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Both of Waikiki’s Outrigger hotels are a good value, but this one is a little bigger and a little quieter. It’s right on the beach, just north of the main resort cluster, and though a short walk to the middle of the action, far enough to feel out of the fray. The hotel itself is a quintessential Hawaiian family resort—big and friendly, with an unmistakable good-time vibe, old-school Polynesian decor throughout, and any number of activities on offer. The pool is set back from the beach and nothing fancy (no waterslides, no swim-up bar, and up against a giant wall), but it’s large enough for a serious game of Marco Polo, and there are plenty of lounge chairs to go around. Perhaps the best reason to stay here is the beach—a fairly narrow but sparkling white strand with more elbow room than its sister beaches; the rocky bottom may have something to do with that, but it’s a good place to learn to surf and a great place to catnap in the sun. One warning: the hotel lobby may feel overly commercial to some, what with a row of gift shops and a hard-to-miss timeshare desk, but it’s easy enough to ignore, if you wish.

Panama City’s seafood market stands near the halfway point along the Cinta Costera, so the goodies on offer can be your reward after a long walkabout. Since colonial times, fishermen who sold the city its seafood have anchored here; there’s now an up-to-date market home to nearly a score of open-air stalls where customers chow down on ceviche, fried corvina fish with patacones (fried plantain rounds), filete a lo macho (fish filet in a shellfish ragout), and those same patacones, now stuffed with shrimp or much-celebrated shellfish guacho (think a tropical risotto). Don’t expect anything ritzy: This is plastic-chair-and-table country, but the food is so delicious that you won’t be thinking about the ambience.

For a spectacular hike near Nairobi, head to the Ngong Hills, just a 40–minute drive away. These knuckle-shaped hills offer panoramic views of Nairobi and the surrounding mountain ranges, and you can choose to turn back at any point if you don’t feel like scaling every peak (the highest rises to 8,071 feet above sea level). The easiest option is to leave your car at the Ngong Town entrance and pick up a ranger to guide your walk. Be sure to bring a picnic—the satisfaction of reaching the final peak is best celebrated by sprawling out on a blanket, enjoying a sandwich, and soaking in the views extending out from all sides.

Ocean State of Mind is a flourishing store right in the ever-growing center of Rincon, PR. The town center has attracted many new businesses with the installment of its popular “Art Walk” on Thursday nights. You can find artisans from all over the northwest corner of the island. One shop in particular features handmade silver jewelry using beachcombed finds from Puerto Rico. The shop features sarongs, handmade bikinis, ocean finds and all sorts of home decor and gifts. It’s the perfect stop to pick up a special piece for someone back home, or to splurge on yourself for something you will always remember from Puerto Rico!

It is so easy to stroll into France, many visitor cross the border without ever realizing they’ve been abroad. Instead of a coastal hike, the French Riviera offers a paved path that takes travelers from the Principality to Mala Beach on the Cap d’Ail. Catch the Sentier Littoral (coastal trail) at Marquet Beach and head west through a landscaped paradise dotted with mysterious mansions and eccentric estates. It is an easy walk for young children, with plenty of picnic stops and, during the summer, even restaurants on the beach. Hike, or catch the bus back from the downtown of lilliputian Cap d’Ail. Photo : Sylvia Sabes

Larvotto is a small stretch of pebbles along the shore, and the country’s only beach. Gathered at Monaco’s extreme eastern border, it is the ideal spot to appreciate the Mediterranean. Paddle boards and kayaks are available for rent, while SkiVol offers inner tubing, water skiing or parasailing. It is a great place to snorkel, but insiders continue walking the Sentier Littoral into Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France, following the pedestrian tunnel under the exclusive 1930’s Monte Carlo Beach Hotel to the tiny public beach and cement jetty, where there are no amenities, but plenty of peace and quiet. Photo : Sylvia Sabes

The Adriatic Luxury Hotels group offers a number of lodging options in the city. The landmark Excelsior is a short walk from Old Town and faces the Adriatic. A recent renovation updated the 158 large guest rooms with natural tones and dark-wood furnishings.—David Farley

This appeared in the March/April 2018 issue.

