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At Brussels Bistro, best friends Thomas and Nicolas bring a taste of Belgium to Laguna with everything from Belgian beers on tap to large pots of mussels and fries double-cooked in beef fat. Also on the menu is a hearty beef stew served in a traditional Le Creuset pot, and a divine roasted salmon with sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, and Belgian stoemp (a type of mashed potato). Stop by on a Tuesday night and you can get all-you-can-eat mussels and fries for just $29, meaning you’ll have money left over to sample Belgian brews like Bavik, Houblon Chouffe, and Hoegaarden.

Whether you’re visiting Idaho for lake towns like Coeur d’Alene, cities like Boise, or ski resorts like Sun Valley, you’ll find a range of hotels to suit your needs. Choose from family-friendly lodges on the water, boutique stays with top-notch food and drink, and cozy inns with quiet rooms, then get busy enjoying all the Gem State has to offer.

This shaded park near the University of St. Thomas is right next to The Menil Collection. The park is very shaded and nestled between streets lined with classic 1920s bungalow houses. This place really captures Houston!

One of Bordeaux’s more ancient edifices, this UNESCO World Heritage site features a Romanesque wall from as far back as 1096. It’s also where 13-year-old Eleanor of Aquitaine married her first husband, King Louis VII, in 1137, and where fodder was stored during the French Revolution.

The Roman Catholic church was first constructed in the 11th century, though little of the original structure remains. While the Royal Gate dates to the 13th century, the cathedral that stands today wasn’t built until the 14th and 15th centuries. Visit this Gothic-style masterpiece to admire the exquisite masonry and important art collection, which features everything from paintings and statues to silver objects, ornaments, and liturgical vestments. Then be sure to climb the 160-foot bell tower for some of the best views of the city—and, better still, the church’s famously expressive gargoyles.

The west-facing bay views are reason enough to stay at the Four Seasons Hotel in the center of downtown Seattle. That, and the unbeatable location: across the street from the Seattle Art Museum, and right next door to Pike Place Market. Tasteful minimalist decor; floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook Elliott Bay or neighboring towers; modern, elegant appointments in the rooms (and enormous bathtubs!); and an outdoor infinity pool that exploits the setting—all these touches add up to one of Seattle’s best hotels.

Crosby Street Hotel founders Tim and Kit Kemp are behind this Midtown property, which opened its doors in February 2017. Each of the 86 guest rooms exudes a personality of its own, complete with playful pieces of artwork and color-forward design by Kit. High ceilings, long foyers, and walk-in closets help guests feel more at home than on the road, as does a stop at the Drawing Room before lights out. It’s here that floral curtains, oversize armchairs, and book-lined walls greet guests who want a nightcap from the honor bar, which is always stocked with top-shelf liquors, wines, and pre-batched cocktails. Pick your poison and enjoy it in your deep-soaking tub, where a TV and lineup of bespoke bath products await. Come morning, head to the light-drenched Orangery for well-executed breakfast favorites like avocado toast, acai bowls, and brioche French toast.

Muntri Mews in Penang is my kind of hotel. Formerly an old mews house, its owners have fitted it out with clean, comfortable rooms that retain the charm of their days as stables (think romantic mosquito nets and wooden beam architectural details). The hotel is small and the service is personal and friendly. Breakfast on the hotel’s patio in the heart of historic Georgetown is the perfect way to start a day of meandering through the back streets of this historic, character-filled foodie heaven.

The King Cole Bar is about as legendary as any bar in New York. Located in the St. Regis Hotel at Fifth Avenue and 55th Street, it has been the place to go for a cocktail since it opened in 1932—Salvador Dalí, John Lennon, and Marilyn Monroe are just a few from a long list of famous names who have dropped in for a drink. The bar sits off the St. Regis New York’s lobby and is presided over by the famous King Cole mural painted by Maxfield Parrish, with John Jacob Astor IV playing the part of the king, jesters to each side of him. Today it is still the ultimate setting to start a celebratory evening, or end one with a nightcap; it cemented its place on most lists of New York’s top bars with an extensive renovation in 2013. While the bartenders can prepare anything you might be in the mood for, you may want to order a Bloody Mary. The King Cole Bar boasts that it was the first spot where the drink (then known as a Red Snapper) was served in the United States (a claim, it should be noted, that is disputed by some other bars).

