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Perfect for exploring the trendy 10^th arrondissement, Le Citizen Hotel overlooks the Canal Saint-Martin, footsteps from where Amélie skipped stones in the French movie of the same name. The location is convenient for walking or using public transportation to get to famous sites, but why leave this gentrifying neighborhood? The restaurants and shops have become a boho magnet, and the monuments, such as Henry IV’s early 17th-century Hospital St Louis (built to treat victims of the plague), offer much beauty and history without the tourists.

Narrow guestrooms have multiple windows and are laid out to take advantage of canal views. The design sensibility is Nordic, with bright colors, pale woods, and modular furniture. If you didn’t bring an iPad, the hotel offers loaners.

Port Maria offers a glimpse of Jamaica’s colonial past, and is one of the most scenic towns on the north coast. The area is believed to have been one of the first Taino settlements, before it was established by Spanish settlers who gave it much of its still-standing colonial era architecture. It’s a contrast of the old—with centuries old architecture—and the new, with bustling local activity. Architecture buffs will enjoy a slow drive along the coast to admire ancient buildings like the 1861 St. Mary Parish Church, towering over a postcard-perfect bay and winding coastline. There isn’t much to do here, but it’s worth passing through for a sense of Jamaica‘s past. And for the scenery, of course.

The Miami Greek festival is a cultural celebration by the Greek community of Miami, showcasing the highlights of their culture, cuisine and church. Food offerings will include mousaka (eggplant), pastitsio (Greek lasagna), spanokopita (spinach pie) and tyropita (cheese pie), lamb, gyros, souvlaki and Greek salads. Desserts will include Greek pastries such as baklava and honey-dipped loukoumades. The festival is by St. Andrew’s Greek Orthodox located on in Kendall. Greek dancers, ages 5 -18, perform traditional folk dances. Arts and crafts will be available for sale, including clothing, homemade jewelry, religious art and devotional items. Guided tours of the Byzantine cathedral will be offered each day, and there will be a children’s area with rides, games and other activities.

If one single space encapsulates the Roman Empire, it would be Palazzo Massimo, Rome’s multilevel museum housing one of Italy’s richest collections of antiquities. The entire history of Rome, from the rise of the Republic to its imperial transition to its fall, is told through sculpture, mosaic, frescoes (watercolor paintings), and coins. Get to know generations of emperors by checking out their marble busts, then hang out in the 1st-century Villa of Livia dining room of Caesar Augustus’s wife. Note: Palazzo Massimo is part of the National Museum circuit, which means ticket holders can also access three more national museums (Terme di Diocleziano, Palazzo Altemps, and the Crypta Balbi) over a three-day period.

What’s not to like about Museumplein? In summer, it’s as chill as Vondelpark, with picnickers playing instruments and getting high on the lawn. Add more grass and the field becomes stoners’ heaven as well as a magnet for art aficionados. The latter come for Amsterdam’s trio of world-class museums, all re-opened in 2013 after lengthy renovations—the stately Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art, and the Van Gogh Museum. Tucked south of Leidseplein amidst upscale hotels and cafés, Museumplein is both a culture vulture’s paradise and an open space for those who want to escape the city buzz. In addition to repositories of priceless paintings, it’s home to the Concertgebouw at its southern end.

While modern Halifax has grown beyond its nautical roots, the 109-room waterfront Muir—a member of Marriott’s Autograph Collection of independent hotels and part of the city’s new $200 million Queen’s Marque district—offers a peek into its maritime past. In the lobby, walls of glass from an art installation glow like a lighthouse, and more works continue the theme throughout. Rooms are outfitted with midcentury modern–inspired furniture and custom-designed tartan blankets that nod to the province’s Scottish history. The restaurant serves Nova Scotia classics such as hodge podge, a hearty stew, and the hotel’s speakeasy BKS references the region’s rum-running past in cocktails like Her Majesty’s Displeasure.

Seoul is a city built on innovation and commerce. Combine the two and you get Common Ground, the world’s largest container shopping mall. Developed by the design firm Urbantainer, the project was intended to revitalize unused land in the Gwangjin neighborhood. Now, 200 stacked, prefab blue containers stand on the site, helping connect the community with creativity. Independent boutiques in the Street Market and Market Hall areas lure shoppers, while gourmands head to the terrace restaurants and food trucks in the courtyard. A never-ending lineup of events is also on offer, from DJ nights and performances by emerging musicians to pop culture exhibits sponsored by Toy Republic.

While much attention is paid to the Japanese and Italian influences on Los Cabos cuisine, one of the very best spots in town is an Argentine entry. The low-key, low-lit courtyard restaurant Chamuyo features a dozen or so tables, a long bar, and a traditional Argentine grill. The steak-house menu sends you on a culinary adventure through Buenos Aires dance halls and the verdant pampas. Meat-stuffed Argentine empanadas (markedly different from the Mexican variety) are served oven-baked or fried, and make excellent starters. For your main course, try chef Marcelo Romby’s 22-ounce beef ribs, which he slow-cooks for more than four hours. Pair it with a bottle of Baja red and, if you can, save room for some first-rate alfajor cookies.

