Just a seven-mile ferryboat ride across the Boston Harbor, this little-known national park makes a great day trip on a sunny summer day. The park extends to 34 islands, 6 of which are accessible to visitors. The extraordinarily well-preserved Fort Warren on Georges Island was built in 1833, and served as a military training ground and a Civil War prison. Nature lovers will enjoy Grape Island, which has a multitude of shorebirds and berry bushes—all within sight of the Boston skyline. Ferries depart from Long Wharf in front of Christopher Columbus Park and run between Georges, Lovells, and Spectacle islands; interisland ferries shuttle to Grape, Bumpkin, and Peddocks islands. The schedules vary depending on the season and the day of the week; be sure to check the schedule online in advance). And pack a picnic lunch, as food options on the islands are slim (just hot dogs, subs, and sodas on Spectacle and Georges).—updated by Jon Marcus

Early May—early October, with occasional special events off season.

The Boston Public Library is a destination in itself, and not just for bookworms. Charles Follen McKim designed the original building (check out where the stonemasons ran out of room to chisel "Shakespeare" among the names of the literary greats inscribed on the facade), and the addition is courtesy of Philip Johnson. Inside is art by Augustus and Louis Saint-Gaudens, Lincoln Memorial sculptor Daniel Chester French, John Singleton Copley, Winslow Homer, James Abbott McNeil Whistler, John James Audubon, Rembrandt, Goya, Picasso, Toulouse-Lautrec, Rockwell Kent, and Alfred Stieglitz. There are also murals, including John Singer Sargent's Judaism and Christianity, a depiction of the development of world religions, which Sargent considered his greatest achievement, and The Quest of the Holy Grail, by Edwin Austin Abbey, with 150 life-size figures illustrating the legends of King Arthur. In its research room, the library exhibits some of its rare book holdings, which include Shakespeare first folios and the personal papers of presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams. Free art and architecture guided tours meet in the lobby of the McKim Building: Check the Web site for times.—Jon Marcus

Open Mondays through Thursdays 9 am to 9 pm, Fridays and Saturdays 9 am to 5 pm, Sundays 1 to 5 pm.

Even Yankees fans have to admit that there's something special about seeing a ball game at Fenway Park. First opened in 1912, it's one of the smallest stadiums in the major leagues, and it's always packed (every game has been sold out since May 15, 2003) with fans eagerly awaiting a home-team hit over the Green Monster, the 37-foot-high left-field wall. (The seats on top of the Green Monster are particularly coveted.) Sellouts or not, you can still get face-value tickets on game day—300 are set aside for every game and are sold beginning two and a half hours before the first pitch at the little-noticed Gate C ticket window on Lansdowne Street. Or you could pay a huge surcharge to one of the ticket brokers with storefronts in the neighborhood. If you still can't score seats for love or money (or because the Yankees are in town), you can take a guided tour of the ballpark, including the press box, the dugout, the graffiti left by players inside the Green Monster, and the exact spot (Section 42, Row 37, Seat 21) where Ted Williams' record home run touched down. The whole Fenway experience is steeped in tradition, from the manual scoreboard to the organ to the Boston-accented hecklers. Grab a sausage-and-pepper sandwich outside the park before or after. Remember, Massachusetts liquor laws are strict: Beer vendors do not wander the stands, so you'll have to buy your overpriced beer at the beer stands underneath the seats. And bring ID, even if you haven't needed it in years.—updated by Jon Marcus

If there's a big fight in Vegas, it's probably at Mandalay Bay. The prefight energy pulsates throughout the entire resort, and it's a total party inside the 12,000-seat arena. Try to get seats in sections 4 through 11 for boxing matches and sections 1 through 8 for Ultimate Fighting matches (which use cages, hence a different setup). If you want to spot celebs, sit in the first eight rows; that's as far as the floodlights reach, and therefore where all the big stars sit. Purchase tickets early at the Mandalay's website or ticketmaster.com. Even if you can't score tickets, after the fight is over you'll likely gamble alongside promoters, managers, and even fighters themselves well into the wee hours. (Bouts also empty out the Mandalay's restaurants during fight time, affording a rare opportunity to fine-dine at places like Fleur de Lys without a reservation.)

