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In a fantastic location just a few minutes walk from the Honky Tonks lining Broadway, Holston House Nashville is a fun new Music City sleep that also happens to be very dog friendly (this author’s service dog, Bobbi, had a fabulous visit). And if you’re traveling without pup, but find yourself in need of a little canine loving, don’t fear, the Holston House has plans to adopt a house dog, who will reside at the property. The hotel, which is part of the Unbound Collection by Hyatt, has partnered with Miranda Lambert’s non-profit MuttNation that promotes and facilitates the adoption of shelter pets and will adopt the pup through this organization. Additionally, MuttNation receives 100% of the fees the hotel charges for your pup’s stay.

Dogs aside, the Holston House is an eye-catching meticulously restored 1920s Art Deco boutique property that comes with a side of modern country flourishes like sliding barn doors. Even the standard rooms are quite spacious for a city sleep with the most delightfully comfortable beds draped in silky sheets and soft duvets and plenty of light streaming in from big windows overlooking the city. The bathrooms are massive with toilets separate from the shower space. There are also four plush one-bedroom suites and two signature 12th-floor Penthouse Suites that are massive and come with stunning views and catchy decor.

The food and beverage program here is excellent with the signature restaurant serving up hearty portions of southern American comfort fare that is hard to stop eating: it is that good. The TENN Bar is responsible for the delightful craft cocktail menu that includes a number of locally distilled spirit choices served in a speakeasy style environment overlooking the lobby with a performance stage for live music. Up on the rooftop you’ll find TENN on Top, the bar next to the vibey outdoor swimming pool — it becomes quite the scene on hot summer weekends, although it is not open to the public — that offers stunning city views and more drinks from the in-house mixologist.

Away from the hotel there is much to experience in Nashville, where country music stars from Taylor Swift to Blake Shelton got their starts, including amazing live music at seemingly every bar on Broadway. And country music aside, Nashville is one of America’s top music cities in general and is home to Jack White’s Third Man Records Studio where visitors can cut their own track on a 33 RPM single using the 1947 Voice-O-Graph recording booth White first debuted with Neil Young on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon for just $20.

The Post Hotel & Spa is set in the heart of the pristine Banff National Park, surrounded by the Canadian Rocky Mountains and overlooking Lake Louise. The original log-walled lodge—opened in 1942 as the Lake Louise Ski Lodge—has stone fireplaces and a cheery red alpine roof, and the numerous add-ons, extensions, and renovations over the years have preserved and accentuated this rustic design. This is further enhanced by the hotel’s interior color palette of burgundy and neutrals, and set off by luxurious touches such as overstuffed couches and Egyptian-cotton sheets. The accommodations include intimate cabins for two and a 3,000-square-foot mountain chalet ideal for groups and families. Just minutes away from one of Canada’s largest ski areas and blessed with an abundance of perfect powder each season, the Post Hotel & Spa is popular with skiers and boarders from across North America; in summer it attracts outdoor enthusiasts keen to explore the myriad treasures of the national park. It has been a Relais & Châteaux property since 1990.

Color, shape, and naked geology: Northern Arizona appeals to the senses in the most elemental ways. Agnostic hikers, secular scientists, souls searching for spiritual energy — all end up in Sedona, seeking and finding. Mid-week in this red-rock country, we found a few days of calm: early morning trails around town, and afternoons in galleries seeking shelter from summer thunderstorms. Weekends bring crowds from Phoenix, just two hours to the south, but away from pavement, you can still get away into the elements.

Located near the ferry pier, this upscale, open-air colonial mall is a favorite with locals and visitors alike. A cobblestone path leads past a number of U.S. brands and boutiques such as American Apparel and Diesel. For coffee lovers, Starbucks is located at its center.

Founded in 1913, this famous botanical garden was the first in the world dedicated to its country’s own flora. The spectacular, 90-acre plant haven forms part of a nature reserve that borders Table Mountain National Park. Besides numerous gardens and forests—some of which you can traverse on high via the futuristic Boomslang (Tree Snake) walkway—Kirstenbosch has a greenhouse, a restaurant run by the popular Moyo group, and a nursery for green thumbs who want to take a piece of the garden home with them. Spend five minutes here and you’ll realize why Kirstenbosch’s displays at the Chelsea Flower Show in London often win gold.

The family-owned Yandup Island Lodge is located on a private island across from the remote Playon Chico community on the Caribbean coastline of San Blas, Panama. The eco-lodge offers two tours a day: a visit to a beach on one of the archipelago’s deserted islands and a cultural tour that connects guests to the local Kuna Yala indian community.

Diani Beach is a 25km strip of pale, sugary sands backed by the cerulean Indian Ocean. As one of the more developed towns on the Kenyan coast, there’s a great variety of restaurants, cafés, bars and shops here. Also on offer are activities from horse riding to kite-surfing and tours of the ancient Kaya Forest. Popular haunts in Diani include the Forty Thieves Beach Bar - renowned for their fun beach parties and tasty pizzas, as well as Ali Barbour’s restaurant – set inside a candle-lit cave which opens out onto the starry night’s sky above. However you choose to spend your time in this idyllic costal location, one thing is for sure: as the sun sets, castling a golden glitter on the sea below, and the beach-front restaurants lay flickering lanterns on the sand, there are few other places in the world you will want to be.

