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Tahiti Iti, Tahiti‘s smaller sister island that’s connected to the main island at the southeast coast, is home to one of the most famous surfing waves in the Pacific, Teahupoo. This powerful reef break most certainly should not be attempted by anyone but the best surfers—a fall means being dragged by the current across the sharp coral right below the surface. That edge of drama makes for a tense but enjoyable afternoon of observation (from the beach). The left break is best between April and October. The Billabong Pro competition is held here August.

An active parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego, Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá remains a tranquil place of worship and reflection. Regardless of your religious beliefs, the first of California’s 21 missions is well worth a visit for its extensive history. It was originally constructed in Presidio Park in 1769 but moved inland to its current site just five years later. Records show that it was the first place in California to cultivate olives; tree cuttings from this mission would later be used to found olive groves at other missions around the state. It’s also home to the grave of Father Luis Jayme, the state’s first Catholic martyr; he was killed when American Indians stormed the mission in 1775 and is now buried next to the altar. Destroyed many times over, the mission was most recently rebuilt in the 1930s, but looks as it would have in the early 1800s.

Located in a former shoe factory, City Museum devotes 600,000 square feet and four levels to play for all ages. The museum was the brainchild of artist and entrepreneur Bob Cassilly—along with a crew of 20 artisans known as the Cassilly Crew—who constructed the space from objects found around the city, from construction cranes and fire trucks to church pipe organs, old airplanes, and plenty of reclaimed building materials. The result is a wonderfully weird and wacky museum that’s constantly evolving, depending on what’s been donated and collected recently. There’s a sky-high jungle gym, a rooftop Ferris wheel, an aquarium, and multi-story slides that once served as chutes for shoes. The museum has a “no map” policy to encourage exploration, but does advise visitors to bring their own flashlight—you never know what you’ll find in those dark caves.

Over on Moorea, the Restaurant Te Honu Iti offers you a chance to eat on a deck over the water while watching rays swim around. It’s a bit more affordable than comparable Papeete restaurants, and has well-prepared food. But let’s face it, the crowd’s here for the rays, amazingly soft and velvety, who are drawn by the restaurant’s underwater lights and swim right up to the edge of the deck.

While there’s nothing particularly charming about this Target-esque emporium in Noord, it’s the best place to go for foodie goods. Only-on-Aruba delights include Hot Delight sauces (all-natural flavor enhancers handcrafted on the island) and coecoei liquor (a centuries-old spirit made from agave), while Dutch specialties range from cheese (Edam, Gouda) to chocolate (Verkade, Droste). If you get nothing else, try the stroopwafels, which feature a caramel, syrup-like filling sandwiched between thin-baked dough. Super Food’s café, Jack’s, offers excellent coffee and Dutch dishes throughout the day.

Once-abandoned railway sheds have been repurposed to create an open-air outlet mall in Palermo, one of the city’s buzziest neighborhoods. Clothes are expensive in Argentina so don’t expect rock-bottom prices, but you’ll appreciate discounts on local brands like Las Pepas. In addition to clothing retailers, there are several food carts, plus pop-up restaurants, here and there beneath a redbrick viaduct that supports the General San Martín commuter train. Large flowerbeds and the trains’ overhead comings and goings make Distrito Arcos a pretty spot for snacks or browsing the racks.

Take a weekend out of the city on Rottnest Island. How to Get There: Rottnest Express offers hour-and-a-half-long ferries from Perth. What to Do: This vacation spot, popular among locals, is often associated with two things: quokkas, the adorable and sociable marsupials that hop all over the island, and beaches that will leave you slack-jawed. Rent a home and eat out often. The island’s restaurants serve lots of rock lobster, which is plentiful in these waters thanks to sustainable fishing practices. This appeared in the August/September 2015 issue.

