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Visitors seeking an immersive-history experience can get a chance to travel back in time and check out the homes, stories, and daily routines of early Philadelphians, from everyday citizens to the city’s better-known inhabitants from the past. Buildings along Elfreth’s Alley, the country’s oldest continually occupied residential street, reveal the lives of the city’s earliest residents. Most of the houses on the block are private homes, but houses numbered 124 and 126 have been preserved as a public museum. Guided tours begin in the Museum Shop (Number 124). Private tours of the Alley and Museum House are available all year round.

This elegant mall bridges glitzy Kalakaua Avenue and up-and-coming Kuhio Avenue. Its heart: a treehouse in an enormous Indian banyan tree. The tree was planted around 1850 and briefly owned by Queen Emma; at one point, one of its tree houses contained a radio station. A $500 million renovation overhauled the market place, a Waikīkī classic, in 2016. Now ten restaurants and 75 retail stores preside here, anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue—the first in Hawaii. While the International Market Place has lost its manic, Mad-Man-era, free-for-all vibe, it maintains quite a bit of character for a mall with touches like a three-story waterfall. Visit at sunset to catch traditionally dressed performers singing, dancing, blowing conches, and lighting the Lamakū Torch Tower.

While San Francisco and L.A. often steal the limelight from Sacramento, I often remind myself that Sacramento has long been the center of much of California’s history. The Leland Stanford Mansion is one place where that history is reflected. The mansion, located in Downtown Sacramento just blocks from the Capitol, is worth visiting not only because of its historical value but also for its beautifully restored interior and exterior. The mansion was built in the Renaissance Revival style soon after Sacramento was founded in the mid-1800s. Seeing the architectural details up close is impressive. In 1861, it was bought by Leland Stanford, Governor of California, a U.S. senator, and founder of Stanford University. One interesting fact is that after Stanford’s death, his wife donated the mansion to be used for the children of California, and in 1900, it became an orphanage. After a $20-million renovation, the mansion opened for tours in 2005. It has also been designated a National Historic Landmark. Tours are offered here Wednesday through Sunday every hour beginning at 10:00 a.m. (the last tour begins at 4:00 p.m.). The tour allows visitors to see what such a residence would have looked like in the 1860s and 1870s. You can also walk through the Victorian gardens. The tour can accommodate groups, but groups of more than 10 must make reservations two weeks in advance.

We all have a mental image of upscale European alpine villages from countless spy movies and Vogue fashion shoots. There’s the little café with etched glass and women sipping Alsace with perfect hair and puffy parkas. The men are capable sorts, usually lean and well-traveled. Jet-setters, rich ski bums, and other dubious types mill around low-slung Citroëns with skis on the back, while the air feels charged with intrigue and adventure simmering under the laissez-faire insouciance. Sorta like the Arrabelle at Vail Square. “There’s no other place like this in North America that captures the iconic ambience of classic Old World European cities like Salzburg, Innsbruck, and Prague,” says John Dawsey, director of sales. “During the design phase, we really wanted to capture a feeling aligned with a cultured European central plaza.” The Arrabelle consists of 86 suites overlooking the town square, which converts into a skating rink in winter at the gondola base of Vail Mountain. The charm is in the details: working wood shutters, copper drainspouts, and subtle fairy-tale stenciling around the Bavarian Biedemeier-style architecture. The lobby’s windows are Czech, no less. Off the lobby, the Tavern is always buzzing with locals and visitors in the shadows sipping hot chocolate and Grand Marnier. The menu is meat-friendly. Try the Bone-in Veal Schnitzel with saffron risotto because that’s what spies and dangerous women eat.

Though it sits squarely in Tel Aviv’s Lev Ha’ir (the heart of the city), Hotel Montefiore feels almost hidden away, not least because of the fact that greenery shrouds much of the restored 1922 mansion. Gaze out the window of the lobby restaurant (where you should, without fail, order the Tunisian eggs for breakfast) and you’re as likely to find yourself leaf-peeping as people-watching. The hotel feels all the more intimate with its grand total of 12 guestrooms, each cozily appointed with well-stocked book shelves and retro armchairs. The vibe here isn’t strictly old-timey, however. You’ll also find a striking modern art collection and a DVD library that (almost) rivals the book selection. As tempted as you may be to binge-watch or read in your down-draped bed, don’t skip a nightcap in the downstairs bar, which is the picture of international style, whether you’re talking about the crowd or the menu offerings.

The Marina Mandarin Hotel in Singapore has a marvelous atrium within its triangular walls. This shot was taken from about 15 floors up and shows the hotel lobby with its amazing design. Note the grand piano at the bottom right of the picture, to give a sense of scale to this scene.

The narrow Boca Paila highway runs down the edge of the Riviera Maya in Tulum, dividing the jungle from the sea. Tucked away at kilometer-marker 7.5 lies Casa Jaguar, a haven for the best of both worlds. The restaurant emphasizes Caribbean flavors, using fresh, local ingredients and prepared food and drink with Mexican flair. Try the grilled aguachile seafood cocktail, or the sea bass with corn masa, and wash it all down with a drink of copal mescal, the perfect foil for intense local heat. Beyond being a great restaurant, Casa Jaguar is famous for its “Dinner and Party” concept: there’s a jungle-focused celebration every Thursday with artists and alternative live music.

