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Located in Old Québec, not far from the St. Lawrence River, the Musée de la Civilisation (Museum of Civilization) is an enormous (for Québec City, at least) museum with lofty ambitions. Exhibits cover just about every culture imaginable—at any given time you might find Greek sculptures displayed alongside totem poles, or an inquiry into Egyptian ideas of the afterlife juxtaposed with Australian Aboriginal artworks. Most of the time you can count on at least one exhibition focusing on some aspect of Québecois or Canadian culture, from the history of trapping to spotlights on individual Québecois artists and designers. Many of the exhibits, like a recent one focused on cats and dogs, are designed with kids in mind, with engaging, interactive installations. Even if you’ve been here before, every visit to the museum is, by design, a new experience.

This small—but always packed—dining room is where to go for a delicious introduction to the fresh seafood that’s so abundant along the coast. Specials are chalked on a blackboard, while the likes of Mourne mussels, fish cakes, and langoustines are featured on the daily menu. The main dining room and adjacent Oyster Bar share a menu.

The cornerstone of the Kensington Street Precinct, at the heart of the funky Chippendale neighborhood, the Old Clare is the storied pub she used to be and so much more. Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects built a glass-and-steel walkway between the former Clare Hotel and the neighboring Carlton United Brewery building, both dating to the early 20th century, to create a 62-room boutique hotel that simultaneously feels historic and edgy. Original wood panels and brick walls blend seamlessly into spotted gum floors and nude-colored walls, exemplifying the creative reuse that pervades the Chippendale suburb, an inner-city district of galleries and cafés situated at the crossroads of Glebe, Redfern, Surry Hills, Chinatown, and the Central Business District. The design echoes other landmark Sydney restorations by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer such as the Paddington Reservoir Gardens and Carriageworks, an arts complex located just down the road. The Old Clare also brings two more standout restaurants to Chippendale, including the first Australian venture by Michelin-starred British chef Jason Atherton. Whether guests soak in the egg-shaped tub in their loft room, take a sunrise yoga class on the rooftop pool deck, or sip a “Ginny Hendricks,” a watermelon-dill concoction with bitters and Hendrick’s gin, at the midcentury-modern bar, they’ll have a story to tell. The Old Clare is a tale that keeps getting better.

A whole lot of history converges at the Fairmont San Francisco—as do all of the city’s cable car lines, which offer easy transportation to the Financial District, Union Square, and Fisherman’s Wharf. The hotel was built in 1906 but damaged in the Great Earthquake and subsequent fires before it even opened, so celebrated architect Julia Morgan was brought in to repair the building. Once it debuted, the hotel quickly became a city favorite, hosting more than its share of historic events, including the series of meetings in 1945 that resulted in the formation of the United Nations. The hotel’s storied bar, The Venetian Room, also featured big names, from Ella Fitzgerald and Nat ‘King’ Cole to Tony Bennett, who first performed I Left My Heart in San Francisco here in 1961 (Bennett still frequents the hotel).

Today, the Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar is a draw for tourists and locals seeking a kitschy, iconic San Francisco experience, with live music, Polynesian food, and Mai Tais severed against a backdrop of occasional staged thunderstorms. Other dining options include Laurel Court for all-day coastal California fare and the famous Afternoon Tea, a local tradition since 1907. The opulent design of the hotel extends from its lobby—with marble floors and sumptuous fabrics—to the 606 luxurious rooms, each outfitted with comfortable furnishings and modern technologies. Of the 62 suites, 10 also include balconies with city and bay views.

Plan on spending the better part of a day at the National World War II Museum, even if you profess limited interest in history. This fine, sprawling museum—formerly the D-Day Museum—is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, and was established here because of the role the locally made Higgins landing craft played on D-day. Don’t expect the usual repository of static artifacts, like machine guns and airplanes—although you will find those on display. It’s more about gathering stories, from film and oral histories, and from all sides of the conflict. The museum was the idea of Stephen Ambrose, noted author of books about WWII, who wanted to share with the public the interviews that didn’t make it into his books. It’s grown massively since its humble beginnings, and does a remarkable job of capturing the era through both a microscope and wide-angle lens.

When the Last Bookstore debuted in 2005, the name was meant to be ironic. Now, in a world of Kindles and iPads, digital books (or at least digital bookstores) are the norm, and brick-and-mortar establishments such as the Last Bookstore are a dying breed. That hasn’t stopped this Downtown L.A. icon from growing. The shop still buys, sells, and trades new and used books and vinyl records just as it did when its doors first opened over a decade ago, and it shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. Come in to browse the store’s impressive collection, to hang out for an afternoon, or to catch author talks and more. The Last Bookstore puts on some killer events, and past speakers have included the cast of Portlandia, How to Kill a City author Peter Moskowitz, and Holocaust survivors. Oh, and they occasionally give away free concert tickets on their Instagram account, so it’s worth a follow even if you’re not a die-hard bookworm.

