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I love staying in a private villa home over a hotel when traveling with a small group, and Breezy Villa by Island Escapes is both affordable and impressively chic. In a secluded hillside location, complete with multiple, swaying palms for privacy and glassy sea-foam green lagoon views that are just a shade lighter than the infinity pool melting into them, it’s easy to check skinny-dipping in paradise off the bucket list when sleeping here. If naked swimming isn’t your thing, no worries, the pool is also perfect for nighttime stargazing floats. And then there is the leeward lagoon location itself -- it is super calm and you can wade for ages through calm and crystalline water here without gaining much depth. There is no direct beach access, but a series of steps wind their way down from the travertine-tiled pool terrace to a small pier where a ladder offers direct sea access. Breezy Villa’s stylish interior is equally appealing. From the arched doorways and pitched roof in the open living room and modern L-shaped kitchen to the square-shaped original ocean-hued paintings hung on either side of the front door to the Grecian-Roman columns on terrace, I love the Zen beach house meets Italian palazzo vibe. Similar-sized sleeping quarters, each featuring a unique wooden bed frame and French doors opening directly to pool terrace, make this three-bedroom home equally perfect for families, especially those traveling with a nanny. It also works well for multiple couples.

In France, many châteaux (a term that sometimes translates to “castle” but can also refer to an ornate, castle-like mansion) are open as museums. However, Domaine de Maffliers, a 19th-century château nestled in the countryside just 45 minutes north of Paris, gives travelers the rare chance to spend the night in one. Though centuries old, the bar, restaurants, and 8 guest rooms have been recently renovated after a fire destroyed much of the building in 2020.

The interiors of each guest room are unique from one another, but all of them exude opulence and luxury—from the velvet chairs and curtains to the freestanding bathtubs—that allow guests to immerse themselves in the grandeur of its history.

Cemeteries don’t often end up on a traveler’s “must-see” list - unless they are going to Vienna. The massive Zentralfriedhof, or Central Cemetery, isn’t actually centralized. In fact, it lies far to the south of the city. With over 300,000 internments and around 495 acres, it’s one of the world’s largest cemeteries and the final resting place for a who’s who of Austrian cultural icons. Most notable are the final resting places of Vienna’s greatest musicians, including Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Strauss I & II, and even Falco. Architect Adolf Loos, sculpter Fritz Wotruba, and a crypt of Austrian presidents also make for a fascinating look at the country’s more well-known residents. The grounds also hosts the Art Nouveau Dr. Karl Lueger-Gedächtniskirche (Memorial Church), a Russian Orthodox Chapel, and burial grounds for Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist faiths. The cemetery is easily reached by S-Bahn and bus. Buses also travel between the sections, as do horse-drawn carriages.

Why we love it: A serene stay just beyond the buzz of downtown

The Highlights:
- Guest rooms with amenities like marble bathrooms, balconies, and wood-burning fireplaces
- A mostly adult clientele
- A quiet location that’s still convenient to everything

The Review:
While other hotels rely on edgy decor, the Knob Hill Inn makes a statement with classic elegance and quality details like radiant floor heating in the marble bathrooms, feather bedding on pillowtop mattresses, and balconies with scenic views. A muted palette of neutral shades creates a calming ambience throughout, and the location—just outside downtown Ketchum—contributes to the tranquil vibe. Rooms feel like cocoons, not party zones, but the inn does offer a shuttle to downtown restaurants and Sun Valley’s ski lifts when you’re ready for some action.

If you’d rather stay on site, the Grill at Knob Hill hums with energy come evening, when guests and locals alike crowd into the cozy, fireplace-warmed space for goblets of wine and mountain-inspired meals. Baskets of fresh-baked popovers with honey butter kick off the feasting, while Kobe beef burgers and aged steaks dominate the rest of the menu. Although the inn does allow children—and dogs—it mostly appeals to couples, so the indoor pool, hot tub, and sauna offer spa-like serenity.

This family-owned and -managed 1,000-acre guest ranch in Lewis and Clark County is paradise for riders of all ages looking to improve technique while learning about equine psychology and Western working life. The owners, Zack and Patty Wirth, and two of their six children, all direct descendants of 1860s Montana homesteaders, breed and train quarter horses and hold wide-ranging riding rights on a neighboring ranch of 85,000 acres. Guests, a maximum 20 at a time, ride according to their interest and level; time in the saddle (or bareback) might be spent in the ring, on scenic trail rides, endurance training, or learning to rope and work with the Wirths’ 30 Corientti and Longhorn cattle.

Four cozy rooms of the same size but with different bed configurations have fireplaces and mountain views. The atmosphere is communal and convivial, the hosts dining with guests and taking note of the weather and individual interests to plan activities. Many teen visitors fulfill dreams of unlimited horse time; for non-riding family members or partners there is guided shooting, hiking, and mountain biking. There’s also technical fly-fishing on the Little Prickly Pear Creek, a spawning ground for rainbow and brown trout. For rock hounds, fossil-rich shale cliffs sit just a mile away from the barn and guest rooms.

There are helipads but no cell phones or young children at Triple Creek Ranch, a 600-acre luxury Western playground on a slope of 10,157-foot Trapper Peak, Montana’s highest mountain, near the Idaho border. Owned by Craig and Barbara Barrett (he, the former CEO of Intel; she, a former astronaut and U.S. ambassador to Finland), this elegant, high-end dude ranch offers sapphire pan mining, scenic trail rides, fishing from stocked trout ponds, and guided hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing (including starlit expeditions), as well as themed weekend stays focusing on art, food, and wine. The owners’ no-hunting policy has resulted in large herds of elk and other game gravitating to the property, and guests frequently spot animals from huge log cabins decorated with leather furniture and original Western-themed art and equipped with wood-burning fireplaces, private decks, bar, Blu-ray players, and working Wi-Fi connections. (Though the ranch deliberately has no cell phone signal.) From May through October, for additional fees, the ranch pairs up guests with professional rodeo trainers and Orvis-endorsed fly-fishing operators. In winter, the lodge facilitates transportation, tickets, and equipment rental vouchers for the nearby Lost Trail Powder Mountain downhill ski center (300 inches of snow annually) and Chief Joseph Cross Country Ski Area.

