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Upon first glance, Circa Las Vegas revolves around sports betting: There’s a three-story sports book in the on-site casino and the pool deck features giant TV screens on one side and tiered, stadium-style pools and lounge chairs on the other. But the first new casino Downtown in more than 50 years also celebrates Vegas history: The design harkens back to Old Vegas dramatics, with art deco lighting in the high-limit areas of the casino and images of old-school gamblers inside the elevators. Owner Derek Stevens has even given a new permanent home to Vegas Vickie, a two-story neon kicking cowgirl who once graced the nearby stretch of Fremont Street known as “Glitter Gulch.” Vickie presides over an open foyer, seemingly nodding at guests as they wander around the casino.

Guest rooms at Circa—512 in all—have dark wood accents and carpets with geometric art deco motifs. Rooms in the Flex King category are equipped with king-size beds and couches that disappear when a second Murphy-style bed is pulled down from the wall. (Travelers who value selfies swear by the floor-length mirrors flanked by Green Room–style lighting.) Floor-to-ceiling windows offer epic views of either Stadium Swim or the Fremont Street Experience, a covered pedestrian walkway that forms the cultural and entertainment center of Downtown and was the main drag in the Vegas of yesteryear until the destination expanded with mega resorts to the south. The hotel also is a short walk from the unmissable Mob Museum, which offers a peek into the history of organized crime and runs a moodily lit speakeasy bar in the basement.

Related: 7 Hotels to Book for “Non-Vegas” People

You’ll have never seen a place more green. Hundreds of shades of it, with waterfalls and babbling brooks. Gleninchaquin is something out of a dream—yet it’s the beautiful reality in Southwest Ireland. This family-owned park, overseen by Donal and Peggy Corkery, is a long, narrow coombe valley on the northwest side of the Beara Peninsula, just outside of Kenmare. Entrance fees are five euros for adults, three for students, and free for young children. There’s hiking, sheep shearing, fishing, and outdoor educational opportunities. I’d encourage you to think about spending a full day out at the park, tackling the trail called “The Boundaries Hike.” It’s a six- to seven-hour round-trip hike and is for experienced hikers (since there’s scrambling involved and not many trail markers). The route will follow the boundaries of Gleninchaquin Park, which are defined by the high ridges of the Caher Mountain Range. Upon your return to Kenmare, be sure to grab a few pints at Crowley’s before your dinner. Stay at the Brook Lane or the Kenmare Park Hotel.

Visible from anywhere in Kailua-Kaneohe are the three peaks of Mount Olomana. The majestic peaks are named after a mythical Hawaiian warrior and offers more than spectacular views from all angles. To reach your destination from Honolulu you take the Pali through the Kalanionaole Highway and look out for the Luana Hills Country Club. You can park right outside of the club as the entrance to the hike is just a quarter mile from the entrance. The peaks are challenging, with steep drop-offs and some rock climbing, and are only for experienced hikers. The first peak offers the highest views and the third is the most dangerous of all the peaks. Make sure you do your research and talk to locals about likely conditions. That said, it’s been my favorite hike on Oahu so far and it offers unforgettable views of the city. Bring some snack and water with you to sit atop one of the peaks and have a quick picnic.

We had an unforgettable experience staying at Buena Vista Surf Club, while visiting San Juan del Sur. The eco-lodge is set into a hill overlooking the jungle and Playa Maderas with a giant sundeck where guests could enjoy the view. It was a great place to catch some rays and watch the dragonflies dance during the day. Guests can schedule sunset yoga classes on the deck for the ultimate zen experience.

Propped up on stilts, each of Jungle Bay’s 35 cottages feels like a private tree house, complete with an open-air shower. Overlooking Point Mulatre Bay, the hillside resort offers a full schedule of outdoor activities, from walking along the White River to swimming at the base of roaring Victoria Falls.

Luxury yoga retreats are one of the hottest trends in travel—experience it firsthand at Jungle Bay. This award-winning boutique wellness resort seamlessly blends adventure, relaxation, and creature comforts, like a pampering foot massage at the Spa du Soleil—an ideal way to unwind after a day of hiking. Practice yoga in two expansive outdoor studios overlooking the Caribbean Sea, dine on local specialties made with freshly caught fish and organic ingredients, and stay in one of 30 eco-villas outfitted with bamboo furnishings, hand-painted beddings, and jungle spa bathrooms.

—This appeared in the November/December 2010 issue.

A handsome pueblo revival adobe building with a peaceful garden and courtyard, the New Mexico Museum of Art mounts small, rotating exhibits from its impressive 20,000-piece permanent collection. It includes well-known artists like Georgia O’Keeffe, Gustave Baumann, and members of the Taos Society of Artists (Ernest L. Blumenschein, Bert G. Phillips, Joseph H. Sharp), and noted 20th-century Southwest photographers like Ansel Adams. Don’t miss the special exhibits or the free Friday evenings (5–8 p.m.). The adjoining gift shop is a great place to pick up books, postcards, and jewelry.