New to the Isle of Harris, this is one of Scotland’s more promising distilleries to open in recent years. Here, five local men, trained from scratch in the art of distilling, are working hard to create a whisky of real provenance. You’ll have to wait a few more years to try The Hearach, but it’s made from the softest of Hebridean waters and aged in only the best bourbon barrels from carefully chosen Kentucky distillers, promising a dram with a signature Isle of Harris taste. In the meantime, visit the distillery to taste its popular gin (made with everything from traditional juniper berries to sea kelp) and tour its modern facilities, located right on the harbor in the town of Tarbert.

First opened in 1973, this maritime-themed restaurant is known for preparations of the sea creature after which it is named. The decor, with its lobster traps and brass gears, could be called kitschy, but diners come here for the seafood. From September to March, the local crustaceans (known for their meaty tails) are grilled here and served with lemon butter. Throughout the year, the sweeter cold-water Atlantic lobsters (the ones with claws) are on the menu. Freshly caught fish—tuna, wahoo, snapper—served in a variety of preparations round out the menu. Rockfish with bananas and almonds is a local favorite and the fish chowder is award-winning.

This stylishly nautical bar and restaurant is located in the Old Town on Olivia and Elizabeth streets, nicely removed from the hustle and bustle of Duval Street. The dining room decor pays tasteful tribute to Key West’s maritime culture with sea-blue upholstered banquettes and accents like sea star mobiles, brass lanterns, compasses, and porthole windows. Perhaps it’s not surprising that the menu too looks to the sea for inspiration. A great wine list, a knowledgeable staff, and a cool sense of romance all add up to Little Pearl being a good choice for a special night in Key West.

Situated in the suburbs just outside Copenhagen, Charlottenlund Beach Park is a small oasis in one of Denmark’s wealthiest areas. The old fortress retains several naval artillery batteries in a space that has been converted to a park and overlooks a small, but beautiful, Danish beach. Just behind the park you can head into the park itself, which is a richly forested area that is absolutely stunning in fall. Head to the nearby Charlottenlund Palace, built by Christian the VI in 1733, as part of your stroll through the park. There’s also a lovely cafe down by the beach which is open to visitors and offers a view over the water.

For a taste of the good life, head to South Beach, known for its Art Deco hotels lining Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue, glittering nightlife, and see-and-be-seen vibe. The long stretch of beach, starting with the pier at the top of historic Washington Avenue, is a great place to take in the Miami of postcards and enjoy the sunset over the cityscape. This is where you’ll find some of Miami’s best shopping, top-tier nightlife, and award-winning restaurants, not to mention great people-watching and luxury-car spotting.

Imagine dining right on the beach, toes in the water, under swaying palm trees along a perfect little crescent bay in Savaneta, Aruba’s charming fisherman’s town. Add a fine selection of delicious fresh seafood, an extensive wine list, and exceptional service for a romantic evening that exceeds all expectations. Go early to catch the sunset.

Fire Island, in the heart of South Addition, one of Anchorage’s oldest neighborhoods, handcrafts an astonishingly delicious array of baked goods, breads, sandwiches, and savory delights that keep locals lining up for more. The bakery uses as much local produce as it can squeeze into its scones and muffins, offers interesting flavor combos, and serves up a tofu banh mi that is one of the finest tofu sandwiches known to man. If you’re hanging out in Anchorage for more than a day or two, check out the class schedule. You could leave Alaska with some serious sourdough skills. Please note: Fire Island is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, as well as most of January.

This unassuming trailer in a parking lot opposite a port in Kawaihae serves what may be the best shave ice on Hawaii Island, and possibly in the whole state. Why? First up, the syrups (divided into artificial, creamy, and fruit) really taste of what they are supposed to. This is one shave ice where you need to be careful which flavors you combine, because they don’t just bleed into each other. (Also note that the li hing mui comes with the powder, too, so get ready for that strange salty/sour/sweet hit.) More importantly, however, is the texture, which is smooth and creamy and more like compacted snow than ice. It was so different from anything we’d had before that we asked the staff whether they used a different machine than everyone else. Nope—they just make it using the technique their grandmother passed down to them.