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To begin to understand the true wilderness that occupies most of the southern tip of Florida, there is nothing like a visit the 734-square-mile wetland preserve of Everglades National Park. More than a national treasure, the park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, deemed important to the greater culture of all of humanity, and is the largest tropical wilderness in the USA. Among the many and diverse species that dwell here are manatees, Florida alligators, American crocodiles, Florida panthers, and the state’s elusive black bear, in addition to several unwanted invasive species including Burmese pythons. From Miami, the best access point is Shark Valley, where you can ride a 15-mile loop through the park aboard a tram, climb an observation tower for panoramic views, and walk out to viewing decks to spot alligators, birds, and more. For the more adventurous, there are several outfitters who can take you deeper into the Everglades on kayaking tours to visit a pristine wilderness few people on the planet get lucky enough to witness.

Get up, up, and away with Lake Tahoe Balloons. The company launches its colorful hot air balloons not from land but from the surface of the lake via the Tahoe Flyer, the world’s only certified balloon launch-and-recovery boat. Trips begin with a 5:30 a.m. boat ride to the mid-lake launch site. Once the balloon is in the air, passengers and pilot float up to 3,000 feet above the water’s surface for bird’s-eye views of the entire Tahoe basin. On the clearest days, views extend southward all the way to Yosemite National Park. After the flight, everybody celebrates with a champagne toast—then heads back to their hotel for a nap.

In a city like Houston, which is bursting with international flavor, it’s not difficult to find fantastic Indian food. But Anita Jaisinghani, co-owner of the beloved Indika, serves up the best of the best with Pondicheri. The menu here revolves around unique takes on India’s street foods, including pakoras and a daily selection of samosas. In terms of main dishes, the best way to sample what’s being offered is by getting the vegetable or meat thali—a daily selection of dishes and sides perfect for sharing. Other standouts include desi fries (French fries dusted with Indian spices), naan with roasted garlic, and fresh-baked cookies.

The Rome Cavalieri, like the Hassler and St. Regis, is synonymous with five-star luxury in Rome. The hotel, opened in the 1960s, channels a Versailles-meets–Dolce Vita vibe, and given its unbridled opulence, it’s a top destination for honeymooners and jet-setters seeking the ultimate comforts. Its location atop Montemario, a hillside residential district north of the Vatican, offers spectacular views of the city from various terraced levels and many of the rooms. The very location, affording such panoramas, is also a drawback for travelers wishing to be in the thick of it all, so the Rome Cavalieri is best suited to those who relish spending significant time in the hotel rather than out on the town.

There are plenty of appealing amenities for guests who choose to stick around the property. The outdoor pools, the finest in Rome, are set amid lush gardens. The pool area doubles as a sort of private club for local elite and is ripe for Italian athlete and celebrity sightings. Back inside, the lobby and rooms are sumptuously furnished and feature antiques and original works of art.

Known for generations as the Pink Princess, this legend opened its doors in 1885 and remains one of the largest and most celebrated hotels in Bermuda. Fresh off a $100 million renovation in 2016, the 170 rooms and suites are now what you’d expect from a Fairmont-managed property—clean, modern, and comfortably luxurious, all with water views—while public spaces have been elevated by an exceptional collection of modern art (Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, and Ai Weiwei are just some of the luminaries who grace the walls). The new infinity pool has gorgeous views over the harbor, the spa offers treatments and fitness classes in partnership with noted brand exhale, and the marina’s water-sports team can organize everything from kayak and Jet ski rentals to paragliding lessons. Guests also have exclusive access to a private beach club on Sinky Bay—just 20 minutes away from the hotel via complimentary shuttle—which features water hammocks and snorkeling-friendly waters. Back at the resort, dining options include the buzzing Marcus, serving signature dishes from celebrated chef Marcus Samuelsson, and more casual options highlighting fresh seafood and local rum.

Penguins, igloos, and snowfall in Hyderabad? Welcome to Snow World, the only facility in India and the largest in the world that combines an amusement park and subzero temperatures. After paying a small entrance fee, visitors are given warm clothing, waterproof shoes, and a cup of hot soup to acclimate to the temperatures. Snow World features slides, basketball courts, play areas, igloos, bumper cars, an ice skating rink, and even an ice hotel. During construction, over 200 tons of artificial snow was layered on the floor using a patented technology from Australia. The top layer of snow is cleaned daily and then topped with an additional three tons of snow. The water is also filtered four times before being generated to snow, so it is safe if consumed - accidentally or otherwise. Perhaps the most charming feature of Snow World is the actual snowfall for ten minutes every hour. The smiles here are contagious.

With artist Mark di Suvero’s 48-foot-tall Ad Astra installation—the only indoor public display of the artist’s work in the world—rising from the central atrium, it’s clear that this is no ordinary shopping mall. And that’s just how the founders planned it: Opened in 1965 by the Nasher family—who also founded the world-class Nasher Sculpture Center in the Arts District—NorthPark Center helped define retail shopping in the Southwest with its modern architecture, state-of-the-art facilities (at one point, it was the largest climate-controlled mall in the world), private art collection, and upscale shops. Over the years, it has remained a popular retail option for locals—and one of the city’s top tourist destinations, welcoming more that 26 million visitors a year. Following a $250 million, 1.2-million-square-foot expansion in 2006, it now features an upgraded cineplex, more drinking and dining options, a central garden, and hundreds of stores from both mass-market international brands and luxury labels; there’s also been a Neiman Marcus outpost here since the beginning. When you get tired of shopping for pretty things, there are pretty things to look at, too, including works by Andy Warhol, Frank Stella, James Rosenquist, and more.

