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It had been a long wait for modern art lovers, but after a three-year closure and a $305 million renovation and expansion, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) reopened in May 2016, and was it ever worth the wait. A new 10-story addition from the renowned Norwegian design firm Snøhetta integrates seamlessly with the existing black-and-white-striped atrium tower, giving San Francisco‘s SoMa neighborhood some serious eye-candy. It’s also now the largest modern and contemporary art museum in America, with nearly triple its previous gallery space. New to the already impressive collection are selected works from the esteemed Doris and Donald Fisher Collection, featuring significant American and European artists of the 20th and 21st centuries such as Andy Warhol, Ellsworth Kelly, Alexander Calder, Georg Baselitz, Barbara Hepworth, and Henry Moore, among many others. Gifts of painting, sculpture, drawings, media arts, and architecture made to the museum since 2009 also rotate through various galleries, while the entire third floor is dedicated to the Pritzker Center for Photography. Visitors take a breather in the tranquil sculpture garden with enormous living wall, or in the fifth floor Cafe 5. Along with offering free entry to visitors 18 years old and under, SFMOMA invites you to try In Situ, the museum’s signature 150-seat lounge and restaurant, helmed by Michelin-star chef Corey Lee, with a menu of dishes culled from the recipes of some 80 chefs from around the world.

Every September, El Cosmico puts on an exuberant 3-day celebration of music, love, freedom, and everything else kick-ass West Texas. Bring your own tent, rent one of El Cosmico’s safari tents, book a yurt, or go extra glam with one of their decked out vintage trailers (those get booked early!). Trans-Pecos is relaxed, intimate, and hilarious. Being part of it makes for an unforgettable weekend in the Chihuahuan Desert, under those vast Texan skies. Last year only a little more than 1000 tickets were sold, and organizers plan to keep the event at about that size, as that’s a big part of what makes it is so special. There’s going to be a great line-up of music, off-beat workshops, vendors who’ll make you want to revisit your entire wardrobe, and, one of my favorites, the sandlot baseball game that is less about the actual game played, and more about the riotous half-time show, and of course the spectator outfits. Prices: 3 days music only: $200 3 days music + camping: $250 - tickets are per camper, not per tent 1 day music only: $75 - available only at the gate day-of-show

This NoMad hotel was developed with a community of influential, savvy travelers in mind. Case in point is the upscale-urban design by studio MAI, which includes both modest and globally-inspired décor (think raw-bronze shelving, rich fabrics, and hand-carved benches in a carefully devised layout to maximize space). MADE Hotel, developed by The Devli Group, also anticipates travelers’ needs with a variety of venues, from Paper (a neighborhood coffee shop serving serious caffeine fixes) to Ferris (a new American eatery with plates like lobster toast with kombu and sesame). If you decide to venture out, the team still has you covered—literally. Sutterheim raincoats and Foak sunglasses are available to rent, rain or shine.

Original Joe’s has the same birth year as another pretty famous San Francisco landmark: the Golden Gate Bridge. Both are definitely worth checking out, but only Original Joe’s will serve you a hearty Italian meal in a red leather booth. Back in 1937, the restaurant was a 14-stool counter on Taylor Street where immigrant and family patriarch Tony Rodin served Croatian-Italian-American comfort food. Original Joe’s is run by the third generation of the family. A fire destroyed the first location in 2007, but the corner spot in North Beach that opened five years later can’t be beat. Inside, the family’s San Francisco history is revealed by walls hung with black-and-white photos, letters, and other ephemera. The menu showcases some of Tony’s recipes, such as eggplant parmigiana, Joe’s meatballs, and veal parmigiana. Those counter stools are there, too, saved from the fire and brought over to the new Original Joe’s.

