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Columbia Road is London’s main flower market. On Sundays, it’s totally filled with flowers. It’s an amazing place. —Sophie Howarth Columbia Road Sundays, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. This story appeared in the Premier 2009 issue.

It may seem unbelievable now, given the pace of Siem Reap’s evolution, but reliably great coffee and other deli and bakery staples were tough to find before Blue Pumpkin set up shop near the turn of the millennium. Success may have changed the venture—it now has a number of outlets in Siem Reap, and several more in Phnom Penh—but the philosophy of serving simple but high-quality Asian and Western dishes remains intact. Menu highlights include generously proportioned breakfasts and sandwiches, decadent cakes, famous yogurt shakes, and a wide selection of homemade ice creams and sorbets.

Why we love it: A grande dame of the Gulf Coast with a glamorous history and luxurious amenities to match

The Highlights:
- A spot on the National Register of Historic Places
- Family-friendly amenities like watersport rentals and a kids’ club
- A stunning spa with a rooftop terrace overlooking the beach

The Review:
Known to many as the Pink Palace, The Don CeSar is a beachfront icon. Real estate scion Thomas Rowe built the hotel in 1928 as a tribute to his lost love, turning it into a popular destination for such acclaimed Gatsby era figures as Clarence Darrow and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Following his death in 1940, the U.S. Army purchased the hotel to be used as a hospital and convalescent center for airmen returning from World War II, but let it fall into disrepair after the war. Thanks to locals, The Don was saved from the wrecking ball in 1971, reopened as a full-service resort in 1973, and added to the National Register of Historic Places just a year later.

Today, the hotel continues to preside over the windswept dunes of St. Pete Beach, drawing guests with promises of ocean views and epic sunsets. The setting is so iconic, in fact, that movies like Once Upon a Time in America feature scenes with The Don in the background. The 241 contemporary rooms and 36 suites boast coastal charm, with crisp white linens and louvered windows accented by pops of turquoise and peacock blue. Two outdoor heated pools, a private beach, a game room, and complimentary bicycle rentals keep families entertained, while an 11,000-square-foot spa caters to couples seeking romance. When hunger strikes, guests have their pick of everything from a casual cafe, traditional beach bar, and nostalgia-inducing ice cream parlor, to a poolside grill and award-winning restaurant serving local produce and seafood.

The mecca of bodybuilding in the United States is Venice Beach, California. Venice Beach is the place where Gold’s Gym was founded, and the epicenter of it all is here at Muscle Beach. Between the boardwalk and the sand you will find an amazing outdoor gym full of bodybuilding equipment and larger than life, fitness-crazed men and women. On July 4th of each year, there’s a fierce competition—open to all amateur athletes—to crown Mr. and Mrs. Muscle Beach. Watch the fun festivities, spot some celebrities, and then stroll the world-famous Venice Beach boardwalk.

For a taste of the good life, head to South Beach, known for its Art Deco hotels lining Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue, glittering nightlife, and see-and-be-seen vibe. The long stretch of beach, starting with the pier at the top of historic Washington Avenue, is a great place to take in the Miami of postcards and enjoy the sunset over the cityscape. This is where you’ll find some of Miami’s best shopping, top-tier nightlife, and award-winning restaurants, not to mention great people-watching and luxury-car spotting.

One of the few hotels on picture-perfect Grace Bay Beach that can work for both honeymooners and families, Seven Stars sits on 22 acres of lush grounds at the edge of Princess Alexandria National Park and has studio to four-bedroom plantation style suites available. All feel very private. Besides wraparound terraces with awesome ocean views, the rooms here all feature full kitchens, making it easy to cook your own lunch or make snacks for the kids. That said, the house restaurant, aptly named Seven, is very good, so plan on dining here at least a few times. The spa is also excellent - perfect for honeymooners - and there is a dedicated activities concierge that will arrange all sorts of water sports and even a kids’ camp.

Located where the mountains meet the sea, Port-Cros National Park is only partially visible from the shore, as nearly half of its land is underwater. While this island park offers plenty of hiking, cycling, and beach activities for landlubbers, the park’s main draw is its unique set of seven underwater hikes for snorkelers. Well-marked paths lead swimmers of all ages to Roman ruins, a reconstructed shipwreck, and protected marine gardens, while signage and buoys explain the region’s flora and fauna, which include starfish, octopuses, and sea anemones. Visitors can arrange for both guided tours and snorkeling equipment rentals upon arrival.

Overlooking a postcard-perfect Venetian street (a former canal, now paved over) in the artistic Dorsoduro district, this 500-year-old merchant’s townhouse has been revamped as the boutique hotel Ca’Pisani. Behind the traditional exterior lies a modern den with clean lines and sharp, geometric forms that’s enhanced by original work from one of Italy’s most notable Futurist artists, Fortunato Depero. Architects Roberto Luigi Canovaro and Pierluigi Pescolderung balanced original design elements—exposed beam ceilings, brickwork—with 1930s touches, including one-of-a-kind inlay door designs and custom masonry and marble work.

