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West Loop denizens can get their fill of locally made spirits at this distillery and cocktail bar, where cofounder and head distiller Tremaine Atkinson bottles up just about everything of an ABV nature—with a bespoke spin. Its vodka may be its flagship offering, but it’s proved its aptitude with a handful of other liquors as well, from gin and rum to amaro and limoncello. If you can’t make one of its Tuesday or Saturday tours, swing by anyway for a dram; a full cocktail list pairs up with bites throughout the week and features go-tos like the Cease & Desist, a melding of CH London Dry Gin, Lapsang souchong, ginger, honey, and lemon.

Entering the reservations-only Williams Selyem winery may feel like a walking into a wine barrel—and that’s by design. The architects incorporated wood from old redwood wine tanks for a more authentic feel. Wine lovers call the facility the “Palace of Pinot” because it’s where the label’s legendary pinot noir is blended. Williams Selyem is home to the first Wine Enthusiast 100-point pinot noir in North America; the winery also makes chardonnay, zinfandel, and a host of late-harvest wines as well. During a standard seated tasting, visitors sample at least five or six different wines from the cellar; there could be even more if hospitality associates have others open and are willing to share. Most tastings are preceded by a tour of the facility’s cellar, winemaking facilities, and tank rooms, showcasing the components of the architecture that make the place special. Technically, you have to join the winery’s list to schedule a visit, and in busy years it can take up to nine months to have the option to get on the calendar. But if you love the subtlety of bordeaux-style wines, the upscale experience is well worth the wait.

Wide, sandy Cane Bay Beach, on St. Croix, has a lot going in its favor: The medium-size surf, full-service dive shop, barbecue grills, and fun sites to snorkel make the beach popular with families, kids, and even dogs. Choose simply to rent some beach chairs and bask in the warm Caribbean sun, or opt for a game of beach volleyball or a swim in the clear waters.

This is a classic guided tour and a good thing to do early in your visit since it will give you a nice overview of the city. The Paddan (“Toad”) boats drive along the canals while you listen to the story of Gothenburg‘s history. Beware! Some of the bridges you pass beneath are really, really low, so keep your head down.

One of the most luxurious Western guest ranches, opened in 2005, Paws Up Montana, in Greenough, sprawls over 37,000 acres of classic Montana landscape: elk-filled meadows, rocky peaks, and ponderosa pines in the Blackfoot Valley, with the river of the same name running through it all. The most sought-after accommodations are the “glamping” tents on the banks of the Blackfoot or along Elk Creek that are available May through October and organized into five separate camps, taking just six guests each. The camps combine a Western lifestyle with an African safari formula: canvas suites with private baths, a communal dining pavilion with fireplace and fire pit, private camp chef, and butlers to help organize guest activities. Families and friends who prefer four walls between themselves and nature stay in enormous wood-and-stone villas with heated hardwood floors, fireplaces, leather furniture, huge flat-screen TVs, and panoramic windows; some of these homes come with outdoor hot tubs and tented bedrooms for kids.

All guests have the opportunity to hike, rappel, canoe, play paintball, take cooking classes, and more, but the main action is on-site fly-fishing and horseback riding for all levels on 100 miles of private trails or in a 23,000-square-foot equestrian arena; adults and kids 12 and up can help move small herds of Black Angus cattle on sample stock drives. If parents want private adventure time, kid wranglers entertain young’uns. In the evening, communal entertainment takes place in a renovated barn that serves as stock sales venue, dance floor, and movie theater. Despite the busy activity menu and flow of golf carts transporting guests to and fro, the ranch is large enough, and accommodation so widely spaced that guests can survey the landscape and not see anyone.

The Pacific Ocean is a force that calls to some to jump in and join the dolphins that frequent its waters. Temperatures are warmest in August and September, but wet suits are available to rent year-round. Go surfing or take a stand-up paddleboard lesson to more fully appreciate the SoCal spirit and connection to the waves. For a more passive yet still exhilarating way to enjoy the coast, you can parasail above the waves or join a sailing charter from Marina Del Rey.

We weren’t quite lucky to see the snowcapped covered mountains in the lovely lakeside village of Pokhara since we visited during monsoon season. But it was a perfect way to start our introduction to the area and cross over to the trail leading up to the Peace Pagoda. Pay a few ruppees, pack a picnic lunch and guide yourself around the serene Lake Phewa.

Overshadowed by its larger and more well-known cousins, Palenque and Chichén-Itzá, Uxmal (“Oosh-mahl”) is the ruins of an ancient Maya city located near present-day Campeche. In its heyday, Uxmal was one of the largest cities of the Yucatan peninsula with a population of about 25,000 Maya. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Ancient Maya architecture in this part of Mexico is referred to as Puuc architecture, and Uxmal is a prime example of this style. Though there are some Puuc structures in Chichén-Itzá, Uxmal is unique in all of Mexico. Puuc design is most notable for buildings with a plain lower façade and a richly decorated upper façade. Carvings most commonly found include serpents and latticework. Uxmal is dedicated to the Maya rain god, Chaac, and you can see his image everywhere. On the day we were here, it was blisteringly hot and humid; I could’ve used some rain! When I first laid eyes on the four buildings that make up the complex known as the Nunnery Quadrangle, I thought they were the most elegant Maya ruins I had ever seen. The clean lines of the buildings give them a modernity that is surprising considering Uxmal was built more than 1,000 years ago! The carvings on the upper facades are just spectacular and give the entire structure a very delicate feel. Uxmal is located close to Chichén-Itzá, so if you go to Chichén, consider going a bit further to visit Uxmal. You won’t regret it!

