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Kampa, in Prague’s charming Malá Strana district, is Prague’s largest island. Tucked between the Vltava River and the romantic Čertovka channel, the island’s park comes alive in the warmer months with picnickers, dog walkers, and friends gathered on the greenery desperate to catch up on their vitamin D. With direct views of the Vltava’s roaring rapids and the city’s famous Charles Bridge, Kampa is also home to the Kampa Museum, a former mill turned modern art museum dedicated to 20th-century Central European art. Artist David Černý’s gigantic crawling babies are outside the building, while the inner courtyard and galleries showcase other freestanding works, sculpture, paintings, and photographs.

Open from first light until late in the evening, this relaxed bar, just around the corner from La Piazzetta, has an entirely different vibe from the fancier options there. You can have a quick caffè (espresso) standing at the bar with the locals or sit under the striped awning and watch the sunset over the Bay of Naples while drinking a spritz. This bar also serves as one of the island’s best bakeries. Try a flaky breakfast pastry with a morning cappuccino, then swing by later to order a lemon or chocolate version of the island’s famous dessert torta caprese, a flourless cake.

Island Air Express stopped flying in April 2016.October through April, seaplane tours take you approximately 20 miles east of Scottsdale to the storied Superstition Mountains. Taking off from Scottsdale Airport, you’ll soar over the Salt River canyons and Roosevelt Dam before making water landing on the surface of Roosevelt Lake, one of Arizona’s largest bodies of water. If you can, schedule your tour for the second Sunday of the month because you’ll deplane for a picnic of Arizona food and wine.

Crumbling Ballycarbery Castle, near the town of Cahersiveen, is a beautiful 16th Century ruin, and one of the most impressive ancient sites we visited on our Emerald Isle adventure. It was made even more glorious by the almost complete lack of visitors. We had the place to ourselves for over an hour, and unfurled a neat little picnic on top of the rubble. The castle did not crumble further while we ate our cheese and bread, so we were happy.

History, natural beauty, rare wildlife, and luxurious digs are among the charms of Maria Island, a few miles off Tasmania’s east coast. You’ll experience them all during this four-day, three-night excursion across 25 miles of pristine scenery—and fueled by gourmet candlelit dining and fine Tasmanian wines. During the leisurely walk you’ll explore Darlington, a UNESCO heritage-listed convict settlement that once housed 600 prisoners; stroll pristine white-sand beaches; and view the unusual wildlife that calls the island home. At the end of each day, bunk down in one of two secluded wilderness camps, close to clearwater beaches ideal for swimming, and on the last night enjoy the comforts of a restored, heritage-listed home, where you’ll have a celebratory champagne lunch before boarding the boat back to the mainland.

St. Lucia’s iconic twin peaks—Gros Piton and Petit Piton—dominate the island’s scenery, soaring 2,500 feet from the sea on the island’s southwest Soufrière corner. Designated a World Heritage Site along with the surrounding Pitons Management Area, these volcanic spires take every first-time visitor’s breath away. There are various ways to experience the Pitons. The brave hike either peak—Petit Piton is more strenuous, and the trail isn’t marked; Gros Piton has marked trails and is a two- to three-hour hike from the village of Fond Gens Libre. Others opt to take it easy and sail past them on a catamaran cruise, or view them from land along the coast or from the terrace of La Haut’s restaurant. Sugar Beach, facing Gros Piton, offers a frontal view of the peaks as you swim.

The Capital Gate building’s most impressive feature is the 18-degree angle at which it leans out of the ground. The structure was designed with graceful elegance and looks as if it’s rising out of Abu Dhabi Island. You can’t miss this tower on a drive from the airport to the Corniche right along Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street. Capital Gate is also home to the Andaz hotel, which occupies floors 18 to 33 of the 35-floor building. The modern architectural wonder is part of Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre’s development, where many conferences and events are held throughout the year.

