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Including the travel time to get to the road from the Banff town center, the drive along the Lake Minnewanka Loop takes only about an hour, but the numerous stops and viewpoints along the way make this 24-kilometer (15-mile) side trip worth embarking on. Pull off at Two Jack Lake and the road’s namesake, Lake Minnewanka, the largest body of water in Banff National Park. Views of Cascade Mountain along the way are spectacular, and wildlife sightings are common. Keen cyclists comfortable with traffic can also tackle the Lake Minnewanka Loop for a perfect, easy afternoon ride.

It’s not exactly Portland’s highest point but, at 1,073 feet, it’s close. Irrespective of how Council Crest Park measures up, it provides a view of five surrounding mountains on a clear day: Rainier, Adams, Jefferson, Hood, and St. Helens, with helpful indicators showing which mountain is which for those not as versed in freestyle mountain identification as lifelong Portlanders are. Bolder folks may opt to hike to the summit along the trails here, though driving up the hill past suffering road bicyclists is an easier option year-round. The water tower that’s now part of the park was once a feature of the Council Crest Amusement Park, torn down in 1941.

With all of Orlando’s man-made attractions, it’s refreshing to get deep into nature at this wonderful state park, located north of downtown and the theme-park corridor. Spread across 7,000 acres of pristine central Florida forest, the park centers around the headwaters of the Wekiwa River, a beautiful, blue-and-green-hued spring with a roped-off area that’s safe for swimming (alligators do dwell in the main river). Rent a kayak or canoe at the park and paddle from the spring into the river, where you can spot turtles and alligators sitting on the banks. If you’re seeking a more primitive experience, you can also book one of the park’s spacious campsites, some of which come with hookups for electricity and water.

Booze Cooperativa is “a brain hub of tribes and nations in creative disruption.” That certainly sounds like millennial trendspeak, but the Cooperativa—a three-story neoclassical textile mill repurposed in 1989 into spaces for art, music, and people-meeting, and eating and drinking, has been promoting local artists, providing community for artists of all sorts (many of whom co-work, or play chess with their friends, at the six-meter-long—almost 20 feet—table by day), and acting as a nighttime watering hole ever since. Booze isn’t just about booze at all, but you can smoke here—its owner registered the building as a political party headquarters to get around the Greek indoor smoking ban.

Support local artists and designers at the Patio del Liceo. The namesake courtyard, tucked away from Avenida Santa Fe’s hustle and bustle, connects art galleries, clothes and shoe shops, and, notably, boutiques selling eco-friendly home decor. Walk to the end of each gallery level to watch designers at work: Many of the spaces also function as workshops where the goods on offer are made. Pick up a beautiful book at Brezal, the glassed-in stall in the main entry hall; get a customized gift for your pet at Think Animal; or take home some local music from Mercurio Disquería. Afternoon visits are recommended, as many shops don’t open until 4 p.m. or later.

Both beginner and experienced kayakers will have fun on this leisurely (and super-easy) paddle across Mendenhall Lake. (Both guided and unguided options are available.) The paddling is, really, just 10 percent of the fun—maybe 25 percent. As you cross the lake you’ll encounter icebergs aplenty that decided to skip out on their glacier parent in favor of a solo float. Paddle across the lake to the frigid waterfall and, of course, to the face of Mendenhall Glacier itself. Photos of the 13-mile-long glacier’s colors won’t quite do the real thing justice, but snap away anyway. Your eyes will be blasted and soothed and dazzled by all the icy crayon colors you can imagine, opaque white to clear ice to a stunning robin’s-egg blue. Just don’t get too close to the glacier or the icebergs: Glaciers calve and icebergs can flip. What you’re seeing above the water? That’s just a small part of the icebergs’ good looks.

Though the beaches of southern Kerala may get more attention, the Malabar coast shores of the northern part of the state are no less beautiful—and offer plenty of their own attractions. Case in point: Bekal Beach, a wide, sandy stretch along the Arabian Sea, set under historic Bekal Fort. The cove-shaped beach offers plenty of room to stretch out and soak up the sun, shallow waters for swimming, and artistic touches like a rock garden, murals, and public sculptures. If you don’t want to get sand in your shoes, take a stroll along the boardwalk, or venture up to explore the Fort complex. Little ones will like the beach’s children’s park, while adults should come back at night, when the beach is illuminated, to enjoy the magical atmosphere. Further along the shores, you’ll spy fisherman bringing in a daily catch that might include mackerel, reef cod, and tuna.

Southwest of Anguilla is one of the island’s top three beach areas: the two-mile-long brilliantly white stretch at Rendezvous Bay. Its long shore, steady breeze, and calm Caribbean waters provide a break from the crowds at Shoal Bay and Sandy Ground. The western end does offer some fun daytime beach-bar action, which grows rowdier at night and on the weekends, when the famous Bankie Banx’s Dune Preserve venue attracts residents and visitors for live music. You can view St. Martin, across the channel, from shore.