Just minutes from PAMM, this festive downtown Miami marketplace is on Biscayne Bay. Take a stroll, rent a charter boat, or simply practice your photography skills, as the views along the bay are breathtaking, especially at sunset. Restaurants range from a Bavarian beer hall to a seafood bar and grill to a Cuban hot spot. To truly soak in the Miami music spirit, venture here in the evening for the free concerts. Expect crowds when there’s gorgeous weather (since this is Miami, that would be most days), but you will still be able to find some open space to take in the scene.

Chef Peter Schintler’s San Juan restaurant remains one of the capital’s top fine dining destinations after more than a decade in operation. Marmalade, located in Old San Juan, has allowed Schintler to experiment with international flavors and techniques picked up at previous stints in kitchens around the world, including one at New York’s fabled Le Cirque. While beloved by omnivores and travelers who will jet-set for cocktails, vegetarians especially appreciate Schintler’s menu, which includes a spiced cauliflower meze and hand-rolled black truffle pappardelle. Reservations are definitely recommended.

Home to one of the largest remaining swaths of temperate rain forest in the world, dating to the supercontinent Gondwana, the Tarkine Wilderness is a stronghold for rare species including black cockatoos, wedge-tailed eagles, and spotted-tailed quolls. The Western Explorer Road takes you to Corinna, part of which is unsealed and bright white, built from tailings from the nearby silica mine. That hints at the mining settlement to come, where the Corinna Wilderness Experience transformed old prospector huts into modern cabins that run on solar power and rainwater. Hike deeper into the rain forest or to Aboriginal middens along the coast with Tarkine Trails, or visit a 1,540-acre sinkhole before riding down a 360-foot-long tube slide at Tarkine Forest Adventures.

Nestled into the base of Mount Sturgeon, at the southern entrance of Grampians National Park roughly three and a half hours from Melbourne, the Royal Mail Hotel combines a bush experience with world-class food and wine. The property is a slow-paced reprieve at the site where the town of Dunkeld was first settled. Accommodations range from minimalist mountain-view rooms bedecked with furniture and light fixtures by Melbourne designer Jardan to the Mt. Sturgeon sheep station, home to a six-bedroom homestead as well as eight dog-friendly sandstone cottages with bathrooms built inside old water tanks. Gardens play a prominent role in the Royal Mail experience; the hotel has the largest kitchen garden in Australia, which supplies the restaurant with nearly all its organic produce, and a 24-acre private garden is home to many rare indigenous and non-indigenous plants. With the Grampian Mountains and their year-round waterfalls right at the hotel’s back door, the Royal Mail is also a prime base for exploring the wilderness and its native wildlife. After a day in the woods, guests can indulge in an eight-course tasting menu with matched wines from one of the top-ranked cellars in the world.

Cap your trip to Machu Picchu with a pisco sour on the Orient-Express train ride back to Cuzco. After boarding this luxury train for dinner and the return journey, everyone meets in the bar car for a drink. Live music, the rocking of the train, and the excitement from just experiencing Machu Picchu is a buzz to remember. Soon all the passengers are dancing as they travel through the steep mountainsides under the stars. —Lauren Maggard This appeared in the August/September 2013 issue. Image courtesy of Orient-Express

Is it is possible to be romanced by a property or courted by a restaurant? My luxurious and beautiful dining experience at the Fairmont Orchid Resort’s Brown’s Beach House Restaurant had me hooked as soon as I arrived on the resort property just after sunset. Immersed in aloha, and comfortably seated on the restaurant’s outdoor patio, a solo voice and the sound of ukulele danced through the air in concert with the tropical ambiance. Sustainably grown and locally sourced foods are exquisitely prepared to please the palate, and an air of romance is enhanced with the lull of the surf rolling into the sand, only steps away. For a truly memorable experience, private dining is available on a knoll under swaying palm trees. Reservations recommended.

An overnight stay at Tonquin Valley Adventures’ lodge is perhaps the best way to experience the wilderness of the Canadian Rockies. (It’s a well-earned one, too: The lodge lies almost 20 kilometers, or about 12 miles, from the nearest road!) To get there, hike the Tonquin Valley backcountry from Edith Cavell Road to the path alongside Astoria River before reaching the Ramparts Mountains. The setting is surreal, as the lodge has a series of cabins with unforgettable views. A short walk leads guests to the edge of Amethyst Lake, where canoes, kayaks, and rowboats await to take you on your next adventure.

Tucked away above Mikkeller, a craft beer bar on a leafy backstreet, Upstairs has quietly established itself as one of Bangkok’s most exciting restaurants. Recognition of Korean-American chef Dan Bark’s skill came when French fine-dining bible Michelin granted the restaurant a star. Although functional and pleasant, the minimalist dining room gives scant notice of the elevated gastronomic experience provided by Bark and his team. A ten-course tasting menu changes regularly depending on the whim of the chef, featuring creative, unfussy dishes that Bark labels “progressive American” cuisine. If you are feeling flush, the best way to enjoy the food is to go with the beer pairing, which involves specially selected craft brews, cider, and mead.

All-night adventure for the big kids - I suppose that’s a sound way to sum up Aura, the enormous Jeffrey Beers club that sits at the heart of the Atlantis nightlife experience. Two bars, two VIP sections, a fantastic DJ booth, and posh accommodations are the signature of Aura, a great place to kick back with a cocktail after... kicking back with a cocktail on the beach.