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The bold color palette of this reimagined motel reflects the hues of 14 different desert wildflowers. Nearly every room has a balcony or patio and art installations and photography from local artists can be found throughout the hotel. The young crowd hangs by the pool, which has two hot tubs and a poolside bar. The Saguaro also has two restaurants: El Jefe offers small plates inspired by the street food of Mexico City, while Rocco’s Electric serves Mexican-inspired brunch every day.

Its proper name is Neumos Crystal Ball Reading Room, but pretty much everyone just calls it Neumos (pronounced new-mows, a reference to the previous venue in that space, Moe’s Mo’Roc’N Café). The space includes the Pike Street Fish Fry, the Moe Bar, and a new downstairs venue, the Barboza. Neumos features indie rock, metal, hip-hop, punk, and electronica bands, plus DJ nights and special events. Happy hour is 3-7 p.m. every day, and includes $3 wells, selected $3 shots, $4 mojitos and margaritas, and $5 well shot + beer. On weekends, wells are $2, and Bloody Marys and mimosas are $4.

Fanciful accommodations are the name of the game in Las Vegas, and especially during a weekend for two. Each property has its own brand of prime suites reserved for special occasions. Try the two-story Skylofts at MGM Grand, which boast dramatic views of the Strip, or Bellagio’s Cypress suites, which offer his- (bath with steam shower) and-hers (soaking tub) bath amenities. Some of the most famous are Cosmopolitan’s corner suites with Sub-Zero fridges, balconies, and setting-the-stage dining rooms, The Villas at Mirage, which feature a fireplace and backyard, and Aria’s Sky Suites, which are up to 7,000 square feet.

The largest zoological park in Asia, the Taipei Zoo is an extremely well curated assemblage of animals from around the world, specializing in Asian wildlife. As with many zoos, the most popular attraction are the giant panda bears, their cute and slow-moving style always a hit with kids. But there’s a lot more to see than just pandas. One of the park’s highlights is the Formosan animal area: a look at animals endemic to Taiwan. The zoo is always busy but is extremely popular on the weekends, so plan a mid-week visit if possible.

This is a place where kids can be kids and burn off lots of energy while feeding their imaginations. Fairytale Town is a cute non-profit park across the street from the Sacramento Zoo. Kids love this place (mine included!). Nursery rhymes and fairy tales come alive here: there’s a giant shoe slide, a knights’ castle with roundtable, farm animals, a “crooked mile” that twists and turns through a tiny forest, an Owl’s tree house, Cinderella’s carriage, and much more. Admission is $4 on weekdays and $5 on weekends. Free parking is available on the streets or parking lots behind the park.

The hot-right-now Fierro Hotel bills itself as the ‘Hotel for the Gourmand,’ and it’s no wonder - the boutique hotel is famous on the foodie scene for hosting special events like ‘One Table,’ the biweekly TFIF Happy Hour brings in the talent of celebrity bartender Fede Cuco, and - drum roll, please - resident chef Hernán Gipponi and his restaurant were recently recognized at the Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards 2013. To see what Gipponi - who honed his craft at Michelin-starred restaurants in Spain - can do, come for the nine-course modern Argentinian tasting menu, or splurge on his classy weekend brunch.

Head outside the city centre, to the commune of Tervuren, for one of the most beautiful parks near Brussels. Just behind the Royal Museum for Central Africa (pictured here) is a large garden. Joggers and walkers frequent the network of paths through the forest and lakes are populated with fishermen on weekends. The park is home to Flanders largest Giant Redwood tree and there is a good deal of wildlife inhabiting the lake and trees. It is particularly lovely in autumn, as the leaves are changing colour, and in early spring, as the sunshine filters through the newly sprouted leaves.

You’ll be hard pressed to find it in any of the tourism literature, but just off Oostende’s bustling beach promenade is a tiny oasis of tranquillity. In the middle of the Konings Park is a beautiful Japanese Garden. The garden was created in the ‘Kaiyusschiki’ style and includes water features, bamboo, statues and a rock garden. Wander the winding paths or simply relax and enjoy the peace and quiet with your own personal moment of zen. The garden is free to the public but is only open on weekends. It’s well worth tearing yourself away from the beach to enjoy.

It’s a weekend ritual for my cousin and his friends to pop into either The Loading Bay or Origins Roast right next door for breakfast. With a gorgeous view of the mountain, both cafés have coffee to die for and stellar food. This particular beauty of a breakfast was from The Loading Bay; banana topped with walnuts accompanied with creme fraiche, served on top of toasted rye and drizzled with honey. Both venues are open for breakfast and lunch; the Loading Bay is also open for burger night, on Thursdays, served with their famous fries (sprinkled with truffles).

