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Wine is an integral part of life on the Dalmatian Coast, a region with many indigenous varietals; a visit to Dubrovnik shouldn’t go by without a glass of local wine. Tucked away on Palmotićeva Street off the main Stradun, D’Vino offers cozy interiors as well as atmospheric seating at tables set on the narrow thoroughfare outside. Try a glass of something new from the impressive selection of local producers—the knowledgeable staff can help guide you in choosing one. D’Vino features several tasting experiences that highlight the region’s star wines: the Konavle Valley’s refreshing Malvazija, potent Plavac Mali reds from the Pelješac Peninsula, and Korčula Island’s fruity Pošip whites. Pair the wines with a platter of prosciutto and Croatian cheeses for a wonderful welcome to Dubrovnik and its wine region.

Suburban Chicago isn’t the first place that comes to mind when you think of major religious centers. But Wilmette, a small town located less than 10 miles north of the Windy City, is home to the only Bahá’í House of Worship in North America. Dedicated in 1953, the temple—one of seven in the world—took more than three decades to build and features symbols from different world religions in its intricate design, signifying that everyone is welcome. An ornate dome crowns the nine-sided structure and symbolizes the unity of all people and religions under God. Visitors are welcome to explore the temple and surrounding geometric gardens. You can also call ahead to arrange a group tour.

Few places in North America are anchored in a heritage like the Pueblo of Taos. This is the longest inhabited living arrangement in the US. The Pueblo still has ten families of around 150 native people working to maintain the culture and the adobe architecture for generations to come. A living artifact, the past and present form a delicate harmony to produce a unique travel experience. The environment says a lot about the sustainability of this community. Tucked up against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, with the Rio flowing through the center of the Pueblo, the inhabitants have maintained their lifestyle through wars, disease, cultural genocide and environmental impact to survive. From the efficiency of their adobe walls to provide comfort against extreme heat and cold, to the guiding wisdom of elders to keep the Pueblo vibrant, the way of life preserved within these walls is a testament to the strength and vision of native people, connected to this land with over a thousand years of tradition.

Koh Tang Island is among the region’s best for scuba divers, with two wrecks to explore as well as a wealth of marine life: barracuda, eagle rays, sting rays, leopard sharks, and whale sharks, and seven reef systems. Stop in Scuba Nation or the Dive Shop in Sihanoukville to arrange a trip to the completely undeveloped island. Please note that Koh Tang is recommended only for experienced divers, however, the snorkeling is quite appealing here, too. The season between December to April provides the clearest views below the water’s surface.

The charm is simple—and highly photogenic—at this 1947 property, where old western actors like Roy Rogers used to get away between takes. When new owners bought the ranch in 2016, they began renovating bit by bit, outfitting the rooms with vintage-inspired Smeg refrigerators, turntables, Coleman lanterns, and Pendleton wool blankets. The accommodations vary wildly, ranging from four original knotty pine–paneled cabins to midcentury-modern rooms in the lodge to a glass-and–corrugated metal duplex called the Hatch House, which Lloyd Russell designed in 2008. There’s even an option to stay in a remodeled 1960s Airstream, which features a live-edge wood bar with copper inlays. True to its original intent, the 11-acre ranch is laid-back and without pretense, the kind of retreat where hikes in neighboring Joshua Tree National Park stand in for a spa day, and guests make their own meals in the antique kitchens and at the outdoor grills. The real magic happens at sunset on the observation deck, and is best enjoyed with a BYO cocktail.

To get away from the crowds in Chobe, stay at Ngoma Safari Lodge. It’s located on the far western edge of the park. The eight thatched roof cottages are completely spacious but cozy and feature decks overlooking the Chobe River. In 2011, the African Wildlife Foundation helped support this community owned and operated lodge in partnership with the Chobe Enclave Conservation Trust (CECT) and African Albida Tourism. In exchange for their support, the community agreed to set aside land for conservation. The lodge provides the community with additional revenue through conservation fees plus employment opportunities. It has also created a larger corridor for wildlife to have room to roam freely throughout the region on their ancient migration routes.

With glass walls that can soar as high as 50 feet, Palmenhaus is dramatic, but it’s also a quiet and calm place smack in the heart of Hapsburg-era Vienna. As the name suggests, the Palmenhaus is a greenhouse of the variety that nations of the 19th century were so good at creating to show off palms and other exotic plants plucked from the colonies. And thanks to a $17 million renovation in the 1990s, yes, Palmenhaus still has palm trees and tropical flora, as well as a lepidopterarium, or butterfly house. As Vienna’s palm house looks over the lush Burggarten park, its broad terrace makes for the ultimate spot to sit under sunny skies and sip a riesling or quaff a beer. On summer Fridays, DJs and live musicians perform.

The Cumbemayo Stone Forest, which covers an area of 25,000 sq/mt, is the largest known megalithic building site in the Americas. There is plenty of space for you to get lost and feel as though you’re going several thousand years back in time. The site is surrounded by beautiful water channels, hills, and forest. The aqueduct is a channel finely carved into the stone, more than 1 km in length, with borders and straight angles build in to control flow speed. You’ll also find sanctuaries, caves with stone carvings, and an ancient fortress.