One of the most luxurious tented camps in all of Africa sits on an open plain within Singita Grumeti, a 350,000-acre private reserve that adjoins the Serengeti National Park ecosystem, through which vast herds of wildebeest and zebra migrate. Huge, ornate tents are throwbacks to 1920s expedition style, decorated with crystal port decanters, freshly cut flowers, decorative carpets and kilims, four-poster beds, clawed bathtubs, and wood-and-leather campaign chairs. A personal assistant organizes game drives, horseback riding, and hot air ballooning. Leased by American hedge fund mogul Paul Tudor Jones, the private Singita Grumeti concession has off-road driving rights (unlike the Serengeti National Park) and strategically placed manmade water holes that encourage resident wildlife to congregate for the guests. Opulence and attentive service don’t overwhelm the experience of immersion in nature; the tents’ mesh windows allow bush noises to come through at all hours, and zebra frequently dust bathe on the red-earth tennis court.

As the name suggests, this hotel’s personality is one part laid-back Californian, one part British aristocrat. Nowhere is that clearer than at the 10th-floor rooftop pool, where plantings inspired by formal English gardens stand out against a backdrop of palm trees and sunny views of the Hollywood Hills. Downstairs, the London Bar channels both influences, too, with an orangeries-style latticework frieze inspired by English conservatories along with a living wall of exotic plants and a menu that ranges from classic (Moscow Mules, Pimm’s Cups) to creative (the Winston Churchill made with Bulldog gin and Laphroig scotch is a favorite).

At the base of Blackcomb Mountain, Four Seasons Resort and Residences complements its sylvan surroundings with a kind of chalet-luxe style accentuated with natural materials. Public areas feature wood beams, granite, and limestone, and guest rooms in earthy tones include gas fireplaces and mountain views. Groups might prefer the private residences in the property’s adjoining condo; the largest has four bedrooms and a den, offering homey comforts plus the benefits of the facilities next door. The hotel curates experiences you won’t find anywhere else, including private dining in a cave in Canada’s largest ice field or customized ski tours with an Olympic athlete. Guests who want to embrace the healthy West Coast lifestyle can sign up for complimentary weekend fitness and yoga classes upon check-in.

When Berlin was divided, Checkpoint Charlie was the most famous of the border crossings between the eastern and western halves of the city. It was here that Allied soldiers registered before crossing over into the Soviet-controlled sectors. Thanks to its appearances in Cold War thrillers from Bond movies to John Le Carré novels, it has become a symbol of that era in the city’s, and world’s, history. A small museum nearby includes a replica of the guardhouse that once stood here.

Poke (pronounced POH-kay) is not only a staple of Hawaiian cuisine, it’s also a favorite of diners needing a meal on the run. These bite-sized chunks of raw fish are seasoned with everything from soy sauce to seaweed, and you won’t find a luau or community potluck that doesn’t have at least one type on the table. For those craving poke on the West Side of Maui, Foodland Farms supermarket is consistently voted as the best place for poke in the islands. At a small deli counter in the back of the store, you can choose from a selection of more than a dozen different varieties which boast seasonings from spicy to savory. The fish of choice is yellowfin tuna (ahi), and one variety—the “Flyin’ Hawaiian"—is part of a charity set up by Shane Victorino, a professional baseball player who was raised on the island. While the poke itself can fluctuate somewhere between $12-$15 a pound, budget diners can enjoy a “poke bowl” in which a third pound of fish is served over rice for a wallet-friendly $7. Can’t decide? Try the ahi avocado poke bowl served over a bed of brown rice. Want to blend in? Eat it with chopsticks.

Hampden is known for beehive hairdos, cat-eye glasses, kitchsy decor like the pink flamingo, and ladies who call everyone “hon.” Now, though, Hampden is Baltimore’s hipster neighborhood with an array of thrift stores, antique shops, boutiques, and restaurants. It’s worth taking at least a half day to browse the many shops, grab a great meal, and maybe buy some Baltimore souvenirs. On First Fridays (of the month) many shops serve wine, stay open a little later, and offer special deals. John Waters’ Baltimore, from the musical Hairspray, manifests itself in Hampden, specifically on 36th Street, which is simply called “The Avenue.” The proprietress of Cafe Hon (featured on Kitchen Nightmares) has worked to maintain the John Waters-inspired vibe as a tourist attraction, which can really be seen during Honfest where beehives and kitsch take over in early June. Some favorites in the area include: Trohv for Baltimore souvenirs; Ma Petit Shoe for shoes and chocolate (can’t go wrong there); Wine Source for an impressive array of beers and wines; Daniela Pasta and Pastry (for pastries); Spro for coffee; and the Golden West, Grano (Grano Emporio and Grano Pasta Bar), Corner BYOB, or the Food Market for dinner.

