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San Francisco’s seven hills and extensive coastline offer plenty of impressive views; why not enjoy them with a delicious meal or bubbly drink? The Burger Bar on the top floor of Macy’s and the Rotunda at Neiman Marcus overlook Union Square. Bay-side eateries like Epic Roasthouse offer travelers water views, while the Cliff House (shown) and the Beach Chalet are right on top of Ocean Beach. To see the city glittering at night, visit the Top of the Mark bar at the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel or the Americano at the Hotel Vitale, in full view of the Bay Bridge’s Bay Lights.

Reaching the remote Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge is part of the fun. The four-hour boat journey from Seward to the only lodge within the 700,000-acre Kenai Fjords National Park is a prime opportunity to spot porpoises, puffins, and whales. On arrival, guests disembark and make their way to the lodge, where they’re briefed on bear safety: No food allowed in the 16 cabins. Calving tidewater glaciers provide the wake-up call for days filled with sea kayaking, canoeing, and hiking. Come evening, relax in the main lodge with a cocktail or with a book from the lodge’s natural history library. From $725, all-inclusive. This appeared in the June/July 2015 issue.

Located in the exclusive Banjara Hills neighborhood, Lamakaan is an open event space that promotes art, literature, and dialogue. The non-profit center hosts concerts, book releases, plays, seminars, and poetry readings. Lamakaan also presents film screenings and exhibitions, including the Queer Art Fest and a monthly flea market held by the Tree Huggers Club. Check out the calendar for upcoming events and experience an eccentric space where tradition meets modernity. Not interested in the art scene? Grab a chai and samosa from the canteen and surf with free wifi.

Accessible only by boat or helicopter, Biras Creek Resort offers remote luxury. The property sits on 140 acres, between two hills crisscrossed with six hiking trails of varied elevation gains. Couples kayak, snorkel, or just sun on the beach. The walk to the Hilltop Restaurant is worth it for the views alone.

In 1993, the folks at Atlanta Brewing Company opened their doors as the city and state’s first craft brewery. Although they’ve changed their name to Red Brick, named for the brick warehouse they now call home, they’re still staying true to the original concept. Hoplanta and Laughing Skull Ale, named after The Vortex Bar and Grill, are the two year-round brews but the brewery also creates award winning seasonal selections. Their Chocolate Cherry Porter and Dog Days Ale are favorites. Red Brick is open for tours and tastings Wednesday through Saturday and each night of the week has something different to offer. Wednesday nights are half priced for college students with valid IDs, Thursday is trivia and Friday is live music.

The charming little town of Lynchburg is home to Jack Daniel, the most famous distillery in all of Tennessee. Take a quick stroll around the town square before crossing a short bridge, which will lead you over a creek that flows from the same spring that provides fresh water for Jack Daniel’s delicious whiskey. Upon arrival at the distillery, you’ll find a modern visitor center where you can learn about the history of Jack Daniel’s as well as the process of making Tennessee whiskey, including the extra step of charcoal mellowing that differentiates it from bourbon.

It’s remarkable to consider that every drop of Jack Daniel’s served at bars all over the world comes from this lovely hamlet down in the hollow—in fact, visitors are likely to see delivery trucks carrying pallets of bottles back up the hills to parts unknown. Should you want to dive deeper into the whiskey-making process, take a guided tour through the various stages of production, beginning at the source of the springwater and continuing through distillation and finally the rickhouses, where the whiskey ages for years in oak barrels until it’s ready for bottling.

It’s not often one gets to visit a home designed by legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright—much less stay in one—but the Palmer House lets you do both. Situated in the nearby city of Ann Arbor, home to the University of Michigan, the brick and cypress home is one of Wright’s last masterpieces and features a teahouse on premises. Guests can rent the three-bedroom house for a quick getaway or for an event (25 people max for the latter).

Built in the 1920s by a Croatian businessman, Palacio Astoreca underwent two years of refurbishment and restoration before opening its doors as a boutique hotel in 2012. The work was carried out to a meticulous degree, maintaining the original parquet floors, and adding splashes of color with art deco furniture and modern art, including one piece by Switzerland’s Frédéric Clot. The stucco-and-brick mansion rises up from the streets of Chile’s port city, Valparaíso, like a piece of red-and-white confectionary.

A statement staircase winds up to the 23 rooms, some of which have stand-alone bathtubs. And the basement level is home to a small spa with an open-air, wood-fueled hot tub set alongside a living wall. The reception level and entrance hall open out onto a terrace where lunch, tea, and cocktails are served, allowing guests prime views over the hilly city and Pacific Ocean. There are quiet corners for those seeking a solitary moment, including a library and a piano bar, which comes to life in the evenings with live music.

