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Über restaurateur Michel Péclard made waves in Zurich when he took over the iconic Café Schober in the Niederdorf a few years ago. In 2012, Péclard set his eyes on another classic establishment, Milchbar, which had sat tucked away in a quiet square off of Paradeplatz for over three decades. Now in its new incarnation near the Zurich Opera House, the café is as alluring as ever with Edison bulbs hung from the ceiling, long wooden communal tables, single origin coffee and super smooth espresso made with an exclusive blend by Fresh Coffee in Rüschlikon.

The KidQuest Children’s Museum in Bellevue is based on the premise that kids need both formal and informal learning environments—KidQuest is dedicated to the latter, encouraging learning through play. The exhibits are hands-on and engaging, and involve the whole family.

Located about 20 minutes from downtown Montreal, on the western tip of the island in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, the Morgan Arboretum is a must-see spot for those curious about indigenous plant and animal life. The 245-hectare site is thoroughly protected from outside influence – even visiting dogs must first pass tests to make it to an exclusive annual list – so that the experience of hikers and snowshoe aficionados is as close to undisturbed nature as can be. As part of the McGill University Macdonald Campus, it is a place for botanical studies, birding (over 170 native species call it home) and general contemplation. The paths among the fir, oak, birch, maple, linden, spruce and flowering trees are beautifully wild yet carefully tended, and there are just enough benches to invite quiet reflection. http://morganarboretum.org/

This modish spot steps from Bellevue is a hit for its enticing cakes and excellent coffee, but its savory menu shouldn’t be missed; there are simple, superb salads and great flammekuchen. Consider yourself warned though: service can be frustratingly slow.

Named after their first tiny shop in an old 76 Gas Station, nowadays this cult Seattle favorite has a proper bricks and mortar location so you’ll have to walk rather than drive through! This is the perfect spot to try bubble tea, mochi cakes, and other Taiwanese food specialities, and if you’re new to the boba scene, ask for help and they’ll be happy to advise. Don’t be shy about adding texture to your drink—that’s half the fun of a good bubble tea drink, and here they go beyond the usual tapioca balls and into aloe, coffee jelly, and even wheat germ.

This fantastic spot for the whole family won’t just educate your kids about local species by letting them peer at animals from afar, it’ll invite them to actually interact with them. Not far from the Morgan Arboretum, a 20-minute drive from downtown, this one and only zoo on the island of Montreal invites kids to visit in the early morn for breakfast with the animals, so they learn what various species eat – from otters to raccoons to barn owls – and help give them their first meal of the day. You can also sign your kids up to become zookeepers for a day, or, during spring, come after dark and hear the frogs sing their hearts out. Of course, it’s also possible to simply visit for a couple of hours and tour the habitats of animals exclusive to the Saint-Lawrence Valley in Quebec, year-round. http://www.zooecomuseum.ca/

Bellevue Avenue, the long boulevard lined by Gilded Age mansions, takes a turn at its southern end to become stunning Ocean Drive, part of Ten Mile Drive, which traces the southern coastline of the island. The views—light glinting off the water and lusty waves bashing the rocky shoreline on one side of the road and stone walls and enormous mansions on the other—are the main draw, but another highlight is sitting on the rocks at Brenton Point State Park to enjoy the sunlight and sea.

Zurich has two outposts of this global chain, though the Bellevue location scores points for its proximity to the Altstadt. It’s a lunchtime favorite for its terrific pastas (prepared with noodles made fresh daily), pizzas (fired as you order) and fresh salads.

A stroll along the serene Limmatquai, the street along the right bank of the Limmat River from Central to Bellevue, will surely seduce any visitor to Zurich. It will take you past the city’s numerous bridges, Grossmünster Church, the stately Rathaus (Zurich’s city hall), and terrific spots to eat and drink. The 18th century guild house Zunfhaus zur Zimmerleuten serves fondue on sidewalk tables, while Grande brews the best coffee in town. Photo © Bruno Macor/FB/Zürich Tourismus.

