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Ralph Brennan’s Red Fish Grill pairs eclectic, of-the-sea décor with some of the best seafood in town. Don’t miss the BBQ oysters with Crystal Hot Sauce and blue cheese dressing. Next door, Bourbon House is known for its towering plateaux de fruits de mer, which comes with oysters with caviar, boiled Gulf shrimp, mussels, crab fingers, and seafood salad, and its impressive bourbon selection. Donald Link’s latest endeavor, Peche, is to seafood what Cochon is to pork. On Magazine Street, Casamento’s is an institution for its oyster loaf and fried seafood platters, plus it’s fun to watch the hulking shuckers tackle piles of just-off-the-boat bivalves.

This Frenchmen Street landmark offers up a steady parade of remarkable local musicians from late afternoon until early morning, with an emphasis on foot-tapping traditional and swing jazz. Musicians play on a low stage against the front window; the curious wanderers outside press their noses up against the glass, providing yet another level of entertainment. Nobody comes here for elaborate cocktails—it’s more or less a beer-and-a-shot joint—but people do come here for music, and they come in droves. Plan to arrive early enough to nab a seat at the bar or along the wall, and you’ll have a good perch when things get going.

At the mouth of the Amazon, Marajó is the world’s largest fluvial (that is, river) island. With an area of 40,100 square kilometers (15,500 square miles), it is just a little smaller than Switzerland yet with a population of only some 250,000 residents. During the rainy season, much of this flat island becomes a vast lake. It is a popular destination for surfers, given the large waves created by the island’s tidal bore, and bird-watchers, who come in search of colorful species from scarlet ibises to blue herons.

The Spacehall Record Store is THE place to go to buy new or used records in Berlin. With plenty of listening stations, you can be sure you’re buying quality music. The space-like interior features some comfy (if not odd-shaped) couches and simple but quirky touches of design. Check out the room in the back to find good deals on used records. Or if you want some novelty band/DJ T-shirts, try the section up front.

New Mexico has the reputation for 364 days of sunshine every year. But occasionally it snows a lot, blanketing and softening the rocky scenery New Mexico is so famous for. Ghost Ranch is a conference center about 50 miles northwest of Santa Fe, made famous by Georgia O’Keeffe, who lived in Abiquiu for many years and painted almost every formation with her unique style. You can stay at Ghost Ranch or nearby Abiquiu in one of several B&Bs. For more information, consult the Ghost Ranch website.

A four-kilometer seaside promenade is the perfect place for a stroll at Scheveningen, a beach resort in Den Haag’s wealthy northernmost district. In addition to a sandy beach, colorful esplanade, pier and the Scheveningen lighthouse, there’s a Sea Life aquarium, Pathé cinema, the Steigenberger Kurhaus music theater, Scheveningen Museum and a casino. Trendy clubs, restaurants, surf schools and other water sports options line the wide Noorderstrand (North Beach) boulevard. After a three-year metamorphoses completed in 2013, the beach-side stretch offers the best of sun, sand and surf on Holland’s western coastline. Giant sculptures by the sea add a whimsical touch, while numerous bars and eating establishments provide spots to grab a drink or a meal while watching the action in the harbor.

Check out the rocking, hip and popular Cowgirl, a melding of Texas BBQ and New Mexico flavors and Old West style. Early evening, there’s happy hour including cheap, tasty margaritas. At night, patrons kick up their heels to live music. There’s a big patio outside for plenty of sipping.

Home Saaz is an Indian version of Bed, Bath and Beyond. The modern space offers large showrooms and solutions for interior decor. Although many items are contemporary and westernized, the real gems are the bedspreads, duvet covers, tablecloths, pillow coverings, and linens. There is also a line of women’s ethnic wear.

The Kinnekulle area on the south bank of Lake Vänern is a paradise. Home to 18 nature reserves, the unique geology and chalky soils provides the perfect growing conditions for plants like ramps, ivy and various rare species like wild orchids. Kinnekulle is often referred to as “the flowering mountain.” In May, seeing the white ramps bloom thickly over the lush fields of Munkängarna nature reserve and smelling their subtle scent of garlic is something you just have to experience for yourself. A former chalk quarry at the edge of forest is a lovely picnic spot, and there are a number of fishing holes. There are also many medieval churches in the area, some of which date back to the 12th century.

Plan on spending the better part of a day at the National World War II Museum, even if you profess limited interest in history. This fine, sprawling museum—formerly the D-Day Museum—is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, and was established here because of the role the locally made Higgins landing craft played on D-day. Don’t expect the usual repository of static artifacts, like machine guns and airplanes—although you will find those on display. It’s more about gathering stories, from film and oral histories, and from all sides of the conflict. The museum was the idea of Stephen Ambrose, noted author of books about WWII, who wanted to share with the public the interviews that didn’t make it into his books. It’s grown massively since its humble beginnings, and does a remarkable job of capturing the era through both a microscope and wide-angle lens.

