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Thais are obsessed with Japanese culture and Bangkok has a significant Japanese population. It stands to reason then that the city is not short on places to slurp up the world’s favorite Japanese fast food. Sterling choices are myriad but popular chains to look out for include Chabuton, Bankara Ramen, and Ramentei.

Let’s be honest. It’s so much fun to say the name of this restaurant. Inflections aside, Oh! Calcutta undeniably has the best Bengali food in Delhi. Oh! it’s delicious! Their specialty is seafood, but definitely try the Koraishutir Dhokar Dalna (lentil cakes) and papaya chutney. Oh! and be prepared to wait without a reservation.

Grammy-nominated country crooner Dierks Bentley brought a new country vibe to his home state when he opened Whiskey Row, a 1920s-style saloon that hosts live local and national acts. There’s a menu of Southern comfort food made from local ingredients along with self-serve beer and liquor on tap.

Botanika is one of San Sebastián‘s best local spots to just BE. Especially if you consider yourself slightly hip, ride a fixed gear, are a NOLA-phile, or enjoy café food with a vegetarian bent. The private garden overlooks the river that runs through the city. It’s off the beaten path but a wonderful spot to meet interesting locals and enjoy a beer or coffee.

A trip to the original Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando is a theme park rite of passage. This is the mouse’s original outpost. And if you hit only one theme park among Orlando’s vast amusement offerings, you won’t go wrong here. Home to such iconic attractions as the original Cinderella’s Castle, the Space Mountain roller coaster ride, the nightly parade down Main Street, It’s a Small World kids’ ride, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and much, much more, you can easily occupy two days taking it all in. And while many of the rides and character meet and greets (every princess and her cousin is in attendance here) are clearly oriented toward younger visitors, there’s enough to keep adults smiling, too. Favorite tamer rides for younger kids include Adventure Land’s Pirates of the Caribbean and the Jungle Cruise. And if you’ve still got some staying power after a whole day of rides and shows, stick around for the park’s nightly grand finale—a fireworks display on par with anything you’d see in a big city on the Fourth of July.

Why we love it: A Mission Revival property that blends Hollywood history with hang-ten culture

The Highlights:
- A location just minutes from the secluded Cress Street Beach
- A rooftop lounge with sweeping ocean views
- Guest rooms designed by iconic surf brands

The Review:
Once the haunt of writers, filmmakers, and Hollywood celebrities, this historic hotel on the Pacific Coast Highway famously hosted a lobby backgammon game between J. Paul Getty and Howard Hughes in the 1930s. Today, the pet-friendly property maintains its original grace with Spanish-style stucco and domed arches, but 10 of its 41 suites have moved on to a decidedly different sort of California cool. Created in collaboration with iconic skate and surf brands like Etnies, Roxy, and Billabong, the Casa Surf rooms feature hand-painted surfboards, underwater photo murals, and George Nelson furniture, fully immersing guests in Laguna surf culture. For something more traditional, book one of the Spanish rooms, which include wrought-iron accents and ornately carved dark-wood furnishings.

La Casa sits just a stone’s throw from Cress Street Beach, where hotel guests enjoy access to chairs, umbrellas, and beach towels as part of their resort fee. Also included in the fee is daily breakfast, access to the nearby Art of Fitness gym and its juice bar, and reservations at the on-site Rooftop Lounge, where you can sip mojitos while watching the sun set over the Pacific. When you’re in the mood for something more substantial, head downstairs to K’ya Bistro, with offers small plates full of Mediterranean flavor.

Located in Park City‘s renovated Masonic Hall on historic Main Street, the Riverhorse caters to a high-end fine-dining crowd. Seth Adams, the executive chef and co-owner who drives the seasonally appropriate creative menu, has brought home prestigious awards, including a few that were firsts in the state of Utah. While the Riverhorse has a great selection of wine, it does allow patrons to bring in their own bottles for a $25 corkage fee. The restaurant is family friendly, with healthy selections on the kids’ menu. Dress is “mountain casual,” and reservations are strongly encouraged.

Although the city of Jeonju has been famous throughout Korea for centuries, it’s still not a commonly known destination for Western visitors. Recently designated as a UNESCO world “city of gastronomy,” Jeonju is definitely worth a several-day stay, and it’s an easy couple-hour-train-ride from Seoul. In addition to savoring local culinary specialties and wandering the traditional ‘hanok'-house neighborhoods with their galleries and boutiques, check out the chess and go-players on the benches just outside of the Gyeonggijeon shrine, on the corner about a block to the east of the venerable Jeondong cathedral. “Jang-gi” is the Korean version of Chinese chess, and “Ba-duk” is the local name of the game more widely known as “Go.” On sultry summer evenings, grab an ice-cream (red bean and melon are popular flavors) from across the street and then check out these neighborhood ‘haraboji’ (‘grandfather,’ the respectful term for older men), engrossed in strategy on the sidewalk of one of Korea’s most traditional cities.

