Search results for

From trinkets and tchotchkes to silver jewelry, high-quality hand blown glass, and the pottery of your dreams, the shops on the Baja Peninsula can cover your every spending whim. There are plenty of clothing shops too, if you forgot to pack enough bathing suits or some beach-to-dinner-perfect flip-flops. Between San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, you can shop an art gallery or 12, open air markets, and shopping malls.

Berlin has long had a reputation as one of the world’s best cities for nightlife. If anything, the scene gets better with every passing year. Whether you prefer a relaxed evening at a high-end dimly-lit cocktail bar; a craft beer in a club that includes a top-notch grungy backyard hangout; live music, a dance floor, and shots shots shots; or the ever-so-Berlin combination of a trippy art installation, beer garden, and dance club, the city serves up the good times.

There are two distinct drinking scenes in Bali. Kuta is the hedonistic party town that goes all night every night, and just next door is the more refined and fashionable Seminyak. Whether you’re looking for a cold beer paired with a sunset view or a happy hour deal at a perfect dive bar, Bali has you covered. From high-end cocktails (and a stellar view) at the Rock Bar to the signature cocktail featuring exotic fruit (and, yes, another stellar view) at the Potato Head Bar to wham-bam-get-on-the-dance-floor-again-man shots (no view but loads of international DJs) at Eikon and beyond, there are so many new-to-you places to enjoy.

Filipino food is a grand stew of flavors and styles developed across the Southeast Asian country’s 7,000 islands. Flavors often lean toward sour in savory dishes (the country is a vinegar fan’s delight) and, on the dessert front, the sweet relief from the heat that halo halo and ice cream treats provide. But you’ll also see the influence of many other countries’ flavors in the mix, from Spanish cuisine to Chinese. The restaurant scene ranges from relaxed open air spots that focus on local food to high-end dining at resorts. If food is your top reason to travel, consider sticking around the capital for several days. Many restaurants in Manila are becoming household names around the world.

Make a reservation at one of Delhi’s highest rated restaurants, featuring a range of modern and classic cuisine. From the iconic, cutlery-free dishes at Bukhara to the Michelin starred dim sum and dumplings at Yauatcha, top chefs have made their mark in India’s capital. The award-winning restaurants offer intimate dining spaces, views of Delhi’s skyline, and live jazz bands.

I’m on the hunt for perfection, Japanese style.

Some of New Zealand’s best souvenir shopping is found at art and craft galleries around the country. Locally-made crafts include Maori woven pieces and wood carvings. One color you’re sure to see all over the place: green, the color of pounamu, the Maori name for greenstone. But the country’s shops don’t just stop at souvenirs, of course. You’ll find local designer labels at shopping centers, including Auckland’s High Street. Watch for pieces by Karen Walker, one of the country’s best-known designers. Living in a camper van during your stay? Stop at the many farmers markets around the country to restock your cooler.

Just because you’re in a national park, doesn’t mean you have to eat freeze-dried meals. No how. No way. Both Banff and Jasper National Parks have restaurants that range from high-end to full-on quirky. Whether you go for a traditional meal of Alberta beef or a vegetarian meal (something slightly newer to the area) at Nourish Bistro, you’ll head off to sleep satisfied and ready to take on another day of fun.

Istanbul is a city where the past collides with the present. The Raffles Istanbul, connected to the high-end retail hub of the Zorlu Center, beautifully exemplifies the contrasts. To get a taste of the Ottoman empire, book a room at the Four Seasons Bosporus, set in the restored Atik Pasha Palace. Modernists should stay at the Marti Hotel, located in the heart of the city’s business district. For the cool kids, there’s the House Hotel, which oozes urban Bauhaus style. And no matter where you stay, the hotel concierges will be more than happy to direct you to the city’s biggest sites, from the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace to the Hagia Sophia.

A once-impenetrable country reveals itself to writer Matt Gross one meal at a time.

Just 50 miles north of the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains, Marrakech is a vibrant city that will let you dip into buildings from the 14th century just as easily as you can modern-day shops. When visiting Marrakech, spend a relaxed, dreamy morning in Jardin Majorelle before heading off to galleries, a museum dedicated to and the former home of fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, or to snake charmers and other so-very-Marrakech wonders. Nicknamed the “Red City” for the clay used in many of the building, Marrakech is the best Moroccan city for an immersion course in the country’s culture, before you head off to explore the rest of Morocco.

While the old city prides itself on shops that have been selling specific wares for centuries, new boutiques are popping up between the ancient ones. Alongside 200-year-old butchers and crumbling cafés, browse for stunning modern art, runway-style bridal gowns, and high-end children’s clothing.

Is there anything more relaxing than a picnic on a beautiful day? Picture this: family, friends, wine, cheese, bread, fruit, salads. Bring your sunglasses and sunscreen because chances are high that you will be lounging for quite a while.

Athens has plenty of altitude to go along with its attitude—on-high vantage points include not only the Acropolis but also rooftop bars and luxurious hotel terraces. From many of these places, you’ll feel on top of the world.

Trans Pecos is magic, and it happens once a year: a gathering of friends, music, art, camping, sandlot baseball and a night sky full of stars in Marfa, Texas. The festival leaves you plenty of time to explore Marfa and the surrounding high desert. Here are some of my favorites. Enjoy!