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It’s impossible to ignore the hulking 1950s architecture of the Tate Modern, slap-bang in the middle of the most-walked part of the South Bank. A visionary refurb of this former power station has resulted in an artistic behemoth with multiple gallery spaces (containing both free exhibitions and ticketed exhibitions), including the fantastic Turbine Hall for oversize installations. Outside, the Millennium Bridge leads over the Thames to the City and the great domed St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Last week we spent 5 days in Copenhagen, Denmark. October is, for me, the best time to visit. It’s colder and there are more chances for rain but the number of tourists is drastically lower. I did not feel suffocated by them at all. Nyhavn harbor was almost empty every day. I love traveling in the shoulder season.

The splendor of this neo-Gothic parliament building—the third-largest parliament building in the world—is obvious from the outside, but consider these facts: This place has 691 interior rooms, 10 courtyards, 88 statues of Hungarian rulers on its facade, and 12.5 miles of staircases. The outside is stunning but the inside doesn’t disappoint, either: King Steven’s crown jewels are on display within, as are rooms filled with art and crafts made throughout the ages. Take a guided tour to get more context of it all, and don’t miss passing by the building at night, when it’s lit up like a Disney palace.

Belize’s liveliest time of the year comes in September, when the entire country celebrates independence for three entire weeks leading up to Sept. 21. The major towns and cities host various events, and a countrywide calendar is published on Sept. 1, allowing you to follow along with the fun wherever you might find yourself in Belize. The most popular events are a steel pan concert called Pan Yaad, held in Belize City, and two full-blown carnival parades. Belize City Carnival, with soca and Caribbean music blaring, is held in mid-September, while Orange Walk Carnival takes place on Independence Day and celebrates Mestizo heritage. Take advantage of low-season fares to get a unique culture-filled experience in Belize in September.

Some zip line parks are one-and-done—you arrive, sit for orientation, take a single (if exhilarating) ride, and get back in the car. Not so at Sky Safari, located at St. Kitts’ Wingfield Estate. Here, you start with a training run on a short zip line, then head into the jungle for the main attractions: four more lines that run over the lush canopy of slumbering stratovolcano Mount Liamuiga. The first three lines, named The Boss, Mango Tango, and Brimstone Blast, measure up to 1,400 feet long, while the fourth is a dual zip line that crosses over a river and ends near the ruins of a historic sugar plantation. As you soar, you’ll reach heights of 250 feet and thrilling speeds of up to 40 miles per hour.

Not as well-known as Chichén Itzá in the Yucatán or Teotihuacán near Mexico City, La Campana is nonetheless one of the country’s important archaeological sites. In fact, this center of the Capacha people was the largest pre-Hispanic settlement in western Mexico and has been inscribed on the national archaeological registry since 1917. Open to the public since the mid-1990s, La Campana, which is located just north of the city of Colima, has pyramidal structures, ball courts and tombs—and a visit offers a chance to explore an ancient city with far fewer visitors than those found at some of Mexico’s other archaeological sites.

Popular for fishing and shelling, this beach stretches under the Blind Pass Bridge, placing it on both Captiva and Sanibel islands. Swimming here is somewhat dangerous because of swift currents, but walking the shallows looking for pretty shells is a fine way to spend an hour or two. You can park on either side of the bridge to access the beach, but know that there aren’t any restroom facilities on the Sanibel half.

Hidden in the center of a quiet neighborhood between the main thoroughfares of Avenida Tulum and Avenida Yaxchilán, this area has been a top gathering spot for Cancún families for decades, especially after sunset on weekends. Despite the “Parque” nomenclature, Las Palapas is really more of a plaza than a park, with a playground, cartloads of artisan-made souvenirs, and weekly entertainment on its palapa-roofed outdoor stage. At the perimeter lie cheap street-food options aglow in neon, such as esquites (corn kernels doused with mayonnaise, lime, and sauces), churros, and marquesitas (crispy crêpe-like rolls). For a full meal, there’s also a small outdoor food court selling classic Yucatecan dishes such as panuchos (a tortilla piled with black beans and toppings) and salbutes (a puffy tortilla topped with pulled chicken, lettuce, avocado, and other toppings).

