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It had been a long wait for modern art lovers, but after a three-year closure and a $305 million renovation and expansion, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) reopened in May 2016, and was it ever worth the wait. A new 10-story addition from the renowned Norwegian design firm Snøhetta integrates seamlessly with the existing black-and-white-striped atrium tower, giving San Francisco‘s SoMa neighborhood some serious eye-candy. It’s also now the largest modern and contemporary art museum in America, with nearly triple its previous gallery space. New to the already impressive collection are selected works from the esteemed Doris and Donald Fisher Collection, featuring significant American and European artists of the 20th and 21st centuries such as Andy Warhol, Ellsworth Kelly, Alexander Calder, Georg Baselitz, Barbara Hepworth, and Henry Moore, among many others. Gifts of painting, sculpture, drawings, media arts, and architecture made to the museum since 2009 also rotate through various galleries, while the entire third floor is dedicated to the Pritzker Center for Photography. Visitors take a breather in the tranquil sculpture garden with enormous living wall, or in the fifth floor Cafe 5. Along with offering free entry to visitors 18 years old and under, SFMOMA invites you to try In Situ, the museum’s signature 150-seat lounge and restaurant, helmed by Michelin-star chef Corey Lee, with a menu of dishes culled from the recipes of some 80 chefs from around the world.

Every detail at this former farm has been carefully executed to highlight the spectacular setting, a nature preserve near Norway’s southwest coast. The hotel’s nine wood cabins hover atop metal rods discreetly drilled into boulders above the Valldøla River—the architects’ solution for securing hard-to-get government permits while leaving the land virtually untouched. Purposefully spare yet stylish, each is furnished with only a bed and a couple of lounge chairs next to a wall of glass that encourage quiet meditation on the beauty of the Valldal valley and snow-capped mountains beyond. The concept continues in the spa, which is perched on a bluff overlooking the river and features a small outdoor hot tub and glass-enclosed steam room. Meals are served at a long communal table in a renovated cow barn; though breakfasts are included (the smoked salmon is to die for), three-course dinners are extra but worth the splurge thanks to locally foraged and sourced ingredients such as reindeer steaks.

The 40-room John D. Rockefeller estate is sometimes described as being modest compared to other Gilded Age mansions on the Hudson. While it is true that it doesn’t have the same over-the-top quality of the Vanderbilt mansion, it does have one thing that distinguishes it from the other estates nearby, its gardens. Laid out at the beginning of the 20th century with Frederick Law Olmsted (of Central Park fame) leading the project briefly before being replaced by William Welles Bosworth, the gardens are one of the best examples of Beaux Arts garden design in America. Bosworth’s design consists of a number of different gardens spread over terraces descending from the house, many with views of the Hudson and the Palisades on the other side. (The Rockefellers helped protect the land on the opposite side of the river, assuring their views would never be ruined.) Japanese, French, and other styles are contained in separate garden rooms, while the grounds are also home to a number of contemporary sculptures, fitting given the Rockefellers’ legacy as patrons of the arts. It is only possible to visit Kykuit on guided tours offered from the beginning of May to the end of September. (Members of the Rockefeller family continue to use other buildings on the estate and they are apparently not interested in having visitors wander away from Kykuit and drop by unannounced). Choose the “Landmarks Tour” if you are interested in spending more time in the gardens than the house itself.

With no sign above its unassuming storefront, Tartine is most easily recognized by the line that snakes out its door and down Guerrero Street. People patiently wait for flaky pains au chocolat (the best outside Paris, in my opinion), decadent banana cream tarts, and hot-pressed sandwiches stuffed with fillings like smoked sheep cheese and quince jam. The bakery’s James Beard Award–winning pastry chefs also turn out loaves of stone hearth–baked bread, available every day after 4:30 p.m. Nurse a coffee and nibble on a croissant at the communal table, or take picnic provisions to nearby Dolores Park.