The spirit of Jacques Cousteau is very much alive at this Encinitas restaurant, which specializes in tacos filled with local fish, organic meat, and fresh vegetables. The Cousteau taco—featuring catch of the day (like California halibut) with cumin-lime crema, mango salsa, and cabbage slaw—should be in the running for San Diego’s best fish taco. Equally delicious are the Azul (grass-fed flank steak, caramelized onions, mushrooms, blue cheese, arugula, and cilantro) and the vegan Veronica Corningstone (red quinoa, sweet potatoes, garlic, Daiya vegan cheese, avocado, and cilantro). One look at the menu and it’s easy to tell the owner is a movie buff—many of the items are named after famous characters, from Ron Burgundy to Kelly Leak from The Bad News Bears.

At the entrance of Lake Izabal stands a stone citadel. Built in the mid-1600s by the Spanish, the imposing structure thwarted thieving pirates from attacking the lake, which was used as a storage facility for transport goods. El Castillo de San Felipe later served as a prison. There are cannons and weapons along with sweeping natural vistas. The site is also home to myriad wildlife, including a variety of monkeys.

Only accessible by foot or horseback, Grand Gulch is a tributary canyon where water eventually flows to the San Juan River, which then ultimately flows into the Colorado River and Lake Powell. Home to the Anasazi people between 700 and 2,000 years ago, the area is rife with artifacts, from dwelling structures to artwork—all in impressive condition thanks to the cautious and respectful treatment of those who visited before you. Baskets were among the earliest relics to be found and potsherds can still be discovered here, hidden in the right spots to protect them from the weather.

Two plane flights, plus a drive and you arrive to this tiny island off the coast of Mozambique in the Bazaruto Archipelago. The former Indigo Bay Hotel was the nicest accommodation on the island when it opened in 2001. In May 2014, the property was touched up and relaunched by Anantara, giving travelers a comfortable base to experience Bazaruto’s natural beauty and local culture. The hotel has its own in-house naturalist and a whip-smart, PADI-certified dive instructor who can take guests snorkeling and diving. The Bazaruto Archipelago has been a national park since 1971 and is home to more than 100 species of coral, four types of whales, sea turtles, mantarays, dolphins, and it boasts the largest population of the rare dugong on the African east coast. In addition to water activities, Anantara can arrange cooking classes, horse riding, dune boarding, and bird watching (Bazaruto is home to 180 species of birds).

But this resort isn’t only for active types. It equally caters to sybarites who are seeking R&R in a remote place. The 44 villas are all spacious and many come with large outdoor patios with dining areas and plunge pools. A highlight is the spa, perched high above the property. Make sure to arrive early and save time after to truly enjoy the views. The resort works closely with the local community, many of whom are employed by the hotel. Guests can visit one of the local villages and observe some of the community projects Anantara helps fund. But the best way to get to know the locals is simply by interacting with the friendly staff.

Guests at Anantara Bazaruto Resort can opt to explore this very different side of the island by sandboard (think snowboarding down sand dunes), safari Jeep, or on horseback. I went on a horseback ride up at sunset. The uphill was lovely, but going down a towering sand dune atop a horse is about as scary as dropping down a double black diamond run on skis. But my horse mastered the vertical drop expertly. More terrifying than the drop was the ride around the freshwater lake, which my guide said is inhabited by 12-foot long Nile crocodiles. Luckily the few we saw were snoozing far away.

This funky boutique hotel on the edge of the Britomart shopping district goes way back in Auckland history. Built in 1841 as The Commercial Hotel, the DeBrett building survived two fires and two rebuilds plus a stint as a hostel before becoming the quirky place guests experience today. The Housebar has always been the center of hotel life, and today, the intimate wood-and-mint venue exudes its original art deco style and serves classic cocktails and local beers and wines alongside refined pub snacks.

In addition to restoring the bar and adding a glass-roofed atrium that houses the hotel restaurant, DeBretts Kitchen, the current owners affixed contemporary artwork and photography throughout and sheathed the entire building in candy-striped carpeting, custom designed from 100 percent New Zealand wool. Besides the carpet and small-batch minibar selections, no two rooms are the same. Each features unique furnishings from the 1930s on, and every bed has an original screenprinted throw. Two of Hotel DeBretts centerpieces, the chandelier and water sculpture in the restaurant, were crafted by Auckland artists from materials salvaged during the latest renovation. The result is a local experience from top to bottom that gives guests a real taste of New Zealand.