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Locally hand-crafted braidings are something of a St Barths specialty item, and the perfect souvenir to pack into your bag. You’ll find them at shops and boutiques throughout the island, though Latanier’s are considered among the finest.

The excellent swell and proximity to Taipei make Yilan one of the most popular places for surfing on the island. The swell is biggest and most consistent in the winter, but fun all year round.

Lake Maggiore, the second largest Italian lake after Lake Garda, holds the three jewel-like Borromean Islands, Isola Bella, Isola Madre, and the quaint and picturesque, Isola dei Pescatori.

For ten days each spring (in early March), The Latino community of Miami celebrates culture, cuisine and entertainment with a vibrant array of beauty pageants, sports, concerts and international foods at Carnaval Miami. There are culinary competitions, galas and an upscale Latin jazz festival. The grand finale is Calle Ocho, a 23-block street festival in Little Havana, which is the largest block party in the world. Over a million watch live entertainment on 30 stages featuring salsa, merengue and Caribbean music. Carnival has been a cultural highlight in Miami for 35 years.

The Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert is one of the oldest covered shopping arcades in Europe. This upscale shopping mall is located just opposite the Grand Place and is a beautiful place to window shop. Inside you will find jewellery, handbags, a hat-maker, a glove shop, restaurants and a variety of Belgium’s best chocolate-makers. Don’t miss the stunning Art Nouveau stained-glass ceiling of the Corné Porte Royal chocolate shop. The galleries are particularly beautiful at Christmas when the shop fronts are decked out for the season.

This is one of the new hot bars, just a few blocks down from the Jupiter Hotel on SE Grand and Morrision. Checkpoints: skinny hot bartenders in wifebeaters who shake up some inventive cocktails, a DJ, a 110-year old piano, a horseshoe bar and an impressive late night menu (cuban sandwiches, anyone?). I had the Sam Issacs which was mentioned in Portland Monthly as the drink to have but not even on their menu. It has bourbon, mint, blackberries and lime. It’s DELICIOUS. Portland seems to have a thing for libations with ginger beer and I’m loving it. I followed up with 96 Tears, a combination of vodka, lime, ginger and ginger beer. This was light but boozy. The perfect way to start a night or in this case, I’d end it here if you want to dance.

Driving between Globe and Show Low in the White Mountains east of Phoenix, US 60 curves and descends dramatically into the Salt River Canyon. Some call it the ‘mini Grand Canyon.’ The highway snakes down some 2000 feet before climbing back up... Spring brings snowmelt and whitewater rafting...by late summer, the monsoon rains are keeping the river muddy and turbulent...Several parking areas allow you to pull off the two-lane road; breathe in the views, stretch your legs on Apache land.

Passages were designed in the 19th century to give Parisians protection from muddy streets and horse-drawn vehicles. Some 20 of these covered walkways remain today, including the Passage Verdeau; they are an excellent way to journey back into Parisian history. Located across from Passage Jouffroy in Les Grands Boulevards area of Paris, Passage Verdeau has shops carrying antique cameras, books and engravings. The passage takes its name from Sir Verdeau, one of the promoters and shareholders of the arcade (and also the inventor of the concept of linen rentals for hotels).

Expect the unexpected at Ka‘ana Kitchen, set within the funky yet sophisticated Andaz Maui. Here, executive chef Isaac Bancaco draws from the best of the island’s bounty, using local ingredients in a mix of Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, French, and Native Hawaiian cuisine. Think breadfruit hush puppies, Kona clams with savory malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts), and ahi tataki with burrata and lilikoi (passion fruit), enhanced only by the restaurant’s sweeping coastal views. You don’t need to change out of casualwear to dine here, but Bancaco has a knack for turning meals into events, inspiring diners to dress up a little.

Every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., the island’s largest open-air market sprawls across the University of Hawai‘i Maui College campus, creating a lively scene with more than 200 vendors. Many of Maui’s best boutiques sell their wares here, but for much cheaper prices than at their brick-and-mortar locations. Browse for muumuus, wood carvings, and other handmade crafts like bone and shell jewelry, or treat yourself to a shave ice while perusing piles of leis, local fruit, and homemade baked goods. The market is especially strong when it comes to street food—don’t miss the spam kebabs, banana bread, and goji kombucha.

About 30 minutes from Oranjestad at the southern tip of Aruba is San Nicolas, the island’s second-largest city. In 2016, it became home to Aruba’s only mural district following the now-annual Aruba Art Fair. As part of the fair, exhibiting artists created large, brightly colored paintings on more than two dozen of the city’s buildings, gracing structures with everything from multi-colored lionfish and staring flamingos to native Arubans and surreal optical illusions. Today, visitors to San Nicolas can take an organized tour to see the murals, or just wander the streets to discover them on their own.

Conditions are right year-round in Aruba for both newbie and seasoned surfers. Easterly trade winds blow steadily over the island from March through August, while waves come consistently in late fall and winter. If you’d like to try surfing—or even just look like a surfer—while in Aruba, Bula Surf Shop in central Oranjestad can get you started. Opened in 2003 by two surfers, the store boasts a friendly staff that’s knowledgeable about all things watersports-related on the island. Pick up everything from swimsuits and sunglasses to boards and backpacks by popular surf brands like Billabong, Quicksilver, and Ripcurl. Just don’t stop by on Sundays—that’s when the staff is “gone surfing.”

The Red Door Boutique is a relatively new gift shop to Rincon. You can find all sorts of handmade crafts and upscale items for host gifts or trinkets for yourself. Nautical and island themed, this is a great place to find something out of the ordinary—not your typical souvenir. The shop stays open most days during the tourist season (Nov - Apr) and sporadically during the off-season, like many other places around town.

Often called one of the world’s most beautiful beaches, Trunk Bay is a crescent of snow-white sand with a small green islet on the north side of the aquamarine lagoon. Part of the Virgin Islands National Park, Trunk Bay is known for its underwater snorkeling trail. Submerged signs along the trail describe the corals, tropical fish and other marine life found within the bay. Visitors can rent snorkeling gear on the beach, and lifeguards are in attendance.

Dining in a beach chair—or at least a chair by the beach—is an essential part of the experience at Spice Mill Restaurant, which looks directly across the water to St. Kitts’ sister island of Nevis. The menu here journeys across the global culinary landscape, but the fish and produce are sourced as locally as possible—including from the restaurant’s own gardens. Expect fine dining with your toes in the sand.