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Modern luxury meets southern hospitality at the Four Seasons Hotel, where the emphasis on service means no detail is too small. Have your loafers born the brunt of marathon city tours? The hotel provides free overnight shoe shines. Want to impress the little ones? Family-friendly touches such as a mini check-in desk, kid-sized robes, and sponge letters arranged around the bathtub to spell out children’s names won’t disappoint. No one would fault you for hunkering down in your plush neutral-hued room, which couples a marble bathroom, complete with deep soaking tub, separate shower, and C.O. Bigelow products, with sweeping views of Midtown, plus one sweet feature: chocolate-chip cookie delivery before bedtime. But there’s plenty of motivation to venture out, including a spa with an interactive aroma bar, a moody gray lounge inspired by beloved Wes Anderson character Margot Tennenbaum, and Park 75, a seasonal restaurant that utilizes ingredients pulled straight from the hotel’s terrace garden.

Inspired by the famous Fox Theatre—the Moorish-style movie palace turned performance venue is just across the street—Hotel Indigo Atlanta Midtown strikes a musical note at every turn. The experience begins at reception, where the desk resembles a drum set and a collage of show tickets from the past 30 years decorates the wall behind it. Guest rooms riff on the theme with accent wall murals that make it look like you’re either attending a concert or starring on stage, but the overall vibe is playful comfort, with pops of green on the quilts, spa-like baths with Aveda products, flat-screen TVs, and free WiFi. If you find yourself hankering for soul food, the chicken and waffles at the on-site restaurant should do the trick, but don’t pass up a drink at the black-and-white bar counter, which looks like the keys of a piano and is backed by a wine display that evokes the inner workings of a jukebox.

Atlanta is ripe with farmer’s markets and the Freedom Farmer’s Market, held weekly from March to December at the Carter Center, is one of the better ones. It has less stalls than others around town, but many of the vendors come from much further away to showcase their goods. Grab a warm pastry from the Star Provisions tent and a pour over coffee from 1000 Faces Coffee of Athens to sip as you wander the stalls. Bring your own bag to take home your haul of produce. Each week a local restaurant holds a pop up tent to showcase a unique dish only available there. You may even see former president Jimmy Carter walking around!

This airy, elegant Richmond eatery celebrates the fusion of French and southern-central Vietnamese cultures in its look and menu. Chef/owner Lan Do and her team painstakingly bake baguettes daily and simmer beef bones for 12 to 15 hours for the pho stock, enriched by onion, ginger, shallots, star anise, cinnamon and cardamom. Another standout: the banh khot, petite savory rice crepes tinged with turmeric that cradle shrimp. Finish with macrons and a TWG tea from Singapore. Note: Bánh Mì Très Bon has slightly elevated prices for a restaurant tucked near the Walmart Super Centre, but that’s only because it sources as locally, sustainably and organically as possible—the same nutritious food Do would serve her own family.

Near the Dominican Republic’s northwestern border with Haiti, the city of Montecristo, and El Morro National Park, this 12-room lodge makes a great base for exploring subtropical forestland and boating through mangroves. Warm woods, neutral tones, and black-and-white photos decorate the lovely understated guestrooms, while comfy loungers and lush greenery surround the bean-shaped pool. Spend your days bird-watching in the national park, deep-sea fishing, kayaking, or snorkeling off the cactus-covered Seven Brothers Island, then head back to the hotel for traditional Dominican dishes at El Morro, wood-fired pizzas at Restaurant Bubí, or drinks at the lobby bar.

Near the far northeastern tip of Bequia, the Sugar Reef Café is a breezy spot just steps from the crashing sea. Here, diners can enjoy healthy, locally sourced dishes for both lunch and dinner, from fish roti with mango chutney and papaya-black-bean salsa, to blackened chicken and Callaloo lasagna with Caribbean spinach and rosemary. Sugar Reef’s own estate produces the honey and fruit, while St. Vincent farmers and fisherman are responsible for the fresh produce, meat, and fish. The restaurant even uses coconut milk instead of dairy and coconut oil for frying. Daytime is casual, while evening brings a more romantic vibe.

Though Luang Prabang earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 1995 for its fusion of traditional Lao and European colonial architecture, the city’s most dazzling structures are most certainly its shimmering, gold-adorned temples. Many are worth seeing, but the grandest is Wat Xieng Thong (Temple of the Golden City), located in the historic part of the city near the tip of the peninsula. Built in the 16th century, the temple features gilded wooden doors that recount the life of Buddha. When visiting, be sure to also check out the rest of the complex, which features a monastery, pagodas, shrines, and residences.

About a two-hour drive from Reykjavik, Hotel Budir’s remote location makes it popular with visitors hoping to spot the Northern Lights. Situated near a windswept beach beside the mighty Snaefellsness glacier, the property’s raw natural surroundings contrast beautifully with its romantic interiors, which pair features like leather and velvet furnishings and polished wooden floors with decorative touches that include sepia photos, stocked bookshelves, and picture windows perfect for enjoying the scenery. The rooms skew more modern, with earthy tones and contemporary furniture. The hotel restaurant is by far the best in the area, and the bar is cozy enough to encourage lounging. Upstairs is a common area with sofas, a fireplace, and yet more great views.

