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I love all of the McMenamins properties I’ve stayed at over the years on travel through the Pacific Northwest, but I may have a new favorite: McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale, right at the western mouth of the Columbia River Gorge. As always, the hotel honors the past of the building it now resides in, it has great food and drink, and every inch is covered in whimsical art that demands you have a good time. Historic Edgefield was built in 1911 as the county poor farm, and it’s now a 74-acre hotel and playground, home to award-winning farm-to-table cuisine, a winery, a brewery, three pubs, movie theater, golf course, you name it. With 100 guest rooms and hostel accommodations, the instant you step on the grounds you’ll be able to tell that community and creativity are cherished here. If you’re traveling solo or out on a long trip and looking to save some money on the hotel part, I’d encourage you to look at their rooms that don’t have a private bathroom en suite. Instead, you head to the large, comfy, and private communal restrooms to get cleaned up. Brilliant. This is a great spot to launch your explorations along the Columbia River Gorge, and if you live in the Portland area, it’s a great place to gather for a weekend bike ride, grub with fellow friends, and a few cold pints around the outdoor fire pits when things get cold. With films and live music nightly, it’s hard not to want to just live here forever.

The melodious invitations of “irasshaimase” (“welcome”) from all the staff at Ippudo NY as I walked into the restaurant quickly transported me back to Japan although I must admit it seemed to me slightly dissonant, almost like a dubbed movie, when I heard the phrase perfectly uttered from some of the blonde-haired, blue-eyed waiters. But the welcome was a nice touch, an additional layer of the place’s verisimilitude. We waited for our table in the busy bar area where ramen bowls lined its red walls like trophies in a hunting lodge. The glowing reviews and reasonable prices make Ippudo NY a very popular choice even at six in the evening - presumably just a late lunch for New Yorkers. The restaurant does not take reservations so expect a little wait. We sat in a narrow wing filled with a concentrate of small tables: You are close enough to your neighbors to smell what they ordered and be influenced by their decisions. We started with the pork bun, a popular choice: It was smooth and creamy but not as sweet as the ones I had in Japan. My wife and I both ordered ramen, she the miso tonkotsu and I the traditional tonkotsu, and we delighted in its milky oil-dappled broth, the telltale soft boiled egg, and the freshly pulled ramen. We finished with the matcha (green tea) ice cream and soft tofu, a distinctively Japanese combination, and it completed our reintroduction to the dining experiences we so loved in Japan and we were left to reflexively whisper to ourselves “oishi.”

Don’t expect to find any Beijing residents on Wangfujing Snack Street, home of spiders, scorpions, starfish and pretty much anything else that can be skewered and cooked. This is firm tourist territory, a place for visitors to test their mettle when it comes to snacking on creatures that have six or eight legs or float about in the sea. It’s almost a rite of passage, to experience foods that most locals would turn their noses up at, and one that usually ranks among the top memories of a trip to Beijing. Scorpions on a stick seem to be particularly fascinating to visitors. In fact, during the Beijing Olympics it would have been easier to make a list of the visiting journalists who didn’t write a story about them. But, and this seems to be rarely mentioned, not everything on snack street has a ‘Man v. Food’ feel. The stalls offer far more identifiable snacks. Fried dumplings. Steamed buns. Mountains of noodles. Jellied acorn and chestnut. Corn. And given the overall cleanliness of the spot, perhaps due to its high tourism profile, it is generally safe to eat here. So, don’t feel you have to stick to the scorpions. The steamed buns will do, too.

In an age when many independent bookstores have surrendered to the advance of chain stores and Amazon, City Lights is a true survivor. Since it was founded by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti in 1956, it has served as a gathering place for San Francisco’s literary communities. Everyone from beat poets to left-wing critics of America have found a welcome here. City Lights is also a publishing house, with Allen Ginsberg’s Howl and Other Poems being perhaps the single most famous book it has put out, though it counts scores of other works by some of America’s leading contemporary literary figures on its list. You can drop in anytime to find an unexpected tome, and the store also has a crowded calendar of readings.

There’s more to the Botanical Gardens in Denver than just the pretty face of its landscaped grounds and beautiful flowers. It’s also a world-class research center with a mission to connect people with plants (especially the plants endemic to the Rocky Mountains) and to encourage understanding of the ecosystems in which they thrive. The 23-acre location on York Street has a variety of gardens (many based on typically western climates like mountains and plains), popular exhibits, and a shop; it additionally hosts a summer concert series and nighttime events. The institution’s second main location, at Chatfield Farms on the southwest edge of greater Denver, focuses on native flora and agriculture; there’s a working farm on its 700 acres. Both spots offer extensive educational opportunities as well as incredible events like York Street’s Blossoms of Light holiday show.

