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Fort Pierce is located on the Treasure Coast of Florida. The city has seen a surge in popularity and has renewed both the historic city itself and its causeways, parks, inlet, lagoon, and beaches. Over the causeway the newly paved A-1-A is lined with stately palms and wide sidewalks. The inlet has a few great spots for a meal, burger, or a brew. In 1838, the U.S. Army built a fort in the area during the second Seminole Indian War. Lt. Colonel Benjamin Pierce was the commanding officer. During World War II, the beaches of the lagoon area were the training grounds for the Navy Frogmen ( today’s Navy Seals). About 140,000 were trained and practiced there at the Fort Pierce Inlet State Park. The South Causeway has a great peaceful park with a beach and boat ramp. The 1/4 mile beach along the Indian River Lagoon empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The aqua waters are busy with kayakers, sailors, and pleasure boaters. Picnic tables are placed along the shore. Fishing poles line the beach as people sit in their chairs reading or daydreaming as they wait for a bite. Pelicans, egret, and herons are some of the many birds near Fort Pierce on the Indian River Lagoon. Especially off-season you can find a parking spot. Spend a couple of peaceful hours at this beautiful spot on the Indian River Lagoon near the Fort Pierce Inlet. I enjoy my time spent there and I know you will too. Check out this area and park. You might want to go over the bridge into Fort Pierce and have dinner.

With its waterfront location across from the San Francisco Ferry Building on the edge of downtown, the 1 Hotel is an ideal launchpad to explore San Francisco. Rooms have expansive views of the Bay or the city, and travelers can step out onto the Embarcadero for a morning run, to browse at one of three weekly farmers’ markets at the Ferry Building.

The luxury hotel upholds a commitment to environmentalism, using local and reclaimed materials for the biophilic interior design, sustainability sourced bedding, and providing filtered water taps instead of single use water bottles. Rooms are equipped with soft cotton robes, slippers, and yoga mats to help turn a stay into a relaxing, wellness-minded retreat.

On the first floor, the bar and restaurant, Terrene is a lovely place to swing by for a drink or meal—whether you’re a guest or not. If the weather is nice, don’t miss the chance to enjoy a cocktail on their expansive outdoor patio (complete with space heaters) with great views of the Bay Bridge. If you’re looking for something more substantial, they have an excellent selection of fresh, Mediterranean-inspired dishes, like roasted carrots with a feta dip and refreshing tuna tartare.

Pets are welcome and there’s also a rooftop spa on site, complete with stone tubs and scenic views.

Known as the “Jewel in the Crown” of the Southern Grenadines, Tobago Cays Marine Park comprises five picture-perfect, uninhabited islands surrounded by a clear lagoon. Here, you’ll find sea turtle nesting sites and feeding areas, small systems of mangroves, and the most well-developed coral reef complexes in St. Vincent. Swim with the resident turtles, snorkel around the almost 2.5-mile-long Horseshoe Reef, or simply relax on a magnificent white-sand beach—each island has at least one.

Why we love it: A conveniently located stay that’s perfect for families visiting Dollywood

The Highlights:
- A family-first design, including some rooms with bunk beds
- Perks like discounted tickets and a free shuttle to Dollywood
- Two on-site pools with views of the Smoky Mountains

The Review:
When Dolly Parton came up with the idea for her DreamMore Resort, she was hoping to create a “front porch” for Dollywood, a place where families could relax and share time together after a day of fun at the park. To that end, almost every detail of the property is designed with families in mind, including 11 different guest room configurations with amenities like bunk beds and adjoining doors. The resort also offers discounted passes and a free shuttle to the theme park.

An expansive pool area features waterfalls, a splash pad, and more placid areas for adults, all within view of the stunning mountains that surround the resort. For when parents need a break, there’s also a luxurious salon and spa with treatments designed to relax and rejuvenate. The food and beverage offerings at DreamMore aren’t fancy, but they offer good value for families, including an ample buffet at Song & Hearth and grab-and-go fare at DM Pantry. After the kids have gone to bed, end your day with a nightcap in The Lounge, which serves Southern-inspired cocktails in an old-timey ambience.

