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The intimate Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) opened its doors off Biscayne Boulevard in December 2013, offering world-class exhibitions, outdoor sculptures, and spaces for art, relaxation, and dining. Prior to entering the three-story building, you meander along a walkway past cruise ships and several acres of meadows, before coming face-to-face with the striking vertical greenery of the Hanging Gardens, designed by Patrick Blanc. The thought-provoking exhibitions often skew political, with a focus on international 20th- and 21st-century art. The very natty gift shop, located on the ground floor, is also worth exploring, with items like robots and unusual objects for the home. In 2017, the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science opened next door.

Expect to be transported back to medieval times during your visit to Château de Chillon. More than 1,000 years old, the beguiling castle has inspired many poetic greats, none more so than Lord Byron, whose poem The Prisoner of Chillon was based on François Bonivard’s imprisonment. Travel across Lake Geneva on a paddle steam boat to arrive at the castle and note that the Rivera Pass, offered by most hotels, grants you half-price admission. Once inside, pick up an audio guide (available in English) and explore everything from cobblestone courtyards and eerie dungeons to secret passageways and castle walls.

A Lisbon favorite, this family-run chocolate-and-coffee café is continually showered by locals with love and devotion. Here, both the coffee and cocoa beans come from São Tomé and Príncipe. The former are roasted in-house and perfectly executed in one of Lisbon’s best espressos, while the latter are churned into artisan chocolate bars in outstanding flavors like ginger, orange, sea-salt-and-pepper, and toffee. If you order an espresso, you’ll get a free sample of chocolate so you can suss out your favorite before committing to a pricier piece of heaven.

Located in the middle of New York harbor, less than half a mile from Manhattan (and even closer to Brooklyn), 172-acre Governors Island feels like a world unto itself, far from the bustling city. It has played a key role in the defense of New York at various points and two fortifications here, Fort Jay and Castle Williams, reflect that history. From 1966 to 1996, the island was a Coast Guard station; since it closed, the city, state, and federal governments have discussed various plans for the island’s development. In the meantime, it is open to the public for six months each year, from May 1 to October 31, when it is possible to wander among the Coast Guard barracks, visit the commander’s house, and bike around the mostly car-free island. Ferries depart from both Manhattan and Brooklyn starting at 10 a.m. and running until 6:15 p.m. on weekdays and 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. During many weekends in the summer, art fairs, food festivals, and other events help draw visitors to the island, but even if you go on a day without anything special scheduled, a journey here provides a refreshingly different perspective on New York.

For those who aspire to travel as trendsetters in Jamaica, it helps to know that Port Antonio, way out on the eastern end of the island, is the destination to head for. And the address to shelter at is the Trident Hotel, whose 13 waterfront villas would not look out of place on South Beach. Nor would the crowd that hangs around its infinity pool or in its restaurant, Mike’s Supper Club, where local musicians and the occasional celeb sit down to knock out tunes on the 1917 Ferrari-red grand piano. The Trident Castle, a kind of fantasy annex, is a former private residence whose grand rooms, sea-view terraces, and dollhouse-size chapel make it ideal for destination weddings. A hard road to get there? Not for guests who avail themselves of the helicopter pad.

Why we love it: An Arts and Crafts–style masterpiece with a friendly vibe and charm in spades

Highlights:
- Sedona’s only Arts and Crafts hotel, with real adobe walls
- Social spaces like a campfire and living room hearth
- A pet-friendly policy with no extra fees

The Review:
Within a block of Sedona’s art district, this luxury inn stands behind a veil of trees and grapevine trellises. Its pink adobe exterior complements the greenery so elegantly that the inn once appeared on the cover of The American Home magazine. Inside the Arts and Crafts–style hacienda, arches and reclaimed beams of juniper or burl wood soar overhead, while period doorknobs, light fixtures, and heater grilles transport guests back in time. Each of the 12 suites has a custom-made door and unique design, with decor ranging from early California to the Cowboy High Style made famous by Western furniture designer Thomas Molesworth. Pet-friendly rooms also include grace notes like corner fireplaces, stencil designs, French doors, and stained-glass ceiling panels.

When feeling social, guests can gather around the campfire in the courtyard or by the large hearth in the living room. El Portal also has a private garden, a fish pond, two swimming pools, and a full gym, and offers access to Sedona Spa, next door. While the inn only serves breakfast (pancakes, breakfast burritos, huevos rancheros), guests can snack on fruit, cheese, and chips and salsa during happy hour each day while also pouring themselves a glass of wine on the honor system.

Why we love it: A top-notch glamping resort near the Grand Canyon’s South Rim entrance

Highlights:
- Spacious, cabin-style safari tents with king beds and stoves
- Adventure concierges to help make the most of your Grand Canyon visit
- An on-site restaurant that serves all three meals

The Review:
Open from early April to mid-November, this resort pitches luxurious, cabin-style tents on the striking pink-and-scarlet desert. Even the basic Safari tents feature king-size beds and wood-burning stoves, though guests who opt for these accommodations must use the communal bathhouse for hot showers and flushing toilets. Suites up the ante with en suite bathrooms and private decks, while Stargazer options include king-size beds under arched viewing windows.

