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Georgia O’Keeffe called the grouping of weathered rock outcroppings near Abiquiu “The White Place” and immortalized it in paintings. The land is so arid, and so little changes in New Mexico, that the location and signature V shape have survived. A great hike, close to Abiquiu. Cowboys and Aliens was also shot nearby!

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.)

One of the best strolls through Venice begins in the neighborhood of Arsenale and finishes on the Island of Sant’Elena. Walk along the main drag of Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, a street full of shops and colourful local life until it dead ends. Make a right on to Viale Giuseppe Garibaldi where a monument to the streets namesake stands. From here the streets become very quiet. Follow Viale Giuseppe Garibaldi to the end and turn left onto the Fondamenta San Giuseppe. This is a mostly residential area where you see laundry hanging from pastel painted houses and hear small fishing boats tapping against the sides of the canal. Make the first right off the Fondamenta and get lost in the twist of back streets here until you come upon the Via XXIV Maggio. From here, look for signs pointing to the Church of Sant’Elena, a beautiful 12th-century monastery on the island.

With so many coffees to choose from, it will be hard to choose what to bring home. Coffee is great souvenir and all the shops and farms offer their beans and grounds along with coffee mugs, tshirts, and other souvenir items. Kona Coffee and Tea has a store and a cafe where you can visit and taste the flavors before you decide what to take home!

The outdoor shopping center, packed with stores, restaurants and bars, is a great place to spend an afternoon. Hit up local favorites: the affordable Colorz clothing store that carries brands like Twisted Heart, Da’ Nang and J & Company; Flea Bag’s Barkery and Bow-tique, which bakes doggie treats fresh daily and offers chic dog outfits and accessories; and home accessories from Magnolia Lane.

The Gin Joint opened in 2010 and was Charleston‘s first real dedicated craft cocktail spot. Five years later, it’s still going strong with its creative drinks menu (including a “bartender’s choice” option for the patron who wants a surprise) and great bites, from gourmet soft pretzels to “cornbread and milk” for dessert.

The Flying Biscuit, owned by waitress and chef Delia Champion and Indigo Girls member Emily Saliers, opened in 1993 and since then has expanded its original Candler Park location and franchised all around town. At least 5,000 of their famous biscuits are made every day at each location. As you can tell, those biscuits are the main attraction. They’re sweeter than the standard biscuit and are served with cranberry apple butter. Also recommended: an omelet with a side of their “creamy dreamy” grits or the Eggstra-Ordinary Breakfast, pictured here.

The Tremont House is a very comfortable place to stay if you decide to spend a night on Galveston Island. It’s on the eastern side on the strand right by all the fun. Be sure to grab a drink on the rooftop bar for great views of the harbor. Photo via wyndham.com

I love public art and one of my favorites is “The Awakening,” which was created by the famed American sculptor, J. Seward Johnson, Jr. The Awakening is an iconic sculpture was originally installed by the artist at Hains Point in Washington, D.C., but was moved to National Harbor in 2008 when the developers purchased it. The Awakening consists of five separate pieces of metal, embedded in the ground, giving the impression of a giant man struggling to free himself from the ground. The left hand and right foot look like normal body parts. The left right hand, bent leg, and the bearded face with mouth mid-scream, are the parts that convey the pain of the man’s struggle to free himself. At any given moment, you will someone posing in front of one body part or another for a photo op. Kids especially love to clamber onto the man’s head. You can tell from the photo which part are my favorites! The way the foot and the fingers bent, the veins and folds of the skin—it’s all amazingly realistic. At National Harbor, The Awakening has been installed at the small beach area by the marina. It’s a great place to let the kids loose to have fun in the sand, and for the adults to admire a great piece of public art!

