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My husband treated me to an unforgettable 40th birthday present - a trip to beautiful Iceland. The country had so many remarkable things to offer: gorgeous Icelandic ponies; dramatic, icy waterfalls; rocky black-sand beaches; brillant, dancing Northern Lights. One of my favorite features though was the gorgeous lighting that the short winter days cast. The sun rises around 10:30 a.m., stays just above the horizon all day, and then starts to set at around 4:30 p.m. The result: landscape bathed in a soft alpenglow all day, a photographer’s dream lighting. Vik, the southernmost village in Iceland, was a scenic coastal town with just around 300 residents. Vik’s black basalt beach that contrasted dramatically with the bright white snow on the mountains created a breathtaking scene, especially when coupled with the pinks and blues cast by the setting sun. My husband and I look forward to returning to Iceland in the summer to see what the landscape looks like covered in bright green rather than snow and for some amazing hiking.

Carleton Point is the historic site of the first settlement on Treasure Cay Beach, where 600 Americans loyal to the British migrated in 1783, at the end of the American Revolutionary War, preferring to live in the British-controlled Bahamas rather than the newly independent United States of America. The settlement they built was named Carleton Point after Sir Guy Carleton, a British military commander in New York who oversaw the evacuation of the Loyalists. The settlement was short-lived, however, as the Loyalists abandoned it in 1785 after a hurricane hit, but artifacts have been uncovered at the site, and a plaque now marks its location.

The Atlantis Hotel is the focal point of Dubai‘s giant cluster of man-made isthmuses that jut out into the Persian Gulf. Even if you can’t afford to stay at this spectacular hotel, you can still go see what the decadent expat lifestyle feels like for the day by swimming with dolphins in Dolphin Bay or splashing about in the rivers, slides, and pools of Dubai‘s largest water park: Aquaventure. If that doesn’t float your boat (sorry), there’s Atlantis’s dive center, in which you can go diving in a nearly 3 million–gallon tank. You’ll literally be swimming with the sharks (and stingrays) this time. In Atlantis, don’t be surprised to find yourself feeding the rays next to a celebrity—this is one of the places they stay in Dubai.

Bypass the roadside watering holes and take a boat ride to Floyd’s Pelican Bar, instead. This thatched hut stands on stilts out in the water, making it a dreamy spot for an afternoon of swimming and shooting the breeze, solo or with friends. It’s 30 minutes from Treasure Beach (arrange a boat ride through your guesthouse or resort), and you can arrive for lunch and stay until after sundown for the just-caught fish, rum, and chilled Red Stripe on the menu. Inside the tiny shack, the flags of various countries hang and previous customers have left messages scrawled on planks and benches. Sit outside and watch the pelicans flying in formation across the horizon.

Immortalized on celluloid in the film Lost in Translation, the modernist Park Hyatt may have the sexiest cocktail bar in all of Tokyo. The rest of the property—set on the upper floors of the three connecting columns of the 770-foot Shinjuku Park Tower—is just as attractive, with a bamboo garden, swimming pool, and restaurant seated high in the sky. The interiors are the work of Pritzker Prize–winning architect Kenzo Tange and designer John Morford, ornamented with wood, woven abaca, and granite to add warmth to the hotel’s sleek glass surfaces. Starting at just under 600 square feet, guest rooms are practically palatial and include glass knobs that let you control everything from the lights to the curtains right from your bed, as well as walls paneled with rare water elm from Hokkaido, some sourced from trees that were submerged in lakes for up to 2,000 years.

Cavas Wine Lodge is the quintessential romantic retreat. Located on a secluded vineyard in the heart of Mendoza’s wine country, the peaceful property offers 17 very private villas, which appear to have grown organically amid the 55-acre working vineyard. The boutique hotel is named after its 3,000-bottle wine cellar, where the in-house sommelier hosts complimentary wine tastings each evening. There’s also a tranquil spa, delicious restaurant and, during the February through April harvest, an array of exciting activities at the lodge.

The hotel’s dynamic husband-and-wife owners, Cecilia Diaz Chuit and Martin Rigal, personally attend to guests with a warmth that permeates the entire experience. Designed for romantic getaways, each villa has a secluded sun deck with a panoramic view of the snowcapped Andes Mountains, plus a wood-burning fireplace and a private plunge pool.

Is it lunch? Or a snack? Or perhaps an appetizer before you head across the street to Denali Brewpub? Oh, who cares—just make sure you eat some of the spinach bread served up out of the gleaming Airstream on Main Street. A word of warning: There are a few times each summer when the Airstream takes the brakes off to head to the festivals and fairs. If the Alaska State Fair is on (late August to early September), you’ll have to go there to get some of the spinachy cheesy goodness. Wash it down with the not-too-sweet limeade.

Orlando’s centerpiece lake sits right in the middle of downtown, close to the pretty neighborhood and dining district of Thornton Park. A pedestrian-only path fringing the water stretches for nearly a mile, offering visitors a great place to stroll or jog. Along the lake you’ll also find an amphitheater for concerts and festivals, a picturesque pagoda overlook, and a kiosk where you can rent pedal boats shaped like swans. Bring the kids to feed the ducks and swans, or visit the farmers’ market, which takes place on the lake’s southeast corner every Saturday morning.

