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Dating back to the 1780s and restored in the late 20th century at the behest of Prince Charles, the historical town of Al Bastakiya is a lovely historic exception to the modern glass and steel towers that dominate Dubai’s skyline. Originally named after Bastak, the Iranian city from which Persians migrated to Dubai, it has recently been renamed the Al Fahidi Cultural and Historical District. Clean, sandy beiges characterize the wind-tower architecture that houses several galleries, cafés, and museums. Tourists, locals, and many artists keep the old town hip and upbeat, while the wind towers mean the area is a couple of degrees cooler than the rest of the city. For history, architecture, and art lovers, a daytime visit to this district is a must.

From its perch on Travis Park, just three blocks from the Alamo, The St. Anthony hotel has witnessed a lot of San Antonio history. First opened in 1909, the hotel was technologically-advanced for its day (think private bathrooms and automatic doors and lighting), and soon became known as one of the most luxurious hotels in the country, hosting everyone from the local elite to visiting royalty, presidents, and movie stars. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the 10-story landmark emerged from a multi-million-dollar renovation in 2015, when it was e-launched as part of the Starwood Luxury Collection. The history is celebrated in details like 12-foot ceilings, antique piano, and gold leaf-topped columns found in the emerald-hued Peacock Alley lobby space, and the marble and bronze figures of the Sculpture Garden, while a contemporary style and jewel toned colors are featured in the 277 guest rooms and suites, many of which have park views. (If you’re interested in learning more about the hotel’s past—and hearing some legendary stories—schedule a tour with a staffer.) The light-fill Loggia restaurant is an elegant spot for breakfast and lunch, while the dramatic Rebelle features Texas farm-fresh produce and coastal seafood in its shareable dinner menus. Drinks and light bites are served at the seasonal Pool Bar, set around the outdoor swimming pool and featuring views of downtown; and at Haunt, a sleek indoor space playfully named for the rumored resident spirts. Once a private club for the city’s movers and shakers, The St. Anthony Club now welcomes all with signature drinks like the Triple S.

Just walk into Barthélémy and breathe the air. The cheese smells so different from cheese in the United States—that’s how you’ll know you’re in Paris. I love this store. Be sure to ask for tastes; the service is as good as the selection.

Barbuda is a birders paradise, home to some 170 avian species, including one of the largest frigate bird colonies on the plant. Located in the vast Codrington Lagoon, which also hosts dozens of other species, off the island’s northwest coast, is the Frigate Bird Sanctuary, which is home to more than 5,000 of these black-feathered birds that like to roost amid the scrubby mangroves found here. Visit the sanctuary during mating season (September to April) if possible. The birds have a fascinating ritual. While the female birds circle above, the male frigates line up in the bushes with their heads arched and chests puffed, and try to attract he attention of a potential mate. When a female frigate sees a male that she fancies she lands at his feet and begins the mating ritual. The lagoon can only be accessed by licensed sea taxi from the jetty in Codrington – boat drivers act as tour guides. Arrangements can be made through your hotel. The taxi tour costs about $70 for up to four people, and admission to the park is just $2 per person.

Legrand Fille et Fils is a quintessentially old-Paris wine store; it’s well stocked, but not in the least bit pretentious. After a browse through their superb choice of wines, walk through the beautiful glass enclosed courtyard and check out their shop filled with wine glasses and accessories. The café is also wonderful.

Santorini’s Red Beach is one of the most unique beaches in Greece. The stretch of pebbly sand is surrounded by high, bright-red cliffs. It’s not one of the most popular beaches on the island for sunbathing, but it’s still worth a visit. A short walk from the Akrotiri archaeological site will take you directly here.

Set on 4,200 secluded acres of hillocks, ponds, and gardens at the foot of the Tennessee Smoky Mountains, this award-winning resort, a member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux brand, is awash in genteel luxury, from its splendid spa to its exquisitely appointed rooms, suites, and cottages. But make no mistake, the family-owned property takes the “farm” in its name to heart: Its James Beard Award–winning restaurant, The Barn, as well as the more informal Dogwood restaurant, were early leaders in the farm-to-table movement, welcoming guests who come to pay homage to the inn’s self-described foothills cuisine.

In addition to several gardeners, the farm employs its own butcher, cheese maker, and beekeeper, along with a preservationist who makes pickles, jams, and jellies. The staff raise their own sheep, pigs, and chickens, and forage the land for mushrooms, berries, ramps, wild crab apples, and muscadines—which you’ll share at the table with other guests (all meals are included in your stay). Thankfully, a roster of on-site activities—including cycling, wakeboarding, archery, paddleboarding, hiking, fly-fishing, swimming, tennis, and golf—allow you to indulge without feeling guilty.

The country’s original Palacio Nacional burned down in 1889; the one standing today was rebuilt between 1905 and 1911. It’s said that the structure was paid for by levying a sort of tax on coffee exports: one colón for every 100 pounds of coffee. Visitors may be disappointed that they can’t access most of the interior rooms, but they can walk through the beautiful courtyard and learn more about the building’s history with museum exhibits in English and Spanish.