Since 1831 Deyrolle has been the taxidermist for Parisians. In the two-story shop on the lovely Rue du Bac, you’ll find everything from domestic animals and large exotic mammals (lions! zebras!) to insects, shells, birds, and educational books. Parisians bring their small children here to teach them about the natural world because it feels like a beautiful natural history museum as much as an odd little shop of curiosities. In one room, drawers display beautiful insects and seashells for purchase. A small gardening shop on the first floor may be of interest to companions for whom taxidermy feels icky.

Located in the center of Barbados in the highlands, the Harrison’s Cave underground system of rivers and caves is one of the Caribbean’s great natural wonders. Visitors tour deep inside the crystallized limestone caverns via small electric tramcars and are allowed to get off at certain points, including at a 15-meter-high (50-foot) “cathedral” and a “village” with multiple stalagmite columns. Lights illuminate the waterfalls, pools and magnificent geological formations.

Hit the Fondouk Kaat Smen, otherwise known as the honey souk, to taste your way through as many as 17 different wild honeys for sale. Varieties range from familiar orange blossom and lavender to more unusual treats like caper and carob. If jujube is available, note that it’s favored for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, is considered to be particularly good for the liver and is locally consumed more as a medicine than something to spread on toast. People travel from afar to take this honey home, so the proprietor, Mr. Hicham, is used to packing it for air travel. Pop around the corner to the spice shop on Rue Bouhaj to stock up on freshly ground spices, too, like lemon-scented cumin, rich red paprika, ground ginger, sweet and earthy turmeric, and heady cinnamon.

We took a four night trip to the Peruvian jungle and the Macaws at this clay-lick were a highlight from the boat trip up the river.

With its chill vibe, funky decor, warehouse-like interior and spacious terrace, Pacific Parc is a rock ‘n’ roll bistro with an edge. Situated in a former treatment plant at Westergasfabriek, the café-nightclub on Amsterdam‘s west side clearly represents its mantra, “Do not beg for the right to live, take it.” Life is good over international favorites like satay with coconut-peanut sauce, Indian lentil curry, Black Angus burgers and Dutch pannenkoeken, all priced under €20 on lunch and dinner menus. For kids, chicken drumsticks, chips, cucumber and ice cream are on a children’s menu for €8. While little ones romp on the spiral staircase, you can dine at the bar or at wooden tables in the open-zoned dining area, under a whimsical chandelier hanging from the sunroof. If you’re attending a Westergasfabriek event, Pacific Parc is a great place to meet up with friends. But there’s more to this place than relaxed ambiance, good drinks, reasonably priced fare and a menu based on seasonal ingredients. Thursday through Saturday, DJs mix hip-hop with disco and swing tunes. By 23:00, dinner seats are pushed aside and anyone who sticks around may be in for a wild night. A special “Dinner and a Movie” deal entitles you to a flick at Ketelhuis, Westergasfabriek’s cinema, plus a starter and main course (excluding drinks) at Pacific Parc for €25. While the restaurant may lack for romance, it’s a fine place to get your weekend date off to a savory start.

“Ready!” I grip the bar tightly and lean forward. “Set!” I bend my knees and my heart starts racing. “HUP!” Before I have time for doubts, I take a deep breath, and jump off the platform. The next 40 seconds are a pure adrenaline rush as I soar through the air on a flying trapeze—a thrilling introduction to my first class at the satellite Trapeze School N.Y. in the Navy Yard district of Washington, D.C. I try to stay calm and oriented as my teacher yells instructions to swing my legs and lift my knees up to hang from the bar. This simple move is the foundation for many tricks that we six beginners in the class get to practice many times. By the end of the two-hour class, I’m already doing flips into the net and performing basic catches with one of the instructors. I start to wonder if my childhood dreams of joining the circus are possible after all. Class is over, I’m tired and my legs already ache from the climbs up the ridiculously long trapeze ladder (for me, the scariest part of the class). The school’s motto was right: “Forget about fear. Worry about addiction.” The school offers a variety of trapeze, aerial, trampoline, and acrobatics classes for adults and children.

Just when it seemed like the Riviera Maya Riviera had become nothing but a sea of all-inclusive beach resorts, you stumble upon the quaint little Mexican village of Puerto Morelos. There are almost no huge developments, no shopping outlets, and no chain restaurants. The place is absolutely magical and is like traveling back in time. There is a small town square or plaza lined with palm trees, small cafes, and local boutiques. You can always find a good margarita to sip on at the super hip little bars scattered around the small town. If you find yourself on the Yucatan peninsula don’t miss this opportunity to travel back in time 50 yrs and experience the “old” Mexico.

You’ll hear people talk about doing things “on the Strand” in Galveston, which refers to a downtown historic district primarily situated on Strand Street. Begin exploring the area at 25th and Strand, visiting its shops, restaurants, galleries, and museums in lovely 19th-century buildings. Photo via Flickr user TravelingOtter

One of the great pleasures of traveling in Mexico is visiting traditional local markets, which sell everything from produce and household goods to handcrafts and textiles. In San Jose del Cabo, the local artisans’ market, or Plaza Artesanos, is open daily. Vendors sell a variety of handmade goods, including rugs, pottery, clothing, and jewelry.