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Many temptations are under one roof at the Langham, New York, Fifth Avenue. This polished hotel bucks the trend of tiny Midtown hotel rooms with spaces that begin at 420 square feet and stretch up to apartment-style accommodations with full kitchens—an ideal setup for families. The style is modern and refined, from the sweeping staircase that connects the lobby to the Michelin-rated Ai Fiori restaurant of chef Michael White on the second floor. The hotel doubles as an art gallery for the work of American artist Alex Katz, whose bold figurative paintings hang on the walls throughout the hotel. There’s also Chuan Body + Soul, a day spa based on the principles of Chinese Medicine.

The minute you walk into the Hotel St-Martin Montreal, you’ll know it’s something special. You’ll notice the warm welcome, the “at-your-service” attitude, and the gorgeous decor. The hotel, despite a successful recent history, began controversially. It’s built where a legendary smoked-meat restaurant once stood. Mind you, the restaurant had been closed for several months before it was destroyed and upgraded into a 4-star hotel, but many locals held on to the thought that it was intrinsic to the Montreal identity and shouldn’t have been replaced, even though the building was rapidly decaying. To those folks I would say: Spend a night at the St-Martin, and see for yourself. As a Montrealer, I say that it was good for the city. The hotel’s restaurant, L’Aromate, can get quite busy at lunch and during happy hour, which proves the menu is as delightful as the ambience. And the brunches are particularly tasty.

Also known as the Papenoo Valley, the Maroto Valley is a magical place once inhabited by ancient Polynesians. If you go with a guide -- I recommend Marama Tours -- you’ll be able to learn about the history of the area as well as learn to forage like they did in the past. The above photo is of a local fruit called noni, whose juice gets rid of mosquito bite itch. A few other natural remedies the group learned include lime can be a deodorant, coconut juice aids digestion and taro is good for strong bones and teeth.

The New York-themed souvenirs sold around Times Square or along Fifth Avenue tend to be terribly kitschy, cheaply made, and overpriced. For a more lasting, sophisticated reminder of your time in New York, browse the selection at the gift shop of The New York Public Library. Located inside the Schwarzman Building (the one that sits on the east side of Bryant Park, flanked by two lions), the shop has a range of gifts for people of all ages, many of which are a nod to New York’s literary history. You can buy library lion bookends, vintage NYPL-stamped handbags, NYC-themed children’s books, postcards, and much more.

Set in a tropical garden in the suburb of Fannie Bay, this superb museum and gallery is the best place to learn all about the art, history and culture of the Top End (the nickname for this northernmost section of the Northern Territory). The excellent collection of indigenous art includes both traditional and contemporary works. One gallery is devoted to the tragic events of Cyclone Tracy, the natural disaster of 1974; another covers the boats of the Pacific Islands. The museum’s most popular exhibit may well be Sweetheart: the stuffed carcass of a five-meter (16-foot) male saltwater crocodile that once terrorized the billabongs (waterways) outside Darwin.

Reaching the remote Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge is part of the fun. The four-hour boat journey from Seward to the only lodge within the 700,000-acre Kenai Fjords National Park is a prime opportunity to spot porpoises, puffins, and whales. On arrival, guests disembark and make their way to the lodge, where they’re briefed on bear safety: No food allowed in the 16 cabins. Calving tidewater glaciers provide the wake-up call for days filled with sea kayaking, canoeing, and hiking. Come evening, relax in the main lodge with a cocktail or with a book from the lodge’s natural history library. From $725, all-inclusive. This appeared in the June/July 2015 issue.

What’s old is new again in Saint-Pierre, a city built under majestic Mount Pelée on Martinique’s Caribbean coast. In 1902, Mount Pelée volcano erupted, leveling the city and killing all 30,000 inhabitants– save one lucky prison inmate, whose thick cell walls protected him from the blast. Today, the rebuilt Saint-Pierre honors its fiery past at the Musée Volcanologique, a mini-Pompeii filled with carefully preserved relics. History meets modernity at the southern entrance where seven inspired, contemporary Caribbean artists have created 32 colorful totem sculptures welcoming guests. There are also popular dive sites nearby, where scuba divers can swim alongside century-old wrecks of ships that sunk in the explosion.

