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Honolulu’s last great tiki bar is tucked behind a row of warehouses, six miles northwest of Waikiki. Set on the edge of Keehi Lagoon, it shelters under plumeria and coconut trees—and will be familiar to fans of Hawaii Five-0. La Mariana defies the kitsch label: All those shell chandeliers, puffer-fish lights, and fishing floats suspended in nets are the real deal, with most items dating back to 1957. Carved tikis abound, alongside high-gloss tables fashioned from koa, the rich-hued wood from endemic acacias and the source of weapons and voyaging canoes for ancient Hawaiians. Go for the ambience and strong mai tais; the menu is straight-up, old-school surf and turf, perfectly tasty but uninspiring.

Wobbly floors, a crooked staircase, dusty books, an old piano, and a few hundred years of character mix together in the beating heart of old Dublin, the Temple Bar. I spend more than half of every year on the road, calling in at one hotel and the next, and I’ve been lucky to have spent time at some fabulous hotels and holiday homes. This joint at No. 25 Eustace St. is near the top of the list. From the Irish Landmark Trust website: “The Irish Landmark Trust saves heritage buildings throughout the island of Ireland that are at risk of being lost through neglect or inappropriate use; conserving and restoring these buildings so they can be let as holiday homes.” The next time you’re in Dublin with your family or a large group, forget about calling in on modern digs, and check out No. 25, or one of the other heritage properties managed by the trust. It was a beautiful experience, and I can’t wait to check in again. Next time I plan to visit an old lighthouse, fort, or country home.

My relentless pursuit of photographic glory leads my travel partner and I to suspect locations every now and then. She would say more often than that, but I choose to plead the fifth. At any rate, I found Cabo Vidio by scouring Google Maps/Earth, my GPS, and a local road map for a location with interesting topography. Often, this sort of research leads us on a wild goose chase into the middle of nowhere (more on one of those adventures later), but every now and then, we find what we’re looking for. The image here is Exhibit A; a rocky, wind-battered headland born to be photographed. It’ll be a few weeks before I’m back on North American soil and have a chance to edit and cull my images properly, so I thought I’d share something I took on my phone. It doesn’t even feel like cheating! If you ever get the chance to visit the gorgeous little fishing port of Cudillero, make the 20+ minute drive west to the lighthouse at Cabo Vidio. You’ll be all alone on the rocks with nothing but the wind and your thoughts. Depending on the tide, you’ll be thrilled, or more than a little nervous.

When someone tells me they’re traveling to Spain and looking for recommendations, San Sebastian (Donostia, in Basque) is my first thought for city destinations in the northern part of the country. It’s charming, beautiful, and steeped in history. Mount Urgull, the hill that stands on the right side of the bay, epitomizes all those characteristics in one easy to explore package. Mount Urgull is an easy walk from anywhere along the Promenade, and you can either walk up from Parte Vieja or walk around by the aquarium and the point to see views of the Bay of Biscay. I’ll recommend that you start with the second way and, coming back down, drop right into Parte Vieja. That way you get the best of both.

There is no better place for visitors interested in one-stop souvenir shopping than the Pennsylvania General Store, located inside the Reading Terminal Market. You’ll find everything from Amish quilts to just-made fudge, as well as food items unique to the region, including locally treasured Asher’s chocolate-covered pretzels. Also recommended are decadent, fresh-baked Hope’s Cookies, and tins of Rosie’s butterkins (butter cookies). If you’re not hungry, maybe you need a soft pretzel T-shirt, City of Brotherly Love shot glasses, or a bawdy coffee mug touting the town of Intercourse, Pennsylvania? Former Philadelphians who miss their regional treats can order care packages online from the General Store’s website.

A novel way to combine great food with a classic city tour, the double-decker Crystal Bus provides delicious sightseeing. Nibble Chinese dim sum prepared by the restaurant One Dim Sum (which was awarded a Michelin star in 2012), while driving past more than 20 of Hong Kong’s most famous sites (and stopping at one for photos), from the Hong Kong clock tower to the 1881 Heritage Building, a 197-foot-high Ferris wheel, and Portland Street, the city’s famous red-light district, known for its neon. Each tour—one at lunch goes from Kowloon to Hong Kong Island and another at teatime from Kowloon to New Territories—lasts about 2.5 hours. Both start at No. 7 Hankow Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, in Kowloon.

