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Legoland has quickly become Atlanta‘s top attraction for kids. Located in Phipps Plaza, the city’s shopping mecca, families can purchase all the Lego products next door at the store before exploring the discovery center. It includes Lego replicas of famous Atlanta landmarks, interactive rides, and the chance to build your own masterpiece.

The Inn and Spa at Loretto, one of Santa Fe’s iconic boutique luxury hotels, could easily be mistaken for the ancient Taos Pueblo. The hotel’s angular architecture, soothing desert hues, and romantic lighting draw heavily on the original pueblo. Rooms are outfitted with both traditional touches (handcrafted furniture, Anasazi pottery and artwork, kiva fireplaces, colorful textiles) and modern luxuries (slate-floored bathrooms, iPod docks, flat-screen TVs, private balconies). The restaurant and spa are among the best in the state, and the atmospheric lounge one of the coolest spots in town to sip cocktails and catch live music. And, as if it needed another dose of history, the landmark Loretto Chapel sits on the grounds, guaranteeing both excellent views and easy sightseeing access. Now, if only more pueblos were like this.

Originally a 15th-century convent, followed by stints as the headquarters of the Dutch Admiralty and Amsterdam’s town hall, the Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam—or simply, The Grand—presides over the heart of the old city. With its imposing brick facade flanked by canals and its location within a stone’s throw of Dam Square and De Oude Kerk, The Grand would be a legend even without Sofitel’s designation. The majestic entrance courtyard hasn’t changed since its construction in the 17th century—a fact that’s reinforced by the hotel’s horse-drawn carriage, which offers guests a different way to explore the city center—and even before the building became a hotel, landmark figures in European history stayed on site, including William of Orange.

While today’s interiors are starkly modern, the designers alluded to the hotel’s storied past in the decor and textiles featured in the 177 rooms and suites, which overlook either the interior courtyard and gardens or the canals, and come with touches like rainshowers and signature MyBed mattresses. The private Canal House Suites—especially popular with the dignitaries and celebrities who frequent the hotel—may appear boldly contemporary, but accents like round windows and wood-beamed ceilings hint at their past as the private homes of Dutch admirals. The hotel’s five dining options include the Michelin-starred Bridges restaurant—set in what was once the town hall’s canteen—as well as the casual, all-day Bridges Bistro, traditional Flying Dutchman café, sophisticated Library D’Or lobby lounge, and peaceful Garden Terrace. The two-floor SO Spa houses a gym, heated indoor pool, wet area with Turkish hammam, and treatment rooms for French-inspired services.

Located inside Aruba’s oldest surviving structure, this museum offers a fascinating look at the island’s evolution. Open weekdays, it boasts artifacts from the Caiquetio people and Dutch colonialists as well as items from modern-day Aruba. The complex itself, however, is the real draw. Dating from 1798, it was constructed to defend the island against pirates. The adjacent Willem III Tower was built in 1868 and served as Aruba’s first public clock and lighthouse.

Dinosaurs, pyramids, cave paintings, sharks—if you don’t like the Field Museum then you must never have been a kid. Home to an extensive assortment of magical displays highlighting all facets of natural history from around the world, the Field Museum is a great way to spend a day getting your culture fix. If you start to lose steam, just pop into the café for a meal to reenergize before continuing to explore the multitude of exhibits that await you. And while the museum is a showcase for natural history, it’s been at this spot since 1893, which makes it a part of history as well.

Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, the Sydney Opera House was inspired by its dramatic setting on Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour, a location that’s long been sacred to the native Gadigal people. While construction took 16 years, including four years to figure out the spherical solution to the icon’s soaring sails, any controversies melted away when the masterpiece was completed in 1973. The same outside-the-box thinking that built the shell-shaped sculpture seeps through its walls today in the form of boundary-pushing opera, theater, and dance as well as contemporary music and mind-opening lectures. The landmark is also home to the beloved Opera Bar and Bennelong Restaurant upstairs, where diners can eat pavlova shaped like the landmark in which they sit.

Standing in Plaza Congreso, you might find yourself staring up at the Moulin Rouge-like windmill adorning an Art Nouveau building on the corner. Approaching the door, you’ll see it’s covered in cobwebs - this architectural landmark, once a glamorous cafe where politicians had coffee and tea between meetings, has been abandoned for years. Confiteria El Molino (‘el molino’ means ‘windmill’) has been closed since 1996, though local activists keep pushing to fund its restoration. So far, it hasn’t happened, and the fairy tale-like building on the corner adds an eerie ghostly feel to the busy urban intersection.

