Search results for

It might be a part of the Colorado River—a man-made reservoir carved out of the river in 1960—but everyone calls the body of water bisecting Austin Lady Bird Lake. On hot summer days, scores of walkers and joggers move along the lakeside paths through nearby Zilker Park, but you can also take to the water by canoe, kayak, water bike, or stand-up paddleboard. You can’t swim here, but the left fork (heading west) in the river will take you to Barton Springs Pool, a popular Austin hangout, where you can splash in the water to your heart’s—and body temperature’s—delight.

The tree-lined Utoquai and Arboretum at Enge offer excellent views of Lake Zurich and the snow-capped Alps, but the iconic spot for lake-gazing is at the Bürkliterrasse, with its statue of Zeus and Ganymede and straight-shot view of the Alps. Photo © Bruno Macor /FB/Zürich Tourismus.

It doesn’t get more quintessentially Australian than this: waking up to a symphony of kookaburras and the heady scent of eucalyptus, the sight of kangaroos roaming freely about the 7,000-acre nature reserve. You might be tricked into thinking you’d slept under the stars—if it weren’t for the four-poster bed, flicker of a warm fire, and sunrise reflected from the glittering private pool. A three hours’ drive west of Sydney, this luxury ecolodge feels worlds away, surrounded by sandstone bluffs and sweeping plains filled with leafy gumtrees and Wollemi pines. It has 40 homestead-style villas that are as eco-friendly as they are indulgent: materials sourced within a 60-mile radius, solar panels for hot water and lighting. Highlights include the Aussie cuisine, mostly grown and sourced within 100 miles of the resort (and included in the all-inclusive rate, along with a premium minibar). A fruit orchard and edible garden supplies organic herbs, vegetables, fruits, and nuts.


The most intriguing aspect of the property is an original farmhouse, built around 1832, that hosted Charles Darwin in 1836. Today, the homestead functions as a museum that highlights the Indigenous, settler, and agricultural history of the valley. The comprehensive program of activities gets guests off the homestead: There are peaks to climb, glowworms to ogle, and horses to ride. Following a landslide in 2022, Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley has faced access issues. It is temporarily closed.

After nine years and nearly $600 million, it’s not an exaggeration to suggest that the re-opening of the iconic Bürgenstock resort—set on 148 acres of ridgeline above Lake Lucerne—was one of the most widely anticipated of the decade. Originally opened in 1873, the family-owned resort grew into a moneyed playground, where Hollywood royalty romped (Sophia Loren lived here for many years) and wed (Audrey Hepburn married Mel Ferrer in a chapel on the property). It then endured several years of decline, after which Qatar state fund bought the property, closed it, and began planning a stunning transformation. Bürgenstock now includes four hotels, 12 restaurants and bars, 67 residences, and a 107,000-square-foot spa featuring three pools (including a heated outdoor infinity pool overlooking the lake), hammans, saunas, and private treatment rooms. Both the 102-room Bürgenstock Hotel and the 160-room Waldhotel—the latter a state-of-the-art medical spa and hotel—are brand-new, five-star additions. The historic Taverne 1879 and Palace Hotel, built in 1904, have also undergone considerable refurbishment. The real star, however, is the dramatic view, optimized from every angle—including at the Spices Kitchen and Terrace, which cantilevers out from the Palace Hotel as if it’s floating above the lake. Speaking of the lake, even getting to Bürgenstock is like something out of a James Bond film, quite fitting since the crew of Goldfinger spent a month here during filming. After crossing the lake by boat, you take a funicular up the face of the mountain and into the Bürgenstock Hotel, landing on the terrace with its arresting views.

If these cabins could talk, their stories would reveal tales of prohibition, Polish immigrants, and Latvian priests. Rustic cabins, canvas tents, and a teepee now showcase a jumble of old books, antique lanterns, and the odd chipmunk. Guests can fish, launch a row boat, play shuffleboard, and hike in the surrounding forests. Cabin decks are outfitted with rocking chairs for taking in views of Elkhorn Lake, while the tree house is the perfect place to spend an afternoon absorbed in a book at the lounge (don’t miss the antler chandelier), in the loft bed, or on a hammock outside.

From $200, wandawega.com

Kids visiting the Westin will love the resort’s kiddie pool, featuring an enormous waterslide that will make adults envious. There’s also a large indoor-outdoor play area (packed with toys!), mini putting green, and sandbox.

For a truly discreet and relaxing spa experience, look no further than Tomoko Spa in Beverly Hills. Founded in 1999 by Tomoko Kurono, the chic minimalist spa offers a wide range of treatments intended to provide the best technique and renew the mind and spirit. All treatments come with a footbath (Ashiyu), tea, and mochi. Masseuses will customize treatments to target your needs for a personalized experience. Couples can also indulge in special packages, including one that serves you sushi from SUGARFISH! following treatment. Image courtesy of Tomoko Spa.

On a promontory within Bouddi National Park, overlooking a secluded bay and a short walk to an empty rust-red beach, Pretty Beach House lives up to its (classically understated Aussie) name. It’s hard to believe this intimate retreat is only a 90-minute drive from Sydney city center. Its location is spectacular and historic—spot the 2,000-year-old Aboriginal rock drawings on a nature walk nearby.

