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Belize’s liveliest time of the year comes in September, when the entire country celebrates independence for three entire weeks leading up to Sept. 21. The major towns and cities host various events, and a countrywide calendar is published on Sept. 1, allowing you to follow along with the fun wherever you might find yourself in Belize. The most popular events are a steel pan concert called Pan Yaad, held in Belize City, and two full-blown carnival parades. Belize City Carnival, with soca and Caribbean music blaring, is held in mid-September, while Orange Walk Carnival takes place on Independence Day and celebrates Mestizo heritage. Take advantage of low-season fares to get a unique culture-filled experience in Belize in September.

A visit to Tokyo wouldn’t be complete without seeing the scramble of thousands of people at Shibuya Crossing, the city’s busiest intersection. It must be experienced, but also viewed from one of the nearby restaurants or cafés that overlook the space. A statue of the dog Hachiko, an Akita that famously returned to Shibuya Station daily to wait for his master long after he had died, is a popular meeting spot. Shibuya draws young Japanese with its many fashion shops and cheap eateries, while music fans come to check out the used-record shops. Coffee shops, including About Life Coffee Brewers, Fuglen, and Little Nap Stand, are good places for a rest from sightseeing.

For travelers who appreciate folk art and crafts, there are a number of towns outside Oaxaca where artisans create beautiful pieces following age-old techniques. San Bartolo Coyotepec is a small Zapotec community just eight miles from Oaxaca. It is most famous for its prized black pottery, formed by hand using techniques that are believed to date back at least 2,000 years. While you are there, take a look at the city’s remarkable Baroque church, constructed in the 18th century by Dominican friars. Continue on to San Martín Tilcajete, another Zapotec town, famous for its alebrijes, wooden carvings of fantastic, multicolored animals. Next, visit the studio of Jacopo and María Angeles, two of the most famous artists creating these colorful sculptures.

It’s impossible to ignore the hulking 1950s architecture of the Tate Modern, slap-bang in the middle of the most-walked part of the South Bank. A visionary refurb of this former power station has resulted in an artistic behemoth with multiple gallery spaces (containing both free exhibitions and ticketed exhibitions), including the fantastic Turbine Hall for oversize installations. Outside, the Millennium Bridge leads over the Thames to the City and the great domed St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Donsol, in southeast Luzon, is the perfect place to snorkel with whale sharks, otherwise known as butanding. Each year from November to May, possibly the largest school of whale sharks in the world migrates here to feed on the dense concentration of plankton and krill in the area. Donsol’s whale shark interaction is strictly regulated to protect the creatures and their natural habitat. They are not captive and are not fed by the local fishermen, so whether they appear or not is pure chance. A small boat takes you out to the bay and spotters cue you to jump in and swim alongside the whale sharks as they begin to near the surface. It’s an incredible experience to be so close to these huge beasts, which are typically four to 12 meters long in Donsol (though residents claim, of course, to have seen larger). They look like spotted submarines, but luckily have a gentle disposition and are surprisingly graceful.

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1903 for a wealthy businessman, the Martin House is one of Buffalo’s architectural masterpieces. Situated in the beautiful Parkside neighborhood, it stands out among the restored Victorian homes and canopy of old-growth trees for its Prairie house style, complete with strong horizontal lines, deeply overhanging eaves, and a sheltering, cantilevered roof. A pergola connects the home to a conservatory and carriage house with chauffeur’s quarters and stables, while a smaller residence and gardener’s cottage sit nearby. Over the decades, the complex suffered considerable damage and three of the original five buildings were destroyed, but in 1992, the Martin House Restoration Corporation was formed to raise funds and oversee a complete restoration.

Extensive reconstruction efforts began in 1997 and are ongoing today, but visitors can now experience the property on a variety of tours. Choose from one- and two-hour options to see details like Wright-designed furniture, art glass, and light fixtures, or pick a themed tour like the Twilight, Photography+, or Wright Night. Either way, save time to check out the conservatory, anchored by a stunning replica of the Nike of Samothrace statue.

While most of the Grenadines’ most luxurious hotels cater to the one percent, Salt Whistle Bay, on Mayreau, offers a blissfully pared back—though no less exclusive—experience. You’ll feel like a modern-day Robinson Crusoe when holed up in one of the 22-acre property’s eco-friendly bell tents or stone bungalows, each outfitted with colorful rugs, fans, and plush linens, and positioned to capture ocean breezes. By day, swim with sea turtles, sting rays, and tropical fish in the surrounding reef-filled waters—snorkeling masks are free to guests, as are stand-up paddleboards—or try kiteboarding on the resort’s designated beach. By night, share those adventures over a dinner of grilled lobster at the on-site restaurant and bar.

Owned and operated by the same family and situated about a mile apart from each other, Camp Denali and North Face Lodge are more than deserving of bragging rights: They’re part of less than a handful of accommodations inside Denali National Park and Preserve with prime views of America’s highest peak. But the properties—and amenities—differ. Each of Camp Denali’s 18 cabins offers an authentic, close-to-the-land experience: Propane lamps provide light, a wooden stove gives off heat, drinking water comes from an outdoor spigot, and a short path leads to an outhouse. For guests who prefer more creature comforts after a day taking in the rugged outdoors, North Face Lodge’s guest rooms all have electricity and private bathrooms. Locally sourced meals are served in a cozy wood-clad dining room, and a common sitting room oozes charm and conviviality with leather sofas surrounding a stone hearth fireplace, where you can choose a book from the stacks of shelves or share tales of your into-the-wild adventures with fellow guests.

