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Head to this jetty near the Golden Gate Yacht Club in the Marina district and simply listen. The Wave Organ, a wave-activated sculpture made of granite and marble culled from the demolished Laurel Hill Cemetery, provides an enchanting experience. As waves roll in and crash against 20 pipes that extend out into the water, the sound is amplified, creating a liquid symphony of gurgles, rumbling, whooshing, and swishing. The balance of high- and low-pitched sounds is both entertaining and strangely profound. A bonus: The views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge never get old.

There’s a pleasing bit of cognitive dissonance happening at Meliá Hanoi. Housed within a green-glass, part-cylindrical tower, the hotel tempers sleek European-style hospitality (think streamlined gray and cream furnishings and high-tech amenities like flat-screen TVs and satellite channels) with touches of local influence: depictions of pagodas and traditional gateways figure in giant murals along the walls and central column in the lobby, and lantern-inspired pendant lighting hangs in the guest rooms. The hotel sits in theHoan Kiem district, within walking distance of the lake and the Old Quarter, making it an ideal base for urban exploration, but there’s also plenty on site to keep you occupied, from the Mediterranean buffet and the palm-fringed outdoor swimming pool to the fitness center and Marquee Club, a nighttime haunt that attracts young Hanoians intent on drinking and dancing into the wee hours.

To stay at this three-story courtyard hotel in the historical heart of the Latin Quarter is to be surrounded by intellectual giants: the ghosts of figures such as René Descartes or James Joyce, who each lived nearby, and by present-day students and teachers at the most elite universities and high schools of Paris. The youngsters’ extracurriculars—café lounging, bar hopping, and vintage record, book, and clothes shopping—give the quarter a unique mix of history and life.

Hotel des Grandes Ecoles occupies three 19th-century houses along a private cobbled passageway leading to a courtyard garden. Old-fashioned in the best sense, one of the charms of the place is that the compound feels like an escape to a French granny’s country cottage. Small by American standards, rooms done in toile or floral fabrics exude classic Gallic charm; French cotton lace and matelasse drapes the sitting tables and beds. Bathrooms are immaculate but simple, with either shower or bathtub and toilet.

A former railway hotel that first opened in 1895, this 500-acre property on Kenmare Bay hosted Charles de Gaulle and Irish hero Eamon de Valera in its heyday. Those two would be surprised at Parknasilla Resort’s current iteration, which feels somewhat American, at least in a smattering of villas and lodges with open plans and oversize suburban-home-style furniture. The rooms in the main house are more traditionally Irish, with dark-wood beds, antique china and Waterford Crystal vases and lamps, and brocade-upholstered armchairs. They’re a bit old-fashioned, but there’s something comforting about that—as there is in the obliging staff, a group with the easy, effective air of seasoned experts. They’re particularly accommodating for families, and spacious villas make the hotel a good place for vacations with young kids or a bunch of cousins; there’s even a special spa menu for kids.

Willow trees surround the hotel and 12-hole golf course; the hotel’s name comes from the Irish phrase Pairc na Saileac, which means “field of willow trees.”

Nicer than your average hostel, cooler than the typical chain hotel—this buzzy hybrid offers hostel-style dorms and more traditional accommodations in a 1930s Art Deco building on Reykjavik’s main drag. Designed by hotelier-owner Klaus Ortlieb (of New York’s Gotham Hotel and London’s Claridge’s), the hostel rooms are simple but smart, featuring metal-frame bunk beds, designer armchairs and sofas, and wood tables. The 18 hotel rooms are much more impressive, with elegant coffee-and-cream color schemes, king-size beds draped in Lissadell linens, and en suite bathrooms with C.O. Bigelow products. Most also come with private balconies that look out over colorful rooftops and mountain landscapes. The old-fashioned lobby and bar area—which is strewn with antique furnishings, exotic wall hangings, and leather sofas and armchairs—is a popular hangout for the city’s bright young things, but if you’re looking for something more low-key there’s an on-site movie theater with a carefully chosen selection of Icelandic films.

Mexico City’s answer to the Champs-Élysées, the wide, tree-and-statuary-adorned Paseo de la Reforma was first known as the Paseo de la Emperatriz, laid out as a ceremonial lane to take Their Majesties Maximilian and Carlota between the Centro’s government palaces and the imperial residence atop Chapultepec Hill. Today, it functions as one of the city’s most striking business districts, lined with skyscraper banks, offices, apartment towers, and shopping centers, and studded with old-fashioned traffic circles that add big-city excitement. Be sure to hit the roundabout that’s home to Mexico’s Monument of Independence—a beautifully carved column crowned by a gilt, winged Victory that has come to symbolize the city. Great for strolls day or night, Reforma is especially appealing on Sundays when the boulevard is closed to motorized traffic in favor of cyclists, skaters, and just plain walkers.