The scarcity of kid-friendly spaces in New York can be trying if you've got family in tow, especially since the few that do exist are notoriously crowded. That's why the Bronx Zoo is such a welcome respite. Spread across 265 acres of leafy woodlands, the zoo's primary mission is to provide natural settings for more than 4,000 animals. The "African Plains" exhibit mimics a savanna, with predators and prey roaming in the same environment, separated by moats. (The only problem with this setup is that the animals are often a long way from the paths, and small children might have trouble spotting them.) More exciting for little ones is the children's zoo and the Congo Gorilla Forest, a 6.5-acre habitat in which visitors get up close with the primates while wandering under a thick canopy of mist-shrouded leaves. Other highlights include Tiger Mountain and the "Himalayan Highlands," where the zoo's snow leopards can be seen lounging on steep rocky hills. Afterwards, drop by the New York Botanical Garden (just across the street), a bucolic 250-acre oasis complete with river, waterfall, endless flower species, and a 50-acre swath of native forest similar to what would once have covered the city. The zoo is accessible vis the Metro-North Harlem line from Grand Central, by subway, or by the BxM11 express bus with stops along Madison Avenue north of 26th Street.

Open Mondays through Fridays 10 am to 5 pm, weekends and holidays 10 am to 5.30 pm. Wednesday admissions are on a donation basis.

This stage-set of a neighborhood remains the most expensive real estate in the borough. The Promenade was once the saddest place in New York, with its grandstand view of the burning twin towers—and it hosted many a candlelight vigil—but that same panorama of the (truncated) Lower Manhattan skyline remains a great sight. From there, amble the streets and ogle the Federal, Italianate, and Greek Revival brownstones, atmospheric backdrop for the many writers—Walt Whitman, Truman Capote, Paul Bowles, and W.H. Auden—who have called this quarter home. A stop off at the Brooklyn Historical Society will put the surroundings in context (128 Pierrepont St.; 718-222-4111; www.brooklynhistory.org; closed Mon. and Tues.). Be sure to pick up a pocket-sized map at the front desk listing architectural highlights. Henry and Montague Streets are lined with restaurants and shops, though there's a surprising dearth of decent food here, considering the moneyed surroundings. Jack the Horse Tavern, a gastropub on the Heights' northern edge, is probably your best bet (66 Hicks St.; 718-852-5084; www.jackthehorse.com). At the southern end lies Brooklyn Borough Hall, a Greek Revival structure known as Brooklyn's oldest public building. Visit its farmer's market every Tuesday and Saturday year-round (as well as Thursdays from April to December). The New York Transit Museum hidden in plain sight on Schermerhorn Street below a sign that looks like an actual subway stop, is well worth your time—it has interactive exhibits and vintage train cars from all eras (corner of Boerum Pl. and Schermerhorn St.; 718-694-1600; www.mta.info/mta/museum).

Among the world's largest natural-history museums, the California Academy of Sciences is as renowned for its collection—over 26 million specimens gathered over the past 150 years—as it is for the building that houses them. Opened in late 2008, the Renzo Piano–designed museum earned a LEED Platinum certification for its eco-sensibility. Vast expanses of glass, crisscrossed by recycled-steel beams, allow the sun to shine inside the exhibits, which include a knockout four-story rain forest dome filled with towering tropical trees, colorful birds, and fluttering butterflies. The glass elevators that descend from the rain forest to the Steinhart Aquarium double as a viewing window into the enormous tank, its coral reefs teeming with candy-colored fish. Be sure to pick up tickets for the hourly shows at the state-of-the-art Morrison Planetarium, the world's largest all-digital planetarium; sit up high for the best perspective on the 75-foot-diameter dome. And don't miss the 2.5-acre roof, another green feature, planted with native grasses, trees, and flowers; the idea was to give the illusion that a slice of earth had been lifted up to install the museum beneath it. Even on a foggy day, when mist twirls in the treetops, the park views from atop the roof are stupendous. To avoid hordes of schoolchildren, consider coming on Thursday evenings, from 6 to 10 pm, when the museum hosts Nightlife, an over-21 event with cocktails and DJs in the atrium; the entire museum is open for viewing at this time. This event nearly always sells out, so make reservations.—John Vlahides

