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The Bellini was born in Venice at Harry’s Bar, which has been hopping since 1931. Declared a National Historic Monument by the Italian government in 2001, this San Marco bar and restaurant is a cultural institution. Even though it doesn’t do the best food in Venice, and prices are ridiculously expensive, it’s worth dining here once just for the experience. Over the decades it has served a global collection of writers and artists, including Ernest Hemingway, Charlie Chaplin, and Orson Welles, and today it’s still popular with Venetian movers and shakers.

The interior decor has not changed since Giuseppe Cipriani opened Harry’s on the eve of World War II (and during the war, Harry’s was one of only a handful of restaurants in Venice that would serve Jewish patrons). The food is classic Venetian. Try the baked sea bass with artichokes for a main, and make sure to save room for dessert. Harry’s is famed for crêpes flambées and also its Cipriani chocolate cake. Reservations are imperative; when booking ask for the ground floor because dining here is all about seeing and being seen, and the second floor is considered much less cool by Venice society (although it has much better views and more dining space).

The Sandía Mountains rise to over 10,000 feet behind Albuquerque. From the top, the view over New Mexico is unparalleled: on a clear day, your eyes can take in eleven thousand square miles--almost one-tenth of the state! The quickest way up is the fifteen-minute ‘flight’ on the Sandia Peak Tramway, ascending from high desert to alpine evergreen forest. Swiss-designed, this aerial tramway has one of the longest spans in the world. Hiking, winter skiing and mountain biking are all available at the top, as well as a restaurant--a steakhouse two miles above sea level. (Prices are what you’d imagine at this altitude.) In case you’re wondering why this mountain range is called “Sandía,” which means ‘watermelon’ in Spanish--at sunset, the mineral content of the granite crags glows pinkish-red; along with the green of the conifers, the profile is reminiscent of a cut watermelon...

Why we love it: A classic St. Pete stay with a beachfront location and retro vibe

The Highlights:
- Cabana rooms with private patios by the pool
- The largest heated pool on St. Pete Beach
- A beach bar with frozen cocktails and live music

The Review:
Nicknamed “the Santorini of St. Pete Beach” for its white-and-blue color scheme, the Postcard Inn on the Beach strikes a balance between playful and sophisticated, attracting families and young couples alike. Set right on the beach, the property boasts a large heated pool, fitness center, and beachwear boutique, plus extras like a fire pit, beach cabanas, bicycles, and fun games like ping-pong and beach volleyball. The 196 bright, breezy guestrooms feature local artwork that pays homage to St. Pete’s surfers and sun worshippers of yesteryear, plus lime, teal, and sea foam accents for a funky vibe. Those looking for a little something extra should book one of the cabana options, which come with private patios right by the pool.

In the morning, guests can fuel up with locally roasted Kahwa coffee and freshly baked donuts at on-site cafe, P.S. Grind. Later in the day, head to the Beach Bar & Snack Shack for sandwiches, frozen cocktails, and live music, or Stamps Lobby Bar and Restaurant for blackened mahi tacos, barbecue dry-rubbed burgers, and other classic American dishes.

Puerto Princesa Underground River is set in a protected area of the St. Paul Mountain Range in Palawan. It’s a five-mile stretch of the Cabayugan River that runs through a huge limestone cave and directly into the West Philippine Sea near Sabang village (the bottom half of the river is tidal). Announced as one of the New7Wonders of Nature in 2012, it’s hard to fully envision unless you experience it for yourself. Reservations are required for the tours, which enter the underground river on a small boat. The boatman manually paddles you in as the light fades, the water becomes pitch-black, and you almost lose sight of the person beside you. The boatman will then start flashing his tiny light on the stalactites, stalagmites, and other rock formations you pass. The tour takes about 45 minutes and covers only a mile or so of the river (the inner portion is closed to the public).

