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Though from Guadalajara (he never let friends forget), Pritzker Prize–winning architect Luis Barragán lived much of his life in Mexico City, where he designed and constructed this, his last residence, completed in 1948. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the home is open to be toured by small groups—by appointment only; English-language guides are available upon request—who want a chance to tap into Barragán’s brand of minimalism, which involved bold monochromism and a masterful use of light; striking horizontality and framing applied to windows, gardens, and views; a highly sui generis Catholic spirituality; and, not least of all, the architect’s bizarre need for control, in everything from what staircases guests might use to what records got played in different rooms.

It’s no surprise that the opening of this beloved gastropub back in 2007 coincided with Orlando’s rise as a culinary hot spot. While its owners James and Julie Petrakis have not stopped opening other ventures around the city (including at Disney Springs), this local favorite—known for its Cask & Larder beers and sophisticated Southern fare—has hardly waned in popularity. Start with the charcuterie platter (a spread of rillettes, dried sausage, and salami), then choose from favorites like shrimp and grits and the enormous Pub Burger, which comes topped with caramelized onions and buttermilk blue cheese. Whether you come for happy hour, dinner, or something in between, expect a lively atmosphere that’s perfectly suited to groups.

Though it has a silly name, the Potato Head Beach Club on Seminyak beach is a cool spot to spend the day. A collage of antique 18th-century veranda shades surrounds an amphitheater-like space that contains a beach bar, a grassy lawn, and an infinity pool. Three additional restaurants (one homey, one Southeast Asian, one high-end) and a stellar concert lineup make Potato Head a destination, morning ‘til night. A soon-to-open boutique hotel will extend the party even further. Jln. Petitenget, Seminyak, Bali 80361, Indonesia, 62/(0) 361 473 7979.

The U.S. Capitol Building is the epicenter of all D.C. political action—this is where the country’s most important battles are fought. Home to the House of Representatives and the Senate’s meeting chambers for more than two centuries, it’s also an art gallery in its own right, with priceless paintings and murals adorning the walls and ceilings. Take the free guided tour and marvel at the parade of political heroes and villains who have roamed its halls during pivotal moments in U.S. history. The Capitol is located within easy walking distance of the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court, and the U.S. Botanic Garden.

For 20 years now, the Spring Mountain corridor north of the Las Vegas Strip has been a hotbed of hot pots—and every other Asian dish under the desert sun. When celebs such as Anthony Bourdain and Penn Jillette raved about the real-deal northern Thai cuisine at Lotus of Siam, chowhounds followed. Tell your friends you’re finally making the trip out to the strip mall and they’ll tell you to avoid the items you can order from the takeout joint at home: no pad thai, no chicken satay. They’re right. Dive into the last page of the menu, the one about dishes from Northern Thailand, then entrust your tastebuds to the award-winning hands of Chef Saipin Chutima and try her larb or the jackfruit curry, anything with ground pork sausage, the khao soi (egg noodles and meat in a coconut curry sauce), the nam prik ong (a chunky mix of pork, tomato, and red chili, served with lettuce and raw vegetables), or the whole fish with chilis. The food is spicy, yes, and the afterburn is serious, but the depth of flavor is sublime enough to make you weep with regret the next time you have to call your local takeout place for delivery.

The massive ruins of Caracol were once a major Maya metropolis in prehispanic Belize, during the Classic Period. The majority of the site is yet to be reclaimed from the forest, but the structures that have been uncovered are truly impressive. The main structure is still the tallest building in all of Belize and places you “on top of the world.” The jungle surrounding the site is teaming with wildlife, and a pair of binoculars come in handy. The ruins are located south of San Ignacio along the rough Mountain Pine Ridge Road. There are several worthwhile stops on the way, such as Rio Frio Cave and Rio On Falls, but the best stop is a cool libation at the Blancaneaux Lodge Bar.

Opened in 2018, The Tunnel is a speakeasy for the modern era. You enter the 12-seat restaurant through a trap door—after supplying a password, natch—but that’s where the old-timey-ness stops. Once settled in the quaint, hidden dining room, guests enjoy an inventive, five-course tasting menu, paired with cocktails, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. Make a reservation for one of two nightly seatings, and then check Facebook or The Daily Planet classifieds for the weekly password.

If the weather and smog conditions cooperate, the views from the top of Victoria Peak, aka the Peak, will make your day. Go in late afternoon to catch the sunset and then the glittering, lit-up nightscape of Hong Kong. Getting up to Hong Kong Island’s highest point, at 1,800 feet above sea level, is part of the fun. You can always opt for a bus, train, or taxi, but for the best taste of Hong Kong, ride the outdoor (but covered) Mid-Levels escalators, something you won’t find anyplace in the world. It will take about 20 minutes to travel via the series of 20 escalators and three moving walkways up to the Peak Tram, a historic century-old funicular railway that makes the rest of the steep trip to the top.

