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Mission San Diego is the very first Mission built in what is now the state of California and was built in 1769. Many people come to California for what is known as the “Mission Trail”, a tour of all the Missions built in the state by the Spaniards. You can take a tour for $2 and it is still a working Mission, so if you’re Catholic (or not) you can attend Mass.

Near the southwestern edge of Snow Canyon State Park is this wellness-oriented resort, a sprawling 55-acre property filled with fragrant mesquite trees, black lava gardens, and 106 rooms and villas. Stays here can be as low-key as a swim under the desert sun in one of two outdoor pools or an exfoliating red clay treatment at the renowned Sagestone Spa & Salon, but most visitors come for the full range of adventure offerings, from hiking and kayaking to sunset rappelling and horseback riding deep in red rock country. While the “consciously-planned entrée portions” at the hotel’s Canyon Breeze restaurant are all 500 calories or less—with most well under—dishes like grilled grass-fed strip loin steak with cheesy potato au gratin will leave you feeling anything but deprived. As of 2017, the resort is easier than ever to get to, thanks to new daily flights by United Express from Los Angeles to St. George.

Set amid the mangrove swamps, coastal lagoons, and stretches of coral reef in Portobelo National Park, this Design Hotels property features just five colorful villas. The “houses” range from a small, one-bedroom retreat nestled near a waterfall, to an over 8,000-square-foot residence spread over two floors. The whole property is awash in a kaleidoscope of vibrant hues, from the bright interiors with their boldly patterned tiles, decorative fabrics, and local artwork, to the multi-colored lounge chairs surrounding the infinity pool, which seems to merge seamlessly with the turquoise Portobelo Bay. Those seeking adventure can take a deep-sea dive to explore the wreck of a C-45 airplane, while guests looking to relax can book an outdoor massage on the hotel’s century-old barge.

Mole Creek Karst National Park, along with the surrounding Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, offers subterranean streams and pools, plus at least 300 caves. At Marakoopa Cave, you’ll feel as though you’re in mother nature’s planetarium—the walls are lit up by Australia’s largest colony of glowworms. Caves like Honeycomb and Westmorland are best explored during a half- or full-day trip with Deb from Wild Cave Tours. Unlike most guides, she holds a PhD in speleology. But if one day is not enough, make it a wild caving weekend to progress from walking and wading to scrambling and squeezing through tight crevices. Local beer and wine await you at Mole Creek Guesthouse.

About 25 miles north of the site of the 2018 Winter Olympics, and just 25 miles south, as the crow flies, of the heavily fortified DMZ, the Jujeonggol valley in Seoraksan Nat’l Park is an oasis of jade-colored waters beneath pinnacles of pine-studded granite. Hiking in this valley, you begin to understand where the Asian landscape aesthetic comes from; the first time I came here, I felt as if I were moving about inside a silk scroll painting. Downstream is a Buddhist temple site with its famed Osaek medicinal springs--the high mineral-content water comes out of the stone slightly bubbly: natural carbonation! The tranquility of these valleys, far from the pulsating night lights of Seoul, belies the occasionally troubled past of Korea’s history; fierce battles were fought near here just six decades ago during the Korean War. But people have been seeking, and finding, solace in these mountains for thousands of years. Before today’s hikers came yesterday’s monks; some of the world’s earliest Zen temples are located in this region, built at a time when leopards and tigers were a very real threat in these forests. While much of Seoraksan National Park is easily accessible by public transportation from the nearby coastal city of Sokcho, this section is less-well served; renting a car would be a good option here.

Old San Juan may look, at first glance, like a few other charming cities built during the height of Spanish colonialism—Havana or Santo Domingo, for example—but what sets it apart is the extent to which its architectural infrastructure from that era remains visible. It’s the only city that has its original colonial wall almost entirely intact, and both of its principal forts are in excellent condition, remain accessible to the public, and offer panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean (so bring your camera). Both El Morro and Fuerte San Cristobal are run by the National Park Service; guided tours will leave you with greater knowledge about the era, as well as the forts’ construction and their role in Puerto Rican history. (There are other, smaller forts in and around the capital, next to the Caribe Hilton, and in Luís Muñoz Rivera Park, plus Fort San Juan de la Crúz in the nearby town of Cataño.)

Festive Plaza in La Villita, a complex with shops run by local artisans, offers a more unique experience than the souvenir-selling El Mercado. Aside from shopping for authentic handmade goods, you can learn about its rich history. Self-guided walking tours (you can find many online for free) are a great way to explore this area. Browse shops while you learn about the surrounding landmarks and buildings.

The only zoo in the Bahamas started as a tropical garden and nature preserve in the 1950s. Over the years, Ardastra evolved, adding a conservation center for Caribbean flamingos and a small zoo containing birds, reptiles, and mammals. The four-acre zoo is filled with the colors and fragrances of its tropical gardens, which feature paths through the tamarind, West Indies mahogany, and Indian tulip trees, amid the abundant blooms of yellow elder, the national flower of the Bahamas, and frangipani. Visitors can see flamingos, iguanas, and lemurs, while enjoying interactive experiences like feeding the rainbow lorikeets and playing with the rabbits in the petting zoo.

