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Centrally located in the heart of the Cayo District, the award-winning San Ignacio Resort Hotel offers guests convenient access to the region’s best sights and activities. San Ignacio Resort Hotel features 24 rooms and has the distinction of being named “Hotel of the Year” in 2012 by the Belize Tourism Board. Room options include a honeymoon suite, regal rooms, deluxe balcony and garden rooms and one spa suite. The on-site restaurant features a number of tantalizing dishes and some of the best traditional food I’ve had in Belize. Check out the on-site Green Iguana Project and learn about San Ignacio Resort Hotel’s conservation efforts in Belize. Be sure to start at least one morning off by bird-watching over breakfast.

Few restaurants have been immortalized in both a popular book and a movie. Nam Kee, operated since 1981 by the Chan family in Amsterdam’s Zeedijk is one. A Chinatown favorite long before Dutch novelist Kees van Beijnum alerted foodies to oysters’ sensual pleasures in De Oesters van Nam Kee (The Oysters of Nam Kee) in 2000, the Cantonese eatery was named Best Chinese Restaurant in the Netherlands by Lonely Planet. In 2009, Time Out Amsterdam recognized it as Best Chinese Restaurant in Amsterdam. A 2010 renovation has replaced the former cold, white tiles with warm woodwork, stone accents and the obligatory Chinese calligraphy scrolls. The revamp has failed to make Nam Kee upscale or fancy, so don’t expect anything romantic or gezellig (cozy). A brightly lit dining room is simply furnished but filled with the flavors of salty soy and sweet ginger wafting from sizzling dishes of classic Cantonese favorites. The fabled Oysters of Nam Kee arrive steamy in their craggy shells, swimming in pools of silky black bean sauce, garnished with crunchy green scallions. My hot and sour soup with seafood was spicy, laden with chunks of shellfish. Friends shared a velvety corn soup with shrimp and minced pork. For light eaters, dim-sum-size appetizers include renditions of classics like Chinese Spring Rolls, Fried Won Tons and Sesame Prawn Toast. Main dishes are more substantial and include such Cantonese specialties as Salt and Pepper Squid redolent of peppercorns and crisp Peking Duck.

My deep love for macarons is no surprise to anyone that knows me, so it’s no wonder that after trying perhaps the finest ever in Paris, I’d look for a temporary fix in Los Angeles. This quest led to the discovery of Bottega Louie, one of my favorite restaurants in LA now. Nestled on the chaotic corner of Grand Avenue and 7th Street in downtown Los Angeles, Bottega Louie really knows how to enchant, intrigue, and satisfy the palate. Serving mostly Italian fare, it’s one of the best brunch places in L.A. (try the lemon ricotta pancakes) and certainly the best macaron bakery in the area. My absolute favorite is the salted caramel. Nothing beats people-watching on a breezy weekend afternoon with a platter of macarons and champagne!

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.

Shanghai’s arts and crafts enclave, Tianzifang, is a labyrinth of narrow lanes bursting with diminutive shops, restaurants, and bars. Most of the shops here are located inside shikumen, stone gatehouses dating to the early 1930s. Gear up for your shopping spree with a coffee alfresco at Kommune before checking out Xingmu Handicraft’s gorgeous handmade leather notebooks or Shanghai Code’s vintage Chinese glasses and watches. Pick up delicate stationery at Dongxi Workshop, Shanghai‘s very first boutique, and head to Sky Music Box for—you guessed it—music boxes from all over the world.

While there are plenty of in-water activities around St. Thomas, one of the best is at the Coral World Underwater Observatory. At this interactive park, which is great for families, visitors can see marine life rescue efforts, play with crustaceans or hang out by the beach. They can also swim with the star residents of the observatory, the sea lions. Rescued several years ago from certain death, today the sea lions are crowd favorites. In a special interactive session you can learn more about the ongoing research and interact with them in a special pool. This activity is safe for the sea lions and the mental stimulation is an important part of their daily schedule.