Have you ever wanted to travel in a submarine? How about walking underwater like Jacques Cousteau? Then a visit to Yalong Bay Undersea World is a must. You can ride an Australian “semi-submersible vessel.” It goes as deep as 1.7 meters, and you can see fish and coral through the windows. Even better, visitors can take a stroll underwater. Wearing a pressure-resistant helmet attached to oxygen, participants follow a guide five meters underwater. Colorful, tropical fish flit around: It’s a seriously cool experience. The venue also has snorkeling, parasailing, fishing, boat rides, and more.

The winding streets of ancient Genoa all lead in one direction—straight up. Lace up your tennis shoes and keep climbing. Eventually you will reach a small park at the edge of the city, the entrance to one of the many fortresses that speckled its 17th-century walls. From here you’ll be treated to one of the best views of both old and new Genoa. Come at dusk for a stunning sunset over the urban edge of the Ligurian Sea. (And if you are too tired to walk back down, catch the funicular for less than two euros!)

Whether or not you plan to purchase some of the Mexican pottery known as Talavera, which comes only from Puebla and nearby communities, you owe yourself a visit to the venerable Uriarte building, a 20-minute walk from Puebla’s old-town zocalo. Established in 1824, Uriarte has showrooms and a garden court full of premium quality home-interior and outdoor decorative times, place settings, and tiles, all intricately painted and with the characteristic milky-white glaze. You’ll find less expensive examples in other parts of the city (although “seconds” are available here), but Uriarte will give you an appreciation of the craftsmanship that dates back to the 1500s.

One of my favorite spas in Jamaica is located at the well-known Jakes Resort, in Treasure Beach. Small, cozy and away from the big resort towns, it’s a wonderful place to unwind. Opt for a long full body massage in one of only four oceanfront treatment cabanas, with doors open on the sea ahead. The spa prides itself in using fresh ingredients from its on site gardens. When you’re done, walk over to Jack Sprat for a quick bite with a view and take a nap on the beach—not necessarily in that order.

If you like to admire art in the open air, Oostende has plenty for you to enjoy outdoors. Start at the Royal Gallery where you can enjoy a free exhibition of portrait photography. Walk towards the casino along the promenade and admire the ‘Dansende Golven’ (Dancing Waves) sculpture by Patrick Steenon. Continue along the promenade until you reach the bright red shapes that make up ‘Rock Strangers’ by Arne Quinze (pictured). Watching people move through and interact with the shapes can be almost as interesting as the art itself. More Information on Oostende: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/10/10-reasons-visit-oostende-beach/

Move over cupcakes: Popsicles are the next big dessert craze in Orlando. After my stroll around Lake Eola, I stopped at the popsicle shop Hyppo. You won’t find the popsicles of your childhood here. Hyppo’s version is inspired by Mexican paletas (ice pops) and comes in two varieties: milk-based and ice-based. When you walk in, you’re greeted by a colorful cooler of pops with seasonal flavors that might include pistachio-coconut, the Elvis (peanut butter, banana, and honey), cantaloupe-black pepper, strawberry-basil, key lime, and even some bourbon-based options.

On the walking mall, on the corner of Hyman Avenue and Mill Street, there is a dancing water fountain where the children endlessly play in the symphonic pattern of the water spraying into the air. The fountain was created in 1979 by a local sculptor and computer genius who programmed the fountain to dance in different patterns. Test your skills and see if you can cross the entire fountain without getting wet or get some balloons and place them on the water rising. For the kids, I recommend either bringing a bathing suit or an extra set of clothes because they are not leaving dry.

Yes, you read that right... “Keep clam” is the motto at Ivar’s famous Seattle seafood restaurants. Ivar’s has plenty of locations around town, from the casual fish-and-chip stands to the fancier waterfront Acres of Clams and Salmon House, but all of them serve up piping-hot fried fish and chips, a classic Seattle dish. (Salmon would be the most Northwestern choice, but we like the halibut best.) For maximum local flavor, head to the Pier 54 walk-up bar for your chowder or shrimp cocktail, then feed leftover French fries to the grateful seagulls hanging around and begging.