While Under Canvas goes light on brick-and-mortar amenities, it delivers plenty in the way of rustic charm and modern conveniences. Expect daily housekeeping, organic bath products, and USB battery packs in your tent, plus complimentary camp activities and a fire pit with nightly s’mores. The adventure concierges can also arrange hiking, mountain-biking, horseback-riding, and white-water rafting excursions as well as canyon helicopter tours and Jeep safaris in the Kaibab National Forest, during which guests can spot elk and turkey while exploring native petroglyphs, old stagecoach trails, and the area’s spectacular geology. When hunger strikes, head to the on-site restaurant for everything from breakfast burritos and boxed lunches to pan-roasted trout and grass-fed burgers.

Why we love it: A photogenic inn that draws design aficionados to Saguaro National Park

Highlights:
- Design-forward suites with fireplaces and private patios
- A scenic location right on Saguaro National Park
- Unique amenities like a chef’s kitchen and yoga room

The Review:
This five-suite inn, set on 40 acres bordering the western side of Saguaro National Park, comes courtesy of Sara and Rich Combs, known for their popular Joshua Tree House rental. Just 30 minutes from Tucson, the whitewashed adobe property draws the desert sunshine indoors, where it dances with rough-hewn beams and terra-cotta-hued textiles. A variety of potted plants help connect the chic, design-forward interiors with the surrounding desert, while a 5,000-square-foot patio blurs the lines between indoors and out. Available to rent through Airbnb, all rooms feature fireplaces and refrigerators, and most have private patios or balconies.

Book a single suite or buy out the whole property for an event, workshop, or reunion, then take advantage of amenities like a pool, rooftop lounge, chef’s kitchen, dining patio, fire pit, yoga room, and projector for movie nights. While Posada intends to add a chef-in-residence program, it doesn’t currently offer food service, so plan to pack groceries and grill outside, cook in one of the kitchens, or head out to a local restaurant like the Ocotillo Café at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, just 10 minutes away.

Fleetwood Mac front man Mick Fleetwood is behind this bar and restaurant, located on a third-floor rooftop in Lahaina. Here, guests sip drinks under beige umbrellas while taking in views of the dreamy blue Pacific. To pair with award-winning cocktails like the Heart of the Jungle (Cynar, Velvet Falernum, coconut rum, and lemon juice), which comes in a tiki artichoke, executive chef Eric Morrissette serves a menu of elevated bar bites, fresh local fish, and meatier dishes like filet mignon with peppercorn reduction. If you’re not a cocktail person, know that the robust drink menu also features beers from Maui Brewing Co. and Kohola Brewing as well as exclusive wines like Krug Brut from Reims, Luberri Gran Reserva rioja, and even a Chateau Musar red blend from Lebanon.

Why we love it: A Mission Revival property that blends Hollywood history with hang-ten culture

The Highlights:
- A location just minutes from the secluded Cress Street Beach
- A rooftop lounge with sweeping ocean views
- Guest rooms designed by iconic surf brands

The Review:
Once the haunt of writers, filmmakers, and Hollywood celebrities, this historic hotel on the Pacific Coast Highway famously hosted a lobby backgammon game between J. Paul Getty and Howard Hughes in the 1930s. Today, the pet-friendly property maintains its original grace with Spanish-style stucco and domed arches, but 10 of its 41 suites have moved on to a decidedly different sort of California cool. Created in collaboration with iconic skate and surf brands like Etnies, Roxy, and Billabong, the Casa Surf rooms feature hand-painted surfboards, underwater photo murals, and George Nelson furniture, fully immersing guests in Laguna surf culture. For something more traditional, book one of the Spanish rooms, which include wrought-iron accents and ornately carved dark-wood furnishings.

La Casa sits just a stone’s throw from Cress Street Beach, where hotel guests enjoy access to chairs, umbrellas, and beach towels as part of their resort fee. Also included in the fee is daily breakfast, access to the nearby Art of Fitness gym and its juice bar, and reservations at the on-site Rooftop Lounge, where you can sip mojitos while watching the sun set over the Pacific. When you’re in the mood for something more substantial, head downstairs to K’ya Bistro, with offers small plates full of Mediterranean flavor.

Why we love it: A centrally located stay near Laguna’s best beaches, parks, and restaurants

The Highlights:
- A dreamy setting right above Main Beach
- Delicious breakfasts and daily wine receptions
- A location within walking distance of Laguna’s best restaurants

The Review:
Galleries, restaurants, and nightlife lie just steps from the Inn at Laguna Beach, while Heisler Park sprawls along the nearby bluffs, offering a place to stroll, see art, or simply lounge in the sun on a grassy lawn. Still, guests don’t even have to leave the hotel to enjoy sand, surf, and epic Pacific sunsets. Here, the 70 guest rooms mix modern comforts (European-style duvets, pillowtop mattresses) with coastal style (louvered shutters, rattan furniture). Some even include private patios or balconies, but all feature extras like newspaper delivery, iHome docking stations, and loaner umbrellas and beach chairs.