Have you ever wanted to travel in a submarine? How about walking underwater like Jacques Cousteau? Then a visit to Yalong Bay Undersea World is a must. You can ride an Australian “semi-submersible vessel.” It goes as deep as 1.7 meters, and you can see fish and coral through the windows. Even better, visitors can take a stroll underwater. Wearing a pressure-resistant helmet attached to oxygen, participants follow a guide five meters underwater. Colorful, tropical fish flit around: It’s a seriously cool experience. The venue also has snorkeling, parasailing, fishing, boat rides, and more.

Engebret Café is still as popular as when it opened its doors 157 years ago. Back then, it was known as a second home to some of the nation’s most prolific artists, including Henrik Ibsen, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Edvard Munch, Knut Hamsun, and Edvard Grieg. The café still retains it artistic air, and is still favoured by writers, actors, and politicians, who come here mainly for the delicious open-faced-sandwich buffet. The menu varies throughout the seasons, featuring fish in the winter, seafood and vegetables in the spring and summer, and lamb, venison, and mushrooms during autumn. Whichever season you go, you’re sure to find something mouthwatering on the menu!

Encompassing early 200 acres of rolling parkland, Villa Borghese is Rome’s verdant heart and everyone’s favorite place for an afternoon walk. The vast gardens are criss-crossed with picturesque paths, where visitors can meander past ancient statues and fountains, sit by a lake or caffè, and take in a film at one of two cinemas. For culture vultures, there is a Shakespearean Globe Theatre with a robust summer schedule, a historic puppet theater, and several world-renowned museums including Galleria Borghese with its enviable collection of Bernini sculptures and Caravaggio paintings. Younger kids enjoy playgrounds, electric train rides, and a kids museum, while children of all ages can get active with skate, bike, and paddleboat rentals.

In April 2017, the World’s 50 Best Restaurants List (produced by the British magazine Restaurant) bestowed the title of the greatest restaurant anywhere on Eleven Madison Park. It marked the first time in 13 years that an American establishment secured the top spot. (The previous U.S. winner was Thomas Keller’s French Laundry, in 2003 and 2004.) It’s not the restaurant’s only laurel: It has also received three stars from Michelin and four from the New York Times. If you want to judge for yourself, be prepared to spend $295 for an 8-to-10-course tasting menu (or $155 for the smaller five-course bar menu). Both prices include tips, but not beverages. Executive chef Daniel Humm’s menu could be called haute American—local ingredients are highlighted in dishes with preparations that border on, but don’t cross into, the fussy. The dining room itself complements the meal. Right after the restaurant was named the world’s best, it closed for a four-month renovation, and its new light- and art-filled interior pairs perfectly with Humm’s dishes.

Started by pioneer brothers Ellsworth and Emery Kolb, this artist’s studio along the South Rim is full of the duo’s engaging depictions of the Grand Canyon’s early tourism days—black-and-white photos of mule parties and raucous river floats included. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Kolb Studio hosts regular art exhibits in its auditorium, which are free to the public, and boasts spectacular views of the Grand Canyon itself. It’s open year round.

Dating back to 1843, this massive museum has grown and modernized over the years, especially with the addition of the Neue Staatsgalerie (New State Gallery) in 1984 and a modern hall specially built in 2002. Spanning some 96,875 square feet of exhibition space, the collection focuses on early Swabian panel painting and 19th-century Swabian Neoclassicism, but also includes modern pieces like Oskar Schlemmer’s Figurines for the Triadic Ballet, Matisse’s famous Back Series, and a Joseph Beuys room that was installed by the artist himself. Other highlights range from Dalí’s Raised Instant and George Grosz’s The Funeral to Miró’s Bird with a Calm Look. Opt for a guided tour to ensure you see everything, then visit the museum shop and the Fresko café-restaurant. Note that, on Wednesdays, you can visit the permanent collection for free.

Built between 1715 and 1718, the Baroque Karlsruhe Castle served as the residence of the electoral princes and grand dukes of Baden for more than two centuries. Designed by Jakob Friedrich von Batzendorf, the palace exterior is especially pleasing—not least because it was planned as the focal point of the city, with streets radiating out from all sides like wheel spokes (which in turn inspired Pierre L’Enfant, planner of Washington, D.C.). The castle also features picturesque pavilions and ornate wings, but for many the real highlight is the Baden State Museum inside. Opened in 1919 and generally regarded as the best in the region, the museum spans pre- and early history, with exhibits on the Ancient Greek and Roman eras as well as sculptures from the Middle Ages, a particularly celebrated art nouveau collection, and an impressive range of 17th-century Ottoman handicrafts.

The daily duck parade at Vergenoegd Löw Wine Estate is quite the sight to behold. Every morning at 10 a.m., a single caller uses different whistles and motions to corral some one thousand Indian Runner ducks away from their pond and onto the grounds of the wine estate. While entertaining to watch, the parade is performed for more than just amusement—the ducks have been helping with pest control in the vineyards since 1984, devouring hundreds of snails, slugs, and other unwanted insects each day.

Recently, the vineyard also started working with WWF South Africa and other conservation agencies in the region on a project related to indigenous waterfowl habitat rehabilitation. Learn all about it on a visit, and be sure to ask about touring the duck pen and breeding area with one of the herders.