Hugging the golden crescent of Playa Conchal on Costa Rica’s northern Pacific Coast, the 2,400-acre Westin Playa Conchal is an all-inclusive (Westin’s only one) that has put great care into navigating the needs of both families and guests who prefer a more peaceful experience. A kid-friendly club features designated suites, all-day assistance of a “family concierge,” and exclusive activities, while the adults-only Royal Beach Club is almost a resort-within-a-resort, with its own lounge and private pool. Both have access to the greater resort, including the huge lagoon-style pool with swim-up bar, Jacuzzi, 10 restaurants and five bars, and the fitness club. All of the rooms and suites have balconies or terraces, and the Royal Beach Club suites also have a large outdoor tub. Guests also have access to the par-71 golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr.

Want to avoid the crowds? At an elevation of over 8,000 feet, the remote North Rim of the Grand Canyon gets just 10 percent of annual park visits, making it a quieter experience preferred by couples and serious hikers. The only place to stay is the rustic Grand Canyon Lodge, a historic limestone-and-native-timber landmark that has been in operation since 1936. Accommodations are spare yet clean, ranging from no-frills motel rooms to more modern cabins with two queen beds plus a full bath, mini-fridge, coffeemaker, and spacious porch—some of which back up to the rim. The main building houses a dining room with expansive views of the canyon and a saloon serving cocktails and beer, but many grab something to go from the lodge’s Deli in the Pines to enjoy while soaking in the copper-hued sunset on the veranda. Owing to early snows, the lodge is only open from mid-May through mid-October; head there in September, when the changing colors of the region’s maple, birch, and oak trees put on a show that rivals the best New England foliage tours.

So where are we now? Could this be Vienna in central Europe in the early 20th century? Or maybe Paris in the same era? No, this is a small Gothenburg hotel, restaurant, and bar that fulfills the dreams of owner Thomas Peterson. Coming from a well-renowned family in the restaurant business, Peterson wanted to create his personal vision of an extraordinary restaurant and hotel that paid homage to childhood memories of his grandfather hosting celebrities and artists at home and in his restaurant. Try the afternoon tea, or have a drink on the roof terrace. No matter what you eat or drink, the ambiance is a large part of the experience.

Opened by Carlo Ritz in 1894, the St. Regis belongs to a particular category of five-star hotels in Rome in which Old World glamour is alive and well. While the current trend in town is toward boutique hotels and converted townhouses, the St. Regis is palatial and uncompromisingly opulent. In the century (plus) since opening its doors on the crest of the Quirinal hill, the hotel has remained a beacon of luxury, and indeed many of the hotels on the nearby Via Veneto, Rome’s luxury hotel row, take their cues from this long-established pioneer.

The entrance through the marble portico just off Piazza della Repubblica leads directly into a grand salon furnished with overstuffed chairs, chandeliers, and antiques. The grandeur continues in the rooms, where classic style and sophistication reign. Owing to its elite clientele, the hotel’s 23 suites come with 24-hour butler service, while the aficionado program is designed to provide exclusive access to sites and special experiences including road trips designed by the Ferrari racing team or helicopter rides to wine estates.

The Park Hyatt Istanbul Macka Palas shines at highlighting Istanbul’s local culture. Whether guests want to discover the best of Istanbul’s boutiques with a personal shopper, indulge in some male grooming at a traditional Turkish barber, or visit a local fortune-teller for a fun coffee-cup reading, the hotel can make it happen.

Located in the exclusive Nişantaşı neighborhood, rooms have Art Deco styling with French balconies, lashings of warm wood, and neutral tones. Deep bathtubs, Dornbracht showers, and bath products by French perfumer Blaise Mautin add an indulgent feel, while separate workspaces with ergonomically designed desks are a thoughtful addition for business travelers. The hotel’s unique Spa Rooms bring the Turkish bath experience in-room with oversized bathrooms featuring opulent traditional hammam fixtures and steam rooms.

For people who lament that they weren’t born into Downton Abbey–style gentility, Ballyfin, which opened in 2010 after nearly a decade-long restoration, is a fast track to 1820s-era refinement from the moment guests pull up to the front drive. A team of butlers and maids line up on the stone estate’s front steps to unload bags and whisk visitors into the lobby, and from there the Ballyfin experience is a dreamy blur: drinking tea out of antique china while wrapped in an Irish-wool blanket by the fire; being lulled to sleep during a massage in the basement spa; soaking in a clawfoot tub and surveying the meticulously sourced antiques in one of 15 rooms.

Guests are basically lords or ladies for a night or two at this neoclassical home an hour west of Dublin in the county of Laois (pronounced “Leash”). For those who bore of pure leisure, there’s a stone tower to climb, horses to ride, 600 acres to explore, and a lake to walk laps around or row through. The pricey room rates can (almost) be rationalized by the inclusive evening champagne receptions, fancy three-course dinners, snacks, picnic lunches, and Irish breakfasts.

Just to the north of Galley Bay Resort, you’ll find one of my favorite beaches on the island and maybe even the entire Caribbean: Deep Bay. The ruins of Fort Barrington keep watch over this incredible, crescent-shaped slice of paradise, just adding to the beauty of its turquoise, flat waters. Swimming here is like splashing in the largest, most pristine, natural pool you’ve ever imagined. As an added bonus, there’s a hundred-year-old sunken wreck, a barque from Trinidad named the Andes, out in the middle of the bay. It’s an easy swim from shore and accessible to snorkelers. Beaches really don’t get much better than this... anywhere.