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Also known as the High Test Deli & Sweet Shop, this local standby—situated just over the state line in Bryson City, North Carolina—has fueled hikers, area residents, and tourists for more than a decade. The signature Cuban is a best seller, but every sandwich is customizable, with more than a dozen bread varieties, nearly as many cheeses, and all the proteins you’d expect from a top-notch deli. Still, you wouldn’t be blamed for skipping the meats altogether and heading straight for the “frozen sandwich” section, where you can choose from a creative selection of ice cream sandwiches that will challenge even the most decisive sweet tooth.

Unlike the gussied-up lodges on the north flank of Yosemite Valley, Curry Village offers decidedly more casual fare, catering to the crowds in the campsites and tent cabins that sprawl along this side of the valley. The Pizza Deck has indoor and outdoor seating and, conveniently enough, shares space with the Curry Village Bar—a particularly popular place in nice weather. The Meadow Grill serves burgers and grilled sandwiches, while the Pavilion offers all-you-can-eat buffets for breakfast and dinner, including a salad bar, pasta bar, make-your-own taco station, and dessert table. Note: There are food options available from January through November.

Mirroring a Parisian bistro, La Plage is simple, chic, and unassuming. Carefully tucked away in North Goa, the restaurant has a laid-back atmosphere that complements its stellar French menu of crispy sardines in lime zest, prawn lollipops on sugarcane, beefsteak, grilled calamari with eggplant, and fresh fish soufflé. Frequented by celebrities and locals, it sports a casual vibe, with up to five friendly house dogs roaming around. Save room for the chocolate thali: A play on the savory Indian dish, this sweet version features several decadent samples of truffle, soufflé, ice cream, crepe, and mousse. During high season (December to February), reservations are a must for the evening hours.

Buddha statues in lower Pak Ou Cave on the Mekong River north of Luang Prabang, Laos. Pak Ou is a series of limestone caves which contain hundreds of Buddha statues palced there over the centuries. It is a popular pilgrimage site for local people, especially during Lao New Year in April when the caves are crowded with devotees who gain merit by ceremonially washing the Buddha statues. The caves can be reached by boat from Luang Prabang in about 30-40 minutes.

San Diego foodies all swear by this Central Texas-style barbecue joint. If you’re dying to try it, get there close to when it opens (11:30 a.m. Mondays through Fridays, and 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday), as lines can be long and the restaurant shuts when the meat runs out. Order pulled pork or Texas turkey either in a sandwich or by the pound, then pair it with sides like Peruvian white beans, coleslaw (traditional or spicy), and potato salad. On Sundays, the restaurant also does an Argentinean-style asado, complete with chorizo, skirt steak, blood sausage, and house-made chimichurri. The original North Park location is currently closed for renovations, but the larger El Cajon location, which also hosts live music, is open.

This is a slightly odd place. It’s in the middle of a commercial area, with no restaurants in sight. If you get to the right block, it’s actually behind a large building. You have to knock and be let in like a speakeasy. Once inside, it’s a pretty normal expat locale. The first floor is a Spanish restaurant, supposedly with one of the only wood-burning pizza ovens in Xi’an. Downstairs is the real Green Molly, an Irish pub. You can also order food here. The pizza was disappointing, but the Caprese salad and potato skins were outrageously good. Green Molly is 200 meters north of Ginwa Shopping Center on the intersection of Gaoxin Road and Keji Road. It is behind the GAOKE building.

You haven’t quite experienced the most authentic Reggae concert in Jamaica until you’ve been to Rebel Salute. While Sumfest gets all the press and is more commercialized, Rebel Salute—held every January—is Jamaica’s largest strictly-Reggae all-night show, headlining every single big Reggae music name you can think of. Now held on the north coast, on the picturesque grounds of Grizzly’s Plantation Cove, this well organized, alcohol-free event welcomes everyone from families to couples. Camp out by bringing your lawn chairs and blankets to indulge in the best of Reggae all night long, under the starry nights of the south. Food and soft drink vendors are present, of course, as are souvenir sellers. Tour operators do arrange group round trips to the event—inquire with Clive’s Transport--and hotels near the venue offer deals.