Top Pot is a Seattle area must. The staff is always friendly and kind, and the donuts and coffee are to die for. I try and go at least once a week. I love the raspberry glazed (pictured) but you can’t go wrong with anything here. They have all the usual flavors, plus more. Last time I ordered a blueberry cake, and the time before I tried the Feather Boa, a coconut covered cake donut. This is a place for all, whether you are a business traveler who wants to be the most loved at the meeting, or a family looking for some sweets, Top Pot is the way to go.

The first Taiwanese restaurant to earn a fancy-pants Michelin star, this steamed dumpling and noodle chain gets rave reviews from Seattleites and reviewers alike. Long a staple of nearby Bellevue, Din Tai Fung has finally crossed Lake Washington to establish a Seattle outpost and and added a second option at Pacific Place shopping center (600 Pine Street). Go for the scrumptious, pillowy xiao long bao (Chinese soup dumplings), of course, but don’t neglect the rest of the menu. Standouts include sweet taro buns, vinegar-laced wood ear mushrooms, and sautéed mustard greens with shredded ginger, along with the red bean sticky rice wraps for dessert.

A trip to Toronto without a visit to Kensington Market doesn’t make any sense. Despite its diminutive size, this neighborhood packs plenty of activity within its boundaries. Arrive hungry: Restaurants and cafés dish out bites like tapas, poke, Salvadoran pupusas, Tibetan momos, and Ojibway-style fry-bread tacos. Secondhand shops are so plentiful that vintage fans will think they hit the jackpot, especially while browsing at standout shops Exile and Courage My Love. In warmer months, pedestrians crowd the streets, wandering from comic-book store to restaurant to art gallery all weekend long. The park at Bellevue Square is getting a much-needed makeover that will, when complete, add even more allure to this busy community.

Commissioned as a public artwork for the Memorial Park Cemetery, Crystal Shine Grotto is the largest—and perhaps only—man-made quartz cavern in the country. In 1938, Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez had a 60-foot-deep cave dug into the hillside in the middle of the cemetery, then set to work creating a magical attraction out of sculpted cement and almost five tons of colorful quartz crystals. He even carved niches in the walls, which were later filled with biblical statues to complete an unusual but heartfelt religious shrine that now draws thousands of visitors each year. Accompanied by a loop of harp music, the Grotto can be a peaceful place to pray, though it’s also eminently Instagrammable and has become a favorite posing spot for special-occasion photos.

Thompson Chicago, housed in a contemporary high-rise in the heart of the Gold Coast luxury dining and shopping scene, was overhauled in 2013 by British designer Tara Bernerd. It offers a winning combination of modern-retro style, a home-away-from-home ambience, attentive service, and value for money. (The building previously was home to the Sutton Place Hotel.) With Thompson Hotels’ arrival, the lobby, dominated by a huge shelved library cube filled with books, curios, and retro bull’s-eye mirrors, now strikingly harmonizes industrial exposed brick and dark-wood beams with elements paying homage to Chicago architect Frank Lloyd Wright (think geometric tiles and a cantilevered staircase). Most guestrooms have astounding city and Lake Michigan views, and all are snazzily furnished with asymmetrical velvet sofas, enormous showers, and framed contemporary art by the likes of Wes Lang. It’s a style that impresses without being intimidating.

Like on French counterparts Martinique and St. Martin, Guadeloupean rhum agricole is distilled from 100 percent pure sugar cane juice rather than from molasses (and is known as “rhum” versus “rum”). A number of well-respected small rhum factories in Guadeloupe—including Boulogne, Damoiseau, and Bellevue—offer distillery tours year-round, and these are particularly interesting during the sugar cane harvest season between February and June. Domaine de Bellevue, in Marie-Galante, is a solid pick for a full educational experience. You’ll see the ancient sugar mill, learn about the eco-friendly distillery process, and taste various rhums (including one flavored with Ethiopian beans) as well as a traditional ti’ punch, Guadeloupe’s official cocktail. There’s on-site shopping as well in case you’d like to stock up for home.