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There’s tons to do in Guadalajara but, if you have some time to spare, fantastic day and weekend trips are just a short—and cheap—bus, train, or car ride away. In fact, the state of Jalisco, of which Guadalajara is the capital, is home to Mexico’s largest number of pueblos mágicos (magic towns). From the country’s biggest lake, to the birthplace of tequila, to beautiful beaches and ruins, there’s plenty to see just outside the big city.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to go all the way to Japan to stay at a traditional Japanese ryokan and experience the restorative spa experience of an onsen, or hot springs bath resort. Just 15 minutes from the cultural heart of downtown Santa Fe, Ten Thousand Waves’ 20 sprawling acres are home to one of the United States’ most distinctive and luxurious spa retreats. The nine hot baths are truly restorative, and the spa’s many Japanese-inspired treatments are as pampering and healing as at any top spa. Ten Thousand Waves keeps with the Japanese tradition of baths as a place for fun and socializing, making it especially popular with groups of friends. The festive atmosphere extends to the inn’s izakaya, which serves traditional Japanese cuisine from local ingredients (in other words, no sushi). Each of the 13 cottages draws on nature in its serene aesthetic, with clean lines, natural wood, and traditional artwork, in addition to all the requisite modern luxuries.

Berlin: Off the Wall

The Carnivore is a long time favourite for locals and tourists alike who want to have a good buffet of game meat. There’s Giraffe, Crocodile, Imapala, Kudu, Springbok, amongst other traditional and more western dishes on the menu and all are very tasty! The restaurant works on a stop-go basis with servers coming to your table with large skewers of sizzling meat, straight off the grill, and only ceasing when the stop sign is displayed. However if red meat isn’t your thing, there are vegetarian and fish dishes available. The decor really makes you feel like you’re in the deepest, darkest reaches of Africa, even though you’re just a stone’s throw away from civilization!

At Park Hyatt London River Thames, creativity and discovery unfold around you as soon as you enter the lobby. A Charlie Whinney commission inspired by the iconic waterway outside the hotel, Ebb and Flow, welcomes guests. From there, explore a “park by water” art gallery, admiring pieces by more than 20 world-renowned artists throughout the property for a distinctive cultural experience that reflects London’s international appeal. It’s a significantly quieter, more personal journey than you might find at the nearby Tate Modern or other major institutions here, but no less impactful.

Doha is a paradise for architects and designers. In a place where money is not an issue, the sky is the only limit to their imagination. If someone imagines a building, Qatar is the place to crystallize it. Qatar will host the 2022 soccer world cup in the best state-of-the-art stadiums modern technology can build, and will house athletes and visitors in sophisticated hotels, villas and resorts. Which means, there will be buildings looking like desert roses, tress, flames and even like paradise.

Restaurateur Brooks Reitz built his name with this chicken-and-oyster joint that feels old-school despite its carefully crafted ambiance. On a first visit, it’s sinful not to order the perfectly salted, crispy/juicy fried chicken amalgam shellacked with a glaze of Old Bay and cayenne suspended in melted lard. That necessitates a second visit to gorge on the poached char-grilled lobster and sausage, or the Leon’s Fish Fry, a platter of shrimp, oysters and catfish. Leon’s was the first to open way-Upper King, now the restaurant hotbed, and it’s held onto its cool status thanks to its thoughtful buildout in a restored auto body shop, retaining the exposed rafters and a rollup garage door that opens to a patio out front.

Discreetly tucked away down Dean Street in the heart of Aspen, the St. Regis is a bastion of mountain town luxury. Fresh from an interior remodel (completed in 2012) the property brings urban sophistication to the Rockies. Every guest room features a large marble bathroom with a separate bathtub (perfect for soaking after a day on the slopes). The lobby becomes a social hub in ski season and during big events such as the annual Food & Wine Classic. Order a drink and watch for star chefs as you take in the views of Aspen Mountain. If you’d rather be discreet, sneak away to the Library, and lounge on one of the couches. The signature St. Regis butler service caters to every whim at any hour, from securing lift tickets to scoring dinner reservations. When the weather turns cold, there’s no better place to warm up than the Remède Spa with its hot and cool plunge pools, steam caves, and an oxygen lounge, not to mention some of the best therapists in Colorado.

