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A black-and-white tile courtyard pool deck lined with sun-bleached coral loungers, a chic indoor tiki bar off the intimate jewel-toned lobby and guestrooms where French claw foot tubs appear in unexpected places, The Plymouth Hotel earns serious style points. Designed by Fernando Santangelo (the man behind L.A.’s Chateau Marmont) and situated inside a historic Art Deco landmark on the corner of Collins Park, it feels like a hip hideaway reserved for those in the know—yet it’s only one block from the beach. The Plymouth is also home to an outpost of Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill where diners clamor for omakase and the famous fried chicken.

It all started when a Korean couple went on a craft beer trip to the US for their honeymoon, and became enchanted with the sleek, industrial-chic bar in San Francisco. When they returned to Seoul, it was only a matter of time before they decided to open a Mikkeller Bar of their own. With a simple and distinct Scandinavian design, combined with distinctly Korean touches, the Mikkeller Bar Seoul joins the growing global brand that proffers craft beers from over 30 different countries worldwide. Grab a sidewalk stool, order a frosty glass and watch the world go by. 33 Dosan-daero 17-gil, Gangnam-gu

Not only is the Express Bus Terminal a major transportation hub, it’s also the site of Seoul’s largest underground shopping mall. Attached to the subway station, Goto Mall sprawls for a half-mile and houses more than 600 stores. When visiting, wear comfortable shoes and prepare for a shopping spree. The west end of the mall is a haven for savvy fashionistas seeking inexpensive but trendy Korean clothing and shoes, while the east end features home goods, furniture, and plant stores. After working up an appetite, head to the corridor in the basement of the luxury department store Shinsegae, where there are several gourmet food stalls.

There are some things that are universal, including people’s love of a good dive bar. If you’re looking for a low-key vibe with cheap drinks and greasy bar food, look no further than Cuckoo. Set in the trendy Garusogil shopping area, this unfussy bar and restaurant with graphitized walls and a raucous party vibe is often packed with 20-something locals playing Korean drinking games and downing copious amounts of soju. Although it may serve fried beef tripe, clam soup and stir-fried chicken gizzards with garlic, the beer is cheap and cold and that’s something that can be understood in any language. 4, Dosan-daero 17-gil, Gangnam-gu

Meant to resemble a hanok (traditional Korean house), this sophisticated bar in the basement of the Park Hyatt is separated into three distinct sections, meant to represent different rooms in the house. Start with some couldn’t-be-fresher sashimi at the sushi and sake bar, then grab a martini at the cocktail bar, followed by a rare single malt at the whiskey bar, all while listening to mood-setting music emanating from the sleek grand piano. There are also vintage champagnes that need to be fitted into the schedule, so save room for some bubbly. 606 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

Seoul’s Janganpyeong Antique Market has more than 150 stores, with everything from furniture to fine art. Antique is sometimes loosely defined, but it’s a good place to look for scroll paintings and calligraphy and lacquerware. Need a man-size stone totem pole? This is the place. It gets a bit overwhelming after a while, but every corner hides a surprise. Near the Dapsimni subway station; most shops are closed Sundays.

Nuzzled up against the Arizona border about 100 miles west of Four Corners are some 30 square miles of the most iconic scenery in the American West. Monument Valley is one of those places that you’ll recognize as soon as you see it, even if you’ve never been there before, as dozens of movies, TV shows, and even video games have used the area as a setting. It’s made up of mesas both small and large reaching up from the valley floor, some rising as high as 1,000 feet into the sky. Part of the Navajo Reservation, the area charges a $20-per-vehicle entrance fee to drive the dirt-road loop. Once in, however, you can also enjoy a number of hikes, or hire a guide for a horseback tour.