Less than two hours from Barcelona, in car or via TEISA buses (during the week), La Fageda is a leafy green wonderland after too much time spent in Barcelona’s hectic city center. This beech forest is unique, growing at a much lower altitude than usual for the Iberian Peninsula.In the fall, the vivid red leaves on the trees are especially stunning. No motor vehicles are allowed in the forest itself, but you can hike, bike-ride, or explore the reserve on horseback or even in a horse and buggy for a reasonable fee (reserve ahead). Inside the reserve, visit La Fageda’s dairy farm--you can learn about how the yogurt and ice-cream is made (in Catalan or Spanish), pet the calves, and taste some of La Fageda’s products. Beyond la Fageda, in the larger area of La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park, there are volcanoes, Olot and Sant Feliu de Pallerols’ old towns, and a medieval castle to see, as well as numerous routes for hiking, biking and horseback riding.

Staying at the elegant old Estancia Candelaria del Monte is like stepping back in time. The ranch dates from the 1830s, and it feels like it - it’s incredibly quiet here, seemingly disconnected from the modern world. Towering sycamore trees cast shade over the sprawling grounds and a picturesque swimming pool that looks like it belongs in an English period piece; inside the house, four-poster beds and afternoon tea call to mind gentler times. Hop up on one of the estancia’s rugged Criollo horses for a guided ride across the property - you can even help the ranchhands herd cows if you’re really in the mood. A beautiful park, from the 1830´s, jealousy guards the intimacy of the house and the swimming pool, with centenary Sycamores, Ginkgo Bilobas, Elms and a large variety of Pines that fragrance the air. And in the distance, rustic and timeless, it opens up the endless plain landscape of “The Pampas” where the green tone of the land and the deep blue of the sky combine with scattered sights of cows and native horses, together with the isolated flocks flying high up.

A beautiful drive through the mountainous west coast past the bayside city of Mayaguez opens up to windy roads lined with banana trees. Your destination is the coffee town of Maricao—a small, unassuming city that plays host to festivals, coffee tours, and aquaculture. Also the home to the hidden gem of Salto Curet waterfall. To get down to your starting point, a car with 4x4 is preferred but not always necessary (Going during the rainy season? Drive a truck or SUV). You’ll park in a vacant lot at the bottom of a hill and follow the trail over a river and up the mountain. You’ll eventually reach an abandoned ranger station; at that point you’ll turn left and trek up river. Just a short distance later is the isolated waterfall. Take a swim in the cool water, or hunt down the even smaller trail off to the left that takes you up the rocks to the higher and more roaring waterfall above. This is my most loved waterfall site. It’s secluded and never sees many guests at one time. Bring your camera and a waterproof bag, as it’s likely you will be caught in the rain. It is a rainforest, after all!

You know a carousel must be quite special if it is the first to make the National Register of Historic Places. Jane’s Carousel, located in Brooklyn Bridge Park in the DUMBO section of Brooklyn, is truly unique. The fully-restored antique carousel from 1922 with 48 beautifully carved and painted wooden horses and 1,200 lights sits on the edge of the East River, nestled between the Brooklyn and the Williamsburg Bridges. In addition, the Carousel is housed in a modern glass pavilion designed by Pritzker Prize-winning French architect Jean Nouvel. The carousel originated in Ohio. In 1984, it was purchased and brought to Brooklyn for two decades of careful restoration before the pavillion opened to the public in 2011. The carousel is the perfect resting spot after walking over the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan. Release your inner child with a ride on the carousel ($2/ticket) and marvel in the breathtaking 180-degree views of Manhattan. Afterwards, hit Grimaldi’s Pizzeria up the block or the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, located in a nearby landmark fireboat house. And on weekends in the warm months, visit Smorgasburg, a Brooklyn Flea Food Market with 100 vendors. www.janescarousel.com

Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort & Spa is located in one of the Philippines’ most popular vacation spots. And while it has all the musts—the turquoise waters, the powdered-sugar shores, the lush hills—what it doesn’t have is the crowds. And therein lies the resort’s beauty, or at least some of it. Tucked into an eco-reserve with its own shimmering beach, the Shangri-La is also home to a canopy-cloaked dining aerie, sunset-surveying clifftop cabanas, and a peninsular spa on a private bay. Accommodations are impeccably appointed with local touches (think woven abaca rugs and lamps bedecked with capiz shells), and several of the lodgings feel more like private vacation homes. Take the aptly named treehouse villa, for example, where the canopy-level second story commands stunning sea views (best enjoyed from the hot tub on the balcony), or the pool villas, where the lure of en suite swimming almost overpowers the sea just outside.

Offering something more immersive than classic resort dining, Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru has a four-course menu that can be served right on the beach. Watch a chef prepare your gourmet Maldivian lobster dinner right in front of you while you listen to the soothing sounds of waves lapping at the shoreline and enjoying the fresh sea air. Alternatively, choose the Sharkpoint option and tuck into sea scallops and lobster on a secluded stretch of sand. For a dose of culture, head to the open-air Naiboli Bar on a Friday night and take in a traditional bodu beru performance on the beach.

Peace, relaxation, beauty, and a tasty menu—the Beach Tree Bar is a fabulous place to watch the sun close out the day past the Pacific Ocean. With swaying palm trees and a large tree right on the beach, the casual lounge is perfect for pupus (appetizers) and a cocktail to celebrate sundown. Located at the Four Seasons Hualalai Resort, the bar sits on a pretty stretch of sand on the Kohala Coastline. Flavors are fresh, creative, and from the Island when possible.