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Local is the operative word in the Portland, Maine food scene. Ask a waiter what Atlantic Day-Boat halibut is exactly, and he’ll spin a story about the local captain who pulls in with the day’s catch. At the height of summer, it seems that every ingredient is caught, raised, foraged, or grown in the vicinity. So it’s no surprise that Maine oysters take pride of place at Eventide Oyster Co. Sure, there are some bivalves from New York and the West Coast, but my advice is to quiz the waitress about the ones from West Bath, Casco Bay, and the Damariscotta River. A hit of frozen Tabasco came on the house, but these plump beauties are best with just a squeeze of lemon.

Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Degas, where art thou? That’s a question the staff has been asking at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum since 1990, when thieves made off with 13 of the museum’s most valuable pieces, worth an estimated half a billion dollars. Rather than sulk, however, museum officials left empty frames on display both to educate visitors and to serve as hopeful placeholders awaiting the artworks’ eventual return. Meanwhile, you can visit the museum’s lovely courtyard and vast collection of historic and contemporary art at Fenway Court, built to resemble a Venetian palazzo and packed with paintings, sculpture, furniture, and textiles gathered by Gardner, an avid art collector and philanthropist, during her lifetime. Pro tip: Wear a Red Sox hat or shirt to get a $2 discount on admission—as stipulated by Gardner after her beloved Sox won the 1912 World Series (also, you get in free if your name is Isabella).

A shopping mall is probably the last place you’d look for a quality brunch, but Sonoma Wine Garden in the Santa Monica Place mall may be the best boozy brunch in Los Angeles. With ocean views and cozy cushioned seating, you are transported from the bustling promenade to a secluded rustic haven for the best meal of the day. For $28, you get your choice of a garden-fresh breakfast plate with personal favorites including the basil, bacon, and avocado eggs benedict, large egg-in-the-middle brunch pizza and fluffy brioche French toast. The thick bacon served with syrup is a tasty side to cut into and their parmesan-sprinkled truffle fries are the perfect addition to share. For two hours, glasses of unlimited bubbly are served with elegant flavors like the addictive Austrian elderflower and fruity fresh apricot purée. While most all-you-can-drink brunches are a sloppy and sloshy whirlwind, Sonoma Wine Garden redefines the experience with their touch of gourmet class.

It’s about a ten-mile round-trip, but a summer hike up to Goat Lake in the Central Cascades will reward you with a glacially-colored mirror of snow-clad crags and distant waterfalls. An easy day-hike from Seattle (if you get up early), it’s also just low enough in elevation so that the trail is usually snow-free by late spring. The day I went, my friend and I had the trail almost to ourselves...Switchbacking up through the dark woods, the roar of McIntosh falls lets you know you’re almost at the top...and then you emerge from the woods into the lake-filled clearing--ethereally colored by the glacially-ground rock particles in the water... We met a couple of guys who’d spent the previous night camping above the alpine lake. Then a crew of Forest Service summer workers arrived, with good spirits, ready advice, and machetes for trail-maintenance. It’s about a 1hr45min drive to the trailhead from Seattle.

An undulating steel and glass canopy wows visitors who enter the Kogod Courtyard. Inside you’ll find diners from the museum’s café, tourists soaking their weary feet in the shallow fountain running across the space, and students taking advantage of free Wi-Fi in the light and airy setting. The modern roof seals the center of the old Patent Office Building, currently shared by the National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum. Architect Norman Foster designed the roof to have minimal impact on the building by creating a support system that prevents direct contact and weight placement on it. Unlike most of the other Smithsonian Museums located on the Mall, this gem is found in the busy Penn Quarter of downtown D.C. It is my favorite place to bring visitors, not only for the impressive courtyard space, but also for the preserved architecture of the patent offices on the top floor. Check the Smithsonian’s website for special courtyard workshops, concerts, or events. The museum is right near the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro on the green, yellow, and red lines.

Due to the heat of Vegas and our limited time, we decided to take the Grand Canyon Celebration 4-hour tour with Papillon Tours. Other tours we looked at consisted of bus and helicopter with a combination of boat rides or rafting—but it would have taken 12 hours of our limited time so when we saw the Grand Canyon Celebration tour with a 45-minute helicopter flight to the canyon (west rim), canyon landing with champagne lunch, followed by 45-minute helicopter flight back to Vegas we jumped at the opportunity. We booked online and got a $100 discount. Mike our pilot was informative and humorous and had us laughing the whole way. He also had a music soundtrack playing over our headphones which was perfect for the flight. The lunch was only 30 minutes which felt rushed but we understand this is by the agreement with the local Indian community, rather than the tour company. We loved it, even though we felt a bit of motion sickness on the way back!

The world-famous Road to Hana hugs a jagged black lava shore. Just past mile marker 16 lies the Keanae Peninsula, where visitors can explore a traditional village, a stone church from 1856, and vast taro fields. The peninsula itself was formed by a massive lava flow from Haleakala, then softened by native Hawaiians, who carried soil down basket by basket to blanket the young rock. Today, the area is covered in lush greenery, which makes for an impressive sight against the turquoise sea and Maui’s famous North Shore waves. Before getting back on the road, be sure to stop at Aunty Sandy’s, one of the best banana bread stands along the Hana Highway, for a slice, a shaved ice, or a pork sandwich if you’re hungrier.

