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When the red-meat craving hits, there’s one place that satisfies the need for a juicy fix: Burger Tap and Shake, otherwise simply known as BTS. BTS offers a great selection of burgers made from locally sourced beef that is freshly ground on premises daily. The meat patties are all gently hand formed so the meat is as loosely held together as possible and the cooked burger is served on housemade buns and with housemade condiments including some mighty fine pickles. I have to admit that my favorite burger is the Southern Comfort. There’s something about the warm fried-green tomato patty against the cool pimento cheese sauce is that is truly addictive! As the name of the restaurant implies, there are beers to be had, both bottled and on tap. For lunch, I usually go with a milkshake; try the flavor of the month for a taste of something unique and different. If you really want to indulge, go for one of the shaketails! BTS is a small joint. There is a small bar for seating, and tables inside. During the warmer months, there’s al fresco seating as well. If you come between noon and 1pm, expect a line. It does move quickly and your patience will pay off with a truly yummy burger. Metro stop: Foggy Bottom

To get from point A to B on the river delta, you’ll need to board a water taxi. These polished wood boats cruise the canals day and night, dropping passengers off and picking them up at rental houses, cabin complexes and restaurants along the way. The ride, of course, is part of the fun. Board one at the harbor - and make sure you know where it’s going before you sit down, or it might be awhile before you find yourself back in civilization.

While Dallas has never lacked for luxury shopping options—throw a Jimmy Choo stiletto and you’ll hit a designer boutique or upscale department store here—4510’s concept-store format, featuring a well-curated selection of fashion and design pieces from big, emerging, and independent designers, made waves when it first opened in 2000. Since then, the brand has grown to include other outposts in Texas and California, as well as this 37,000-square-foot, four-story flagship in downtown. (The original McKinney Avenue location has been transformed into a home-focused store, and there’s another location in Highland Park Village, too.) Topped by a chic restaurant and filled throughout with artwork, the store continues to feature women’s and men’s fashions, home decor and furnishings, jewelry, and beauty products by labels known for creativity and craftsmanship. The lineup varies, but you can be sure the selection will be thoughtful and fun, and that many of the pieces will be one-of-a-kind or newly available to retail—ensuring that you’ll leave with something special.

Hampden is known for beehive hairdos, cat-eye glasses, kitchsy decor like the pink flamingo, and ladies who call everyone “hon.” Now, though, Hampden is Baltimore’s hipster neighborhood with an array of thrift stores, antique shops, boutiques, and restaurants. It’s worth taking at least a half day to browse the many shops, grab a great meal, and maybe buy some Baltimore souvenirs. On First Fridays (of the month) many shops serve wine, stay open a little later, and offer special deals. John Waters’ Baltimore, from the musical Hairspray, manifests itself in Hampden, specifically on 36th Street, which is simply called “The Avenue.” The proprietress of Cafe Hon (featured on Kitchen Nightmares) has worked to maintain the John Waters-inspired vibe as a tourist attraction, which can really be seen during Honfest where beehives and kitsch take over in early June. Some favorites in the area include: Trohv for Baltimore souvenirs; Ma Petit Shoe for shoes and chocolate (can’t go wrong there); Wine Source for an impressive array of beers and wines; Daniela Pasta and Pastry (for pastries); Spro for coffee; and the Golden West, Grano (Grano Emporio and Grano Pasta Bar), Corner BYOB, or the Food Market for dinner.

Saline is the most beautiful and the most famous beach in St. Barths. From the shore, you cannot see any building: no fancy bar, no posh restaurant, nothing. Just the wild beach and you. Saline Beach never really gets crowded, as the island is too small to have actual crowds. But it is a true luxury, early morning, to come there for a nice swim. More than once, I’ve been able to be the only one there. This long, beautiful, renowned beach was just mine! It is okay to do nude sunbathing in Saline, but it’s better if you do it on the far sides of the beach. Indeed, the middle part is where the trail arrives from the parking lot and you do not want to make families feel uncomfortable. Even if nobody really cared. Again, early morning, it is just a couple of people here and nobody minds if you swim naked in this pure Caribbean blue water. Vive la liberté ! My tip: Bring a bottle of water if you are planning on staying for long, as there is no store on the beach. Nothing!

If you want to get away from the crowds in Santorini, try Megalochori - one of the prettiest, quietest little villages on the island. The town’s location further inland, away from the caldera cliffs, removes it from the typical tourist itinerary. A beautiful bell-tower archway frames the entrance as you drive into town, which is easily accessible by a short car, taxi or bus ride from any part of Santorini. Megalochori features a maze of extremely narrow cobblestone streets passing by hundreds of traditional white-washed houses and churches with accents of bright blue. Let yourself get lost. At the the center of Megalochori is a sleepy town square, with two tavernas and bougainvillea-covered patios. Sit in the welcome shade and order a vibrantly-hued Santorini tomato salad, grilled souvlaki and sesame & honey-coated feta. Try Restaurant Raki (above) in the town square, where the locals go. (Live Greek music at night.) And since Megalochori is the heart of Santorini’s wine industry, be sure to visit a winery, where you can meet the local vintners and sample their goods. If you are looking for a very quiet village and a low-key, relaxing day, this is a wonderful place to visit. Sometimes a really lazy day is just what the doctor ordered. www.santorini.com/villages/megalochorivillage.htm