The sustainably designed andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge on the edge of the NamibRand Nature Reserve captures the raw beauty of the world’s oldest living desert. The otherworldliness of the environment has been consciously translated into every aspect of the experience. The off-grid design factors in the extreme climate and harsh elements, and the desert’s forms, colors and textures are reflected in sculptural stone and steel lines that give way to soft, organic shapes. Throughout, glass walls slide away to amplify the big-sky views. The 10 guest suites are self-sufficient, solar-powered private retreats, each generating ample energy to run on photovoltaic power for everything from the AC and the deep swimming pools to the water harvesting and recycling systems.


Activities include climbing the world’s highest dunes at Sossusvlei or e-biking along gravel trails to caves with rock art by the desert’s earliest inhabitants. Back at the lodge, dishes that reflect Namibia’s cultural history include venison and Kalahari truffles and fresh seafood from the Atlantic Ocean. With close to zero light pollution, the Namib is one of the best dark sky locations in the Southern Hemisphere. The best way to end any evening is in the lodge’s observatory. You can also fall asleep counting stars, thanks to a skylight above your bed.

Early this spring, I had an hour to kill in Manhattan, so I ducked into the Grolier Club, America’s oldest bibliophilic society, where I saw a fascinating exhibit devoted to Wunderkammer, the cabinets of curiosities that originated in 16th-century Europe. I am a big fan of visiting cities’ lesser-known museums and cultural institutions. This appeared in the August/September 2013 issue.

Golf and sunshine are the main magnets that draw visitors to Palm Springs, but a 10-minute ride will take you up into a snowy evergreen forest. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway climbs up to a mountain wilderness at 8,500 feet (2,590 meters). The Swiss-built tram floats over Chino Canyon and is the only rotating tram car in the Western hemisphere. From the top, look out over the irrigrated grids of Palm Springs and the other Desert Cities of the Coachella Valley, which descends to below sea level. Across to the northeast, beyond the San Andreas Fault, are the low mountains of Joshua Tree National Park. A network of hiking trails branches out from the tram chalet into the San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, which includes the highest peaks in Southern California. (Winter weekend crowds can be crazy; you’ve been warned.)

It’s a sign of the Palm Springs boom that what started as a modest local museum is now a premier destination for art and design aficionados. Today, the establishment, first opened in 1938, celebrates performing arts, modern art, and architecture in three locations. The main building, a designated historic site designed by architect E. Stewart Williams, is the most trafficked, with works by Henry Moore, Ed Ruscha, Dale Chihuly, and other marquee names. The Palm Springs Art Museum in the Palm Desert location features a rotating selection of exhibits by contemporary artists, as well as a sculpture garden where you can have a contemplative afternoon picnic. The Architecture and Design Center, in a structure originally designed by Williams, hosts exhibitions on architecture and design that change twice a year, rounding out an extensive permanent collection that includes works by Julius Shulman, Alexander Calder, David Hockney, and Marc Chagall. Pro tip: The museum buzzes with energy, particularly on free Thursday evenings, but for a more tailored experience focused on a particular theme, take one of the tours led by passionate and knowledgeable docents.

There’s a lot more to the San Fermín festival than the running of the bulls. In Pamplona, a skeptic learns what it’s really like to attend the biggest summer fiesta in Basque country.

This casual, open-air restaurant sits above an untouched stretch of Laguna Beach—and capitalizes on that beautifully. Floor-to-ceiling windows encircle the dining room so it appears to be floating above the ocean, all the better to watch the sunset while eating hand-shucked oysters and sipping Rum for Your Life cocktails. Chef Rainer Schwarz’s menu centers around seafood, prepared with a range of international influences—Spanish octopus is grilled with chickpea puree and zahtar, and lobster stars in a spaghetti carbonara. The spot draws a stylish crowd not just for dinner but also weekend brunch, with a must-try version of eggs Benedict (made with Berkshire ham and blood-orange hollandaise, plus steak or crab). While waiting for a table, sidle up to the Stateroom Bar, the former home library of Old Hollywood actor Slim Summerville, for artisan libations heavy on fine bourbon and whiskey. Pro tip: Locals know best, and they can’t get enough of the whole fried branzino, served with roasted shishitos and ponzu sauce.

The Aloha State is a foodie haven that’s unlike anywhere else, thanks in large part to its bounty of fresh, local ingredients. From poke to ramen to Portuguese-Chinese fusion served with a helping of traditional shave ice, you won’t be able to decide on the best place to eat in Hawai‘i.