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Visitors seeking an immersive-history experience can get a chance to travel back in time and check out the homes, stories, and daily routines of early Philadelphians, from everyday citizens to the city’s better-known inhabitants from the past. Buildings along Elfreth’s Alley, the country’s oldest continually occupied residential street, reveal the lives of the city’s earliest residents. Most of the houses on the block are private homes, but houses numbered 124 and 126 have been preserved as a public museum. Guided tours begin in the Museum Shop (Number 124). Private tours of the Alley and Museum House are available all year round.

Drive down a country road in County Donegal toward the sea, and you’re likely to find miles of unspoiled golden beach – and if there are waves, the water might be filled with surfers. Pounded by the big swells of the Atlantic Ocean, the northwest of Ireland is one of the best surfing spots in Europe and surfers take to the waves year round, with the biggest swells during winter. The unofficial surf capital is Bundoran in south Donegal. Tullan Strand is a popular beginner spot – you can rent boards or take lessons from one of the town’s four surf schools – while the reef break at The Peak is for more advanced waveriders. The 3km beach at Rossnowlagh, 20km up the coast, is reliable for regular waves and home to one of the country’s first surf clubs. Further north in the county, there are more challenging surf spots at Dungloe, Dunfanaghy, Inishowen and Fanad Head. The Bridge Bar in Bundoran town is the ideal post-surfing recovery spot for bowls of creamy seafood chowder, pints of Guinness and a surf cam so you don’t miss any of the action on The Peak, or walk up the cliff road from Rossnowlagh beach to the Smuggler’s Inn for reviving post-surf refreshments.

Storied honky-tonk joints—and tourists—crowd lower Broadway, but even locals are drawn to the classic country feel of Robert’s Western World. Two-step around the tiny dance floor to covers of songs by such favorites as Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, and Loretta Lynn.

Even though Smögen is said to be one of the most popular fishing towns, a Swedish friend of mine tells me it still feels like a secret, even for them. These beautiful cozy and colorful fishing huts line the pier with a rocky coastline in the backdrop. The country’s second largest fish auction is held here, and fishing boats bring their catches to market where you can buy just minutes later, right around the corner. I had an excellent sandwich called landgård here, open-faced with shrimp, crayfish and salmon. All so fresh, I’m not sure I knew what fresh fish was until I had a meal in Smögen. Basking in the sun, diving, swimming, or fishing for sport – it’s an exquisite town for vacationing in the summer. It is the perfect place to slow down.

Why we love it: A design-forward stay in Kansas City’s sophisticated Country Club Plaza

The Highlights:
- A playful design inspired by Spain
- The creative American cuisine at the rooftop restaurant
- A rooftop swimming pool and fire pit

The Review:
The Fontaine fits right in with its surroundings in Country Club Plaza—an area styled after the plazas of Seville, Spain. In the hotel lobby, the marble floors are inlaid with tile mosaics, the walls are hung with large-scale Renaissance artworks, and the ceiling is crowned by a brilliant blue, hand-blown Murano chandelier. The 132 rooms and suites, on the other hand, have an almost coastal feel, complete with a palette of blues, charcoals, and whites. Beds are super comfy, with tapestry headboards and Egyptian cotton linens, while the Carrera marble bathrooms further pamper guests with oversize showers and rainfall showerheads.

There are loads of restaurants in Country Club Plaza, but like the shops, many are chains. This makes The Fontaine’s dining options all the more appealing. Start with a pre-dinner cocktail at The Bar, which hosts a weekday happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m., then head to dinner at Parker, the hotel’s rooftop restaurant. Even with such top-notch F&B, the Fontaine’s finest amenity remains its small rooftop pool, which is bordered by a fire pit and backed by panoramic views.

Barista Parlor introduced artisanal coffee to Nashville when it opened its lofty, art-filled space in a former auto repair garage in 2012, serving top-notch small-batch roasters from around the country such as Counter Culture, Intelligentsia, and Stumptown. Two local outposts later, the company has evolved into a roaster-retailer, importing and roasting its own coffee beans for the first time. Try the zesty, fruity Daredevil or the cocoa-inflected Golden Sound while you take in the interiors, which pay homage to Tennessean talent: Doughnuts come from nearby bakers including Five Daughters Bakery in Franklin, and an enormous pixelated mural of a ship by Nashville artist Bryce McCloud covers the back wall.

The biggest nature reserve in the country, Yok Don spreads across 450 square miles next to the Cambodian border and west of the town of Buon Ma Thuot, an important center for Vietnam’s coffee industry. The park is largely a dry dipterocarp forest of towering deciduous trees that provides a habitat for an array of flora and fauna—including some leopards and tigers, though you shouldn’t anticipate spotting any. Much more visible are deer, buffalo, some semi-tame elephants (the highlight for many visitors), plenty of avian life, and crocodiles that inhabit the Srepok River, which slices through the park. Great hiking and the chance to visit a handful of ethnic-minority villages are guaranteed. Visitors are required to use the services of a park guide.

San Sebastián, for many, is a surf town. Pukas is your one-stop shop for everything from surf lessons, bikinis, gear, and cool souvenirs with a local twist, like their trademark ‘Surfing the Basque Country’ t-shirts.

