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Need a break from the hot weather at the beach? Want to unwind and relax in the lap of luxury? Look no further than the beautiful cliff-side Royal Isabela resort. The fresh rum punch is delightful here. It’s one of my favorites on the island (each place has a distinct version). I didn’t ask for the recipe but I’d rather keep it a secret—to keep me coming back to this beautiful place. The resort has a breathtaking view, with private villas and a golf course. I come here to take in the beauty of the Caribbean away from all the crowds and parties. It’s serene and lush.

This former railroad bridge, built across the Mississippi River in the 1880s, is now a pedestrian and bike path perfect for strolling between parks. With panoramic views of the downtown skyline, river, and St. Anthony Falls, Stone Arch Bridge is a favorite trail for locals.

Seeing the redwoods is all about spending time with tall trees, so naturally, then, stopping in at Tall Trees Grove makes sense. The giants here are over 100 meters high, or as tall as a 35-story building. The grove used to be home to the tallest tree in the world, but since its top fell off back in 1994, it’s now only the 34th-tallest—which is still plenty impressive. (The new tallest tree is actually in an undisclosed location nearby.) The trail runs 3.5 miles around, with about a mile to get to the grove and a small loop through it when you arrive. You’ll view all sorts of enormous, too-tall-to-capture-in-photos trees; you can even walk through one. You do need a permit for the trail, the narrow access road, and the small parking lot. They’re free and available at the visitor centers, but are also limited. Get a map there as well, since GPS can send you slightly off track.

Within Miami‘s most famed Fontainebleau Hotel is an gastronomic superpower, but it’s the mixology by bartender Hector Aceveda that really sets the eatery apart. Try some of the innovative cocktails using food products and specialty preparation. A great alternative to the pool bars and nightclubs.

Take a 70-minute guided train tour of Ålesund that includes spectacular views from Mount Aksla and Borgund Fjord near Ålesund’s harbor. Other sites include the Molja Lighthouse (Norway’s oldest lighthouse, built in 1858), the Color Line Stadium, the historic Ålesund Church and a trip across the Hellebroa Bridge that connects the islands of Nørvøya (which includes the city center of Ålesund) and Aspøya. Tours are offered in English (as well as Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Russian and Spanish) and include free Wi-Fi.

Myrtle Allen is Ireland’s answer to Alice Waters: The centenarian chef has lobbied the Irish parliament for better food policies, earned some Michelin stars, and, 50 years ago, opened a restaurant called the Yeats Room in the town of Shanagarry, an hour east of Cork City. She eventually added bedrooms upstairs and called it Ballymaloe House, and her sous-chef-turned-daughter-in-law, Darina Allen—who has written canonical Irish cookbooks and helped lead Ireland’s Slow Food movement—tacked on the Ballymaloe Cookery School and farm two miles from the main house.

This is thus the seat of Ireland’s food royalty, and it shows. The restaurant spins flavorful dinners out of whatever comes in from the farm or East Cork’s fishing boats, and the cookery school has become known the world over for teaching expert and novice chefs to make pizzas, ferment pickles, cook baby food, and grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Even without all that, the ivy-fronted house—and cabins and cottages on the farm’s grounds—make for a simple, pleasant country retreat.

With a massive apertivo buffet, stop by Storico for the cheapest dinner/drinks combo in town (and delicious, to boot!). For 7 euros, get a cocktail or a glass of wine, and fill your plate as many times as you like from the buffet of warm snacks—focaccia, pizza, pasta dishes, cold salads, and chips are always found on the “menu”! Make sure you sit outside, though, to get the best view of the people milling about in the beautiful Piazza de Ferrari.

While there are a number of ways to cross the Huangpu River, the most scenic is—without a doubt—by ferry. Part of Shanghai’s incredible public transportation system, a couple yuan will get you from one bank of the river to the other, with a view to boot. Ferries run every 15-20 minutes depending on the time of day and take off from various ports on either side. Check out the link below for more details.

A magical alpine lake on the South Island is Lake Pukaki, crystal blue and turquoise. Oftentimes in the morning it’s so still it reflects a perfect mirror of the clouds. One of many glacial lakes in the area, the best view is from the southside, when on sunny days you can see all the way to Aoraki-Mount Cook, New Zealand‘s highest peak. Though not as developed as other lakes on the South Island, it’s worth at least stopping by for a photo or two on any road trip.

Compared to other ancient pyramids in Mexico, the ruins at Xochitecatl draw relatively few visitors (we counted a dozen or so during our hour there). The Pyramid of Flowers and other pre-Columbian stone structures sprawl across 30 acres atop the dome of an extinct volcano. The 360-degree panorama takes in the entire Puebla-Tlaxcala Valley, with unobstructed views of the Popocatepetl, Iztaccihuatl, and La Malinche volcanoes, as well as nearby Cacaxtla, site of famous still-colorful Mayan-style murals painted 1,300 or more years ago.

The Pinnacle is a posh apartment building in Singapore’s hip Duxton Hill neighborhood, known for its Skybridge. Soaring 50 stories above the city, it offers views that are arguably the best in Singapore. The bridge is open to both apartment residents and the general public from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, except during special events such as the National Day fireworks. Only 200 public visitors are allowed up each day, so get there early.

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.

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

Café de La Concha is a perfectly satisfactory café for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. However, what it does really well is sit smack dab in the middle of La Concha Beach. This means there is no place more picturesque to take a morning coffee than its terrace, which has views of the bay and the surrounding mountains. If you are in town for Semana Grande, it’s the spot to be for fireworks watching, just make sure to reserve a spot for dinner.