When Chiang Kai-shek fled mainland China for Taiwan, he took with him many of the treasures that at one time were featured in Beijing’s Palace Museum. Among the items are relics and antiques reflecting 8,000 years of Chinese history. Today the collection includes nearly 700,000 pieces, an impressive collection that merits a full-day visit. Among the many treasures that once belonged to the Emperors of China are a delicately carved jade cabbage, intricate ivory work, and artifacts that chronicle the evolution of the Chinese language and culture over millennia. The gift shop is just as impressive, and is the perfect place to buy easy-to-carry souvenirs and gifts.

One of Philadelphia’s outdoor treasures, Fairmount Park is one of the nation’s largest urban park systems. The park was originally founded in order to protect Philadelphia‘s drinking water supply. The tract of land at Lemon Hill was the first land purchased to create Fairmount Park in 1855. Lemon Hill refers to both the house pictured and the hill itself, situated on a spectacular site overlooking the Schuylkill River, with views of the Art Museum and the city’s skyline. The Lemon Hill mansion is one of several original park mansions still in existence. Each house has its own unique personality and history, and all are open to the public.

Switzerland is, and always will be, synonymous with the finest, smoothest, and above all, most delicious chocolate on earth. No wonder then that the Swiss indulge in this luxury more than any other country in the world. While each town creates its own unique taste of champagne, orange and other cocoa flavors, Zürich-born Teuscher, located on Bahnhofstrasse, is world famous and exports its chocolates to cities around the world, including Beverly Hills and New York. For the full history of Swiss chocolate Maison Cailler in Broc is great and offers a for a fully-interactive, automated tour with the added incentive of a tasting session at the end. The complete experience includes a train journey from Montreux on the Chocolate Train.

Just a mile off Messinia’s coast is the beautiful Proti Island, which is said to resemble a crocodile in shape, and is a haven for history buffs. On land, you’ll find archeological sites and ruins from ancient temples and citadels. Additionally, Proti Island is great for diving due to its clear visibility, 15 dive sits and mix of reef, cave, wall, wreck, canyon, and drift diving. As you swim through turquoise Mediterranean waters, keep your eyes peeled for blue-spotted rays, painted combers, damselfish, sea turtles, and myriad colorful corals and sponges. One company that can take you diving off Proti Island is Navarino Sea by Aqua Divers Club, a Padi Five-Star IDC Resort.

Down a quiet street in central Vermont is a mecca for ice cream lovers: the original Ben & Jerry’s factory! While they’ve expanded production to a second factory elsewhere in Vermont, you can still tour the original factory. When you arrive, check in on Four Square for a complimentary tour ticket (otherwise it’s $4 for adults). You’ll watch a short film about the history of the company, see part of the manufacturing floor and even get to sample a new flavor! It’s fun and kitschy and a must do for ice cream lovers. On your way out, make sure you stop by the Flavor Graveyard to pay homage to your favorite discontinued flavors.

If you’re a fan of history and/or photography, be sure to spend time at Charles Fort in County Cork. This National Monument of Ireland is the bastion on the water’s edge near Kinsale, and is open year round. The fort was built on the site of an earlier stronghold known as Ringcurran Castle, that was featured prominently during the Siege of Kinsale in 1601. The fort you see today was built in the 1670s and 1680s to a star fortification design - a layout specifically designed to resist attack by cannon.

Halifax’s identity is tied to the sea, and its rich maritime history is the central theme of this eclectic museum. Popular exhibits include one dedicated to the role of Halifax after the sinking of the Titanic (the city’s ships helped with the recovery) and the devastating Halifax Explosion, a 1917 ship collision that killed 2,000. Don’t miss touring the CSS Acadia, a naval vessel once used for hydrographic missions.

Cihelna Concept Store promises “the very best from Czech design” and that’s what it delivers. Cihelna translates to ‘brickyard’, and the shop is inside a former brick factory on the edge of the Vltava River in Prague’s truly enchanting Lesser Town district. The store carries works in glass and porcelain, as well as lights, jewelry, and furniture from leading Czech designers and brands like Zorya, Lasvit, Preciosa, Rony Plesl, and Dechem. The shop’s minimalist design isn’t meant to intimidate, but rather let the objects on offer take center stage. Solo exhibitions are held periodically throughout the year to shine a light on new products and designers.