Fans of the movie Apocalypse Now probably know it was shot in Baler, some 150 miles northeast of Manila. At the time, locals were already well aware of the area’s killer waves, which caused trouble for the fishermen. But attitudes toward the waves slowly changed, thanks to the film: Residents used the surfboards left behind by the crew to learn to ride them. Surfing culture in the Philippines was born, and the big waves were no longer considered a threat, but rather an opportunity to bring in surfing tourism and events each year from October to February. But Baler has a lot to offer for the non-surfer, too, even if you just sit on the beach and watch the ocean. Couples love the long stretch of sand at Sabang, which is perfect for romantic beach walks, and the sunrise here is a must-see. From a historical perspective, Baler is significant because it was the last stand of Spanish forces in the Philippines; the yearlong siege that began in July 1898 is one of the longest in the country’s recorded history. The undermanned Spanish troops, not knowing the war was over, held onto their fortress in the only stone building in the area, the San Luis Obispo de Tolosa church, for 337 days.

Why we love it: A sprawling retreat offering high design and a beachfront location

The Highlights:

• Guest rooms with private plunge pools or whirlpools
• The only Thalasso therapy wellness spa in Baja
• Five separate pools, plus 4,000 square feet of beachfront

The Review
Though the Baja Peninsula has welcomed a slew of luxury properties over the past few years, it seems the 128-room Solaz is only in competition with itself. First, there are the sophisticated stone-and-wood interiors, which balance high-tech details (remote controlled lighting) and luxe amenities (outdoor showers, private plunge pools) with locally sourced decor and wall sculptures by Mexican artist César López Negrete.

Guests even have the option to add personal butler service, which can arrange everything from swimming with whale sharks to ordering a bottle of local wine from the property’s wine cellar. Outdoors, the landscaping features endemic desert plants like agave and cacti, with a hardly a palm tree in sight.

Then there’s the spa, a 10,000-square-foot refuge that features the region’s only Thalasso therapy seawater treatments and a Himalayan salt igloo. Five pools (including two sleek infinity ones that overlook the Sea of Cortez), four dining outlets (a Mexican breakfast spot, a seafood restaurant, a poolside cafe, and a coffee lounge), a beachfront fitness center, and 4,000 square feet of white-sand shoreline complete the desert dream.

The W Taipei showcases the city’s geography and cutting-edge technology. The lobby’s light installation reacts to human motion, and guest rooms feature dramatic skyline views. The W is also home to some of Taipei’s hottest nightspots, including the Bar at Yen on the top floor. From $314. 886/(0) 2-7703-8888. This appeared in the November/December 2012 issue.

Put on your comfortable shoes and head to the many trails of Cayman Brac to see wildlife, as well as scenic and geological sights. There is a path for all skill sets. Listen to the mating calls of the parrots flying above at the National Trust Parrot Reserve Hiking Loop, or descend carefully into Peter’s Cave and move through the various layers to discover a truly breathtaking natural wonder. Most hotels have a brochure of all the hiking trails; this includes images, difficulty, and a brief description of each trail.

Some say that The Chapel of the Holy Cross is located in the heart of a vortex. Others regard it as a place of contemplation and spirituality. The Chapel itself was actually built by a devout student of Frank Lloyd Wright named Marguerite Brunswig Staude in 1956. Staude wanted to create a lasting tribute to her religious beliefs, and was so taken with the beauty of Sedona that she began work on the Chapel. Nestled between massive red boulders, the Chapel is a must see in Sedona. And, if you look carefully enough in the red rocks next, you can still see an Rx carved into the rock as a tribute to Marguerite’s father, a pharmacist.

If you want to get in touch with nature, spend an afternoon in Piedmont Park, Atlanta’s answer to New York’s Central Park. Spread over 189 acres, the sprawling park boasts a running track, bocce and tennis courts, a swimming pool, a lake, and a dog park. It’s also the site of countless concerts, local events like the Dogwood Festival, and the finish line for the annual Peachtree Road Race. It’s not uncommon to see a movie or television show being filmed here, so grab a picnic from a nearby restaurant and plan to spend a few hours lounging in the shade.

Cheeca Lodge manages to be upscale and relaxed at the same time. This duality is perhaps best embodied in Cheeca’s flagship restaurant Atlantic’s Edge, which offers a refreshed take on island cuisine (like the roasted red snapper with dragon fruit or the hibiscus swordfish) in an elegant but breezy oceanfront setting. The 27-acre luxury resort on Islamorada Key—one of the sport-fishing capitals of the world—was renovated following damage from Hurricane Irma in 2017. The revamped lobby, fully rebuilt fishing pier, 214 redesigned guest rooms, and new Italian restaurant have made Cheeca even better than before. Airy suites feature curated artwork, hand-tufted rugs, and rattan accents, and each suite opens to a private lanai with a partially enclosed open-air jacuzzi. A new point of pride is the refreshed 5,700-square-foot spa, which now has seven treatment rooms, a wet room with Vichy shower, hydrotherapy facilities with a steam room, and a fully equipped fitness center. Still to come in early 2019 is a brand new oceanfront pool (bringing the resort’s total to three, including a saltwater lagoon) and tiki bar, 25 South. If you must leave, book a fishing excursion, sunset cruise, or round of golf at the 9-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed course—and enroll the kids in the eco-focused Camp Cheeca.