Frank Altamura took his time renovating the old Italian grocery store — where he remembers shopping as a child — at the north end of Yountville. His dream was to turn the partly dilapidated building into a casual restaurant with great pizza and Napa Valley wine where locals would love to eat. His dream came to fruition when Ciccio opened its doors in 2013. The menu is simple, straightforward and ever-changing based on what Altamura is bringing in from his Napa ranch, where he also grows Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese and Negroamaro for his eponymous wine. Chef Polly Lappetito (former Executive Chef at The Culinary Institute of America) traveled far and wide in search of the perfect pizza crust, but her’s is in a category all its own — prepared in a hand-tiled, wood-burning pizza oven imported from Italy.

If you haven’t before seen 1.5 million bats flying out for their nightly feeding at once, now’s your chance. The largest urban bat colony in North America, Austin‘s Congress Avenue Bridge is the home to hundreds of thousands of Mexican free-tail bats from mid-March to mid-October. Every night around sunset, the colony emerges like a black cloud from the crevices underneath the bridge, heading out to feed on millions of bugs around Austin. A beloved tourist attraction since the bats made their home in the bridge during the 1980 renovations, crowds pack the east-facing sidewalk and the park to the south side of the river to watch the nightly exodus. Want more details? Call the Bat Hotline at 416-5700, extension 3636, for exact exodus times. Christian Bale may or may not answer.

Most garden-lovers have heard of the Dutch tulip garden, Keukenhof, a few hours north of Belgium. Few, however, have heard of Belgium’s own wonderful spring tulip garden at Groot-Bijgaarden Castle. Also called Grand Bigard (in French), the castle gardens are home to 1.5 million spring bulbs, including tulips, hyacinths, crocus and daffodils. Parts of the castle are open to the public, during this time, and each room hosts a different flower display, such as an orchid exhibit in the chapel. Two large greenhouses, on the grounds, host exhibitions by local flower growers ranging from roses to lilies and even rare tropical blooms. It’s a paradise for garden-lovers and photographers alike. You can even purchase bulbs to take home and plant for yourself.

Opened in 1915 as Tent City—a string of luxury canvas tents along Lac Beauvert, with vistas of Whistlers Peak and Pyramid Mountain—the iconic Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge was possibly North America’s first “glamping” site. The destination proved wildly popular, and in 1922 a main lodge was opened, as well as a series of luxury log cabins spread across 700 acres in the heart of Jasper National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Bristling with Douglas firs and pine trees, the property sees herds of elk nibbling the grass, chipmunks scurrying through the trees, and even the occasional bear. The 442 rooming options—all of which were renovated between 2015 and 2017—include cozy spots in the main building, fireplace-equipped Junior Suites, and bring-the-whole-family Signature Cabins, all with views across the lake or the forest and mountains. The newly introduced Estate Cabins, located near the golf course, feature a private gated entrance for a more residential feel. Classic lodge-style interior design is the order of the day in the cabins, with wood beams and a combination of earthy and granite tones, while rooms and suites are clean-lined and decked out in fresh white bedding and light wood accents.

Why we love it: A family-run hotel with eye-catching design and sustainable architecture

The Highlights:
- Rustic wooden cabanas surrounded by water
- Private plunge pools in each room
- Tasty local food, including breakfast, snacks, and dinner upon request

The Review:
Holbox is becoming more and more popular, thanks to its chill vibe, powdery beaches, and relative privacy compared to Tulum. Among the island’s best places to stay is this family-run retreat, just a few blocks from the shore. Here, the unique geometric design features 12 whitewashed, thatch-roofed cabanas surrounding a flooded central deck-cum-pool. Each room opens directly onto a private plunge pool that connects to the main one, creating the feeling of an overwater bungalow.

Guest room interiors are carved from sustainable cedar wood, lending a rustic air that melds perfectly with Holbox’s laid-back, eco-conscious atmosphere. There’s not much in the way of furniture beyond a few shelves and a bed clad in organic sheets, but that helps keep the focus on the fragrant cedar. Daily breakfast is included as are afternoon snacks. With advance notice, the chef will also cook you an authentic Mexican dinner using local ingredients. If you’re in need of a tipple, a tower adjacent to the lobby area has a bar with well-made cocktails and stunning ocean views. Just don’t expect fast Wi-Fi or much in the way of amenities—here, it’s all about island time.

