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Copenhagen has a staggering array of museums, concerts halls, and opera houses. The one captured above (while getting rained on during a boat ride in the harbor on our way to see the Little Mermaid statue), is of the Royal Danish Playhouse. Opened in 2008, the playhouse was designed to complement the nearby Copenhagen Opera House, as well as the original 1874 playhouse venue located on Kongens Nytorv. The bluish-green glass-enclosed area affords visitors panoramic views of the harbor, and also has a restaurant and cafe if you want to accompany your view with food or drink. Or considering the weather I was in, it’s a nice pace to simply protect yourself from the elements.

While in the Alabama hills I fought for my life against the most feared worm in the West. Ok not really, but after finding out the saga of Tremor monster movies were filmed here I couldn’t resist a little photoshopping. While the town of Lone Pine is a bit derelict on the outside, dig an inch deeper and you’ll discover it was the backdrop to almost every classic Western. Hundreds of films, series and advertisements have been filmed here due to the perpetually sunny days and striking landscapes. If you find yourself East of the Sierras, be sure to stop off in Lone Pine for a day to camp, hike, rock-climb, and tour the film museum!

Built in 1928 by Asia’s oldest hotel brand, the Peninsula Hong Kong is one of the most historic properties on the Kowloon Peninsula, just across Victoria Harbour from Hong Kong Island. Designed originally as an upscale accommodation for passengers riding the adjacent Kowloon-Canton railway, the Peninsula has been a fixture of Hong Kong society throughout the region’s history. It was a magnet for Hollywood stars and dignitaries, the site of Hong Kong’s surrender to Japanese forces at the start of World War II, and temporary housing for residents following the war.

In 1994, a 30-story tower was added to house 135 additional rooms and suites as well as shops, a spa, a fitness center, twin rooftop helipads, and Felix—the hotel’s 28th-floor fine-dining restaurant, designed by Philippe Starck. The entire property was renovated in 2013 to update rooms with creamy colors, polished wood, and stitched leather and introduce high-tech extras that include a bedside control panel allowing guests to adjust the room’s light, sound, and temperature without getting out from under the covers. Today, the hotel is sleek and modern, but historic relics evoke the glory days that established the Peninsula as the “Grande Dame of the Far East.”

The jewel in Rouen’s crown, this impressive museum is home to France’s largest Impressionist collection outside of Paris. Here, you’ll find three stunning works from Monet’s famous Rouen Cathedral series, along with other highlights like a rare Caravaggio and paintings by everyone from Rubens, Vélazquez, and Fragonard to Delacroix, Modigliani, and Duchamp. After exploring the collection, stop into the small but pleasant bookstore for a souvenir, then take a stroll in the lovely park next door. Admission to the permanent collections here is free.

If you’re looking for a break from the beach and the noise, head to Konoko Falls Park (formerly known as Coyaba River Garden) for a quiet picnic, swim, and nature walk through beautifully manicured gardens. The Mahoe tiered waterfalls—a smaller, just-as-picturesque version of Dunn’s River Falls but rarely crowded—cascade through the park, and an on-site museum showcases the history of Jamaica’s first inhabitants, the Taino. The park offers gorgeous views of Ocho Rios’s bay below. Climbing and swimming in the falls, at your own pace, is great fun.

Pizza Brain, located on Frankford Avenue in Fishtown, bills itself as the world’s first pizza museum and restaurant. With pizza-related toys, artwork, and memorabilia on display around the eatery, fine dining becomes fun dining. An added bonus? An outpost of Little Baby’s Ice Cream—revered around Philly for its handcrafted batches of exotic ice cream flavors—is right next door, making this the perfect address for kids and foodies of all ages. The geniuses behind Pizza Brain have now opened a second restaurant, Pizza Dads, in Brewerytown. Both locations are BYOB.

Up for a long day at the museums near South Kensington? Resist going into a smelly-ale pub to fuel up on energy for the more quaint and charming Fernandez & Wells. It feels indie, even though there are several locations throughout the city. Have a coffee or a tea or a sandwich stuffed with goat cheese, chorizo and rocket all from local farmer’s markets. They serve quality food in a homey atmosphere.

Prague’s Grand Café Orient is the only cubist-designed space of its kind in the world. It occupies the first floor of the House of the Black Madonna, designed in 1911 by modernist architect Josef Gočár. Renovated in 2005, the spacious café retains the original silk-shaded hanging brass lanterns and marble-topped buffet-bar. Diners can enjoy such menu highlights as Prague ham and apple strudel or tartar of smoked salmon with black caviar and lettuce, and then visit the Museum of Czech Cubism upstairs.