This club, housed in an old industrial warehouse, does not look unlike a mental ward and, inside, has as many fascinating levels as an Escher drawing. To dance with a sea of the coolest kids in Berlin (and Europe for that matter—it’s a landmark destination for partiers across Europe), stay on the ground floor. For a smaller scene, head to the top floor, which gradually attracts a more queer crowd as the weekend goes on. That’s the other thing: it’s only open from Friday until Monday morning. Wear plain clothes and no smile to get past the doorman. If at first you don’t succeed, come back on Sunday nights when the line is shorter and the bouncers are known to be less prickly.

We took a four night trip to the Peruvian jungle and the Macaws at this clay-lick were a highlight from the boat trip up the river.

A local favorite since the 1990s, Bar Przystań is a straightforward fish-and-chips joint located right on the beach in Sopot. It’s always crowded, especially on weekends, with hungry visitors lining up to order cold beers, fisherman’s soup, and fried fillets of Baltic herring, flounder, cod, and more. After placing your order, you’ll receive an alarm tile that will buzz when your food is ready. At that point, head up to the counter, collect your meal, and make a beeline for the sand, then eat under the sun.

Don’t expect to find any Beijing residents on Wangfujing Snack Street, home of spiders, scorpions, starfish and pretty much anything else that can be skewered and cooked. This is firm tourist territory, a place for visitors to test their mettle when it comes to snacking on creatures that have six or eight legs or float about in the sea. It’s almost a rite of passage, to experience foods that most locals would turn their noses up at, and one that usually ranks among the top memories of a trip to Beijing. Scorpions on a stick seem to be particularly fascinating to visitors. In fact, during the Beijing Olympics it would have been easier to make a list of the visiting journalists who didn’t write a story about them. But, and this seems to be rarely mentioned, not everything on snack street has a ‘Man v. Food’ feel. The stalls offer far more identifiable snacks. Fried dumplings. Steamed buns. Mountains of noodles. Jellied acorn and chestnut. Corn. And given the overall cleanliness of the spot, perhaps due to its high tourism profile, it is generally safe to eat here. So, don’t feel you have to stick to the scorpions. The steamed buns will do, too.

No trip to D.C. is complete without ordering the district’s signature dish, the half-smoke. And while many restaurants serve it, there’s only one worthy of your order: Ben’s Chili Bowl. The popular landmark diner has been feeding the community and cultural icons since the area’s “Black Broadway” days, when jazz greats such as Miles Davis enjoyed this comfort food classic. When riots broke out after Martin Luther King’s assassination in 1968, Ben’s remained open and served both police and protesters. While the U Street Corridor has undergone an urban makeover, Ben’s has remained the same, serving its quarter-pound of half-pork/half-beef smoked sausage on a bun with mustard and onions, all smothered in spicy homemade chili sauce. The prestigious James Beard Foundation even took notice, deeming it one of “America’s Classics.” Bring cash and come hungry.

Why we love it: A top Cabos stay with low-key sophistication and activity-focused fun

Highlights:
- Multi-bedroom villas for easy family vacations
- Activities like water sports, beachfront fitness classes, golf, and more
- One of the best restaurants in Los Cabos, right on property

The Review:
Esperanza has become something of a hospitality legend in Los Cabos, so it makes sense that Auberge Resorts’ sister property, Chileno Bay, has style and substance right out of the gate. Located on one of the area’s only swimmable beaches, the resort makes use of its prime location with a water sports center that offers glass-bottomed kayaks, snorkel gear outfitted with GoPro cameras, and more. If you’d rather stay on dry land, the property also provides access to hiking on UNESCO-protected mountain, camel-back rides through the Baja Outback, and dune buggy excursions on the shoreline.

Of course, no one would fault you for laying low by the triple-tiered pool, which winds down like a river to the beach; relaxing at the holistic spa with a salt inhalation room and reflexology pool; or even simply staying in your room. Here, the 60 earth-and-sea-hued guest rooms provide comfort in the way of spacious bathrooms with soaking tubs and private terraces with outdoor showers; some suites have infinity-edge plunge pools and outdoor hot rubs, while 32 multi-bedroom villas include fully equipped kitchens and expansive rooftop terraces with fireplaces. When it comes time to eat, there’s French Laundry alum Yvan Mucharraz’s modern Mexican restaurant Comal, plus a beachside taco bar and a courtyard coffee shop.