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Formerly the Majestic Yosemite Hotel, this stone-and-timber lodge—arguably the finest example of U.S. “Parkitecture”—has hosted such luminaries as John F. Kennedy, the queen of Nepal, Lucille Ball, and Brad Pitt. Its grand public spaces served as Stanley Kubrick’s inspiration for the hotel in The Shining, but don’t let that—or the price—scare you away. It’s worth the splurge just to have this place to yourself after the swarms of tourists have left for the day. Accommodations range from classic hotel rooms that face the back of the building, to suites and cottages with fireplaces and views of Yosemite’s most famous sites, including Half Dome, Glacier Point, and Yosemite Falls. The formal dining room, with its soaring ceilings and oversized windows, requires reservations, especially for the popular Sunday brunch. If you’d rather not plan ahead, you can grab a casual bite at the hotel bar, which features an outdoor area with breathtaking views of the park.

Redwood National Park is best known for its redwoods, obviously, but there’s also a long coastline right there. The Klamath River Overlook—where the river meets the Pacific—gives you a spectacular vantage point over the water and is a prime spot to watch for whales. There’s a resident pod that hangs out near the overlook, but you can also see migrating whales during November and December, as well as in March and April. You’ll have to bring binoculars and keep your eyes peeled for their spouting; if the weather’s clear, you can sometimes see them feeding just a few hundred yards from shore. Rangers will often lead whale-watching programs during peak months, so check for information and schedules.

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.

A two-hour trek from downtown will bring you to China’s third-largest island, Chongming. Considered a “national geological park,” the island is a known nature escape for city residents. While you’re there, check out the Chongming Museum, stroll through Dongping National Forest Park (they have hammocks and BBQ pits if you want to camp out for a while here as well as bikes to cruise around on), hike up Jinao Mountain to the Shouan Temple, or go crabbing for some of China’s most famous hairy crabs at the at Dongtan National Nature Reserve. How to get there: Ferries depart daily from Baoyang Port or take bus Shen Chong (申崇一线) from Shanghai North Long Distance Bus Station. *Photo Source Bert van Dijk (Creative Commons)

Upon first glance, Circa Las Vegas revolves around sports betting: There’s a three-story sports book in the on-site casino and the pool deck features giant TV screens on one side and tiered, stadium-style pools and lounge chairs on the other. But the first new casino Downtown in more than 50 years also celebrates Vegas history: The design harkens back to Old Vegas dramatics, with art deco lighting in the high-limit areas of the casino and images of old-school gamblers inside the elevators. Owner Derek Stevens has even given a new permanent home to Vegas Vickie, a two-story neon kicking cowgirl who once graced the nearby stretch of Fremont Street known as “Glitter Gulch.” Vickie presides over an open foyer, seemingly nodding at guests as they wander around the casino.

Guest rooms at Circa—512 in all—have dark wood accents and carpets with geometric art deco motifs. Rooms in the Flex King category are equipped with king-size beds and couches that disappear when a second Murphy-style bed is pulled down from the wall. (Travelers who value selfies swear by the floor-length mirrors flanked by Green Room–style lighting.) Floor-to-ceiling windows offer epic views of either Stadium Swim or the Fremont Street Experience, a covered pedestrian walkway that forms the cultural and entertainment center of Downtown and was the main drag in the Vegas of yesteryear until the destination expanded with mega resorts to the south. The hotel also is a short walk from the unmissable Mob Museum, which offers a peek into the history of organized crime and runs a moodily lit speakeasy bar in the basement.

Related: 7 Hotels to Book for “Non-Vegas” People

If you’re looking for a break from the beach and the noise, head to Konoko Falls Park (formerly known as Coyaba River Garden) for a quiet picnic, swim, and nature walk through beautifully manicured gardens. The Mahoe tiered waterfalls—a smaller, just-as-picturesque version of Dunn’s River Falls but rarely crowded—cascade through the park, and an on-site museum showcases the history of Jamaica’s first inhabitants, the Taino. The park offers gorgeous views of Ocho Rios’s bay below. Climbing and swimming in the falls, at your own pace, is great fun.

Built in 1907 by the same architect who designed the National Theatre and Hallgrímskirkja church, Apotek is full of historical resonance. The Art Nouveau–style building was once the country’s largest edifice and served as the city’s primary pharmacy from 1930 to 1999, a distinction that gave the hotel its name when it opened in 2014. The property’s 45 rooms blend elements of the past while seamlessly incorporating modern design touches, employing neutral colors, parquet floors, and simple-but-refined furnishings to create a sense of calm; subway-tiled bathrooms with walk-in showers have a bright, clean look. You don’t have to wander far to enjoy one of the busiest watering holes in Reykjavik: Apotek Kitchen + Bar is a hot spot for artisan beverages, where cocktail “pharmacists” craft potions for every ailment. Bonus: Not only does it overlook the Austurvöllur park, it’s just around the corner from the Icelandic Punk Museum.

