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When traveling, I love to spend Saturday morning at the farmers market. There’s no better way to meet the locals and get to know the town culture. What produce do they love? What coffee do they sip? What’s the overall mood? One of the best Saturday morning farmers markets I’ve been to was in a giant park in Portland, Maine. The stalls were packed with reasonably priced, locally grown produce (of course, Maine blueberries were abundant). Despite the chilly morning temperatures, children played in a splash park and adults sipped locally made apple cider while listening to the various jazz musicians who had set up around the farmers market. Despite the crowds, parking was abundant (such a rarity!) as was the “Maine nice” that we found around the entire state.

They’ve been popularized and commercialized in movies and may even seem to be a cultural stereotype of sorts, but visit Mexico City‘s Plaza Garibaldi on any given evening and you’ll soon see that the tradition of mariachis is alive and well and very much a part of modern culture. Mariachis gather at Plaza Garibaldi nightly, waiting to be hired for an off-site event or an impromptu in-the-plaza serenade. You can even negotiate for a few songs yourself, or, if you prefer, sit in the plaza and watch the action as mariachis in a variety of outfits wait for work. Although Plaza Garibaldi has spiffed up a bit in recent years (particularly with the opening of the Museum of Tequila and Mezcal a few years ago), it does have a seedy underbelly. It’s best not to bring your valuables, and if you enter one of the bars on the plaza’s periphery, stay sober enough to keep your wits about you. A popular Garibaldi scam is to invite unsuspecting tourists to several rounds of drinks and then stick them with an astronomical bill.

A wildly colorful, cartoonish emoji mural sets the scene for fun, fabulous Lalo, the casual-chic outpost from chef Eduardo García (whose Máximo Bistrot is adjudged one of the finest spots in the city). Tables for two are the first to fill, so diners usually find themselves at a long shared table, choosing from a menu of small(ish) plates that pack real flavor and cleverly blend familiar comforts with more-unusual, yet equally tempting, combinations. Breakfast faves include a sinful French toast or less conventional choices like chilaquiles in salsa verde; fluffy omelettes contain amazing cheeses and surprising ingredients. And don’t be shy with pastries. Lunch swings to raved-about pastas and pizzas, or the salad whose ingredients all come fresh from nearby Xochimilco. Artisanal beers and homemade sodas are a sensation as well.

What kind of cuisine do Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette proffer at Little Donkey? All of them. The James Beard Award–winning chefs have described their Central Square eatery as an exercise in indulgence—a place where they can slip the bonds of convention and make whatever they want. The good news is that anything these two plate is delicious. Local color can be found in the Parker House rolls, and Little Donkey honors the Jewish fondness for Asian flavors with a schmaltzy matzo-ball ramen bowl. It’s the type of food chefs cook for themselves at home, only now you get to join in the fun.

At 185 acres, the Montréal Botanical Garden is less than a third the size of Mount Royal Park, but it manages to fit a remarkable collection of some 22,000 plant species and cultivars into that space, organized into 20 thematic gardens and including 10 exhibition greenhouses (ideal if you are looking for some tropical warmth in the depth of a Montréal winter). Everyone will have his or her own favorites when it comes to the different spaces—Alpine, Chinese, Japanese—but the First Nations garden stands out. Wandering alongside its pond and following its forested trails, you’ll feel like you are far from the city and instead in the northern reaches of the province of Québec—at least until you catch sight of the swoop of the nearby Olympic Tower, with its distinct incline. You can continue the naturalist itinerary at the Biodome, also nearby, where five different ecosystems of North America are re-created with flora and fauna—auks, lynx, penguins, and more.

Adobe streetfront: door...window...sky. Color. Much of Tucson, like most western U.S. cities, is devoted to strip malls and parking lots, but the historic core still has blocks of 19th-century Sonoran-style row houses. In the 1960s, acres and acres of the Barrio Viejo was razed, but fortunately not all of it. Today it’s a combination of gentrification and the pleasantly decrepit: attorney’s offices, student rentals, and family homes share this yard-less streetscape in a bilingual neighborhood. In reading about the history of the neighborhood, I came across this description, written back in the 1930s by Dr. James Harvey Robinson of Columbia University, who was visiting Tucson for the first time: “But this cannot be the United States of America, Tucson, Arizona! This is northern Africa - Tunis! Algiers! - or even Greece, where I have seen as here, houses built flush with the sidewalks with pink, blue, green and yellow walls, flowers climbing out of hidden patios and overall, an unbelievable blue sky. And the sweet-acrid smell in the air? Burning mesquite. Lovely! And the people - charming. But all this is the Old World, not America.” The Barrio Viejo is perfect for a bike ride. You do feel as if you’ve left reality-TV-obsessed Gringolandia...if only for a few blocks...

