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A 100-foot schooner based in Bequia, The Friendship Rose takes passengers on daylong cruises to Tobago Cays for snorkeling and swimming with sea turtles, or Mustique for beaching, bar hopping, and relaxing. Excursions include breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and drinks throughout the day, including beer, fruit punch, and soft drinks. Whether you opt for the marine park or the private island, the entire family is sure to enjoy the experience.

This lively beachside restaurant overlooks the yachts moored in Portsmouth’s sweeping Prince Rupert’s Bay. Retire here after swimming and lounging on the black sands for a cold Kubuli beer or cherry punch, plus ribs, lobster, and coconut shrimp. Make sure to also try side dishes like boiled yam, taro, or sweet potatoes, sometimes livened by plantains and breadfruit—these heavy carbs once fueled Caribbean slaves and remain a staple in Dominica.

Why we love it: A sprawling retreat offering high design and a beachfront location

The Highlights:

• Guest rooms with private plunge pools or whirlpools
• The only Thalasso therapy wellness spa in Baja
• Five separate pools, plus 4,000 square feet of beachfront

The Review
Though the Baja Peninsula has welcomed a slew of luxury properties over the past few years, it seems the 128-room Solaz is only in competition with itself. First, there are the sophisticated stone-and-wood interiors, which balance high-tech details (remote controlled lighting) and luxe amenities (outdoor showers, private plunge pools) with locally sourced decor and wall sculptures by Mexican artist César López Negrete.

Guests even have the option to add personal butler service, which can arrange everything from swimming with whale sharks to ordering a bottle of local wine from the property’s wine cellar. Outdoors, the landscaping features endemic desert plants like agave and cacti, with a hardly a palm tree in sight.

Then there’s the spa, a 10,000-square-foot refuge that features the region’s only Thalasso therapy seawater treatments and a Himalayan salt igloo. Five pools (including two sleek infinity ones that overlook the Sea of Cortez), four dining outlets (a Mexican breakfast spot, a seafood restaurant, a poolside cafe, and a coffee lounge), a beachfront fitness center, and 4,000 square feet of white-sand shoreline complete the desert dream.

While in Cape Town, be sure to take the red bus route and head to Camps Bay Beach. Camps Bay is a beautiful spot to enjoy dinner and watch the sunset for a perfect way to end the day. Many restaurants have outdoor seating facing the beach so you can enjoy a bottle of delicious South African wine while admiring the last rays of sun in the afternoon. Camps Bay has really cool rock formations and the views of the Twelve Apostles mountain chain.

This oval-shaped atoll in the Tuamotu island group strung across the South Pacific Ocean some 300 kilometers from Tahiti is covered in pink and China white sand and surrounded by a jaw-droppingly beautiful turquoise, jade, and cerulean hued lagoon and is considered to have the best beaches in all of French Polynesia. Most are empty – it has a Robinson Crusoe vibe and still remains mostly undeveloped.

Beyond the sand you’ll find excellent snorkeling and even surfing in spots where the reef breaks. For scuba you’ll want to head to the magnificent Tuheiva Pass, where you’ll likely encounter sharks and manta rays. Lagoon excursions are also popular, and allow you to snorkel in the out-of-this world hued waters.

The Tikehau Pearl Beach Resort is the most exclusive place to sleep on the island, but there are also a number of excellent small family-run guesthouses right on the beach for those wanting to experience its “paradise lost” ambiance at more affordable rates.

Air Tahiti flies to Tikehau from Tahiti daily.

The main branch of the New York Public Library is one of the country’s grandest Beaux Arts buildings, a temple to learning on Fifth Avenue between 40th and 42nd streets. At the end of the 19th century, John Bigelow, who oversaw the Tilden Trust, decided that as New York was becoming a global financial capital, it required a grand public library. When the Astor and Lenox libraries faced financial difficulties, he convinced them to merge and, with the Tilden Trust, underwrite the library that now stands next to Bryant Park. The firm of Carrère and Hastings was entrusted with the design, and construction began in 1902 on the building that would be the largest marble structure built up to that time in the United States. The elegant main reading room with its soaring carved-wood ceilings is the highlight of its interiors. The library hosts temporary exhibitions related to literary and cultural topics that draw on its extensive collection of books and other printed materials. The two beloved lions in Tennessee marble—Patience and Fortitude—have stood at the entrance to the library since it opened in 1911 and were created by sculptor Edward Clark Potter.

Opened in 1916, this Upcountry Maui icon draws hordes of locals and savvy tourists with its racks of sweets, including legendary cream puffs and amazing stick doughnuts. The menu here also features pies, rolls, bread, cookies, cupcakes, turnovers, and irresistible guava malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts), but the bakery is best known for its Long Johns—yeast-risen pastry bars coated with glaze or icing. Go early, as the crowds pick the trays bare by 10 a.m., and be sure to check out the memorabilia of bygone eras tucked among the postcards, pantry staples, and fishing gear for sale.