The Icefield Parkway isn’t just a highway linking Lake Louise and Jasper, Alberta. It’s a 230-km road trip through the Canadian Rockies, past a series of emerald-green alpine lakes fed by nearby glaciers. The entire route connects Jasper and Banff national parks and traverses the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage site. Heading south from Jasper, the first must-see landmark is Athabasca Falls. After that, the sights come one after the other, like the Endless Chain, Sunwapta Falls, the Athabasca Glacier, Waterfowl Lake, and Bow Summit. That’s just the tip of the Icefield, though, as there are hundreds of breathtaking sights. The drive can take as little as three hours; however, it can also last for days. Throughout the summer there are a number of resorts along the route, along with a half-dozen campgrounds. The road is open throughout the winter, but there are no open services.

Located on the westernmost point of the island, and on the far end of Negril’s cliff side, the historic Negril Lighthouse is missed by many a visitor who don’t go beyond Rick’s Cafe during their stay. It was built in 1894 by French Company Bubbler & Bernard, on a water-filled tank 14 feet deep, to keep the tower secure even in the event of an earthquake. Initially powered by gas lamp, in 1985 it was replaced with solar energy. The tower stands 66 feet high and its light rises at 100 feet above sea level. Its light flashing automatically every two seconds. It’s worth walking down the West End and finding the superintendent so you can walk up the over 100 steps and take in the coastline view. - Image by Abir Anwar (https://flic.kr/p/GkzfR)

Experience fine dining in a tropical outdoor setting at Coco Bistro, one of the top restaurants on Providenciales. Not only is the dining room set among the largest palm grove on the island, but also the chef is known for artfully blending island flavors with continental ones. Entrées may include homemade conch ravioli or jerk pork tenderloin with sweet potatoes and hot pepper honey. You can also pick up a copy of The Coco Bistro Cookbook to replicate your favorite restaurant dish at home.

New safari tents at an iconic central California coast resort invite guests to glamp under the redwood trees. Nightly turndown service, included. Big Sur is once again open for business following last spring’s debilitating mud slides, and autumn is an especially luminous time to explore this legendary stretch of central California coast, some 20 miles south of Carmel. Big Sur’s magic lies in its untamed wilderness: redwood groves, chaparral-covered hills, and iconic rocky cliffs that sprout improbably from the ocean. Condors circle overhead and sea otters float just offshore. For many, the isolation—and peace and quiet—that Big Sur offers is the reason to return again and again. For travelers seeking a soft landing, the Ventana Big Sur resort recently reopened under new ownership and after a massive renovation. New glamping cabins have been added to the 59 rooms, suites, and villas spread throughout the resort’s 160 acres. Shaded by redwoods, the 15 safari-style canvas tents come equipped with hickory walking sticks, portable lanterns, and access to a bathhouse with teak-lined showers and heated floors. Guests can enjoy nightly turndown service and the use of fire pits for making s’mores in the evening. As part of the renovation, the Ventana also built an on-site gallery to showcase paintings, sculptures, jewelry, ceramics, and photography by Big Sur’s most renowned artists. And the new Sur House restaurant—helmed by executive chef Paul Corsentino, who worked in New York and Chicago before heading west—houses a 10,000-bottle wine cellar that highlights small-production central coast wineries. Guests eager to embrace the region’s back-to-nature philosophy might appreciate a soak in the heated, clothing-optional Mountain Pool, undoubtedly more pleasant to ease into than the roiling, frigid Pacific Ocean just down the hill. This appeared in the Jan/Feb 2018 issue.

What about a walk around the private lake or woods, admiring the parterre gardens and terraces, before retiring to one of the drawing rooms for afternoon tea in front of the open fire? At historic private country houses like Hilton Park in County Monaghan, you can sleep in a four-poster bed, bathe in a freestanding bath or explore the walled garden — before tasting the garden’s produce in the dining room (lavender ice-cream anyone?). There’s also lake swimming, boating, fishing and cycling (bikes are provided) and for the indoors types, there are books everywhere. Best of all, as the house has been in the Madden family for many generations, the owners will tell you lots of stories of the house and the area’s fascinating history. See www.hiltonpark.ie and see www.hiddenireland.com for more historic private houses like this that you can stay in.

Since Barbuda is so isolated, and transport can be tricky, one great way to explore the island is with the Barbuda Express Day Tour. The trip, which costs around $160, takes in all the island’s major sites. These include a boat ride through the frigate bird sanctuary, exploring the east-coast caves that’s walls are covered in ancient Arawak drawings, and a fresh lobster lunch on one of Barbuda’s famed and secluded pink sand beaches. This same company also runs a once-daily catamaran ferry between Antigua and Barbuda. The trip takes 90-minutes. Boat trips depart from the ferry landing in the harbor in Codrington, the only village on the island. Also in the vicinity of the ferry landing is the 56ft-high Martello Tower, which is a former fortified looking out station that resembles an old sugar mill from a distance, and makes for a classic Barbuda photograph.

With its tiny, intimate location (inside a 1920s-era former home) and all the accolades (including a James Beard semifinalist nod for Best Chef, Southwest), this Bishop Arts District spot remains one of the harder reservations to snag in town—but it’s well-worth it to keep trying. When you do make it in, you’ll be treated to chef/owner David Uygur’s seasonal Italian-inspired menus, which might include crostini topped with a Calabrian chili and bacon pâté, risotto with celery root and foie gras, or duck leg confit served with polenta, topped off with olive oil cake with prune jam and burnt-cinnamon gelato. The meats are house-cured, the pasta homemade, the ingredients local, and—with Uygur’s wife overseeing the dining room—the atmosphere full of charm, all of which has helped make this a favorite for date nights, special occasions, and foodie splurges.