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This English-inspired hotel has been the place to stay in New Orleans for basically forever—well, since it opened in 1984, at least. It’s plush without being pompous, stately without being too serious, though it should be said that this is the kind of place where gents might wear a pocket square and watch fob and feel right at home. The $8 million art collection, which includes original works by Reynolds, Gainsborough, and Huysman, is museum-worthy (you can even take an audio tour), and the 4,500-square-foot spa, part of the 2012 $22 million renovation, is one of the city’s most luxurious. Other notable upgrades include the lobby cocktail bar—a more feminine alternative to the leather-clad Polo Club Lounge, and an outdoor pool.

Though his reputation is now arguably overshadowed by that of his former wife, painter and muralist Diego Rivera—commissioned by Mexico’s postrevolutionary governments starting in the late 1920s to adorn several national monuments in complex, pageantry- and allegory-laden wall paintings—was among the first Mexican artists to gain worldwide acclaim. Many of his finest works are on display in the Centro Histórico. Perhaps most spectacular are Rivera’s portrayals of Mexico’s millennia-long history, as seen in the Palacio Nacional on the Zócalo (Mexico City’s main square; take a state-issued ID for admission to the palace); a more contemporary depiction of socialist workers’ struggles (and one which includes a Frida Kahlo cameo) decorates a courtyard at the Secretariat of Public Education. One of the artist’s earliest pieces can be seen inside the amphitheater at the San Ildefonso museum. Additionally, the dazzling Sueño de una Tarde Dominical en la Alameda Central, a surrealist who’s-who of Mexico’s turbulent fin de siècle, is the chief artwork on display at the nearby Museo Mural Diego Rivera.

A handsome pueblo revival adobe building with a peaceful garden and courtyard, the New Mexico Museum of Art mounts small, rotating exhibits from its impressive 20,000-piece permanent collection. It includes well-known artists like Georgia O’Keeffe, Gustave Baumann, and members of the Taos Society of Artists (Ernest L. Blumenschein, Bert G. Phillips, Joseph H. Sharp), and noted 20th-century Southwest photographers like Ansel Adams. Don’t miss the special exhibits or the free Friday evenings (5–8 p.m.). The adjoining gift shop is a great place to pick up books, postcards, and jewelry.

The Municipal House, built in 1912, is a civic hall and concert theater in Prague. This Art Nouveau gem, decorated with allegorical sculptures, gold trim, and stained glass on the exterior, and topped with a glass dome, is a national heritage site. The Royal Court Palace was situated in this location from 1383 to 1485, Czechoslovakia’s independence was proclaimed here in 1918, and the first meetings between the communist government and Vaclav Havel were held here in 1989. The lobby features a sweeping, red-carpeted marble staircase, and the concert hall is decorated in carved stone, gold, shimmering lights, and frescoes. The romantic Francouzska Restaurant opened at the same time as the building did, and is known for its soaring ceilings, glass and gold chandeliers, and early 20th-century atmosphere.

Walk, cycle or people-watch along the shores of Elliott Bay, a downtown stretch known for its circusy flair and spectacular vistas. You can ride the Great Wheel or visit the beloved Seattle Aquarium, home to wolf eels, sea otters, and the world’s largest octopuses. Refuel with chowder from local favorite Ivar’s Acres of Clams, then hit the market’s 200 owner-operated shops, ranging from a radical book collection to the Northwest’s oldest magic store. Just don’t turn your back on the famous salmon-slinging fishmongers: They’ve been known to wallop selfie-photographers with a plastic decoy for yucks!

You’ll find branches of Emmerys, a popular bakery and café, throughout the city—there are more than 30 of them in Denmark, and the majority are in or around the capital. These bright, friendly places are perfect to pop into when you’re feeling peckish, and because they use 100 percent organic ingredients, you can have a hearty sandwich or salad—or indulge in one of their exceptionally tasty hazelnut chocolate croissants or brownies—with a clear conscience. The arabica coffee beans are also organic.

The Bo-Kaap was one of the few Cape Town neighborhoods to escape apartheid’s bulldozers—the cluster of bright buildings, once known as the Malay Quarter, housed many of the slaves who worked for the 17th-century Dutch colonialists. In this colorful area, you can also see some of the oldest, most beautiful mosques in the country, including the Auwal Mosque on Dorp Street. Upscale shops have been moving in lately, but don’t miss one of the originals, the spice merchant Atlas Trading Company. To go back in time, explore the Bo-Kaap Museum, furnished like the house of a typical 19th-century Muslim family.

