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Of the many draws of this upscale property on 26 pine-clad acres, the biggest is arguably its beach, one of the longest private stretches on Lake Tahoe, where guests can relax in cabanas and lounge chairs, rent jet skis, boats, or kayaks, and even stay in one of the 26 luxury beachside cabins. The lobby, with its massive timbers, flagstone walls and fireplaces, and huge windows, recall some of the great National Park Lodges; the rooms, however, are modern and spacious, swathed in soothing neutral colors. (Rooms on the upper levels of the 12-story tower have the best views.) And because the resort resides on the Nevada side of the North Shore, there’s a 20,000-square-foot casino. Other amenities include a spa, fitness center, and an indoor/outdoor swim-out pool that—along with a lazy river and water fountains—is heated year-round, as well as a kiddie pool and two large whirlpools. And no need to leave Fido behind: the resort accepts your furry friends, too.

There’s plenty to do in Paracas, from sandboarding in Paracas National Reserve to boating around the Ballestas Islands to flying over the nearby Nazca Lines—that is, if you can tear yourself away from the pool at Hotel Paracas. The 120-room resort was all but leveled by the 2007 Peru earthquake, but reopened two years later with a fresh new look, including a blue-taupe-and-white color scheme to reflect the surrounding ocean, desert, and sky. A great choice for families, Hotel Paracas features a children’s club and kids’ pool as well as three restaurants, including a casual seafood spot, an Italian trattoria, and a fine-dining option. Also on-site are two bars serving drinks and light fare, plus a spa and 24-hour fitness center. Guests even have access to complimentary bikes and water-sport equipment.

Spread over six levels, rooms feature either terraces or balconies with garden or ocean views as well as spacious bathrooms with separate showers and tubs. Suites also include a dining area, and some even have private plunge pools.

A stroll of St. Kitt’s capital, whether started at Port Zante Marina or the centrally located Independence Square, is an entertaining way to learn more about the island’s past. While the French named Basseterre (it means “low land”), the British are responsible for the town’s most recognizable landmark—the green, cast-iron Berkeley Memorial Clock in the center of the Circus, where several streets intersect. Make sure to visit the area, as well as Independence Square, St. George’s Anglican Church, and the Old Treasury Building, which now serves as the National Museum of St. Kitts. Along your walk, you’ll also find duty-free shops and local boutiques, plus a lively produce market by the waterfront if you come on the weekend.

Schloss Elmau, set at the foot of the craggy German Alps, has a fascinating past. A German theologian opened the hotel in 1916 as a place for visitors to commune with nature while attending religious lectures, public readings, and classical music concerts. In the aftermath of World War II, he lost the property to the U.S. Army, but it was eventually returned to his family. Then in 2005, a fire swept through the original Schloss (castle), causing severe damage, and the owners saw the disaster as an opportunity to rebuild and add another, all-suite hotel on the property to serve as a cultural gathering place. Today, Schloss Elmau still hosts music and literary events—more than 170 each year—and, impressively, served as the site of the G7 Summit in 2015.

Impeccably furnished in shades of soft red, cream, and gold, the 162 rooms are elegant yet understated so as not to distract from the sweeping views of the meadows and mountains beyond. Families will appreciate the larger rooms in the new building, but couples may enjoy soaking up the grand feeling of the original property. The real attraction here, however, is the spas. There are six in all, including one for families, with a large indoor pool and five different types of saunas; the adults-only Badehaus, with three pools, saunas, a yoga center, a beauty salon, and relaxation rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and open fireplaces; and the Shantigiri spa, featuring separate pools and facilities for adults, families, and “ladies.” Another spa is set on 40 acres with a stream. Once you’re sufficiently blissed out, there are 10 restaurants to choose from, including the Michelin-starred Luce d’Oro.

Set within the Banco de la República’s museum complex, the Botero Museum offers a sampling of paintings and sculptures by famed Colombian artist Fernando Botero, best known for his still lifes and his exaggeratedly rotund human figures. Botero donated 123 of his own pieces to the institution, as well as 85 from his personal collection—including treasures by Chagall, Picasso, Monet, and Miró. The gracious colonial-era mansion includes an area that displays contemporary Latin American and European artworks. Audio guides are available in English, French, and Spanish.

About 30 minutes from Oranjestad at the southern tip of Aruba is San Nicolas, the island’s second-largest city. In 2016, it became home to Aruba’s only mural district following the now-annual Aruba Art Fair. As part of the fair, exhibiting artists created large, brightly colored paintings on more than two dozen of the city’s buildings, gracing structures with everything from multi-colored lionfish and staring flamingos to native Arubans and surreal optical illusions. Today, visitors to San Nicolas can take an organized tour to see the murals, or just wander the streets to discover them on their own.

This 7.5-mile round-trip walk has some of the most amazing coastal views in Sydney and is a great introduction to the city’s Eastern Suburbs. Starting from Icebergs pool in Bondi, the path hugs cornmeal-sand coves, natural seawater pools, a marine reserve (Gordons Bay) that’s great for snorkeling, and unique attractions from ancient Aboriginal rock art sites to the oceanview Waverley Cemetery. In late October, site-specific art installations pop up along the cliffs between Bondi and Tamarama beaches as part of the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition, one of the largest outdoor sculpture events in the world. Spring (September through November) is also an excellent time to see migrating southern right whales spouting in the sunset. Toast your trek with a drink at the Coogee Pavilion.