Gaze out at the city’s rooftops from the hotel’s roof terrace, or mingle with locals over wine or an espresso at the street-level café. With the Peggy Guggenheim collection and the Gallerie dell’Accademia gallery just a stroll away, you’ll be able to journey from 16^th-century Venice to the 20^th century all in a few famous paintings.

Located across the Tiber River from the Centro Storico, Trastevere is a kaleidoscope of ivy-covered buildings, complicated Italian history, and bombastic nightlife. The heart of the neighborhood is Piazza Santa Maria, a large square where street performers show off their stuff, and Porta Portese’s massive Sunday flea market. Film buffs can take a walk through the maze-like side streets for a glimpse of director Pier Paolo Pasolini’s early life before heading off to one of the neighborhood’s many bars for a craft beer or aperitivo.

One of my highest recommendations for drinks is the Grand Hyatt Shanghai. The Grand Hyatt occupies the top 36 floors of the 88-story Jin Mao Tower in the Jetsons-looking Pudong district, so at sunset (or anytime) you have a stunning view (with no cover charge!) of all of Shanghai. There are lots of choices for eating and drinking in the Grand Hyatt. When I was there at sunset, nobody else was in the Cloud 9 sky lounge (which is like a night club with a 360-degree view from the 87th floor), so I went down to the 53rd-floor Lobby Lounge, which still seemed plenty high, and enjoyed the view and the cocktails there.

You can find this Shanghai stalwart just around the corner from the Portman Ritz-Carlton, plying eager diners with prototypical Shanghai dishes around the clock (and all-you-can-eat dim sum on the weekends). Locals here tuck into hairy crab soup (the crab comes from nearby Yangcheng Lake), lobster fried rice, sheng jian bao (pan-fried soup dumplings), Shanghai crispy duck (an umami-packed take on Peking duck), and, from the dim sum menu, fresh tofu vegetable rolls. If you’ve got limited time and want to taste both Shanghainese classics and proper dim sum, Lynn is the place.

Strolling down Marnixstraat you wouldn’t suspect it’s there, unless you notice a small sign near a stairwell adjacent to the Q-Park. From Nassaukade, there’s no access, but you can see the buzzing venue across Singlegracht canal: Waterkant, a tropical-themed bar and restaurant serving casual fare on the waterfront behind the twin towers of the parking garage. The brainchild of the catering team that brought popular Bukowski Bar, Café Kuijper and Maxwell to Amsterdam, Waterkant debuted to instant success in August 2014. Seemingly overnight, the trio transformed the dilapidated night shelter behind the Q-Park into a canal-side bar and restaurant perfect for a romantic date or evening out with friends. At colorful tables on an expansive terrace, you can watch boats passing by and the Nassaukade street scene over beer, snacks, lunch or dinner. Looking to Amsterdam’s colonial past, the new hotspot features a Suriname-inspired menu with specialties like peanut soup, curried duck spring rolls, fried dumplings and roti roll. If you’re starving, order the Jamaican Jerk ribs—a whopping 16 barbecued bones served with coleslaw and fries. Or blow the budget on a whole Canadian lobster for €25. Wash it all down with traditional Parbo beer or a local craft brew.

The newly opened Parque Fluvial Renato Poblete was once a garbage dump and squatters’ before the nearly 50 acres were taken by the government and transformed into this handsome park. Dividid into two areas, “El Cauce” (The Channel) is 17-acre flood plain with three water mirrors. The second, known as “Brazo del río” (River’s Arm), covers 32 acres and boasts a lagoon formed by the Río Mapocho, now a place for water sports. Like in most Chilean parks there are soccer fields and a cycling path that belongs to part of a circuit covering over 20-miles and multiple neighborhoods. On the weekends, Santiago families congregate here under the sun for a pinic. Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Avenida Presidente Balmaceda 2800, near Costanera Sur, Quinta Normal

Deep in the red-rock country of central Southern Utah, this hidden gem of a national park doesn’t draw much attention to itself, making it a great place to avoid the crowds. It’s situated along most of the nearly 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, a classic geologic monocline created by a shift in the rock layers. The majority of guests here drive the main road through the north-central section, where the visitor center is located, but there’s lots to see in Cathedral Valley in the far north and Strike Valley in the far south as well.

Put on your comfortable shoes and head to the many trails of Cayman Brac to see wildlife, as well as scenic and geological sights. There is a path for all skill sets. Listen to the mating calls of the parrots flying above at the National Trust Parrot Reserve Hiking Loop, or descend carefully into Peter’s Cave and move through the various layers to discover a truly breathtaking natural wonder. Most hotels have a brochure of all the hiking trails; this includes images, difficulty, and a brief description of each trail.