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The cafés that line the streets of Paris make an easy option for a quick lunch. But not all cafés are created equal, and you don’t want to end up at one that heats up frozen meals and drowns salads in industrial vinaigrette. Follow the crowd of locals to a café you can count on: Café Varenne. Every afternoon, the red leather booths fill up with gallery owners, stay-at-home parents, politicians from the nearby government offices, and shoppers from Le Bon Marché. Favorite dishes here include a tomato tartare with crayfish on a bed of green beans, and grand-mère’s roast chicken; at dessert, the lemon meringue tart is hard to resist.

Right by the Pile Gate, in a beautifully restored maritime school, Restaurant Nautika feels special even before you taste the food. With mesmerizing views of Kolorina Bay beyond and Lovrijenac Fortress looming overhead, this elegant restaurant has a fresh spark about it. The chef often does the marketing himself, browsing the stalls at the local market for organic and locally grown produce and freshly caught seafood—the only ingredients used at Nautika. The kitchen works magic with the ultra-local stuff, turning out small wonders like lobster medallions and sesame-crusted tuna. The inspired cuisine, especiailly when coupled with the location make the Nautika experience nothing short of spectacular. (If the view isn’t enough, you can occasionally spot celebrities among your fellow diners.)

Travelers looking to trade the urban confines of Hobart or Launceston for a more rugged experience without sacrificing on comfort should consider a weekend away at Cradle Mountain Lodge, a wilderness resort and spa that’s tucked away in Tasmania’s Central Highlands. While the forested location on the edge of Cradle Mountain–Lake St. Clair National Park and ample hiking opportunities are enough of a draw—it’s not uncommon to see rambling wombats or, occasionally, more elusive Tasmanian devils in the immediate surroundings—Cradle Mountain Lodge operates as a destination unto itself, with a glass-walled spa that looks onto verdant King Billy pines and hotel-style suites and stand-alone cottages with gas and log fireplaces and private balconies. Rough-hewn wood, leather, and stone greet you in the Highland Restaurant, which impresses with its extensive wine list and strong emphasis on locally harvested ingredients (think ratatouille ravioli and wallaby porterhouse with pumpkin cream).

In the southwest of Providenciales, this national park encompasses the tranquil Chalk Sound lagoon, a large expanse of shallow water connected to the ocean by a small channel. Check out the fringe of jagged limestone, called ironshore, along the shorelines of the lagoon and its small islets. You can rent a car and explore scenic Chalk Sound Drive, or you can stop at Las Brisas Restaurant to rent kayaks for a paddling adventure. See if you can spot stingrays and small sharks finning through the water, or the local rock iguanas foraging on the islands.

Tucked behind Sheikh Zayed Road and its imposing skyscrapers, Al Satwa is a low-tech hot spot for all your tailoring needs: Patch up an old skirt, tailor a designer dress, or get fitted for a custom-made Indian sari. The textile stores here offer rainbows of colors and materials at affordable prices, and their staff will happily recommend tailors nearby. Dubbed Little Manila by locals, Al Satwa is also home to a Filipino supermarket, where you can buy kabocha squash and banana blossoms. Cap off your visit with a stroll through Al Satwa’s 2nd December Street, named to commemorate UAE’s National Day, with many works of art celebrating Emirati national culture.

The renowned Meadowood Resort mixes the grandeur of a chalet with the amenities of a five-star resort—located in a private canyon within minutes of downtown St. Helena. The shaded, secluded property revolves around 99 rooms, most of which have high and exposed ceilings, private patios or balconies, wainscoted walls, and beds so comfortable you may never want to get up. Other amenities make Meadowood distinctive, too: Many rooms have heated bathroom floors; some also have deep soaking tubs. Elsewhere on the 250-acre property, all guests have access to the on-site spa, which was renovated in 2017; an on-site fitness center; hiking trails; tennis courts; and a daily wine reception. There’s even a croquet lawn—feel free to grab a mallet and hit some balls or sign up to take lessons with the Napa Valley’s only croquet pro. Of course the on-site restaurant, The Restaurant at Meadowood, is another big draw. More casual meals can be ordered from The Grill. Guests are entitled to a complimentary house car for transport into St. Helena or Yountville.