A hot lobster roll from Neptune Oyster is summertime heaven on a butter-soaked brioche, and bivalve lovers queue up daily to sample the two dozen varieties of oysters chilling in the front window of this diminutive North End restaurant. Fresh-off-the-boat fish and creative takes on New England seafood are the draws here—the clam chowder is made to order, the fish-and-chips uses Acadian redfish (not cod), and it’s probably the only place in town where you can get lobster tacos. Yeah, it’s pricey—hot or cold, the lobster roll will set you back around $30—but share the Neptune Plateau raw-bar plate with your friends and you’ll truly feel like the king of the sea.

On the Asian side, south of the First Bosphorus Bridge, Kuzguncuk is a charming detour from the well-worn tourist trail and easily combined with a visit to nearby Beylerbeyi Palace. The neighborhood’s multicultural past is very much present, with synagogues, Armenian and Greek churches, and mosques located side by side. You can also expect to find cafes, art galleries, and fresh produce shops. Venture off the leafy main street (Icediye Caddesi) to admire the pretty facades of narrow townhouses and decorative wooden Ottoman abodes, many dating back to the 19th century. To find Kuzguncuk, take the ferry or Marmaray Rail to Üsküdar and follow the Bosphorus shoreline about a mile north (by foot or blue minibus) to Icediye Caddesi.

This natural soup-n-burger joint lies far from the tourist hordes, on a quiet residential street in the San Frediano neighbourhood. The kitchen and takeaway operation (open lunch and dinner) stands on one side of the road while opposite there is a pared-down modern restaurant (open for dinner only) with a tiny courtyard. Organic vegetables and herbs and locally produced beef go into tasty, seasonal soups (creamy cauliflower with truffle or earthy lentil and kale) and juicy burgers and there are gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options too. Don’t miss the delicious desserts such as the rich flourless chocolate cake. The drinks list features excellent organic wines from the owner’s estate, craft beers and organic fizzy drinks.

Ah, The Langham for tea? Excellent choice. You’ve dressed up, of course, and the top-hatted gentleman nods his approval before opening the door to a most glamorous afternoon tea. Tea in the Palm Court is an elegant affair. A jazz pianist provides perfect accompaniment to the clinking champagne glasses and china teacups. The discrete, well-trained staff floats among the tables delivering tray after tray of delectable sandwiches, cakes and scones. A tea sommelier stands at the ready to help you choose the perfect blend. You while away the afternoon piling feathery scones with clotted cream and preserves, sipping tea from Wedgwood cups and enjoying the the relaxed luxury of afternoon tea in Palm Court. Just when you think you can’t eat another bite, the dessert tray arrives bearing sweets almost too beautiful to eat. Almost.

Visitors to Oaxaca who would like to acquire some beautiful embroidered clothing have a few options. There are women who sell their work along Alcalá street in the city center, and some can be found in the Benito Juarez market in the traditional clothing section, but for the best quality pieces, head to the village of San Antonino Castillo Velasco, very close to Ocotlan de Morelos, where there are several women who are known to produce very high quality intricately hand embroidered blouses and dresses.

This 23-room hotel has colonial charm even though the building is relatively new. The word “sotano” means basement in Spanish and the Hotel Casa del Sotano is thus named because the building’s first story is below street level. The lower level has a central patio with water features and lots of plants, so it’s both cheery and tranquil. The colonial furnishings, wrought iron, Mexican tile and artistic touches throughout the property add to its appeal. In the morning you can enjoy a cup of coffee on the terrace while you enjoy the view of the towers of Santo Domingo over the rooftops of Oaxaca city.

On a walk through Oaxaca‘s Centro Historico any evening, you’ll come across carts selling steaming corn. Order an elote and you’ll get the corn on the cob on a wooden stick. If you request it “con todo,” the vendor will squeeze some lime juice on it, slather it with mayonnaise, and add crumbled cheese and chile powder. If you prefer your corn in a cup, ask for an “esquite” and you’ll be served a cup of corn with the broth it was cooked in, and the garnishings will be added on top for you to mix in. Any way you like it, this makes a great snack to eat while you’re enjoying the street scene.