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Who says nothing grows in the desert? Local flavor is fresh and on display Saturday mornings during cooler weather at the Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market, where Arizona-grown oranges and peppers are sold alongside homemade tamales and mozzarella. There are food trucks, artisanal ice cream, and cooking demonstrations from local chefs. Head to the Singh Farms stand to view the harvest of organic peaches, tomatoes, figs, peppers, and more, along with fresh-baked bread, herb butter, honey, and eggs. Most weeks, a local chef dishes out breakfast from the outdoor café on-site.

Following the American Civil War, Falls Church has been home to the predominantly African-American Tinner Hill neighborhood. Named for Joseph and Mary Tinner, who owned a portion of the land as well as the granite quarry, they went on to become prominent civil rights activists fighting against segregation. In 1999, the Arch was erected memorializing the site where in 1915, Tinner established the first rural branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (N.C.A.A.P.) in the United States.

The site of the now-demolished Brinks Hotel Officers Quarters—which housed U.S. military members during the Vietnam War—has been transformed into this oasis in the heart of the city. Opened in 2005 and renovated in 2015, the Park Hyatt has been crafted in a French colonial style, with lots of polished wood, wrought iron, and oversize windows. The 245 rooms are elegant and airy, mixing classic furnishings with high-tech perks like mini iPads and sensor lighting systems; all suites feature elevated design touches like hand-embroidered textiles, lacquerware pieces, and period antiques, while some offer private terraces or direct access to the pool and gardens. Considered to be among the best in the city, the hotel’s dining options include Square One, for gourmet Western and Vietnamese fare, and Opera, where Italian favorites are whipped up in the open kitchen. Enjoy live music nightly (and the popular Saturday afternoon tea buffet) at the Park Lounge and cocktails and DJs on the weekends at 2 Lam Son. If you’re looking for something a bit more chill, head to the Xuan Spa for a treatment performed with locally grown herbs, fruits, and grains.

Fisherman’s Bastion was built between 1895 and 1902 on Buda’s Castle Hill not to provide protection, but rather as a lookout point—and this fairy-tale castle site, with its seven spired towers representing the seven tribe of Magyar (Hungarians) that settled here in the 9th century, is all about providing stunning views of the city, the Danube, and best of all the ornate parliament building across the river. In medieval times, a guild of fishermen protected this area, giving the bastion its name, and its construction coincided with the restoration of the nearby church. You can just walk around and drink in the beauty, or pay a small fee for a walk up a tower spire, to further amplify the amazing view.

Singapore may not have bicycle lanes on its roads, but the country does have a wonderful and growing network of bike-friendly asphalt paths along its many canals and rivers that are sometimes joined up with pathways in parks and along old rail corridors (in Singapore, they’re called park connectors). An easy 3-mile round-trip stretch to sample runs along the Singapore River. Join the riverside pathway just off Zion Road near the Great World City shopping mall—you can rent your chariot nearby from Bike Connect, at 23 Hoot Kiam Road—or grab a two-wheeler from the now ubiquitous bike-share steeds parked everywhere. Pedal all the way to the old shophouses of Boat Quay where the river empties into Marina Bay and then the South China Sea at the heart of Singapore’s colonial core. From there, get a glimpse of the grand Fullerton Hotel (once the national post office), the Asian Civilisations Museum (originally intended to be the city’s courthouse), and several historic bridges.

This underground bunker lay undisturbed for 30 years after the end of World War II, and is now open to the public in its restored original state. The maps are as they were the day the war ended. It’s moving to contemplate that this is where Churchill and his staff planned the defense of Britain, and the free world. The adjacent museum to the Great Man offers a quite even-handed view of his life, which was relatively undistinguished except when it really counted

When Philadelphia‘s battered asphalt and noise begin to tire, head for an afternoon at Longwood Gardens, a verdant hamlet 35 miles West of the city in the Brandywine Valley. 1,077 acres of horticultural magnificence occupy one of Pierre S. du Pont’s many estates, including an impressive conservatory that stretches about 1/2mile. Ornamental gardens and topiaries, which rotate regularly, can be appreciated all year round in addition to seasonal illuminations (the Christmas light display is so well-received, guests must reserve tickets in advance). It’s not only the sheer size of the property that draws in visitors from around the world but the robust display that easily rivals the impeccably manicured gardens of Europe. The indoor children’s garden, treehouses, model trains (seasonal) and concert series make Longwood a great option for traveling families.

Without a doubt Versailles is the most luxurious palace in Europe, built to astound visitors and impress the king’s subjects into awed submission with crystal chandeliers, gilt, and fine art. This opulent monument is also attractive to those with simpler tastes: Visitors with green thumbs will love the king’s kitchen gardens while others may want to rent bicycles to pedal the lavish grounds, and animal lovers will enjoy the sheep, goats, and chickens receiving the royal treatment at the queen’s quaint hamlet. La Petite Venise, an excellent restaurant on the grounds, offers garden seating on sunny days.