You can’t beat the atmosphere and scenery at this Swiss-styled lodge, built 1913–14, on the scenic shore of the largest lake in Glacier National Park. The historic main-lodge rooms with lake views, as well as outlying cabins sitting on the pebbled beach, are often booked a year in advance. This leaves many travelers, who accept that nature is the main amenity, to make do with rooms in the characterless four-story modern motel wing. The soaring lobby lounge with a huge, pictograph-carved stone fireplace, vintage hand-painted lanterns, and deer, elk, and mountain goat trophies, as well as the sensational views from the pier and beach, make up for minuscule bathrooms, spartan room furnishings, slow Wi-Fi, and iffy cell phone signals. Self-drivers use the lodge as a base for the famed 50-mile Going-to-the-Sun Road across the Continental Divide. Hikers explore paths, including the wheelchair-accessible Trail of the Cedars, surrounding the 10-mile lake; the U-shaped valley branches into smaller glacier-carved “hanging” valleys dotted with waterfalls. In summer, guests also enjoy horseback riding and tours on the DeSmet, a vintage cruiser.

Cavell’s Cook Shop hides in plain sight along the road that hugs the shore on Antigua’s southwestern coast. Its humble, nondescript outward appearance bears every likeness of a simple storage shed or roadside workshop. Thick, encroaching foliage on either side further suggest its owner might prefer his or her place to maintain a low profile. The long line of cars regularly parked astride the road outside Cavell’s at all hours of the day, however, tells a different story. So too do the savory aromas emanating from beneath her galvanize roof, and the smiles on the faces of her steady stream of people filing in and out of here. You see, small and simple though it may be, Cavell’s is the prime spot for real local food in Antigua. The sun pounding down on the galvanize roof combined with the heat put forth by the various cooking apparatuses maKe standing inside Cavell’s feel like limin’ in an oven. No one was complaining, though. Cold Wadadli’s and good company have a way of keeping things cool here. Come to Cavell’s with a smile, some patience, and an open mind and you’ll make friends of the broad swath of local Antiguans, representing all walks of life, easily.

Why we love it: A historic property full of local details that make guests feel at home in Minneapolis

The Highlights:
- Prime location in the trendy North Loop
- Site of one of Minneapolis’s best restaurants, Tullibee
- Local literature, artwork, and spirits in every room

The Review:
A former farm implement warehouse, the Hewing Hotel has a rustic yet refined sensibility. Located in the heart of the North Loop, just a short walk from some of Minneapolis’s best restaurants and shops, the property mixes exposed timber and brick, tall ceilings, and original industrial elements with high-end finishes, creating an environment that’s at once local and luxurious. Available in five different layouts, the 124 rooms, including 14 suites, are individually designed with exposed wood, metal, and brick accents, plus local details like books, artwork, minibars, and Faribault Woolen Mills throws that speak to Minneapolis. Should you be traveling with your pet, simply pay a $75 fee and you’ll find their name written on a chalkboard alongside those of other furry guests, all under the heading “V.I.Pets,” as well as a treat-stocked bowl in your room.

Although Hewing guests are surrounded by one of the city’s most vibrant neighborhoods, they’ll want to save at least one night for dining at the hotel’s renowned restaurant, Tullibee, which serves rustic Nordic cuisine alongside craft cocktails, local beers, and house-made sodas. For something more casual, head to the Rooftop Bar & Lounge for drinks and city views. Also on the roof is a pool and Nordic-inspired sauna, though guests may be more inclined to visit the Hewing Spa, where they can enjoy a range of massages, plus add-on services like wraps, scrubs, and face masks. When you want something more active, head to the 24-hour fitness facility, stocked with treadmills, stationary bikes, and elliptical trainers; the yoga studio, which offers weekly classes through Gem Life Yoga; or the front desk, where you can rent a custom Handsome bicycle to explore the city.