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Music producer turned hotelier Chris Blackwell has made a name for himself converting Caribbean properties (Pink Sands on Harbour Island, GoldenEye in Jamaica) into jetset destinations with studios where his rock-and-roll friends can kick back while recording their next album, but it all began at Compass Point. Bob Marley, the Rolling Stones, and Eric Clapton have all stayed in some of the resort’s 18 rainbow-hued stand-alone huts, which are inspired by the colors of Bahama’s Junkanoo carnival and are simply furnished to encourage engagement with the outdoors; though the interiors are air-conditioned, most have sea-view balconies that are sighted to catch ocean breezes. In keeping with the theme, each comes with a surround-sound system and a library of CDs by artists who have recorded at Compass Point, but you’re just as likely to keep them off, preferring instead to listen to the waves that crash on the hotel’s small beach.

There are helipads but no cell phones or young children at Triple Creek Ranch, a 600-acre luxury Western playground on a slope of 10,157-foot Trapper Peak, Montana’s highest mountain, near the Idaho border. Owned by Craig and Barbara Barrett (he, the former CEO of Intel; she, a former astronaut and U.S. ambassador to Finland), this elegant, high-end dude ranch offers sapphire pan mining, scenic trail rides, fishing from stocked trout ponds, and guided hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing (including starlit expeditions), as well as themed weekend stays focusing on art, food, and wine. The owners’ no-hunting policy has resulted in large herds of elk and other game gravitating to the property, and guests frequently spot animals from huge log cabins decorated with leather furniture and original Western-themed art and equipped with wood-burning fireplaces, private decks, bar, Blu-ray players, and working Wi-Fi connections. (Though the ranch deliberately has no cell phone signal.) From May through October, for additional fees, the ranch pairs up guests with professional rodeo trainers and Orvis-endorsed fly-fishing operators. In winter, the lodge facilitates transportation, tickets, and equipment rental vouchers for the nearby Lost Trail Powder Mountain downhill ski center (300 inches of snow annually) and Chief Joseph Cross Country Ski Area.

The ancient art of wax-resist dyeing reaches a whole new level at Caribelle Batik, located on Romney Manor. At the factory, you can watch artists as they boil hues, apply wax, and dye fabrics, creating the brightly colored, intricately patterned clothing that’s typical of St. Kitts. After taking in the process, browse the wide selection of wraps, dresses, men’s shirts, bandanas, bags, wall hangings, and more, which are among the most desired products in the Caribbean.

The Seattle Great Wheel, completed in June of 2012, is located at the Seattle Waterfront. It is a little expensive, and nerve-wracking on the way up, but it’s worth it. The Ferris wheel is one of the biggest in the U.S., and provides a spectacular view of Elliot Bay, Downtown, and much more. In addition, at one point during the ride, it actually goes over the water!

Carey Bringle hails from West Tennessee and grew up around serious barbecue culture. A photo on the wall of Peg Leg Porker, depicting his grandfather cooking hogs in the South Pacific during World War II, attests to that. It’s still a family affair at this Gulch restaurant: Bringle’s wife and kids work with him in the kitchen, dining room, and business office. The white box of a building on the edge of the Gulch has a no-frills, classic barbecue joint decor. Aside from family photos on the walls, the focus here is on the food—dry-rub ribs, pulled pork, and smoked chicken with sides like smoked green beans, slaw, potato salad, and mac and cheese.

São Martinho do Porto is a bay located at the Silver Coast in Portugal. In a bit more than one hour (by car) from Lisbon and few minutes away from Nazaré or from Alcobaça, where you can visit the monastery. In Summer time, blue and white tents invade the sandy beach. Walking along the bay, heading South, you will easily reach Salir do Porto, a former salination village; with low tide, you can cross the river and go up the Salir dune, so that you can then slide or run down…or in another way. Heading to the North side of the bay, you will reach the port. There are many small anchored boats and it is possible to go sailing or canoeing.

This national park is centered along the spine plateau above Bryce Canyon, which drops to the east from the main park road. Along the road are numerous pull-offs for enjoying views down into the canyon, with its miles and miles of awe-inspiring sandstone hoodoo spires. Drive to the far south end of the park where the road terminates for the best views of Rainbow Point, named for the colorful rocks that lead into the Grand Staircase National Monument, then get away from the crowds by hiking one of the many trails that drop into the canyon. Visitors can also pick up a backcountry permit and stay overnight to see the stars. While most tourists come during the spring and summer months, Bryce is particularly stunning in the winter when it’s covered in snow.