Cacao beans’ scientific name is theobrama cacao, which translates into “drink of the gods.” Casa Cortés in Old San Juan will truly please any god with its Cortés chocolate concoctions. This welcoming café fuses modern style of its seats and dishes with the antique charm of walls covered in Cortés chocolate molds and a short history of chocolate on a collage of artwork that exudes nostalgia. The menu features mouth-watering items such as a baguette filled with Brie, chocolate, and a hazelnut spread; a blood orange and passion fruit cheesecake topped with a chocolate mousse; and an Argentinian ice wine. I opted for the mallorca (a sweet bread dusted with powdered sugar) stuffed with Ibérico ham, Manchego, chocolate, and a guava spread, accompanied by a European hot chocolate that was to die for. My meal was perfect, but I’m sure everything I didn’t get to taste was just as amazing. That’s what you get when your chocolate comes straight from a nearby farm. While I waited for my food, I watched a video on chocolate production. There’s also a museum (unfortunately, I was unable to see it, but you can bet I’ll be back there next time I come home to my beautiful island) and some products for sale. Make sure to take a little piece of Casa Cortés with you for future indulgences—they advertise one chocolate tablet as being enough for two beverages.

What kind of hotel might attract such diverse guests as Pablo Picasso and Elizabeth Taylor, Mata Hari and FDR, Queen Victoria and Jay-Z, Tchaikovsky and the Olsen Twins? The answer is Le Meurice. Opened in 1815 as one of the world’s first five-star hotels, this icon near the Tuileries Garden has long appealed to both the posh and creative sets; its ties to the art world are particularly strong, having hosted Picasso’s wedding dinner and served as Salvador Dalí’s Parisian pied-á-terre for over 30 years.

For recent renovations of the public spaces, interiors guru Philippe Starck and his designer daughter, Ara Starck, took inspiration from Dalí for some of the more playful touches (like the quirky portraits of 18th-century personalities painted on the backs of leather seats). In the 118 rooms and 42 suites, designer Charles Jouffre maintained a French classical style, with traditional and antique furnishings, rich fabrics, Garnier Thiebaut linens, deep-soaking tubs, and—in higher-category rooms like the Pompadour Suite—oak floors and fireplaces.

There is much mystery surrounding Hop Sing Laundromat, an intimate take on the secret speakeasy. No sign marks the entrance, on Race Street in Philly’s Chinatown, only a locked gate and a doorbell. This craft cocktail lounge is brimming with dark atmosphere, wonderful music, and a menu of mind-bendingly creative libations. My drink of choice is the Hotel Nacional, a tropical tribute to the legendary hotel in Havana. Mixed with 15-year special reserve rum, apricot liqueur, fresh pineapple juice, and more, its sublime deliciousness quickly erases the list of ingredients from memory. Drinks range from $12 to $14, and some of the other creative concoctions include the Hemingway Daiquiri, Philly Colada, General Tso’s Chocolate Shake, Memphis Mystery Train, and Captain Kirk. This is not just a bar, it’s an experience, and worthwhile to sit at the bar and watch the talented bartenders in action. Key details to know in advance: bring ID and cash (no credit cards), and dress presentably (the dress code prohibits flip flops, sandals, sneakers, shorts, hats). Don’t arrive hungry, since no food or snacks are served. And be warned: the house rules do not allow chatting on cell phones or taking pictures. Those who violate the dress code will be turned away at the door and those who don’t follow the rules will be asked to leave. Good to know the rules in advance, because this is an experience that shouldn’t be missed. Open 5 pm to 2 am.

Never has a yummy treat been mired in such controversy as the Whoopie Pie. First, how did this burger-shaped cake with the sugary cream filling get its name? Does the name come from the exclamation that schoolchildren shouted upon opening their lunch bags to discover these delights? Or does it come from the Amish farmers, who were rewarded with these portable “pies” in their lunch boxes? My vote (and Pennsylvania Dutch lore) favors the school kids. But wait—there’s more controversy! While I am one hundred percent certain that these little cakes called pies originated in my lovely state of Pennsylvania, it seems that the state of Maine has also laid claim to their origin, even going so far as to name the Whoopie Pie as its “official state treat.” Other research points to somewhere in New York state as their birthplace. We may never know… There was a time not long ago when Whoopie Pies felt much like a prized local secret because no one outside of Pennsylvania had ever heard of them (excepting, I guess, some of those Mainers). These days, though, you can even find Whoopie Pies in the bakery sections at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. But the most authentic and delicious version can only be found at the Amish bakery Beiler’s in the Reading Terminal Market. My personal favorite is the pumpkin flavor, but the chocolate is also delicious. Or maybe try the oatmeal, or the red velvet. Better yet, try one of each—they’re portable!

This former industrial site is a one-stop shopping spot for last-minute souvenirs. Weave in and out of the countless alleys and stalls; among the art galleries, toy shops, crafts stores, farmers market and waterfront restaurants, you’re likely to find something tasty to sample or so unique that you have to bring it home.

No, it’s not your imagination. Everyone—men, women, children, even dogs—dresses up in Seoul. Sure, you’re bound to see the odd denim-clad dud, but on the whole you’re more likely to spot bow ties and blazers or blouses and heels walking the streets on a daily basis. If you like a little glitz and glamour in your people watching, head over to Gangnam (yes, the one immortalized by Psy in the song of the same name). Sip a cappuccino at any of the myriad cafes as you watch dolled-up ladies and dandified gents strut their stuff.

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.