Following a multimillion-dollar renovation in 2012, the Inn now boasts a more sustainable design, complete with low-VOC paint, renewable bamboo furniture, low-flow faucets and showers, tile made from recycled stone, and birchwood key cards. Not everything is paired back, however, especially the hotel’s signature breakfast, which includes artisan pastries, bacon brioche sandwiches, and bowls of fresh sliced fruit. Guests can also look forward to a daily wine reception, chilled milk and cookies in the lobby every evening, and cocktails at the Pacific Terrace Bar, which sits high above Main Beach. Best of all, the Inn is dog-friendly, so you can bring along your four-legged friend for a couple of days on the beach.

Why we love it: A pedigreed stay that perfectly marries fin de siècle charm with modern luxury

The Highlights:
- A French Renaissance–style building designed by America’s first female professional architect
- Fireplaces and deep-soaking tubs in some rooms
- An in-house craft brewery that serves pints in a “bar-cade” with pinball machines

The Review:
When The Lafayette opened in 1904, it was immediately hailed as one of the country’s finest hotels. America’s first female professional architect, Louise Blanchard Bethune designed the seven-story, redbrick-and-white-terra-cotta property to blend “the best that science, art, and experience can offer for the traveling public,” which at the time meant telephones and hot water in every room. Renovations in the late 1940s introduced several Art Deco elements that still remain, while a 2012 restoration helped bring the hotel into the modern era.

Today, The Lafayette is part of the Wyndham Hotel Group’s Trademark Hotel Collection and features 13,500 square feet of meeting space. It’s also home to a 15-barrel craft brewery, where guests can enjoy beers and pub fare while playing arcade games; a small-batch coffee roastery with freshly baked pastries; and an outpost of Groom Service Beauty & Dry Bar for blow-outs, professional makeup, manicures, and more. The 57 rooms and suites feature wall murals of vintage photos, designed to complement a palette of plum, brown, and dusty gold. Some have fireplaces, deep-soaking tubs, and full kitchens, too. If you’re looking to indulge, book the Lafayette Suite, which includes a Juliet balcony, double-sided hearth, and dining table suitable for large gatherings.

Why we love it: A kitted-out heritage hotel presiding over the capital

Highlights:
- A historic seaside property
- On-site dive shop and kids’ club
- Hot tubs and an infinity pool cantilevered over the ocean

The Review:
Charming elements remain from Fort Young Hotel’s past as a military fortification, like bronze canons and thick stone walls. Set on a cliff south of Roseau, the heritage property also has 72 modern rooms, all with air conditioning and balconies—most with sea views. Some spaces are massive, such as the oceanfront suites, which each contain a kitchenette, dressing room, two bathrooms, a whirlpool tub, and a dining area that can seat eight. On-site restaurant options range from a mellow seaside bar to The Palisades (one of Dominica’s more gourmet experiences), while amenities include a dive shop and kids’ club.

On the wellness front, the hotel offers a 24-7 gym with floor-to-ceiling windows and Caribbean Sea vistas. Outside sprawl two sundecks, along with an infinity pool and jacuzzies—hot and cold—cantilevered over the ocean. The spa renovations will wrap up in 2019, but guests can still enjoy massages in their rooms or on their balconies. The hotel is also just a short stroll from Roseau’s center, ferry port, botanic gardens, and Saturday markets, not to mention the cathedral and the Dominica Museum. Note: cruise ships dock nearby and can obliterate the water views while in port. Also, post-hurricane renovations will be underway through autumn 2019 and may add some noise during business hours.

North Florida’s beaches hardly get the attention of those farther south or on the Gulf of Mexico. But there’s a lot to love about this laid-back surf community just north of St. Augustine’s busy historic district. The beach’s steep drop-off makes little waves jack up nicely, so Vilano is a favorite with surfers—especially on the incoming tide, when the waves are best. And Porpoise Point, on the southern end of the beach, is a great place to cast a line into the surf and fish. Facilities at the beach include parking, showers, pavilions that can be rented for gatherings, and picnic areas.

Casa Sol was newest and the best hotel we stayed in during our trip down to Mexico. Everything about it was wonderful. The owners, the staff, and the large beautiful rooms overlooking a private little cove. The simple breakfasts and the Honor Bar kept me happy while I lounged. (I love myself an honor bar). And I even loved the little walk through the woods to the busy end of the beach. The owners, Craig and Jorge also run the Red Tree House in Mexico City, where they have done an incredible job running a top notch guesthouse. Casa Sol is bound to do just as well. Go check it out!