Sacramento has been called “City of Trees” because of the abundance of trees that fill the neighborhoods and many parks. Land Park is a favorite place to enjoy the shade these trees provide. The park features large, open patches of grass flanked by trees, including three types that form an odd but common mix here: oaks, redwoods, and palm trees. This is an oasis during the hot summer months. The park also has two duck ponds, an amphitheater, a garden, a popular playground, paths for running, and a golf course. Shakespeare in the Park happens in the amphitheater in the summer. Land Park also makes a convenient stop with children since the zoo, Fairytale Town, and Funderland are located at one end. My favorite walk in this park is a loop from Riverside and 13th Avenue, up 13th to Freeport Boulevard, and back. Veer off on side streets between South Land Park Drive and Freeport to see some of the city’s most charming houses. Stop for ice cream at Vic’s Ice Cream at Riverside and 8th Ave.

If, like most visitors, you head for Tucson between Thanksgiving and Easter, you’re probably seeking sun and warmth while the rest of the country deals with the winter blahs. And you’ll most likely find what you’re looking for. There’s a reason why golfers, cyclists, hikers, and runners flock to southern Arizona this time of year. But, once or twice a decade, the lush Sonoran desert might get a snowfall—it never lasts for long, but every saguaro, ocotillo, cholla, and prickly pear cactus will be edged in ephemeral white. As soon as the sun comes up over the mountains, you’ll start hearing the drip drip drip of the inevitable melting...And by the next day you’re likely to be wearing shorts again. Saguaro National Park, which flanks both the western and eastern edges of Arizona’s second-largest city, is the ideal place to go for a hike in the rare desert snow. The Eastern (Rincon Mountain) division of the park has a hilly eight-mile one-way loop road with access to numerous trails. Drive slowly and yield to the runners and senior-citizen-cyclists-in-spandex with thighs of steel. Get out and up into the saguaro-studded hills before the unlikely landscape disappears...Keep your eyes open for bobcats, mule deer, and the pig-like javelina. (You’re less likely to encounter a rattlesnake in the winter months, but this is still desert wilderness.) And if there’s no snow, you might be treated to spring wildflowers. Don’t forget your sunscreen...

Make the most of three days in Lima, South America’s second-largest city, and the third-largest desert city in the world. Day 1: Immerse yourself in pre-Columbian Peru at the Larco Museum, followed by a visit to the ruins of Huaca Pucllan, then taste the best ceviche and Pisco sours in the world in the Miraflores District. Day 2: Head to the Plaza de Armas in the historic center of the city, then to the lively, trendy Barranco District known for its art galleries, boutiques, and clubs. Day 3: Stroll through Parque del Amour overlooking the Pacific Ocean before heading to nearby Larcomar for some last-minute shopping.

This sprawling museum is located in four buildings near Battlefields Park—the most recent of them, the Pierre Lassonde pavilion, opened in 2016 and was designed by starchitect Rem Koolhaas’s OMA. The 25,000 works in its permanent collection cover the history of art in the province, beginning with the French colonial period and including artists who are still active today. The museum also holds one of the world’s most important collections of Inuit art, with some 100 pieces—mostly carvings in stone, whalebone, or ivory—on display at any one time. Temporary exhibitions focus on both local and international artists. If you have time for a sit-down meal, Tempéra Québecor—helmed by Marie-Chantal Lepage, one of Québec’s best-known chefs—is near the entrance of the new pavilion, with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the grounds and the Grande Allée.

If you have a gorgeously sunny afternoon, walk the Corso Italia to the small fishing village of Boccadasse, still considered to be part of Genoa. About an hour’s walk from central town, this seaside stroll will take you past black stone beaches, children’s parks, and countless bars and restaurants enjoying the beautiful sea views. When you arrive, make sure to roll up your pants and step in the water, as the sea spray alone is said to have healing properties.

One of the unique things about the Twin Cities is just how much nature is part of the urban landscape. Few places exemplify this better than Minnehaha, one of Minneapolis’s oldest and most popular parks. Here, visitors will find everything from limestone bluffs and river overlooks to a majestic 53-foot waterfall that freezes in winter. Explore the area via various walking and biking paths, or bring your furry friend to the epic dog park. There’s also a disc golf course, picnic area, playground, volleyball court, and wading pool, making the park perfect for family outings.

Borrow a bike and get down by the Charles River to explore this popular linear park, which runs along the river through the Back Bay and the Beacon Hill neighborhood (albeit separated from both by the Storrow Drive expressway). A paved, 18-mile multiuse path popular with cyclists, runners, and in-line skaters helps connect the Esplanade to the parklands of Boston’s Emerald Necklace and provides easy access to landmarks like the Hatch Memorial Shell (the summer stage for the Boston Pops and other performers) and Harvard Bridge (aka the Smoot Bridge). The landmark Community Boating boathouse has kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and sailboats for rent when you want to get out on the river.

Named after the great author from Hannibal, Missouri, Mark Twain National Forest sprawls for more than 1.5 million acres in the Ozark Highlands. The only national forest in Missouri, it’s a treasure trove of outdoor adventure, with 750 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding; 350 miles of perennial streams for canoeing, kayaking, and floating; several caves for exploring; and more than 35 campgrounds and picnic areas for relaxing in between activities. The Eleven Point National Scenic River is a particularly lovely area of the park, snaking through the Ozark hills along an underdeveloped, ruggedly beautiful shoreline.