Farming roots in Arizona’s third-largest city run deep, and the Fresh Foodie Trail highlights this history. Participants get a hands-on (and delicious) learning experience with pasta-making courses that use ancient grains, foraging excursions, and visits to some of the area’s best farmers markets, food trucks, and farm-to-table eateries. The farms surrounding Mesa—including those in neighboring towns like Gilbert and Queen Creek—produce a dazzling seasonal bounty: citrus in January, peaches in May, olives in October, and heirloom wheat during the winter months. The tour is an appetizing way to learn why your food choices matter.

Let the Urubamba River set your course during a thrilling rafting adventure along the Ollantaytambo rapids, available through the Belmond. The river helped form what is now the Sacred Valley, and along the way you’ll not only sense its power, but also get a feel for some less visited corners of the region it created. You’ll pass towering eucalyptus trees and the ruins of Inca terraces and more as you make your way down river, ending with a picnic lunch before returning to the hotel by car. Photo by Rod Waddington/Flickr.

One of the most popular day trips from Reykjavík, this dramatic and scenic rift valley is both the historical site of Iceland’s Viking parliament and a geological wonder in its own right. Among the highlights are the Almannagjá cliffs, where the island’s chieftains and most of the Icelandic population traditionally congregated for an annual Alþing (general assembly), the last of which was held as recently as 1798. Wooden walkways around the park lead to other sites of interest like the black-roofed Þingvellir Church and Þingvallavatn, the largest natural lake in Iceland. There are also waterfalls, flower-filled valleys, and abundant wildlife. It is possible to organize a diving trip to explore the tectonic rift that divides the Eurasian and North American plates, and there’s a visitor center with great views and decent coffee as well as exhibitions and a gift shop.

Fragrant spice tours, ancient architecture, beaches as white as the inside of a coconut: Zanzibar is the stuff of travel legends. One of the many idyllic beaches to choose from in Zanzibar is Matemwe, which has a laid-back, village charm to it. Local women harvest seaweed in the shallows, kids run and play along the sand, and tourists dip in and out of the smattering of beachfront restaurants and shacks serving Swahili cuisine. About an hour’s drive from Stone Town, Matemwe is a place of pure relaxation, where you can wade in the balmy Indian Ocean or sit on the perfectly pale sand under the shade of the palm trees. Should the novelty of lazing about wear thin, head for the One Ocean dive center, which offers snorkeling and scuba-diving trips off the shore.

One of the most popular spots on the island, Cisco Brewers began as a winery 25 years ago and has now grown into a destination that showcases offerings from the Nantucket Vineyard, Triple Eight Vodka, and the Cisco Brewers beer label. Summer weekends there is a lively crowd listening to music and taking advantage of the food carts and raw bar. For a tour and a more intimate view of the production, visit during the week. There is a seasonal shuttle available and the new bike path makes Cisco all the more accessible.

Founded in 1979, the mission of this institution is clear—it’s committed to preserving, presenting, and interpreting art created after 1940. Its methods, however, are ever changing. Three distinct venues in the city shine a spotlight on forward-thinking artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. Start at the Grand Avenue location, arriving right at the 11 a.m. opening for a chance to contemplate Mark Rothko’s emotional color studies in peace. After exploring work by such artists as Robert Rauschenberg, Joan Miró, and Nijideka Akunyili Crosby (who created the mural that wraps around the building), grab lunch from Lemonade café to enjoy in the Sculpture Plaza. One mile away, the same general admission ticket gets you entry to the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, which opened in Little Tokyo in 1983 after a renovation of a former police car warehouse by Frank Gehry; today, it hosts the museum’s more experimental exhibits. Architecture aficionados should also visit the third location, the MOCA Pacific Design Center, about 10 miles away in West Hollywood. (A fourth MOCA location, called Double Negative, requires much more of a detour—it’s a work of land art by Michael Heizer in the middle of the Nevada desert.) Art talks, screenings, and live music alongside food trucks make MOCA Grand and Geffen as much social venues as they are cultural ones. Pro tip: For an in-depth look at the collections, book the completely customizable educator-led tour (request a couple weeks ahead). For a livelier experience, visit on a Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m., when admission is free.

If Mandapa, “temple” in Sanskrit, feels more like a community than a hotel, that’s because it is. The resort occupies 24 green acres on a property previously owned by a group of neighboring families, who retain access to the land and its on-site temple. As a result, it maintains three acres of rice paddies and a traditional rice barn on stilts, and the villagers bring daily offerings to the temple, giving Mandapa a strong connection to local culture.




The hotel’s open-air lobby sits 300 feet above the Ayung River valley, overlooking 35 hillside suites with views of the jungle and rice paddies and 25 villas along the flowing river. The suites are furnished with traditional Balinese pieces and artwork and stand-alone soaking tubs, while the high-ceilinged villas, decorated with vividly colored botanical panels, have large pools and separate master suites.





Everywhere, local materials and design elements feature prominently, from the thatched roofs to the fringed umbrellas that shade the lounge chairs by the pool. The riverside spa is another place to discover Balinese products through deeply relaxing treatments and spiritual ones with a local healer, too. Five dining and drinking outlets include fine-dining restaurant Kubu, a spot for high tea, a cocktail and dinner venue called Ambar, and Sawah Terrace, where Sundays feature a Royal Brunch. Ubud’s center is only 10 minutes by car, but the guided vintage VW convertible tours on offer are arguably the best way to get around. From $1,250