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Nakameguro is a hip and trendy area with many restaurants and shops, especially under the train tracks in a complex called Kokashita. The Meguro River that runs through the residential area is lined with cherry trees for sakura-viewing in the spring. Small boutiques featuring local designers as well as imported clothes are concentrated in the Aobadai area between Nakameguro and Daikanyama. Nakameguro is also home to two of the city’s best pizza shops, Seirinkan and da ISA, and yakitori restaurants Iguchi and Toriyoshi. Popular coffee shops in the area include Onibus, Streamer, and Artless Craft Tea & Coffee.

A popular hangout, Kits Beach—as the locals call it—faces English Bay, and in the summertime it buzzes with beach activities. Volleyball players and Frisbee tossers mingle with sun worshippers, windsurfers and skim boarders. For sand-free dips and swimming lessons, there’s a heated saltwater pool that’s open when weather permits. Also in the vicinity is the Boathouse Restaurant, which serves peel-and-eat shrimp, tasty chowders and fresh grilled fish on a patio with panoramic views.

Beyond the crowds of central SoHo—in a formerly industrial nook with historic roots on the edge of the Hudson River—a neighborhood is emerging: Hudson Square. This is the home of Hotel Hugo, a stylish loft-inspired retreat with an Italian spirit that has brought a bit of European-inflected flair to the neighborhood. This extension of SoHo has long been known by New Yorkers for its nightclubs, restaurants frequented by locals, and of course, the gorgeous Hudson River Park, an uninterrupted promenade that stretches the length of Manhattan. Now it has a chic hotel, complete with a rooftop that has a Cuban cantina vibe that serves cocktails against a backdrop of the Hudson River.

For the best views in Gardiner, pop down onto the big patio at the Iron Horse Bar & Grill and gaze out over the river, mountains, and unspoilt terrain of Montana and Yellowstone National Park. Order up a heaping pile of elk nachos, a few craft beers, a hulking bison meatloaf, and perhaps a mulberry margarita or two, and chill on Gardiner’s only real cowboy pation. Keep an eye out for bears on the banks of the river.

Jamaica’s most touristy site—famous for being featured in the James Bond movie Dr. No.—is also one of its most beautiful, in spite of the countless bodies that visit and attempt the climb daily, both locals and tourists. The view of the falls is spectacular. And call it cheesy, but it’s actually fun trying to ascend stone steps while being splashed by 600-foot-high powerful falls that cascade down into a jade pool. Grab a licensed guide on-site if you need one, otherwise latch on to one of the human chains you’ll spot when you arrive. The falls are just a stone’s throw from Ocho Rios, so any route or shared taxi will make a stop here for a few bucks.

Cochran Shoals is one of the most popular areas of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, which stretches through metro Atlanta. The flat trails are great for runners and views of the river and woods make exercise even more enjoyable. Birdwatchers, kayakers and bicyclists can all find something appealing Cochran Shoals. There’s even a boardwalk over wetlands for more nature spotting. Note: The area is crowded on weekends, and parking is $3.

A who-knows-how-happily-married Diego Rivera commissioned this three-residence compound from Mexican artist and architect Juan O’Gorman in 1931. Jarringly Bauhausian for its time (especially in comparison to the surrounding San Ángel neighborhood’s mission revival gentility), it included separate buildings for Diego and his wife, Frida Kahlo, connected by a slender bridge (as well as a third dwelling for O’Gorman). Visits lead to interiors, showcasing Rivera’s studio and its fascinating collection of artworks, creative infrastructure, and amazing windows. Take time to wander the garden and pause to appreciate the property’s tableaux; then re-tox from all the aesthetic purity across the road at the San Ángel Inn, a gloriously indulgent hacienda bar and restaurant that takes you straight back to the country club—flawless margaritas and all.

The Huon Valley, southwest of Hobart, has long been known for apple farming. More recently, cider has revived the industry, helping Tasmania live up to its moniker “the Apple Isle” once again. Four cideries—Willie Smith’s, Pagan, Frank’s, and Red Sails—are all based around the Huon Valley. Willie Smith’s Apple Shed is a tasting room–cum-museum that highlights Tasmania’s apple-farming and cider-producing heritage. A distillery specializing in apple brandy was added in 2016. But cider and spirits are not the only reason to take a spin through the valley. It’s also home to the Tahune AirWalk and Franklin’s Wooden Boat Centre as well as Cygneture and the Cat’s Tongue chocolatiers; farm-to-table restaurants such as Lotus Eaters Cafe; the Woodbridge Smokehouse; and the Cygnet Market, held on the first and third Sunday.