My wife, Robin, and I have been camping, fishing, and hiking in the Lakes Basin area, near Sierra City, since we met. These days, our usual home base is a tiny log cabin at the edge of Packer Lake, pictured here. From trailheads around Packer you can hike to many other lakes--Saxonia, Deer, Lower and Upper Tamarack, Young America, Upper and Lower Sardine. Most of the hikes are relatively easy, and on some trails you’ll rarely encounter other hikers. In early October 2007, a brief, unseasonable storm passed through and carpeted the area with an inch or two of snow, which made for an especially invigorating walk along the Pacific Crest Trail to the lookout at the top of the Sierra Buttes.

It’s a sign of the Palm Springs boom that what started as a modest local museum is now a premier destination for art and design aficionados. Today, the establishment, first opened in 1938, celebrates performing arts, modern art, and architecture in three locations. The main building, a designated historic site designed by architect E. Stewart Williams, is the most trafficked, with works by Henry Moore, Ed Ruscha, Dale Chihuly, and other marquee names. The Palm Springs Art Museum in the Palm Desert location features a rotating selection of exhibits by contemporary artists, as well as a sculpture garden where you can have a contemplative afternoon picnic. The Architecture and Design Center, in a structure originally designed by Williams, hosts exhibitions on architecture and design that change twice a year, rounding out an extensive permanent collection that includes works by Julius Shulman, Alexander Calder, David Hockney, and Marc Chagall. Pro tip: The museum buzzes with energy, particularly on free Thursday evenings, but for a more tailored experience focused on a particular theme, take one of the tours led by passionate and knowledgeable docents.

It’s hard to believe you’re in the middle of the Costa Rican rainforest at Amor Loco, part fine dining restaurant and part swanky lounge at Nayara Springs, a resort located near Arenal Volcano National Park. Moody lighting, velvet chairs and an onyx-topped bar set the stage for such diches as pumpkin puree soup or a perfectly cooked steak. Ask for bartender Carla to whip you up a cocktail on the spot (just let her know what your favorite tipple is).

In 1927, the mayor of Guadalajara, Gustavo R. Cristo, commissioned burgeoning architect Luis Barragán to build him a home. The result was Casa Cristo, which now functions as the headquarters for the College of Architects of the State of Jalisco. Complete with high arches, stained-glass windows, and a tiled roof, the building reflects Barragán’s early fascination with Moorish design. However, glimpses of the style that came to define his later, better-known work are also visible, from the local artisan elements (adobe walls, cedar wood, stained glass made in Tonala) to the bright colors and flow of natural light that suggests a place both modern and steeped in history. Although certain changes have been made to the original house (the removal of the garden, the replacement of original tiles), the building remains relatively well-preserved and merits a visit.

Be sure to hit this charming fusion restaurant after walking block after leafy block through the French Concession. Ginger is owned by Singaporean expat Betty Ng, who studied at the Tokyo branch of Le Cordon Bleu. Her kitchen is adept at blending Eastern flavors with Western techniques—take, for example, the Thai-influenced spicy Asian herb beef with crispy rice—lemongrass-seasoned ground beef paired with rice and lettuce cups—and the Japanese creamy nigari tofu, made in-house and served with sesame, ginger, and chives. There’s even Middle Eastern and North African dishes like hearty shakshouka dusted with dukkah, a heavenly blend of aromatic spices.

From mid-May through early October, an Asian-inspired street market springs up in the Lower Mainland on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights—and holiday Mondays, too. Just steps from the Canada Line’s Bridgeport station, the market also offers more than 1,000 free parking spots. Adventurous eaters can graze from 100-plus food stalls, serving everything from poutine and spiral-cut “potato tornado” on a stick to creamy octopus takoyaki (a circular-shaped Japanese snack). Finish with Mango Yummy’s shaved ice desserts or a box of Dragon Beard candy—similar to floss halva and spun sugar—to take home. Then, shop over 200 retail stalls or hit the carnival rides and live entertainment.

To get away from the crowds in Chobe, stay at Ngoma Safari Lodge. It’s located on the far western edge of the park. The eight thatched roof cottages are completely spacious but cozy and feature decks overlooking the Chobe River. In 2011, the African Wildlife Foundation helped support this community owned and operated lodge in partnership with the Chobe Enclave Conservation Trust (CECT) and African Albida Tourism. In exchange for their support, the community agreed to set aside land for conservation. The lodge provides the community with additional revenue through conservation fees plus employment opportunities. It has also created a larger corridor for wildlife to have room to roam freely throughout the region on their ancient migration routes.

Since it was built back in 1976, the CN Tower has topped the must-visit list of most Toronto tourists. Until recently, a visit was pretty standard; hop in elevator, shoot up to the observation deck, and ogle the city from a hawk’s vantage point. While this was certainly fine and enjoyable, the since-developed EdgeWalk experience has ramped up the Tower’s bucket-list potential. Thrill-seekers can now do a hands-free, breezy circumnavigation of the tower’s roof, up at 1,168 feet. And, yes, they do perform sky-high weddings complete with elasticized rings and special attire for the big day.