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Famous since its 1998 opening as the place with the dancing fountains (further immortalized in the final scene of the 2001 film Ocean’s Eleven), the 3,933-room Italian-themed Bellagio is a Las Vegas icon. There is a fantasy feel about it, with its five courtyard pools, its indoor botanical garden and conservatory that change with the seasons, its lobby-dominating Dale Chihuly blown-glass flower sculpture, and its eight-acre lake, out of which rise the fountains. Yet following a 2015 upgrade, it also feels as modern as any hotel on the Strip. The Bellagio still does a few things the old-fashioned way: Along with the expected celebrity restaurants, there is a buffet (a long-cherished Las Vegas tradition) brought up to modern standards with an all-you-can-drink alcohol option. Throughout the hotel, service is tops, shopping is high-end, the Cirque du Soleil production O draws ’em in, and—another Las Vegas tradition—a casino with nearly the area of two football fields makes it all go ‘round, which is no doubt why everybody has to be out of the pools by 7 p.m.

Suburban Chicago isn’t the first place that comes to mind when you think of major religious centers. But Wilmette, a small town located less than 10 miles north of the Windy City, is home to the only Bahá’í House of Worship in North America. Dedicated in 1953, the temple—one of seven in the world—took more than three decades to build and features symbols from different world religions in its intricate design, signifying that everyone is welcome. An ornate dome crowns the nine-sided structure and symbolizes the unity of all people and religions under God. Visitors are welcome to explore the temple and surrounding geometric gardens. You can also call ahead to arrange a group tour.

In the heart of Barbican, Kingston’s favorite “uptown” neighborhood, Uncorked started as a small wine and cheese shop but evolved into a sit-down wine bar with a menu that’s popular with the city’s professional crowd. Pick one of the tapas-style starters like the bacon-stuffed dates, or go all in and order one of the famous-for-good-reason gourmet burgers—including the Scotchie and Skellie, which is spiced Jamaican-style. The salads, seafood, and meat entrées don’t disappoint, either. All meals can be paired with the huge selection of imported wines, including vintages from Europe, Australia, and South Africa. It gets crowded at lunchtime, and tables are few, so come early to avoid a wait or stop in for evening cocktails and cheese and olive platters.

“Everyone from the late blues musician Stevie Ray Vaughan to the Butthole Surfers has played at the Continental Club. Musicians who do big gigs in Austin like to play small shows here afterward,” says Liz Lambert.

Dinosaurs, pyramids, cave paintings, sharks—if you don’t like the Field Museum then you must never have been a kid. Home to an extensive assortment of magical displays highlighting all facets of natural history from around the world, the Field Museum is a great way to spend a day getting your culture fix. If you start to lose steam, just pop into the café for a meal to reenergize before continuing to explore the multitude of exhibits that await you. And while the museum is a showcase for natural history, it’s been at this spot since 1893, which makes it a part of history as well.

Take a weekend out of the city on Rottnest Island. How to Get There: Rottnest Express offers hour-and-a-half-long ferries from Perth. What to Do: This vacation spot, popular among locals, is often associated with two things: quokkas, the adorable and sociable marsupials that hop all over the island, and beaches that will leave you slack-jawed. Rent a home and eat out often. The island’s restaurants serve lots of rock lobster, which is plentiful in these waters thanks to sustainable fishing practices. This appeared in the August/September 2015 issue.

In 2007, hedge fund investor Jim Manley bought a working cattle ranch on the site of a historic silver-mining claim to stake as his bigger-than-life family retreat. In 2010, he opened up the Ranch at Rock Creek, a toy-filled haven in southwest Montana’s Big Sky Country, with 13 houses with one to five bedrooms, luxurious canvas cabins for “glamping,” or a nine-room granite lodge. All are decorated by designer Jet Zarkadas and feature Oriental carpets, deep leather chairs, cow skin and woven Navajo rugs, custom duvet covers, and period Western photos and memorabilia. Despite the remote location and 5,200-foot elevation, all accommodations have landline, working Wi-Fi, and cell phone coverage; some have moose antlers, a private sauna, outdoor hot tub, and indoor copper bathtub.

