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If you only have three days in Amsterdam, a walking tour, boat tour, museum-crawl, and evening concert are just a few of your activity options. Over three days, you can also experience Amsterdam’s infamous Red Light District, get lost in the canal ring, chill out in Vondelpark and take a ferry to Amsterdam-Noord. Plus: get out of town and see picture-postcard Holland a short cycle-ride away, but worlds apart from bustling Amsterdam.

Don’t miss out! Some of Oaxaca’s best food is served on the street and in the markets. This is the way the locals eat.

With its thatched roof, bamboo bar, and surfboard decor, this beloved watering hole—often voted Maui’s best bar by locals—checks all the tiki boxes. Head here for live music, lanai seating, and late-night dancing, plus fun and fruity rum cocktails like mai tais, zombies, daiquiris, and piña coladas. Beyond its drinks, South Shore Tiki Lounge was recognized by the state of Hawaii as an outstanding business for its regular fund-raising efforts, which benefit local organizations like the Keiki Cupboard, Hawaii Wildlife Fund, Maui Humane Society, and Hawaii Animal Rescue Foundation. All that to say, you can feel good coming here to wash down a massive chili-cheese hot dog with a lychee-watermelon martini.

In The Gallery of Great Things, visitors will find much more than “things” to experience when they walk in the shop. The actual building was a nurses’ quarters during WWII serving an estimated 50,000 soldiers who passed through during the war. Maria, the shopkeeper who founded the gallery, has filled her store with art, antiques, and curiosities that reflect the Pacific culture, history of the Islands, and Hawai‘ian lifestyle. She has endeavored to preserve the culture of the Islands through her work in the store and sells the work from more than 200 local artisans, including the best known Hawai‘ian artists. One walk through her crowded shop guarantees everyone will find a treasure—whether it’s a wind chime, koa wood sculpture, painting, or just postcard.

Ancient Hawaiians believed their souls would leap into the spirit world from this lava shoreline on the western tip of Oahu. These days, people jump off here in gliders instead, soaking up views of the Waiʻanae coast to the south, Mokuleʻia to the north—and the glorious, denim-blue Pacific stretching from here to eternity. Take a 5.4-mile round-trip hike and check out the albatross sanctuary on Kaʻena’s wild coastal acreage (free to visit). Keep an eye out for monk seals, one of the world’s most endangered species, found only in Hawaii. Watch for their silvery-gray sausage shapes as they lounge on the beach, but give them space. Always retreat if a seal awakes, vocalizes, shies away, or tries to shield a pup.

My bucket list included seeing the Northern Lights. This took me to the Chena Hot Springs Resort located an hour outside of Fairbanks, Alaska (the address is WRONG on the map). The Northern Lights are best seen in clear dark skies which is abundant in the Fairbanks area. It was 22 below (which is way cold!), but you could stay snuggly warm in the natural hot springs. The medicinal powers of the hot springs are also a high point. Maybe my imagination, but I went into the pool with an achy hip and came out pain free. The rock hot springs pool is surrounded by snow covered trees. This one looks to me like a tree nymph pointing to the sky and promising you a night time glimpse of the Northern Lights. What a spectacle it is! Mother Nature at her best is the colorful dancing lights that can be seen in this Alaska wonderland. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that the Northern Light will appear so I am not promising you or guaranteeing you that if you go you will definitely have that remarkable experience. But, if you are one of the lucky ones that are blessed with a view of this remarkable phenomenon, it is worth the trip. If not, you may also see shooting stars in the dark night sky filled with more stars than you can imagine, go on a one horse open sleigh ride or go mushing in a sled pulled by a group of eager sled dogs! Also enjoy the cozy pub that has a great menu and drinks aplenty! Call the resort to confirm what activites will be available during your stay.

Belgium has more castles per capita than even France. The country’s tiny size makes it easy to visit several chateau in one day-trip. Here are a few of the biggest and best that are on view to the public.

Opened in 2013, Andaz’s first and only Hawaiian property has four cascading infinity pools (plus many more private plunge pools) and an enviable location on Mokapu Beach, meaning guests are never more than a few steps from water.

The 290 rooms and suites are decked out in stylish, contemporary furnishings—some even come with Viking grills on private lanais—and 10 luxurious villas feature up to four bedrooms, with the largest maxing out at a sprawling 4,000 square feet.

The resort’s full calendar of activities offers everything from coconut leaf weaving to kayaking, outrigger canoeing, and stand-up paddleboarding—plus GoPro shooting and editing lessons to best capture it all. At Morimoto Maui, one of four restaurants on the property, renowned chef Masaharu Morimoto combines Japanese and Western influences in inspired dishes like yellowtail “pastrami,” served with a gin-spiked crème fraîche.

At the ‘Awili spa, where guests can choose locally sourced ingredients for a custom body treatment.

Belly up to this Wailea bar, which dazzles with a display of blue-glass Japanese fishing floats, for Hawaii’s best mai tai. Here, chef Peter Merriman, a pioneer of Hawaii Regional Cuisine, brings his genius to the classic cocktail, adding a thick head of honey-lilikoi (passion fruit) foam. Be sure to also score a table for later, as Monkeypod Kitchen does double duty as one of Maui’s top restaurants. Menu standouts include such seasonal dishes as kiawe-roasted squash ravioli, coconut-corn chowder, Hamakua wild mushroom pizza drizzled with truffle oil, and bulgogi pork tacos with Asian pear and house-made kimchi.

A pioneer of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine movement, chef Mark Ellman showcases his thoughtful approach to cooking at Mala Ocean Tavern, a harbor-front eatery with dramatic sunset views. Come here for well-executed fusion fare like ahi bruschetta, whole wok-fried Hawaiian fish, and a vegan mushroom Bolognese pasta with local shiitakes, as well as signature cocktails like the Spa Day (cucumber, vodka, fresh watermelon juice) and the LBC (gin, passion fruit, basil simple syrup, fresh lime, and soda). Party animals will be happy to learn that the restaurant also offers a late happy hour each evening from 10 p.m. to midnight, plus live music and DJs spinning vinyl on Friday nights.

On Ruth Reichl’s recent trip to Frankfurt, Germany, there was one constant: Everybody knew of the best cider tavern she just had to visit. Out of the dozens of options, four stellar blends of the traditional and modern stood out.

Here are the best things to see, eat, and experience in the town of Santo Tomas de Castilla, Guatemala.

A writer seeks out the disappearing workshops that have been the source of elegance in Naples for generations.

Independent for 1100 years, Venice still looks and feels very distinct from much of Italy. It’s been overrun by tourists, especially cruise lines, but still has so much to offer that it’s well worth spending a few days here. The city is one massive atmospheric experience so stroll far and wide. One note about dining: Venice is overrun by tourist traps. You’ll know them by their plastic coated menus and hawkers. Look for the Slow Food snail icon in the window as a guide to quality.

It’s easy to fill a long weekend with Orlando fun. Spend one day at the Magic Kingdom and Epcot (with some Morimoto and tequila, to insert some adult-pleasing activities to the classic theme park day), of course. Engage in some other local magic, too, like the wildlife of Central Florida with a kayak exploration of the headwaters of the Everglades, or an afternoon viewing the work of Louis Comfort Tiffany at the Hosmer Museum in Winter Park. Try some of Orlando’s food truck fare and sip international vintages at a wine bar. And, if you have some time, get out and explore the charming neighborhoods, up-and-coming restaurants, and boutique shopping in this sprawling and modern metropolis.