Global celebrities like Bill and Hillary Clinton and Bruce Springsteen have all been spotted at Bukhara. Ranked as one of New Delhi’s top (and priciest) restaurants since 1977, the legendary spot—now located at the ITC Maurya hotel—celebrates India’s rugged North West Frontier region in both its décor and menu. Though the faux-rustic design seems a bit like that of a theme restaurant (think cracked stone walls, low seating, lots of wood beams and clay pots), the cuisine is legit. So legit, in fact, that there’s no cutlery, so guests eat with their hands. (You are issued an apron for protection.) The dishes of the Frontier region tend towards the warm, hearty, and comforting, crafted using tandoor clay ovens and wood fires, so expect staples like marinated kebabs, rich lentils, fluffy bread, and lots of meat; the signature Sikandri Raan mutton leg, burrah (lamb) kebabs, and off-the-menu Chicken Khurchan are particular favorites, along with overflowing shareable platters. Reservations are recommended as the place does gets packed.

Located just south of Columbia, Rock Creek State Park is the perfect quick getaway from the city, with more than 2,000 acres of geological preserve and public recreation. The park is a popular spot for hiking—especially in the scenic Gans Creek Wild Area—but also offers trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding as well as a large cave system, complete with a rock bridge, sinkholes, and underground stream at the Devil’s Icebox. Explore Connor’s Cave in the light of the opening, or simply get out in nature just minutes from Missouri’s favorite college town.

Just a stone’s throw from the Arizona border, the eponymous main draw at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is the result of rose-hued Navajo sandstone eroding over time. Like any dunes, the ones here constantly shift under the wind’s influence, but when the breeze isn’t blowing, they offer a fascinating landscape to explore. Divided up into motorized and nonmotorized areas, the park is a favorite of ATV riders, especially because, when the wind picks up, all the tracks are erased, leaving a clean slate for new adventurers. Visitors can additionally hike, ride horses, watch wildlife, and—of course—capture breathtaking photos.

Surrounded by swaying palms, tropical flowers, pink sand, and sapphire waters, the 100-acre Fairmont Southampton is Bermuda’s ultimate luxury destination. The 593 rooms and suites are among the largest on the island, and feature marble baths stocked with Le Labo products and private balconies that look out onto the Atlantic Ocean, Great Sound Harbour, or the lush landscaping of the on-site Turtle Hill Golf Club. A pool, beach club, dive center, kid’s camp, and tennis courts—plus that 18-hole championship course—offer plenty to keep guests busy. If you prefer to kick back, opt for a lavender-oil massage at Willow Stream Spa, a sprawling space complete with a well-stocked health club, sauna, and steam rooms, or grab a sundowner at one of the resort’s 10 restaurants, bars, and lounges.

Parque de Oueste is a shady park toward the north of the city. The park is known for its rose gardens, as well as being home to the Temple of Debod, a gift for the Egyptian state in 1968. The overlook of the park offers beautiful views of the Royal Palace and the larger Casa Del Campo. It’s an ideal spot to split a bottle of wine with friends and watch the sunset after a long day of exploring Madrid.

Astoria’s Cannery Row has enjoyed a resurgence as a tourist destination for Oregon Coast visitors. As the former state capital clings to the Columbia River with the determination of a stubborn child, dwindling fishery and logging economies give way to opportunities. Bridgewater Bistro pairs perfectly with the new vision for the city’s future. With wonderful water views in a historically inspired space, the Bridgewater is an open and welcoming environment with two levels of seating. Summer sends patrons out on the expansive deck shadowed by the Astoria-Megler Bridge. The menu is focused and locally sourced. Our party started with the Bloody Mary oyster shooters and moved through the salad selection, pausing to peruse the extensive wine list. Local craft beers and specialty cocktails provide plenty of drink options. The main course was split between the fresh salmon and the steak offering, and both were prepared with inspired seasoning. Staff are friendly and professional with a genuine commitment to the work they do. The views have a tendency to distract from the food at hand, but those dishes find a way to hold their own in the competition for a diner’s attention. Combine value, quality, and service in Oregon’s NW corner for a memorable dining experience at the Bridgewater.

Kampa, in Prague’s charming Malá Strana district, is Prague’s largest island. Tucked between the Vltava River and the romantic Čertovka channel, the island’s park comes alive in the warmer months with picnickers, dog walkers, and friends gathered on the greenery desperate to catch up on their vitamin D. With direct views of the Vltava’s roaring rapids and the city’s famous Charles Bridge, Kampa is also home to the Kampa Museum, a former mill turned modern art museum dedicated to 20th-century Central European art. Artist David Černý’s gigantic crawling babies are outside the building, while the inner courtyard and galleries showcase other freestanding works, sculpture, paintings, and photographs.