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A couple of years ago, on Black Friday, my wife and I headed away from the malls of Tucson and into the mountains: Chiricahua National Monument, just west of the New Mexico border in SE Arizona, was one of the last strongholds of the Chiricahua Apaches, who called this area “the land of standing-up rocks.” This particular mountain peak is Cochise Head (elev. 8087'); cock your head to the right and it resembles a man’s profile. The ‘eyelash’ is formed by a tall Douglas fir tree. The volcanic formation is named after Chief Cochise, who died in 1874. About a decade after his death, several hundred of his surviving fellow Apaches were deported to Florida, never to return to their homeland again... The history of the American Southwest is a sobering mix of people on the move with conflicting labels: pioneers/invaders, defenders/terrorists, war/genocide, natives/aliens...It still hasn’t been all sorted out.

The boardwalk and bike path from Will Rogers State Beach in the Pacific Palisades to Torrance County Beach in Torrance is a stretch of activity some 20 miles long. Rent a bike, roller or in-line skates, or a Segway and cruise as much of the coastline as you please. The Venice Beach Boardwalk portion is packed with characters, shops, and vendors, and is perfect for picking up a souvenir. Marvel at the strip of contemporary beach houses, including the one designed by Frank Gehry, just north of the Venice Pier, and then stroll down the pier to watch surfers and enjoy the panoramic views.

The Crocker Art Museum recently underwent a renovation, and the results are stunning. It feels like a “real” museum, the type you would expect to find in a big, thriving city like Sacramento, the capital of California. The permanent collection of paintings is housed in the old Crocker mansion, with beautiful details to be found in every room. The exhibitions as well as permanent collections of ceramics and Asian and African artworks are housed in the museum’s new modern wing. The light, airy space perfectly suits the purpose. There is also an inviting courtyard and cafe downstairs as well as exhibition spaces upstairs. The museum is located right in downtown Sacramento. Entrance is $10 per adult. Family-friendly activities are held frequently. Parking is available behind and in front of the museum. The gift shop has a nice collection of gifts, puzzles, wall hangings, and children’s items.

The line for burgers and fries at Gott’s Roadside (formerly Taylor’s Refresher and don’t you forget it) in St. Helena can be ridiculous in the afternoon, but if you go in the morning, you’ll have your choice of picnic tables—either in front where you can watch the morning traffic funnel into town or on the grassy lawn out back. From the simple egg and cheese to a fried chicken mess nicknamed the Paula Deen, Gott’s may have the best egg sandwich in the Valley (although, granted, there isn’t a lot of competition). Plus, a Trumer Pilsner makes a great breakfast beer.

Upon arrival try to snag the free daily garden tour! The gardens are divided into different ecosystems/themes such as the Australian Garden, Camellia Garden, Children’s Garden, Chinese Garden, Desert Garden, Herb Garden, Japanese Garden, Jungle Garden, Lily Ponds, Palm Garden, Rose Garden, Shakespeare Garden and the Subtropical Garden. Once you’ve finished the Garden tours, you can go to the Huntington Library, which is one of the largest research libraries in the United States. This is a nice escape from the big city if you have a day to spare while in Southern California. There is also a slew of different local restaurants to choose from including some found in Old Town Pasadena which is worth its own visit!

The Natural History Museum houses some 35 million specimens and artifacts spanning 4.5 billion years in history. But it isn’t just what’s inside this structure that’s historic: The main building itself dates all the way back to 1913, when a Sunday school teacher—upset by the seemingly unstoppable influx of saloons, gambling locales, and other centers of vice—convinced the city to develop what’s now called Exposition Park. Fast-forward to the present, and the Natural History Museum is more than just a place to see weird animal bones and models of long-extinct Homo sapiens. The museum hosts plenty of public events throughout the year, including mini nature festivals, evening cocktail parties, and opportunities for community science. The neighboring California Science Center is a draw for the kiddos, and Exposition Park as a whole is occasionally leased out for large-scale music fests.

At Pier 39, more than 20,000 sea creatures from the San Francisco Bay and California coastline await your visit. Walking through the aquarium’s transparent tunnels immerses you in the bay’s diverse aquatic life, as you come eye-to-eye with the native sevengill sharks, watch the hypnotic motion of the jellyfish, and even touch a grand bat ray’s wing, if you dare. Four adorable otters live here, too. The aquarium hosts daily naturalist-led animal feedings, and curators give talks about tide pools, octopi, and climate change, interactive experiments. New virtual-reality experiences allow you up-close “access” to whales and polar bears. Otters, considered watershed ambassadors, are indicators of healthy waterways. Splurge on a behind-the-scenes tour and shark-feeding tour in addition to the regular admission ticket, and you’ll have an unforgettable day at this amazing waterside habitat.

