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In 2016, Ace added another link to its chain of ultracool hotels when it opened an outpost in a renovated 1928 building in the Central Business District of New Orleans. While the Ace employees here are just as edgy as their counterparts elsewhere, they temper that cool with the warm ease of New Orleans’s locals.

Guests enter the hotel through a lobby of mismatched low-slung sofas and vintage coffee tables set in conversation-friendly groupings beside a lovely and ornate wooden bar. Most of the furnishings and artwork complement the hotel’s dominant forest green hue, which itself seems to have been inspired by the color of the streetcars that trundle past on Carondelet Street. Afternoon and evening and late at night, the lobby bar is kept busy by hotel guests as well as a stream of others drawn here by the stylish vibe.

Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen, aka Clignancourt, is Europe’s largest flea market and the city’s favorite place to find a bargain. Exiting the Métro at Porte de Clignancourt, those in the know pass by the counterfeit designer-goods hawkers, avoid the parking lot with camper vans full of cheap goods, and head under the overpass to Rue des Rosiers. Groups of stalls form smaller flea markets, each with its own specialty, so shopping can feel like walking through a museum where you can actually buy things. The market called Serpette draws serious dealers looking for mid-century marvels, but shoppers who head as far as Jules Vallès market may score some true bargains. Of course, this is France, where food matters, so there are plenty of local cafés to choose from. Ma Cocotte is trendy chic, La Chope des Puces has live jazz with moules frites, and Chez Louisette draws a crowd nostalgic for French tunes with its simple steak frites.

Many who have not visited Arizona think that its saguaros grow in a Sahara-like setting...but the mountainous desert around Tucson hides many lush spots, like this riparian canyon on the NE edge of the city. Late fall paints the cottonwoods along the creek below cactus-studded slopes in Sabino Canyon. Hikers hike, runners run, and deer roam...

Part of the revitalization of the city of Santa Marta is this new addition to its cultural offerings. The Tayrona Gold Museum (Museo del Oro Tairona), named after the Tayrona culture, which dates back to at least 100 C.E., has a fascinating collection of pre-Columbian gold jewelry and other artifacts, as well as displays about the region’s history. A centerpiece of Parque Simón Bolívar, the museum is located in the restored 16th-century former Customs House (Casa de la Aduana), one of the earliest buildings in Santa Marta and an important artifact in itself.

Cañón de la Zorra (Fox Canyon) and its 40-foot waterfall are just north of Santiago, a sleepy yet charming colonial-style town 35 miles north of San José del Cabo, across the Tropic of Cancer. The hike to the waterfall takes you through oases with endemic plants and gives you glimpses into a Baja outback that existed before the region became a popular tourism destination. There’s a great area for swimming as you admire the waterfall and multicolored granite cliffs. Tip: On your trip back to Los Cabos, stop by the Agua Caliente, Santa Rita, and El Chorro hot springs about five miles south of Santiago.

The classic, late-morning Mexican breakfast (quite good for hangovers) is typically spicy, abundant, and sophisticated in ways quite distinct from the brunches that have become synonymous with the urban weekend—think solid, cold beer instead of innovative mimosa iterations. But for one of the town’s signature Mexican breakfasts, in one of its lushest courtyard gardens, try the Yucatecan fare at La Casa del Diezmo. And if you just can’t shake where you came from, the eggs Benedict at Lavanda prove to be artistic creations indeed, akin to lotus-flower sculptures.

Royal Street is to antiques and fine art what Bourbon Street is to booze. This elegant urban thoroughfare is not only home to some of the best examples of the city’s early-19th-century Creole town houses, but is also loaded with high-end antiques retailers. These feature mostly ornate 18th- and 19th-century European sculptures and paintings, early furniture, chandeliers, and dinnerware used by the upper crust. Most of the inventory has a decidedly Continental air to it. Among the better-known shops are Waldhorn and Adler (343 Royal St.); Ida Manheim Antiques (409 Royal St.), run by the same family since 1919; and haute-upscale M.S. Rau (630 Royal St.), with its warren of hidden back rooms open only to serious customers.

According to Islamic tradition, only God can create images of holy beings, including angels and prophets. Therefore, when the Ottomans converted Chora Church into a mosque in the 16th century, they covered the 14th-century Byzantine mosaics and frescoes depicting the life of Christ and Mother Mary. Hidden behind wooden shutters were some of the finest mosaics in the world, which were restored following World War II and can now be viewed in all their glory.

