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Set on the banks of White Rock Lake, this 66-acre sanctuary offers scenic trails, blooming gardens, and peaceful green spaces for when you want some quiet time with nature—plus kids’ areas, holiday events, and a packed calendar of festivals and concerts for when it’s time for something a bit livelier. Take in the vibrant hues of the Jonsson Color Garden, Crape Myrtle Allee, and gardens dedicated to roses and camellias, or do some contemplating in the Palmer Fern Dell or the McCasland Sunken Garden. Opened in 2017, A Tasteful Place is a 3.5-acre garden focusing on fruit, veggies, and edible herbs and flowers; tastings, demo, nutrition sessions, and cooking classes are held throughout the year. Don’t miss some of the main section’s events, too, such as the annual Dallas Blooms fest and summer concert series.

Recognizable by the gaggle of camera-toting tourists who routinely gather to gawk at one of Amsterdam‘s funniest shop windows, The Condomerie proffers colorful condoms and other contraceptive methods in all shapes, sizes, flavors and colors, as well as a selection of erotic paraphernalia. To celebrate holidays, sports matches and other special events, fancy condoms are sometimes displayed as soccer teams and in other unlikely scenes. You’re in luck if you want your dick to look like a black cactus, Santa or the Statue of Liberty. Purchase a Fun Pack or other sexy souvenir for that boyfriend back home or pick up a Trial Pack to experiment with different condom brands, sizes and textures. Size does matter here, and you can order custom condoms based on measurements you submit of your erect penis (directions available online). Set on Warmoesstraat just off the famed Red Light District—where much of the erotic action happens—The Condomerie was founded in 1987 by two savvy women concerned about the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually-transmitted diseases. The shop’s knowledgeable sales people contribute to a fun approach to responsible sex that makes it a pleasure to play it safe between the sheets.

What started as one man’s simple hobby has turned into a Houston landmark that attracts visitors from across the country: The Beer Can House. Back in 1968, owner John Milkovisch, a retired upholsterer for Southern Pacific Railroad, realized he really enjoyed drinking beer but was tired of throwing his cans away. Instead, he decided to recycle them as decorations for his house, from aluminum beer-can siding to beer can garland that hangs from the roof’s edge. Now, 50,000 cans later, it’s a stunning work of art that stands as a testament to, well, beer. Admission is $5; children 12 and under are free. From June through August, the Beer Can House is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 12-5pm. From September through May, it’s open Saturdays and Sundays from 2-6pm. The Beer Can House is closed on most major holidays.

High above English Harbour in Nelson’s Dockyard National Park sits the Blockhouse, a brick ruin. On a perch overlooking the southeastern coast of Antigua, the circa-1787 site encompasses an officer’s quarters and those of servants, as well as stables. An ammunition-storage space, a catchment and a cistern have been restored in recent years.

In Oaxaca, religious celebrations leading up to Easter tend to be quite somber, which is appropriate considering what the days commemorate. Although a lot of people take advantage of the two-week school break to go to the beach, those who stay in town partake of these somewhat mournful observances. Silent religious processions and passion plays are commonly held on Good Friday. Easter Sunday is generally a quiet day, but there are some festive celebrations that take place. In front of the church in Etla people carry religious images draped with flowers. Bands play music, and the people carrying the images dance around as they balance the weight on their shoulders.

As you drive into Leavenworth, you’ll see a steep drop on one side of the road, and below it, a golf course. The Enzian Falls Putting Course features 18 holes of natural bent grass greens with panoramic views of the river, waterfalls, streams and the surrounding mountains. It’s owned by the Enzian Inn, and guests of the Enzian Inn and Alpine Rivers Inn receive a complimentary round of golf. The course is open April through October, seven days a week, weather permitting, but more experienced golfers may prefer to head to the nearby Leavenworth Golf Club for a bigger challenge.

In 1993, the folks at Atlanta Brewing Company opened their doors as the city and state’s first craft brewery. Although they’ve changed their name to Red Brick, named for the brick warehouse they now call home, they’re still staying true to the original concept. Hoplanta and Laughing Skull Ale, named after The Vortex Bar and Grill, are the two year-round brews but the brewery also creates award winning seasonal selections. Their Chocolate Cherry Porter and Dog Days Ale are favorites. Red Brick is open for tours and tastings Wednesday through Saturday and each night of the week has something different to offer. Wednesday nights are half priced for college students with valid IDs, Thursday is trivia and Friday is live music.

Fitzgerald’s has been around since 1977, and has hosted some of the biggest names in music—like James Brown, Tina Turner, and the Ramones—in addition to giving a start to many local bands. The first floor of the two-story building has a full bar, small stage, and large back cobblestone patio with a separate bar. Upstairs is the main stage, accompanied by a full bar, balcony seating, and an inviting hardwood dance floor. Buy tickets online or at the door for shows several nights a week.

