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If you want to vacation like British royalty, visit the mosquito-shaped island of Mustique, which Naomi Campbell, Mick Jagger, and Princess Margaret have all called their home away from home. Once on land, there’s no better place to stay than the Cotton House, a private retreat that feels like the lap of luxury. Set on 13 acres of cerulean beachfront and gardens thick with jasmine and frangipani, the 20 rooms and suites are awash in neutral hues inspired by their surroundings, with wicker pendant lighting, ikat throw pillows, and breezy mosquito nets over the beds. Explore the coral reefs near the shoreline in a glass-bottom kayak, or improve your backhand with help from the resident tennis pro. After a day of sun-soaked adventure, dine on fresh-caught specialties (pan-seared barracuda, Caribbean-style sushi) at Veranda restaurant, then retire to the Great Room, a colonial-inspired lounge offering rare and local rums.

If you are looking for a quiet meal, this is not the place for you. But if you want mouth-watering, inventive food with attentive service and authentic Israeli hospitality, Machneyuda hits the spot. Situated in the iconic Jerusalem shuk, or marketplace, the restaurant is the brainchild of three acclaimed chefs: Yossi Elad, Assaf Granite, and Uri Navon. The kitchen showcases locally sourced ingredients prepared with modern creativity and classic techniques. The lively dining room is focused on creativity. For the restaurant’s signature dessert presentation, tables are covered with aluminum foil and covered with a dizzying variety of cakes, fruits, ice creams, and sweets.

Positioned on Aruba’s west coast, this protected expanse of wetlands is a landing spot for migrating birds. Of the more than 80 species that come to feed, mate, or simply rest here, black-necked stilts are the most common—keep an eye out for their long red legs. Others include green herons, egrets, and Caribbean parakeets. For the best sightings, stop by when the sun is rising or setting. Note: The sanctuary isn’t the easiest place to find, which makes this stretch of marsh and mangroves delightfully void of tourists. There are no admission fees or set hours.

Looking for something really unique to bring back from your time spent in Puerto Rico? Grab a t-shirt from Uncharted Studio (or a trucker hat, a bag, some stickers...). Established in 2005, this place put custom silk screening shirts on the map for Rincon. They use 100% ringspun cotton tees for a nicer quality and feel. and their printing solvents are non-chemical, soy and citrus based. Talk about eco-minded! This is something you want to support! Your trip to Rincon is not complete without stopping here for a t-shirt!

Parco Sempione is Milan‘s biggest park and it has everything- cute caffès, picturesque setting, a medieval castle, a modern museum, a pond and charming foot bridges. If the sun is shining, this is the perfect place for a morning or afternoon walk, a lazy picnic or just a day off. The surrounding area includes beautiful residences, historic monuments, like Leonardo’s Last Supper and the Castel Sforzesco, restaurants and shops. Expect some interesting developments as the city gears up for World Expo 2015, including a super-contemporary visitor’s center in front of Castel Sforzesco.

The rooftop terrace of Casa Crespo restaurant affords this view of Santo Domingo church. It’s a great place to watch the sunset or while away the evening with dinner or drinks. The menu is varied and includes some local specialties such as mole and “stone soup,” a seafood soup that is cooked with hot rocks at your table. For appetizers, try the stuffed squash blossoms. They’re stuffed with cheese and deep fried - delectable but caloric. A 15% service charge is automatically added to your bill, so no need to tip extra.

The weavers in Teotitlan del Valle may be more renowned, but the backstrap loom weavers of Santo Tomás Jalieza are practicing the art in a way that dates back to very ancient times. The local market is set up in the main square and every day you can see weavers at work and browse the products of their labor, but Fridays are particularly busy. They sell belts, handbags, change purses, table runners and place mats at reasonable prices. This small community is located 15 miles south of Oaxaca city and can easily be combined with a day trip to Ocotlan.

Hidden away just to the left of Starbucks is a corridor that leads you to a medieval courtyard. Numerous artists, craftsmen, and civil servants have lived here since medieval times, and the residences are still in use today. So much of life in medieval times took place in courtyards like this one, away from the prying eyes of the street. Stepping into Platzl Gassen feels a little bit like slipping back in time a few hundred years. Of particular interest are the houses at Platzl 2 and 3 with their “Ohrwascheln"—asymmetrical roofs.

A delightful peach-colored villa set directly on Treasure Beach, this Jamaican-owned guesthouse is a gem, and feels more like a vacation home than a hotel. There are six spacious guest rooms and two larger suites, each with their own patios or balcony with a glorious sea view. The interior is intricately decorated with carefully chosen African-themed paintings and sculptures, and the owner—who returned after many years in the US—takes pride in providing true Jamaican hospitality. There’s a bar and no restaurant on site, but that doesn’t prevent the large kitchen and staff cook from taking your daily orders for breakfast and dinner, dishing out excellent local specialties that are served poolside with the sea in front of you. It’s one of my favorite places to stay and get away from it all.

With a 20-foot waterfall, a deep turquoise pool, and underwater caves, the Irie Blue Hole is a special find. You’ll need to hire a guide in nearby Ocho Rios to bring you up the mountain to explore this off-the-beaten-track place, but it’s one of Jamaica’s most stunning swimming holes. The lush setting, surging blue waters, and options for cliff-jumping will keep you there for hours. This gorgeous blue hole is now attracting more visitors, but it never feels too crowded. Yet!

Because it’s a major cruise port there are plenty of tacky restaurants on St. Thomas, but it doesn’t take a lot of effort to get under the skin of the island and find places where the locals eat. One such restaurant, Gladys’ Cafe, serves up traditional Caribbean fare and is known as one of the best on the island. Skip the a la carte menu and instead get one of the lunch plates including curried chicken or goat served with red beans and rice, mac and cheese and fried plantains.

Café Monarch is to dining what the monologue is to theater, meaning a one-man show. Chef Chris is the guy who will cook your food. He’s also the guy who will take your reservation, field your order, and, quite possibly, bus your table. It’s a small and intimate place that’s been compared to the Secret Garden. I get that. The entire spot measures only 500 square feet and it’s some serious face time with one of Scottsdale’s best chefs. It’s a labor of love where the menu changes daily.

Tucked amongst the galleries in downtown Scottsdale’s art district, Frank & Lupe’s is a charming hacienda with delectable, down-home Mexican food. Its shaded back patio is one of the best places to sip ice-cold Tecate or margaritas on a nice day. No doubt one of the restaurant’s shining stars is the carne adobada burrito plate, a warm tortilla wrapped around pork marinated in red chili sauce, vinegar and oregano. It’s on the spicier side, but a nice dollop of sour cream balances it out nicely.

There’s no better way to get the perfect pair of cowboy boots than to get them made to order, and that’s Heritage Boot’s specialty. These boots are made by hand by artisans from Leon, Mexico that have been making boots for generations. There are timeless pieces with the best quality skins, imported from Europe, and the attention and love for detail shows with every piece. Stop by to check out the fun art work that decorates the store or to place your order on first pair of hand made Cowboy boots!

When I first found this store, I was overwhelmed. This place holds so many treasures, you’ll need several trips to look through everything. Franky’s is one of the most popular thrift/vintage stores in Puerto Rico, and likely only one of a few. The proprietor provides a lot of his items as props for movies being filmed in PR—like the recent Rum Diaries movie. If you like vintage, then you’ll love shopping here. It’s on the corner of San Francisco Street, right behind the little plaza as you enter Old San Juan.