This colorful, photography-friendly collection of the one-eyed glass artist’s work is more than just another tourist attractions. The Northwest room, with its ceramics, textile art, Pendleton blankets, and photography of Native Americans, is a nod to the traditional arts that inspired Chihuly’s work. Playful, brightly colored glass is everywhere: oversized spheres piled into a rowboat, sea creatures and undulating glass ribbons that evoke the movement of the ocean, and fanciful “flowers” in the outdoor garden. The gift shop is large, with a nice selection of gifts, novelties, and Pendleton blankets. King County residents get a $4 discount off admission. Great for visitors, residents, and anyone who has a nice digital camera they’re itching to try out.

Around 11,000 humpbacks—a quarter to a third of the global population, by some estimates—visit Hawaii from November until early May. They migrate here to mate and give birth. Intensely focused on procreation, these marine mammals don’t eat and can lose up to a third of their body weight while frisking in warmer waters. Nonetheless, the gray giants remain impressive, reaching 52 feet long and weighing up to 40 tons. That bulk doesn’t deter them from spectacular aerial displays of breaching and slapping the surface with their heads, fins, or tails, though! Boat tours like Captain Dan McSweeney’s Whale Watch Learning Adventures remain popular, but you can also spot these amazing creatures off the western Kohala Coast or Holoholokai Beach Park, and from campgrounds in Waipiʻo or Pololū valleys.

Why we love it: An all-inclusive resort with enough restaurants and activities to satisfy the whole family

The Highlights:
- Reservation-free dining at four on-site restaurants included in your stay
- The Clubhouse Kids Club, with daily activities at no extra charge
- Diamond Club perks like butler service, discounted spa services, and access to a private beach

The Review:
Opened in March 2020 on Tamarind Bay, Royalton Grenada brings a trusted brand to the Spice Island. At this all-inclusive property, just like at other Royalton Luxury Resorts, everything from no-reservation dining and drinks to non-motorized watersports, a variety of workout classes, and access to tennis courts, pools, and a pristine, white-sand beach are part of the stay. Guests can also look forward to an international buffet at Gourmet Marche, plus a la carte options like Taj, an Indian-inspired restaurant; Grazie, an Italian trattoria; and Ma Maison, a French bistro. There are even five bars and two cafes. Perfect for families, the resort features a supervised kids’ club for children ages 4 through 12, as well as activities like snorkeling, kayaking, and live performances at an open-air theater. When adults need a break, there’s the Royal Spa, complete with a hydrotherapy circuit and full range of massage, facial, and body treatments.

At 269 rooms, Royalton Grenada is one of the larger properties on the island, but accommodations are still sleek, done up in whites, woods, and royal blue accents. Each has either a balcony or terrace, plus a rain shower and Royalton’s signature DreamBed. For guests wanting a bit more, the on-site Diamond Club offers larger suites that include access to an exclusive beach and pool, an upgraded room service menu, butler service, discounts on spa treatments, and admission to the Diamond Club Lounge, which is filled with complimentary snacks, appetizers, and desserts.

From the moment you touch down on the grounds of the 135-acre working cocoa farm, a stay at the Fond Doux feels like a step back in time. It begins in your suite, one of 15 cottages that have been lovingly restored by owners Lyton and Eroline Lamontagne in the colonial style, with traditional gingerbread trim, four-poster beds, and pastel walls. Though some cottages have private plunge pools, you’ll want to make your way to the cascading main pool, which overlooks a verdant rain-forest glen. If all this sounds a little sleepy, don’t fret: A free shuttle is available to whisk guests to nearby Sugar Beach, and frequently rotating minibuses pass the hotel on their way to restaurants and shops 10 minutes away in Soufrière.

Expect no less than over-the-top extravagance at Laucala, a resort island in Fiji with its own rental submarine. Bring friends: The island has 25 villas spread out over 4.6 square miles, with a rain forest, beaches, cliffs, a lagoon, and one of the island’s highest hilltops literally in their backyards.

From the outside, San Giorgio looks like one of Greece’s ubiquitous whitewashed homes. Inside, traditional Greek textiles and locally made furniture adorn the 33 unfussy rooms. Most feature rough-hewn wooden dressers, large circular jute rugs, and beds canopied with mosquito netting. Some have terraces with views of the Aegean Sea. Guests can relax during the day in cocoonlike hanging swings near the pool or take a 10-minute walk to the popular beaches Paradise and Paranga. In the evenings, it’s not uncommon for DJs such as Bob Sinclar or David Guetta to make guest appearances in the hotel’s open-air lounge.

Much more than just a restaurant or smoothie stop, Choice Health Bar is a culinary fusion of food, lifestyle, and positivity. This small restaurant in the Lahaina industrial park serves fresh kale salads and heaping acai bowls. The place is a favorite hangout for island locals from surfers and paddlers to vegans. Just because it’s healthy, don’t think the food will taste like cardboard. Creative concoctions pepper a menu that is constantly being reinvented, and you’d never expect that a quinoa quiche could possibly taste so good. Locals also love Choice for the laid-back atmosphere and powerful, positive vibes. A sign on the door informs all patrons that this is officially a “bummer free zone,” and instead of simply “super-sizing” your meal, you can “make it epic” with ‘superfoods’ like kale and cacao. Consistently voted as the island’s top pick for healthy, vegan cuisine, Choice is the absolute best spot on the West Side for infusing your body with nutrients.