Every January, Tempe, Arizona, serves as the finish line for the thousands upon thousands of runners participating in the Arizona Rock’n’Roll marathon and half-marathon. And so, the question: “Where to eat after the race?” Mill Avenue is the main drag in this college-student-oriented downtown. (ASU’s campus is just a few blocks away.) Drinking-centric chain restaurants dominate, but if you want to find locally-sourced ingredients in a posh interior, check out La Bocca Urban Pizzeria and Wine Bar. Known throughout the Phoenix area for their sangria, they serve a mean plank of bruschetta—a great way to nosh while waiting for wood-fired pizzas to arrive. Perhaps not the clinically “perfect” runners’ recovery meal, but it worked for us! (The particular bruschetta in this photo: roasted baby beets with goat cheese and honey; smoked prosciutto with mascarpone, fig, and truffle oil...) And thank you thank you to fellow AFAR-posters who answered my query that led my friends and me to crash and refuel at this place yesterday afternoon! We DID shower beforehand; the interior is comfy-chic, with a lovely reproduction of a Renaissance portrait gazing out from behind the bar.

The Bardini Garden is one of Florence‘s best kept secrets. It was built in the 12th century as part of a large estate owned by the Mozzi family. During the 20th century it was closed for many years and only reopened in 2005 after significant restoration. The garden is small and easy to walk through in about an hour and its hillsides offer spectacular views of Florence. Wandering among the terraces and flowers is an excellent way to escape from the touristy historic center and instead feel part of what this old city once was. During the off-season and in the morning or late afternoon, you may be the only visitor! The Bardini Garden can be accessed in two ways. One is by going into Boboli Gardens and exiting on the left side—this can be hard to find, but is marked on the Boboli Gardens map you receive on admission. The second way is via street da Costa San Giorgio 2. The garden opening hours vary according to season. It is closed the first and last Monday of each month. Admission is included in the Boboli Gardens ticket, or can be purchased separately for around 10 euros (and includes admission to the villa). There is also a restaurant with beautiful terrace views.

The architect named this impressive restaurant after his cat. While the menu offers are modern and delicious, the nighttime view of the Eiffel Tower is worth the price of admission alone.

Just to the north of Galley Bay Resort, you’ll find one of my favorite beaches on the island and maybe even the entire Caribbean: Deep Bay. The ruins of Fort Barrington keep watch over this incredible, crescent-shaped slice of paradise, just adding to the beauty of its turquoise, flat waters. Swimming here is like splashing in the largest, most pristine, natural pool you’ve ever imagined. As an added bonus, there’s a hundred-year-old sunken wreck, a barque from Trinidad named the Andes, out in the middle of the bay. It’s an easy swim from shore and accessible to snorkelers. Beaches really don’t get much better than this... anywhere.

Located on the northwest point of the island, Aruba’s only golf course offers views across the ocean and desert. It’s also independent, meaning guests at any resort can use the championship greens, which were designed by Robert Trent Jones II. Visitors to the course have access to club rentals as well as a putting green, a chipping area, and swing tutorials with a high-tech simulator. Note: Aruba’s constant trade winds present a challenge to even the most experienced golfers, so prepare for a somewhat frustrating game.

In 1995, Scottsdale residents voted to set aside a large parcel of undeveloped city land as protected open space. Today, the roughly 30,000-acre McDowell Sonoran Preserve provides an opportunity for adventure. Hike, bike, and rock climb, or take to the trails with local guides from Arizona Outback Adventures and learn all about the desert along the way. Because most of the creatures that live in this desert habitat are more active at night, the best time to view animals is on early morning or evening hikes.

This used to be the old highway to get from the leeward to the windward side of the island. It was literally built into the side of a mountain and was barely hanging on. It’s now been replaced with a proper 4 lane highway complete with a tunnel, but parts of the old highway are still there to hike on. To get there you have to go through tourists. They are there for the lookout and the spectacular view – but you can go much deeper than that! From the lookout, go down to the right and go past the ‘closed’ sign, away from the tourists at the lookout snapping photos.

Take the old Pali Highway through dense jungle growing along the side of this lush mountain. We also picked fresh guava off the trees and snacked on them along the way down. We hiked about 45 minutes down and then slowly turned around and came back up. You can hike all the way through to the end though.

One of my favorite places in the whole world—Vieques! I’m actually a little apprehensive to share, because I’d love to keep it the semi-secret it is. If you time it well, you can have this beach all to yourself.

Why we love it: A design-forward oasis for creative nomads

The Highlights:
- The bright and airy inner courtyard with a massive chaca tree
- Regular programming like live music and wellness workshops
- No single-use plastics in sight

The Review:
From Tulum tastemaker Derek Klein (of Gitano fame) comes this minimalist tropical hotel on the edge of the ever-expanding city. Imagined as a hub for creative types, Casa Pueblo hosts wellness workshops, live music, readings, and other community events, but also boasts amenities like a saltwater pool, rooftop bar, and in-house restaurant situated in an airy central courtyard. Yucatan textiles and handmade pottery can be found in various nooks and seating areas.

The hotel’s 16 spare rooms face into the courtyard and feature clean white-plaster walls, hand-sculpted bedside sconces, carved wooden furniture, and slatted wooden shutters covering floor-to-ceiling windows. Luuna memory foam mattresses wear Parachute linens and bathrooms showcase custom-made concrete sinks and open rain showers. Purified water in glass carafes and full-size organic Loredana bath products mean no single-use plastics, helping the hotel remain 99 percent plastic-free.