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Charleston is a relatively small city to sport a food court, and Workshop’s out-of-the-way location on the Peninsula’s Neck underscores that. Situated in a Silicon Valley-esque complex of start-up office spaces, you’ll need to drive to get there, and once at the modern, industrial food hall, you’ll be faced with some tough decisions. The rotating vendors have included Juan Luis, a Tex-Mex spin from BBQ master John Lewis, and seasonal booths where the city’s up-and-coming chefs test out their latest concepts, from Japanese sliders to shareable Indian small plates. Although the vendors change regularly, there’s always a coffee shop, a craft pizza or burger stand, and a variety of ethnic options, making Workshop a must on any dining tour of Charleston’s latest and greatest. It’s also directly adjacent to Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co., a popular hangout and generally regarded among the city’s best breweries.

Take San Francisco’s defining features—its booming tech industry, its creative heart, its killer restaurant scene—and squeeze them into a 100-year-old building in a neighborhood undergoing a sea change. That’s Hotel Zetta. The dynamic property, which re-opened as Hotel Zetta in 2013, couldn’t be more, well, San Francisco.

In the lobby, there’s a chandelier fashioned from recycled sunglass lenses, a front desk made from reclaimed wood, and a two-story Plinko board (an interactive art piece) that descends from the Playroom. About that: The Playroom caters to the work-hard, play-hard set. A shuffle board, a pool table, and video games (both current and retro) spark friendly competition. A classic London telephone booth lets guests order room service or video chat. Modern amenities continue in the rooms. Desks built from kitchen butcher blocks encourage standing while working. A G-Link docking station facilitates wireless streaming from tablets and smartphones to flat-screen Samsung Smart TVs, which come pre-loaded with complimentary Internet service, apps and HD channels.

The art? A blend of analog and digital. Art in the guestrooms include work by Nick Gentry. He made an original work as a compilation of floppy disks. Then, the work was photographed and screenprinted as a giclee on a canvas for the rooms. Downstairs, two new ventures from famed Bay Area restaurateurs Anna Weinberg, James Nicholas and Chef Jennifer Puccio (of Marlowe and Park Tavern) ensure the young and hungry are adequately fueled.

Before becoming well-known on the tourist and expat scene, San Miguel de Allende was a favorite getaway for artists, from Mexican writers and painters to Hollywood stars of the Golden Age. One of that era’s most notable hosts was opera singer/poet José Guadalupe Mojica, whose 17th-century hacienda now houses this charming boutique hotel. Spread out around a flower-filled courtyard, the 14 accommodations include standard rooms, junior suites, and suites—though no two are the same: Even in the entry category you might find a fireplace, second-floor loft, canopy bed, or original stone wall; suites up the ante with oversize bathtubs set near a second fireplace, or private terraces with views of the cathedral. Antiques and handcrafted furnishings abound, as do stories about the villa’s illustrious former guests. Set alongside the courtyard fountain, the restaurant celebrates authentic Mexican flavors (think breakfast enchiladas and chilaquiles)—and serves brunch until 1 p.m. daily, for mornings that are off to a slow start.

Two blocks from Union Square, Hotel Adagio is a stylish retreat from the frenetic energy of downtown San Francisco. Built in 1927, the Spanish colonial revival building has a stunning cream facade with intricately carved arches that surround the entrance and windows. The interior also retains many of its original features, including rope crown molding and the top floor’s hand-painted ceilings. Conference-goers and event attendees will be impressed with the hotel venues’ city views, elaborate woodwork, and high ceilings.

Hotel Adagio is part of the Marriott’s Autograph Collection, and the recently renovated rooms are appropriately named Audition, Act One, Encore, Applause, and Actor’s Studio. The decor uses a contemporary palette that mixes warm burgundy and chocolate hues with lime green and white. Get ready for a night out as you jam to your own music, thanks to each room’s iHome docking station. Then, head down to the hotel bar, the Mortimer, to start the evening with a craft cocktail.

Famous for bringing the world the likes of Arrogant Bastard Ale, Stone Brewing is nothing if not cheeky. This is, after all, the first American craft brewer bold enough to open an outpost in Germany, a country steeped in beer-making tradition. But Stone’s audacity is hardly unfounded, as you’ll discover when you visit the company’s headquarters in Escondido—ideally, for a private tour and tasting. If you’re not already a fan of San Diego’s particularly hoppy style of IPAs, there will be at least one beer on tap that makes you a convert. But first, you’ll walk through the brew house—past mash kettles and whirlpools and fermenters—to learn all kinds of fun facts, whether it’s the surprise source of the chocolaty notes in Stone’s porters and stouts (mega-roasted malted barley) or what the upcycling options are for spent grains (cow feed and dog bones). Pro tip: After your tour, bypass the lovely indoor restaurant for the even lovelier outdoor gardens—all bamboo and koi ponds and hummingbirds. Sit back in an Adirondack chair with a beer (try one of the extra-innovative brews on offer only here) and warm pretzels with Stone Ripper Pale Ale beer cheese sauce.

