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Part of the University of British Columbia, this museum houses one of the finest collections of Northwest Coast Aboriginal art, including bentwood boxes, feast dishes, totem poles, and canoes from the Haida and Coast Salish people. Some of these artifacts are displayed in a soaring grand hall with views of the Point Grey cliffs. Visitors can also look forward to a respectable European ceramics collection, with earthenware and stoneware from the 16th to 19th centuries, and a rotunda with works from Haida artist Bill Reid, including the massive Raven and the First Men, made out of laminated yellow cedar.

Just 30 minutes from the bustling tourist towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge sits this secluded bed-and-breakfast surrounded by 200 forested acres. Accommodations at Christopher Place are intended for couples rather than families: Nine individually decorated rooms, four with in-room hot tubs for two and several with fireplaces, have only one bed, and children younger than 12 aren’t allowed.

You can savor in-room breakfasts and dinners in a few of the rooms; everyone else can enjoy meals at the Mountain View Restaurant, which serves an affordable, seasonal four-course menu with a backdrop that’s just as satisfying. Hearty breakfasts will gird you for a full day of exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park, or just hiking the trails outside the resort’s front door. Return for a dip in the pool, then a cocktail or glass of wine in front of a roaring fire at Marston’s Library Pub, named after the property’s owner.

Built in 1907 by the same architect who designed the National Theatre and Hallgrímskirkja church, Apotek is full of historical resonance. The Art Nouveau–style building was once the country’s largest edifice and served as the city’s primary pharmacy from 1930 to 1999, a distinction that gave the hotel its name when it opened in 2014. The property’s 45 rooms blend elements of the past while seamlessly incorporating modern design touches, employing neutral colors, parquet floors, and simple-but-refined furnishings to create a sense of calm; subway-tiled bathrooms with walk-in showers have a bright, clean look. You don’t have to wander far to enjoy one of the busiest watering holes in Reykjavik: Apotek Kitchen + Bar is a hot spot for artisan beverages, where cocktail “pharmacists” craft potions for every ailment. Bonus: Not only does it overlook the Austurvöllur park, it’s just around the corner from the Icelandic Punk Museum.

Under 20 minutes by car from Québec City (or, if you are feeling ambitious, less than an hour by bike, with most of the ride on a well-maintained path), Chute-Montmorency (Montmorency Falls) is the area’s most impressive natural wonder. If you visit the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec before you go, the sight will look familiar: Montmorency has long been a popular subject for local painters. Think Niagara is impressive? The cascade here is a full 99 feet higher—272 feet to the Horseshoe Falls’ 173 feet. In winter, spray from the falls freezes into a hill at its base, known as the Sugarloaf, and snowshoes are available for rent if you want to explore the nearby trails. In the summer, there’s a zip line for those in search of an adrenaline bump. Year-round, a cable car carries passengers to the top of the falls, providing bird’s-eye views en route.

After a $90 million expansion that unveiled five new lodges and raised the facility’s total number of rooms to 590, Canyon Lodge & Cabins, in Canyon Village near the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, has more accommodations than any other hotel in the park. The new LEED-certified structures were modularly built with sustainability in mind, incorporating countertops constructed of recycled glass and fly ash (a by-product of coal burning) and trim made with beetle-damaged wood from blue-colored pine bark, which would have otherwise gone to waste. The new lodges also feature two bedroom suites (king/queen) that include a sitting room with sofa bed; some have walk-out patios and decks. Budget-minded visitors who don’t want to sacrifice canyon views opt for the nearby cabins, which are modest yet comfortable. There’s also a $6 million refresh of the lodge’s food service on tap, with new cafés and restaurants offering updated menus and Mad Men–era Mission 66-inspired design.

Consisting of 25 domes, EcoCamp was inspired by the round houses of ancient tribes that formerly inhabited the area now known as Torres del Paine National Park. There are three categories of domes, all made from green plastic with sheer windows. Standard domes feature twin or double beds and a shared, campsite-style bathroom. Standard domes don’t have central heating and can be nippy in the Patagonian climate. Superior domes have gas heaters and en suite bathrooms. The suite domes are similar to the superior rooms, but have wood-burning stoves (and the suite dome loft has two floors). Domes are connected by raised wooden walkways for minimal environmental impact. Communal meals and pre-excursion briefings take place in the central community dome.

Classic-film buffs well know the pivotal scene on the Riesenrad, the giant Ferris wheel in Vienna’s Prater park which lies between the Danube and one of its side canals. In the film version of Graham Greene’s noir tale The Third Man, Orson Welles, as Harry Lime, relates his famous Swiss cuckoo clock analogy to Joseph Cotten while on the ride. Built in 1897 for Emperor Franz Joseph I’s golden jubilee, the Ferris wheel was for a long time the world’s tallest. After a period of scruffiness late last century, the Prater and its old-fashioned amusement park are again popular. The greenery alone makes for wonderful strolling or biking, with the Schweizerhaus restaurant’s beer garden the perfect place for schnitzel or succulent Schweinsstelze (pig’s feet).