After 30 years at the forefront of Sydney‘s fine-dining scene, Quay Restaurant underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation and reopened in 2018. The restaurant swapped white linens for Tasmanian spotted-gum wood tabletops and exchanged the previous purple-and-gold palette for blues, grays, and browns that better reflect Quay’s harborfront location facing the Sydney Opera House. Executive chef Peter Gilmore loosened up his menu, too, offering either six or 10 inventive courses such as the Oyster Intervention—a crumble of oyster cream, crushed fried dehydrated oysters, chicken skin, tapioca, and caviar served in a ceramic oyster shell—creating a dish that’s all bivalve flavor without the slippery texture. Fans of the old Snow Egg dessert will be won over by White Coral: a multitextured masterpiece of aerated ganache, coconut cream, and ice cream.

Anyone taking diligent notes on Portland decor is sure to notice similarities in design from location to location beyond a love for taxidermy. Much of that Rose City decorating style emanates from Schoolhouse Electric. Located in a 115-year-old redbrick warehouse and factory building in an industrial part of the city’s West Side, Schoolhouse Electric sells everything from perfect reproductions of 1960s-era IBM clocks to more vintage sconces and analogue clocks than you can shake a stick at. The store’s Ristretto Roasters coffee bar provides a caffeine boost when your energy for curated doorknobs reaches its limit.

After hearing so much about the huge Municipal Market in downtown Sao Paulo, I was excited to visit a slightly smaller version in Lapa, one of Sao Paulo’s central districts. I wanted to see not just the array of food but also Brazilians going about their daily routines. The market didn’t disappoint.

Like their European counterparts, Brazil’s indoor markets serve as a one-stop shop where people can eat, drink coffee, and buy fresh produce, meats, cheeses, and even gifts. During my two visits to this market, I watched as salted cod and huge Kalamata olives were chosen for a Sunday feast. I tasted cheeses and bought fresh fruits. I waited while my in-laws picked out party decorations. I watched vendors busily working and yelling to each other. I also watched vendors stop and interact with my children, and I chatted with old women about my kids--Brazilians love kids and enjoy conversation.

For a slice of Brazilian life and a close-up view of Brazilian food, this locals-only market is worth a stop.

Fans of Georgia O’Keeffe should definitely book a stay at this quaint adobe hotel in her old painting grounds. Not only is there a well-stocked gift shop where you can buy O’Keeffe prints and books, the property arranges tours of her home and studio, and is located near the Ghost Ranch retreat center and the White Place rock formations, both of which the artist loved to paint. Wood-beam ceilings and New Mexico antiques adorn rooms. Request one of the cottages with wood-burning Kiva fireplaces, or if you come in winter and book economy like I did, you’ll likely get upgraded to a nice room with a gas fireplace. My best meal in New Mexico was also enjoyed here. I ordered trout stuffed with corn pancakes and a chardonnay from nearby Black Mesa winery. My partner’s chili rellenos with green chili and Monk’s Ale—brewed at the Christ of the Desert Monastery about an hour away—were also tasty. It was a lovely introduction to the beautiful state.

Brooklyn Flea has enriched the city landscape with a contemporary spin to the traditional concept of a flea market. Find beauty in unexpected places at the Flea. With a range of vendors of antiques and vintage clothing, a selection of jewelry, art and crafts by local artisans, as well as food, there’s something for everyone. It is open to the public outdoors from April through November, on Saturdays in Fort Greene and on Sundays in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and indoors from Thanksgiving to March.

To say St. George’s has a rough past is an understatement. It was christened as Notre Dame Catholic Church in 1670 by French Jesuits, then burned down by the English, who rebuilt it as St. George’s Anglican Church in the early 18th century. Over the next two centuries, the church sustained two more fires, plus multiple earthquakes and hurricanes. Like Lazarus, however, it couldn’t be kept down—it was rebuilt time and time again, most recently after being damaged by Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Today, guests can visit to learn more about the church’s fascinating history, climb the bell tower, or even attend services.

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.

Vancouver’s most famous urban space, the thousand-acre Stanley Park, epitomizes everything that locals here love about the outdoors, and visitors have many ways to explore the expansive grounds. Hiking trails weave around totem poles and hemlock trees, while at the beaches, you can swim, people-watch and picnic. Rent a bike or a pair of in-line skates for a scenic ride along the Seawall, or wander through the many gardens where rhododendrons, azaleas and roses bloom.

This is a great place to spend a free day in Puerto Rico. There are many interpretative trails in this park, and all are free and open to the public. Some lead to caves, others lead to beautiful views.

There are also many covered areas for picnics. The trails are mostly leveled off and easy hikes, although some can be a bit more challenging. Be sure to bring lots of water, as it can be humid. Also, bug spray will be your friend! If you plan to take a trail that leads to a cave, be sure to have a flashlight with you as well.