The Common becomes extraordinary on winter evenings when the Christmas tree is up and soft lights seem to hold back the twilight chill, but the truth is there’s no bad time to visit the nation’s oldest public park. The former cow pasture has been a focal point for Boston’s history and culture since its inception in 1636—a site for riots and rallies from the Revolutionary War to the Vietnam War era as well as weddings, hangings, and burials. Summer splashing and winter skating at the Frog Pond are local traditions, and you can spend hours wandering from landmark to landmark (like Augustus Saint-Gaudens’s famous bas-relief Memorial to Robert Gould Shaw and the Massachusetts Fifty-Fourth Regiment, or the Soldiers and Sailors monument atop Flag Staff Hill). Or you can just laze in the sun on the park’s west-side lawn.

The Basilica San Marco is Venice‘s crown jewel. Situated at the eastern end of Piazza San Marco, the cathedral was built around 1078 on the site of an earlier house of worship. It is famously the home of the remains of the apostle Mark, which were said to have been smuggled from the Holy Land by Crusaders in a barrel of pork. The basilica is not just a wonder from the outside; its glittering gold mosaics make it one of the most breathtaking examples of Byzantine design in the West.

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992, Komodo National Park covers vast areas of land and sea between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores. It’s much more than the home of the legendary Komodo lizard (aka the Komodo dragon). Terrestrial denizens include Timor deer, 72 bird species and an endemic rat. And the underwater world is beyond compare, with pristine coral reefs and ocean currents patrolled by manta rays, dugongs, sharks, sea turtles, dolphins and at least 14 whale species.

Any hotel in San Francisco that has been operating for more than a century certainly has some stories to tell, and the Westin St. Francis is no exception. From socialites to celebrities to politicians, it seems every bold-faced name has slept (or attended late-night soirees) in its Bliss and Faville–designed towers. Today, guests to this distinctive 1,195-room property still enjoy top-notch service with some thoroughly modern touches: The 1904 landmark building recently underwent a $45 million renovation by Dallas-based interior design firm Forest Perkins, inspired by San Francisco’s moniker as “The Paris of the West.” Guest rooms are painted in Parisian blue, goldenrod yellow, and peony pink, and feature original crystal chandeliers. Downstairs, travelers can marvel at the lobby’s master clock—the first example in the western United States—and study a collection of photographs by Ansel Adams depicting the hotel’s long-lost Patent Leather Bar. Pro tip: Let the hotel’s resident historian bend your ear during a historical tour.

Overwater bungalows have become synonymous with tropical luxury, but Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu, curiously had none to call its own until this Momi Bay stunner opened in April 2017. Set on the island’s west coast, about 45 minutes from the airport, the 250-room resort features 114 luxury bures (wood-and-straw huts), including 22 that sit over a man-made lagoon, with vaulted ceilings and deep soaking tubs; all of the accommodations have balconies or terraces with expansive views, plus woven pendant lighting that resembles local fishing nets, crisp white linens, and dark wood accents. A kids club, indoor and outdoor play areas, and pool just for the small set keep little ones occupied while parents lounge at the spa or an adults-only infinity pool—the place to be during swim-up bar sunsets (another infinity pool is open to all guests). After your sundowner disappears, head to Goji Kitchen & Bar, a teak-and-rattan restaurant serving updated Fijian favorites like cassava-chip nachos and pineapple-glazed fish.