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The Bahamas has many attractions to choose from but if you’re looking for a memorable and exciting excursion then this experience is right for you. Arrange to be picked up either from the port or from any hotel on paradise island. The stables are about a 25 minute drive from downtown Nassau. Whether you’re a novice or an expert at horseback riding, Duke, The trainer at Happy Trails Stables, is very experienced and will teach anyone how to ride a horse the English style. Horses are assigned to you based on your riding experience. (This helps to ensure safety.) Your adventure begins at the stable where Duke will escort you and fellow riders to Coral Harbour Beach. Along your journey you will see breathtaking views of natural unused beaches while you and your horse splash around in the water to cool off. The setting is very intimate since there’s only about 6 horses available for riding. This experience will surely stick with you for a lifetime.

Just around the bend from more touristy Montego Bay—only about 90 minutes south of the airport and far enough away to forget completely about casino encrusted avenues—is “Seven Mile Beach.” Stay: Saddle up at “Sandals,” “Breezes,” or “Couples” if all-inclusive resorts are your speed. If not, select one of the many boutique hotels spanning Seven Mile Beach for a more authentic stay. We suggest: The Palms Resort, Negril. Relax and enjoy: Read books that have been collecting dust on your night stand for months. Play gin rummy under an umbrella. Shop for trinkets. Watch beachgoers. Swim. Throw a Frisbee. Drink freshly pressed juices, drink a Red Stripe. Explore: Get off the beach and explore the real Jamaica for at least one day. It will lend an entirely different perspective to your stay. Visit YS Falls to swim in refreshing inland water and zipline over a tier of five waterfalls. Stop on your way and enjoy some habanero or jerk peel n’ eat shrimp on the side of the road. Watch local cliff diver’s catapult from handstands into the surf below at Rick’s Cafe. Eat goat at Sweet Spice – a local eatery not frequented by tourists. Visit the farms. Journey to the Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee plantations on the east side of the island. Get around: Opt for a driver – someone recommended by your hotel and known by other guests. Safety: There is discrepancy of whether or not Negril is safe. As always when traveling, do your research and trust your gut.

My bucket list included seeing the Northern Lights. This took me to the Chena Hot Springs Resort located an hour outside of Fairbanks, Alaska (the address is WRONG on the map). The Northern Lights are best seen in clear dark skies which is abundant in the Fairbanks area. It was 22 below (which is way cold!), but you could stay snuggly warm in the natural hot springs. The medicinal powers of the hot springs are also a high point. Maybe my imagination, but I went into the pool with an achy hip and came out pain free. The rock hot springs pool is surrounded by snow covered trees. This one looks to me like a tree nymph pointing to the sky and promising you a night time glimpse of the Northern Lights. What a spectacle it is! Mother Nature at her best is the colorful dancing lights that can be seen in this Alaska wonderland. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that the Northern Light will appear so I am not promising you or guaranteeing you that if you go you will definitely have that remarkable experience. But, if you are one of the lucky ones that are blessed with a view of this remarkable phenomenon, it is worth the trip. If not, you may also see shooting stars in the dark night sky filled with more stars than you can imagine, go on a one horse open sleigh ride or go mushing in a sled pulled by a group of eager sled dogs! Also enjoy the cozy pub that has a great menu and drinks aplenty! Call the resort to confirm what activites will be available during your stay.

Visitors to San Miguel are often inspired by the 475-year-old city to try an older, more romantic mode of travel. If you feel the urge to experience the region on a horse, test your saddle skills with the company Leisurely Country Horseback Riding which can teach you how to manage your mounts. Owner Beth Kaestner plans excursions that can be customized to include ranch tours and picnics.

A quick 40-minute train ride from the Gare de Lyon in central Paris takes you to one of the best day trips out of the city: a forest preserve surrounding a palace that dates back nine centuries. The Forêt de Fontainebleau offers a hundred square miles of protected land for hiking, biking, and horseback-riding—all surrounding the magnificent Château de Fontainebleau. Although a castle has been here since the 1100s, most of the current construction dates from the Renaissance. Site of Napoléon I’s abdication in 1814, this château is much less crowded than Versailles. When I lived in Paris, this was the closest ‘wilderness’ available. If you want a break from the hectic urbanity of Paris, come to Fontainebleau mid-week; you’ll feel as if you have a forest and château to yourself.

One of the top experiences to have on land in the Marquesas is to go exploring on horseback. Whether you are cantering along the beach or climbing up a steep dirt track that descends into a lush valley, taking in the unique beauty of Nuku Hiva from atop a horse allows you to get away from the island’s paved roads. A morning or afternoon equine excursion will give you a good sense of the dramatic landscape of this beautiful island paradise, much of it surprisingly untouched.

Smokemont’s horseback-riding routes, which average $30/hour per rider, can easily fill the better part of a day spent outside. The most popular ride is a 2.5-hour expedition that climbs uphill to a hidden mountain waterfall. It’s possible to extend the ride to four hours, adding a second waterfall and a scenic trip along the Oconaluftee River. For those not inclined or physically able to ride a horse, calmer horse-drawn wagon rides are even more affordable and offer many of the same views of the river (there’s also no minimum age for a wagon ride, but only children five and older are allowed on horseback). Smokemont’s season runs through October, making it one of the finest ways to take in Appalachia’s changing autumn colors.

There are plenty of places around Puerto Rico where you can ride horses and the scenery is as varied as your imagination. You can gallop along a white- or golden-sand beach or take more leisurely jaunts through the mountain and interior regions of the island. If it’s been a while since you’ve been in the saddle, head to Luquillo, where the Carabalí Rainforest Adventure Park offers two guided ride options: one on the beach, the other in the rain forest.

On Half Moon Cay, the horses are amphibious vehicles. A horseback riding adventure here starts with a short briefing so that even novice riders will feel comfortable once they saddle up. The guided excursion then explores some of the island on dry land, including an ascent to its highest point, with views of the entire cay. Next, you’ll ride along the beach and even into the surf in what proves for many Holland America Line guests to be among the most unforgettable moments of their cruise.