There are four guest pavilions, each outfitted with wood-burning fireplaces, deep-soaking clawfoot tubs, and sun-drenched decks overlooking Broken Bay and Angophora treetops (three have their own private plunge pools). Dining is included in the stay, and it’s exceptional: Celebrated chef Dean Jones takes freshly caught seafood and local produce and crafts them into modern Australian dishes, which you can enjoy anytime you like in the Beach House’s safari-chic dining room or poolside beneath the shady gums.

There are dozens of markets throughout Rome, and while many are threatened by the popularity of supermarkets, the Mercato Trionfale thrives just north of the Vatican. Some 200 stalls sell produce, cheese, eggs, meat, honey, fish, and housewares of a quality that’s hard to replicate. Enter from Via Andrea Doria and explore the butchers’ stalls, then head to the back where Rome’s largest number of fish stalls are clustered next to farmers selling fresh-picked produce.

Behind Canino’s is an open-air Hispanic market called Airline Farmers Market. While it doesn’t offer hyper-local products, the brush with this part of Houston‘s culture makes up for it. You’ll find things like fresh produce, all sorts of dried chilies, plants, and spices. Bring cash if you plan to buy, and take advantage of the taco trucks in the back! Open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

We weren’t quite lucky to see the snowcapped covered mountains in the lovely lakeside village of Pokhara since we visited during monsoon season. But it was a perfect way to start our introduction to the area and cross over to the trail leading up to the Peace Pagoda. Pay a few ruppees, pack a picnic lunch and guide yourself around the serene Lake Phewa.

Pointe des Châteaux, a protected natural and heritage site, is one of the most unusual landscapes in the Caribbean region. This rocky, craggy peninsula, which includes singular rock formations jutting out of the ocean, sits on the northeastern edge of Guadeloupe, facing a wide-open, turbulent Atlantic Ocean. Impressive waves crash on the limestone rocks and onto a gorgeous (but not swimmable) white-sand beach. On the end of the stretch is a trail leading you on a 20-minute hike to the top of the hill, where a 33-foot cross towers over Guadeloupe. The million-dollar panoramic view reveals nearly all of Guadeloupe’s archipelago, including Marie-Galante, Basse-Terre, and Les Saintes.

Chef and owner Charlie Perry spent many hours by his great-grandmother’s side as she shared her love of cooking with him. Her name was Eva Coombs, and Perry opened this boulangerie in her honor. While there are a few gluten-free options on the menu, they’re limited to salads and the fruit-bowl sides. This is not a place that makes adjustments to its bread. The baker serves breakfast and lunch Monday through Saturday, and is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays for brunch.

This hotel is on our list of The 11 Best Hotels in Chicago.

Set directly across from the Art Institute of Chicago, this former members-only men’s gymnasium is now the Chicago Athletic Association, which is part of Hyatt’s Unbound Collection. Enter at street level off Michigan Avenue and walk toward the back to find a staircase that leads to the old swimming pool, now a venue for parties and pop-up concepts. Take the nearby elevator to the restaurant, Cindy’s, easily the best rooftop scene in the city, with highly Instagrammable terrace views overlooking Millennium Park, the swooping Frank Gehry–designed bandshell, and Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate (aka the Bean).

Park yourself in the second-floor lobby and hang with locals as they tap away on their laptops and sip lattes by the two oversize fireplaces. Walk through that expansive by Roman & Williams–designed room, where light beams in through ornate stained-glass windows, and you enter a warren of table games and darts, all festive and typically open to the public. There’s also the secret six-seat bar, the Milk Room, a relic of Prohibition, and the James Beard Award–winning Cherry Circle Room—a sexy, dark restaurant with a circulating martini cart and a meat-centric menu.

Upstairs in the 1893 landmark, 240 guest rooms reflect the building’s former life, with gym horses as foot beds, working fireplaces in some rooms, plasterwork ceilings, ornate carved wood wainscotting, and a clubby vibe. Some of the rooms are rather small, but the location is hard to beat, and the cozy, wintry ambiance makes it a popular (and fun) place to spend a weekend. And because the CAA keeps an eye on its water conservation, sources its food locally, and adheres to strict recycling standards, eco-conscious travelers can feel good sleeping here.

Want to stay conveniently close to downtown Seattle‘s attractions without paying downtown-Seattle hotel prices? Or would you rather be a short walk away from Capitol Hill’s vibrant shopping, eating, and bar scene? Either way, the Gaslight Inn B&B is an affordable option. Located in Capitol Hill (it’s right on the #10 bus line that goes through the Hill and downtown in about 10 min.), the Gaslight has eight rooms, including two that are for single guests. Amenities include a heated pool, free wifi, the owners’ art collection, a library, and free continental breakfast. From the Gaslight, you’re just a block away from French patisserie Bakery Nouveau and the dining and shopping options on 15th Street, and it’s a short walk to the Pike/Pine area that’s the heart of Capitol Hill. Also walkable are Cal Anderson Park and Volunteer Park, where the Seattle Asian Art Museum is located. You can’t beat the Gaslight’s central location as a home base for your Seattle exploration.