For many Charlestonians and tourists, every Saturday is spent in Marion Square at the farmers’ market. Students nursing hangovers wait in line for a crepe at Charleston Crepe Company while farmers from John’s and Edisto islands sell their fresh vegetables. Artists sell their work while children play on inflatable slides and a guitar player keeps the crowd entertained. Between the French, Greek, Cajun, Spanish, Italian, Southern, German, and Indian foods on offer, you really can’t go wrong. Grab an assortment of foods to try and find a nice spot in the shade to eat and people watch.

One of Frankfurt’s most important landmarks, the medieval Römer building is a significant part of the Römerplatz (Römer Square) in the Altstadt (Old Town). Located opposite Old St. Nicholas Church, it’s served as Frankfurt’s city hall for more than 600 years, though it’s naturally undergone some modifications in that time. Comprising several houses and six courtyards from different eras, the three-story complex currently spans some 107,639 square feet. While it once functioned as a trading hub and venue for Frankfurt’s famous book fairs, it’s now more typically used for weddings and official functions. The various rooms, which include a restored Kaisersaal (Emperor Hall), are not normally open to the public, but the building is worth a visit if only to snap a photo of the iconic three-peaked neo-Gothic facade.

Oaxaca’s Casa de la Ciudad is housed in a big yellow building just a couple of blocks from the Zocalo. On the ground level you’ll find the Andres Henestrosa memorial library which contains over 50,000 volumes, and some rooms that are used for temporary exhibits. Make your way across the central patio and up the steps to the second floor, where you’ll find, among other things, a room that has two very large aerial photos (about 12 square feet) of Oaxaca city on the floor. One of the photos was taken in 1990, and the other in 2006. They call this the “foto-piso” (photo-floor). It’s fun to walk over it and pick out landmarks and see how Oaxaca has changed over time. The Casa de la Ciudad often has exhibits dealing with urbanization and architecture, and it also hosts workshops, concerts and other events. It is open daily from 9 am to 8 pm, and admission is free.

This understated beach bar is one of Ambergris Caye’s best-kept secrets that is quickly getting out. Owned by “Wayo from Cayo”, Wayo’s has become my regular hang out spot over the past two years. Wayo and his wife Dee can be found at the bar every day, often sharing a drink with many of the regulars. They’ve developed longstanding relationships with countless locals and a number of tourists, many of whom come back every few months to see Wayo and the crew. The main bartenders, Ruby and Archie, will not only serve up some great drinks, they are a wealth of information on what to do and see in San Pedro. You’d be hard put to find a more chill spot to relax right on the beach. Be sure to try a local specialty — the Michelada. Made with beer and a mix of spices, this is Belize’s version of the Bloody Mary and the best cure for a hangover! Open daily, 10am to midnight.

Established in 1989, Injalak Arts is a locally owned organization that supports the artistic production of the traditional Kunwinjku people. Works range from paintings on paper and bark to didgeridoos—thought to have originated in this region—to baskets and grass pandanus floor mats. Much of the symbolism is inspired by ancient dreamtime stories and images from the nearby rock art galleries that were left like instructions from the Kunwinjku ancestors. Three tour companies currently have permission to visit the center and surrounding rock art sites.

There are now 35 locations of Eataly, the massive Italian food hall, around the world, with 18 of them in Italy itself. The New York City one at Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street, which opened in 2010, was the first in the United States (it’s been joined by others in Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles, as well as by a second outpost in Manhattan, near the World Trade Center site at 101 Liberty Street). For connoisseurs of all things Italian, this is a must-visit—or, more accurately, a must-shop and must-eat stop. Covering more than 50,000 square feet, Eataly NYC Flatiron includes five different restaurants (plus occasional pop-ups) offering opportunities to graze on antipasti, fish, pizza, and other dishes. A popular rooftop beer hall is open all year round (thanks to space heaters and a retractable roof). While you will want to eat your gelato on the spot, there are also a number of stores where you can buy gifts from biscotti to olive oils to take home a little bit of Italy via New York.

On sunny days, Parisians head for the Luxembourg Garden, built by Marie de’ Medici in 1611 and modeled after the Boboli Gardens in her native Florence. In addition to the magnificent Medici Fountain, there are more than 100 statues arranged around the garden’s 20 hectares (50 acres), which encompass both formal French and English gardens. Here you’ll find chess players, puppeteers, children sailing tiny boats on the octagonal pool and sometimes a free concert in the gazebo.