Maido—in testimony to Japanese immigrants’ integration into Lima’s overall culture and, indeed, the positive benefits of a multicultural city—offers Peruvian-Japanese fusion food at its finest in a sleek, stylish dining room. Though renowned for sushi and other surfside delights, turf is also well represented on the menu in the form of steak, duck, chicken, and tofu. First-time visitors, especially seafood lovers, would do well to try the tasting menu, sure to offer unexpected taste sensations, courtesy of Chef Mitsuharu Tsumura. Fusion desserts range widely in taste and style and include such delights as mango-filled cannelloni, the typical arroz con leche as a crumble with passion fruit sorbet, and yucca cake with pineapple in ginger and azuki ice cream. The cocktails here are never boring, either. Reservations recommended, though bar seating can often be snagged at the last minute.

There’s a lot to recommend the Camino Real in Polanco, especially if you’re an architecture and art aficionado. The hotel, designed by the late Mexican architect Ricardo Legoretta, is considered one of his master works; the shape of its pink and yellow exterior is intended to call to mind a pre-Hispanic pyramid, and its caldera-like fountain in the driveway, designed by Noguchi, is perpetually roiling. Inside, you’ll find museum-quality art, including pieces by Mexican masters José Luís Covarrubias and Rufino Tamayo, as well as Alexander Calder. Rooms are large, quiet, and comfortable, and the hotel, a favorite among business travelers, has a full complement of amenities, ranging from pools and a fitness center to a number of restaurants, including Morimoto.

Guavate, a section of Cayey better known as the Ruta del Lechon (“Pork Highway”), bursts into a rush of food-infused ecstasy every Friday and Saturday. People from all parts of the island come to watch someone roast a whole pig over the open fire before chopping it with a machete. Side dishes abound. I recommend sorrullos (corn sticks), bacalaitos (cod fritters), alcapurrias (fritters made of plantain dough and stuffed with meat), and rice with different types of beans. The blood sausage is not for me, but my father and boyfriend devour it every chance they get. Here in the mountains, shacks of all sizes let you pick your poison—beer, piña colada, or mojito (made from lime, mint leaves, rum, and sugar)—and drink to the beat of salsa and reggateon music. This creates the euphoric atmosphere for which Puerto Ricans are so famous. The cherry on top of the piña colada: Guavate lets you absorb the laughter, music, and food for a reasonable price. If you want the pig, but not the rambunctiousness, take your food to El Yunque National Forest and eat it by a waterfall (see my “Swimming Under a Hidden Waterfall” highlight). To find it, get on Luis A. Ferre Expressway, take the exit toward PR-184, and follow the signs for Guavate. You’ll start seeing pork soon after you take PR-184, but wait about fifteen minutes (until you’re around km 27) before you stop to get all the real action.

Hotel Monaco is charming, boutique hotel nestled in the heart of historic Old Town on a lively block of King Street, walking distance to the waterfronts and lots of shopping and restaurants. A sumptuous lobby greets guests with rich decor of peacock blue walls, crimson accents and cozy seating nooks. Rooms are colorful, comfortable an roomy. As with most Kimpton hotels, this one has excellent service and personal perks such as complimentary morning coffee and tea service, free afternoon wine receptions, courtesy shuttle service to Reagan National Airport, Dive-in movie nights by the pool, and umbrellas for use on rainy days. This is also one of the few pet-friendly hotels in the area and dog owners can bring their pets to Yappy Hours on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Guests can mingle with Alexandria locals and enjoy drinks with their canine companions on Jackson 20’s patio. TIP: Joining the Kimpton’s free InTouch loyalty program will get you complementary wi-fi access and $10 in credit to raid the mini bar GET THERE: 12 blocks from King Street metro (blue & yellow lines), free King Street trolley between station and hotel, a courtesy hotel shuttle service to Reagan National Airport

Reservations at Donde José, with room for only 16 diners, have been coveted ever since the restaurant opened in 2014. Chef José Olmedo Carles uses traditional Panamanian ingredients from local farmers, such as ñampí, a variety of taro root, in tasting menus that change every few months. After their meal, diners can stroll along the Cinta Costera waterfront.

Though the name translates as “hunting and fishing club” and clubby decor (inherited from the previous restaurant) prevails, Le Club was never, in fact, a private club. The menu also pays a nod to the restaurant’s name with its local fish and game dishes that are served in the dark, intimate, somewhat stuffy rooms. (The same group has three more casual options if that sounds more appealing: Le Serpent, the buzzy Le Filet, and the family’s Italian cousin, Il Miglio.) In the winter, Le Club is open for dinner only, while in the summer a terrace provides the perfect setting for a long, leisurely lunch of chef Claude Pelletier’s sophisticated take on Québecois cuisine.

Mexico City’s fun speakeasy shows no signs of stopping. Officially a membership club, ambitious gate-crashers (doll up and don’t be pushy; foreign accents not a liability) should look for a rather forlorn, seemingly late-night Calle Londres sandwich shop. Are those customers and employees real? Once you’ve talked your way through the air-lock-style door to the back room, you reach a genie’s bottle of a lounge, outfitted in sexy, disco style. Groups take booths and others sit at the bar where surprisingly friendly—and deeply knowledgeable—bartenders shake, stir, garnish, and ignite some of the city’s most showstopping haute cocktaillerie. They’re happy to make your usual, but why not let go a little, allowing mixologists to add their surprising touches? A winning combo of insiders-only and everybody’s-welcome. [Editor’s note: Go to the Hanky Panky Facebook page and send them a direct message. They’ll respond with the exact address and a reservation.]