Standing out in San Francisco‘s Marina District, this historic landmark is a leftover from the 1915 Pan-Pacific International Expo and was designed by Bernard R. Maybeck, a student of the École des Beaux-Arts. His vision was to give the impression of ancient Roman ruins. When the fair concluded, the Palace of Fine Arts proved too beautiful to raze. Maybeck had intended the Palace to fall into ruins (in keeping with his original vision), and it did for years. It was used as a storage depot after World War II and as a warehouse for the Parks Department. In the late 1950s, a local city official led an effort to face-lift the building. The Palace of Fine Arts was rebuilt and is now enjoyed by visitors who walk beneath the towering colonnade and the grand rotunda.

Guarded by the Hammering Man sculpture outside, this superb museum collection romps from native tribal art to African masks to carvings from Oceania. Highlights include the 16th-century wood-paneled Italian Room and The Studio, a portrait of the Seattle home of Jacob Lawrence, arguably the most acclaimed African American painter of the 20th century. Check the calendar for world-class temporary exhibits, not to mention lectures, performances, film screenings, and evening SAM Remix dance parties. If you need some air, head for the waterfront Olympic Sculpture Park to catch a glimpse of art in the wild. Free to visit, this green space offers stunning views of Puget Sound and the ferries trundling across it.

Sometimes you just want get back to the basic. Pizza. Beer. More Pizza. Look for the giant slice on the side of the building. You’ll find the place no matter what state of mind you’re in. Sizzle Pie is perfectly positioned to help get that hunger monkey off your back. It’s centrally located in Downtown, sells by the NY-sized slice, and tastes extra extra good at 2 AM.

Don’t ask why. It just does. #Believe

Let’s be real here. You’re in Portland. You’ll be up late. Just don’t forget that Sizzle Pie’s got your back...or maybe the monkey does…

The National Art Gallery of the Bahamas occupies the historic Villa Doyle, a colonial-era home from 1860, at the corner of Hill and West Hill streets, across from the U.S. Embassy. The gallery offers a unique look at Bahamian history and culture through the art of its people. The ground floor hosts the museum’s permanent exhibits, while the upstairs has a pair of temporary exhibit spaces that change regularly. The museum is open every day except Mondays and holidays; admission is $10 for international visitors, while kids under 12 are free.

Nestled on a side street off Telok Ayer in Chinatown, this unassuming 40-seat restaurant with exposed-brick walls and funky local art earned a Michelin star in 2017 for its creative and very modern Australian fare. The ethos is simple: straightforward ingredients and surprising presentation. Take the signature Duck & Waffles—confit duck smothered in a spicy caramel sauce on top of crispy waffles. The wild venison with wasabi and zucchini is something wonderfully different, and so is the cuttlefish roasted pigeon. Beets with goat cheese, barramundi with leeks, and funky desserts like coconut with laksa-leaf ice cream make an indelible impression on foodies who think (and eat) outside the box.

Known for its international flair and heart-of-downtown location, Robson Street is nicknamed Vancouver’s Rodeo Drive for its big-name luxury boutiques concentrated around the intersection at Alberni Street. A short walk from its core is the Pacific Centre shopping mall, where there’s a Holt Renfrew, Canada’s equivalent of Saks Fifth Avenue. After a day of hustle and bustle, grab a bowl of ramen or a plate of sushi at one of the izakayas closer to Stanley Park.

Rodney Bay Marina is a lively entertainment hub located across the water from the resorts along Reduit Beach. Head over and take in the breeze, or dine at a number of small restaurants, bars, and cafés at any time of the day. Stop in at the Bread Basket in the morning, or visit the waterfront Boardwalk Bar for the sunset and dancing to a DJ or live soca music on Saturday nights. A catamaran cruise from Rodney Bay to Soufrière is one of the most memorable and popular activities while on the island. The marina also boasts a grocery store, a bakery, a liquor store, and ATM facilities.

If you’re fascinated by the Wild West, you’ll love this fantastic museum, where culture and history come together to transport you back in time. Named in honor of late Texas governor Dolph Briscoe and his wife, Janey, the museum is located along the River Walk, inside San Antonio’s first public library. In addition to hosting exhibitions, educational programs, and special events, the Briscoe features a Wells, Fargo & Co. Nine-Passenger Western Mail Stagecoach replica and the beautiful McNutt Sculpture Garden, which brings the West to life through intricate bronze pieces.

This group of more than 30 cafés across Denmark are open early, so they’re great for breakfast. The tea, coffee, and sandwiches are all very nice, but what really sets Lagkagehuset apart is the quality of the cakes. It would take an iron will to resist one of their strawberry tarts or a slice of Christianshavnerkage, a hazelnut torte topped with strawberry-vanilla cream and berries. The café in Copenhagen overlooks the lakes, and when the water glitters on a sunny day, there are few places more pleasant for an impromptu afternoon tea.