You can’t beat the atmosphere and scenery at this Swiss-styled lodge, built 1913–14, on the scenic shore of the largest lake in Glacier National Park. The historic main-lodge rooms with lake views, as well as outlying cabins sitting on the pebbled beach, are often booked a year in advance. This leaves many travelers, who accept that nature is the main amenity, to make do with rooms in the characterless four-story modern motel wing. The soaring lobby lounge with a huge, pictograph-carved stone fireplace, vintage hand-painted lanterns, and deer, elk, and mountain goat trophies, as well as the sensational views from the pier and beach, make up for minuscule bathrooms, spartan room furnishings, slow Wi-Fi, and iffy cell phone signals. Self-drivers use the lodge as a base for the famed 50-mile Going-to-the-Sun Road across the Continental Divide. Hikers explore paths, including the wheelchair-accessible Trail of the Cedars, surrounding the 10-mile lake; the U-shaped valley branches into smaller glacier-carved “hanging” valleys dotted with waterfalls. In summer, guests also enjoy horseback riding and tours on the DeSmet, a vintage cruiser.

About 25 miles north of the site of the 2018 Winter Olympics, and just 25 miles south, as the crow flies, of the heavily fortified DMZ, the Jujeonggol valley in Seoraksan Nat’l Park is an oasis of jade-colored waters beneath pinnacles of pine-studded granite. Hiking in this valley, you begin to understand where the Asian landscape aesthetic comes from; the first time I came here, I felt as if I were moving about inside a silk scroll painting. Downstream is a Buddhist temple site with its famed Osaek medicinal springs--the high mineral-content water comes out of the stone slightly bubbly: natural carbonation! The tranquility of these valleys, far from the pulsating night lights of Seoul, belies the occasionally troubled past of Korea’s history; fierce battles were fought near here just six decades ago during the Korean War. But people have been seeking, and finding, solace in these mountains for thousands of years. Before today’s hikers came yesterday’s monks; some of the world’s earliest Zen temples are located in this region, built at a time when leopards and tigers were a very real threat in these forests. While much of Seoraksan National Park is easily accessible by public transportation from the nearby coastal city of Sokcho, this section is less-well served; renting a car would be a good option here.

East Coast Park is a wonderful stretch of seafront greenery containing plenty of trails where runners, walkers, cyclists, and in-line skaters can frolic in nature. There are shops where you can rent bikes and Rollerblades (just follow signs in the park), so come on down and join in the fun. If you’re feeling especially brave, try your hand at motorized wakeboarding—or just watch as a machine whips brave souls around the East Coast Lagoon (near the East Coast Seafood Centre) on a wire.

This property is closed through 2019 for repairs made necessary by hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Caneel Bay, one of the island’s more secluded and protected bays, is home to Caneel Bay Resort, a historic luxury hotel founded by Laurance Rockefeller. After opening the resort in 1956, Rockefeller donated the land on which it lies to become the Virgin Islands National Park, which covers about 60 percent of the island. Day-trippers can easily reach Caneel Bay by taxi from Cruz Bay. The resort has no fewer than seven beaches, including Honeymoon Beach, a short hike away. Come here to relax on the main beach, book water sports at the diving and snorkeling center and have lunch at the hotel restaurant.

A trip to the Land of 10,000 Lakes wouldn’t be complete without spending some time on, well, a lake—even if you’re only visiting the cities. In Minneapolis, everyone heads to Bde Maka Ska, the largest of five in the city’s Chain of Lakes. Located in the Uptown neighborhood, the 401-acre lake is surrounded by parkland and trails, making it a favorite of locals for everything from ice fishing in the winter to swimming, biking, and volleyball games in the summer. Along the shore are rental options for nearly every water sport, from sailing and kayaking to paddleboarding, plus lockers for stashing your stuff when you’re out on the water. For those who prefer dry land, there are also several Nice Ride stations where you can access the city’s bike-share program, and a seasonal restaurant serving sandwiches, wings, and tacos.

If you have a gorgeously sunny afternoon, walk the Corso Italia to the small fishing village of Boccadasse, still considered to be part of Genoa. About an hour’s walk from central town, this seaside stroll will take you past black stone beaches, children’s parks, and countless bars and restaurants enjoying the beautiful sea views. When you arrive, make sure to roll up your pants and step in the water, as the sea spray alone is said to have healing properties.

On the west side of Arenal Volcano, this 900-acre tropical reserve was a labor of love for owner and architect Jaime Mikowski, who spent years planting acres of native plants and coaxing the land’s natural mineral springs into a river that now flows throughout the property, spilling over into dozens of waterfalls and pools that range from 72 to 105 degrees. Spacious rooms have marble floors and streamlined furnishings; splurge on a suite, which features a private terrace and a Jacuzzi tub—a little superfluous considering all the other options for soaking in warm water here, but who’s complaining? There are also five swimming pools, one with a swim-up bar and waterslide, and a spa comprising 12 bungalows with treatments that all include, you guessed it, a dip in a thermal spring-fed tub. While the property is also open to day trippers, guests of the resort have exclusive access to Shangri-La Gardens, an adults-only lounge area with pools, cabanas, and a folliage-filled bar.

