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Famous since its 1998 opening as the place with the dancing fountains (further immortalized in the final scene of the 2001 film Ocean’s Eleven), the 3,933-room Italian-themed Bellagio is a Las Vegas icon. There is a fantasy feel about it, with its five courtyard pools, its indoor botanical garden and conservatory that change with the seasons, its lobby-dominating Dale Chihuly blown-glass flower sculpture, and its eight-acre lake, out of which rise the fountains. Yet following a 2015 upgrade, it also feels as modern as any hotel on the Strip. The Bellagio still does a few things the old-fashioned way: Along with the expected celebrity restaurants, there is a buffet (a long-cherished Las Vegas tradition) brought up to modern standards with an all-you-can-drink alcohol option. Throughout the hotel, service is tops, shopping is high-end, the Cirque du Soleil production O draws ’em in, and—another Las Vegas tradition—a casino with nearly the area of two football fields makes it all go ‘round, which is no doubt why everybody has to be out of the pools by 7 p.m.

The sky above Jasper National Park comes alive at night. Celebrated as a Dark Sky Preserve, the national park is one of the best places in the world to stargaze. Light pollution is that orange hue often seen above cities, which is caused by the large amount of iridescent light omnipresent in populated areas. Jasper, home to only 5,000 people in a 10,000-square-kilometer area, is essentially light-pollution free. Because of this, the skies are darker—the area around Columbia Icefield is one of the darkest places in North America—so it’s possible to clearly see more stars than nearly anywhere else. Although the dark skies are best viewed in autumn and winter, from September to March, the best time to learn about the stars is during Jasper’s annual Dark Sky Festival that takes place at the end of October. The best part? It’s absolutely free.

More commonly known as Turtle Beach, this Oahu North Shore cove often attracts honu, aka Chelonia mydas, the largest of the hard-shelled sea turtles. These big, friendly giants can reach 400 pounds as adults and are herbivorous, feeding primarily on algae and seagrasses, abundant year-round in the warm, shallow waters. Summer’s gentle surf—swells averaging just two feet—increase your odds of quality turtle time. Cross the road carefully and keep at least six feet away from the endangered turtles as they sunbathe onshore (mind any “no-go” zones maintained by volunteers). Avoid swimming here: The currents and beach rocks make it challenging.

Wine is an integral part of life on the Dalmatian Coast, a region with many indigenous varietals; a visit to Dubrovnik shouldn’t go by without a glass of local wine. Tucked away on Palmotićeva Street off the main Stradun, D’Vino offers cozy interiors as well as atmospheric seating at tables set on the narrow thoroughfare outside. Try a glass of something new from the impressive selection of local producers—the knowledgeable staff can help guide you in choosing one. D’Vino features several tasting experiences that highlight the region’s star wines: the Konavle Valley’s refreshing Malvazija, potent Plavac Mali reds from the Pelješac Peninsula, and Korčula Island’s fruity Pošip whites. Pair the wines with a platter of prosciutto and Croatian cheeses for a wonderful welcome to Dubrovnik and its wine region.

Barista Parlor introduced artisanal coffee to Nashville when it opened its lofty, art-filled space in a former auto repair garage in 2012, serving top-notch small-batch roasters from around the country such as Counter Culture, Intelligentsia, and Stumptown. Two local outposts later, the company has evolved into a roaster-retailer, importing and roasting its own coffee beans for the first time. Try the zesty, fruity Daredevil or the cocoa-inflected Golden Sound while you take in the interiors, which pay homage to Tennessean talent: Doughnuts come from nearby bakers including Five Daughters Bakery in Franklin, and an enormous pixelated mural of a ship by Nashville artist Bryce McCloud covers the back wall.

Few places in North America are anchored in a heritage like the Pueblo of Taos. This is the longest inhabited living arrangement in the US. The Pueblo still has ten families of around 150 native people working to maintain the culture and the adobe architecture for generations to come. A living artifact, the past and present form a delicate harmony to produce a unique travel experience. The environment says a lot about the sustainability of this community. Tucked up against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, with the Rio flowing through the center of the Pueblo, the inhabitants have maintained their lifestyle through wars, disease, cultural genocide and environmental impact to survive. From the efficiency of their adobe walls to provide comfort against extreme heat and cold, to the guiding wisdom of elders to keep the Pueblo vibrant, the way of life preserved within these walls is a testament to the strength and vision of native people, connected to this land with over a thousand years of tradition.

The location for the most charming scenes in the movie Amélie, this once-forgotten neighborhood is now a destination for the young and fun-loving. As soon as the weather turns warm, picnickers line the paths along this 19th-century waterway, watching bridges rise and turn to allow barges to pass. Shopping, food, drink, and diversions also abound here: Artazart (83 Quai de Valmy) is recognized as one of the best design bookstores in Europe, while Le Comptoir Général, just across the bridge, offers live music and cheap drinks. Chez Prune has one of the city’s most popular terraces for enjoying a glass of something refreshing and a chance to watch Paris go by.

