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Kananaskis Country is a stunning wilderness area that lies just outside of Canmore, Alberta. The region borders Banff National Park and the scenery rivals it’s famous neighbour. The key benefit to outdoor fun in Kananaskis Country is the complete lack of crowds! It might be near Banff, but it feels a world away. Hiking trails, bike paths, and beautiful lakes abound and it’s quite common to have them all to yourself even during the busiest summer weekends! Check out the Upper and Lower Kananaskis Lakes at sunset, as it’s a prime location near the Continental Divide that offers stunning evening light.

Head to this jetty near the Golden Gate Yacht Club in the Marina district and simply listen. The Wave Organ, a wave-activated sculpture made of granite and marble culled from the demolished Laurel Hill Cemetery, provides an enchanting experience. As waves roll in and crash against 20 pipes that extend out into the water, the sound is amplified, creating a liquid symphony of gurgles, rumbling, whooshing, and swishing. The balance of high- and low-pitched sounds is both entertaining and strangely profound. A bonus: The views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge never get old.

Here’s another touristy place, but great for the kids- and adults too, if you love ocean creatures! There’s an underwater shark exhibit, huge jellyfish exhibit, narwhals, sea otters, animal shows, penguins, roller coasters and more. I’d never seen a walrus before up close and dang, those things are huge! This place is a little pricey to go often, so we only go if visitors who stay with us want to check it out. But it’s definitely worth seeing at least once!

Singapore Zoo has been recognized as a leader in creating naturalistic habitats since its opening in 1973, using concealed moats to separate animals from visitors and incorporating a local reservoir into the landscaping. There are dozens of themed exhibits here! Some highlights include the Fragile Forest, where guests enter a massive biodome that re-creates the diversity of the rain forest, and the Reptile Garden, home to Komodo dragons and giant tortoises. At the adjacent Night Safari experience, guests walk or travel in trams from tropical to mountain habitation zones, where rhinos, elephants, tigers, and some 130 other species can be observed.

A family favorite on the southern tip of Sanibel Island, Lighthouse Park Beach is home to the island’s famous lighthouse. It’s also a popular spot for shelling, windsurfing, and fishing off the pier. Restrooms and picnic facilities are available, and leashed pets are welcome.

One of the perks of staying at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort is the opportunity to test your skills at the Royal St. Kitts Golf Club, an 18-hole, par 71 course laid out along the island’s Caribbean coast. If you’re not a Marriott guest, however, head to the Irie Fields Golf Course at Kittitian Hill, where organic farms fringe the fairways. Designed by World Golf Hall of Famer Ian Woosnam, the course is maintained without pesticides or chemicals—if you see a herd of sheep grazing on the back nine, let them play through.

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.

Dating back to 803 C.E., the St. Peter Stiftskulinarium is said to be the oldest restaurant in Europe. While there’s a fine contemporary Austrian menu, the history and atmosphere of the various salons and dining rooms are an even bigger draw. The arcaded courtyard in particular is charming and turns into a winter wonderland during the Christmas-market season. The highlight for most travelers will be the Mozart Dinner. Taking place in the stunning ambience of the Baroque Hall, the meal is served with a performance by an ensemble of Mozarteum University Salzburg graduates wearing period costumes—wonderful musicians who also work with renowned orchestras.

Salzburg’s splendor took shape under the prince-archbishops who ruled here during the Holy Roman Empire. Their former center of power is now a collection of the city’s most important structures called the DomQuartier, with museums and galleries documenting Salzburg’s golden age. Here among the lively squares are highlights like the baroque 17th-century Salzburg Cathedral and the 7th-century St. Peter’s Abbey—said to be the oldest in the German-speaking world. Browse the art collections of the archbishops in the Residenzgalerie and further explore their history in the state rooms of the Alte Residenz (Old Palace) and in the Salzburg Museum in the Neue Residenz (New Palace).