If you want to vacation like British royalty, visit the mosquito-shaped island of Mustique, which Naomi Campbell, Mick Jagger, and Princess Margaret have all called their home away from home. Once on land, there’s no better place to stay than the Cotton House, a private retreat that feels like the lap of luxury. Set on 13 acres of cerulean beachfront and gardens thick with jasmine and frangipani, the 20 rooms and suites are awash in neutral hues inspired by their surroundings, with wicker pendant lighting, ikat throw pillows, and breezy mosquito nets over the beds. Explore the coral reefs near the shoreline in a glass-bottom kayak, or improve your backhand with help from the resident tennis pro. After a day of sun-soaked adventure, dine on fresh-caught specialties (pan-seared barracuda, Caribbean-style sushi) at Veranda restaurant, then retire to the Great Room, a colonial-inspired lounge offering rare and local rums.

Museum cafes are often depressing affairs, white formica boxes where you grab a curling sandwich on your way to the next piece of tourism. But the main cafe’s trio of rooms are nothing like that. Designed, respectively, by William Morris, Henry Cole, and Edward Poynter in glorious Victorian excess, were the first museum cafe in the world, and they are today a rare example of a museum restaurant where you would be happy to spend time, revelling in the gorgeous details and stained glass windows. And the food’s pretty good too; you can get all sorts of hot and cold meals, and it’s a great stop for lunch or cakes, if you’re doing the museum trail at South Kensington.

Chances are that if you’re not a Hollywood power-type or a member of the glitterati, ( and you’d know if you were), you won’t be attending the Oscars unless you are a “ seat-filler” that slips into place when the star has to go to the loo or out for a ( gasp) smoke. Don’t worry,you can party like a star at several venerable hotels that have figured prominently in Oscar worthy films, or just check-in put your feet up and turn on the T.V. and watch the Academy Awards with a splash of bubbly in one hand and some nibbles in the other. No need for a sealed envelope here, the clear winner-the grand dame who always plays herself is ... The Plaza in NYC. The Plaza also contributed to a motion picture “ first.” Director Alfred Hitchcock went on site with his star Cary Grant to New York’s The Plaza, to film key parts of the 1959 classic North by Northwest – the first time a crew, director and cast assembled on site to make a picture. Prior to this, movies were shot Hollywood soundstages and rarely on location. The Plaza has ”starred” in many motion pictures including Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961); Barefoot In The Park (1967); Funny Girl (1968); The Great Gatsby (1971); Plaza Suite (1971); They Way We Were (1973); Home Alone 2 (1992); Scent Of A Woman (1992); Sleepless in Seattle (1993); Almost Famous (2000); and The Great Gatsby (2013).

The Zone is located in the leafy suburb of Rosebank, with a Gautrain station located just across the road. It has a great collection of stores, restaurants, fast food joints, drinking spots, a cinema and even an arcade with an awesome bowling alley! On one particular occasion, I met up with some friends for a Big Lebowski themed night at the bowling alley. After we’d knocked over some pins and smashed some strikes, we made our way to the froyo store a few steps away to end off the night with a bit of a sweet treat.

Settled into the soon-to-open Ponce City Market on the corners of North and Ponce de Leon avenues, Dancing Goats is a espresso and coffee bar in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood. Open from 6:30 am with plenty of parking, Dancing Goats is a great place to get work done. An glass encased patio allows digital nomads to plug in and take advantage of the free Wi-Fi while watching the cars pass by. Dancing Goats sells Batdorf & Bronson coffee, a beloved roaster based in Washington state. Pastries, teas and other snacks are available.

With its welcoming vibe and low-key decor, The Saloon is about as close as Laguna gets to a dive bar. A local favorite, it’s ideal for when you’re craving a cold beer, a good glass of wine, or an unpretentious cocktail like the PoPo (The Saloon’s take on an Irish coffee) or the Pino (made with house-infused pineapple vodka). There are very few seats in the bar, so be prepared to stand and mingle with other patrons. That’s what makes The Saloon great, though—and the fact that it’s right next door to Nick’s, making it perfect for a pre-dinner drink or nightcap.