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Jungle Zone, located next to the food court at Hyatt Plaza, is an indoor theme park with attractions including roller coasters, also bumper cars, a racetrack and bumper boats, video games, indoor water ride, a zip line, and carnival games. As an animal-themed children’s attraction, the employees dress as playful jungle animals. One of the Jungle’s main attraction is the 7D Dark Ride, a multisensory game/ride. There is also a small soft play area for toddlers and a nifty nest art area where kids can draw, color or just have a quiet time. It’s open 12:00 to 22:00 Sunday to Wednesday, 13:00 to 23:00 Thursday and Friday, 10:00 to 22:00 Saturday, 9:00 to 12:00 on weekdays during scheduled school visits.

At 6,200 feet, Mont Ventoux—also known as the “Beast of Provence”—is the highest mountain in the Vaucluse region, and a popular part of the Tour de France cycling race. About half a mile from the summit stands a memorial to British cyclist Tom Simpson, who died during the 1967 Tour de France at just 29 years old. It serves as a sort of reminder to those tackling the grueling, 15.5-mile ascent, which, at some points, features a 10 percent gradient. At the top, winds can howl at up to 150 miles an hour, but the panoramic view stretches all the way from the Alps to the Mediterranean Sea. Despite being nicknamed the Bald Eagle, Mont Ventoux is a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, with more than 1,000 species of flora and fauna. Take a drive to the top, then reward yourself with a visit to the Boyer nougat factory in nearby Sault, or a stop at the Vallon des Lavandes distillery on the Lavender Route.

Rising before one of the world’s most famous sailing sites—the host of the Louis Vuitton Regattas, the Volvo Round the World Race, and the Auckland International Boat Show—the Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour blends French and South Pacific influences while respecting the maritime heritage of the area. Glass walls maximize views of the marina and its many yachts as well as the reflective pools that create optical illusions in the hotel lobby. The color palette sets cherry and dark woods, jade greens, and slate grays against cream and white backdrops, while artwork—from ceremonial pieces to a Maori tribal sculpture in the atrium—pays homage to indigenous New Zealanders. Some of the treatments at the SO Spa, like the greenstone massage, also reflect local culture, while others use French products in a nod to the hotel brand’s heritage.

References to Auckland’s volcanic origins also abound, most notably in the back-lit marble walls of the Lava Dining restaurant, an all-day spot for French- and New Zealand-accented dishes; the casual 21 Viaduct Café and panoramic Sabrage Bar are other dining options. And then there are the rooms: from the Superiors and Junior Suites to the exclusive Opera Suite, all have contemporary décor, signature MyBed mattresses, marble baths with Lanvin products and separate showers and tubs, and walls of windows opening out onto a Juliet balcony with views of either the hotel’s atrium, or the city, harbor, and beyond.

With just over a year in business, Green Dot Stables is still new, but owner Jacques and his wife took over a building in Corktown that isn’t. Instead, they took it from abandoned and historical to historical but fresh. The interior still retains its ode to horse racing and is kitschy appeal without being cheesy. An innovative new menu presided over by Les Molnar features more than 20 unusual and classic sliders with a “mystery meat” option that changes often. On the day I visited, the special was Lamb Tongue with Dijon Brown Butter and Fennel Relish. My favorite was the Corned Beef Slider with Wigley’s-Brinery Kraut, Pickle and Mustard Aioli. Local and imported beers anchor the drink list and their soda (or pop as it is known in the Midwest) is mixed in-house with locally made syrup. Optional sides include truffle fries, poutine, chicken and orzo salad, kale & quinoa, or classic mac ‘n’ cheese. Menus items start at an affordable $2 and it is a packed house during the lunch rush so plan accordingly or visit at odd hours to ensure fast service.

Mission Dolores Park, aka “Dolo”, is one of the most popular parks in San Francisco, especially when the sun is out, since this neighborhood is known for being one of the sunniest in the city.