Standing out in San Francisco‘s Marina District, this historic landmark is a leftover from the 1915 Pan-Pacific International Expo and was designed by Bernard R. Maybeck, a student of the École des Beaux-Arts. His vision was to give the impression of ancient Roman ruins. When the fair concluded, the Palace of Fine Arts proved too beautiful to raze. Maybeck had intended the Palace to fall into ruins (in keeping with his original vision), and it did for years. It was used as a storage depot after World War II and as a warehouse for the Parks Department. In the late 1950s, a local city official led an effort to face-lift the building. The Palace of Fine Arts was rebuilt and is now enjoyed by visitors who walk beneath the towering colonnade and the grand rotunda.

One of the most charming towns we visited during our May trip to Italy was Pienza, situated in Tuscany between Montepulciano and Montalcino (also worth a visit if you’re in the area). Pienza is best known for its delicious pecorino cheeses, arguably the best of which is its “sotto cenere,” or “under ashes,” variety, produced between October and July and seasoned for up to two months to develop its distinctive flavor. Another reason to visit Pienza is its incredible, prototypically-Tuscan postcard views of the rolling hills, cypress trees and rustic estates in the Val d’Orcia surrounding the town. When visiting Pienza, make sure to bring your appetite - between its rich cheeses, delicious meats and bold wines, Pienza is a culinary treat!

This former royal palace is one of the largest museums in the world, and its art collection is considered one of the most comprehensive. It contains around 400,000 works, although—mercifully, perhaps—not all are on display at any one time. There are some pieces that never get taken off the walls. The Mona Lisa and her smile attract millions of visitors each year. Other must-see masterpieces include the sculptures Winged Victory of Samothrace and Michelangelo’s Rebellious Slave, and the Eugène Delacroix painting The Death of Sardanapalus. There’s no real trick to avoiding crowds at the always-packed museum. The best you can do is try to go in the off-season, early or late in the day, and on a weekday. Your chances of being alone with the Mona Lisa will still be slim to none, but you might be able to actually see that enigmatic smile behind the Plexiglas.

What was supposed to be the first drawbridge in South America ended up as a monument to inefficiency and made laughingstocks of those involved when, just before construction finished, it was discovered that one of the bridge’s two spans had been installed upside down. The $42 million project was later featured in the Discovery Channel documentary “Horrors of Calculation” as an engineering mistake too expensive to fix. The bridge, which spans the Cau Cau River in the lovely city of Valdivia, is unusable except as a background for selfies and a caution to anyone whose mind wanders during calculus class.

A string quartet used to serenade diners here at the restaurant inside what is arguably the most famous inn in the entire National Park Service (and one of the largest log structures in the world). A pianist in the lobby has replaced the quartet, but most of the other details that make dining at Old Faithful a rustically elegant experience remain: the fireplace made from 500 tons of locally quarried rhyolite; hickory chairs and chandeliers; the soaring 76-foot-tall ceiling in the lobby; and Robert C. Reamer’s asymmetrical design, which purposefully mimics the chaos of nature. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet-style, with filling fare like corn bread, roast beef, and baked beans. Reservations are required for dinner, which can include offerings such as smoked trout ravioli or locally raised lamb.

Surrounded by 40 pristine sand- and grass-topped acres, endless water views, and the sound of crashing waves, Bekal Fort—the largest fort in Kerala—feels like it rose up from the sea. In fact, it was built some three centuries ago as a defense post, lingering evidence of which includes the old ammunition storage areas and the cannon windows lining the outer walls. Today, visitors can wander around the complex, climbing up the observation tower, strolling around parts of the original walls, venturing out to the waterside walkways, and picnicking on the main lawns. (Along with the history and scenic beauty, the filming of some hit movies here has made the fort even more popular with domestic tourists.) After exploring the site, head down to the beach for some sea air and views of the fort from a different vantage point.

The Great Wall of China runs more than 21,000 kilometers (over 13,000 miles), not as one continuous wall but rather as fortified wall sections. Some of the sections date back more than 2,500 years, though only 8.2 percent of the existing wall is original. The Mutianyu Great Wall is one of the more accessible portions. Hike (because that is what you’ll be doing, even on the wall itself) up the Great Wall, then slide down the side of the mountain on a toboggan. Alternatively, explore the Simatai Great Wall, which retains a more authentic feel—save, of course, for the fake water town at the bottom. Even more remote is the Jiankou section, which is largely unrestored, so book with an experienced group like Beijing Hikers or Wild Great Wall.

Art-loving hikers and Instagram-posting skiers are fond of the Engadine Valley’s unique sgraffiti, decorative murals found on the exterior plaster or stucco walls of chalets and other buildings. They range from 500-year-old pastoral scenes to 20th-century brutalist depictions of railroad workers and hoe-clutching farmers. Typically, these works are made by scratching through the building’s surface to reveal a sub-layer of a contrasting color. Some of the best sgraffiti are found in the most remote villages, and generally, the closer you get to the Italian border, the more you’ll see. Engadine native Josin Neuhäusler is a sgraffito artist who also gives tours of the works.