at Rum Point all day every day, and you’ll understand why as soon as you see the place. Tucked away, super low-key, and graced with a ridiculously photogenic pier—its perfectly weathered planks cutting a striking figure against the tranquil, turquoise surroundings—this beach is the ultimate spot for settling into a lounger or hammock between water-sports outings. Rum Point’s namesake booze—which used to wash ashore by the barrel, according to legend—is available in all manner of cocktails here, of course. But order at least one mudslide at its spiritual birthplace: the beach’s beloved Wreck Bar.

In a valley only five miles from the Pacific Ocean, Folktale Winery lives up to its name: The Old World French-style château appears like a castle from childhood fables amid the vineyards and oak trees. On arrival, visitors are greeted with a taste of sparkling brut (NV). Like many winemakers in the area, Folktale focuses on chardonnay and pinot noir, but its wines stand out for their bright acidic style and the minerality of the terroir. Daily tasting hours run into the early evening, and individual glasses and bottles are available, as well as flights of Folktale and reserve wines from single vineyards. The restaurant serves such seasonally inspired small plates as brie and pear bruschetta, shared plates (the crispy octopus is a local favorite), salads, and cheese or charcuterie boards. Pro tips: Save room to sample wine ice cream pops, made of rosé or grenache. Tours (which require reservations) include visits to the vineyards, cellar, and barrel room. And check the winery’s events calendar for yoga classes in the vines, special workshops, and concerts.

Standing its ground between a cypress grove and the Pacific Ocean, the Point Pinos Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse in continuous operation on the U.S. West Coast—and one of seven lighthouses for which Congress appropriated funding shortly after California statehood was ratified. But this lighthouse wasn’t just an aid to navigation; it was also a social hub in early Pacific Grove. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote about lighthouse keeper Allen Luce and his piano playing, while a fondness for entertaining inspired locals to call keeper Emily Fish the Socialite Keeper. The lighthouse beacon, a third-order Fresnel lens, has flashed nightly since 1855 and is still used in the tower today—the light is visible up to 17 nautical miles out to sea. Docents are on duty to answer questions as you tour the lighthouse, from the 1890s-style parlor to the 1920s-style kitchen, and up to the Emily Fish bedroom and lookout. Right behind the lighthouse is the El Carmelo Cemetery, one of the most peaceful seaside cemeteries, with deer wandering through to nibble on the grass.

Whistler Blackcomb receives lots of press about its big-mountain features, but the resort offers plenty of terrain for every family member and skill level. The Whistler Blackcomb Snow School, among the best in North America, is great for both seasoned skiers and kids as young as toddlers. Even tweens and teens can enjoy small-group lessons, which offer equal parts socializing and instruction in the terrain parks and beyond. Welcome on the Whistler and Peak 2 Peak gondolas, non-skiers will have the village to themselves during the day. When back with their group, they can hang at one of the more than 25 on-mountain restaurants.

One of New York’s most iconic landmarks is also one of America’s: the Statue of Liberty, standing in the middle of New York Harbor as it has since 1885. The statue was famously a gift from France, built to a design by sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and with structural engineering overseen by Gustave Eiffel. The statue was one of the first large-scale curtain wall structures—that is, one where weight is supported by an internal frame and not by the exterior walls. As one of New York’s most visited sights, some tickets sell out far in advance. There are two different levels of tickets: pedestal and crown. Tickets to the pedestal and especially those to the crown are often gone months in advance, so plan accordingly.

The internationally inspired fare (Asian and Italian, mostly) at Oasis Ocean Club is good, but most guests patronize this spot for its enviable views and its lively atmosphere. Sitting right on the waterfront, the two-level restaurant looks out onto the bay and truly is one step from the beach. Live music and an exceptionally friendly staff draw repeat visitors.

Spread across 220 acres of coastal valley, the Ojai Valley Inn opened in 1923, originally commissioned by an early 20th-century glass tycoon. With white stucco and terra-cotta buildings, the mission-style retreat looks like a dreamy California village wedged between the Pacific Ocean and the Topatopa Mountains. Luxurious spa penthouses are ultra-private, and their location in the Spa Ojai building gives guests an easy route to their warm Himalayan salt stone massage or sound energy therapy treatment. The Hacienda Penthouse, atop a hillside villa, brings an air of Morocco to the California landscape. Wallace Neff Historic Rooms, built in the early days of the property, offer the relaxed glamour of that era. Days can be as peaceful or as action-packed as you like and may include golfing at the Ojai Country Club, blending essential oils in the on-site apothecary, lounging next to one of the property’s several pools, hiking, horseback riding, or indulging in retail therapy at two on-site boutiques. Olivella serves traditional and modern interpretations of Italian cuisine, while The Oak’s dishes highlight the resort’s herb garden. Pro tip: Order the signature lavender lemonade.

