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One look at this hilltop fort, perched over the Port of Kingstown, and you know the British built it to fight the locals rather than to meet any threats coming by sea—all the cannons face the island’s rugged interior, where the Caribs lived. Inside the fort, you’ll find a series of murals depicting the bloody Carib wars. Kids will love exploring the old buildings, and everyone will enjoy the views.

If you didn’t know before you dug into your meal, you might not realize that every item on Sage’s menu is vegan (a nice bonus for parents eating with kids). The jackfruit or tempeh tacos are so good many devoted carnivores choose to get their Mexican food fix here over local nonvegan Mexican joints. Sage also makes excellent vegan burgers, potato flautas, and salads filled with great crunchy textures and pops of flavor. Follow lunch or dinner with a slice of coconut cake or vegan birthday cake ice cream.

There’s nowhere more exclusive in London than Corams Fields—because this is the one square in the city where adults aren’t allowed, unless they’re accompanied by a child. A seven-acre park and playground, funded by charity for the past 80 years to keep a sanctuary in the middle of town where kids can play safely, this is a great stop off if you’re heading into or out of the West End with your family. There’s a city farm, a paddling pool, a cafe, and events throughout the year.

Pizza Brain, located on Frankford Avenue in Fishtown, bills itself as the world’s first pizza museum and restaurant. With pizza-related toys, artwork, and memorabilia on display around the eatery, fine dining becomes fun dining. An added bonus? An outpost of Little Baby’s Ice Cream—revered around Philly for its handcrafted batches of exotic ice cream flavors—is right next door, making this the perfect address for kids and foodies of all ages. The geniuses behind Pizza Brain have now opened a second restaurant, Pizza Dads, in Brewerytown. Both locations are BYOB.

The Mile End is Montreal‘s version of Brooklyn, Sodermälm, Shoreditch, and Kreuzberg put together. Hipsters, exotic eateries, and vintage shops abound. Mile End is also the cradle of Montreal’s music scene, cultural diversity and all things trendy and fashionable (but not too mainstream, of course). But more than just a hotbed for tuque-wearers and vintage shops, Mile End is a place where many different cultures coexist and enjoy the best of one another, in a post-industrial meets residential tree-lined avenues type of backdrop. Greek eateries meet Hasidic Jews-owned bagel shops, and artsy coffee shops meet up-and-coming, edgy designers. A dynamic area that should be explored by the senses first and foremost, and where most visitors could easily picture themselves settling down, and never leave. With icons like Wilensky’s, Boris’ doughnuts, and Arts Café, there really is no such thing as being bored in the Mile End—even for Montrealers!

Located in a former shoe factory, City Museum devotes 600,000 square feet and four levels to play for all ages. The museum was the brainchild of artist and entrepreneur Bob Cassilly—along with a crew of 20 artisans known as the Cassilly Crew—who constructed the space from objects found around the city, from construction cranes and fire trucks to church pipe organs, old airplanes, and plenty of reclaimed building materials. The result is a wonderfully weird and wacky museum that’s constantly evolving, depending on what’s been donated and collected recently. There’s a sky-high jungle gym, a rooftop Ferris wheel, an aquarium, and multi-story slides that once served as chutes for shoes. The museum has a “no map” policy to encourage exploration, but does advise visitors to bring their own flashlight—you never know what you’ll find in those dark caves.

Louise Loubatieres’ gorgeous light-filled little concept store on increasingly hip Hap Guan Street is one of those stores you can easily lose hours in. The fascinating shop is located in self-styled Kandal Village, a compact neighborhood of three parallel streets wedged between the French Quarter and Old Market area that has become an emerging shopping, eating and drinking district. The lovely Louise, who can often be found out the back of the shop baking or making a pot of tea, is of Cambodian, French, British, and Vietnamese heritage, and her ancestry is reflected in her impeccable taste and passion for arts, crafts, textiles and design objects from Southeast Asia, and her carefully curated selection of beautiful things. Unlike some of my favorite shops, Louise doesn’t limit herself to ‘made in Cambodia’ products, and won’t hesitate to source pretty things from places like Chiang Mai or the Mekong Delta if she discovers something special. Louise largely stocks homewares, from colorful lacquer bowls to textiles that can serve as table runners.

The tree limbs were heavy with freshly fallen snow, providing a peaceful backdrop to this entirely eerie place. I had made my way outside Berlin, to the little community of Beelitz on this snowy Easter weekend, to photograph Beelitz Heilstätten, a sanatorium for tuberculosis treatment methods in the early 20th century. I took the photo tour to the women’s section of the sanatorium, and we were able to walk around the snowy grounds and inside three main buildings and photograph to our heart’s content. I love these tours, since they are a great setting to practice with lighting and composition. The tour information was provided only in German, but there were enough people there to translate for me. And honestly, I was there to do photography, so I didn’t need much guidance. The leader simply gives an overview of the history, buildings, and things to be careful of, or special things to see; he hands you a blueprint layout of the buildings; and then you are own your own for 4-5 hours to explore! The ultimate photography tour, if you ask me! More information: http://www.ottsworld.com/blogs/berlin-photo-tours/

Let’s face it, Stockholm is three things for travelers: It’s cold. It’s expensive. And it’s home to some of the most gorgeous human specimens on this dear planet of ours. I may have found the perfect place to remedy these issues, should they be considered as such—Gilda’s Café. Set in the heart of the boho district of Södermalm in south Stockholm, Gilda’s is the perfect place to shelter from the cold with a warm cup of coffee in hand, inexpensive pastries (fika, anyone?), and some good old people watching. Trust me when I say that people watching does not get any better than in Stockholm. Locals are very fond of hipster ways. They are relaxed, friendly, and could all be on the front cover of a fashion magazine. Beautiful people aside, Gilda’s is a little slice of heaven on its own. Think unmatched tableware, indie music, eclectic furniture, and delicious homemade dishes. Worlds away from the compartmentalism and practicality of Ikea. The change of scenery is most welcome and enjoyable. Save your precious kronors, daydream about a handsome Swedish Viking while sipping a comforting latte, and go to Gilda’s. It’s the ultimate south Stockholm thing to do, and you won’t regret it.