Encircling the entire island of Bonaire—and the neighboring islet of Klein Bonaire—Bonaire National Marine Park is home to some of the best snorkeling and diving you’ll ever do. Thanks to long-standing protective measures (dive-site moorings that preclude damage from anchors being dropped nearby, for example), the coral and fish here are some of the healthiest in the region, so expect a profusion of marine life, whether in the form of tiny sea horses, massive morays, or a zillion creatures in between.

Stretched out from the northwest corner of the island like a small arm, Pigeon Island is a historical landmark and a satisfying all-in-one nature, beach, and hiking escape minutes from Rodney Bay Marina. The 44-acre mountainous green plot is home to the preserved ruins of British military forts and garrisons; the Brits chased the Caribs out and used the islet to monitor French activity. Walk among the ruins, and hike up to the cannons of Fort Rodney, where the lookout point offers a breathtaking panoramic view of St. Lucia’s coastline and the sea below, dotted with sailboats. Hike down to the beach for a swim and a toast to history at Jambe de Bois, a restaurant on the water.

Volunteer Park is a beloved neighborhood park in the heart of Seattle’s Capitol Hill. Originally created in 1876, the park was named in 1901 to honor the volunteers of the Spanish-American War. The Seattle Asian Art Museum is located inside the park, as well as the Volunteer Park Conservatory, which features 600 varieties of orchids and a cactus house. Take in a stunning 360-degree view atop the historic water tower, or stroll the walking paths around the reservoir.

Revel is easy to overlook—it’s on a busy stretch of Carrolton Avenue (just off the Canal Streetcar Line) amid a slew of other neighborhood restaurants. But it’s the only one here helmed by Chris McMillian, among the nation’s most prominent bartender-historians. He knows the history and lore of New Orleans drinks better than anyone, and is pretty conversant with cocktails from, well, just about anywhere. The drinks list here is solid, but ask McMillian what he’s been enjoying whipping up lately, and order one of those. And come hungry—the kitchen, manned by his son-in-law, serves up great bistro fare.

Once an oyster-farming backwater, this area was held sacred to the shark goddess Ka‘ahupahau. But it’s forever etched into America’s psyche due to the 1941 Japanese surprise attack on the naval base, which launched the U.S. into WWII’s Pacific theater. Today, more than a million visitors pay their respects annually at the museums and memorials, which include the USS Bowfin, the USS Missouri, and the wreck of the USS Arizona. Buy tickets online to avoid the inevitable long wait. Ford Island also houses the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum here: Historic hangars showcase vintage aircraft like a Japanese Zero and a Curtiss P-40E Warhawk. Plane buffs should add on a $10 combat-simulator flight.

Brussels’ parks are all beautiful in the autumn (when it’s not raining, that is), but I have a particular affinity for Park Royale or Brussels Park (also called Parc de Bruxelles in French and Warandepark in Dutch). Nothing signals autumn in Brussels like crunching through the leaves and kicking fallen chestnuts in Brussels Park. This small park sits between the Royal Palace and the Belgian Parliament buildings and is a favourite of office workers at lunchtime. Joggers circle the park’s perimeter and dog-walkers stroll the shady pathways. The park was built in the late 1700s, where the gardens of the former Palace of Coudenberg once stood. Dotted around the park are various statues and fountains and a beautiful cast iron bandstand. Park Royale is also home to concerts and art installations throughout the year.

Den Blå Planet—the Blue Planet—is one of Europe’s biggest aquariums. It’s organized into three main zones—northern lakes and seas, the oceans, and tropical rivers and lakes—so you can explore typical Scandinavian habitats, or view sea otters, herring, and crayfish, or keep the kids entertained by tracking down more exotic creatures such as piranhas, electric eels, and poison frogs. The Danes take a matter-of-fact approach to their wildlife and often do workshops in which visitors are invited to watch an animal being dissected. Located close to Copenhagen Airport, the aquarium is easily reached by public transportation.

This 7.5-mile round-trip walk has some of the most amazing coastal views in Sydney and is a great introduction to the city’s Eastern Suburbs. Starting from Icebergs pool in Bondi, the path hugs cornmeal-sand coves, natural seawater pools, a marine reserve (Gordons Bay) that’s great for snorkeling, and unique attractions from ancient Aboriginal rock art sites to the oceanview Waverley Cemetery. In late October, site-specific art installations pop up along the cliffs between Bondi and Tamarama beaches as part of the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition, one of the largest outdoor sculpture events in the world. Spring (September through November) is also an excellent time to see migrating southern right whales spouting in the sunset. Toast your trek with a drink at the Coogee Pavilion.