Search results for

For decades, the Moorten Botanical Garden and Cactarium operated quietly, visitors referred by word of mouth for strolls through the family-owned one-acre grounds. Then Instagram happened. Thanks to social media, this collection of exotic desert plants, succulents, and crystals dating to the 1930s now sees hundreds of people per day. The second-generation members of the Moorten family, who still manage the garden, make sure the grounds are impeccable. There’s plenty to see year-round—the garden is open daily, except Wednesdays—but the best time to visit is in April to late August, when you’ll find it abloom. Tours led by master gardeners several times daily reveal the fascinating stories behind the plants; desert shrubs, succulents, and garden supplies are also for sale. Whether you believe it’s from the crystals or not, the place is charged with positivity and peace. Pro tips: Arrive early to nab a shaded table for a bring-your-own picnic. And if you run into proprietor Clark Moorten, ask him about his childhood trips through Central and South America in search of specimens for the collection.

This cultural center with studios and offices for musicians is also a restaurant that focuses on hot dogs (yes, and they are very good!) and a music venue for alternative and world music. Totally relaxed with a nice little garden outside.

Tsavo gained a reputation as home of the “man eating lions” when, in the late 1800s, several construction workers were killed by hungry lions as they built the railway from Mombasa to Uganda. Today, it’s known for less frightening reasons, like the spectacle that is Mzima Springs: icy clear water flowing rapidly from under a lava rock, as well as the Shetani Lava Flows. Like Tsavo East, this is a fiercely beautiful region - wild and untamed in places, open grassland in others, and the wildlife viewing here rivals any of Kenya’s best parks. Expect to see the ‘Big 5' as well as a huge range of bird and plant species. Aside of enjoying the views and wildlife on offer, the park is also well-renowned for its adventurous rock climbing opportunities.

Hallerbos (Flemish) or Bois de Halle (French) is a beech forest just south of Brussels. It’s a popular spot for walking, cycling and horseback-riding. Every spring, for a few short weeks, the forest makes a magical transformation into a blue carpeted wonderland. Millions of tiny bluebell flowers bloom under the shade of the beech trees and people flock to the forest to catch a glimpse. Timing is everything, too soon and the bluebells aren’t out yet; too late and you’ve missed the show for another year. But that’s what makes seeing it so special.

Tahiti is home to some of the most beautiful hiking trails in Polynesia. Stops can include spectacular waterfalls and natural pools, panoramic views, grottos, archeological sites and lava tubes. A favorite hike is to the three Faarumai waterfalls. From the car park it is a quick scramble through a forest of chestnut trees to the first waterfall, Vaimahutu. Continue on for another 20 minutes or so to reach the other to falls Haamarere Iti and Haamarere Rahi, which are almost side-by-side. With hundreds of varieties of tropical trees, plants and flowers, Tahiti also has some of the world’s most beautiful gardens. Visit the water gardens of Vaipahi to experience the abundant flora and waterfalls that flow directly into Lake Vaihiria.

Culross is Scotland’s most complete example of a 17th-century burgh, featuring white-harled houses, cobbled streets, a hilltop abbey, and an ocher-colored palace. Visitors can wander along the charming streets, once filled with the hustle and bustle of a thriving port on the River Forth, then explore Culross Palace, with its tiny rooms, connecting passageways, and painted ceilings. You can even buy freshly grown herbs, fruits, and vegetables from the organic palace garden while visiting with the rare Scots Dumpy hens. One of the most picturesque villages in Scotland, Culross has served as a regular shooting location for the TV series Outlander.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Changdeokgung Palace is a prime example of pungsu, a style derived from the principles of Confucianism that harmoniously blends architecture with the surrounding landscape. Originally built in 1412 as a secondary palace to Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung eventually became the main seat of the Joseon Dynasty, Korea’s most celebrated empire. It was especially beloved for its huwon, a landscaped garden of pavilions, ponds, and pagodas. Today, the only way to see the huwon is to take the 90-minute Secret Garden Tour. Afterward, pay the extra fee to view the remaining 60 percent of the complex.

It doesn’t happen often (does it?), so doing it right is key. You’re going to Vegas, you’ve got two nights and only so many hours to party, so...like I said...do it right. Get tables. Get bottle service. Live it up. Enjoy the dancers. Dance in the confetti. Stay out until breakfast. Heck, stay out past breakfast. It’s Vegas!

