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Why we love it: An upscale stay in Victor with special fun for families

The Highlights:
- Proximity to Headwaters Club and its golf course
- Spacious log cabins that can accommodate large groups
- Tons of activities in every season

The Review:
Jackson Hole, on the Teton Range’s east side, hogs most of the high-end traffic, but this westside resort offers an appealing alternative, with big, open skies and out-the-door golf on a Byron Nelson–designed course at Headwaters Club. Guests here can also look forward to a 5,000-square-foot spa with a fireplace-equipped relaxation room, an on-site restaurant serving grill fare, and an outdoor heated pool with two hot tubs and a geyser play area for children.

Accommodations are spacious and appealing to families. Luxury suites feature fully equipped kitchens, dining areas, and living rooms with gas fireplaces, while freestanding log cabins—available in three-, four-, and five-bedroom configurations—afford groups some extra privacy. When not relaxing in your room, take advantage of the resort’s extensive activities, including hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, and hot-air ballooning in summer and heli-skiing and snowmobiling in winter.

Why we love it: A family-friendly resort with a dizzying array of accommodations and activities

The Highlights:
- A range of accommodations, from cozy cabins to boutique hotel rooms
- More than 65 year-round activities to entertain the kids
- A water-themed spa and two championship golf courses for when you need a break from the family

The Review:
Situated on the shores of Gull Lake, the historic Grand View Lodge has been hosting family vacations since 1916. With everything from a kids’ club and indoor water park to a game room and fire pit for s’mores, the resort caters to children of all ages but offers plenty for adults as well, including a water-themed spa and two championship golf courses. Guests here can take advantage of more than 65 year-round activities, including a range of water sports, or venture a short distance to local zip lines, riding stables, and ski resorts. There’s even a newly constructed recreation facility on-site, featuring a 3,779-square-foot pool area, state-of-the-art fitness center, yoga studio, tennis court, ice-skating rink, and more.

Accommodations are equally varied, ranging from lodge rooms and lakeside cabins to garden cottages and entire homes. Come July 2019, a 60-room boutique hotel that’s perfect for company meetings will also be available. When hunger strikes, there are eight dining venues on the property, including a steak house, beachside cantina, and wine bar with a 2,000-bottle cellar. Whether you visit in the summer for the lake or the winter for the nearby mountains, expect cozy accommodations, a high standard of service, and a family trip that will long be remembered.

The Lake House at Ferry Point on Lake Winnisquam is in Sanbornton, New Hampshire. We were staying at this B&B for a couple of days as we explored the Lakes Region. The house is over 200 years old and has been lovingly restored to its former glory. It used to be the summer home of the Pillsbury family. It is the only lake front B&B in the region and is across the road from Lake Winnisquam. The view is one of quiet beauty..the house on a rise, the point across the road with its gazebo, dock, the little sandy beach, the hills and mountains in the distance. No detail has been overlooked by John and Cindy Becker, the innkeepers. As we walked into the welcoming foyer, we were met by John who showed us around the breakfast room, and living room with its bookcases and large hidden TV. The front porch has comfortable wicker furniture in which to relax and enjoy yourself. John took us up to our room. Each room is named after an area lake. There are 9 rooms. Our room had a huge four-poster bed with a sitting area. John showed us the “Welcome Basket” of goodies...razor, tooth paste, tooth brushes, maple popcorn, buffalo sticks, candy rocks, and bottles of water. The bathroom had fluffy white towels, a blow dryer, orange scented Tarocco shampoo, condition, and moisturizer. Breakfasts are created by John and are yummy. He also has cookies available all the time. You can tell that John, Cindy, and their children love this house and enjoy their guests.

This has GOT to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. Located in the German side of Switzerland, Lauterbrunnen is a place fairy tales are made of. Waterfalls falling everywhere around you, the sound of cowbells in the distance, and little wooden shacks in the hills like you pictured when reading “Heidi”. Pretend you are in a different age and be Swiss for the day by taking a gondola up the mountain and indulging in a hot pot of cheese fondue and sourdough bread.

Don’t miss Parque del Retiro—a stunning area complete with a lake, playgrounds, gardens, and fountains. It’s the perfect public space where anyone can enjoy the day by taking a walk, playing a game, going on a boat ride, or exploring to your heart’s content.

I expected to see many things in Iceland but had no clue there were reindeer there too. I guess I should have done my homework on the fauna better :). It was a lovely surprise to see them though close to Djúpivogur. There was an entire herd of them grazing right by the ocean which I have never seen before.

This hotel is on our list of The 10 Best Hotels in Canada.

Set in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Banff National Park, the year-round Fairmont Banff Springs was the brainchild of Sir William Cornelius Van Horne, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway. On arrival at Banff, the tourism visionary made the canny observation, “Since we can’t export the scenery, we’ll have to import the tourists;” thus, he set about building a string of great railway hotels across Canada. The original wooden hotel that opened here in 1888 burned down in 1926, but was replaced two years later with the grander castle-meets-baronial-Scottish-hall structure that exists today. The public lobby spaces are vast, and there are countless nooks to curl up in with a book where guests will remain undisturbed. With its signature stone walls, turrets, and winding staircases, Van Horne’s gambit paid off: The Fairmont Banff Springs feels for all the world like an elegant and ancient castle, albeit one with all the modern conveniences.