On a sunny weekend, you’ll be hard pressed to find a patch of green to plant yourself on, but that’s what makes Dolores Park so much fun. Yes there is a playground for kids, and basketball and tennis courts, too. But the real sport here is people watching.

You’ll hear music booming between dog barks; people toss footballs, tightrope walk, and fling their Frisbees. Bodies slathered in oil glisten in the sun; ice cream melts down the arms of laughing children; the whiff of cut grass (and other questionable varieties) linger in the air. Vendors will also come around to sell a variety of snacks and drinks, and you’ll also encounter people collecting your cans after they’re empty.

The abundant restaurants and markets in the area (Bi-Rite and Tartine are two popular ones on 18th street, just a block from the downhill portion of the park) make make it easy to pack a picnic and fuel your day out. All you need to do is bring a blanket, plop down on a hill where the views reach to downtown, and chill out San Francisco-style.

Dolores Park is named for Miguel Hidalgo, a priest in Dolores, Mexico who urged his countrymen to overthrow their Spanish rulers in 1810, sparking Mexico’s battle for independence. A statue in his tribute stands in the center of the park.

The Torch, also known as the Aspire Tower, at 980 ft, is the tallest structure in Doha. It was built to house the 2006 Asian Games Flame and it holds the record for the tallest and highest-positioned games flame ever. The Tower, located 20 minutes away from the city centers, serves now as a luxury hotel, although calling The Torch Hotel luxurious is a serious understatement. It has 51 floors, 360 views from any of its lounges, the only revolving restaurant in the country, one of the quaintest places for high tea, and to top it all off, hotel guests have access to a cantilevered swimming pool on the 19th floor--not for those afraid of heights--and a red carpet private walkway access to Villaggio Mall and. As beautiful as it is, it’s worth keeping in mind that The Torch Hotel doesn’t serve alcohol.

The outside of the Sky Hotel is very deceiving. It looks like any other lodge in Aspen and then when you go inside it is quite the opposite. As you walk into the lobby there are high-backed chairs that are white in front and red with white writing on the back. The carpet is a chaotic pattern of circles and bright color dots—it all seems like something out of Alice in Wonderland. This modern, hip motif is transferred to all the guest rooms.

I’m not sure at what age humans develop the skill to stand still and appreciate scenery, but based on a scientific survey of kids who live in my house, it’s not age seven. (On a trip to the Canadian Rockies, as my wife and I snapped photos of the relentlessly picturesque mountains, my son, Luke, investigated how quickly he could break his toy helicopter.) Luke expects Mother Nature to be his playmate. At Bandelier National Monument, about an hour’s drive from Santa Fe, New Mexico, she is. The visitor center offers kids a booklet of activities that, when completed, earn them a Junior Ranger patch. (You could call it a bribe. We prefer the term incentive.) The scavenger hunt sent us off on the Main Loop Trail in search of birds, trees, and bugs, as well as the feature that sets Bandelier apart and makes it perfect for kids: cave dwellings. Ladders of salvaged wood lead to rooms that the Pueblo people carved out of the cliffs here over 800 years ago. “I don’t want to go up, Daddy,” Luke said. “It’s too steep.” “You’ve got this, buddy,” I said. “Just take it slow.” There were no lines of impatient parents pushing their children to race up the ladder. (We saw no more than 20 people on the trail.) Luke could climb the rungs at his own pace. He paused in triumph at the top, then set off to wander the caves. While Mom and Dad squatted—“Watch out for your bald head, Daddy”—Luke could explore without even hunching. After about 45 minutes, we were walking back toward the visitor center. We crossed a nearly dry creek by hopping hand in hand from one downed log to another and were back in time for lunch, before hunger, fatigue, or boredom could set in. It was a parent’s—and child’s—dream hike. This appeared in the August/September 2014 issue.