Maria e Susanna Sent has several shops where they sell their glass jewelry, the cutest one of them all just off the Ponte San Moisè in San Marco. This boutique is about as big as a broom closet, and that is certainly part of its charm. The real impact, though, comes from the jewelry this artistic duo started creating on the island of Murano back in 1993. Their line of mostly necklaces and bracelets is made in a unique process that creates murrine and filigree glass and plates in glass fusion. They also have shops in Murano and in Dorsoduro near the Peggy Guggenheim Museum.

When I first moved to the island, I joined a friend in the Old City for a tour and lesson on the history of Puerto Rico. When passing by this little section of town near Pigeon Park, my friend and native-turned-tour-guide said that this was the smallest house in Old San Juan. Wow, okay, so this little yellow portion is technically a house? I’ve visited this site several more times since then and have never actually seen anyone enter or leave this door. Whether it’s true or not, it makes for a cool story and great photo.

Step back into the 1800s when you tour the Bowles House Museum. Thanks to the Westminster Historical Society, this home, located near a smattering of industrial buildings, was preserved and placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was once owned by Edward Bruce Bowles, who drove cattle westward in 1863 and eventually became a homesteader. He was known for breeding fine horses. Besides touring the home, the grounds are well kept and beautiful. But it’s only open for tours on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and by appointment from Dec. 31 through April 20.

Much of Mexico City’s fervid contemporary art movement—galleries and collectors abound; the scene is now a launching pad for Mexican artists looking to conquer the world—can be traced to art patron Eugenio López Alonso, heir to the Jumex packaged-juice fortune, who over decades has amassed Latin America’s most extensive contemporary art collection and brought dozens of artists to the international spotlight. The collection’s flagship museum, itself a work of art by the British architect David Chipperfield, is a surprisingly intimate exhibition space that supports a rotating calendar of shows; the basement bookstore will delight bibliophiles and design freaks alike. Right nearby lies the Museo Soumaya, whose dramatic architectural form (which earned it the nickname “the Blender”) makes up for a collection some consider erratic.

Fusing the trends of sushi and build-your-own grain bowls, Sweetfin in Santa Monica, has created a customizable poke destination that is convenient, cost effective and creative at its core. The Hawaiian raw fish dish traditionally combines cubed tuna, rice, shoyu sauce, and veggies—but Sweetfin’s menu provides multiple ways to mix and match your fish of choice, base, add-ons, and sauce. You can start with a completely blank slate to create your own masterpiece, or, if options are overwhelming, you can begin with a pre-made signature bowl like the Mango Albacore with ponzu-lime sauce, macadamia nuts and ginger. Make sure to experiment with toppings including wasabi toasted coconut, charred habanero, and pickled shiitake mushrooms. No matter your choice, everything from the sauces to ice tea is homemade and gluten- and dairy-free, so you’ll feel as fresh as the nearby ocean breeze. Sweetfin started a poke revolution in L.A., and has since expanded on its OG Santa Monica location to Woodland Hills, Larchmont, Westwood, West Hollywood, DTLA, Silverlake, Venice Beach, and San Diego.

Masullo Pizza is my idea of the perfect pizza place in the U.S.—the servers are friendly, the interior is stylish, the food honors what is local and seasonal, and the pizza is outstanding. Robert Masullo, the owner, takes pizza seriously, using a combination of expert technique and carefully picked ingredients to create beautifully simple and delicious pizzas. Greatness continues with the rest of the menu: the appetizers, salads (which change with what’s in season—I was once told that the oranges were from his friend’s tree), desserts, and selection of local wines and beers. Their freshly baked bread (shown above) is sold at nearby Taylor’s Market. I have loved Masullo since it opened about 5 years ago. Then again, I love just about anything from Italy—especially authentic Italian pizza. Masullo Pizza is located in the cute Land Park neighborhood just south of downtown. Outdoor seating is available. Open all day 11:30-9:00 on weekdays (until 9:30 Fridays) and 5:00-9:30 on Saturdays. Closed Sundays.

Centro Cocina Mexicana showcases the regional foods of Mexico with fresh ingredients made in-house every day. Here you are likely to find Mexican dishes you have never heard of, all with bright, vibrant flavors. From Oaxacan mole and fish tacos to enchiladas with corn and zucchini, the food here is never boring. Centro is proud of its tequila, and the bar offers more than 150 kinds. Fruit-infused tequilas are made in the back of the restaurant, and some are on display behind the bar—look for the glass containers with colorful cut fruit inside. Some favorite tequila infusions are strawberry-pineapple and vanilla-pear. Centro is located in the Sutter District, named for the nearby historic Sutter’s Fort, on a lively block of J Street in Midtown Sacramento. Grab a table outside or by the window, enjoy drinks and small plates at Happy Hour, and watch local residents gathering for the evening here or at one of the other trendy neighborhood establishments.