If you want to travel back to the 1980s à la Stranger Things but still be able to order a drink, Ricky’s South Beach is the place to go. With air hockey, board games, and arcade games like the Terminator and Dance Dance Revolution, you can relive the unplugged past, or relive college days at the beer pong tables. The impressive whiskey collection is very adult, however, and bands and comedians perform on the large stage. Ricky’s also serves the no-frills bar food of your dreams: waffle mac ’n’ cheese, Korean frog’s legs, stacked chicken nachos, and funnel cakes.

Located at 37 Rue de la Bûcherie, a stone’s throw from the Seine and draped in the shadow of Notre Dame, is what should be proclaimed one of France’s national treasures: the Shakespeare and Company bookstore. This is actually the second site of the store; the original was closed in June 1940 due to the German occupation of Paris during the Second World War. The current location opened in 1951 as Le Mistral, but the name didn’t stick for long. Walk through the green double doors to find a world steeped in history and literary greatness. Endless stacks of books and shelves teeming with manuscripts make it hard to move around. The smell of old books hangs in the air, and that fragrance alone is reminiscent of a bygone era. My own weathered copy of A Moveable Feast was picked up here (Hemingway was a frequent visitor of the original shop). Stop in for a minute or stay for hours: Shakespeare welcomes your company.

Of all the accommodations in Maui’s tony Wailea resort community, the 22-acre, waterfront Fairmont Kea Lani may be the most family-friendly of the bunch thanks in large part to its all-suite-and-villa setup. The property’s 450 guest rooms are some of the biggest on the island—the smallest suites start at a generous 860 square feet, while the two- and three-bedroom beachfront villas weigh in at 1,800 square feet and up. All cater to families, with separate sleeping and living areas, entertainment systems, furnished outdoor space (for lounging and dining), sleeper sofas, and some type of kitchen facilities, while villas encourage group gatherings with plunge pools and BBQ grills. Both adults and kids will love the deep-soaking tubs, too. Elsewhere, three indoor and three outdoor pools provide space for fun when kids’ club activities (among them volcano building, hula lessons, and tide pool excursions) aren’t on the agenda. Grown-ups can also amuse themselves with activities like outrigger canoe journeys, cultural programs, tee times at three nearby championship golf courses, and locally inspired treatments at the Willow Stream Spa, which offers dedicated fitness and wellness programs. Fuel your adventures at the five on-site restaurants, including the seafood-focused Nick’s Fishmarket Maui (with its 2,000-bottle-strong wine cellar) and the award-winning Kō, where the flavors are inspired by Hawaii, the Philippines, Korea, and beyond.

Just when it seemed like the Riviera Maya Riviera had become nothing but a sea of all-inclusive beach resorts, you stumble upon the quaint little Mexican village of Puerto Morelos. There are almost no huge developments, no shopping outlets, and no chain restaurants. The place is absolutely magical and is like traveling back in time. There is a small town square or plaza lined with palm trees, small cafes, and local boutiques. You can always find a good margarita to sip on at the super hip little bars scattered around the small town. If you find yourself on the Yucatan peninsula don’t miss this opportunity to travel back in time 50 yrs and experience the “old” Mexico.

The lifeblood of modern Istanbul is the two-mile-long pedestrian street Istiklal Caddesi (Independence Avenue), running from Taksim Square to the Tünel train station. It’s equal parts touristy and local, commerce and culture, and strolling down the avenue to shop, dine, or just socialize is a favorite pastime of many Istanbullus. (The beloved red-and-white tram is out of service for the foreseeable future while the street gets some much-needed maintenance.) Though many complain about encroaching international chain stores and shopping malls taking the thoroughfare’s distinct character away, there are still plenty of gems if you follow the backstreets and duck into the historic passages. Don’t forget to look up: Many of the art nouveau and Ottoman-era buildings house rooftop cafés and businesses above street level.

As with many other natural wonders in Puerto Rico, there isn’t a clearly defined marker. Normally, to find Gozalandia, you would first have to visit it with a local, because getting directions there can be complicated. Lately, there is talk of turning the waterfalls into an ecoresort). Parking is cheap, but get there early to avoid crowds. There are several muddy paths leading to two beautiful waterfalls. I recommend going on weekdays in the morning. Forget going on weekends, as it will be way too crowded to enjoy it peacefully. If you go during the wet season (August to October), be prepared to just go barefoot. Shoes lose grip, you slide everywhere, and you eventually take them off anyways. I always start by hiking to the top waterfall first, as this one usually has fewer people around it. There’s a rope swing for the adventurous and a nice cool water pool for the rest of us. This is definitely a beautiful place to relax in nature.

On sunny days, Parisians head for the Luxembourg Garden, built by Marie de’ Medici in 1611 and modeled after the Boboli Gardens in her native Florence. In addition to the magnificent Medici Fountain, there are more than 100 statues arranged around the garden’s 20 hectares (50 acres), which encompass both formal French and English gardens. Here you’ll find chess players, puppeteers, children sailing tiny boats on the octagonal pool and sometimes a free concert in the gazebo.