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Nestled on Frigate Bay, this casual restaurant has fine-dining aspirations. Here, you can enjoy freshly caught lobster in any number of ways—grilled, in a bisque, or dressed up as Lobster Thermidor, just to name a few. If you’re not in the mood for shellfish, try the lionfish (eat one and you’ll be helping to eliminate the invasive species from the local reefs), the steak (made with Angus beef), or the tapas, which range from breaded chicken strips to garlic shrimp.

Centrally located in Stockholm, the King’s Garden is a lively urban garden/park/plaza that connects the harbor with one of Stockholm’s main shopping districts. It contains a series of “outdoor rooms” including a formal entrance, fountain with planting parterres, stage for performances, a lawn area (was that artificial turf?) and a plaza with a sunken pool surrounded by steps ideal for people watching, oddly focused on a TGI Friday’s Restaurant as a focal point. There is lots to do here and this popular space is bordered by restaurants, galleries, cafes and night clubs. The King’s Garden has been dubbed “Stockholm’s outdoor living room” and there is a full schedule of concerts and performances throughout the summer (when I visited) as well as an ice skating rink in the winter.

Atop Cap Diamant (Cape Diamond), at the city’s highest point, the Citadelle overlooks Old Québec, the St. Lawrence River, and the Plains of Abraham. There have been defensive structures here as early as the French period—in fact, the location of Québec City was chosen because Samuel de Champlain saw the strategic advantages that Cap Diamant offered. The fortifications you see today, however, date to the 19th century: They were built after a failed attempt by Americans to conquer Québec City during the War of 1812. Students of World War II history may be familiar with the Citadelle as the site of the Québec Conferences, when Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Canada‘s prime minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King, met to plan their countries’ strategies during the war. The Citadelle is still an active military base; the museum inside is devoted to the 22nd Regiment, which makes its headquarters here.

The Homer Spit is home to, for the most part, summer-only businesses that cater to tourists, fishermen, and weekend adventurers aplenty. So there’s long been an emphasis on fried halibut and other related goodies. The Spit’s food cred took a serious bump up when La Baleine opened. Though the restaurant has a seriously casual beach-town vibe, the food is not your everyday sandy-feet fare. Emphasizing organic and local ingredients, chef Mandy Dixon—who grew up in the kitchens of her parents’ Alaska lodges (Within the Wild)—serves up elegant but generous dishes, including salmon bowls with brown rice and roasted root vegetables and miso-marinated sablefish. The breakfasts are hearty enough to take you through a full day of paddling the bay.

Beach bars and restaurants comprise the bulk of nightlife options in St. Kitts, the one major exception being The Royal Beach Casino at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort. The 35,000-square-foot casino has more than 300 slot machines as well as blackjack, roulette, craps, and poker tables; the island’s only sports book; and an upscale lounge. If you’re looking for something more local and low-key, there’s also a small casino called MaPau with cheap drinks at the cruise port in Basseterre.

L&L, in Tumon Bay, offers the Pacific’s most popular dish: Spam. Order a classic Hawaiian plate lunch (macaroni salad, rice, a meat) with Spam musubi (grilled Spam atop rice and wrapped with nori seaweed), kalua pork and more. The food’s cheap and filling at this local favorite.

“We hope you adapt to our bohemian philosophy,” say the staff at Hotel La Semilla, by way of explanation when guests ask why rooms have no televisions (there is, however, Wi-Fi and AC). With distressed walls and furniture, the hotel has a shabby chic feel (or, as they describe it, “rough luxe”), and owners Alexis and Angie treat all guests as friends. Part of the room rate is earmarked as a donation to the Friends of Sian Ka’an, a conservation group dedicated to the preservation of the nearby Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve.

The Miami outpost of a hotel brand well known for its Los Angeles and New York properties, The Standard Spa, Miami Beach is less a hotel in the traditional sense, and more a spa with guest rooms set amid tropical gardens. The concept extends to the hotel’s atmosphere, which is downright staid compared to the party scene of so many Miami Beach hotels. A nearly all-white color scheme and extra-comfortable linens, pillows, and robes give rooms—small by local standards—a calm, comfortable air. Extra attention has been invested in the hotel’s common areas, with lots of Danish and 1950s-inspired furniture and spaces arranged in such a way that some spots offer solitude while others focus on bringing people together. There’s a reason many guests have called The Standard a playground for adults: a co-ed hamam, gardens with hammocks and swing chairs, and a hydrotherapy circuit (including bayside infinity and icy plunge pools) are just a few of the on-site attractions.

