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Built in 1928 by Asia’s oldest hotel brand, the Peninsula Hong Kong is one of the most historic properties on the Kowloon Peninsula, just across Victoria Harbour from Hong Kong Island. Designed originally as an upscale accommodation for passengers riding the adjacent Kowloon-Canton railway, the Peninsula has been a fixture of Hong Kong society throughout the region’s history. It was a magnet for Hollywood stars and dignitaries, the site of Hong Kong’s surrender to Japanese forces at the start of World War II, and temporary housing for residents following the war.

In 1994, a 30-story tower was added to house 135 additional rooms and suites as well as shops, a spa, a fitness center, twin rooftop helipads, and Felix—the hotel’s 28th-floor fine-dining restaurant, designed by Philippe Starck. The entire property was renovated in 2013 to update rooms with creamy colors, polished wood, and stitched leather and introduce high-tech extras that include a bedside control panel allowing guests to adjust the room’s light, sound, and temperature without getting out from under the covers. Today, the hotel is sleek and modern, but historic relics evoke the glory days that established the Peninsula as the “Grande Dame of the Far East.”

Growing up I did not have access to anything like Disney so for a weekend I too was a kid again and love it :). I loved the rides and I really loved the parade. Both the kids and us were mesmerized by the colors and music. I recommend going during the off season and on a week day. That way the lines are really short and the waiting time is not more than 10 minutes.

In a regal redwood grove along the Big Sur coast lies a place “where nothing happens,” according to its proprietors. The highway traffic noise disappears, the filtered sunlight takes on the quality of stained glass, and the earthy smell of the forest is enough to cleanse your mind of digital and other distractions. This quiet altar of wisdom and irreverence serves as a bookstore and art hub focused on promoting the works of author Henry Miller, who lived in Big Sur between 1944 and 1962. The library hosts events throughout the year, but especially from May to October, including concerts, lectures, and book signings. The annual Big Sur International Short Film Screening Series occurs outside, in the redwood amphitheater. In the winter, the library takes on the aura of a writer’s retreat, when time stretches endlessly forward and you can spend hours browsing books, nursing a cup of coffee, and watching the light and shadows change the landscape outside the windows. Unlike a library, there’s no borrowing here, but what you walk away with may just be richer than any physical possession.

This refined 28-acre resort set in the rolling hills between downtown Sonoma and downtown Napa makes guests feel relaxed the moment they check in. The vistas are unobstructed from the resort’s pool areas, and many of the property’s 94 stand-alone cottages with private balconies and six private homes offer views of the open space, too. By day, lawn games are usually underway on the grassy expanse called the Town Square, while in the evenings, a pavilion provides an unparalleled backdrop for stargazing. This is a hotel that values fresh air, as evidenced by the walls in the common areas, which retract to bring the outdoors in. There are other reasons to fall in love with Carneros—namely, the on-site restaurants. The casual Boon Fly Café is famous for breakfasts, with spicy bacon Bloody Mary drinks and tiny made-to-order doughnuts. FARM, on the other hand, is more formal, with menu items such as braised oxtail terrine and smoked Sonoma duck breast. While the hotel offers in-room massages, it will also reopen its spa after a full-scale renovation later in 2018.

Bike culture is a core part of the Copenhagen lifestyle. One way to experience this is to take advantage of Copenhagen’s relatively new tourist bikes. These are the white bikes located throughout the city (check the website for pickup points). You can pick up the bike, and rent it on the spot. The bikes have LCD screens with directions and electric engines to supplement your peddle power. When you’re done, you just return the bike to the nearest empty station and you’re all set!

While Glasgow’s city centre is the place to go for high-end international names, the cobbled lanes of the West End shelter a more eclectic range of shops. At the centre of this scene is Cresswell Lane, which is a one stop shop for everything from homeware to jewellery and one off gifts.

Hungry customers line up and down the block for a seat at Café Sarafornia, without question Calistoga’s most popular brunch and lunch spot. The restaurant offers a California spin on an old-school diner, turning out pancakes, corned beef hash, and cheese blintzes. Breakfast is available all day—at least until the restaurant closes (at 2:30 p.m. daily). Café Sarafornia is particularly fun for kids, who can order off special menus and receive crayons and activity mats when they sit down. Local historians say the restaurant dates back nearly 120 years to when Calistoga was known as a resort town.

If you’re concerned about the provenance of handcrafts and whether your purchase will genuinely benefit the craftsperson or artist who made it, then confine your shopping to FONART. This government-sponsored project ensures that all of its products were made by Mexican artists and that creators receive a fair rate for their work. Prices here are higher than you’ll find for similar goods sold in the city’s markets, but you can rest easy knowing that the hand-painted wooden chest, embroidered blouse, or black pottery from Oaxaca was made by a legitimate artisan who will receive payment for their craft.

Many of the Mexico City markets, especially La Ciudadela, sell huipiles, the loose-fitting, hand-embroidered blouses that many Mexican women traditionally wore. Sometimes, though, you can’t be sure of their provenance and quality isn’t always consistent. At FONART, the National Fund for the Development of Artisans, however, you can be sure that the huipiles and other pieces of clothing you’re buying, such as scarves, are handmade by artisans who are from Mexico, and that they’re crafted from the finest traditional materials. FONART has several stores in Mexico City, including one centrally located on Avenida Reforma near the Fiestamericana Hotel and this one near the Alameda on Avenida Juárez.

