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The indigenous people welcomed the first European settlers in 1851. Soon reports reached Scandinavia, like Ostenson Stine’s: “When you throw your eye upon Puget Sound, and behold the fleet of fish barges, rolling upon her briny breast, a reminiscence of the coast of Norway steals into your soul.” It sparked a wave of immigration, now celebrated in a new $45-million landmark-building near the Ballard Locks. The sleek, sophisticated design has a central atrium evoking a fjord, crossed by bridges and pierced by contemporary stained-glass bird sculptures. While some of the exhibits honor Olde Worlde crafts and tools, expect interactive innovations as well. A fan favorite: pillows resembling giant stones, strewn under birch trunks. Cuddle up and watch gorgeous film footage that could easily inspire a trip—or several—to Europe.

One of the great things about the Caribbean is that its rich history was often written at beautiful, easily accessible locations. One of the best places to learn a bit of that history is pictured above. That’s the beach at Columbus Landing in my home island of St. Croix. It was here, in 1493, that Columbus sent ashore a small contingent of his men to scout for fresh water. What they found instead were a group of Indians who weren’t too keen on visitors. What’s the whole story of Columbus and his less than stellar (to say the least) track record throughout the region? That may take a bit more book learning, but feeling what these new visitors may have felt coming ashore in this corner of paradise starts on these sands.

The bleak, windswept landscape of Connemara in the West of Ireland is characterized by bogs, lakes, mountains, and miles of stone walls. Connemara National Park is one of the best places to appreciate this unique landscape, with more than 7,000 acres of national park encompassing mountains, including some that are part of the Twelve Bens range, plus Western blanket bog and treeless plains that are home to red deer, sheep, and Connemara ponies. Explore for yourself, and find traces of history dating back thousands of years, including 4,000-year-old megalithic tombs and abandoned farms.

The Bridges of Samaná, also called the “Bridges to Nowhere,” are a string of bridges connecting the small islands that stretch across the outside of Samaná harbor. They are remnants from a project in the 1960s and ’70s by President Joaquín Balaguer to build a restaurant on one of the islands, connected to the mainland by a pedestrian bridge. The restaurant never opened, but the bridges and the shell of the building remain as curious relics of recent history.

The owners of FnB—James Beard Award semifinalist chef Charleen Badman and front-of-house manager Pavle Milic—were early champions of Arizona wine and produce, curating a wine list that includes lots of Grand Canyon State vintages to accompany their locally sourced dishes. They still highlight the state’s great bounty, and Milic even produces his own wine label, Los Milics, which is available in small batches at the restaurant. Badman’s seasonal menu showcases Arizona’s flavor with an imaginative, very veggie-forward lineup. (Don’t worry, meat and seafood are on the menu, too.) The cozy eight-seat bar is the perfect spot to sample FnB’s wine offerings, showcasing a different region every four weeks.

A real Western experience is easy to come by at the Yellowstone Valley Lodge. The Lodge includes a number of beautiful cabins and a restaurant situated along the Yellowstone River in Montana‘s spectacular Paradise Valley. The lodge is known for the bespoke touches found throughout the property, from the food in the kitchen to the design of the cabins. This is one of the finest Yellowstone National Park bases you’ll ever find, and perhaps the only one you’ll ever return to after a night or two of falling asleep along the river.

Shakespeare said it best: “If music be the food of love, play on.” He’d be impressed by the dining options in San Miguel that foster romance through live music. Mama Mía hosts music on several stages in its sprawling complex. For great jazz served with a Caesar salad prepared tableside, diners pop into Tío Lucas. Ask owner Max for a prime spot. The place may be jammed primarily with Canadians and Americans, but its lineup still elevates San Miguel to one of Mexico’s best jazz towns.

Cajones are the small shallow canyons on the Chame River, favored by nature lovers and thrill-seekers alike. The canyon’s walls are eroded in places in delineated strata that reveal the Isthmus of Panama’s geologic history. You can hike or rappel along the canyon, or swim, float, or tube down the river, through eight pristine pools that invite general splashing about. To get there, drive the Pan-American Highway west from the capital, then merge onto the Bejuco-Sorá road. Los Cajones is twenty minutes away by 4x4 (you can park at the entrance and, for a small fee, take a shuttle service). There are no facilities inside the park at all, so come prepared with food and water.

Dedicated to Paul Gauguin’s life during the years he lived on Tahiti and in the Marquesas, the Gauguin Museum sits within the beautiful Harrison Smith Botanical Gardens and features exhibits and memorabilia from the late painter himself, including sketches, copies of documents, block prints, and reproductions of many of his most famous paintings. Make sure to stroll through the windy paths, past ponds, palms and a bamboo thicket in the gardens as well. They were created in 1919 by an American named Harrison Smith who introduced many plants to Tahiti including the grapefruit.

The forested Laurentian Mountains north of Québec City have long been popular with skiers and hikers. Get a quick look at the region by taking a half-hour drive to Lac-Beauport, the name of both a town and the lake it sits on. The easygoing town with some 8,000 residents offers restaurants serving Québecois fare; afterwards, you can swim in the lake or go for a hike in the surrounding area.

Historic Santo Domingo offers a unique look at how the New World was settled in the years following Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Caribbean on his first voyage in 1492, as well as subsequent expeditions. The Colonial Zone sits along the Ozama River, where the settlement’s original layout, walls, forts and other buildings remain much as they were 500 years ago. With its wealth of colonial architecture, the area has not surprisingly been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Among the historic buildings is the first cathedral built in the Americas, the Basilica Cathedral of Santa María la Menor (also known as the Catedral Primada de América, recognizing its historic significance). The ornate church once housed the remains of Christopher Columbus until they were moved to the Columbus Lighthouse, in the eastern part of the city.

Like most Latin American countries, El Salvador celebrates a number of religious, cultural, and political holidays throughout the year, but Semana Santa, or Holy Week, tends to be the grandest of them all. Of particular note are gigantic, gorgeous “carpets” that line the streets; made of colored salt and sawdust, they depict religious scenes, as well as social justice messages and images of nature.

To reach this state park off the north end of Captiva Island, you’ll need to travel by private boat or Captiva Cruises ferry. Once there, though, you’ll find 2,400 spectacular acres, including nine miles of pristine beach perfect for shelling and swimming. Keep your eye out for manatees and dolphins, which are often spotted in the surrounding waters. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even pitch a tent or rent a primitive cabin and spend the night in the real Florida.

Foro Sol, like Auditorio Nacional, is a massive venue for big concerts, and if your favorite group hasn’t played Auditorio Nacional, it’s probably taken the stage at Foro Sol. Newer than Auditorio Nacional (it was built in 1993), Foro Sol is also an entirely different kind of venue; the Auditorio is entirely indoors, while Foro Sol is a stadium. Familiar names who have played here in recent years include Bon Jovi, Joan Baez, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Tool, among dozens of others.

Chef Jorge Vallejo spent time in the kitchen at Pujol before he and wife Alejandra Flores opened Quintonil, giving the former boss a run for his money. Their place, too, has become a fixture on best-restaurants lists, and is changing how people understand Mexican food. Taking its name from a weed that not long ago “decent” Mexicans wouldn’t dream of eating, Quintonil seeks to rescue and preserve discarded Mexican ingredients—particularly heirloom vegetable and herbal varieties—as part of the progressive and sustainable eating program it so elegantly advocates. Menus change seasonally, but a recent bill of fare included an avocado tartare with ant eggs and quelite-herb chips; chilacayote squash in mole with basil; and a rich chocolate-and-pinole-flour parfait. A tasting menu of Neronian proportions is also available.