A blue horse on a balcony? Why not...”Seattle Blue” is the name of this mosaic-covered-statue by artist Paul Pearman, located on a quirky corner in Augusta, GA, a riverside city of underrated architectural history... This brick building was built at the end of the 19th century as a butcher shop, with the family residence upstairs; located on the SE corner of 6th and Ellis St., just a few blocks from the Riverwalk. (For more information about the artist: www.mosaicbuckles.com)

Four hundred years of playful history—that’s the purview of the Princeton Doll and Toy Museum, which has a collection of antique dolls and toys from the United States and abroad. Among its holdings are a rare papier-mâché clapper doll and papier-mâché ladies, as well as a “stump doll” that is believed to be nearly 600 years old. In addition to dolls and vintage toys, the museum exhibits feature miniature doll house rooms and all sorts of doll accessories. A research library, gift shop, and appraisal and restoration services are also on-site.

This hotel is on our list of The 11 Best Hotels in Chicago.

The world has been waiting years for the St. Regis Chicago, located in the city’s 101-floor skyscraper designed by Jeanne Gang, to welcome guests and owners; in 2023, it finally made its stunning debut. The triple-tower building’s architecture was based on the frustrum shape, which is basically a pyramid with its top chopped off. (Think of a popcorn box.) That form is replicated subtly throughout the hotel, from the exoskeleton to the marble tiles in the inviting lobby on the Chicago River. Each of the 192 guest rooms comes with floor-to-ceiling windows and panoramic city views, a dedicated butler, one of four soaking tubs, brass detailing, and curvilinear furnishings from a collaboration between architectural powerhouse Gensler and boutique firm Simeone Deary Design Group.


Rounding out the amenities: the Miru all-day-dining restaurant that is anything but casual, a new Tuscan steakhouse concept, a truly cossetting seven-room spa, an indoor pool with an outdoor patio, and the finest urban hotel gym probably anywhere. Was the wait worth it? Indeed it was.

Every November the pork arrives. Slab after slab after slab of pork comes to St Pete to be smoked, grilled, and slathered with one secret sauce or another. As the heat of summer wanes, the community gathers on the shore of Tampa Bay in St Pete’s Vinoy Park for three days of fun, music, and, you got it. RIBS! Besides all the good food, fine beer, great music and a fun children’s play area, people are also doing good! Sponsored by the Northeast Exchange Club of St Petersburg, all proceeds go to All Childrens Hospital in St Pete. .

Being able to live it up in an Irish castle or stately home is one of the draws for visitors – and Irish hotels come in all styles. Check into a hotel like Adare Manor in Co Limerick, or Ireland’s Dromoland Castle in Co Clare for turrets, elegant rooms and manicured grounds. Foodies will love Ballymaloe House in East Cork, while the trendy roof bar at the Marker Hotel in Dublin is the best place for Irish summer evening cocktails.

The vivid flavors and colors of Puerto Rico cannot be ignored. Wander San Juan’s candy-colored streets, explore El Morro and the trails of El Junque, and linger on the inviting beaches: A weekend is just long enough to fall in love with this island.

Arizona is “The Grand Canyon State,” and yes, nothing else in the world is quite like Arizona’s most famous natural wonder. But you’ll also find other types of spectacular natural beauty: alpine tundra, evergreen forests, riparian canyons, snow-capped peaks, and flower-carpeted flatlands. Just be sure to time your visit with the seasons, and your dreamscapes will forever after be infused with Arizona’s natural wonders.