Why we love it: An ultra-stylish stay that brings U.K. hospitality to Brooklyn’s most bustling neighborhood

The Highlights:
- Smartly designed rooms that come with neighborhood guides and daily breakfast bags
- An on-trend aesthetic from two U.K. design icons
- Two alfresco dining options

The Review:
The Hoxton has a knack for opening in only the coolest neighborhoods—first in London’s Shoreditch, then in Paris’s 2nd Arrondissement, and now in the hipster haven of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. At the company’s first stateside property, housed in the former Rosenwach Water Tank Company factory, the surrounding area informs much of the aesthetic. The 175 rooms are outfitted with locally made ceramics, bespoke bedding by Dusen Dusen, and books curated by neighbors.

Beyond the Brooklyn details, mid-century-meets-urban vibes prevail, from brass accents and mohair headboards to raw concrete ceilings and subway-tiled showers. It’s a stylish approach from design team Ennismore and Soho House that carries through to the public spaces like Klein’s, the lobby-level restaurant situated in the building’s original brick carriage house that serves American-inspired fare around the clock. When the warmer weather hits, guests can pay a visit to either of the hotel’s two outdoor options. Backyard offers canned beer, classic cocktails, and finger food like Meat Hook sausages, while the rooftop Summerly features lobster rolls, clam chowder, and other East Coast seafood favorites.

This hotel is on our list of The 11 Best Hotels in Chicago.

Set directly across from the Art Institute of Chicago, this former members-only men’s gymnasium is now the Chicago Athletic Association, which is part of Hyatt’s Unbound Collection. Enter at street level off Michigan Avenue and walk toward the back to find a staircase that leads to the old swimming pool, now a venue for parties and pop-up concepts. Take the nearby elevator to the restaurant, Cindy’s, easily the best rooftop scene in the city, with highly Instagrammable terrace views overlooking Millennium Park, the swooping Frank Gehry–designed bandshell, and Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate (aka the Bean).

Park yourself in the second-floor lobby and hang with locals as they tap away on their laptops and sip lattes by the two oversize fireplaces. Walk through that expansive by Roman & Williams–designed room, where light beams in through ornate stained-glass windows, and you enter a warren of table games and darts, all festive and typically open to the public. There’s also the secret six-seat bar, the Milk Room, a relic of Prohibition, and the James Beard Award–winning Cherry Circle Room—a sexy, dark restaurant with a circulating martini cart and a meat-centric menu.

Upstairs in the 1893 landmark, 240 guest rooms reflect the building’s former life, with gym horses as foot beds, working fireplaces in some rooms, plasterwork ceilings, ornate carved wood wainscotting, and a clubby vibe. Some of the rooms are rather small, but the location is hard to beat, and the cozy, wintry ambiance makes it a popular (and fun) place to spend a weekend. And because the CAA keeps an eye on its water conservation, sources its food locally, and adheres to strict recycling standards, eco-conscious travelers can feel good sleeping here.

This is a cinch to recommend. Nederland is a fun little mountain town about 20 miles up Boulder Canyon from Boulder, and on the way to Eldora Mountain Ski Resort. It’s an easy half-day trip from Boulder and well worth it. For $1 a ride, your kids can go up and down and round and round to the sound of old-timey music played on a 1913 Wurlitzer band organ, on a restored 1910 Looff carousel. The 36 hand-carved animals are the work of Scott Harrison, a local veteran who has spent the last several decades creating them. The Carousel of Happiness opened on Memorial Day 2010. It is a nonprofit venture; hours vary; tel. 303/258-3457.

Few visitors venture to Duncans Bay, a small town in northern Jamaica, halfway between Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. But its public beach, called Fisherman’s, is one of the best for a local vibe. The scenery is straight out of an old Caribbean postcard: kids play in the distance, colorful fishermen canoes rest on shore, and a ramshackle bar along the wide golden sands attracts the usual neighbors. Show up mid-afternoon, when the grill and some background music get started, while the waves splash and the sun prepares to set. The slow rhythm of this area, away from the resorts, vendors, and tourist trails, will make you want to stay for hours. No problem—there are local guesthouses a stone’s throw away.

Capitol Hill’s Melrose Market is a spacious, sunlit, vintagey-looking indoor market with a variety of artisanal and locally made foods: Rain Shadow Meats, Calf & Kid cheese, the Marigold & Mint flower shop, and Taylor Shellfish. There are also a few wine bars and restaurants in here, like Sitka + Spruce, Homegrown Sustainable Sandwiches, and Bar Ferd’nand. There’s outdoor sidewalk seating when the weather is nice, and some indoor tables and bars. You could put together one heck of a fancy dinner party with just one shopping trip (Sonic Boom Records next door can provide the background music) — but it’ll cost you.

Located in the heart of the edgy Logan Circle neighborhood/14th Street Corridor, the Helix features 178 guest rooms with eye-popping patterns, bright colors, and a minimalist feel. Among the rooms are 14 apartment-sized suites, and 12 speciality suites, such as its Bunk Bed Room for kids and the Flex Room for the fitness gurus. Just off of the lobby, the 60s-mod Helix Lounge is a prime happy hour spot known for sparkling cocktails and its large seasonal patio.