Tucked away on a side street between King Street and Blue Jays Way in the heart of Toronto’s entertainment district, Hotel Le Germain is a cozy escape from the bustle of the city. The lobby has a library area where guests can curl up on sofas and, in wintertime, enjoy the atmospheric crackling of the wood-burning fire. In summer, the rooftop putting green on the 11th floor is the place to relax. Following a full renovation project in early 2015, the minimalist rooms are monochrome with colorful accents, and the generously sized bathrooms have glass-walled rainfall jet showers. The hotel piles on a raft of extras, such as free Wi-Fi, newspapers, and in-room Nespresso coffee machines. There is also a complimentary breakfast that includes croissants and pastries.

Set on 18 literally green acres, this amenity-rich hotel feels like a secluded retreat among the towering pines, sprawling oaks, and manicured grounds—despite its proximity to the bustling Loop 610 and the Galleria. It affords so much peace and quiet, along with accessibility, that President George H. W. and Barbara Bush used the Houstonian as their home address while he was in office, and stayed on property during visits back to Houston.

The lobby has a warm, luxury lodge feel with soaring ceilings, wood details, and a massive stone fireplace. Guest rooms feel more elegant and traditional, with lavish textures and verdant floor-to-ceiling views. Every room has a 42-inch HDTV, complimentary Wi-Fi, a Keurig coffeemaker, and terrycloth bathrobes. (There are 67 concierge-level rooms that include daily continental breakfast, after-dinner sweets and cordials, plus additional services.) For the nature-minded, there’s a mile-long walking trail around the serene property.

My favorite part about living in Hawaii is the view from where I live. I am tremendously blessed to have the spectacular ‘perch’ that I do looking over Diamondhead, Waikiki, Honolulu, and past the airport to Ko’olina. If you are looking to see such a spectacular view of Southern Oahu, drive up Round Top Drive to Pu’u Ualaka’a State Park for sunset. You will find a large grassy area to share a picnic or lay back and watch the clouds roll by. Or you can stand up a bit higher at the lookout and identify all the places and roads you have been while in Honolulu. If hiking is more your style, there are plenty of trails up on this scenic route as well. Or, perhaps, you will just enjoy the curly queues and hairpins of the the Tantalus-Round Top Drive loop. No matter what you do, it is a refreshing reprieve from the busy scene in Waikiki!

The Sea of Galilee has had a variety of names since biblical times, but in modern Israel, it’s called Lake Kinneret. Regardless of its name, the Kinneret is the focal point of Galilee. This beautiful freshwater lake is lined with ideal places to relax: beaches, camping grounds, cycling trails, and walking tracks, as well as an assortment of historic, archaeological, and religious attractions. Many of the places around the lake, such as Tabgha and Capernaum, are holy sites for Christians, the locations where Jesus is believed to have performed miracles. The newest attraction at the Kinneret is Aqua Kef, an inflatable floating water park, with trampolines, slides, and climbing walls.

At Thunderbird Lodge, you can marvel at the eccentricities of the fabulously wealthy real estate magnate George Whittell, Jr., who built this 16,500-square-foot mansion on Tahoe’s east shore to house himself, his pet lion, and a small elephant. Walk through the 20-plus rooms and the 600-foot-long underground tunnel that connects the main house to the cavernous boathouse, which Whittell constructed for his 55-foot-long speedboat, the Thunderbird, a gorgeous 1939 woody that’s still available for charter cruises. Also on the 140-acre lakefront property are a lighthouse and several guest cottages. Guided tours are offered five days a week from mid-May to mid-October; arrive via boat or shuttle bus from Incline Village, or kayak over from Sand Harbor State Park.

Calling all lovers of food: Shilin Night Market is the largest of many night markets in Taipei. It is easily accessible by MRT and has endless stalls of restaurants/stands as well as shops. Bring a friend so you can share and experience more of the many dishes that this great market has to offer. If you do take the MRT, make sure you get to the platform before 12am because the trains stop running after that. If you stay past 12am, you will need to catch a cab to get back to your hotel.