Surrounded by bold artwork inside and magnificent ocean views outside, guests are never quite sure where to direct their gaze when they arrive at Ellerman House. A stay here is a bit like visiting an elegant and attentive friend, starting with the complimentary airport pickup straight through all the thoughtful, personalized touches (guests might find a bottle of their favorite vodka already stocked in their room). The hotel owner is a well-known aficionado of South African art, and his private collection graces the walls of the guestrooms and public spaces. True art fans should be sure to visit the on-site gallery to view masterpieces by Louis Maqhubela, Wayne Barker, and Angus Taylor. If it’s not occupied, also sneak a peek at the breathtaking wine gallery, which features a wall made of soil from the Cape Winelands and a spiral-shaped wine rack modeled after a corkscrew.

Sitting on the edge of a cliff, this luxuriously appointed hotel makes for one of the best spots in Cape Town for a sundowner. Have a cocktail on the terrace while watching the fiery African sun meet the tumultuous Atlantic waves.

This sprawl of green—132 acres’ worth—is an oasis for urbanites. The park’s centerpiece, the Nashville Parthenon, is a full-scale replica of the Grecian structure and a physical testimony to Nashville’s “Athens of the South” nickname. The park’s bandshell hosts Shakespeare in the Park and occasionally serves as the site of the popular Movies in the Park, but because this is Nashville, a free live music series called Musicians Corner dominates the summer programming. On Saturday afternoons from May through September, music lovers, families, and pets gather to enjoy an impressive lineup of musicians, as well as local food trucks and a beer garden. Recent performers have included Preservation Hall Jazz Band and local favorites Rayland Baxter, Cale Tyson, and Langhorne Slim.

This sprawling, 165-room mansion may be known as Hearst Castle, but officially, it’s called La Cuesta Encantada (“The Enchanted Hill”), former owner William Randolph Hearst’s affectionate name for the property. Designed by legendary California architect Julia Morgan to the newspaper magnate’s specifications, Hearst Castle was considered completed in 1947, even though it was still unfinished. Now a national historic landmark and museum dedicated to art and excess, it’s filled with Egyptian, Greek, and Roman antiquities, along with Old Master European artwork, Chinese and Near Eastern art, and art deco items—25,000 artifacts in all. There’s always something blooming in the 127 acres of gardens, whether it’s sweet-smelling hyacinth, walls of magenta bougainvillea, fragrant star jasmine, or orange California poppies (the state flower). Don’t get overwhelmed by the numbers during a visit here. Most tours of the estate focus on certain areas, instead of the entire grounds. Pro tip: The Hearst Castle private tour, a four-hour, in-depth exploration of the lavish grounds and mansion, is well worth it. The customized route can access any areas of the estate that are available to the public, but since it’s limited to a maximum of six guests, you can cover a lot of ground with your private guide and get information that shorter tours can only touch upon.

San Miguel is known as a community of artists, but to fully appreciate that understatement, every traveler should get closer to the city’s arts community. This village is a place where many have reinvented themselves as the next Picasso or Basquiat. First stop? The art galleries at Fábrica la Aurora, where visitors browse, shopping to add to their collections, with choices from the genres of painting, drawing, and sculpture. Longtime local favorites include Peter Leventhal—whose Rubenesque nudes adorn many a wall across the globe—and his wife, multimedia artist Terra Mizwa; abstract artist Merry Calderoni; and Annie Evans, whose sculptures of devilish women are mesmerizing. Art galleries also abound in the Centro and nearby San Antonio district. Events calendars detail monthly art walks.

Narrow, deep, and steep, the Royal Gorge—also known as the Grand Canyon of the Arkansas River—is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Colorado. This 10-mile canyon near Cañon City, about an hour from Colorado Springs, is one of the deepest in the state, dropping 1,200 feet from the rim to the river below. The Royal Gorge Bridge and Park draws families and thrill-seekers alike. Built in 1929, the 1,260-foot-long bridge is the highest in the country, stretching 955 feet above the river—and it’s extremely popular with tourists, who walk across it to take in the fantastic views. It’s also the centerpiece of the city-run amusement park, where those looking for a bigger thrill can strap into the Royal Rush Skycoaster for a 50 mph free fall into the depths of the canyon or glide across it on a gondola or zip line. And if you’d like to experience the gorge from the bottom, the Royal Gorge Train departs from Cañon City, offering several classes of trains and service, with open-air and bar cars.

Götubarinn—the name simply means “Street Bar"—is one of Akureyri’s friendliest and most atmospheric local pubs. Located in the heart of the city, it features cozy nooks for intimate conversations, a quirky interior design that includes old street signs and a piano that plays a central role in the bar’s occasional sing-alongs.

The success of the TV drama Borgen has piqued international interest in the building that houses the Danish government. Christiansborg Palace (from which Borgen takes its name) is also the tallest tower in the city center, and it’s free to visit though you will have to go through airport-style security to get in. There’s a viewing platform or, better yet, go to the casual restaurant in the tower. One of the most unusual and memorable places to dine in Copenhagen, the belfry-like eatery has a Harry Potter–like charm, with casts of sculptures left over from the time the space was used as a storage room.