Few structures in Taiwan are as instantly recognizable as Taipei’s Grand Hotel. Set on a hill on the northern bank of the Keelung River, the Grand seems less a hotel and more an imperial sentinel keeping eternal vigil over the metropolis to the south. Among the world’s tallest classical Chinese structures, the hotel’s 285-foot red columns hold high a curvaceous burnt umber, temple-style roof topped by carved dragons. This classical Chinese motif continues inside the hotel, with dragons, lions, plum flowers, and other symbols of Imperial China woven throughout. Guestrooms are stately, though more functional than plush. All are decked out in imperial gold and red, and each offers carved teakwood chairs alongside other furnishings reminiscent of bygone dynasties. South-facing rooms all have balconies with city views so visitors can enjoy quiet meditations while looking out over the meandering river separating Taipei’s quieter north side from the more frenetic south.

Originally constructed in 1884, this narrow gauge railroad was an engineering feat of its time and one of the first attractions ever for early visitors to Colorado. Today, the restored railway is part of a great historic preservation effort, offering a two-mile ride between the small communities of Georgetown and Silver Plume during the summer. It is a fun, easy activity, great for families and a nice way to see the mountains. The Georgetown Loop Railroad is located just off Interstate-70 as you approach the Eisenhower Tunnel from Denver. Look for first class parlor cars, dinner trains, and holiday specials; purchase tickets online.

The meal, drinks, and bar car are only part of the experience. Getting to stand out on the viewing deck while perched over the rushing Arkansas River, then passing under the Royal Gorge Bridge, all while enjoying a pint of Fat Tire or Colorado wine ... well, it’s a pretty unique experience and the worth the money (from $39 coach adult tickets). Look for special events like murder mysteries, Santa Express, and, pictured above, the four-course dinner train with its extensive wine list, and the train’s own micro-brew, Royal Gorge Rogue. Season begins in early March.

“What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?” So said local philosopher and writer Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a statue of whom oversees his namesake island, a wee, romantic spot in the middle of the Rhone where it empties into Lake Geneva. The island-park may be served by two bridges, but it feels like a universe of its own and is a favorite of many visitors and locals in Geneva. The tranquil tree-lined island was once a 16th-century fortification that protected the city, then the site of a bustling shipyard before finally being transformed to a peaceful sanctuary in 1832, when the Pont des Bergues bridge was constructed. (The Pont des Bergues ends across from the 1834 Hotel des Bergues, which was the first meeting place of the United Nations and is now a Four Seasons Hotel.)

A UNESCO World Heritage site, this hotel was the home of Hispaniola’s first governor, Nicolás de Ovando, and one of the first colonial structures built at the top of cobbled Calle Las Damas (the first paved street in the Americas). Built in 1502 and connected in 1974 during a reconstruction ordered by then President Joaquín Balaguer, the three stone buildings retain their original coffered ceilings, massive arches, tile floors, and brick and stone walls. In addition to 92 rooms and suites, including a dozen Imperial Club rooms overlooking the Ozama River and Don Diego Harbor (Room 4015 has a particularly stunning view and gorgeous bathroom), you’ll find a lovely reading nook, gourmet restaurant, lobby mojito bar, and tranquil garden, which features herbs and fruit trees used by the hotel kitchen.

Art lovers and garden enthusiasts visiting the Cape Winelands should set aside an hour or two to tour the Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden in Stellenbosch. Here, more than 60 of Lewis’s renowned works—from his human forms and shamanic figures to his monumental abstracted fragments and iconic great cats—dot 2.5 miles of walking paths, blending seamlessly with the landscape. If you can, tour the gardens in July and August, when the fynbos trees are in full bloom. Then stop by Lewis’s old studio, which now functions as an art gallery, before having coffee or tea in the small café. Visits to the sculpture garden are by appointment only and can be arranged via email. Guided tours are also available.

Tucked away in a quiet pocket of Aix-en-Provence, Hôtel Le Pigonnet seems too good to be true, from its four acres of flowering gardens and statue-lined swimming pool to its outdoor restaurant under the chestnut trees and cozy bar with live music. In fact, the hotel, which is housed in a former 18th-century Provençal manor, is so lovely that Cézanne used to wander the grounds, painting the distant Ste-Victoire mountain from various angles. Currently owned by French actor Christophe Lambert, Le Pigonnet is a deserving member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, with 45 romantic rooms and service that accounts for every detail. Stay here for just one night and you’ll understand why it’s attracted the likes of Princess Caroline and Clint Eastwood.

Set on the grounds of a cacao plantation turned hotel, Boucan’s open-air restaurant is just one more fine-dining option with impressive views, in this case, St. Lucia’s verdant hills and Petit Piton. But the difference between Boucan and the others is that Boucan offers a menu informed by its immediate surroundings, throwing a hint of cacao into many of the dishes. Chocolate balsamic vinegar, cacao butter dip, chocolate onion soup—a meal here is a unique experience. Dessert, of course, is divine; opt for the molten chocolate cake. For more insight, ask for a walking tour around the plantation’s cacao groves. Better yet, sign up to take part in a tree-to-bar chocolate-making experience.