While Heath Ceramics is over 60 years old, having been founded in 1948 in Sausalito, their colorful bud vases, dinnerware and tiles have enjoyed a boom in recent years. Straddling the line between a rough, hand-crafted aesthetic and an elegant, understated quality, their pieces are hard to miss in the pages of design magazines as well as at the homes of some of your most tasteful friends. The new retail location on 18th Street includes a workshop alongside a café serving Blue Bottle coffee. There is also a smaller location in the Ferry Building.

Hull Bay Beach—on the north shore of St. Thomas, west of Magens Bay—has the wave action surfers crave. When there’s a northern swell, the beach is considered the best surf spot on the island. The rest of the time you’ll find snorkelers, local families, and fishing boats bobbing out in the bay. The beach bar is a popular island spot.

The Phoenix, a little slice of paradise on the edge of San Pedro, features more modern architecture than most buildings in town, as well as modern amenities. Rooms are one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom condominium suites that feature luxurious eat-in kitchens, bathrooms with walk-in showers and Jacuzzi tubs, large living rooms and laundry facilities. Each suite also has a balcony or patio, and almost all suites are just steps away from one of the pools which are the focal point of the resort. The larger main pool cascades into a shallower lower pool and is saline chlorinated, as is the 55-foot-long lap pool. A pool bar is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Red Ginger restaurant is open daily for breakfast lunch and dinner as well as brunch on Sunday afternoons and serves a tapas menu on Sunday and Wednesday evenings. There are also business services, an on-site spa, and fitness and yoga centers. Rates begin at $325 per night during low season for a one-bedroom beach view suite.

At Isla Colón’s northwest extreme, Bocas del Drago is one of Panama’s most picturesque spots, an idyllic place for relaxing, soaking up sun or just marveling amid powdery white sand and lush jungle greenery. And what other beach affords “swimming with starfish”? Enhance your adventure at great local Caribbean restaurants featuring wiggle-fresh delicacies at delightfully low prices. When the tiny beach at Boca del Drago gets tight, Playa Estrella is a nearby alternative.

Even if you aren’t planning to take a cooking course during your visit to San Antonio, a trip to the Culinary Institute of America is worth a visit. It’s a great area to walk around in, and you can try coffee and pastries at the CIA Bakery Cafe. You can also eat at NAO, the award-winning restaurant at the CIA that’s also part of the student’s educational experience. Be sure to make a reservation.

This is a quintessential stop on any Grand Canyon itinerary. Constructed using native stone and Oregon pine, El Tovar Dining Room in El Tovar Hotel (which opened in 1905) is a longstanding landmark that’s hosted everyone from Theodore Roosevelt to Paul McCartney. The menu reflects regional Southwestern flavors and is filled with dishes showcasing local ingredients, such as the red chile tamale with adobo crema and the pork chops with apple-jalapeño chutney (inspired by the restaurant’s 1946 menu). Before you sit down to dinner, be sure to catch the sunset on the small outdoor patio. And definitely check out the wine list. There are plenty of tasty local varietals grown in regions all around Arizona.

I love this beach. Squeeze past the Buccaneer, bypass the golf course, keep going and don’t look back. Park at the end of the line, pick through the sea grapes and there it is: Shoy’s. A sweet little crescent of a beach that’s sure to leave a smile on your face.

Golf and sunshine are the main magnets that draw visitors to Palm Springs, but a 10-minute ride will take you up into a snowy evergreen forest. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway climbs up to a mountain wilderness at 8,500 feet (2,590 meters). The Swiss-built tram floats over Chino Canyon and is the only rotating tram car in the Western hemisphere. From the top, look out over the irrigrated grids of Palm Springs and the other Desert Cities of the Coachella Valley, which descends to below sea level. Across to the northeast, beyond the San Andreas Fault, are the low mountains of Joshua Tree National Park. A network of hiking trails branches out from the tram chalet into the San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, which includes the highest peaks in Southern California. (Winter weekend crowds can be crazy; you’ve been warned.)

Consisting of 25 domes, EcoCamp was inspired by the round houses of ancient tribes that formerly inhabited the area now known as Torres del Paine National Park. There are three categories of domes, all made from green plastic with sheer windows. Standard domes feature twin or double beds and a shared, campsite-style bathroom. Standard domes don’t have central heating and can be nippy in the Patagonian climate. Superior domes have gas heaters and en suite bathrooms. The suite domes are similar to the superior rooms, but have wood-burning stoves (and the suite dome loft has two floors). Domes are connected by raised wooden walkways for minimal environmental impact. Communal meals and pre-excursion briefings take place in the central community dome.

One of the largest urban parks in the world, Munich’s English Garden was founded in 1789, when Elector Carl Theodor ordered a public park to be built along the Isar River. Having undergone many alterations over the centuries, it now offers a slew of contemporary leisure activities. Cyclists, joggers, and rollerbladers make use of almost 50 miles of pathways, while less-active visitors head to the Japanese teahouse (opened in 1972) or one of several beer gardens (the one next to the Chinese Tower is Munich’s second largest, with seating for 7,000). Additionally, there’s a man-made lake, soccer fields, a small amphitheater, a carousel, a Greek temple, and even a popular surfing wave on the river. The park’s large meadows are ideal for picnicking, barbecuing, and sunbathing, making the English Garden one of Munich’s most popular hangouts in summer. That said, autumn is also a spectacular time to stroll the grounds and peep all the changing leaves.