The Santa Monica Pier embodies what Southern California is all about: fun in the sun. Popular with tourists and locals alike, this iconic boardwalk adjacent to the Pacific Ocean—filled with all the amusement rides, midway games, fried food, ice cream and cotton candy you can dream up—is a fantastic place to spend a nice day. My favorite attractions are the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium and the world’s first solar-paneled Ferris wheel, which provides breathtaking beach and ocean views as you ride ‘round and ‘round. Be sure to dip your toes in the soft Santa Monica sand, too. Nearby, you’ll find the Third Street Promenade, a bustling entertainment district filled with wonderful eateries and shops.

The apéritif of choice in the Dordogne (and in many parts of France) is this sweet dark liquor called walnut wine, but there’s nary a grape in site. The vin de noix is made from young green walnuts harvested between La Fete de St. Jean (June 24) and Bastille Day (July 14), when the shells are still soft and green. Walnut wine is a typically home-brewed concoction. Think moonshine, with a sophisticated French flair. Though I have found it commercially, the best accompanies a good meal with friends around a kitchen table or at the region’s numerous Fermes Auberges (Farmhouse Inns), where all products are made on site. Walk in to any home and you’ll likely be offered a sip. There are hundreds of family recipes for this elixir, each claiming to be the best, bien sur! But most agree, the longer it sits in the cupboard, the better (6 months to years). But it’s worth the wait. Recipe: green walnuts, dry red wine, sugar, and some patience. Et Voila! I’ve often been asked what it tastes like, and my description usually results in a nose wrinkle. A blend of port and prune juice---and it’s delicious. My friend Roland, knowing my love of the apéritif and the memories it summons, sent me these two glasses he’d found in an antique shop in Perigueux, along with a small bottle of his homemade walnut wine. I set the glasses out on my terrace, poured in the chocolate-hued liquor, and toasted to the memory of my beloved Dordogne, and the people from there who have flavored my life.

Visiting the InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso Resort on assignment, I feel like the only single person from here to Guam. Every year, Bora is voted among the world’s top honeymoon destinations, and right away you realize everything is designed to propagate the human species. The grounds are thick with palm trees and fat ferns leading up to some of the most beautiful water on the planet resembling a translucent creamy liquid light. Every day at 2 p.m., a school of stingrays shows up in knee deep water to be fed by guests. This is highly popular for the dozens of young honeymooners because their Facebook photos come out amazing in the clear water. The star attractions are the 80 overwater villas stretching into the lagoon along four curved wooden piers. Prepare to be blown away. The villas are over 1,000 sf with cathedral beam ceilings, handsome wood furnishings and a huge living room opening out to a large wooden deck. A ladder extends to a second deck perched a couple feet above the water, where you’ll spend a lot of time while other guests kayak by and wave hello. In the center of the villa, my bed faces a floor-to-ceiling window framing the volcano. These particular units were voted “World’s Best View from the Bedroom” on TripAdvisor a few years ago. The hotel can also set you up with a catered romantic dinner for two on the lower deck. Candles, pillows, frangipani flowers, French champagne and lobster soup—who can resist the romance?

Opened in 2010 by a Dutch couple, Baoase Luxury Resort is an intimate spot with fewer than two-dozen rooms. Despite its size, however, it has all the amenities of a larger property, including a spa, health center, boutique, and more. A 10-minute drive from the center of Willemstad, the Balinese-style spot feels secluded and tranquil, especially when swimming off the lagoon-like beach or sitting next to the banyan tree in the lantern-lit garden.

Privacy and a high level of service are very important here. Only during low season are non-guests welcome at the resort, and even then, they must have a reservation for a beach-day pass. All rooms come with outdoor space overlooking the gardens or pools, and half feature private plunge pools. For something even more discreet, book the exclusive island in the Spanish Water Bay, which features its own four-bedroom retreat. When not relaxing in your room, you can ask the hotel to arrange a motorboat and permit to use during your stay, or visit the on-site restaurant, which is known for beachfront fine dining and a weekly Asian cuisine night. If all the privacy leaves you feeling extra romantic, you can even have the restaurant set up a picnic dinner to enjoy on the beach or under a gazebo.

Vietnamese food is widely regarded as one of the world’s healthier cuisines. There’s nothing particularly holistic or nutritious about this traditional favorite however. A local variant on steak and eggs, the dish is a calorific wonder. Steak is sautéed in butter on a sizzling platter, an egg is added and some hot-dog style sausages complete the picture. Mop it up with a banh mi baguette and wash it down with a glass of potent coffee.

Featured in the 1997 Jodie Foster film, Contact (based on the Carl Sagan book), the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) is an impressive, stunning radio astronomy observatory located on the Plains of San Agustin. The massive dishes are arranged in rotating patterns and form the largest radio telescope in the world looking for complex solar system life. Visitors are allowed to walk among the array on a self-guided tour.

Sanya is home to a world-class yacht marina, which hosts frequent yacht racing competitions such as the Volvo Ocean Race. The yachts are astonishing: incredibly expensive and simply beautiful. You can ask at your hotel or consult a Sanya event calendar to see if there’s a race happening. Alternatively, you can book your own yacht ride—or even a private yacht party if you have the money.