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Oaxacan artist Francisco Toledo spearheaded the project of converting an abandoned textile mill into an arts center, which was inaugurated in 2006. The Centro de las Artes San Agustin (CASA) hosts exhibits of a variety of media, as well as courses and workshops. It is an ecological arts center and encourages artistic creation using environmentally friendly processes, and community involvement. CASA is located in San Agustin Etla, about a twenty minute drive from Oaxaca city. It is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm, and if you go on Sundays, there is an organic market on the grounds (Mercado Los Eucaliptos).

If you enjoy partying near the beach, Cancun won’t disappoint you. A number of beachfront clubs have music (live or DJ) and dancing that spills out onto the sand into the wee hours. Some, such as Mandala Beach Club offer tables and bottle service on the beach. Many resorts - including The Royal Cancun and Me by Melia Resorts - host beach parties on a weekly basis. Often, these parties have a particular theme: burlesque or full moon party, for example. Hotel concierges and restaurant waitstaff can point you toward the area’s best beach parties in the area.

A writer walks into a bar. It sounds like the beginning of a joke, but when it happened at the Buena Vista on November 10, 1952, a new drink was born. Stanton Delaplane, a longtime columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, walked in on that chilly November day and told the bar owner, Jack Koeppler, about a warm whiskey-and-coffee concoction he’d tasted in Shannon, Ireland. The oft-told story goes that the two men spent the evening measuring and mixing and testing in an effort to re-create the drink. Eventually, the recipe was mastered, and seven decades later, the Buena Vista’s Irish coffee is as legendary as San Francisco fog. Bartenders in crisp white jackets line up glass goblets on the bar and make up to 2,000 Irish coffees per day.

Coco frios are sold on every corner during the high season (fall and winter) in Puerto Rico. Cold, fresh coconut water is the lifeblood of island living. Literally, if you were ever stranded on an island, you could sustain yourself on what’s inside a coconut (just ask Les Stroud). There is a difference between coconut water and coconut milk. Coconut water is clear to translucent and not as sweet—you harvest this from a fresh green coconut that has just fallen, or is ready to fall from the tree. It might taste unusual at first if you have never tried it, but this is actually the best form of natural electrolytes to replenish yourself after a workout or surf session. Watch the roadsides for the carts and folks with machetes—because this is your hint that coco frios await you!

Chef Ross Lewis continues to wow by merging carefully sourced Irish ingredients with more exotic flavors at this refined dining room in the basement of the Dublin Writers Museum. The Michelin-starred menu might include a feta cheese mousse with salt-baked beets, or brown crab with pickled dulse, a native seaweed.

One of a number of new boutiques popping up across the city that celebrate the resurgence of Ireland’s rich design heritage. Come here for stylish souvenirs from a new generation of artisans who are reinterpreting old techniques, and choose from a range of mediums including textiles, print, glass and wood.

If you look at a map of Rio, you’ll see a giant green spot: the Tijuca rain forest, one of the largest urban jungles in the world. This park includes more than 9,900 acres where visitors climb rocks, hang-glide, bike, or even take a drive (this last the easiest and fastest). The foliage—typical of Brazil’s huge rain forest, the Mata Atlântica—was nearly wiped out by coffee production in the 17th century. Thankfully, in the 19th century Brazil’s Emperor Pedro II encouraged reforestation here, and this national park displays the lush results.

When people think of southern Arizona and its border with Mexico, cactus and sun-baked sand may come to mind — but a mountain canyon with fall foliage, homestead cabins, and deer? Go high enough, and you’ll find this and more. The Huachuca Mountains climb to over 9000 feet just north of the border in Cochise County, about an hour and a half from Tucson. Toward the southern edge of the town of Sierra Vista, the Nature Conservancy has set up the Ramsey Canyon Preserve, which is ideal for hiking and birdwatching. The deer are tame, wild turkeys are common, and fourteen species of hummingbirds have been spotted among the 150+ species of birds that find refuge in this “sky island” — a mountain range that rises high enough above the surrounding desert to provide a cooler and wetter ecosystem. By late fall, the cottonwoods, maples, and sycamores transform the canyon into a landscape that would be reminiscent of New England if it weren’t for the omnipresent agave plants. Watch your step, and stay alert for the occasional black bear, javelina, or mountain lion. Chimneys, log cabins, and apple trees remain from early homesteaders who found refuge from the desert in these mountains, which were originally named “Huachuca"—meaning ‘thunder'—by the Apaches.

Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park is what remains of the first settlement in Sacramento. John Sutter was given a land grant from the Mexican government in 1839 (when California was still part of Mexico). He used this land to develop agriculture and set up the first non-Native American settlement in the Central Valley of California. Now Sutter’s Fort sits right in the center of Sacramento, surrounded by Midtown apartment buildings and restaurants, but offers a place to see a bit of California history. The large white fort has been restored to look as it did in the 1840s. Original rooms include a kitchen, stables, store, carpenter’s shop, mill, doctor’s office, and other places that served the small local community at that time. A free audio tour is available. The grounds of the park include the California State Indian Museum and a small but nice area to walk with ponds, fountains, and heritage trees. Sutter’s Fort is open 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. Entrance fees are $5 for adults and $3 for kids over five. Street parking is available, and free street parking can be found one to two blocks south on 27th Street.

