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In 1995, Scottsdale residents voted to set aside a large parcel of undeveloped city land as protected open space. Today, the roughly 30,000-acre McDowell Sonoran Preserve provides an opportunity for adventure. Hike, bike, and rock climb, or take to the trails with local guides from Arizona Outback Adventures and learn all about the desert along the way. Because most of the creatures that live in this desert habitat are more active at night, the best time to view animals is on early morning or evening hikes.

While hiking in Cape Town, there are plenty of moments when you’ll stop for a water break, wipe the sweat from your brow, and ignore those voices inside yourself saying you can’t possibly take another uphill step. This moment is fleeting, however, and always superseded by the lasting memories of when you feel like you’re on top of the world at the end of your hike. Silvermine Nature Reserve is 20 minutes from the city center and the part of Table Mountain National Park that covers the Cape Peninsula near Kalk Bay and Muizenberg. The Echo Valley hike can be approached from the Silvermine entrance on top of Ou Kaapse Weg (one way), or, from the entrance on Boyes Drive in Kalk Bay.

According to legend, Nashville-style hot chicken began in the 1930s when Thornton Prince’s girlfriend dumped cayenne on his fried chicken to get revenge for his cheating ways. But he loved it instead, and eventually opened up a hot chicken shop of his own. The Prince family carries on the tradition today at their simple strip-mall space. Customers place their orders at a kitchen window for varying levels of heat, from mild to extra hot. The spicy paste is applied after the fried chicken comes out of cast-iron skillets, and then the bird is placed on white bread and served with pickles. The addictive combo of tastes has since spawned hot chicken joints and special menu items across Music City and beyond.

Ah, Warmoesstraat, Amsterdam‘s heart of darkness, the street that never sleeps. Well, maybe...between 5:00–8:00am, after the junkies leave and before tourists arrive. Set adjacent to de Wallen, the city’s most famous Red Light District, this lively straat is home to the gay leather/fetish scene at shops like Warehouse, The Eagle, Argos, Dirty Dicks, RoB and MrB. Have dinner at Getto, an informal bistro with a less in-your-face gay vibe than other establishments on the street, offering drag queen-inspired burgers and international specialties at reasonable prices. Other dining options include Meatballs, Paella, Wok to Wok, Burger Bar and numerous holes-in-the-wall for pizza, shoarma or frites. For a nightcap hit Stone’s, a dive bar with attitude where the time is always 9:25.

Before World War II, Falls Church experienced its most significant growth during the Victorian era (1837-1901). Today, the city’s Victorian-era legacy lives on in the charming homes and churches along East Broad Street, in between Roosevelt and Washington Streets. A few years ago, the Victorian Society of Falls Church created a self-guided walking tour map for locals and visitors highlighting Victorian architectural styles and buildings like Tallwood (see above picture), an 1870 home whose previous occupants included a descendant of the founder of Yale University, and a brother of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. An important note: all houses except Cherry Hill are private residences and are therefore not open to the public.

In 1993, the folks at Atlanta Brewing Company opened their doors as the city and state’s first craft brewery. Although they’ve changed their name to Red Brick, named for the brick warehouse they now call home, they’re still staying true to the original concept. Hoplanta and Laughing Skull Ale, named after The Vortex Bar and Grill, are the two year-round brews but the brewery also creates award winning seasonal selections. Their Chocolate Cherry Porter and Dog Days Ale are favorites. Red Brick is open for tours and tastings Wednesday through Saturday and each night of the week has something different to offer. Wednesday nights are half priced for college students with valid IDs, Thursday is trivia and Friday is live music.

There are many excellent restaurants in Florence, but this one was recommended to me by a local, and I’m so glad it was. Alessandro, the chef, recently returned after working in New York City for eight years. Located on a small street near the Duomo, La Cucina del Garga offers so much for a small restaurant: recipes inspired by the chef’s father (Garga), art covering the walls, friendly staff, great Tuscan wines, funky menu designs, and reasonable prices. A seemingly simple salad of greens, tomatoes, pine nuts and cheese was the best salad I’ve ever had. Other great dishes were the fresh twisted penne with pistachios and cherry tomatoes, and creamy pasta with scallops. If possible, make a reservation and ask for the “painted room.”

Residents and visitors alike drive out to the western edge of Tucson on most evenings. The area averages 350 sunny days a year, so viewing the sunset is almost always a possibility. Summer evenings are predictably hot, but you’re in for a technicolor show if the monsoon clouds are just right. Gates Pass is the preferred spot. Mid-week evenings, you can sometimes have the vista almost to yourself. From the middle of the city, head west on Speedway. It curves up into the Tucson Mountains after fifteen or twenty minutes, and you won’t miss the Pass. Cacti, mountains, and sky: some clichés just don’t get old...