It is a fairly recent place, opened in February 2013, located close to Ribeira, in Largo São Domingos. This restaurant aims to bring to Porto a little bit of each region of Portugal. Focusing on small scale producers and in working directly with them, Joana and Sofia (the owners) managed to have a wide selection of traditional food items from all over the country. There are three things here that makes you have to go there: wine, muxama and cheese. “Muxama” is smoked tuna fish, coming from Algarve, and it’s quite hard to find it in Porto. Have it with scrambled eggs and tomato jam. Their selection of cheeses covers the entire country, including the Azores and its São Jorge spicy cheese. One of the most incredible chesses for me is “Caganita”. A buttery and flavorful cheese from Alcains, that here is served hot with olive oil and herbs…

Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico, is celebrated throughout the country on December 12. Festivities at the Basilica de Guadalupe in Mexico City are massive, but there are substantial festivities throughout the country. In Oaxaca, parents dress up their children in traditional peasants’ garb and take them to the Iglesia de Guadalupe on the north side of the Llano park. They enter the church to receive a blessing from the priest and outside they line up in front of the image of the Virgin. There are photographer’s stalls set up in front of the church to take a commemorative photo and the park is filled with food stands and mechanical rides for the kids’ entertainment after the religious duties are fulfilled. The feast day of the Virgin of Guadalupe is the unofficial beginning of Christmas festivities in Mexico, which don’t come to an end until Kings’ Day on January 6.

Chef Patrick O’Connell opened his country restaurant out of a former gas station in 1978 and rave word-of-mouth reviews soon made it “destination dining.” He opened rooms in 1984 and a few years later, it became a member of the prestigious Relais & Chateau hotel association. Today, it remains one of a handful of country hotels worth the trip for the meal as well as the stay, and it continues to rack up stars and top lists for dining and accommodations.

Two dozen opulent rooms reflect the style of a whimsical English country manor (as interpreted by O’Connell and London stage designer Joyce Conwy Evans), setting the tone for an over-the-top dinner with an exacting attention to detail. Be sure to visit the kitchen after your meal to see culinary magic in action. Little Washington (the first town named by George himself) is a bit over an hour from its capital namesake, and the Inn’s campus of guest rooms, shops, and gardens are spread over the colonial town; take the Perimeter Path walk to visit all of the farm operations and the newest guest quarters: a Little Bug Inn for pollinating and beneficial insects.

One of three atolls in Belize, Lighthouse Reef Atoll is blessed with a handful of the most prized natural sights along the Belize Barrier Reef. The Great Blue Hole attracts divers eager to add a notch to their diving belt by exploring an underwater cavern more than 400 feet deep. On shore, Half Moon Caye Natural Monument, the country’s first protected site, is a turtle-nesting beach dotted with towering palm trees and no permanent inhabitants save for hermit crabs. Last but not least, you can view a thriving red-footed booby sanctuary, the only one in the Western Hemisphere aside from the Galápagos. It’s no wonder Lighthouse Reef is a popular day-tripper choice, whether you dive, snorkel, or simply love nature.

Among the several art galleries along Main Road in Kalk Bay, Kalk Bay Modern displays a variety of art, jewelry, fabric, photography, and pottery from several different African countries, as well as an exciting collection of the works of South African aboriginal San artists.

The Herdade da Malhadinha Nova is located in Albernoa, in the heart of Baixo Alentejo and offers comfort and design in a perfect harmony between Nature and the surrounding Landscape. Its concept is based on offering experiences wrapped in the theme of wine, as well as Wine Tourism, Hotel and Restaurant. Wines are the Herdade da Malhadinha Nova ex-libris and reflect a huge respect for the Nature and for all the passion and dedication taken for their creation. The vine planted in 2000 takes now the total area of 33 ha. (81 ac.) - 27 ha. (66 ac.) on production and 6 ha. (15 ac.) of new vine. The enotourism experiences and the modern Cellar, combining traditional wine making methods with technology, are one of the best reasons to visit the Herdade. Besides the wine production the Herdade has complementary areas: the production of Olive Oil 100% Galega from the 60 ha. (148 ac.), traditional olive grove, breeding of the Alentejana DOP caw, an indigenous breed perfectly adapted to the conditions of the region, breeding of the Alentejano DOP black pig and the Lusitano thoroughbred horse.

Opened in 2017, Hayes Street Hotel may occupy a modern building in Midtown, but the boutique lodging has made every effort to highlight the area’s historic past and the local makers who adhere to its traditions. A nod to the city’s former life as one of the country’s busiest printing centers, the lobby features poster art from famed letterpress studio Hatch Show Print, which has created musical renderings for the likes of Led Zeppelin, Elvis Presley, and Loretta Lynn over its 140-year lifespan, while white porch swings invite you to sip a cup of joe from Bongo Java, Nashville’s oldest coffeehouse. Local bourbons, whiskeys, and microbrews make up the menu at the Hayes Street Bar, and guest rooms favor minimalism with hardwood floors and mint-green accent walls, their clean lines providing a serene backdrop for the city’s myriad pleasures.