A little over a mile from where the deer roam in the saguaro-studded foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, sit down for some izakaya-style dining. Japanese “tapas” might not be a completely accurate description for this genre of shareable plates, but you get the idea. Ginza is family-owned, and a nice surprise in this corner of the desert. After an evening hike in Sabino Canyon, sit down for your choice of izakaya-plates or fresh sashimi—Tucson is only a six-hour drive from the Pacific, and a four-hour drive from the Sea of Cortez. And if you’ve never had a bowl of ‘real’ ramen (just say ‘no’ to maruchan), you’re in for a revelation of toothsome noodles in porky broth. A few of my favorites are the sautéed shrimp with mild green chilies, the gyoza, and (for a main course) the bibimpbap-chirashi bowl. Over sushi-rice, you’re served a generous sampling of fresh sashimi, tamagoyaki (slightly sweet rolled omelet), sprouts, and seaweed, with a quail egg as a garnish. Korean-inspired spicy/sweet ‘bibim’ sauce tops it off. Chef-owner Jun Arai’s wife, Diana, is from Mexico, which explains the homemade flan on the menu. Take a hike, then take a seat. After the cactus, kampai!

Located in Santa Teresa, Aprazível is foodie heaven in a welcoming atmosphere. The name says it all—aprazível is Portuguese for pleasant or pleasurable—a meaning that becomes clear as soon as you take in its intensely orange, intensely Rio sunset views. The kitchen calls the food roots cuisine: moqueca (fish stew), hearts of palm, Amazon fishes, coconut rice, plus excellent steaks and chops. Naturally there are typically Rio desserts, as well as tropical drinks and artisanal beers. The Brazilians love it, and out-of-towners do too; if you add it all up, you’ve got the quintessential Carioca experience.

In recent years, the craze for artisanal beers has given rise to a burgeoning market. One brand, Hocus Pocus, has gone so far as to open its own taproom, where its ever-expanding variety of beers is on offer. The setting is a former workshop with exposed-brick walls and shared tables that add a twist to the usual Rio beer hall (though be prepared for crowds and the possibility of not finding a table). There’s also a full portfolio of the Brazilian snacks called petiscos, notably a tongue sandwich with mustard, tube steaks, and lots of deep-fried nibbles. Classic rock serenades the scene.

A short walk from the city sits imposing Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, covering almost the whole of San Lázaro Hill, 135 feet above sea level. The castillo bit is something of a misnomer, as the structure is not technically a castle but a fort; it happens to be one of the most impressive the Spanish ever built, resisting a number of land and sea attacks. Allegedly its tunnel system was engineered so that the slightest sound anywhere within it would reverberate a warning of approaching danger or attempted escape. Audio guides, available in English, Spanish, and other languages, recount the full story. The castle also happens to be one of the best spots in the city from which to watch the sunset.

Why we love it: A design-forward oasis for creative nomads

The Highlights:
- The bright and airy inner courtyard with a massive chaca tree
- Regular programming like live music and wellness workshops
- No single-use plastics in sight

The Review:
From Tulum tastemaker Derek Klein (of Gitano fame) comes this minimalist tropical hotel on the edge of the ever-expanding city. Imagined as a hub for creative types, Casa Pueblo hosts wellness workshops, live music, readings, and other community events, but also boasts amenities like a saltwater pool, rooftop bar, and in-house restaurant situated in an airy central courtyard. Yucatan textiles and handmade pottery can be found in various nooks and seating areas.

The hotel’s 16 spare rooms face into the courtyard and feature clean white-plaster walls, hand-sculpted bedside sconces, carved wooden furniture, and slatted wooden shutters covering floor-to-ceiling windows. Luuna memory foam mattresses wear Parachute linens and bathrooms showcase custom-made concrete sinks and open rain showers. Purified water in glass carafes and full-size organic Loredana bath products mean no single-use plastics, helping the hotel remain 99 percent plastic-free.

Before becoming well-known on the tourist and expat scene, San Miguel de Allende was a favorite getaway for artists, from Mexican writers and painters to Hollywood stars of the Golden Age. One of that era’s most notable hosts was opera singer/poet José Guadalupe Mojica, whose 17th-century hacienda now houses this charming boutique hotel. Spread out around a flower-filled courtyard, the 14 accommodations include standard rooms, junior suites, and suites—though no two are the same: Even in the entry category you might find a fireplace, second-floor loft, canopy bed, or original stone wall; suites up the ante with oversize bathtubs set near a second fireplace, or private terraces with views of the cathedral. Antiques and handcrafted furnishings abound, as do stories about the villa’s illustrious former guests. Set alongside the courtyard fountain, the restaurant celebrates authentic Mexican flavors (think breakfast enchiladas and chilaquiles)—and serves brunch until 1 p.m. daily, for mornings that are off to a slow start.