Slightly sweet, with pleasantly salty mineral umami--that’s what the yellow-orange goo from sea-urchins tastes like. The fresher the better for this roe--and if you visit the coast of Jeju island, the legendary “haenyo” women divers will have just plucked these spiny balls from the sea floor minutes before your arrival. Wildly popular with visitors from nearby Japan, where the delicacy is called “uni,” Jeju islanders call it “gusal;" mainland Koreans refer to it as “seong-geh.” I had just had some in a bowl of seaweed soup for lunch when my wife and I accompanied my mother down to the rocky cove beneath Seongsan Ilchlulbong crater to watch the haenyo emerge from the sea. My mother, who is Korean, had just retired, and was visiting a corner of her own country that she had never seen. Volcanic Jeju-do is a subtropical island with a culture distinct from the rest of Korea--"the island of wind, women, and rocks.” The haenyo are dwindling as younger women seek urban jobs; many of the divers are in their 50’s and 60’s and still dive without oxygen tanks, harvesting shellfish cooperatively... My mother struck up a conversation with one of the women as my wife and I soaked up the salt air. The haenyo, still dripping in their wetsuits, were spooning out the roe--and suddenly, a couple of spoons were being waved in our faces--a free sample! Fresh from the sea-floor, served by living legends--not a taste that fades quickly...

The trek to the HOLLYWOOD sign may be the most famous L.A. hike to outsiders, but if you’re looking for downtown views, celebrity sightings, and a typical L.A.-style glamour hike (not necessarily strenuous, but very fashionable), the 3.3-mile Runyon Canyon loop is your best bet. You’ll still get a great view of those giant letters, but you’ll also be able to spot the who’s who of the Hollywood Hills, with plenty of locals out on their routine pre-Sunday-brunch ritual. (And there are lots of grade-A brunch spots nearby, such as the Griddle Café, if you too are in search of a pancake-heavy menu.) The trails are dog-friendly, and dog-loving Angelenos take full advantage, so your pooch will have no shortage of company if you decide to bring him along.

Opened in 2021, the first urban resort from LVMH—the arbiter and exporter of French luxury—feels sumptuous at every turn. A 100-foot pool, the largest of any French hotel, is covered in hand-laid mosaic tiles, while a series of virtual window panels display illustrated scenes of the Seine in perpetual motion as you swim laps. A penthouse apartment has its own 41-foot pool, projection space, and panoramic terrace. Plénitude, the fine-dining restaurant, earned three Michelin stars within months of opening. The hotel was designed by Peter Marino, an American known for his chromatic and sculptural retail spaces in the LVMH universe, including the recently renovated Tiffany’s flagship in New York.

The winding road to Gorges du Verdon (Europe’s Grand Canyon) is a bit of a white-knuckle ride. If you want to take in the views, it’s best to pull over at Point Sublime (the right bank after La Palud on the D952), where a gigantic cliff of calcareous rock plunges 2,834 feet to the bottom of the gorge. Once you reach Gorges du Verdon, there are hikes for every athletic ability, but the 8.6-mile Blanc Martel circuit, which takes you to the heart of the canyon, is legendary. Just note that it can take between five and nine hours depending on your skill level, so be prepared with water, sunscreen, hiking shoes, a hat, and an extra pair of socks for the puddles in the two tunnels near the end. If you prefer the water, head to the emerald-green Lake of St. Croix, where you can rent a stand-up paddleboard, canoe, or kayak, or simply spend the day swimming and sunning. No matter how you spend your time at Gorges du Verdon, remember to bring a bag for garbage and leave nothing but footprints.

Aranwa Scared Valley Hotel & Wellness lies about 30 minutes in either direction from crowded Cuzco and bustling little Ollantaytambo (where the trains depart for Machu Picchu). Part of Peru’s Aranwa chain of luxury hotels, it’s nestled near the banks of the Vicanota River, on what was once a 17th-century hacienda. The rooms and suites are much more spacious than what you’ll typically find in the area and feature either terraces, balconies, or views of the garden, river, and inland lake. Some are housed in the old hacienda building, but most are spread out over newer, two-story buildings dotting the property.

At the center of the resort is an infinity pool and whirlpool, both of which look out onto a restored chapel, roaming alpacas, and canals and ponds connected by footbridges. There are also several restaurants on-site, serving everything from gourmet Andean cuisine to sushi and wood-fired pizza. Additionally, guests can look forward to a museum, art gallery, library, movie theater, and several boutique shops as well as what the resort claims is the largest spa in Peru.

