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Island Air Express stopped flying in April 2016.October through April, seaplane tours take you approximately 20 miles east of Scottsdale to the storied Superstition Mountains. Taking off from Scottsdale Airport, you’ll soar over the Salt River canyons and Roosevelt Dam before making water landing on the surface of Roosevelt Lake, one of Arizona’s largest bodies of water. If you can, schedule your tour for the second Sunday of the month because you’ll deplane for a picnic of Arizona food and wine.

Holbox is my kind of hideaway- clear, warm water, gorgeous skies, hot weather and hammocks. This is the perfect island to get lost and get in touch with nature, whether swimming, canoeing, horse back riding, taking nature walks or whale shark watching. Part of the small island is the Yum Balam Nature Reserve, a protected natural area for nature lovers.

Cape Porpoise is quite the charming small village in the Town of Kennebunkport. The harbor is a safe haven for the many lobster boats & dingy’s that call this place their home & office. The islands can be a great escape for camping or exploration. Goat Island, one of the many islands that make up the neighboring islands of the harbor offers visitors a working lighthouse & gate keepers house for exploration. There’s a few good local restaurants specializing in Maine fare that are a great find too. An outing in Cape Porpoise really can’t be missed while visiting Kennebunkport. There’s always something going on & you can find a story threw the lens or chat with a local to find more about this charming spot.

While Campobello Island is located in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, the only access to it by car is by crossing the International Bridge from Lubec, Maine. The 2,800-acre park honoring President Franklin D. Roosevelt covers most of the island’s southern end. The Visitor’s Centre and the Roosevelt Cottage are about a mile from the bridge. Begin there, and register for Tea with Eleanor, an engaging one-hour program during which park interpreters share stories about the former First Lady’s visits to the island over tea and cookies. After touring the 34-room, memento-filled, red-shingled cottage and the exhibits at the Visitor Centre, pick up park maps and explore the carriage roads, picnic areas, beaches, woodlands, lighthouse, hiking trails, and scenic viewpoints.

Slightly sweet, with pleasantly salty mineral umami--that’s what the yellow-orange goo from sea-urchins tastes like. The fresher the better for this roe--and if you visit the coast of Jeju island, the legendary “haenyo” women divers will have just plucked these spiny balls from the sea floor minutes before your arrival. Wildly popular with visitors from nearby Japan, where the delicacy is called “uni,” Jeju islanders call it “gusal;" mainland Koreans refer to it as “seong-geh.” I had just had some in a bowl of seaweed soup for lunch when my wife and I accompanied my mother down to the rocky cove beneath Seongsan Ilchlulbong crater to watch the haenyo emerge from the sea. My mother, who is Korean, had just retired, and was visiting a corner of her own country that she had never seen. Volcanic Jeju-do is a subtropical island with a culture distinct from the rest of Korea--"the island of wind, women, and rocks.” The haenyo are dwindling as younger women seek urban jobs; many of the divers are in their 50’s and 60’s and still dive without oxygen tanks, harvesting shellfish cooperatively... My mother struck up a conversation with one of the women as my wife and I soaked up the salt air. The haenyo, still dripping in their wetsuits, were spooning out the roe--and suddenly, a couple of spoons were being waved in our faces--a free sample! Fresh from the sea-floor, served by living legends--not a taste that fades quickly...

This property is closed through 2019 for repairs made necessary by hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Caneel Bay, one of the island’s more secluded and protected bays, is home to Caneel Bay Resort, a historic luxury hotel founded by Laurance Rockefeller. After opening the resort in 1956, Rockefeller donated the land on which it lies to become the Virgin Islands National Park, which covers about 60 percent of the island. Day-trippers can easily reach Caneel Bay by taxi from Cruz Bay. The resort has no fewer than seven beaches, including Honeymoon Beach, a short hike away. Come here to relax on the main beach, book water sports at the diving and snorkeling center and have lunch at the hotel restaurant.

Located inside Aruba’s oldest surviving structure, this museum offers a fascinating look at the island’s evolution. Open weekdays, it boasts artifacts from the Caiquetio people and Dutch colonialists as well as items from modern-day Aruba. The complex itself, however, is the real draw. Dating from 1798, it was constructed to defend the island against pirates. The adjacent Willem III Tower was built in 1868 and served as Aruba’s first public clock and lighthouse.