Checking out the famously preserved mummies at the world’s oldest public museum is on many London wish lists, but there’s much more to the British Museum than ancient Egypt. Other must-sees include the Elgin Marbles and the African masks, both part of an enormous collection that spans ancient Iran to modern Sweden. The Great Court, which was cleverly revamped with a geometric glass roof by Foster + Partners in 2000, is a spacious gathering area with a shop and a café—and a sight worth seeing in itself.

The California Academy of Sciences is an unfortunately stuffy name for an institution that is anything but staid. The country’s largest natural-history museum includes an aquarium, a planetarium, an enormous rain-forest exhibit under a 27-meter-tall (90-foot-tall) dome, and a living roof that looks like a science-fiction fantasy. A visit here can feel like a trip to an amusement park, with a series of attractions to check out, but all of them are educational. The building itself is part of the appeal of the Academy. (Like the nearby de Young, the old home of the California Academy of Sciences was damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, and starchitect Renzo Piano designed its very environmentally friendly replacement.) It would be easy to spend an entire day or more seeing all of the Academy’s exhibits, so be prepared to pick and choose among them.

I favor several hotel brands in certain parts of the world. It’s The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota for a Florida beach location perfect for family fun and here’s why: The airport is a short ride from The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota and serviced by several carriers. The hotel will pick you up by prior arrangement (fee) making it even easier for you. The hotel’s Jack Dusty restaurant offers a beautiful breakfast but dinner is even more special with a seafood-focused menu that is creative and done right. Nearby, the upscale-casual Shore on St. Armands Circle is great too. A free shuttle to this appealing area famous for shopping and dining is provided by the hotel. The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota has a Ritz Kids (club) to keep the littles engaged. Or hop on the free scheduled shuttle to the Beach Club to enjoy a day at the kid-friendly pool or under an umbrella at the beach. Enough sun? Visit the inspirational Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, or see the Ringling Museum’s depiction of a circus and encampment via thousands of handmade figures created by one man over 50 years, or tour the Ringling mansion Ca’d’Zan to see a gilded slice of life. Parents should relax. Rooms redone in soothing ocean tones, an inviting lobby, a sleek Club Lounge, and sparkling event spaces invite you to slow down. Swim in the pool or paddle a SUP or kayak on the bay. The Spa has created a package of several treatments to relax you, so take advantage of it. For family fun, walk the Downtown Farmers’ Market. Don’t miss fresh-squeezed orange-strawberry juice from Jordan’s Farm. For lunch, try the locals’ favorite, Nancy’s Bar-B-Q, to get down with some of the best barbecue ever. Sun, beach, and making fun family memories, it’s all here in Sarasota.

A compound-like hideaway on a leafy street a block from trendy South Congress Avenue, Hotel Saint Cecilia is a retro-glam love letter to the 1960s and ‘70s rock music scene, named for the patron saint of music and poetry. But that doesn’t mean that rock stars smash guitars and throw ragers here (unless they rent out all 14 rooms, of course); unlike at its nearby sister properties, Hotel San José and Austin Motel, only guests and club members are welcome at the lounge, a laid-back affair with a Parisian-café–style patio, chesterfield sofas and a fireplace indoors, and craft cocktails and gourmet small plates. Between the 1888 Victorian main house—originally inhabited by a descendent of Davy Crockett—and verdant grounds that hide private porches and a serene pool, the hotel feels more like an impossibly stylish artists’ retreat than a celebrity getaway.

Each distinctively decorated room is larger than many an apartment, and seems ripped from the pages of a fashion magazine photoshoot. Every detail has been thought through, from the refreshing Grown Alchemist body care products to the Swedish Hästens mattresses (the hotel is the only one in North America with them in all rooms) to the impressive library of LPs to borrow. Everyone’s a rock star, here.

Many who have not visited Arizona think that its saguaros grow in a Sahara-like setting...but the mountainous desert around Tucson hides many lush spots, like this riparian canyon on the NE edge of the city. Late fall paints the cottonwoods along the creek below cactus-studded slopes in Sabino Canyon. Hikers hike, runners run, and deer roam...

