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The multicolored mountain of Vinicunca is not terribly far from the mobbed pathways of Machu Picchu, but until a few years ago, it was virtually unknown to U.S. travelers. But today, more visitors are braving the three-and-a-half-hour drive from Cuzco (and the three-hour hike) to feast their eyes on its crayon-box colors—burnt umber, periwinkle blue, mustard yellow. Instead of rushing through a long day’s outing, take in the mountain’s hues on a two-day trek with G Adventures.

Hudson Trail Outfitters is a local chain that caters to outdoor enthusiasts in the Washington, D.C. area. The first store opened in 1971 with the goal of selling the highest-quality specialized gear and apparel and providing top-notch customer service. The strategy worked: The shop became a huge success, and four more have since opened in Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. Part of what makes the company special is its focus on the community. It holds weekly events that include yoga, hiking, biking, paddling, and boot camp meet-ups. This is a must-stop for information on the area’s best trails and natural highlights.

The Adriatic Luxury Hotels group offers a number of lodging options in the city. The landmark Excelsior is a short walk from Old Town and faces the Adriatic. A recent renovation updated the 158 large guest rooms with natural tones and dark-wood furnishings.—David Farley

This appeared in the March/April 2018 issue.

History fans and art lovers will undoubtedly lose a few hours wandering through this museum (formerly the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India), which covers natural history, archaeology and art. With more than 60,000 objects in the collection, there’s an amazing amount of stuff to see, from ancient Indian artworks (including sculptures from Elephanta Island) and Indian miniature paintings to Indian arms and armor. Make sure you leave time to admire the gorgeous domed building of Indo-Saracenic design.

The colorful murals in Balmy Alley are the lower Mission’s own version of the better-known Clarion Alley murals. Stroll through the small, pedestrian-friendly alleyway to see public work by local artists, a tradition that began in the mid-1980s in response to human rights and political abuses in Central America. Today, you can see murals depicting scenes from human rights abuse to local gentrification to natural disasters. Want to learn more? Take a tour with Precita Eyes Muralists.

There’s no shortage of refreshing waterfalls in eastern Jamaica. But after Reach Falls, I’d say Somerset—also located on the east coast—is a close second in natural beauty. Somerset Falls’ cascades can be reached by hiking or by canoe ride along the river. Either way, it’s a stunning, still relatively verdant area teeming with bird life—resident parrots—and caves to explore. It’s easy to find too, ideal for a day trip from either Port Antonio or Ocho Rios. Look out for a billboard right off the paved northern highway, about an hour and a half north of Ocho Rios.

Momogoose had to be one of the first food trucks around. Founded in 1989 by MIT alums, it’s only natural they would take a scientific approach to cooking. Their barbecued tofu is just the way I like it: chewy, moist and very meatlike with a sauce that’s equal parts sweet and sour. When I’d finished, I realized that the dish had made a convert out of the carnivore in me. I also love the fact that they have a “Meal for Meal” initiative providing nourishment to the global poor through the World Food Program.

Few things characterize autumn in North American more than apple picking, apple pies, and apple cider. If you feel like connecting with nature and experiencing a Canadian tradition, head to the western tip of the island and the Labonté Orchard for a wee session of apple picking. There is a small admission fee of $2, and you are free to stay on site for as long as you like. If you don’t go for the apple picking, go for the heaven-sent desserts at the on-site café. The apple crumble will make you a believer.

Although Brussels is most famous for its Art Nouveau architecture, is has some notable modern buildings as well. One of the most recognisable is the love-it-or-hate-it Berlaymont Building, at the Schumann metro stop. Known by its detractors as the “Berlamonster,” this huge glass and metal lopsided X-shaped structure is home to the European Commission. Whatever your feelings about the Berlaymont, its imposing stature is impressive. EU flags representing the EU member states, line the back of the building. Wander through the EU district at lunchtime and see the Eurocrats in their ‘natural habitat’ in the surrounding restaurants and cafes.

Weaving its way along the river, and among the various parks of downtown Itasca, the Itasca Riverwalk is a great way to do some small town exploring. The paths link the Springbrook Nature Center, to the Caribbean Waterpark, to the Fitness Center and to many more wonderful park district sights. You can hoof it, bike it, and when it snows, some have even snowshoed it (just rent your kicks from Springbrook and you’re all set). Exploring the path with friends or family is a great way to take in the great outdoors, get a little exercise, and get to know Itasca.

Whether you’re a fan of awe-inspiring dinosaur skeletons & dioramas, or 19th century European painting, the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh have you more than covered. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is a great place to learn about the history and development of life and human cultures, while the Carnegie Museum of Art offers a broad spectrum of collections, including contemporary art, photography, decorative arts and design, and the Heinz Architectural Center. The best part is, admission to one buys you admission to both, so you can indulge your interests in the Jurassic period and Impressionism in one go.

A short drive from the picturesque fishing village of Cadaques and Dalí’s House Museum in Port Lligat, Cap de Creus is one of my favorite places in Spain when it comes to natural beauty. Sweeping views of the ocean from atop the cliffs are even better after a lunch of fresh seafood paella, the catch of the day-baked, grilled or fried, or the restaurant’s surprisingly tasty Indian eats. Burn off lunch with a hike down the steep incline to the waterline, or just cop a squat and settle in to write, sketch or meditate.

There are a handful of appealing options in the West Loop, but the most exciting is the Hoxton Chicago, whose laid-back lobby is filled daily with locals and guests working, meeting, dining, drinking, or hanging out with a coffee. Part of the socially focused Hoxton hotel group that launched in London’s East End in 2006, this 182-room hotel has become the West Loop’s top rendezvous spot for meetings (unless you’re a member of nearby Soho House), but upstairs is just as enticing. We love “Flexy Time,” which allows guests to check in and out whatever time of day they like, so long as they book directly through the hotel website.

Hidden away at the end of small byway off Telok Blangah Road, Labrador Nature Reserve (also known as Labrador Park) is a quiet hillock where you can find the remains of Fort Pasir Panjang. It was one of about a dozen coastal artillery forts built by the British in the 19th century to defend the western passageway into Keppel Harbour. Military buffs will enjoy seeing the old gun placements, supply tunnels, and pillboxes of the former fort, while others will get a kick out of seeing cruise ships and giant yachts coming within a few yards of the seawall as they squeeze through the narrow passage into Keppel Harbour.

Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort & Spa is located in one of the Philippines’ most popular vacation spots. And while it has all the musts—the turquoise waters, the powdered-sugar shores, the lush hills—what it doesn’t have is the crowds. And therein lies the resort’s beauty, or at least some of it. Tucked into an eco-reserve with its own shimmering beach, the Shangri-La is also home to a canopy-cloaked dining aerie, sunset-surveying clifftop cabanas, and a peninsular spa on a private bay. Accommodations are impeccably appointed with local touches (think woven abaca rugs and lamps bedecked with capiz shells), and several of the lodgings feel more like private vacation homes. Take the aptly named treehouse villa, for example, where the canopy-level second story commands stunning sea views (best enjoyed from the hot tub on the balcony), or the pool villas, where the lure of en suite swimming almost overpowers the sea just outside.