Like to have a meal with historic spirits? Visit the oldest tavern in MA. and one of the most historic watering holes in America. First erected in 1780 in Charlestown, George Washington dropped in for refreshments and Paul Revere counted it among his favorites. Featuring traditional tavern fare for lunch and dinner, it’s a great pit stop after burning up calories climbing the Bunker Hill Monument just up the street.

Just a short hour drive away from Kelowna, and only a 5-10 minute drive from Penticton, Naramata sits hidden with acres of green vineyards cascading off of clay cliffs into Lake Okanagan. In the heart Naramara is the historic Naramata Heritage Inn & Spa. Built in 1908, some say it’s haunted with its history of being a school and the first cultural hub upon Lake Okanagan. Today it functions as an ideal getaway with nearby beaches, over 100 wineries and the variety of adventure activities nearby. I always make time to stop in during my wine tasting trips to sit in the sun with a glass of local wine and a variety of local cheese and charcuterie selections. This is foodie stop one shouldn’t miss while visiting the area if not staying with the hotel. Take a tour through the chefs garden, tour the quirky town of artists and vintners, or enjoy the cycling, zip lines, hikes, fishing and water sports all within the Central and Southern Okanagan.

Bombed to smithereens during World War II, the Neues Museum—inaugurated in 1855—reopened in 2009 following a slow and sensitive reconstruction by the office of British architect David Chipperfield; both the building and its inspiring contents are well worth the visit. The current structure, featuring delicately restored frescoes, beautifully renovated columns and doors, and deliberately preserved war damage, won the prestigious Mies van der Rohe Award in 2011. The museum’s collections comprise thousands of ancient artifacts from the Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection, the Museum of Prehistory and Early History, and the Collection of Classical Antiquities. Highlights include a 3,300-year-old bust of Queen Nefertiti, the famous Neanderthal skull from Le Moustier in France, and Heinrich Schliemann’s collection of antiquities from Troy.

The Golden Gate Bridge is probably the most photographed site in California, but this vantage point never gets old. Explore the hollowed out fort, learn some history, and marvel at the view from the top floor.

History is alive at this downtown property, housed in the iconic Temple Court building designed by architect James M. Farnsworth in 1881. At check-in, pause to appreciate the nine-story atrium and skylight, then head to one of the 287 fully appointed rooms, which include 35 suites and two penthouses with private rooftop terraces. Each space comes with luxurious amenities like Carrara marble-tiled bathrooms with oversized rain showers, exclusive D.S & Durga toiletries, and around-the-clock room service courtesy of chef Tom Colicchio’s Crafted Hospitality.

Should guests want to eat outside of their room, the hotel is also home to Daniel Boulud’s Le Gratin, a bistro inspired by the French chef’s hometown of Lyon, and Colicchio’s Temple Court, where classic dishes like Maine lobster and Berkshire pork chop fill the menu. Cocktail lounge Laissez Faire recently debuted with martini service and a DJ booth. Those requiring reservations beyond hotel doors should call upon the Les Clefs d’Or-recognized concierge team.

Trafalgar Square dominates the landscape at Charring Cross. It was made to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar. At the centre is Nelson’s column, which includes a statue of Horatio Nelson, the vice admiral who commanded the British Fleet at Trafalgar. It is flanked by 4 majestic lions. Around the corner, the historic National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery occupy pride of place. They house masterpieces by famed artists including Leonardo Da Vinci, Claude Monet, and J.M.W. Turner. The area around the galleries is full of tourists and locals unwinding after a long day. It is crowded during the day but it is absolutely magical at night once the crowds disperse-perfect for a walk after dinner.

Every December 7 at Pearl Harbor, there is a memorial to those who died in the awful attacks that day in 1941. Survivors gather here, though fewer every year remain alive. Oil still rises from where the USS Arizona lies in the harbor. The horrific events of December 7 are still a raw part of the history here. Several months ago, the civil defense sirens went off all over Oahu. It was a glitch in the system, but I remember an elderly woman in downtown Honolulu who said she looked at the sky because she remembers when there really was an air raid, and the sirens bring her back to that time of eminent danger when what seemed impossible unfolded in front of her young eyes. For history buffs, students, and all sorts of tourists, this is a “must visit” National Park on Oahu. Tickets to take the boat to the memorial are cheap (but do require an advanced booking of a couple days), and there are several other activities and museums at Pearl Harbor to explore including a walk through the USS Bowfin.

The most beautiful square in Spain is the Plaza de Espana in Sevilla. Huge, filled with intricate mosaic work depicting the history of the different regions in Spain and waterfalls, lakes and imposing architecture, in summer, it is also filled with one of the most famous and intoxicating scents in Sevilla, Jasmine. Stand and breathe in the fragrance that inspired a thousand lovers on hot summer nights..