The Hyatt brand is world renowned for its service and experience. Their Maui property checks all the boxes for creating the perfect island vacation. From the beautifully executed integration into the ocean environment, to the services and activities at your flip flopped feet, life’s stresses give way to island time the moment you arrive. Close enough to Lahaina town to skip a car rental, yet buffered from the distractions of the world, it’s a great balance in one location. The onsite restaurants are top notch, easily keeping your calorie intake therapeutic. The bars offer a wonderful mix of island cocktails to melt away any residual tension from your stand up paddle board lesson. The little bay on the south end of the resort is home to a healthy group of huge sea turtles, easy to paddle up to in a kayak or board. Walking everywhere is easy and entertaining. Whaler’s Village is just a mile up the beach on a paved path the takes you through some of the other resorts in the neighborhood. Rooms are crisp, spacious and have some ocean views. The resort is medium-sized so you don’t feel overwhelmed by the physical plant. Speaking of plants, there are hundreds of native flora dotting the grounds. Also wondering about are flocks of flamingos and penguins. The Hyatt is a first-class operation leaving you free to relax to your heart’s content.

Just when it seemed like the Riviera Maya Riviera had become nothing but a sea of all-inclusive beach resorts, you stumble upon the quaint little Mexican village of Puerto Morelos. There are almost no huge developments, no shopping outlets, and no chain restaurants. The place is absolutely magical and is like traveling back in time. There is a small town square or plaza lined with palm trees, small cafes, and local boutiques. You can always find a good margarita to sip on at the super hip little bars scattered around the small town. If you find yourself on the Yucatan peninsula don’t miss this opportunity to travel back in time 50 yrs and experience the “old” Mexico.

Another one of the buildings created for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, the Pacific Science Center has a midcentury-space-age vintage-futuristic look from the outside. But inside, it’s all cutting-edge technology like the IMAX Theatre, laser dome and planetarium, and Live Science Stage demonstrations. The 4,000-square-foot tropical butterfly house is a favorite with visitors of all ages; we know of at least one wedding proposal that took place there. The dinosaur exhibit features seven animatronic, roaring dinos, while Professor Wellbody’s Academy of Health & Wellness is a kid-oriented tour of the human body, complete with gross-out fun facts. The Insect Village has plenty of creepy crawlies, and the saltwater tidepool exhibit features sea creatures that kids can touch. Outside, the Science Playground has gyroscopes, bicycle-powered fountains, and other hands-on fun. The Pacific Science Center also tends to get the high-profile touring exhibitions, like the 2012 Tutankhamen exhibit, so it’s worth checking in advance and booking tickets early if you plan a visit.

There are no boats here, where the Han River flows into the Yellow Sea--this is the watery mine-laden western limit of the DMZ. On a trip to Korea in the mid-1990’s, one of my uncles took us to visit Aegibong, a 500-ft.-high hill that presides over the estuary. From the top of the hill we could see across and into North Korea. The first thing that struck me was the lack of trees--the mountainsides are completely deforested, except for the inaccessible fringe of riverbank. As far as we could see on this clear early autumn day, the slopes above the golden rice paddies were denuded of trees. When the wind blew in the right direction, we could hear propaganda from the loudspeakers on the north bank. A few months later, Kim Il Sung would die, and the North Korean famine would intensify; it’s estimated that up to 1 in 10 North Koreans perished during the mid-to-late 1990’s...all of this while Seoul, just to the southeast of the scene in this photo, would continue to grow into one of the most vibrantly capitalistic cities anywhere... South Korea would morph into the most Internet-connected country in the world, while the North would devolve into a place where doctors have to scrounge in the hills for edible weeds...

Why we love it: A five-star resort unlike anything else on the Jersey Shore

The Highlights:
- Private terraces in every room with views of the ocean or sand dunes
- Top-notch service from pool attendants and the staff at large
- A rooftop pool that feels more like Miami than New Jersey

The Review:
From real estate developer iStar, designer Anda Andrei, and hotelier David Bowd of Salt Hotels comes this five-star resort—the first of its kind on the Jersey Shore. Located on the fourth floor of a mixed-use luxury development, the 54-room property sits right off the boardwalk, offering endless views of the Atlantic Ocean. Rooms take advantage of the vistas with floor-to-ceiling windows, a muted palette, and private terraces that look out onto either the water or the hotel’s sand-dune garden, while spacious bathrooms feature glass-enclosed showers and handpicked amenities like conditioner from MiN and soaps from Palermo Body.

As inviting as the guestrooms may be, however, it’s the hotel’s common spaces that truly impress. The pool deck and garden terrace blend seamlessly into the ocean beyond, creating a serene oasis just four stories above the beach. Here, guests sunbathe on loungers and daybeds or relax in tree-shaded seating areas while pool attendants mill about, offering to clean their sunglasses, spritz them with cool water, or bring them a drink from the pergola-covered bar in the corner. Should they wish to hit the sand, a personal “Beach Bellperson” will set up their towels, chairs, and umbrellas and deliver lunch whenever they get hungry.