Nature may have spent 12 million years creating the rock formation that is the centerpiece of this 1,300-acre Hilton Curio Collection resort in the foothills of the Sonoran Desert, but late-coming humans have done a commendable job of adding the finishing touches. Although the Boulders, with its casita accommodations blending into the landscape, its championship golf courses, and its upscale shops, is as luxurious as any resort in the Scottsdale area, it’s also where guests are most likely to feel they are truly in the desert. An early-morning walk along groomed paths, when the first rays of light are turning the landscape golden, is as likely to produce the sounds of woodpeckers or owls calling from their nests in saguaro cacti as it is the whack of a ball against club or racket.

Built as a people mover for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, the Seattle Monorail is a surprisingly popular attraction, especially given that it’s not very practical. It goes from downtown to the Seattle Center and back, and that’s it. The ride is short—just a couple of minutes—but if you’re staying downtown, it’s an easy way to get to places like the Space Needle, the EMP and Sci-Fi museums, the Pacific Science Center, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and Key Arena. Its midcentury-futuristic design is charming, and the view of downtown from above is unique. The monorail is wheelchair accessible (by elevator at Westlake and by ramp at Seattle Center), and reduced fares are available for children, seniors, and U.S. military members.

Saturday morning and this is the place to be to get a true slice of the Pacific. The Otara Flea Markets have rows and rows of fresh fruit, clothing, bric-a-brac and of course food, but it’s the Polynesian colour and music that makes it so special. Far from the traditional shop fronts of Queen Street, this is where commerce meets culture and you can pick up a mighty decent bag of apples for $1.50.

While San Francisco and L.A. often steal the limelight from Sacramento, I often remind myself that Sacramento has long been the center of much of California’s history. The Leland Stanford Mansion is one place where that history is reflected. The mansion, located in Downtown Sacramento just blocks from the Capitol, is worth visiting not only because of its historical value but also for its beautifully restored interior and exterior. The mansion was built in the Renaissance Revival style soon after Sacramento was founded in the mid-1800s. Seeing the architectural details up close is impressive. In 1861, it was bought by Leland Stanford, Governor of California, a U.S. senator, and founder of Stanford University. One interesting fact is that after Stanford’s death, his wife donated the mansion to be used for the children of California, and in 1900, it became an orphanage. After a $20-million renovation, the mansion opened for tours in 2005. It has also been designated a National Historic Landmark. Tours are offered here Wednesday through Sunday every hour beginning at 10:00 a.m. (the last tour begins at 4:00 p.m.). The tour allows visitors to see what such a residence would have looked like in the 1860s and 1870s. You can also walk through the Victorian gardens. The tour can accommodate groups, but groups of more than 10 must make reservations two weeks in advance.

While Dresden and Denver may boast of museums by Daniel Libeskind, Las Vegas has a 500,000 square-foot retail space designed by the star architect. The shimmering multi-faceted jewel on the Strip draws in shoppers — as well as anyone who appreciates contemporary architecture and art. There are more than 100 sculptures by Richard MacDonald and a gallery of works by Dale Chihuly. Few malls can boast a treehouse, the three-story hub of the Shops made of mahogany and sapele wood or that they have achieved Gold certification from LEED thanks to its environmentally conscious practices and materials. Nearly every luxury brand is represented at the Shops at Crystals, but sometimes the most fascinating things are the ones most people don’t see. If you’re a convincingly serious shopper, you just might find yourself in the luxuriously appointed back room of Van Cleef & Arpels, where millions of dollars of giant diamonds and glowing green emeralds never make it to the front counter. Free-spending customers are invited inside to sip Champagne, admire the fabric-wrapped walls and velvet drapes, and gaze upon mind blowing jewels.

Standing out in San Francisco‘s Marina District, this historic landmark is a leftover from the 1915 Pan-Pacific International Expo and was designed by Bernard R. Maybeck, a student of the École des Beaux-Arts. His vision was to give the impression of ancient Roman ruins. When the fair concluded, the Palace of Fine Arts proved too beautiful to raze. Maybeck had intended the Palace to fall into ruins (in keeping with his original vision), and it did for years. It was used as a storage depot after World War II and as a warehouse for the Parks Department. In the late 1950s, a local city official led an effort to face-lift the building. The Palace of Fine Arts was rebuilt and is now enjoyed by visitors who walk beneath the towering colonnade and the grand rotunda.

Captured this sunset as we drove back to our lodge, Wuksachi Lodge down the General’s Highway. I’ve been to both Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks and while I love Yosemite, I might appreciate Sequoia just a bit more because of its remoteness and the solitude that it can afford. There were far fewer people in Sequoia than Yosemite. I also enjoyed the hiking more in Sequoia than I did in Yosemite. The sequoias there are definitely worth the trip and Moro Rock is a treasure.

Anyone who has been to Brazil knows that the country has fantastic open-air markets, known as feiras in Portuguese. They often feature a combination of handicrafts, antiques, live music, dancing, and street food. The market on Saturdays at Praça Benedito Calixto in São Paulo is no exception, but this one is almost unknown to tourists. Older Paulistanos (as Sao Paulo residents are called) sell beautiful antiques that reflect the city’s cultural ties to Europe. Artisans sell colorful woven clothing, handmade leather shoes, jewelry made from açaí seeds, baskets and mobiles made from recycled magazines, and much more. In the center of the market is a square of food and drink vendors, selling food from Northeastern Brazil, dried fruits, coconut water, and other typical Brazilian street food. In the early afternoon, live chorinho music begins and the square soon fills with people dancing. This outdoor market is much more than a place for people to shop—it’s a place for people to relax and have fun. The market runs every Saturday 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. The streets surrounding the market have many good restaurants, and the neighboring street of Teodoro Sampaio is known for its shops selling traditional Brazilian musical instruments. There are parking garages nearby; the market can also be reached by bus or by subway (Clinicas station).