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There’s a lot that makes Shutters on the Beach special, starting with its location—it’s one of only two Santa Monica hotels right on the beach (the other is Mediterranean-inspired Casa del Mar, the sister property next door). Shutter’s waterfront spot gives it a palpable sense of place—especially when you’re sipping something sparkling in the hotel’s updated courtyard, listening to the waves or the Saturday brunch jazz ensemble. The design by White House decorator Michael S. Smith takes its cues from Cape Cod, with blue and white interiors and floor-to-ceiling shutters opening up to ocean views.


The 198 guest rooms and suites—many with balconies—and all feature sunken Jacuzzi tubs. In the summer, life revolves around the beach here, and an activity center is well-stocked with boogie boards, beach cruisers, and umbrellas. The pool is heated year-round, with curtained cabanas and superb guacamole served at the pool bar. Come winter, the main lounge is the beating heart of the resort. The fireplaces crackle as bartenders serve up drinks from a hearty whisky, wine, and cocktail menu; the couches are so comfy, the kiddos might curl up and fall asleep as the folksy duo on duty plays an acoustic nightcap. This is laid-back luxury at its best.



Don’t forget to spend some downtime at the serene ONE Spa, or dine on blue crab and hamachi crudo at the higher-end, coastal California restaurant, 1 Pico. Pro tip: You don’t need to step far from your room to soak in some culture. The hotel has a noteworthy art collection, with pieces by Ellsworth Kelly, John Baldessari, and William Wegman, among others, on display throughout the property.

The Rose Garden at Emmarentia Dam is a favourite spot for locals to hangout and relax under the shade of a tree and have a picnic. Did you know: There are approximately 4500 rose bushes in the garden! The best time to go is in Spring or Summer when everything is green and there’s a good amount of foliage on the trees for shade.

Somewhere between a luxury yacht and a royal residence, the Hotel Lungarno seems like the sort of place where Audrey Hepburn’s Princess Ann, of Roman Holiday, would have felt right at home. A 16th-century private residence on the southern banks of the Arno, next to the iconic Ponte Vecchio, the hotel was the first entry into the Ferragamo family’s Lungarno hotel collection, lovingly restored by renowned Florentine architect/designer Michele Bönan. With rich navy carpets, stained-wood furnishings, crisp white linens, and as many large, river-facing windows as he could get away with. It comes as no surprise, either, that the house restaurant is considered among the best in the city. Even if the food and the atmosphere weren’t top-notch (and they are), the sunset views of the city lights reflected in the river would be worth it.

Located at the Schönbrun Palace before you head up the hill to the Gloriette for the view, the cake, and the coffee – you turn right and enter into one of the best zoos in Europe. The pandas, wolves, penguins and elephants and tigers are sure to please the children. For those who don’t get squeamish, be sure to check out the snakes, spiders, and insects. And even if you don’t want to spend the whole day at the zoo, take the family up the hill and turn right down the pathway to the Tyrolean farmhouse. The kids will love a look at authentic farm life and the restaurant there offers a welcome pause to the day, which you by now, no doubt need.

This little village fuels many a Chilean’s vision of the south—Germanic towns nestled among sapphire-hued lakes—and is often synonymous with summer vacation. Frutillar, just north of Puerto Varas, seems to be straight from Bavaria with its majestic “casonas,” built in the German tradition—a nod to the strong ancestry and settlement in the region. Frutillar’s lakefront has black-sand beaches, the shimmering lake dotted with white swans, magnificent views of the Osorno volcano, manicured lawns, and darling boutiques and cafes along the town’s streets. During the last week of January and first week of February, music lovers flock to Frutillar for the classical music festival where maestros from all over the world play in the Teatro del Lago, with some of the best acoustics in Chile. Besides strolling the relaxed lakefront, Frutillar is perfect to stop for a coffee and “kuchen,” a delectable German cake found throughout the lake district made with seasonal fruit.

Rolson’s Hotel and Restaurant is high on a hill, overlooking the town of San Ignacio, not too far from the ruins of Cahal Pech. The restaurant’s tables are mostly outdoors, and the view provides a wonderful backdrop to meals that showcase the best of Belizean and Mexican cuisine. My favorite was a chicken burrito drowning in cheese and salsa. I also thoroughly enjoyed the horchata, fresh-squeezed lemonade and michelada. At happy hour, Monday through Friday between 5 and 7 p.m., the michelada is a welcome refresher. Wireless Internet is available, making Rolson’s a great place to get some work done while enjoying wonderful food served with a smile. The longer you linger, the merrier the atmosphere becomes, as locals seem to favor enjoying a late dinner on Rolson’s breezy patio. Dinner is served from 6 to 10 p.m.

Philadelphia is an ideal destination for lovers of outdoor spaces and beautiful art. Combining the two is the city’s Mural Arts Program, which was originally developed in 1984 as an anti-graffiti initiative and which has blossomed into one of the nation’s largest public-art projects. Buildings and neighborhoods all around the city have been transformed and revived by the colorful works. The program collaborates on 50 to 100 new public-art pieces each year, providing opportunities for thousands of participants of all ages. There are more than 3,600 artworks covering structures in every district of the city. Tours sponsored by the Mural Arts Program are the best way to view the highlights of the citywide “collection” of outdoor canvases.