For a decade and a half now, Tucsonans have been coming here for fresh-baked bread...and much much more. Get some challah French toast in the morning...or a chicken-green-chile omelette...and no shortage of croissants and scones... Mid-day, if you want one of the best sandwiches around, try the “Everything Reuben,” which won 2nd place in the World Food Championships in Las Vegas last year-- corned beef, vinegar slaw, Swiss cheese and house made Russian dressing on a fresh pretzel roll... Summer brings gazpacho, zesty and cold... ...and every Friday, there’s BABKA! Cinnamon or chocolate--(I pick the chocolate every time)--in a big ‘loaf’ or as a shareable ‘baby babka'--it’s an unexpected big-city-bakery taste here in the Southwest desert. Note the cycling gear on the wall--yes, they sponsor the spandex-clad, those helmeted pelotons who definitely earn their carbs...(Tucson is one of the nation’s biking meccas.) Ahh, “Tucson Born and bread,” read the jerseys and socks... The patio has mountain views and misters to counter the ‘dry heat.’ Years ago, when I first visited Tucson before deciding to move here, this was one of our stops--one of those places that makes you think ‘yeah, I could live here...’

There’s no shortage of outstanding places to eat in Avignon, but this small husband-and-wife-run restaurant is one of the best. Here, the well-priced menu focuses on local dishes made with seasonal produce, from pumpkin-and-butternut-squash soup with chorizo croutons to fillet of Iberian pork in cider-and-apple jus. Whatever you choose, be sure to finish with one of the delectable desserts, like banana pie with caramel and whipped cream.

Waikiki and the North Shore get most of the attention on the island of Oahu, and for good reason. Oahu is the surfing capital of the world and has something to offer every skill level, but hiking on the island of Oahu is one of its best-kept secrets! One of my favorite hikes is the Lanipo Trail. It is a a strenuous 7.5 mile (12 km) hike that can take 4 to 6 hours depending on conditions (I would not recommend doing this hike when it’s wet), but the scenery and experience offered by this hike is definitely worth the effort! The hike along the Mauna Lani Heights ridge, above the neighborhood of Kaimuki, offers breathtaking views of the island and Honolulu. The terrain is diverse, and at times you are hiking on steep boulders, and others navigating thick jungle. There is one section of the trail that carves through tall bamboo that clank together when the wind blows—like a natural wind chime. You will not be disappointed with the summit and the sense of accomplishment that you feel when you get there!

Established in 1993, Dawson Cole Fine Art is one of Laguna’s top galleries, with works by such big names as Picasso, Matisse, Chuck Close, Wayne Thiebaud, and more. Here, the focus is on contemporary and modern art, with everything from sculpture to drawings to prints on display. When you’re done browsing the showroom, head out back to the stunning sculpture garden, where you can check out even more art while soaking up the California sunshine.

For the best views in Gardiner, pop down onto the big patio at the Iron Horse Bar & Grill and gaze out over the river, mountains, and unspoilt terrain of Montana and Yellowstone National Park. Order up a heaping pile of elk nachos, a few craft beers, a hulking bison meatloaf, and perhaps a mulberry margarita or two, and chill on Gardiner’s only real cowboy pation. Keep an eye out for bears on the banks of the river.

Both Hilo and Kona have quaint downtown areas with small shops and cafes. Kona has been updated more recently to accommodate travelers who predominantly stay on the Kona side of the Big Island. With coffee shops, restaurants like the Kona Canoe Club and Mahina Pizza, and shops including the Pacific Fine Art Gallery and ABC Stores, you can spend an entire day browsing for Aloha shirts, art, and souvenirs before enjoying the sunset from one of Kailua-Kona’s many beachside restaurants.

A favorite live music venue among locals and tourists in Negril, MXIII attracts a variety of big and smaller names onto its outdoor stage throughout the year. It also hosts the well-known annual Bob Marley Birthday Bash festival in February. Located on the cliffside of Negril, the venue is run by active, longtime resident entrepreneurs who are passionate about keeping the West End’s authenticity and entertainment vibe alive. Look for posters around town or billboards outside the venue for upcoming performances.

Best thing about the European Christmas markets is the street food. This is “Tartiflette”, a French dish from the Haute Savoie region of France. It is made with just a few ingredients - potatoes, reblochon cheese, lardons and onions, and you can have a serving or more at the Bruges Christmas market. You cannot pass by it without getting some. In this cold weather it’s just what the doctor ordered. Six euro will get you a portion big enough to share with another person. Really yummy.