Open Mondays through Saturdays 9:30 am to 5 pm, Sundays 11 am to 5 pm.

Billing itself as "Boston's Left Bank," Cambridge is an academic center, a technological corridor, and a vibrant, multicultural city located just across the Charles River from Boston. It's easily reachable on the T or by foot across one of the several bridges, and you'd do well to set aside an entire day to explore it properly. In Harvard Square, street musicians compete for attention with socialists handing out literature. Purists complain that it's become too commercial and there are too many chain restaurants and shops (and it's true, you'll find the usual Gaps and Pizzeria Unos), but it's still a great place for strolling and people-watching with an ice cream cone from Herrell's (15 Dunster St.; 617-497-2179). South of Harvard along Mass. Ave. (only tourists call it Massachusetts Avenue), Central Square is a corridor of ethnic restaurants, bars, clubs, and shops with a funkier, edgier feel, such as the Middle East music venue and the1369 Coffee House (1369 Cambridge St. in Inman Square, 617-576-1369, and 757 Mass. Ave. in Central Square, 617-576-4600,). At Harvard University, get your bearings at Harvard Information Center, located in the Holyoke Center arcade (1350 Mass. Ave.; 617-495-1573), then walk around Harvard Yard to admire the centuries-old academic and residential buildings. There are three art museums to choose from: American and European works at the Fogg (32 Quincy St.; 617-495-9400), art from German-speaking countries of northern and central Europe at the Busch-Reisinger Museum (32 Quincy St.; 617-495-9400), and Asian, Islamic, and Indian art at the Sackler (485 Broadway; 617-495-9400). Even non–science types will be impressed by the Harvard Museum of Natural History, home to the intricate Ware Collection of Blaschka Glass Models of Plants, commonly known as "the glass flowers." It includes more than 830 species that were created as early as 1886 for botany students to study (26 Oxford St.; 617-495-3045). Across the street from Harvard Yard, the Sanders Theatre presents concerts (from folk to classical music) and public lectures. First used in 1876, this all-wooden space evokes old English academia, and is prized for its acoustics (45 Quincy St.; 617-496-2222). Farther downriver, MIT has a museum, too, which details some of the technological breakthroughs and geeky pranks of that university's rich history (265 Mass. Ave.; 617-253-5927); some cutting-edge architecture to admire, by the likes of Frank Gehry (the Ray and Maria Stata Center on Vassar Street); and world-class art by Pablo Picasso, Louise Nevelson, Alexander Calder, and others. Pick up a guide, or arrange a guided tour, at the List Visual Arts Center (20 Ames St., Building E15; 617-253-4680).—updated by Jon Marcus

Add up 32,000 miles of lakes and streams, 5,500 miles of coastline, and hundreds of lakes and ponds, and you begin to see why so many canoes, kayaks, and rafts are strapped to the roofs of Maine cars. A sea kayak is the perfect way to explore Casco Bay and the islands off the coast of Portland; take a guided tour with Maine Island Kayak Company (207-766-2373; maineislandkayak.com). Prefer the cry of loons on calmer waters? Venture to the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, a 92-mile corridor of canoeing nirvana in the north woods. Find canoes, guides, and shuttles to put-in points at Allagash Outfitters in Allagash (207-398-3277; www.allagashoutfitters.com). And if it's white water you seek, hit the Kennebec, Dead, or Penobscot Rivers through Northern Outdoors Resort. Both the Kennebec (class II–IV) and the Penobscot (class III–V) have daily dam releases in the summer, and the Dead River has dam releases up to three times a month from May to October.

