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No surprises – pork is the focus at West Seattle’s Swinery deli. When you walk into the tiny shop, you’ll see a huge deli case full of steaks and chops, bacon, smoked meats, sausages, pates and confits, as well as all the pickled veggies, slaws, sauces, and sliced deli meats you need to assemble a truly kickass charcuterie platter. If you can’t wait, order a sandwich in the adjacent Courtyard Cafe. The focus is on BBQ pork and burgers, but the smoked turkey sandwich is smoky and flavorful, and the red onions and Carolina sauce add some tangy brightness. For big appetites, try the “Danger Fries,” hand-cut and fried in rendered pork fat, tossed with salt, fresh garlic and chives, and smothered in a bacon blue béchamel sauce.

Noma, consistently ranked as one of the world’s best restaurants, closed in 2016, but its impact on dining in Copenhagen has been profound. Many chefs who worked there have since launched their own restaurants, including two who opened Bror. It’s a small space with big ambitions—expect astonishing food made from the best local produce. The five-course menu costs 625 kroner ($100), with wine pairings an additional 450 kroner ($72). There are also some memorable snacks. Don’t miss the bull testicles with tartar sauce or the cod head with cabbage wrap.

Peace, relaxation, beauty, and a tasty menu—the Beach Tree Bar is a fabulous place to watch the sun close out the day past the Pacific Ocean. With swaying palm trees and a large tree right on the beach, the casual lounge is perfect for pupus (appetizers) and a cocktail to celebrate sundown. Located at the Four Seasons Hualalai Resort, the bar sits on a pretty stretch of sand on the Kohala Coastline. Flavors are fresh, creative, and from the Island when possible.

You won’t find any mediocre pastries or kitschy mugs at Savaya. Here, it’s all about the coffee. Owner Burc Maruflu hails from Turkey, and his passion for coffee permeates this intimate space — which is just big enough for a long mesquite bar, a few tables, and a bright green roaster. The map painted on the wall and the hanging burlap bags show where the fair-trade organic beans are sourced. They’re roasted at the café daily, and small classes are occasionally held for those who want to learn more. Tucsonans regularly name this place as one of the best spots to get a cup of coffee in the city. In addition to the original Midtown location, there are also Savaya cafés in the Santa Catalina foothills and Dove Mountain.

Lesser-known ski fields are often run by clubs and have the benefit of thinner crowds and the opportunity for skiers and boarders to glide and carve where others haven’t. Rainbow Ski Area near Nelson on the South Island is great for boarders and offers lessons from novice to expert. Further south, Porters Ski Area outside Christchurch features such runs as the appropriately named Big Mama and other trails that cater to intermediate and advanced riders. In the North Island, try the Manganui Ski Area on Mount Taranaki for cheap no-frills skiing (meaning no gear rentals on-site). And on the eastern side of Mount Ruapehu, there’s the friendly club-run Tukino ski field, which is often open when the rest of the mountain is shrouded in clouds.

Martinique’s Route Des Rhums is something of the ultimate single island rum tour. The big reason for this being there are 10 different distilleries spread across Martinique’s 425 square miles! TEN! Two of the best are Distillerie Neisson and Plantations Saint James Martinique. All of them produce what’s called rhum agricole, but all you need to know is Martinique rums are the only rums in the world that have been granted the prestigious Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) designation. Awarded by the French government agency Institut National des Appellations d’Origine (INAO) in recognition of the finest agricultural products (wines, cheeses, butters, etc), the AOC designation is an incomparable stamp of excellence in the culinary and spirits world.

Being a guy from the Jersey Shore (which has nothing to do with that television show!), I love the sea front. The seaside resort of De Panne in Belgium is a place worth visiting. Sure, Belgium is usually rainy and cold but there are hot sunny days too, so it is advisable to hit the coast and check out De Panne. Its a typical Belgian seaside resort with lots of cafes and restaurants and a very big sandy beach. What I like about De Panne is the old style mobile cabanas, which were once popular along the Jersey Shore going back a century. The town was also the home of Belgium’s King Albert during WWI, since it was the only area that was not occupied by the Germans.