Crawfish season is a big deal in Houston. But for a truly unique experience, head to Crawfish & Noodles in Chinatown. This easy-to-miss restaurant, tucked away in a strip mall on Bellaire Boulevard, is well worth the drive for its spicy mudbugs alone, served piping hot. If you want to eat like a local, order the blue crab, snow crab, or literally anything with noodles. There can be a wait during peak hours, so plan your visit accordingly. We also recommend taking the time to explore the rest of the neighborhood when you can. You simply can’t beat dim sum in Houston’s Chinatown on a weekend morning.

Rivaling the colors you’ll see below the sea on the coral reefs of Bonaire, the rainbow of Dutch-colonial buildings that line the streets of downtown Kralendijk—and especially Kaya Grandi, i.e., Main Street—will be worth your while, even if you don’t intend to shop at the neighborhood’s stores. But so much the better if you do: This is a serious retail mecca, with everything from duty-free outlets to local boutiques.

Cruising through Prince Christian Sound, passengers only see one sign of human habitation against the stark landscape: the tiny Inuit village called Aappilattoq, which means “sea anemone” in the local Greenlandic Inuit language. Aappilattoq sits perched at the edge of the water with towering mountains all around, making the village virtually inaccessible by land. The cluster of colorful houses is home to around 100 people, rugged individuals who mostly fish and hunt the harsh terrain as they live isolated from the outside world (except for the occasional arrival of a boat or helicopter).

Bloody Mary’s, entertaining tourists since it opened in 1979, is one of those Bora Bora experiences that simply must be done. The ambience is beach-bar hip, with sand floors, colored lights, and coconut stools in a dining room under a thatched roof and surrounded by tropical foliage. Even if you don’t eat here, at least come for a cocktail to experience the vibe and mingle with the crowd of local pension, or guesthouse, owners, visiting celebrities, and other travelers. The food’s quite good, too: Fresh fish, seafood, and meats are grilled, American-barbecue style, with tasty results.

This travel-inspired eatery got so popular that it moved to a larger space on University Avenue in August 2017. Once in the new location, executive pastry chef Kristianna Zabala was able to expand her menu (which changes daily) to include breakfast sandwiches and Montreal-style bagels alongside her usual blood-orange-Creamsicle and blueberry-lavender doughnuts. Available in a range of creative flavors, Zabala’s signature creations feature organic eggs and fresh ingredients from local farmers. Don’t leave without trying the classic ube-taro-coconut variety or the white-chocolate-mint-glazed doughnut with a passion-fruit-jalapeño drizzle, if they are available.

At Zupperia, it’s all about the soup—which makes this local favorite the ideal place to duck into after exploring Bergen on an icy cold day. Launched from humble beginnings, Zupperia is now one of Bergen’s most popular eateries, with four locations across the city. For a taste of Norway, go for the creamy fish soup or the reindeer and mushroom version, known as Rudolph Soup. International flavors are just as popular, including the creamy Thai favorite tom ka gai and the Eastern European–inspired goulash. Service is not the speediest, but the budget-friendly prices more than compensate. If you’re hungrier, a full range of main dishes is also available.

With ancient traditions and a rich history, Mayan society is a fascinating, integral part of Mexican culture and history. While immersed in the Museo Maya de Cancun you’ll forget all about the resorts outside and instead find yourself transported back onto the Mayan trade route. The sleekly modern museum is situated conveniently near most hotels and is definitely worth a visit.

Just east of the palace is the city’s vibrant fruit and vegetable market where farmers from the hinterland come to sell fresh produce every day from sunrise to lunchtime. This is where locals stock up on supplies for the family table, ranging from seasonal fruits and vegetables to local prosciutto, nuts and jams. Encircling the market are souvenir and clothing stalls.

North Star Pinball (or North Star Machines à Piastres, if you were wondering how to say pinball machine in French) is pretty much what you would expect from its name, a bar with a collection of about two dozen vintage pinball machines, most dating from the 1960s to the 1990s. There’s a long list of beers in bottles and on tap, cocktails (including seasonal specials), housemade ginger beer, and a short menu of bar snacks—pickled eggs, pepperoni, mixed nuts. Right on “the Main,” as locals refer to boulevard St-Laurent, the bar draws a loyal group of regulars who appreciate this no-attitude place.