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Cerrillos, New Mexico was the center of the turquoise mining trade in the late 1800’s, and almost became New Mexico’s capital. The Clear Light Opera House was built to house performances by East Coast luminaries like Sarah Bernhardt. One of the ghost towns repopulated by artists along the now famous Turquoise Trail, it’s a great day trip from nearby Santa Fe. Check out the Trading Post, pet a llama, and visit artist Bill Skrip’s sculptures.

Both Hilo and Kona have quaint downtown areas with small shops and cafes. Kona has been updated more recently to accommodate travelers who predominantly stay on the Kona side of the Big Island. With coffee shops, restaurants like the Kona Canoe Club and Mahina Pizza, and shops including the Pacific Fine Art Gallery and ABC Stores, you can spend an entire day browsing for Aloha shirts, art, and souvenirs before enjoying the sunset from one of Kailua-Kona’s many beachside restaurants.

Camille’s on Wheels is a roving food truck. Undoubtably, the blue and green truck will be on Oahu, but finding Camille’s location can be like a game of hide-n-seek. Camille cooks for film crews and caters events. Her food is prepared from scratch and her local flavors are favorites of anyone who finds her. Here food includes BBQ and a selection of tacos. Appetizers and desserts are also on the menu.

A bit of a dive a mile and a half from Santa Fe’s tourist center, Maria’s has been a local favorite since 1952. The food is straightforward and delicious, but the place is at least as beloved for its margaritas—an eight-page menu lists more than 200 choices, all made with 100 percent agave tequila and lemon juice—which routinely win “best of” awards from local publications. Read more about green chilis. This appeared in the January/February 2014 issue.

This mid-century modern former gas station was intended to be the first thing that people saw as they approached Palm Springs from the highway. Today the building serves as the Palm Springs Visitor Center. It’s worth it to stop by just to admire the architectural details up close, but you can also gather information and tips for your stay at the same time. The friendly staff can tell you about upcoming events, noteworthy restaurants, and shopping areas.

Cochran Shoals is one of the most popular areas of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, which stretches through metro Atlanta. The flat trails are great for runners and views of the river and woods make exercise even more enjoyable. Birdwatchers, kayakers and bicyclists can all find something appealing Cochran Shoals. There’s even a boardwalk over wetlands for more nature spotting. Note: The area is crowded on weekends, and parking is $3.

Outside of Chattanooga’s downtown tourist district is the unexpectedly fantastic Chattanooga Zoo. The award-winning wildlife park has exhibits featuring some of the world’s most exotic animals. Chimpanzees, jaguars, snow leopards and sloths are among the exhibited creatures classified by habitat and part of the world they come from. If you and your family are on a budget, you can visit the zoo for less than $10 per person. The zoo is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm.

It’s funny that Culinary Dropout bills itself as being the “rebel child” in Fox Restaurant Concepts’ family of restaurants because there’s nothing too rebellious about this place. It’s obvious that everything in it – from the fashionably grunge décor to the uniform-free staff – is planned. But that’s not always a bad thing. Culinary Dropout does nightlife well with a selection of local and seasonal beers as well as standout cocktails like the Jalisco Flower (tequila, elderflower and sparkling wine).

A local favorite, Handlebar J Restaurant and Saloon has been owned and operated by the Herndon family since 1975. There’s live music every night of the week—including The Herndon Brothers Band every Wednesday through Saturday—and free country-dancing lessons Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. Still, one of the coolest things about the Handlebar is the collection of hats that hang from the rafters, placed there by all the cowboys who have moseyed through since the 1960s.

Italian-born architect, artist, philosopher, and ceramicist Paolo Soleri originally came to Arizona to study with Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West. His legacy is seen all over Scottsdale, notably at the Soleri Bridge and Plaza in downtown, which spotlights his signature hand-casted ceramic and bronze wind bells. The bells are still hand-poured at Cosanti, Soleri’s studio and former home, where bells of all shapes and sizes can be bought.

If you’re a sucker for chalkboards, simple design, local products, and good food and coffee, Revival Market is your place. Everything served at this café is homemade, from the flaky chocolate croissants and kolachs (fruit-filled pastries) to the breakfast tacos and sandwiches. While you’re there, you can also drool over the artisanal charcuterie and other local products.

The Tremont House is a very comfortable place to stay if you decide to spend a night on Galveston Island. It’s on the eastern side on the strand right by all the fun. Be sure to grab a drink on the rooftop bar for great views of the harbor. Photo via wyndham.com

Housed inside the Westin near downtown Napa, this restaurant stands out among fine-dining experiences. The best time to taste Chef Ken Frank’s classic French fare is during truffle season, when he hosts the annual Napa Valley Truffle Festival. La Toque has been awarded a Michelin star for its cuisine, and the wine list is more than an afterthought, featuring nearly 2,000 selections from around the world. As one sommelier sums it up, “La Toque is a proper restaurant.”

The Black Forest, Schwardzwald in German, is a gorgeous pine-wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg with a number of historic towns. If the numerous Michelin star restaurants in this area (think black forest ham and black forest cake) aren’t enough to get you there, the numerous long footpaths will. The region includes part of the E1 European long-distance footpath, which passes through neighboring countries and always has plans for expansion. Its highest peak is the Feldberg, at 4,898 ft. But this area is not just for long trekkers, a variety of short walks are possible too. Stop in towns like Freiburg and Calw, and Gengenbach. Don’t miss the All Saints and Triberg waterfalls.