One of South Africa’s most famous sights, Robben Island is located four miles to the west of Cape Town. Its history as a prison is almost as old as the first Dutch settlement on the cape, dating all the way back to the 17th century. Today, the island is a UNESCO World Heritage site and museum, offering guided tours by former prisoners. After visiting the graveyard and maximum-security facility, guests can finish with a stop at the cell of the island’s most famous prisoner, Nelson Mandela. The half-hour ferry ride to Robben Island includes breathtaking views of Cape Town and Table Mountain. Just note that the ferry only runs three times a day in the low season; in the spring and summer, there’s an additional departure in the late afternoon. Book your tickets far in advance.

Try something different and experience wildlife on board a traditional Icelandic schooner operated by North Sailing Húsavík.The crew is fun and very knowledgeable. They take you to Lundey, the Puffin Island, as well as the traditional whale watching areas. While on the tour we saw over 10 humpback whales, a few Minkey whales, dolphins, puffins and other arctic birds including Northern gannets which are the largest seabirds in the North Atlantic, with a wingspan of up to 2 meters. It was a gorgeous day too. It was an unforgettable experience and something I would do again and again. At the end of the trip the Captain is offering hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls.

The Hawke’s Bay region of New Zealand‘s North Island features many excellent vineyard restaurants, but Elephant Hill certainly enjoys the area’s most spectacular location. Facing the Pacific Ocean on the Te Awanga coast, it boasts stellar views of the nearby Cape Kidnappers to complement its superb bistro menu. Secure a table on the expansive deck of Elephant Hill’s über-modern building, and try its wines made from sustainably grown fruit alongside seasonal plates that regularly include local seafood, venison, duck, and lamb. Some outstanding Elephant Hill wines forging an international reputation include its Reserve blend of merlot, malbec, and cabernet sauvignon grapes, and a superb chardonnay that is an ideal match for fine-dining dishes in the Southern Hemisphere summertime.

Reaching out like a long finger from Walvis Bay, Pelican Point is rich in wildlife, especially seabirds and friendly ocean mammals. A scenic four-wheel-drive ride along the peninsula will take in oyster farms and one of the world’s largest salt mines. Many small fish and shrimp can be found along the peninsula, which attract a multitude of flamingos, gannets, petrels and pelicans. At Pelican Point, the birds jostle for attention with thousands of seals and bottlenose and Heaviside’s dolphins. Enjoy some locally harvested oysters while taking in the sights and sounds of the harbor and the historic striped lighthouse that sits on the sand spit.

The Icefield Parkway isn’t just a highway linking Lake Louise and Jasper, Alberta. It’s a 230-km road trip through the Canadian Rockies, past a series of emerald-green alpine lakes fed by nearby glaciers. The entire route connects Jasper and Banff national parks and traverses the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage site. Heading south from Jasper, the first must-see landmark is Athabasca Falls. After that, the sights come one after the other, like the Endless Chain, Sunwapta Falls, the Athabasca Glacier, Waterfowl Lake, and Bow Summit. That’s just the tip of the Icefield, though, as there are hundreds of breathtaking sights. The drive can take as little as three hours; however, it can also last for days. Throughout the summer there are a number of resorts along the route, along with a half-dozen campgrounds. The road is open throughout the winter, but there are no open services.

The Masungi Georeserve is a conservation area in the rain forest of Baras, Rizal, just 30 miles from Manila. The landscape is a mix of jagged limestone rock formations (the reserve’s name comes from the word masungki, which means “spiked”), lush woods, and caves. There is a unique guided nature hike through this terrain that includes rope courses, suspended bridges, steps, and hanging rest areas. Taking around three to four hours to traverse, the trail does not need any special hiking skills—but does require that you be in decent physical condition. Scaling the peaks rewards visitors with breathtaking views of the Sierra Madre mountain range on one side and the Laguna de Bay lake (the largest in the Philippines) on the other. The rest spots are spectacular: The Sapot is like a huge spiderweb you can walk on, and there’s a shelter called the Patak dangling from a hanging bridge as well as a giant hammock called the Duyan. Reaching one of these spots in the late afternoon might just reward you with a great sunset. Rain-forest weather is hot and humid, so the best time to go is during the cooler months of November to February. Advance reservations are required.

This botanical wonder is home to thousands of native plant species, including heliconias, hibiscus and bromeliads. Guests enjoy strolling around the three-hectare (seven-acre) grounds, where hundreds of palm trees tower over creeks and tiny hummingbirds flit among the lush foliage. An aerial walkway suspended 15 meters (49 feet) high in the canopy gives visitors views of the Balata Garden, the mountains and Fort-de-France Bay. There’s also a fine old plantation house on the grounds.