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Taking a trip to Fort Sumter gives visitors a chance to explore a little Civil War history (the first shot of that long bloody war was fired here in 1861) through an orientation in town at the education center, followed by a ferry ride out to the fort itself, built on an island at the mouth of the harbor, for a brief park ranger introduction and a self-guided tour. In addition to being a fascinating experience for the site’s historical significance, the excursion offers water views of Rainbow Row, the homes along The Battery, and the Holy City’s many steeples.

The Caribou Club is a prestigious members only club and restaurant. There are temporary memberships available or if you know a member they can invite you as their guest for the evening. Although there is no official dress code shorts, hats and flip flops are not allowed. If you get an offer to dine at this chic establishment I would happily accept the invitation. The food is beautiful American fare ranging from Lobster Pot Pie to Colorado Rack of Lamb. After dinner relax on one of the couches and sip on some brandy in the Great Room. On the weekend it is a hot spot for drinking and dancing especially for gold-diggers and cougars. Generally they are on the prowl for their next husband. Don’t be surprised if you bump into a few stars. Due to its exclusivity it is a favorite among movie stars trying to escape the limelight.

Viernes Culturales is a local Miami event in Little Havana, where restaurants, galleries, clubs and street vendors get together on the last Friday of every month for a cultural art show. Local merchants and artists set up on the streets of Calle Ocho to turn it into what looks like a street fair. The City of Miami sets up an event area in the alley next to the Tower Theater to host DJs, performers, artists and sellers. Sponsors set up booths around here and offer free tastings and gifts. There are many live performances that occur throughout the day and night, but people dance throughout the streets during the entire festival. Many nightclubs serve drinks and vendors give out samples. Be sure to check out the expansive list of restaurants before choosing. I suggest going on a food crawl to really explore the Cuban American culture in Miami.

New Leaf Restaurant & Bar is an upscale eatery located in NYC’s Fort Tryon Park. Perched on one of the highest points in Manhattan, the 67-acre park features pristine views over the Hudson River. New Leaf is a wonderful dining option if you are visiting the park or its crown jewel, The Cloisters, the world-famous museum devoted to medieval art and architecture. The restaurant is housed in what was formerly a food concession facility from the 1930s. A renovation in 2001 enhanced the natural beauty of the cottage’s cobblestone exterior, 18-foot high ceilings and shaded outdoor patio. The food is fresh, seasonal and modern American cuisine - a top-notch Ceasar salad, plus Maryland crab cakes, hickory bacon wrapped pork tenderloin, ricotta ravioli and more. The non-profit restaurant benefits the New York Restoration Project - all proceeds support a cleaner, greener New York City. So feel good while eating well! www.newleafrestaurant.com

One of the iconic sights of the American Southwest, Taos Pueblo has been inhabited for at least a thousand years. The adobe architecture seems to spring, organic, from the earth at the foot of Taos Mountain. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site, but a living community, not a museum. San Geronimo church, at the center of the pueblo, is a relative newcomer here--built in the mid-19th century to replace the Spanish mission that was destroyed in 1847, when U.S. troops bombarded it as part of a campaign to quell a rebellion. Its history has been turbulent, but the setting is beautiful, and Taos Pueblo welcomes respectful visitors today. Before exploring on your own, take the time to listen to one of its college-student docents on a brief guided walk. They’ll be telling you about their families...

A couple of years ago, on Black Friday, my wife and I headed away from the malls of Tucson and into the mountains: Chiricahua National Monument, just west of the New Mexico border in SE Arizona, was one of the last strongholds of the Chiricahua Apaches, who called this area “the land of standing-up rocks.” This particular mountain peak is Cochise Head (elev. 8087'); cock your head to the right and it resembles a man’s profile. The ‘eyelash’ is formed by a tall Douglas fir tree. The volcanic formation is named after Chief Cochise, who died in 1874. About a decade after his death, several hundred of his surviving fellow Apaches were deported to Florida, never to return to their homeland again... The history of the American Southwest is a sobering mix of people on the move with conflicting labels: pioneers/invaders, defenders/terrorists, war/genocide, natives/aliens...It still hasn’t been all sorted out.

Each Tuesday around 7:30pm, locals from in around central Mérida descend on the square in Parque Santiago to dance “danzon” under the stars at the weekly event called “Remembranzas Musicales”. A form of dance and music, “danzón” was introduced from Cuba to México in the early Twentieth Century. Cuban inspired rhythms from the 1930’s and 40’s are just what is takes to get this crowd moving. Each week, elegant ladies and immaculately dressed men kick up their heels to live music provided by the City Band. The average age of the dancers is north of 50, but they know their moves and it always draws a festive crowd. Everybody is welcome to join in, even if you are not the worlds best dancer. If not, you can take a seat on the sidelines and simply enjoy the festivities. Also, with a night market of restaurants adjacent to the plaza and tables spilling out under the night sky, its a great spot to enjoy the show while sampling local dishes like panuchos, salbutes, tamales and sopa de lima. Parque Santiago is in Mérida Centro, four blocks from Méridas main plaza. It is located in 59 street between 70 and 72. The neighborhood of Santiago, in which the park is located is a colorful colonial era neighborhood full of life. With all the music, food and color, it is also one of the best neighborhoods to stay in. Great vacation rentals ideas with pools and other great amenites are yours by the night, week or month at http://www.remixto.com/. (Images courtesy of Mérida.gob.mx)

Before opening Craving Restaurant in 2013, chef Adam Goetz worked everywhere from the James Beard House to the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Now, he puts his talents to good use in North Buffalo, combining fresh ingredients with highly skilled technique to make the food diners crave. Open for lunch and dinner six nights a week and brunch on Sundays, Craving serves farm-to-table fare in a cozy setting, complete with a small bar and a patio out front. Dishes can be made vegetarian or gluten-free and the chef butchers all meats in-house to ensure nothing gets wasted. The menu changes constantly to highlight the freshest ingredients possible, but recent dishes included ricotta gnocchi, leg of lamb, and whole-roasted trout with asparagus sauce.