To cure what ails, stretch it out. For all levels and ages, Santa Fe’s light-filled Blue Moon Hot Yoga (hot, but not reaching the temperature levels of Bikram yoga) is a perfect place to sweat. Try their 90-minute Hot Vinyasa Flow class, a series of postures working on breath, flexibility, and strength. Namaste

Visitors flock to southern Arizona for sun and saguaros... ...but for a hole in the ground? Other than the ones on golf courses? From the 1960’s to the 1980’s, Tucson was ringed by eighteen steel-and-concrete-reinforced holes in the ground--highly secure shafts in the desert that housed intercontinental ballistic missiles tipped with multi-megaton nuclear bombs. “Peace through Deterrance” was the idea, as the propaganda-phrase goes... Of the 54 Titan Missile complexes that were scattered around the country, only this one, about 45 minutes south of Tucson, has been preserved and opened to the public. It’s a startling reminder of how thin the line was that separated the “Cold War” from “M.A.D."--"mutual assured destruction.” It would only have taken 30 minutes from its desert launch for this missile to deliver unimaginable destruction--via a 9 megaton nuclear warhead--up to 6300 miles (10,000km) away... On a lighter note, some of the filming of one of the Star Trek films took place here. You can visit the subterranean control bunker and staff living quarters, access corridors, and the missile silo itself. Tours are offered on the hour year-round, with additional tours offered every thirty minutes from January through April. Closed Christmas and Thanksgiving. Whether you’re coming from the left or from the right, politically, the sobering reality of this fusion of human nature and technology is worth going underground for if you’re driving down I-19.

With a great atmosphere and a packed room of locals, if you’re in the mood for Vietnamese food, you won’t go wrong here. Some swear by the pho and others by the gloriously crusty banh mi sub sandwiches, which come heaped high with grilled pork, herbs, salad, and a few slices of chili to add heat. And if you’re feeling greedy, I say do both.

In spite of featuring in all the guide books, this Santo Spirito favourite has a loyal local following, and the place is always packed out with a mix of tourists and Florentines who line up for good value, homecooked food. I would recommend choosing the Tuscan specialities such as the hearty minestrone with rice and black cabbage and the oven-roast guinea fowl (‘faraona’). Homemade apple cake is a great way to finish.

One afternoon, I went to the top of Northcliff Hill by the Water Tower with my brother and cousin on a random outing. From up there you can see the whole of Johannesburg. A full 360 degree view all the way to the Magaliesberg mountain range! If you go, park at the bottom of the hill and trek up to the top. Don’t forget to pack some drinks and snacks for an awesome sundowner experience!

The outdoor shopping center, packed with stores, restaurants and bars, is a great place to spend an afternoon. Hit up local favorites: the affordable Colorz clothing store that carries brands like Twisted Heart, Da’ Nang and J & Company; Flea Bag’s Barkery and Bow-tique, which bakes doggie treats fresh daily and offers chic dog outfits and accessories; and home accessories from Magnolia Lane.

With its domed greenhouses of epic proportions dotted across some 100 hectares (250 acres), the sustainable Gardens by the Bay are educational and fun. The Cloud Forest is a misty, 42-meter-high (138-foot-high) “mountain” that re-creates tropical highlands; visitors use ramps to explore around and through them. A biosphere of Mediterranean and desert plants, including huge baobab trees, makes up the Flower Dome. Outdoors, guests walk on suspended walkways between steel-frame “Supertrees” that are covered in solar-powered lights.

Open from first light until late in the evening, this relaxed bar, just around the corner from La Piazzetta, has an entirely different vibe from the fancier options there. You can have a quick caffè (espresso) standing at the bar with the locals or sit under the striped awning and watch the sunset over the Bay of Naples while drinking a spritz. This bar also serves as one of the island’s best bakeries. Try a flaky breakfast pastry with a morning cappuccino, then swing by later to order a lemon or chocolate version of the island’s famous dessert torta caprese, a flourless cake.

The Municipal House, built in 1912, is a civic hall and concert theater in Prague. This Art Nouveau gem, decorated with allegorical sculptures, gold trim, and stained glass on the exterior, and topped with a glass dome, is a national heritage site. The Royal Court Palace was situated in this location from 1383 to 1485, Czechoslovakia’s independence was proclaimed here in 1918, and the first meetings between the communist government and Vaclav Havel were held here in 1989. The lobby features a sweeping, red-carpeted marble staircase, and the concert hall is decorated in carved stone, gold, shimmering lights, and frescoes. The romantic Francouzska Restaurant opened at the same time as the building did, and is known for its soaring ceilings, glass and gold chandeliers, and early 20th-century atmosphere.