Located in the middle of New York harbor, less than half a mile from Manhattan (and even closer to Brooklyn), 172-acre Governors Island feels like a world unto itself, far from the bustling city. It has played a key role in the defense of New York at various points and two fortifications here, Fort Jay and Castle Williams, reflect that history. From 1966 to 1996, the island was a Coast Guard station; since it closed, the city, state, and federal governments have discussed various plans for the island’s development. In the meantime, it is open to the public for six months each year, from May 1 to October 31, when it is possible to wander among the Coast Guard barracks, visit the commander’s house, and bike around the mostly car-free island. Ferries depart from both Manhattan and Brooklyn starting at 10 a.m. and running until 6:15 p.m. on weekdays and 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. During many weekends in the summer, art fairs, food festivals, and other events help draw visitors to the island, but even if you go on a day without anything special scheduled, a journey here provides a refreshingly different perspective on New York.

Just outside Gelgel and Klungkung, which were the seats of the Majapahit Kingdom from the 15th until the second half of the 17th century, is the village of Kamasan. This village was and is still of great cultural importance to the Balinese as it has been the core of Balinese traditional arts for the past 600 years. It is most famous for its painters, who have been painting in the ‘Kamasan style’ for many generations. This style is derived from the Javanese style that came to Bali with the Majapahit Kingdom and is now the basis for all traditional Balinese styles. You can tour the village and chat to the painters in their workshops and also buy directly from them. There are also textile workshops and silversmiths in the village you can visit. Kamasan is about 40 minutes from Ubud or 1 1/2 hours from Kuta or Seminyak.

There certainly are other ways to while away a summer day in Greater Portland, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a better experience than island-hopping aboard a Casco Bay Lines ferry. Sure, you can simply ride out to an island for a look-about and return, or enjoy a sunrise, sunset, or moonlight cruise. But for a real immersion, consider the Mailboat Run. You’ll be among islanders, visitors, pets, and freight to-ing and fro-ing between Little Diamond, Great Diamond, Long, Cliff, and Chebeague islands. The 2½-to-3½-hour working cruise is offered twice daily year-round; bring your own picnic lunch on the morning run or snacks for the afternoon one.

Rugged Monhegan, aka the Artists’ Island, lies about a dozen miles out to sea, and is reachable only by passenger ferries. About 60 hardy souls live here year-round, most making a living from the sea. If you get a sense of déjà vu when visiting Monhegan, it’s likely because so many of the island’s icons and vistas have been painted by American masters, including Robert Henri, Rockwell Kent, Jamie Wyeth, George Bellows, Edward Hopper, James Fitzgerald, Andrew Wyeth, Alice Kent Stoddard, Reuben Tam, and William Kienbusch. Artists and art lovers come in summer; bird-watchers flock here in spring and fall. Hiking trails access remote rocky beaches and craggy headlands. Go for the experience, the art, and the hiking, and don’t miss the museum at the lighthouse.

Because it’s a major cruise port there are plenty of tacky restaurants on St. Thomas, but it doesn’t take a lot of effort to get under the skin of the island and find places where the locals eat. One such restaurant, Gladys’ Cafe, serves up traditional Caribbean fare and is known as one of the best on the island. Skip the a la carte menu and instead get one of the lunch plates including curried chicken or goat served with red beans and rice, mac and cheese and fried plantains.

For panoramic views of the entire city—for the price of a subway ride—take the Roosevelt Island Tram. As the suspended car runs parallel to the bridge, spanning the gap between Manhattan and Roosevelt Island, you’ll have unparalleled vistas of the New York syline and the East River below. There are few experiences as memorable or accessible, so be sure to ride the tram there and back—it’s particularly dramatic in the morning and evening.

It may be located in an outdoor shopping mall, but this restaurant in the Hotel Zone certainly has Southeast Asian vibes. A foliage-lined path punctuated with sweet incense takes you past a Buddhist altar to small tables with lagoon views. Romantic over-the-water private tables require reservations, but you’ll have a memorable experience in any seat here. The food is authentic, and dramatic lighting and mood music add to the experience.

Local Hawaiian Barbecue is easy to come by in the Islands. And, no fast food or plated lunch chain makes it easier to taste a bit of Island food than L&L Barbecue. Menu favorites include Kailua Pork and Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken. To try something new, there is Lau Lau (pork wrapped in taro leaf), Saimin (noodles and broth with choice of meat), Musabi (meat and rice block wrapped in seaweed), or Loco Moco (hamburgers, rice, gravy, and eggs).