While Lloyd may be best known for its inventive Mexican fare, it’s also one of the most forward-thinking cocktail spots in Buffalo. What started as a food truck catering to the business lunch and weekend festival crowds became a North Buffalo staple when it opened its first brick-and-mortar location on Hertel Avenue in late 2015. Today, it continues to be a go-to for classic cocktails like margaritas and palomas, made with fresh ingredients and quality spirits. The mezcal drinks are delicious, especially the Green Hornet (mezcal, honey simple syrup, spicy tomatillo shrub, lemon, cucumber), but if you’re not into smoky spirits, try the Midsummer’s Daydream (rum, strawberry-peppercorn shrub, aloe liqueur, lemon, pineapple, rosé).

Open that teal door down an alleyway in D.C.’s bustling 14th and U Street neighborhood and like in Alice In Wonderland, you’ll be transported to another world. Just inside the door, Maydan’s cooks fan and stoke the flames of a firepit. Lamb shoulders smoke overhead, pita bread bakes in clay ovens, and vegetables char over coals. The flavorful shared-plates menu of spreads, kebabs, vegetables, and more is inspired by homemade meals shared throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and Caucasus. Maydan, which means “gathering place” in Arabic dialects, succeeds at creating a communal dining experience where food and conversation is exchanged across the table. Grab a reservation in advance (available open 28 days ahead at midnight) and request a seat downstairs for a front-row view of the mesmerizing open-fire cooking spectacle.

A Good Year, starring Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard, was shot in Cucuron, just 35 miles north of Aix-en-Provence. While the medieval town hasn’t had many celebrity sightings since, it stills draws visitors with its exquisite Michelin-starred restaurant Le Petit Maison. Here, the weekly set menus—each available with wine pairings—come courtesy of chef Eric Sapet, who worked for 11 years in renowned Paris restaurants like the three-Michelin-starred Tour d’Argent. Ranging from wild shrimp bouillabaisse with chanterelle mushrooms to roast duck breast with peaches, his dishes are something to be savored, especially when enjoyed in La Petite Maison’s elegant dining room, which charms with old-fashioned woodwork, Renaissance tapestries, and period tiles.

With its striking white facades and terra-cotta rooftops, you might mistake Cap Maison for a Mediterranean villa on the Costa Brava. However, this all-inclusive resort set on a former sugar plantation on St. Lucia’s north coast offers more than meets the eye. The pastel-hued interiors are matched by the sunny dispositions of the superb staff, who cater to every request, whether it’s finding a shady spot by the terraced pool area, booking a paddleboarding excursion off the private beach on Smuggler’s Cove, or arranging for the house yacht to take you to the neighboring island of Martinique for the day. Don’t miss the sunset views at the Cliff at Cap restaurant, where locally sourced dishes like reef conch ceviche and passion fruit soufflé are topped off with some of the resort’s house-made rum.

A two-hour trek from downtown will bring you to China’s third-largest island, Chongming. Considered a “national geological park,” the island is a known nature escape for city residents. While you’re there, check out the Chongming Museum, stroll through Dongping National Forest Park (they have hammocks and BBQ pits if you want to camp out for a while here as well as bikes to cruise around on), hike up Jinao Mountain to the Shouan Temple, or go crabbing for some of China’s most famous hairy crabs at the at Dongtan National Nature Reserve. How to get there: Ferries depart daily from Baoyang Port or take bus Shen Chong (申崇一线) from Shanghai North Long Distance Bus Station. *Photo Source Bert van Dijk (Creative Commons)

If you happen to be interested in architecture, or even if you are not, the Harry Weese-designed River Cottages located from 357 to 365 North Canal Street in downtown Chicago are something you should see. A native of Illinois, Weese is best known for his modernistic style which also focused on historic preservation. The wonderful River Cottages, a mesmerizing display of glass and steel square and triangular shapes, rests beautifully along the edge of the Chicago river. The ideal vantage point for taking in this architectural masterpiece is being perched on a boat in the river. Find a friend with a boat (challenging), or hop on the any of the numerous architectural boat tours originating from Navy Pier (easy), and make your way to Harry’s cottage.

The Artisan, inside the Stonebridge Inn, serves modern American cuisine, using locally sourced ingredients in a refined and relaxed setting. Sound pretty much the norm? The Artisan is blessed with a charming setting: There’s a lovely stone fireplace in the main dining room and then, up some steps, bar seating and tables in a solarium with mountain views. Outside the solarium, deck seating means dinner with fresh-air mountain views. Set the tone for a great meal by ordering the grilled artichoke heart appetizer, garnished with a truffle aioli and lemon zest. The recommended entree: a New York strip steak, topped with a bourbon, peach, and cherry salsa, and served with cashew rice and scallions.