One of the most stunning natural sites in Tasmania, the Freycinet Peninsula is most famous for a short but steep hike to the perfect white-and-turquoise horseshoe beach known as Wineglass Bay. It’s hard to believe the name comes from a gruesome whaling history that once dyed the bay the shade of red wine. Travelers on an expedition with Freycinet Adventures can kayak the electric-blue waters of Coles Bay and stay in a private camp on secluded Hazards Beach, where they’ll wake up to views of the rocky shoreline, sheathed in orange lichen, and the zigzagging Hazard Mountains, circled by sea eagles. No trip to the Freycinet Peninsula is complete without freshly shucked oysters from the Freycinet Marine Farm.

Fans of the movie Apocalypse Now probably know it was shot in Baler, some 150 miles northeast of Manila. At the time, locals were already well aware of the area’s killer waves, which caused trouble for the fishermen. But attitudes toward the waves slowly changed, thanks to the film: Residents used the surfboards left behind by the crew to learn to ride them. Surfing culture in the Philippines was born, and the big waves were no longer considered a threat, but rather an opportunity to bring in surfing tourism and events each year from October to February. But Baler has a lot to offer for the non-surfer, too, even if you just sit on the beach and watch the ocean. Couples love the long stretch of sand at Sabang, which is perfect for romantic beach walks, and the sunrise here is a must-see. From a historical perspective, Baler is significant because it was the last stand of Spanish forces in the Philippines; the yearlong siege that began in July 1898 is one of the longest in the country’s recorded history. The undermanned Spanish troops, not knowing the war was over, held onto their fortress in the only stone building in the area, the San Luis Obispo de Tolosa church, for 337 days.

First, Brooklyn’s Coney Island is not, in fact, an island, having been attached to the rest of the borough by landfill since the 1920s. What the area is best known for, however, is its heyday from around the 1880s through World War II when it began as a posh seaside resort area and gradually became a beloved beach destination, thanks to a number of amusement parks. The appeals of Coney Island declined after the war (historians attribute this to the proliferation of both air-conditioning, which made escaping to the shore less important, and the automobile, which made it easier to reach nicer sandy stretches on Long Island). In recent decades it has increased in popularity again. Brooklyn residents, and visitors to New York, have embraced anew the retro charms of the boardwalk and the rides that are still operating, like the Cyclone roller coaster and the Wonder Wheel Ferris wheel. The towering Parachute Jump has been abandoned, but it still stands as an impossible-to-miss landmark. Brighton Beach sits next to Coney Island and is a largely Russian neighborhood where restaurants are happy to serve any diners who appreciate copious amounts of vodka and Russian specialties.

Jean-Michel Cousteau and family have created an award-winning, five-star resort on the island of Vanua Levu, in Fiji. No phones, no wi-fi and no worries at this casual, luxurious resort. The thatched “bures” are private rooms and suiteswith views of the ocean or gardens. “The Villa” is the ultimate in privacy and island-style luxury with a private infinity pool, Jacuzzi tub, your own waterfall and outdoor shower. If you are familiar with the Cousteau family and the work Jean-Michel, and his father ocean conservationist and scientist Jacques Cousteau have done, you will be happy to know that the resort continues their work to preserve ocean life and teach people to co-exist with the flora and fauna of earth. Recycling, earth-friendly lighting and growing their own food for the kitchen along with ocean activities that promote learning and understanding of our world are key features. If you are a diver, you are in true paradise here. The resort provides access to the best dive sites in Fiji and the South Pacific. The Jean-Michel Cousteau Dive Centre is located just minutes away from a host of exciting dive sites. Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort’s restaurant offers a diverse cuisine, using only sustainable fish and local products. You’ll have an extraordinary ocean views from your table. If you brought the children, they can attend the complementary Bula Club at the resort. Glass-bottom boat excursions with the resort’s full-time Fijian naturalist/marine biologist Johnny Singh is a highlight. Children under the age of five have their own nanny assigned to them included in the accommodation. Website www.fijiresort.com