A pilgrimage to this enchanting park is a must for any Antoni Gaudí fan. Located atop Carmel Hill to the north of the city, the park was inspired by English landscape gardens, but its fantastical elements make sure you know it was created by Catalonia’s most eccentric architect. Though there are multiple entrances, the most impressive is via a grand staircase guarded by an enormous, mosaic-tiled dragon. It leads to a sprawling plaza with a mosaic-covered cement bench stretching some 328 feet around the perimeter. Park Güell was originally designed as a gated residential development, but it failed; a show home built to lure buyers is now the Gaudí House Museum (not included with park admission). Visitors should reserve an online ticket to avoid lines.

As one of the most innovative players on the Marrakech restaurant scene, Kamal Laftimi spearheads projects that are nothing if not showstoppers. This buzzy, green-on-green–tiled riad, bristling with courtyard banana trees, is a case in point. It’s a hip hangout by day for locals and expats who meet for coffees throughout the morning and pop into celebrated kaftan designer Norya ayroN’s little boutique, which occupies a small space on the first floor. By night, it sparkles with the light of hundreds of glittering candles while large extended families and cooing couples gather over Moroccan classics such as pigeon pastilla, vegetarian couscous, and chicken tagine with olives and raisins, as well as a handful of crowd-pleasing classics such as steak frites and burgers (no alcohol served).

La Terrasse, the most refined rooftop bar in Paris, attracts a well-heeled crowd who want the view without a fuss. White umbrellas provide shade over the spacious tables on this romantic rooftop garden with rose-lined alcoves and iconic views of the Eiffel Tower, an altogether peaceful place to enjoy a champagne cocktail and watch the sun set. As dusk inches into evening, consider dining at the bar’s prix fixe restaurant—the small menu of seasonal dishes is perfect for a hot summer evening. (If the price of a cocktail here is beyond your travel budget, reserve a spot at Le Quarante Trois cocktail bar, a more affordable rooftop garden option atop the Holiday Inn Paris–Notre Dame.)

If walls could talk, you’d be stuck in conversation with the Fillmore for hours. The building was a dance hall when it opened in 1912 and a roller rink during the 1940s, and led its first concerts in 1952 with artists like James Brown and Ike & Tina Turner. But in the mid-1960s, the venue really had its moment. Concert promoter Bill Graham made the ballroom a hub for psychedelic music and brought would-be legends like the Grateful Dead, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Jefferson Airplane, and Santana to the stage. Needless to say, there’s history here. Learn it best by attending a show. The standing-room-only ballroom still brings in big-name artists—think Lorde and the 1975—at budget-friendly prices, along with a constant stream of smaller acts. There’s a full-service restaurant and a bar, and the vibrant collections of old photos, artwork, newspaper clippings, posters, and billings will school you on the club’s colorful past.

The canton of Neuchâtel is delightful territory for keen walkers, the best of which is a quite spectacular natural basin (cirque). Creux-du-Van can be approached by car from the Val de Travers, a spot of wondrous beauty where Genevan philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau walked regularly preparing theories. Then, on foot, head left at Noiraigue and on the ‘path with 14 bends’ to find the immense nature reserve measuring approximately 1,400 meters wide and 150 meters in depth. The walk is not for the faint hearted especially if you try the ascent through the basin and up the side path, the Sentier du Single. Those who do, however, can prepare themselves for most magnificent views across Lake Neuchâtel to the Alps.

Fitzgerald’s has been around since 1977, and has hosted some of the biggest names in music—like James Brown, Tina Turner, and the Ramones—in addition to giving a start to many local bands. The first floor of the two-story building has a full bar, small stage, and large back cobblestone patio with a separate bar. Upstairs is the main stage, accompanied by a full bar, balcony seating, and an inviting hardwood dance floor. Buy tickets online or at the door for shows several nights a week.

Residents and visitors alike drive out to the western edge of Tucson on most evenings. The area averages 350 sunny days a year, so viewing the sunset is almost always a possibility. Summer evenings are predictably hot, but you’re in for a technicolor show if the monsoon clouds are just right. Gates Pass is the preferred spot. Mid-week evenings, you can sometimes have the vista almost to yourself. From the middle of the city, head west on Speedway. It curves up into the Tucson Mountains after fifteen or twenty minutes, and you won’t miss the Pass. Cacti, mountains, and sky: some clichés just don’t get old...