Four Seasons might have spruced up the property slightly when it took over management from Viceroy in 2016, but the original clean lines and sharp angles of the midcentury modern architecture coupled with Kelly Wearstler’s playfully eclectic interiors are still unmistakable at this stunning property overlooking Meads and Barnes bays. Epitomizing tropical modern luxury, the property is awash in marble, natural stone, and wood, with dramatic views of the Caribbean Sea from dining rooms and infinity pools that seem to hover from their cliffside perches. Spanning 35 acres, the resort is home to 166 spacious, serene, and stylish accommodations ranging from suites to townhomes and private villas. Indulge at five dining venues, including the aptly named alfresco Sunset Lounge for sushi and the fine-dining Cobà, where fresh seafood is paired with choice cuts of meat and an impressive wine list. With three swimming pools and two distinct beaches to choose from, the most stressful part of the day is deciding where to lounge.

“Alon and I are regulars for Friday breakfast. We love their take on the Arab dish shakshuka. In the original, eggs are poached in a sauce of tomatoes and red peppers, but here they use green peppers instead of red, and they add goat cheese.” —Architect Irene Kronenberg

Tempt fate at the Monkey Paw’s Book-O-Matic machine, where for the price of a toonie you’ll be delivered an archaic tome in the vein of Elementary Arabic, Vol. 3. I’ll let you know how my studying gets on. The Monkey’s Paw is an eclectic vintage bookstore on Dundas with a collection of unique books, vintage maps, and bugs preserved in Lucite.

A 10-minute walk from downtown Scottsdale, the Hotel Valley Ho, its name most likely inspired by the long-ago repurposed Westward Ho (once the area’s premier hotel), has the kind of riches-to-rags-to-riches story that makes the crowd hanging around the pool on weekends not just hip but part of history. Opened in 1956, it featured a futuristic design of red-tinted concrete, stone, and glass—and a well-connected owner—that quickly made it a magnet for movie stars like Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood, who held their wedding reception here. But as the Hollywood crowd knows best, fame wanes, and the hotel eventually reached such a low point that it was nearly torn down. It was saved due to its historic significance, and after a massive renovation that preserved many original elements, it re-emerged in 2006 not only with its trendy reputation revived, but also as one of the country’s best examples of mid-century hotel architecture. (The seven-story tower block was part of the original design but not built until the renovation.) Guest rooms are bright with colors that wouldn’t be out of place on South Beach. And the pool is still the place to be.

Boston boasts some of the best beaches around, many within easy reach. Singing Beach can be reached by MBTA and others within an hours drive are well worth the effort. Some are calm, with lake like water and other will have waves for surfers. Whatever you’re looking for, the many choices of sand and shoreline with easy access to the ocean are one of the many things you’ll love about the city.

Starting at the sea gate, pick up a map from the tourism board office to get oriented. Then, wander past innumerable shops and cafés, taking note of Korčula’s fishbone layout, which was intended both to protect the town and make use of local winds. Also be sure to admire Korčula’s signature stonework, best displayed in the Gothic-Renaissance-style St. Mark’s Cathedral.

Do you fancy tootling around London on a classic double-decker bus whilst sipping tea and eating pastries? Of course you do. BB Bakery adds wheels and a French twist to the tradition of afternoon tea. A uniformed driver zips past London’s iconic sights as you enjoy your tea. ...the London Eye, Houses of Parliament, Hyde Park and more. Book early and get a seat on the top deck for the best view and don’t forget to raise a cup to the Queen as you roll past Buckingham Palace. It’s only proper.

Northern China has some of the most amazing tasting yogurts. Since we don’t have any decent yogurt in Shenzhen, I pig out every time I go north. Stalls and shops around Xi’an sell really cool drinking yogurts. This stall was on the west side of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. The yogurt was perfectly tasty, though the best bit about it was the glass jars.

Lefkada is the only Greek island accessible by land, but it doesn’t mean it sees a lot of tourism. On the other hand, it’s hard to believe it ISN’T one of the most highly sought after destinations: Egremni Beach is one of the best beaches in Europe, and the island is home to important sights like the Nydri medieval castle of Agia Mavra. Lefkada is also famous for its kitesurfing community. If you’re a kitesurfer, you’ll want to check it out. And if you’re not, maybe it’s time to try something new?