“Everyone from the late blues musician Stevie Ray Vaughan to the Butthole Surfers has played at the Continental Club. Musicians who do big gigs in Austin like to play small shows here afterward,” says Liz Lambert.

El Charro sits in a converted set of historic houses & buildings a block off Tucson’s old town district—the same location where it began serving food in 1922. We had lunch here, at a big old wooden table in a warmly decorated dining room. Ask to be seated inside, or else in the garden, if the weather’s amenable. It’s a bit cold and dim in the front of the restaurant. I had an amazing vegetarian burrito, stuffed with roasted veggies, avocado and a green corn tamale. The others went for the excellent chimichangas, reputedly invented here (you can read the story on the menu). The special-brewed beer, an amber, was great, the salsa verde addictive, the decor a great talking point.

I’m far from a hunting enthusiast, but I am an avid fan of taxidermy, so when I heard that every Cabela’s features museum-quality displays, I was hooked. And they weren’t kidding. The Lacey, WA location has a multi-story mountain plunked down in the center of its showroom, studded all over with bighorn sheep, foxes, bears, bobcats, rabbits, and the occasional polar bear. Underneath the mountain is a walk-through aquarium featuring regional fish, and the second floor has a truly impressive display of African big game, including a giraffe, zebra, elephant, and lion. When you’ve admired the lifelike mounts and fed the koi in the beaver pond, you can stop at the cafe for an exotic-meats sandwich before hitting the road. Ostrich burger, anyone?

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.”

Quinta Del Carmen’s story begins in 1916, when it was built as a weekend home for a wealthy family. Since then, this charming stucco, Spanish-style structure has served as staff housing for Aruba’s first hospital, a clubhouse for oil-refinery workers, a private residence, and finally as an elegant restaurant specializing in seafood—although there are plenty of options for carnivores and a few for vegetarians as well. You can dine inside or out, where twinkling lights and lush foliage make for a garden-like atmosphere. Specialties include the seafood paella and sucade lappen, a traditional Dutch beef stew slow-cooked in red wine, herbs, and plenty of butter until it’s fall-from-the-fork tender.

One of the world’s most epic drives, the Hana Highway connects Kahului with Hana in eastern Maui. The scenic stretch is just 64 miles long but can take up to three hours to drive, thanks to 62 twists in the road as it winds through rain forests and past waterfalls, natural pools, and seascapes. Plan at least a half day to properly experience the drive, or slow it way down and spend a night in Hana so you can linger at places like Twin Falls, the Keanae Peninsula, the Garden of Eden arboretum, and the black sand beach at Waianapanapa State Park. Sun worshippers should also budget plenty of time for stops at Hamoa Beach and Ho’okipa Beach Park Beach Park.

With its swooping glass panels that resemble a kind of space-age ship’s sails, Frank Gehry’s design for the Louis Vuitton art collection, which opened in fall 2014, is worth the Métro ride to the far-flung 16th arrondissement. The multiple terraces let you peek through and around the panels: One side overlooks the verdant Bois de Boulogne park, while the other offers a view of the Eiffel Tower, looking miniature in the distance. The innovative exhibitions of modern and contemporary art rotate twice yearly. Outside on the ground level is a can’t-miss piece by Olafur Eliasson: a dizzying row of yellow-glass and mirrored columns that are guaranteed to fill your Instagram feed.

Krua Apsorn is an award-winning, royally patronized everyday Thai food restaurant. Expect a clientele made up of fussy families and big-haired, middle-aged ladies, and a cuisine revolving around full-flavoured, largely seafood-and vegetable-heavy central Thai dishes. This is one of the most famous restaurants in Thailand and is a must for every visitor to The Siam. At a minimum you must order: Green Curry With Fish Balls, Stir fried Crab Meat with Yellow Chili and String beans, Crabmeat omelet, fried giant river prawns, mushroom larb. I recommend taking the Siam boat (5 minutes) to the Wat Rachathiwat Pier and making the short walk through the beautiful old Bangkok neighborhood. After lunch head back down to the river and walk back to The Siam stopping at the 199 year old Chinese temple just before you walk under the bridge.