The Park Hyatt Istanbul Macka Palas shines at highlighting Istanbul’s local culture. Whether guests want to discover the best of Istanbul’s boutiques with a personal shopper, indulge in some male grooming at a traditional Turkish barber, or visit a local fortune-teller for a fun coffee-cup reading, the hotel can make it happen.

Located in the exclusive Nişantaşı neighborhood, rooms have Art Deco styling with French balconies, lashings of warm wood, and neutral tones. Deep bathtubs, Dornbracht showers, and bath products by French perfumer Blaise Mautin add an indulgent feel, while separate workspaces with ergonomically designed desks are a thoughtful addition for business travelers. The hotel’s unique Spa Rooms bring the Turkish bath experience in-room with oversized bathrooms featuring opulent traditional hammam fixtures and steam rooms.

Named for a Dominican-style fishing boat, this open-air restaurant and bar in Punta Cana’s elegant Marina Estates sits on a wooden deck built over the water. Whether you’re seated under the thatched palm roof or the open sky, you’ll have perfect views of the marina as you dine on fresh seafood like grouper ceviche and grilled Caribbean lobster. Also available are Mediterranean-inspired dishes such as caprese salad, spaghetti with pesto, and glazed lamb shank, as well as an extensive list of international wines.

One of Anguilla’s most secluded beaches, Little Bay is tucked beneath a series of bluffs on the island’s northwest. Usually reached by boat or kayak from Crocus Bay, this tiny, undeveloped stretch of sand hugs a cove with calm turquoise waters filled with small tropical fish, sea turtles, and starfish. Bring drinks and snacks, rent gear from Da Vida Restaurant, and kayak (or boat taxi) over in the morning to avoid the crowds and spend a couple of blissful hours away from it all.

The trendy Amsterdam-Noord district is home to the city’s newest outpost of the famed burger joint called the Butcher. Set inside the hip designer hotel Sir Adam, the sprawling, dual-level space is pure fun, with table tennis, pinball, billiards, and live DJs five nights a week. Open 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays, and until 1 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays, this is where you’ll find chic young locals devouring gourmet burgers and fries and sipping fancy cocktails. The waterfront terrace offers excellent views of the IJ River. It’s a free five-minute ferry ride to the restaurant from Amsterdam’s main train station.

Harry A. Nottingham Park is a beautiful 48-acre open space with walking trails and tennis courts. Adding to ambience is the lake, which is presently undergoing major repair work. In the summer you can rent paddle boats and in the winter go ice skating.

Spring is a wonderful time to visit Trelissick Gardens in Cornwall. Once a stately manor this country estate is now a magnificent garden on the banks of the River Fal. This is a garden where the plant hunters and travellers have left their mark with rhododendrons, magnolia and camelias blooming in springtime. Plant hunters were nineteenth century explorers who brought botanical species back to England and Cornwall has a sub tropical climate making it perfect for these varieties from the Himalayan Regions to grow.There are daffodils too, with Cornwall seeing these charming flowers earlier than other parts of England, formal flower beds and trails leading to secret corners of the garden. The clunking noise of a chain sounds in the distance. This is the nearby King Harry Ferry which takes cars across the river and a path leads to this historic form of transport at the bottom of the garden. Trelissick is a splendid place to visit and walk amongst the floral displays, the woodland and to enjoy the gardens with the river below. I particularly enjoy it in springtime.

Kampa, in Prague’s charming Malá Strana district, is Prague’s largest island. Tucked between the Vltava River and the romantic Čertovka channel, the island’s park comes alive in the warmer months with picnickers, dog walkers, and friends gathered on the greenery desperate to catch up on their vitamin D. With direct views of the Vltava’s roaring rapids and the city’s famous Charles Bridge, Kampa is also home to the Kampa Museum, a former mill turned modern art museum dedicated to 20th-century Central European art. Artist David Černý’s gigantic crawling babies are outside the building, while the inner courtyard and galleries showcase other freestanding works, sculpture, paintings, and photographs.