Perhaps the most famous artwork in the archipelago is God, our Father, on the Rainbow, by Sweden’s most popular sculptor, Carl Milles (1875–1955). It depicts God standing on top of a 23-meter-tall (75-foot-tall) water spout. The work was designed in the 1940s and intended to stand in New York outside the United Nations. That plan was not realized, but in 1995 this version was installed at Nacka, just outside central Stockholm. Milles’s home and studio can be found on the nearby island of Lidingö and is a fascinating place to visit on a sunny day when you can wander through its sculpture garden.

The most northern of the Northern Beaches, Palm Beach makes for a relaxing day or weekend trip. Here, a sandy isthmus straddles ocean waves and harbor sails, and the Barrenjoey Lighthouse stands watch a short hike up the hill. Snag a spot on the deck of the Boathouse—a Hamptons-style beach shack complete with crab traps, striped awnings, and all manner of flowers and produce on display—for a bacon and egg roll, croissant French toast, or beer-battered flathead and chips overlooking the water. After finishing that cappuccino, which started with an anchor stamped into the foam, take the ferry across the inlet to the Basin campground in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park to swim, stand-up paddle board, and search for wallabies in the wild.

Hop on a lightweight bicycle and learn about the history of the Philippines on a guided bike tour around Manila’s old walled city of Intramuros. The bikes are handmade in the Philippines from bamboo, a natural vibration dampener, and fibers from the abaca plant (similar to a banana); Bambike Revolution Cycles won a Manila FAME Katha Award for Eco-Design in 2015. This is a unique alternative to a walking or bus tour, and takes you inside a walled city that is not normally accessible to bigger groups. Intramuros almost doesn’t feel like Manila: The Spanish influence is evident in the architecture, which includes some of the oldest baroque churches in the Philippines. Fort Santiago still houses underground dungeons as well as a tiny underground chapel, hidden at the end of a tunnel. At the Rizal Shrine you will learn about the life of José Rizal, the country’s national hero who played an instrumental role in the Philippine rebellion against Spanish colonial rule, and follow in the footsteps he made as he took his last walk in the fort from his cell to his execution.

The River of Golden Dreams that connects Alta and Green lakes is a calm, meandering stream that gently conveys your kayak or canoe with hardly a riffle in sight. The self-paced three-mile voyage, typically about three hours, takes you under willow branches and between the second growth alder forests. This rare alpine riparian zone is a habitat for breeding yellowthroat warblers, great blue herons, and all manner of amphibians and reptiles, as well as wildflowers like foxglove and Indian paintbrush. Most rivers in the Coast Range have whitewater passages and require guides, but on this run between Whistler’s largest lakes, a novice will feel comfortable behind the paddle. Vessel rentals, guides, and return shuttle services run throughout the summer.

In 2007, hedge fund investor Jim Manley bought a working cattle ranch on the site of a historic silver-mining claim to stake as his bigger-than-life family retreat. In 2010, he opened up the Ranch at Rock Creek, a toy-filled haven in southwest Montana’s Big Sky Country, with 13 houses with one to five bedrooms, luxurious canvas cabins for “glamping,” or a nine-room granite lodge. All are decorated by designer Jet Zarkadas and feature Oriental carpets, deep leather chairs, cow skin and woven Navajo rugs, custom duvet covers, and period Western photos and memorabilia. Despite the remote location and 5,200-foot elevation, all accommodations have landline, working Wi-Fi, and cell phone coverage; some have moose antlers, a private sauna, outdoor hot tub, and indoor copper bathtub.

Open year-round, the 10-square-mile property encompasses meadows, high country lakes, grassy ridges, and stunning vistas of the Pintler and Sapphire mountains. This self-contained adventureland offers horseback riding; heli-hiking; fly-fishing; river floating; high-tech mountain biking; rope courses; trap shooting; and archery on a 3D course using powerful hunting bows to shoot life-sized models of animals. Weekly rodeo and stagecoach rides underscore the Western theme; in winter, guests cross-country ski, ice skate, and snowshoe on-site. A kids’ club frees parents for spa time and other pursuits.

One of the largest urban parks in the world, Munich’s English Garden was founded in 1789, when Elector Carl Theodor ordered a public park to be built along the Isar River. Having undergone many alterations over the centuries, it now offers a slew of contemporary leisure activities. Cyclists, joggers, and rollerbladers make use of almost 50 miles of pathways, while less-active visitors head to the Japanese teahouse (opened in 1972) or one of several beer gardens (the one next to the Chinese Tower is Munich’s second largest, with seating for 7,000). Additionally, there’s a man-made lake, soccer fields, a small amphitheater, a carousel, a Greek temple, and even a popular surfing wave on the river. The park’s large meadows are ideal for picnicking, barbecuing, and sunbathing, making the English Garden one of Munich’s most popular hangouts in summer. That said, autumn is also a spectacular time to stroll the grounds and peep all the changing leaves.

While Cape Point is not, in fact, the southernmost tip of Africa—as is often claimed—it is generally accepted that the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet somewhere between here and the real tip, Cape Agulhas. Still, Cape Point is about as dramatic as you can get, with the land falling steeply away on three sides, the wind whipping around the cliffs, and the ocean churning below. The road to the point, at the end of a drive from Cape Town, goes through 20 miles of nature reserve full of baboons and antelopes. For those who don’t want to walk up to the lighthouse, there is a funicular, but to reach the point itself, you’re going to have to hike.