Rooms in the main building come with quirky period details such as chandeliers and crown moldings, while those in the Stanley Thompson Wing (the old staff quarters) are more spacious and a solid bet for families—who will also enjoy the kids’ club packed with activities such as campouts, science projects, and arts and crafts. The hotel also has 11 different restaurants, cafés, and bars, with the choices so diverse—from sushi, fondue, and Italian to Canadian steakhouse and southern U.S. barbecue—that guests are issued a food guide upon check-in to help them make the most of the hotel’s offerings. Of course, there are also a wide array of activities to help round out your time between meals, from skiing and rounds on the resort’s 27-hole championship golf course to downtime in the expansive Willow Stream Spa, which features indoor and outdoor whirlpools, a European-style mineral pool, and 23 rooms for therapeutic treatments.

Mexico City is a rabbit hole for architecture enthusiasts: one could get lost for days—if not weeks—exploring just one era’s edifices: the pre-colonial, colonial, and contemporary among them. There are buildings the likes of which you won’t find elsewhere in the world, and exceptionally preserved and restored structures that serve as testaments to various chapters of Mexican history. Examples of fascinating contemporary architecture abound, ranging from installations built for the 1968 Olympics to ambitious cultural institutions like the Polyforum Siquieros. The exterior has been described as diamond- or star-like in appearance: a dodecahedron with 12 massive vertical panels featuring the work of muralist David Siqueiros, who was a contemporary of Diego Rivera. Inside, you’ll find performances, exhibits, and other cultural activities. If your visit doesn’t coincide with a guided tour, consider taking one to learn more about Siqueiros and his work.

Designed by Fuster + Architects, an award winning firm located in San Juan, Puerto Rico, El Blok takes its visual cues from the surrounding light, land and sea. In addition to being a playful structure, it is highly functional and built to withstand storms and hurricanes (a big plus anywhere in the caribbean!). It is located at the beach, at the start of Esperanza’s sleepy malecon, with its low-key seaside huddle of restaurants, bars, and stores, most of them back open after hurricane Maria’s devastating sweep of the island.

I loved my room, one of the spacious corner suites. The way the space captured the light was uncanny, every time I got back to my room, a new play of light beams and shadows was waiting for me. The restaurant downstairs serves up amazing food, hands down the best I had on island. Executive Chef, Carlos Perez. brings to the table a delicious, fresh take on Puerto Rican cuisine, centered around their bayahonda mesquite fired grill and Rotisol rotisserie. Just don’t expect much of a breakfast at the hotel. I took a short walk each morning to some cafés nearby, to grab a coffee and omelet. El Blok’s rooftop bar was ‘the’ place to hang in the evenings with locals and travelers alike, while listening to amazing music. When we were there, the duo Más Que Dos was playing and it made for an all around perfect sunset.

El Blok currently has 22 rooms and is adding another 11, slated to open in summer 2019. We were warned about construction noise between 8am and 2pm, but I can honestly say it didn’t interfere at all with my stay. It’s of course when you’re supposed to be out and about anyways, exploring the island!

Rates start at $140 per night plus tax.

A heartfelt thank you to Discover Puerto Rico (@DiscoverPuertoRico) for 3 days in beautiful Vieques and a fun stop-over in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The historic and modern center of the city, the Piazza del Duomo (the square surrounding the cathedral’s base) remains a popular meeting place, hangout and hub of Milanese life. Local vendors setup shop (selling fresh coconut in the summer, toys and tourist wares), kids run and play (free from traffic) and shoppers trickle in from the walking street surrounding the huge plaza. The statue of Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of Italy, is the best place to meet, sit, recharge and watch the city go by.

Though it has somewhat limited hours, the Palm House in the heart of Copenhagen‘s botanical gardens is open year round and a lovely spot to visit. Built in the late 1870s, the structure is everything you would expect from a building dating back to that era including cast-iron spiral stairs, and butterfly room.

On the crest of East Gros Ventre Butte, Amangani offers 360-degree views of the Grand Teton mountains and the Snake River Valley. The resort’s 40 suites feature fireplaces and windowside daybeds for taking in the landscape. Winter activities include horse-drawn sleigh rides through the National Elk Refuge. From $800. (307) 734-7333.

City Winery is one of those rare places that does many things well. The fully-functioning winery is also an event venue that hosts live music performances as well as food and wine classes; plus, it serves food, too. The menu is Mediterranean-inspired and each dish is listed with wine pairing suggestions. Prefer to pick your own? You’ve got plenty of choices, with more than 400 labels in the cellar.

Housed in an old chalet in the hamlet of Finland, Restaurant Findlerhof has one of the best outdoor patios around. It’s spacious and sunny—and overlooks the Matterhorn. The restaurant itself is rustic yet comfortable, offering a mix of local specialties and finer food. Diners can look forward to such traditional dishes as veal cutlet and veal liver roast with hash browns.

These ruins, rediscovered in 2011, reveal a fundamental part of Rio and Brazil history (and indeed that of humankind itself). On the unearthed stones, slavery left its mark; this site was South America’s largest slave port at which, between 1811 and 1831, it’s estimated that between a half-million to a million captured Africans were unloaded from ships and sold as slaves. Buried in 1843 to make way for a different wharf, this blot on history was hidden (at least for a time) but came to light once more as the neighborhood was being fixed up for the Olympics. It was named a World Heritage Site in 2017 and merits a visit, if only to recognize and atone for the tragedy it represents.