D.H. Lawrence detested it. Langston Hughes loved it. It’s probably safe to say that no one who has seen bullfighting comes away ambivalent about it. If you can stomach the blood and the inevitable death of the bull (and, perhaps, the injury of the matador), then a Sunday afternoon at Plaza México, the largest bullring in the world, is one place to experience a centuries-old tradition. The Spanish brought bullfighting to Mexico when they arrived in the New World, and though the sport has become increasingly controversial in recent years (it’s even been banned entirely in the Mexican states of Coahuila, Guerrero, and Sonora, and its prohibition has been discussed–but not yet passed– in Mexico City), it’s one of the few places where such formality, pageantry, skill, and–yes, some would say– savagery can be witnessed for the price of a few pesos.

More than a local institution dating back to the 1850s, the Café Tortoni ranks among the world’s most famous salons. As vintage photos here show, the columned establishment has hosted more literary figures than you can count. Play billiards while you enjoy a latte, or order from the full restaurant menu.

This hotel is on our list of The 10 Best Hotels in Canada.

First opened for business in 1912, the iconic Ritz-Carlton Montreal—known as “the grande dame of Sherbrooke Street"—began a $200 million facelift in 2008, opening its doors again in 2012. Quebec’s most luxurious and historic hotel could tell endless celebrity secrets but is, of course, far too discreet to utter a word. It’s no secret, though, that Elizabeth Taylor married Richard Burton here, that the Rolling Stones rented the entire sixth floor in 1972, and that a who’s who of world leaders, movie stars, and royalty are still regular guests. Situated in the downtown culture and shopping hub that is the Golden Square Mile, the hotel oozes money-is-no-object luxury from every pore: from the ornate duck pond and immaculately manicured garden and terrace to the 100-year-old chandeliers, the sweeping staircases, and the belle époque golden glow of the lobby and palm court. Rooms have a white-and-gray minimalist palette with splashes of signature purple. Antiques and original features blend with ultra high-tech design such as Japanese Toto toilets in all bathrooms, heated floors, and motion-sensor lighting.

Spend the night nestled under the Golden Gate Bridge in the most dignified of accommodations: the former living quarters of high-ranking officers in the U.S. Army. Cavallo Point is the result of the luxurious reimagining of a cluster of military lodges located within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, just over the bridge in Marin County. Today, the 142-room hotel serves as a retreat for in-the-know travelers and locals looking for an easy, elevated escape from everyday city life. Original brick fireplaces and beamed ceilings mingle with modern finishes and furnishings, such as butter-soft leather sofas and whitewashed Adirondack chairs. The expansive grounds are meant to be explored on foot or bicycle. The Wellness Weekend package includes all meals, prepared with an emphasis on health at Murray Circle restaurant, morning yoga classes, guided hikes, a spa treatment, nightly wine receptions, and plenty of free moments to soak in the serene meditation pool—the very best kind of boot camp.

Each Tuesday around 7:30pm, locals from in around central Mérida descend on the square in Parque Santiago to dance “danzon” under the stars at the weekly event called “Remembranzas Musicales”. A form of dance and music, “danzón” was introduced from Cuba to México in the early Twentieth Century. Cuban inspired rhythms from the 1930’s and 40’s are just what is takes to get this crowd moving. Each week, elegant ladies and immaculately dressed men kick up their heels to live music provided by the City Band. The average age of the dancers is north of 50, but they know their moves and it always draws a festive crowd. Everybody is welcome to join in, even if you are not the worlds best dancer. If not, you can take a seat on the sidelines and simply enjoy the festivities. Also, with a night market of restaurants adjacent to the plaza and tables spilling out under the night sky, its a great spot to enjoy the show while sampling local dishes like panuchos, salbutes, tamales and sopa de lima. Parque Santiago is in Mérida Centro, four blocks from Méridas main plaza. It is located in 59 street between 70 and 72. The neighborhood of Santiago, in which the park is located is a colorful colonial era neighborhood full of life. With all the music, food and color, it is also one of the best neighborhoods to stay in. Great vacation rentals ideas with pools and other great amenites are yours by the night, week or month at http://www.remixto.com/. (Images courtesy of Mérida.gob.mx)

Contemporary art can sometimes be pretentious or obscure, but DHC/ART adds an edgy sense of wit, with exhibitions ranging from the visual puns of Ceal Floyer to the exuberant portraits of John Currin. 451 rue St.-Jean, (514) 849-3742.

I don’t use the word “best” lightly, but Salvaggio’s deserves it. For decades, they’ve been serving up the best classic sandwiches in Boulder at their three locations—a kiosk on Pearl St. in front of the courthouse, a shop at 26th and Pearl St. and one up on University Hill. They use all Boar’s Head meat, fresh baked bread, and wonderfully spicy chilis. In the morning, they do big sloppy egg sandwiches.

Big baggy aloha shirts—that could double as canoe sails—goodbye. Instead head to this Chinatown boutique, featuring the sharp, tapered designs of the eponymous Roberta Oaks. She draws on her hippie, farmhouse childhood and mid-century modern Hawai‘ian flair to create prints, which she then combines with a more fitted and form-flattering modern silhouette. These fabrics also take a star turn on graceful day dresses and even doggie bandanas. Open since 2009, this alluring boutique goes beyond attire, selling jewelry, candles, surf photography, and scents like Sándalo (a moody meditation on the islands’ vulcanism with ash, patchouli, and Royal Hawai‘ian sandalwood).