Housed in a low-rise building on one of Austin’s trendiest streets, the South Congress Hotel is much more than just a place to stay. The boutique hotel is practically a neighborhood unto itself, complete with everything from stores and a nail salon to two restaurants, a coffee shop, and an all-day café. Done up in denim, leather, concrete, and wood, the 83 guest rooms feature Matteo bed linens, rainfall showers, and Apple TVs, plus fun extras like C.O. Bigelow bath products, Finery LA robes, and locally sourced minibars. Guests even enjoy exclusive streaming access to more than 40 movies from Drafthouse Films, a production company based in Austin. For when—if ever—visitors want to leave their rooms, the hotel also features a rooftop pool and bar, as well as a prime location near some of the city’s coolest shops, restaurants, and music venues, which are easily reached thanks to amenities like BMW X5 house car service and Faraday electric bike rentals.

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.

Ever wonder what the bottom of the Bay of Fundy looks like? Just wait a few hours and you’ll find out at the Hopewell Rocks. Check the tide timetable and follow the trail to the lookout point. Head down the stairs and soon you’ll be walking on the bottom of the Bay of Fundy. Slightly muddy, but it’s worth it to walk through the archways of the eroded rocks also called Flower Pots. Sure, you can do this anywhere along the Bay of Fundy during low tide, but the tidal change is especially evident when gauging it against the backdrop of the unique weathered Flower Pots.

Originally built as luxury apartments near the Tivoli Gardens and City Hall, in central Copenhagen, the historic building now housing Hotel Alexandra has been a hotel since early 1890. After World War II, when it became the Hotel Alexandra, each of the rooms was painstakingly reimagined using exclusively Danish mid-century modern design, from the colors and fabrics to the furniture and art. Stepping into the lobby feels like stepping back in time to the Copenhagen of the 1950s and ‘60s, when the designers whose work fills the hotel were in the prime of their careers. Taking this dedication to Danish design a step further, each of the 59 rooms and suites has been decorated with vintage furniture and wallpaper from the ‘50s and ‘60s including works from some of the most famous Danish designers of the era: Finn Juhl, Verner Panton, Hans J. Wegner, Nanna Ditzel, or Arne Jacobsen.

But the hotel doesn’t live only in the past. Its dedication to environmental responsibility is evident throughout, and nowhere more so than in its environmental certification from Green Key, a laudable feat even in eco-conscious Denmark.

Opened in time for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the Establishment is a pioneering 31-room boutique hotel housed in an 1890s steel plant near the modern-day stock exchange building downtown. Managed by the hospitality group Merivale—which started as a fashion house specializing in fascinator hats and mini skirts—the hotel is popular among brand executives who book the 328-square-foot Loft Penthouse for product launches and photo shoots. Rooms feature wood furnishings, swinging metal doors, animal hides, and suedelike daybeds as well as such amenities as Apple TV, Bose surround sound, and Lululemon yoga mats. Bathrooms are particularly luxurious here, with marble floors, freestanding tubs, Bulgari products, and tall windows that open up to Sydney’s bustling business district. The best part about the Establishment, though, is the internal access it offers to some of the city’s hottest bars and restaurants, which are housed within the same complex as the hotel. And after enjoying live music and a few stiff cocktails at the speakeasy Palmer & Co, guests are welcomed to bed with Sleep Tight tea and a homemade chocolate chip cookie.

The Spanish Meliá hotel chain took over management of this 40-acre, all-inclusive beach resort in Zanzibar from Kempinski in 2011. Airy, two-story blocks have rooms with huge baths and beach or garden views, and villas come with their own pools. Sheltered by a fringing reef on the northeastern coast of Unguja, Zanzibar’s main island, the resort’s calm white-sand beach has a long, shallow drop-off that makes swimming (as opposed to wading) impossible at low tide. However, the long jetty immediately in front of the hotel means swimming and snorkeling are always possible near the rooms: Golf carts departing every 20 minutes transport guests to the best all-day swimming area a kilometer from the hotel outbuildings. Here, the Gabi Beach Club offers Balinese-style loungers and a restaurant grill. Souvenir hawkers sometimes walk along the public-access tide line, but discreet security staff prevent unwanted solicitation.