The Inca Trail is perhaps the most famous trek in Peru. This is the road to Machu Picchu, an ancient route that leads from the Sacred Valley into the heart of the Andes. You must obtain a permit and hire an official guide in order to hike the Inca Trail proper. There are plenty of tour operators in Cusco that offer trips up to Machu Picchu, so you should definitely look at reviews before you choose. For better or for worse, the tours are all-inclusive. The local tour operators employ porters to carry your packs and set up a camp. A team of local chefs will prepare three meals a day, and many hikers come back raving about the delicious meals. Keep in mind that the trek can be tough, especially in the first few days. The trail is often narrow, and it flirts with formidable heights. The mountains in this part of the Andes can rise well over 13,000 feet, and many hikers find themselves suffering from altitude sickness. Make sure to take a few days (in Cusco or the Sacred Valley) to acclimatize before you begin the journey. Finally: make sure to plan ahead! The Peruvian government limits trail access to 500 people per day, including porters. This regulation protects the local ecosystem and the delicate ruins, and it ensures that the trail won’t be too crowded. However, it also means that permits for the peak summer season sell out months in advance. If you aren’t able to get a permit for the classic Inca Trail, never fear: there are various other trails that lead to Machu Picchu.

Colorado has more “fourteeners”—mountain peaks higher than 14,000 feet—than any other state (53, compared to No. 2, Alaska, with 29). The northernmost of those Rocky Mountains giants is also one of the most popular, mostly since it’s so easy to see from the lowlands. A prominent diamond shape sits below the summit and is a favorite rock-climbing wall. But those keen to hike it usually start in the dark hours of the early morning to tackle the standard 8.4-mile Keyhole route. The trail starts at 9,400 feet and gains more than 5,000 feet. Around 11,000 feet, the trees thin out and the view down the slope appears, as does a nice look at the distinctive diamond face. The trail continues around a subpeak called Mount Lady Washington, and into the boulder field that leads up to the namesake Keyhole—the gateway to the last push to the summit.

Set on what was once the original campus of the University of Washington, this downtown landmark was opened in 1924, and now sits on the National Register of Historic Places. Its stately spaces have played host to generations of weddings, proms, banquets, and other opulent events, as well as a number of notable guests; John F. Kennedy stayed in the Presidential Suite during his visit to Seattle, for example.

Following a renovation in 2016, the Fairmont Olympic Hotel now features 450 rooms and suites with sophisticated décor, comfortable furnishings, and Le Labo products. Among the dining options are the elegant Georgian, a much-lauded favorite for breakfast, lunch, and the famous Afternoon Tea; The Terrace Lounge, for great drinks and live music; and Shuckers, one of the city’s oldest (and best) oyster bars. The latter pairs fresh seafood with local microbrews, including the hotel’s signature honey ale, made using honey from the building’s rooftop hives. Other amenities include a day spa and salon, and a health club with Jacuzzi, sauna, and indoor pool.

Telluride may be more than 2,000 miles from New York, but that doesn’t mean its art scene isn’t worthy of adulation. Case in point: Gallery 81435, a contemporary space run by Telluride Arts that features a rotating collection of stellar work by both regional and national artists. Come here to see everything from Emily Palmquist’s oil paintings of banal-made-beautiful landscapes, to Karen Wippich’s dreamlike acrylic paintings.

Independence Square lies at the busy center of St. Kitts’ capital city, Basseterre. Known as Pall Mall Square prior to the island’s independence in 1983, it’s always been the center of commerce—albeit a darker business in years past. A careful look at the surrounding historic buildings reveals places where slaves were held prior to being auctioned off in the square. Today, however, an ornate fountain stands at the center of the park, and the grassy areas play host to parties and public gatherings.

The owners of this playful shop, Jo and Micko, are passionate about handcrafted, natural body care. That led to the launch of a range of sensory products in 1999. But their love for design and vintage fashion got the better of them, resulting in a limited-edition range of garments as well. In addition to the racks of timeless dresses and petticoats, visitors can buy fragrant perfumes, soy candles and soaps made from essential oils, clays, seeds, and no palm oil. Varieties range from coconut and spearmint to “pussy wash,” “ass wash,” and “cock wash"—for the cats, donkeys and roosters among us.

This restaurant in northwest Tasmania—defined by a blond wood wall, white bucket chairs, and stoneware dishes—wouldn’t feel out of place in hip Hobart, or even in Sydney or Melbourne. It’s Scandinavian in style, but the food veers more French and Italian: pork, chorizo, and pea risotto; seared scallops with pickled fennel; duck rillettes; a lemon brûlée tart with raspberry chantilly cream. But seven-course degustation dinners and acoustic-guitar sessions are very, well, Tasmanian. Degustation dishes could feature everything from mint-cured ocean trout and sous vide squid for starters to entrées of slow-cooked lamb belly and confit duck served over charred peach purée and prosciutto.