At 4,235 acres, Mission Bay Park is the largest man-made aquatic park in the U.S. Here, water-sports enthusiasts can enjoy everything from kayaking, windsurfing, and wakeboarding to snorkeling, scuba diving, and fishing, while landlubbers can take advantage of several trails and grassy areas. For equipment rentals, head to the Mission Bay Aquatic Center, located right on the bay.

Villaggio Mall makes a fantastic destination for families with children because in addition to the hundreds of stores, the mall has its own theme park. Gondolania Indoor Theme Park, the largest family entertainment center in Doha, offers attractions such as the classic Ferris wheel, 12-lane Bowling alley, bumper cars, a roller coaster, kiddie rides, a state-of-the-art Go Kart Racing, billiard tables, 4D Theater, free-fall drop tower, a horror-themed monorail, a large soft-play area, and an impressive array of simulation games. Just outside Gondolania, the mall offers an Olympic-size ice skating rink (skates and helmets available for rent) and a Venetian-inspired Gondola Boat Ride that takes the whole family around the mall—gondolier clad in red and white striped shirt, included.

At this 11-acre organic farm outside Aix-en-Provence, American Lisa Pepin and her French husband, Johann, lead truffle-hunting tours in English during both the summer (May to September) and winter (mid-November to mid-March) truffle seasons. Guests search for “black gold” while learning about how truffles are harvested and truffle dogs are trained, then enjoy a sampling of fresh truffle hors d’oeuvres, Champagne, and Les Pastras’ olive and truffle oils. During the hunt, the Pepins regale their visitors with stories of success and sabotage, while teaching them the difference between a Provençale truffle and its inferior Chinese counterparts, and how to properly clean, store, and cook with truffles. Johann’s enchanting tales and Lisa’s joie de vivre will have you coming back for more, only next time to stomp grapes, harvest olives, or simply shop the farm’s delicious products.

If you enjoy a touch of elegance, plus imaginative architecture, and if F1 racing gets your heart going, then a few nights at the Yas Viceroy hotel in Abu Dhabi will be on your destination list. The only hotel built within an F1 track, here guests experience racing firsthand, as the hotel actually sits astride part of the track. Adventurous drivers can choose to take a ride —or even drive the track in their choice of several high-end cars. Design does not stop at the curvy facade of this fascinating hotel. Rooms capture the outside appeal in neutral tones and complementary shapes and textures.

Megapolis, a newly opened state-of-the-art entertainment center, located at The Pearl, offers an impressive array of arcade games and indoor attractions like golf (with its own in-house PGA instructor), bowling, snooker tables, an elegant billiards salon, private karaoke rooms and darts. It also offers high-tech games, and a vast extreme action zone with ultra-modern simulators for anything from F1 race cars to Boeing 747 and F16 Fighter jets. Hungry after all this fun? No worries, Megapolis has a high end food court with a Sushi Bar and a wide selection of fine snacking and sophisticated food & beverages.

This 27-acre attraction in North Vancouver gets the heart racing with a suspension bridge that bounces 230 feet above a forested river gorge. Even more spectacular, however, is the Cliffwalk, a labyrinth of walkways along the granite flank of the valley. Get a bird’s-eye view of the area during the Treetops Adventure, a canopy expedition through the upper tiers of 250-year-old Douglas firs. The experience doesn’t come cheap at $46.95 per adult, but it does include free shuttle service from downtown and mini-tours that cover the flora, fauna, and First Nations involvement in the park. From late November to late January, Capilano strings holiday lights around the canyon and decorates the world’s tallest living Christmas tree.

If the horse races at Cagnes sur Mer aren’t hands-on enough for you, get up on that horse yourself. Les 3 Fers, an equestrian club in St. Raphaël, offers a trip that takes riders of all levels along the sea cliffs, as well as one on the beach. For more advanced riders, Les Ferrières follows a trail to an archaeological ruin through a forest, and longer trips lead riders through the Vars region of the Alps.