You won’t find a better pool than the one that awaits at this 357-room family-friendly resort situated on the powdery sands of Palm Beach. With cascading waterfalls, a swim-up bar and grill, two outdoor Jacuzzis, and a two-story waterslide, the 8,000-square-foot stunner is every kid’s dream. If more adult-centric diversions are on your wish list, the concierge can arrange catamaran-sailing excursions, deep-sea fishing trips, and snorkeling and scuba-diving expeditions off nearby shores, as well as spa treatments that utilize local ingredients like red mud, seaweed, and aloe vera. The resort’s 10 dining options provide plenty of atmosphere for winding down after a jam-packed day: sample seafood specialties like scallops a la plancha in a setting inspired by the island’s plantation ruins, or watch the sun set over the water, rum punch in hand, from your perfect perch at the pier bar.

A stay at this resort offers the best of many worlds: easy access to San Antonio and its airport, proximity to scenic Hill Country and its wineries, and plenty of on-site amenities to encourage you to hang around. Spread over 600 acres, the property includes an 18-hole golf course, a nine-acre water park (with a winding lazy river and 650-foot rapid river ride), hiking trails, and a 30-room spa, where treatments incorporate Texas-grown ingredients like lavender and sassafras. The facilities fan out from the LEED-certified main building, which houses 1,000 warm, comfortable guestrooms, many of which look out onto the main pool. There are also enough restaurants to warrant a multi-day stay, from an organic-focused spa bistro and a sports bar with local brews, to a Texas-inspired main restaurant and a fine-dining steakhouse set among the golf greens. Each spot uses ingredients sourced within a 150-mile radius of the hotel, and aims to highlight Texas wine and beer. While the kids are off enjoying the water park or video game arcade, adults can take a tequila tasting class or settle into a rocking chair with a good book—then everyone can meet around the indoor or outdoor fireplaces to trade stories.

Two broad snouts snuffle up from the water at the edge of the walking path along Coffee Pot Bayou. A manatee and her baby drift over to the storm drain to drink fresh water coming down from nearby Lake Crescent. The baby cuddles close. A small group of locals lean over the edge of the concrete bulkhead to watch “their” manatees. They speak in happy whispers and take photos with their cell phones to send to friends in colder climes. Common to the bayou for most of the year, manatees are almost an everyday sight during the cooler winter months when colder waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay drive them to the shallow warmer waters of Coffee Pot Bayou. As spring approaches groups of courting manatees can be seen rolling around each other in the shallow waters. Keeping them company are statuesque Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets, shy Green Herons, and gregarious Laughing Gulls. Red-ear slider turtles can often be seen popping their heads up in the water or sunning themselves on boat ramps. Even a dolphin or two join in on the fun. The broad sidewalk along Coffee Pot Bayou is part of a 2-mile walking/biking path that extends from downtown St. Petersburg and follows the edge of Tampa Bay before entering Coffee Pot Bayou. It is a safe, well-lit path with fantastic views, comfortable benches for resting, access to a small beach off of North Shores Park, and opportunities for fishing. Our manatee spot is at Coffee Pot Blvd and 23rd Ave NE.

Kailua Beach is always named one of the best beaches in the world. It has the most deliciously soft sand, gentle surf, and maybe a turtle ( honu) to swim with. Kailua Beach is actually many beaches. For a fascinating study on ancient beach names, take a look at the historical Hawaiian names in John R.K. Clark’s book “The Beaches of Oahu.” In modern times the beach names are three. Oneawa ( AKA Castles), lies to the north near the house the President favors for holidays. Kalama sits in the middle of the crescent named to honor Queen Kalama the wife of King Kamehameha III, former owner of the entire Kailua district. Kailua Beach Park is thirty acres with parking, picnic facilities, lifeguard and restrooms. Kayak rentals are close by and you may pull the boats across the street, stopping for a custom made sandwich at Kalapawai Market, and paddle out to one of the Mokulua islands. If you want a quieter experience albeit with no facilities or life guard, try Kalama Beach via any marked public right-of-way along Kalaheo Avenue beginning in 300 block and proceeding north. Pay attention to no-parking signs; find parking down a side street off Kalaheo Avenue TOWARDS the mountains. Leave nothing of value in your car, take chairs, towels, sunscreen, hats, a cooler of water and perhaps lunch. If winds pick up, pack up and head to docile Waikiki.