Set amidst the quaint hanoks (traditional Korean houses) of tourist favorite Bukchon Hanok Village, this upscale brewery serves a special kind of Korean alcohol that in days gone by was served only to the ruling gentry class. Made with rice and brewed three times, Samhaeju was popular during the Jeseon Dynasty, but production halted when the Japanese colonization of Korea began in 1910. Working to revive this nearly lost traditional beverage, the brewmaster leads tours and shows visitors how this traditional liquor is made. After the tour, it’s tasting time, so come thirsty. Reservations are required and English isn’t spoken—bring an interpreter. 15, Samcheong-ro 9-gil, Jongno-gu

Jeju is known as the “Hawaii of South Korea” because of its blue waters and volcanic makeup (minus the tropical weather). One of island’s top experiences is ending the day with a solemn stroll through Jeju Stone Park, a tranquil space with conceptual rock displays inspired by local mythology and geology. The main draw is the outdoor stone sculptures and cultural village, complemented by a couple of indoor museums exhibits. Highlights include the tomb guardian children and grandfatherly, basalt “dolhareubang” figures. In olden times, the dolhareubang were considered to be gods offering both protection and fertility and were placed outside of gates for protection against demons.

Koreans are masters of skin care, and Korean beauty products are sweeping the globe. One of the most popular beauty brands is a label called Skin Food. The brand takes natural ingredients such as celery, broccoli and coconut (basically a salad for your face) and turns them into cleansers, toners, masks and makeup. Add to that colorful packaging, affordable prices and lots of free samples, and you’ve got yourself a must on your shopping itinerary for your trip to Seoul. Skin Food and other beauty stores aren’t hard to find—they can be found in almost every mall, subway station and shopping district of the city.

At the tip of the Baja Peninsula, where the turbulence of the Pacific Ocean meets the calms of the Sea of Cortez, lies Cabo’s crown jewel, Land’s End. Here, the iconic “El Arco” rock formation frames the confluence of waters and shelters a colony of sea lions. This distinctive scene has turned up on countless postcards and Instagram feeds—and rightfully so. Get up close by hiring a panga, kayak, or stand-up paddleboard. Soak in the serenity of the dramatic landscape and consider that if you continued due south, your next landfall would be Antarctica.

A visit to the picturesque town of Cavtat, south of Dubrovnik, must include a visit to the imposing mausoleum of the Račić family. The tomb, on a hill overlooking the town’s waterfront, is worth the shady climb. Built of bronze and white stone, the mausoleum, designed by Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović, is quite moving—especially the carved angel faces floating in the dome, waiting to guide the departed to heaven.

The system of canals and chinampas (cultivated artificial islands fashioned from the area’s swampy soils) that has survived in the far-south neighborhood known as Xochilmilco once stretched all the way to the Centro. To this day, the community is known for its plant nurseries and vegetable gardens. These ancient landscapes now contribute to what has become one of the most singular pleasure gardens in the world, where visitors hire “gondoliers” to propel boats known as trajineras as they sail these channels in the company of floating mariachis and food vendors, partying teens, and extended families out for a picnic lunch. Since a tour is usually a four-hour-plus investment (it flies by), ask your oarsman to take you to Xochimilco’s more-rural precincts, where you’ll enjoy marvelous quiet, far from the madding crowd, in the company of cranes, curs, and picturesque cornfields.

Well worth the effort it takes to locate this tiny establishment, Flower Gin is a hybrid gin bar and flower shop that feels as though you’ve stumbled into a bygone speakeasy, yet smells like an English country garden. The space is decorated with Alice in Wonderland-esque images, and serves six different cocktails, all created with cucumber-infused Hendrick’s gin. Opt for the classic G&T, or get fancy with an Elderflower Collins or Hot Gun Punch. All are picturesque and served with a delicate pink rose on top. Be sure to say hi to Coco the Boston Terrier, the little mascot that happily greets patrons who are lucky enough make their way in. Kyungnidan 684, Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

A unique cultural event, Korean baseball games are fun even for the sports-averse. The Korea Baseball Organization consists of 10 teams that play from April through October, competing to win the Korean Series. Games go way beyond athletics, with cheerleaders encouraging the audience to participate in singing, cheering, and dance contests. Instead of overpriced hot dogs and beer, spectators bring their own snacks or buy affordable food such as fried chicken, shrimp chips, and ramen noodles, plus Western standards like burgers and pizza. Equally reasonable, tickets cost just $7 to $10.