The Grill is the only restaurant in Arizona to receive the “Award of Ultimate Distinction” from Wine Enthusiast. History, quiet service, and the most romantic dining in Tucson are all here. For the best dinner-with-a-view, ask for a table in the West Patio where you’ll have a panoramic view from the city lights to the peaks of the Santa Catalina mountains. The ranch on which The Grill is located, Hacienda del Sol, began in the 1920’s as an exclusive private girls’ school in the still-wilderness foothills above Tucson. In the 1940’s, the 34-acre estate became a guest ranch popular with the Hollywood stars of the time—Spencer Tracy, John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, and Clark Gable.

A multipurpose contemporary art center that opened in November 2011 in the Ottoman Bank building, Salt has a library with thousands of shelves of art publications—the most important, impressive collection in the city.—Sylvia Kouvali

Dongdaemun, the old East Gate of Seoul, has been the site of a market for generations. Today, the double-roofed stone arch no longer marks entry into the city, but the capital’s residents still come here to haggle over everything from shoes to plumbing supplies and electronics. Food is not left out of the equation; although large produce markets are not found immediately by the gate, roving merchants wheel seasonal fruit in and around the incessant traffic. As evening rush hour neared, this particular cart was almost empty of its offerings, and the vendor seemed ready for the day to end... To get there by subway: Line 2, exit Dongdaemun Stadium Station, or Line 1 or 4, exit Dongdaemun Station.

Walt Disney World’s four remarkable theme parks are part of nearly 104 square kilometers (40 square miles) filled with entertainment. Magic Kingdom is home to the iconic Cinderella Castle and has six themed sections. At EPCOT, guests take a trip around the globe and into the future via exhibits, rides and events. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a working film, television and radio studio lot that features attractions based on favorite Disney characters. Adventures with real animals await guests at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The resort is approximately 90 minutes from Port Canaveral.

Not every celebrity who visits Harbour Island stays at the Pink Sands Hotel. Bill Gates, for instance, has his own home on the island. But Keith Richards has checked in here, as have Martha Stewart and Kate Moss. Since its opening in the 1950s, the 25-room hotel, like the island itself, has been a low-key enclave of the rich and famous, drawn not just by the like-attracts-like vibe (one of the previous owners was Island Records founder and Bob Marley “discoverer” Chris Blackwell), but by its location on Pink Sands Beach, widely considered one of the world’s prettiest. Accommodations are in plush one- and two-room cottages that have king beds and ocean or garden views; some have outdoor showers. Reserve a table at the British-colonial–inspired Malcolm 51 for island-style bouillabaisse and charred octopus salad, but don’t get too carried away with the sundowners. All manner of aquatic activities (snorkeling the nearby coral reef, bonefishing in the shallows, or merely swimming in the heated freshwater pool) await in the morning.

If there’s one night to slide into a booth at this casual diner inside the hip Ace Hotel & Swim Club, make it a Monday. That’s when the place is transformed by the unmissable presence of 90-year-old ex-showgirl Shirley Claire, who sings and brings a healthy dose of razzle-dazzle as she hosts Fabulous Bingo. In fact, most nights of the week have a theme—see Tuesday karaoke at the adjacent Amigo Room bar, half-off wine bottles on Wednesday, and Taco Jueves—so making reservations is a good idea, but not a must. If you wind up waiting for a table, grab an Orange You Glad To See Me—made with gin, orange, Chareau, and lime—and pop into the photo booth. With its stone wall, leather booths, and globe pendant lights, the diner (a former Denny’s) embraces the spirit of the sixties, while the menu offers a distinctly Californian twist on Southwestern and Mexican fare. Must-orders: For breakfast (served until 2 p.m.), opt for the desert classic Date Shake and Huevos Rancheros, made with California- and Coachella Valley–sourced ingredients. For dinner, try the Grilled Mahi Mahi Tacos or Desert Highway Burgers, and request the pickled jalapeños for added kick.

In a city like Houston, which is bursting with international flavor, it’s not difficult to find fantastic Indian food. But Anita Jaisinghani, co-owner of the beloved Indika, serves up the best of the best with Pondicheri. The menu here revolves around unique takes on India’s street foods, including pakoras and a daily selection of samosas. In terms of main dishes, the best way to sample what’s being offered is by getting the vegetable or meat thali—a daily selection of dishes and sides perfect for sharing. Other standouts include desi fries (French fries dusted with Indian spices), naan with roasted garlic, and fresh-baked cookies.