The Hotel Flora is an ivy-clad 17^th-century palazzo tucked down a narrow alleyway in San Marco. It’s hidden from the crowds, but still an easy stroll to the buzz of San Marco Palazzo and the Grand Canal. Like all grand Venetian homes, it’s had its share of interesting inhabitants over the years, including a School of Painting, a salon for well-known local artists. Continuing the artistic legacy, the Romanelli family—photographers, writers, and antique collectors among them—has owned the hotel for the last 50 years.

In the classic manner of a pension, the hotel is intimate and the staff welcoming and friendly. Rooms are cozy and decorated with traditional antique furnishings, heavy drapes, and bold brocade wallpaper in some. Pop down to the Victorian-styled bar for an aperitif, or linger over an espresso with a good read in the hushed garden.

Of all the grand palaces in Austria, Esterházy is one you definitely don’t want to miss. It’s second, perhaps, to Schönbrunn. The 13th-century palace was acquired by the Hungarian family in 1622 and remains in their care. Magnificent rooms like the Empiresaal (dining hall) and the acoustically perfect Haydnsaal, a concert hall named for the composer who worked for the family for 40 years, are simply stunning. If the family’s wealth and importance wasn’t clear, one needs simply to visit the palace chapel where they’ll see the relics of St. Constantine.

Located at 37 Rue de la Bûcherie, a stone’s throw from the Seine and draped in the shadow of Notre Dame, is what should be proclaimed one of France’s national treasures: the Shakespeare and Company bookstore. This is actually the second site of the store; the original was closed in June 1940 due to the German occupation of Paris during the Second World War. The current location opened in 1951 as Le Mistral, but the name didn’t stick for long. Walk through the green double doors to find a world steeped in history and literary greatness. Endless stacks of books and shelves teeming with manuscripts make it hard to move around. The smell of old books hangs in the air, and that fragrance alone is reminiscent of a bygone era. My own weathered copy of A Moveable Feast was picked up here (Hemingway was a frequent visitor of the original shop). Stop in for a minute or stay for hours: Shakespeare welcomes your company.

The breeze gently rocked the hammock back and forth. As I lay there with my eyes closed swaying, I could hear the familiar sound of drum music wafting through the little village of Manzanillo. I imagine a giant speaker somewhere in the town center providing the beat of the village 24/7. Khosamui boutique hotel was simple and outfitted in bright colors with white backgrounds. There were only 4 rooms which kept the whole atmosphere cozy and chill; it was designed with relaxing in mind. A big open-air lobby was filled with colorful flowers and throw pillows and just steps from the beach cabanas. However upstairs is where the real lounging happens. The patio overlooked the beach and came with a fabulous and constant sea breeze. Hammocks and cloth swinging chairs hung from the rafters providing the perfect place for a lazy nap while lunch was prepared. This was the place you want to come, hang out and write a novel. Sherry Ott traveled to Cartagena de India, Colombia courtesy of the Cartagena de Indias Tourism Board, Rafael Núñez International Airport of Cartagena, Avanti Destinations, and Avianca Airlines. Her highlights are part of AFAR’s partnership with The United States Tour Operator Association (USTOA), whose members provide travelers with unparalleled access, insider knowledge, peace-of-mind, value and freedom to enjoy destinations across the entire globe. See more about Sherry’s trip at the USTOA blog - http://ustoa.com/blog/category/afar/

With no sign above its unassuming storefront, Tartine is most easily recognized by the line that snakes out its door and down Guerrero Street. People patiently wait for flaky pains au chocolat (the best outside Paris, in my opinion), decadent banana cream tarts, and hot-pressed sandwiches stuffed with fillings like smoked sheep cheese and quince jam. The bakery’s James Beard Award–winning pastry chefs also turn out loaves of stone hearth–baked bread, available every day after 4:30 p.m. Nurse a coffee and nibble on a croissant at the communal table, or take picnic provisions to nearby Dolores Park.

Regulars at this Little Italy joint (and there are lots of regulars) flock here more for the friendly atmosphere and the cheap drinks than for the two bowling lanes that gave it its name (“quilles” is “bowling” in French). Games do happen though, usually more as the night goes on, unless it’s one of the nights when a band uses the lanes as a stage. The drinks are nothing special except that most moments in this down-home haven end up being special, and they go wonderfully with the vegetarian burritos made on the spot. Take a spot at the bar to keep the pints coming, or find a nook in the back or in the turquoise-painted side room to wile away the hours.

Gombe Stream National Park is home to the Gombe Stream Research Center. Founded in 1967, it is a living laboratory, and a testament to the pioneering research and conservation efforts conducted by Jane Goodall on behalf of the park’s chimpanzee population. The smallest of Tanzania’s national parks, Gombe is set on the glistening shores of Lake Tangyanika and is surrounded by ancient forest and cavernous valleys. To embark on an unforgettable, several-day chimp-tracking experience, you get to the park via motorboat from Kigoma or take a local lake-taxi. A stay at Gombe Forest Lodge provides a lush, intimate haven to rest weary feet after a morning’s trek: Enjoy a dip in the crystal-clear lake, and a sundowner around the fire beneath the brilliant backdrop of stars and mystical shadowy trees.

Nestled between pristine beaches and lush forest, the peaceful town of Watamu is ground zero for water sports in Kenya. One of Kenya’s most renowned kite-surfing schools, Tribe Watersports, is based here and offers three–day courses to get you skimming the warm waves of the Indian Ocean in no time. If you’re happier underwater, Watamu will also appeal. A maze of rich coral reefs skirts the shoreline, so giant turtles and exotic fish can be seen year-round, and at certain times of the year majestic whale sharks pass through this region, making it a snorkeling and diving haven. For accommodation, check out the eccentric and charming Watamu Treehouse.