Treehouse Truck in Orlando, FL is a local food truck roaming the streets throughout Central Florida. If you’re lucky, you might even find them in Ft. Lauderdale or Miami! Known for some jaw dropping menu items, they have some other must try items. “Rachel’s Goat Cheese Burger” is quickly becoming a favorite amongst many local Orlando folks. This is a burger topped with Goat Cheese, Tomato, Fresh Arugula, and drizzled with a Balsamic Glaze served on a Toasted Bun. Treehouse Truck should be on your list of “must dos” if you are traveling to Orlando on vacation. If you are lucky enough to live here, you are lucky enough to be able to eat at Treehouse Truck almost any day of the week.

The food truck revolution is coming to Brussels and a great introduction is Keep On Toasting. Keep On Toasting travels around Brussels, serving up gourmet toasties, toasted sandwiches inspired by the traditional croque monsieur. These are far from your Mom’s grilled cheese sandwiches though. Owner and chef, Jean Baptiste Nyssen, creates four new sandwiches a week. He hand picks the best local and organic ingredients he can find. Pictured here is his Croq-British - A perfect breakfast sandwich, containing chopped up boiled egg, lardons (bacon), green beans and Stilton cheese. His veggie goat-cheese and lentil sandwich blew my mind and with inspirations from the Alps to India, there is sure to be a sandwich for you.

Residents and visitors alike drive out to the western edge of Tucson on most evenings. The area averages 350 sunny days a year, so viewing the sunset is almost always a possibility. Summer evenings are predictably hot, but you’re in for a technicolor show if the monsoon clouds are just right. Gates Pass is the preferred spot. Mid-week evenings, you can sometimes have the vista almost to yourself. From the middle of the city, head west on Speedway. It curves up into the Tucson Mountains after fifteen or twenty minutes, and you won’t miss the Pass. Cacti, mountains, and sky: some clichés just don’t get old...

A 2010 renovation transformed a traditional lodge into a 12-room inn that’s both cutting- edge and cozy. Built by the former Olympic skier Gerardo Mussner in 1963, the hotel is now run by Gerardo’s daughters. His wife, Helga, serves South Tirolean dishes such as almond-crusted venison. In 2010, the hotel was reimagined with larch wood, glass, and local stones that match the mountains. The curved roof stands out against the peaks. A 758-mile network of 12 ski areas, Dolomiti Superski is just five minutes away. The closest section, Val Gardena, hosts two Alpine Ski World Cup events in December. From $2,284 per week. 39/471-795-274. This appeared in the November/December 2012 issue.

Tucked behind a religious statue behind the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Tafuna, you’ll find one of the island’s several tia seu lupe, or star mounds. This example, three meters (almost 10 feet) high, is one of the best-preserved and most easily accessible of these mysterious configurations. Believed to have been used in a ritual by tribal chiefs to capture pigeons for an unknown rite, these stepped-stone structures are similar to others found throughout Polynesia.

Hidden in the center of a quiet neighborhood between the main thoroughfares of Avenida Tulum and Avenida Yaxchilán, this area has been a top gathering spot for Cancún families for decades, especially after sunset on weekends. Despite the “Parque” nomenclature, Las Palapas is really more of a plaza than a park, with a playground, cartloads of artisan-made souvenirs, and weekly entertainment on its palapa-roofed outdoor stage. At the perimeter lie cheap street-food options aglow in neon, such as esquites (corn kernels doused with mayonnaise, lime, and sauces), churros, and marquesitas (crispy crêpe-like rolls). For a full meal, there’s also a small outdoor food court selling classic Yucatecan dishes such as panuchos (a tortilla piled with black beans and toppings) and salbutes (a puffy tortilla topped with pulled chicken, lettuce, avocado, and other toppings).

Don’t let Portland’s low-key, outdoorsy-hipster vibe fool you: the Heathman Hotel is as grown-up and refined as they come. Opened in 1927 as an expansion of one of the city’s grande dame hotels, the Heathman continues to set the standard for classic luxury in the City of Roses. Rather than rest on its laurels, though, the hotel has consistently upped the ante, collecting a museum-worthy array of modern art (including a handful of Warhols alongside works by acclaimed local artists), boasting one of the most impressive collections of autographed books in the world, and offering guests a choice of mattress in the sumptuous rooms. Indeed, so famously decadent and romantic is the Heathman, with its award-winning restaurant and almost-nightly live jazz in the bar, that it was used as the setting for several of the rendezvous in E.L. James’ infamous Fifty Shades of Grey—although, for most guests, the original crystal chandeliers and marble fireplaces inspire magic enough.