When the weather gets too hot—or too cold, as AOC is a year-round hotel—guests can repair to the Drawing Room, which sits at the heart of the property. A glass house that floats on a tranquil reflecting pool, the space is designed to feel like a living room, with eclectic furniture, a green-tiled fireplace, an open kitchen that doubles as a bar, and live piano music several nights a week. Come 2020, there will also be a fine-dining restaurant on site, where guests can indulge before sweating it out at the Technogym-equipped fitness center or a morning yoga session on the pool deck.

Part of the Dorchester Collection, this Palace-designated hotel is deeply connected to its setting on the avenue Montaigne, the historic home of haute couture in the Triangle d’Or (Golden Triangle). Just across the street, Christian Dior opened his first shop in 1946 then showed his inaugural collection at the hotel. To this day, the subterranean Dior Spa (currently under renovation before a September relaunch) celebrates the link to the designer. The 154 guest rooms and 54 suites are likewise imbued with a chic couture vibe, whether you choose the classical style or newly renovated art deco rooms, punctuated with pops of red to echo the facade’s geranium-filled window boxes.

The name of this little-known Alfama gem means simply “Aunt Natércia,” and that’s exactly who will greet you if you manage to snag a seat. Here, you’ll find no-frills, home-cooked Portuguese dining, with classic dishes like bacalhau com natas (oven-baked salted cod with fried potatoes and cream), arroz de pato (duck rice), and folhado de bacalhau (salted cod in puff pastry) being upstaged only by Aunt Natércia herself. She’ll talk your ear off in Portuguese while she cooks and serves—it’s a one-woman show—but her food is so good you won’t even care. Reserve ahead.

Hogfish Bar and Grill, under a thatched palapa roof with open sides, is tucked in among the boats and gulls of Safe Harbour Marina in Stock Island. In short, a meal or a drink there makes you feel like an insider, a salty local far from the crowds downtown. That in-crowd feeling is burnished on weekends, when local bands play sets, or during one of the events held by Hogfish during the season, like shrimp boils. The simple food is served generously on plates crowded with side dishes. The hogfish sandwich, served fried on Cuban bread, is the stuff of late-night-post-beer legend.

For a Florida seafood experience that dates all the way back to 1937, you can’t beat a stop at this original fish market in Fort Myers. The Dixie Fish Co. was once the delivery site for all manner of scallops, clams, snapper and oysters. Today, however, it’s a bustling restaurant, where people pack in for waterfront views, salty air, and fruits of the sea. Most nights, live music accompanies menu favorites like smoked fish dip, whole fried fish, calamari, and snapper fresh from the Gulf.

This Palm Beach resort lets type A vacationers make the most of every minute of their trip. For adults, the jam-packed roster of activities ranges from cardio kickboxing and archery to salsa workshops and lessons on how to make your own aloe scrub. Another grown-up perk: every 50-minute spa treatment and dinner for two comes with complimentary child care. Meanwhile, the ShocoLand kids club keeps tykes busy during the day with water-balloon races and seashell painting. Have a little down time? The 355 rooms were renovated in late 2016, and now have an airy, modern feel; each also has its own private balcony or patio ideal for enjoying island breezes. For those happy to while away the hours near the water, chaise longues surround two palm-fringed pools, and plenty of beachside palapas sit just steps from the sea.

Encompassing 35 private villas on the Motu Onetahi coast of Marlon Brando’s very own French Polynesian island, Tetiaroa, The Brando is arguably the most luxurious place to stay in the entire South Pacific country. All of the villas at this all-inclusive resort have their own private pools along with direct beach access, and there’s a gorgeous spa offering a range of healing modalities, including traditional Polynesian taurumi massage. For those who want to add a bit of activity to their stay, there’s plenty to do on the island and in its surrounding waters, from snorkeling and scuba diving to discovering the flora and fauna of the surrounding landscape under the tutelage of a research scientist. Travelers with an interest in Polynesian culture may also want to try their hand at the traditional outrigger canoe, perhaps taking a trip out to one of the surrounding private islets that share an atoll with the Brando.