The Cape Cod Baseball League is America's premier collegiate summer league and has been an incubator for some of the sport's top pro players since it was founded in 1885. Alumni include Mike Lowell, Mo Vaughn, Barry Zito, Nomar Garciaparra, Thurman Munson, Jason Varitek, "Buck" Showalter, Jacoby Ellsbury, and more than 200 players currently active in the major leagues. Visit the Web site for a schedule and directions—the teams play on municipal and public school fields between early June and mid-August—and bring a beach chair or blanket to watch the up-and-coming talent up close. Some teams ask for donations at the gate or pass a hat to pay for their expenses.

Set on 383 acres of conservation land overlooking a salt marsh and Cape Cod Bay, the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History hosts kid- and adult-friendly programs and exhibits about local animals and sea life. Don't miss the nature trails or the Marshview Room—bird feeders hung outside make for fantastic indoor bird-watching, and binoculars are provided.

Open daily 9:30 am to 4 pm, June through September; Wednesdays through Sundays 11 am to 3 pm, October through December; Thursdays through Sundays 11 am to 3 pm, February and March; and Wednesdays through Sundays 11 am to 3 pm, April and May.

Originally founded as an artists' colony in the early 20th century, Carmel (also known as Carmel-by-the-Sea) has the look and feel of a Christmas snow-globe village—without the snow. Streets are paved with cobblestones, giant Monterey pines make whooshing sounds in the sea breeze, and the houses resemble picturesque Mediterranean villas and miniature castles. The artists have long since been priced out, and major celebrities (Doris Day, Clint Eastwood) have taken their place, but you'll still find more galleries per capita than perhaps anywhere else on the California coast. Head to Dolores Street between Fifth and Sixth for the best gallery-hopping. Stop into the Carmel Art Association, the only gallery that exclusively shows local works (831-624-6176; www.carmelart.org); Masterpiece Gallery, which has a collection of early Californian and American paintings (831-624-2163; www.masterpiecegallerycarmel.com); and Gallery Sur, specializing in landscape photography (831-626-2615; www.gallerysur.com). The best time to visit Carmel is midweek; avoid coming on Saturday in summer, when it gets overrun with oohing-and-aahing tourists. If you want to meet locals, head for the beach in the early evening; the whole community seems to turn out to watch the sunset.

Steel magnate Andrew Carnegie was determined to build the grandest concert hall in the country when he endowed this magnificent auditorium in 1889. Two years later the main hall and two other performance spaces opened in an imposing Renaissance-style building, with acoustics deemed to be virtually perfect. In the century since, the name Carnegie Hall has become synonymous with the apex of achievement in the musical field—the reason everyone from Pavarotti to the Beatles has performed here. But even if it's an unknown artist on stage, the whole experience—the red carpets, the curving balconies, the thrum of history—is a performance in itself.

Faithfully preserved records and artifacts from the 39th president's administration are on permanent display at this museum and library, which share a 37-acre campus with the humanitarian-focused Carter Center (not open to the public). Exhibitions focus on presidential or political themes—such as eyewitness accounts culled from the National Archives, like Thomas Jefferson's thoughts at the onset of the French Revolution—and change regularly.

The museum is open Mondays through Saturdays 9 am to 4:45 pm, Sunday noon to 4:30 pm.
The library is open Mondays through Fridays 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

The Castro, America's favorite gayborhood, has few tourist sights, but is unmatched for people-watching. The area is crammed with out-and-proud bookstores, bars, and clubby restaurants—hit Lime at brunch for all you can drink mimosas. The glass-walled Twin Peaks Tavern is famous as one of the first gay bars that did not hide its identity. Catch a movie at the Castro Theatre, a historic landmark and one of the few 1920s movie palaces still in operation today.