If isolation is the endgame, the 11-cabana Sansara Surf & Yoga Resort in Cambutal, a village 32 miles west of Playa Venao, is the perfect spot. Daily yoga and meditation sessions take place in a thatched-roof rancho facing the Pacific. For beach outings, the staff will fill your cooler with fish tacos or Thai-style Buddha bowls. Surfboards are available for rent, bicycles are complimentary, and secluded, empty beaches await. This appeared in the November/December 2017 issue.

Clean, refreshing, full of light, and a shopper’s dream, Yas Mall is the newest of Abu Dhabi’s malls, set on Yas Island—where fast cars, a fast roller coaster, and mega-yachts arrive and depart regularly while shoppers enjoy fashion, food, and entertainment at the mall. High-end shops have a place in the massive new development, along with nearly every shop imaginable, from a LEGO store to West Elm. With an open atrium that allows you to imagine you’re outdoors, the Mall is a wonderful place to seek cool refuge from hot summers in the UAE.

Take the bus south to Stora Amundön, a nature reserve with meadows, horse paddocks, and paths that lead to bare cliffs and the sea. There you’ll find an underwater snorkeling path where you can explore the wildlife of the ocean. Just follow the trail to the 13 different stations. Remember to bring your own food and drink—and snorkeling equipment, of course.

The salmon-colored stucco buildings comprising the Elliott House Inn have a long history that runs parallel with the city’s. Built in the aftermath of a citywide fire, the property’s main structure was then shaken in an 1886 earthquake (the characteristic Charleston earthquake bolts are visible on the building’s facade) and battered by 1989’s Hurricane Hugo. The bed-and-breakfast reopened in 2011 after two years of renovation and redecoration, reinventing itself yet again. The main building is a classic Charleston single house, built with its narrow end on the street and a long piazza running along its length.

The rooms, with their botanical prints, hardwood floors, and Oriental rugs, are traditional in a way that’s elegant and charming rather than fussy. Rooms are available both in the main house and the single-story building across. The quiet courtyard provides an oasis from the city streets with its wisteria-dotted pergola and light-draped palmetto trees.

Hidden on the third floor of The Cosmopolitan, down an unmarked hallway lined with vinyl album covers, you’ll find fabulous off-the-grid pizza. In fact, “Secret Pizza” as it’s known, is so under-the-radar it isn’t even listed on their website. This is a no-frills eatery serving excellent pizza at prices that are very reasonable, for the Strip. It is open until 4:00 am on weekdays, making it one of the best and most accessible deals on Las Vegas Boulevard. Given the quirky nature of The Cosmopolitan, it’s no surprise they’d have a secret, casual pizza place. It’s worth the effort to find and then eat at this pizzeria.

While hiking in Cape Town, there are plenty of moments when you’ll stop for a water break, wipe the sweat from your brow, and ignore those voices inside yourself saying you can’t possibly take another uphill step. This moment is fleeting, however, and always superseded by the lasting memories of when you feel like you’re on top of the world at the end of your hike. Silvermine Nature Reserve is 20 minutes from the city center and the part of Table Mountain National Park that covers the Cape Peninsula near Kalk Bay and Muizenberg. The Echo Valley hike can be approached from the Silvermine entrance on top of Ou Kaapse Weg (one way), or, from the entrance on Boyes Drive in Kalk Bay.

The Flying Biscuit, owned by waitress and chef Delia Champion and Indigo Girls member Emily Saliers, opened in 1993 and since then has expanded its original Candler Park location and franchised all around town. At least 5,000 of their famous biscuits are made every day at each location. As you can tell, those biscuits are the main attraction. They’re sweeter than the standard biscuit and are served with cranberry apple butter. Also recommended: an omelet with a side of their “creamy dreamy” grits or the Eggstra-Ordinary Breakfast, pictured here.

On a street that looks a lot like one in the French Quarter of New Orleans sits one of the best markets on the planet. The Pan African Market is three stories of small shops filled with collectibles from all over Africa. My favorite section was on the second floor, full of masks and unique items I hadn’t seen anywhere else. I walked off with a weathered pink leather jewelry box from Nigeria. And while you decide if you really should buy the gigantic ceremonial headpiece made of purple feathers, take a rest at the cozy cafe on the second floor, decorated with African statues and random American paperbacks. Plop down on a comfy couch, order a tea, and watch the world walk by below.