Enjoy all the thrills of skydiving with none of the drama—no parachute or airplane at all. After a brief orientation, participants pull special flight suits over their clothes and then enter a wind tunnel, where all the excitement takes place. A giant fan that creates wind speeds of up to 120 miles per hour lifts the skydiver and holds him or her aloft for an exhilarating three minutes. Having doubts? Skilled coaches are on hand and the experience is far safer than jumping out of a plane. It’s also a great first step for those who’ve hesitated to try skydiving.

Due to its prime location and sophisticated design, one thing you’re guaranteed to get when you stay at The Cosmopolitan is a stellar view. Every room has a balcony — a wonderful vantage point for viewing the city’s lights. Though the views are certainly a selling point for The Cosmopolitan, you don’t just check into the average hotel room when you stay here. Rooms are spacious with casual seating, a desk, and an incredibly comfortable bed. Every bathroom has a roomy tiled shower and deep sunken tub — also with a stunning view. To complement the resort’s edgy, avant-garde feel, a number of visually stunning and thought-provoking coffee table books are scattered throughout the room as well. Open since December 2010, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas has quickly become a favorite for those visiting from out of town and locals looking to spice up a few hours of their day. In true to Las Vegas fashion, the property has everything you need and those checking into The Cosmopolitan don’t have to leave the property during their stay given the many dining, entertainment, and shopping options on site. But once they walk into their rooms and settle in, they might be tempted just to hunker down in their private oasis.

Because of its unusual tree branches frame, the massive halls and its gigantic whimsical spider, The Qatar National Convention Center is a worthwhile place visiting in Qatar. Not only does it have unique, if not playful, architectural features, but it also is the largest exhibition center in the Middle East with capacity to hold up to 7000 people in its three main halls. From the outside all you see is it’s overhanging roof supported by two intertwined tree-like columns. The gigantic branches are a monument to the Sidra tree of great significance in the Islamic faith. And if the massive trees don’t capture your attention, the colossal spider in the lobby will. A 30ft high and 33ft wide bronze cast of a spider dominates the space. You can walk under the insect and take pictures from every possible angle. At night, the center is lit with a blue light that makes the black spider all the more striking.

This unusual contemporary art museum is located in a series of dimly lit caverns and tunnels built into the side of a cliff in Berriedale, a Hobart suburb. Inside, mind-bending installations include a stinky model of the human digestive system that poops daily at 2 p.m. Founder David Walsh, a professional gambler turned art maverick, displays more than 400 edgy works from his private collection. The new Pharos wing that debuted in late 2017 is heavy on light spaces by James Turrell. MONA also stages two standout annual festivals: Mona Foma (which stands for Festival of Music and Art, sometimes further shortened to Mofo) in January, curated by Brian Ritchie of the rock band Violent Femmes, and Dark Mofo, the disturbing winter version held in June.

Perhaps the most picturesque street in Old Quebec, the Rue du Parloir is a tiny lane that connects the Convent of the Ursulines to the main Rue St Louis. As with most cities, come early in the morning or late in the afternoon to find the street nearly empty!

Because of its unique history and a remarkable number of religious monuments, Caravaca de la Cruz is considered a significant holy city by the Catholic Church. A tour of the city is best begun with a visit to the medieval Castle of Santa Cruz, once a Moorish stronghold and then the site of several convents and a church. Inside the castle’s church, the famous Caravaca Cross is said to have converted a Muslim ruler to Christianity in the 13th century, and is treasured by believers for its healing powers.

The immense Gothic Cathedral of Seville was built on the site of an ancient Muslim mosque. It was completed in the early 16th century and was designated a Roman Catholic cathedral. Since 1987, this cathedral has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is said to be the third largest in Europe. The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Sea is also the final resting place of Christopher Columbus since 1898. His tomb is large and elaborate. The beauty and size of the cathedral is simply amazing. The exterior is ornate with extensive carvings, there are many doors, flying buttresses, and towers. There are several ornate doors to the cathedral. The one in the photo is the Puerta de Palos. The interior is incredible with extensive gilding. The central nave is lavishly decorated and carved. The main altarpiece is a stunning golden work of art. The floors are polished marble, the columns and arches tall and imposing. There are intricate 15th century stained glass windows. There are 80 chapels in Saint Mary of the Sea Cathedral there in Seville. The beauty and the sheer size of this historic, religious site was quite amazing. I could have spent four or five hours in this incredible monument. The history lesson learned was that of the story of Seville from the 12th century until modern times. You might want to tour with the audio guide. Plan at least two hours. For info: www.travelinginspain.com

Walk through Revolutionary history with visits to iconic sites, stately homes, and museums that reveal the lives of leaders and ordinary citizens who forged the path to independence.

On this episode of “View From Afar,” Julie Coker, president and CEO of New York City Tourism and Conventions talks about NYC’s plans for its 400th birthday.