Named among the best mountain restaurants in the world by The Telegraph, Chez Vrony sits on Rothorn Mountain, a short ski down from the Sunnegga Express in the hamlet of Findeln. Housed in a rustic-chic Swiss chalet, it’s been in operation for 100 years and continues to be extremely popular. Lunch reservations are a must; request a seat on the deck for Matterhorn views, then start with the charcuterie plate, which features house-cured speck, bresaola, salami, ham, cheese, and a scoop of homemade rosti. From there, move on to the burger—Chef Vrony’s family raises its own beef, hand-packs burger patties, and uses perfectly seeded buns slathered with coleslaw and a secret sauce, making this a must-order even if it is quintessentially American.

This is a great place to spend a free day in Puerto Rico. There are many interpretative trails in this park, and all are free and open to the public. Some lead to caves, others lead to beautiful views.

There are also many covered areas for picnics. The trails are mostly leveled off and easy hikes, although some can be a bit more challenging. Be sure to bring lots of water, as it can be humid. Also, bug spray will be your friend! If you plan to take a trail that leads to a cave, be sure to have a flashlight with you as well.

Here’s a bold claim: the Olympic Sculpture Park might just have something for everyone. Located on the waterfront, not far from Pike Place Market, it features great views of Puget Sound (well, on clear days) and the ferries going back and forth. Stroll the paths and admire the sculptures large and small scattered throughout the park, or sit on the many chairs and benches and admire the view. There’s a nearby bike trail, and the Neukom Vivarium (a giant 60-foot rainforest log ecosystem in a greenhouse) is just steps away. Best of all, it’s free! Get a dose of culture and then head down to the waterfront for some fish ‘n’ chips.

The base of Elephant Mountain is just a short walk from the base of Taipei 101 and offers one of the most accessible and stunning views of the city—except, perhaps, from the top of the tower itself. The hike up the mountain is steep, but can be done in about 15 minutes by a reasonably fit person. The less-than-perfectly fit need not worry though: there are plenty of lookouts and benches along the way.

Behind a discreet blue door in Cartagena’s walled historic zone, La Passion maintains its low-key ambiance with just eight rooms and a maximum of 16 guests. The distinctly decorated 19th-century building was designed by French film producer and theater designer Thierry Forte, who owns the property with his Colombian wife, and balances original elements like black-and-white-tile flooring with such antiques as brass gramophones and heavy wooden chests. Brightly painted accent walls, abstract art, and colorful decorative objects keep things from feeling too fusty, as does an indoor garden of tropical flowers, vines, and trees that soars through an interior courtyard. Best of all, the standout rooftop pool and restaurant are typically uncrowded, making the surrounding panoramic city views all the more stunning.

One of Maui’s best hikes, this trail climbs 800 feet through the lush Kipahulu area of Haleakala National Park. Half a mile from the visitor center, an overlook provides sweeping views of the gorge and the almost-200-foot-long “horsetail” of Makahiku Falls. Continue on past a sprawling banyan, stopping to marvel at the sunlight trickling through the dense bamboo forest. Here, you’ll also find the even more dramatic cascade of Waimoku Falls, which plunges 400 feet down a sheer-walled lava amphitheater. If you’re wary of tackling the four-mile round-trip hike by yourself, know that park rangers offer guided tours every Sunday at 10 a.m. Reservations are available at 9 a.m. a week ahead of time.

Sitting at the edge of Kenya’s capital city is Nairobi National Park. Kenya’s first national park is home to a huge range of wildlife, including buffalo, rhino, zebra, and lions. You can drive on your own around the park, or book a game drive with the Kenya Wildlife Service in advance. The best times to view the animals are at dawn or dusk; while away some of the time in between by heading to Ololo Lodge for lunch and a swim, or stay the night at Nairobi Tented Camp. Helping fund the park with tourism is more important now than ever: It is under pressure from developers, and there have been a number of incidents involving wildlife straying into nearby farmland, due to the encroachment of humans on the animals’ habitats in recent years.

This 248-room hotel in one of the city’s tallest skyscrapers—Roppongi’s glass-sheeted Tokyo Midtown—offers some of the best views in the city, but the interiors are just as eye-catching. The property starts on the 45^th floor and espouses classic European decor, with four colorful abstract works by California painter Sam Francis, each 12 feet high, dominating the lobby. Rooms and public spaces look onto Mount Fuji, the Imperial Palace, and Tokyo Bay; inside delicate woodwork, hand-tufted carpets, patterned chiyogami wall coverings, a lobby waterfall, and Murano chandeliers set the scene. The hotel proudly touts the most expensive guest room in Japan, the Ritz-Carlton Suite, yours for the princely sum of $16,200 per night.