Open year-round, the 10-square-mile property encompasses meadows, high country lakes, grassy ridges, and stunning vistas of the Pintler and Sapphire mountains. This self-contained adventureland offers horseback riding; heli-hiking; fly-fishing; river floating; high-tech mountain biking; rope courses; trap shooting; and archery on a 3D course using powerful hunting bows to shoot life-sized models of animals. Weekly rodeo and stagecoach rides underscore the Western theme; in winter, guests cross-country ski, ice skate, and snowshoe on-site. A kids’ club frees parents for spa time and other pursuits.

Walt Disney World’s four remarkable theme parks are part of nearly 104 square kilometers (40 square miles) filled with entertainment. Magic Kingdom is home to the iconic Cinderella Castle and has six themed sections. At EPCOT, guests take a trip around the globe and into the future via exhibits, rides and events. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a working film, television and radio studio lot that features attractions based on favorite Disney characters. Adventures with real animals await guests at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The resort is approximately 90 minutes from Port Canaveral.

The Museum of Glass is in Tacoma, about a half-hour away from Seattle, and it’s well worth the trip for art glass enthusiasts. The permanent collection includes some Chihuly pieces, work by 20th and 21st-century artists, and a charming collection of sculptural pieces interpreting children’s drawings. The temporary exhibits often feature a Northwest theme, and a theater features a rotation of short films about glass art. The real highlight of the museum, though, is the Hot Shop, where resident glassmakers and their assistants blow glass all day long for the entertainment of visitors. Often, their work is being filmed, and a narrator is on hand to explain what you’re seeing. You can walk all around the Hot Shop via overhead walkways, and photography is allowed throughout the museum, so it’s a great opportunity for photographers as well. The museum isn’t huge and takes only a couple of hours to go through, so it’s an ideal destination for a rainy afternoon. But don’t miss the striking outdoor art, like the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, outside the museum (free).

Expect to be transported back to medieval times during your visit to Château de Chillon. More than 1,000 years old, the beguiling castle has inspired many poetic greats, none more so than Lord Byron, whose poem The Prisoner of Chillon was based on François Bonivard’s imprisonment. Travel across Lake Geneva on a paddle steam boat to arrive at the castle and note that the Rivera Pass, offered by most hotels, grants you half-price admission. Once inside, pick up an audio guide (available in English) and explore everything from cobblestone courtyards and eerie dungeons to secret passageways and castle walls.

This chalet-style lodge takes its name from legendary Norwegian skier Stein Eriksen, the 1952 Olympic giant slalom gold medalist and 1954 World Cup champion. When he agreed to help develop this ski-in, ski-out spot in the 1980s, he drew from his experiences at the best ski hotels in Europe, lending the lodge an Alpine feel. Inside, fireplaces, stone walls, and rich wood ceilings complement the mountain surroundings. Guestrooms are equally thought out, with beamed cathedral ceilings, stone fireplaces, and leather furnishings. Select rooms have jetted tubs and heated floors.

If you’re looking to escape the tourist hubbub in Dubrovnik’s historic core, follow the locals to Lokrum. Just a 15-minute ferry ride from the Old Town, the island offers magnificent nature walks through botanical gardens and olive groves. Paths climb up to sites like the oldest Benedictine monastery in the region and Napoleon’s Fort Royal at the very top, passing native peacocks along the way. Come for a relaxing stroll, a picnic in the shade, or a refreshing dip in the sparkling Adriatic.

If you’ve never been to the Marin Headlands, you MUST go! The views are stellar, but make sure you get there early (well, early enough to get there before all the tourists!) Ht up the headlands for a nice hike and view and then drive to Bar Bocci in Sausalito for lunch or dinner. You won’t be disappointed.

Singapore Zoo has been recognized as a leader in creating naturalistic habitats since its opening in 1973, using concealed moats to separate animals from visitors and incorporating a local reservoir into the landscaping. There are dozens of themed exhibits here! Some highlights include the Fragile Forest, where guests enter a massive biodome that re-creates the diversity of the rain forest, and the Reptile Garden, home to Komodo dragons and giant tortoises. At the adjacent Night Safari experience, guests walk or travel in trams from tropical to mountain habitation zones, where rhinos, elephants, tigers, and some 130 other species can be observed.

Throughout Luzern, so many of the buildings have crazy, wild paintings all over them. Loving it! Wish more buildings in Brisbane were like this!