Place des Arts, the jewel of the Quartier des Spectacles in the center of town, is a cultural complex attached to the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal that unites five performance spaces, including the Maison Symphonique de Montréal. It has two main performance arts spaces: Théâtre Maisonneuve, a nearly 1,500-seat modern-day rendition of a classical Italian theatre where dance organizations including Grands Ballets Canadiens regularly perform; Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, which with just under 3,000 seats is better suited for big, boisterous Opéra de Montréal productions; and the smaller, 400-seat Cinquième Salle, home to series of shows by Danse Danse, among others. Photo: Susan Moss

Set high above the St. Lawrence on Cap Diamant, overlooking Old Québec, this imposing yet inviting landmark is as much a lodging as it is a tourist attraction, borne out of its reputation as the most photographed hotel in the world. Opened in 1893 by the Canadian Pacific Railway to drum up luxury riders for its trains, the castle-like Fairmont Le Château Frontenac feels every bit as grand today as it must have when Roosevelt and Churchill secretly hatched plans for the invasion of Normandy here in 1943—and it continues to be the hotel of choice for A-list celebrities and other notables. A $75 million renovation in 2014 updated the 611 rooms with a more contemporary feel, draping spaces in chic furnishings and soothing shades of gray and cream, plus butter-yellow or soft turquoise accents. The spa features seven treatment rooms adjacent to an indoor pool, whirlpool, steam rooms, and a gym, but the hotel has become a destination for its food: Champlain restaurant is helmed by acclaimed young chef Stéphane Modat and offers a modern take on Québécois cuisine alongside magnificent views, while 1608 Wine & Cheese Bar highlights local wines, cheeses, and charcuteries.

With award-winning restaurants such as the rustic Italian Esther’s Kitchen and epic dive bars like the Silver Stamp, the Arts District has emerged as the place for locals looking to unwind and visitors who want to live the way actual Las Vegans do. (Needless to say, most locals avoid the Strip.) The adults-only English hotel, named after founding partner and celebrity chef Todd English, offers the area’s swankiest accommodations. Visitors who aren’t into gambling will appreciate that there’s no casino here, and for points travelers, the hotel is part of Marriott’s independent Tribute Portfolio collection. All 74 guest rooms are minimalist with neutral tones; each has a stocked bar cart and an open chifforobe for hanging clothes. Bathroom showers have an ingenious hole in the glass wall so guests can turn on the water without getting soaked.


One of the Arts District’s buzzier restaurants is the English’s own Pepper Club. Since chef English set the place in motion in the spring of 2022, the upscale Japanese and Mediterranean restaurant (English was careful not to call it “fusion”) is now under the auspices of chef Roman Allen Sarmiento, who specializes in sushi platters with fish flown in fresh multiple times each week. Sarmiento also has his own sake business—ask for a taste of his special dry elixir at the bar.

Related: 7 Hotels to Book for “Non-Vegas” People

There’s no cost attached to one of Istanbul’s most distinctive photo ops, and the only lines are from fishing poles. Cross the historic Golden Horn via the Galata Bridge, where fishermen from every walk of life jostle for space, and tourist restaurants line the lower level (stop in for a drink if you’d like, but the food tends to be overpriced and mediocre). Galata Bridge isn’t beloved for its architecture (fun fact: It is supposedly the bridge for which the card game is named), but rather its views: Topkapı Palace and several domes and minarets in the Old City on one side, and the Galata Tower on the other.

Native American history comes alive at this re-creation of a Cherokee village that’s designed to replicate life in 1760, when European contact begins to negatively affect the tribe. Visitors experience life and witness skills that have been passed down for generations, including traditional canoe hulling, basket weaving, clay pottery making and traditional medicinal practices using plants native to the Smokies. The village consists of earthen trails through replicas of Cherokee huts, and the day is punctuated by live reenactments, including dances and ceremonies as the tribe prepares for war with the European invaders. After a day at Oconaluftee, stay for Unto These Hills, a dramatic retelling of the Cherokee story from contact with the Spanish in 1540 to the Trail of Tears under President Andrew Jackson to the reemergence of the tribe as it exists today.

The walls of Dawno Temu Na Kazimierzu (“Once Upon a Time in Kazimierz”) are lined with accordions, mannequins, and miscellany in a nod to Kazimierz, the historic Jewish quarter where it stands. Absolutely everyone, the elderly women included, will be taking shots of Zubrówka, a dry vodka that gets its herbaceous flavor from bison grass.

All aboard Grand Banks, a seasonal oyster bar on the historic Sherman Zwicker, the last of a large fleet of schooners that fished the Grand Banks of the North Atlantic and traded goods in South America. It’s docked at Hudson River Park’s Pier 25 and serves sustainably-sourced oysters, small plates, and a long list of refreshing cocktails, wines, and beer.

The site of the historic church Hale Halawaio Holualoa has likely been used for ages. Old konane (a game) boards have been excavated from the area along with canoe landings and a grave site. The current building, erected in 1855, was made from stone and coral lime. The building still holds Sunday services, though this congregations now calls themselves Living Stones Church.