If you’re sheepish about nudity, turn back. But, if your birthday suit is your favorite thing to pack, then Orvis Hot Springs—in Ridgway, Colorado—just may be your dream Telluride spot. Here, eight al fresco pools sit in the foothills of the San Juan Mountains. Ranging from 65 to 112 degrees, the pools are naturally imbued with relaxing lithium, providing the perfect escape from the stress of daily life. After a rejuvenating soak, round out your afternoon of pampering with a visit to the sauna, or a shiatsu massage in a yurt.

After a $90 million expansion that unveiled five new lodges and raised the facility’s total number of rooms to 590, Canyon Lodge & Cabins, in Canyon Village near the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, has more accommodations than any other hotel in the park. The new LEED-certified structures were modularly built with sustainability in mind, incorporating countertops constructed of recycled glass and fly ash (a by-product of coal burning) and trim made with beetle-damaged wood from blue-colored pine bark, which would have otherwise gone to waste. The new lodges also feature two bedroom suites (king/queen) that include a sitting room with sofa bed; some have walk-out patios and decks. Budget-minded visitors who don’t want to sacrifice canyon views opt for the nearby cabins, which are modest yet comfortable. There’s also a $6 million refresh of the lodge’s food service on tap, with new cafés and restaurants offering updated menus and Mad Men–era Mission 66-inspired design.

In 1989, Chilean winemakers Augustin and Valeria Huneeus happened upon a 280-acre parcel of land in the heart of Rutherford that had never been planted with vines. The couple jumped and bought it. The result is Quintessa, one of the most spectacular estates in the Napa Valley. Today there are three different ways to experience Quintessa—all visits are privately hosted and tailored specifically for each guest. The Estate Tasting includes a walk to a scenic viewpoint, followed by a seated sampling session in the main winery building. The “Quintessential Quintessa” includes a scenic drive to a private tasting pavilion atop Dragon’s Hill, which offers unrivaled vistas of the entire valley and revolves around narratives about the property, the terroir, and how winemaker Rebekah Wineburg plies her craft. Finally, the third—and most exclusive—option, dubbed the “Collectors Experience,” offers at least three wines from the Huneeus family cellar, poured alongside the most current release. Time the visit right and Augustin Huneeus himself might come out in his signature cowboy hat to say hello and regale your group with stories of his life in South America before he emigrated to the United States.

Started by two friends who met at a bar, Telluride Brewing Company has come a long way since its founding in 2011. Its Face Down Brown ale took home the gold medal at the 2012 and 2014 Great American Beer Festival, and its Whacked Out Wheat beer recently won silver at the 2018 World Beer Cup Awards. Only available in Colorado, all the brews here have cheeky names. Stop by the tasting room to sample everything from the Freaky Fish Belgian double IPA to the Ski-in-Ski-Stout.

The royal family has made this intimate hotel their home-away-from-home since Otto Goring first opened its doors in 1910—which is why it’s the only hotel to hold an official Royal Warrant for hospitality services, bestowed in 2013 by Queen Elizabeth II, who has been enjoying lunches and teas here since she was a child. Set on a quiet Belgravia side street, just a few blocks from Buckingham Palace, the elegant hotel also hosted nobility, both foreign and domestic, during the coronations of King George VI and the current queen, and—as the first hotel in the U.K. with en suite bathrooms—often served as a convenient place for dignitaries to freshen up prior to an audience at the Palace.

Today, the 69-room spot—which is still owned by the same family—caters to a devoted (and primarily American) clientele, who love the intimate feel, central location, and excellent service, not to mention the rare perks like a back garden. Rooms are cushy and comfortable, with traditionally English décor (silk wallpaper, vintage-inspired headboards, Italian linens, and oversized armchairs) and playful details (pops of color, giant stuffed sheep mascots peeking around corners, and an in-room lighting switch with choices like “Bright,” “Cozy,” and “Oooh”). Upgrade to a suite to enjoy more room and dedicated service from one of the legendary footmen, identifiable by their gold-embroidered scarlet coats. (For even more perks, check in to the gorgeous, two-bedroom Royal Suite, which boasts four-poster beds, a grand piano, a six-seat dining room, antique glassware, and a life-sized portrait of Queen Victoria in the shower.) A steady stream of locals of all ages join hotel guests for lunch on the garden terrace, drinks around the gleaming wood bar or in the fireplace lounge, and the famous Afternoon Tea—just book early for the latter, as there can be a months-long wait list.