Stop at Scribe Winery and pick up a bottle of their newly released rosé to pair with oysters at Hog Island in Marshall, CA. Picnic tables overlook Tomales Bay and must be reserved in advance. Throw the oysters on the grill or eat them raw and don’t hesitate to ask the staff to share shucking tips. This appeared in the May 2014 issue.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the BVI for beachgoers is the sheer array of sandy shores to explore. On Jost Van Dyke, the sand at White Bay skews more toward the white-gold end of the spectrum and gives way like piles of sugar beneath your bare feet. Hit the Soggy Dollar Bar to try the iconic Painkiller (a mix of rum, orange, and pineapple juices and cream of coconut, sprinkled with freshly grated nutmeg) in the place where it was invented. Just around the headland on the beach at Great Harbour, the sand skews slightly more golden, and the famed Foxy’s Tamarind Bar, another classic BVI watering hole, beckons. And for the most diamond bright, sugar-spun sands in the islands, make your way to Anegada, the northern and easternmost island in the BVI. Here, Cow Wreck Beach is a calm stretch with one mellow bar and a gentle slope of white sand leading to the water’s edge. On the far eastern end of Anegada, Loblolly Bay lures with an enticing crescent strand and a beach bar called Big Bamboo that serves up a mean piña colada, best enjoyed with a plate of conch fritters.

Pointe des Châteaux, a protected natural and heritage site, is one of the most unusual landscapes in the Caribbean region. This rocky, craggy peninsula, which includes singular rock formations jutting out of the ocean, sits on the northeastern edge of Guadeloupe, facing a wide-open, turbulent Atlantic Ocean. Impressive waves crash on the limestone rocks and onto a gorgeous (but not swimmable) white-sand beach. On the end of the stretch is a trail leading you on a 20-minute hike to the top of the hill, where a 33-foot cross towers over Guadeloupe. The million-dollar panoramic view reveals nearly all of Guadeloupe’s archipelago, including Marie-Galante, Basse-Terre, and Les Saintes.

Two hours from Rio de Janeiro, off the coast of Angra Dos Reis, Ilha Grande makes for a spacious retreat for two or an epic group vacation. The private island’s six-bedroom house comes with kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, plus a staff ready to whip up caipirinhas at all hours of the day.

You can easily spend an entire day exploring the various attractions at this vast ocean-themed casino resort, which sits just over Nassau’s harbor bridge on Paradise Island. Purchasing a day pass to the property lets you access, for instance, its gigantic aquarium and marine habitat; shallow-water swims with sea creatures at Dolphin Cay; and a 57-hectare (141-acre) water park, which includes wave pools, swimming areas and—most famously—a six-story waterslide that plunges you into a lagoon seemingly filled with sharks (actually a glass-bottomed pool where sharks swim underneath).

JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort & Spa became the brand’s first resort property in 1967. Rumored to be J. Willard Marriott’s favorite gem in his crown of hotels (hence the Camelback Inn’s name), the desert retreat drew the likes of Clark Gable and Bette Davis in its heyday. Now it’s one of the best places to stay when you’re looking for the quintessential Scottsdale experience – luxury and rugged Sonoran Desert beauty. The Spa at Camelback Inn is my favorite highlight with its lineup of massages, facials and body treatments inspired by the resort’s natural setting. Settle in for a Desert Nectar Honey Wrap – a creamy mixture of Arizona honey and oats – then head to the spa’s Sprouts Café to round-out your wellness binge with light and healthy fare.

Confusion. I think that’s what some people feel when they first lay eyes on the Montelucia Resort & Spa. With its ornate entryways and floral squares, the resort looks more like a charming European village than an Arizona resort. But, you know what? It works. Montelucia is downright enchanting. And in case you find yourself slipping and forgetting just where you are, simply look the south for the best possible reminder – Scottsdale’s iconic Camelback Mountain. There’s plenty to keep you busy on property, including five dining spots, but the very best way to pass the time is at Joya Spa. Inspired by the Moroccan desert and Spain’s Andalusian region, Joya is 32,000 square feet of total relaxation. Lavish lounge areas, a rooftop pool and terrace, and a detoxifying hammam are all a part of the experience. The latter improves circulation and balance using time-tested rituals from Northern Africa.

Often described as a Greek paradise, the Polilimnio Waterfalls in Polilimnio Gorge offer something different from Messenia’s usual beaches. Visitors are immersed in a scene of lush greenery, gushing cascades, and green lakes filled with fresh-water crabs perfect for a relaxing dip. And if you’re adventurous, cliff diving is also an option at the highest and deepest of the pools. The hike to the Polilimnio Waterfalls takes about an hour and a half, with the trailhead beginning in Haravgi Village. Follow the paved road until it turns into dirt and you’ll eventually come to a car park at the start of the trail. Make sure to wear sturdy shoes, as the ground can be uneven or slippery—especially after it rains—in some sections. For a guided experience, Navarino Outdoors offers an Ancient Messene & Polilimnio Falls Excursion where you’ll explore the area’s historical stadium and theater; eat traditional Greek food; and visit the beautiful Polilimnio Waterfalls.