In 1994, Disney capitalized on the Central Florida real-estate boom in a controversial way: It opened its own town where it could professionally administer the company's ethos to eager buyers. At first, it seemed as if many of the new residents were actually journalists researching books about living in the enforced paradise, but in time, the town's tastefully arranged, gabled houses and obsessively quaint Market Street acquired earnest residents and businesses, plus a few Disney offices. Now managed by outside real-estate concerns, everything, down to paint color and hydrant placement, was calculated to instill the warm-fuzzies by corporate designers. Drive-by gawking is common, as are return glares from behind shifting curtains.

It's called a "folk" festival, but that description doesn't do justice to the bluegrass, blues, Cajun, and Celtic performers that come each August to blast their songs across the waters of Lake Champlain. Bring a blanket (you'll be sitting on the grass), a bottle of wine, and, if you're so inclined, your dancing shoes: The dance tent shakes all weekend long.

Chappaquiddick, an island just off Edgartown, is the least-known part of the Vineyard…well, least-known except for The Bridge—the one on which Mary Jo Kopechne lost her life and Ted Kennedy nearly lost his political career. But this tiny island is also one of the most beautiful places on the Vineyard. Hidden among its pines and oaks is the 14-acre Mytoi Japanese garden. Its red fretwork bridge, designed by architect Hugh Jones, is framed in daffodils, azaleas, hinoki cypress, and holly (depending on the season). You also can hike, fish, kayak, bird-watch, and pick blueberries. To get there, hop aboard what locals call the one-minute ferry (it actually takes three minutes) from the Edgartown wharf (Dike Rd.; 508-627-7689; thetrustees.org). There's another 14 miles of hiking trails in the Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge on the eastern edge of Chappaquiddick, including a stretch along a seven-mile barrier beach. The refuge includes ponds, cedar groves, salt marshes, and the 1893 Cape Poge Lighthouse, and there are tours that cover natural history, fishing, lighthouses, and wildlife (aboard a kayak or canoe) as well as self-guided tours. Over-sand vehicle permits (available at the gatehouse for $180) allow four-wheel-drive vehicles access to 14 miles of dune roads.

When you've had it with crowds, cabernet, and the pretense of the major wineries, book a tasting at Charbay Winery, a folksy throwback to the days when Napa's wineries looked like farms, not monuments. Founded by a 13th-generation master distiller from Serbia, Charbay has a cult following for its spirits and aperitif wines. Giant copper stills lie outside the garage-like tasting room, which doubles as the barrel room. During the sit-down tasting at a plastic table and picnic chairs, you'll sample unusual fortified and still wines. If you secretly add ice to your wine, you'll be delighted by Charbay, a Mendocino-grown chardonnay enriched with house-made brandy; serve it straight up as a dessert wine, or add ice and a twist for a smart and elegant aperitif. Do the same for the berry-rich rosé, and it tastes just like sangria. But the spirits are what make Charbay famous. California law won't allow you to taste them on-site, but trust us: The vodkas are fabulous, and some come flavored with bright fruit like blood orange, raspberry, or Meyer lemon.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 9 am to 5 pm.

Located a few miles north of downtown Orlando in tony Winter Park, the Morse Museum's core collection, spread over 8,000 square feet of hushed and artfully downlit exhibition space, is the world's most comprehensive collection of works by Art Nouveau glassworker Louis Comfort Tiffany, many of which were acquired by a wealthy collector after the artist's Long Island home was destroyed in the 1950s. Case after case of masterpieces can turn even the most casual visitor into an art glass aficionado. In addition to an original Norman Rockwell, make sure to view the on-site chapel, designed by Tiffany for the Chicago's World Columbian Exposition in 1893.

Formerly Bank One Ballpark, this baseball field is home to the Arizona Diamondbacks and handles rain or shine with its retractable roof. Odd as it may seem to visitors unaccustomed to this climate, the roof actually is closed the later it gets in summer, as the heat outside can be unbearable. Get a group together (maximum 35) and reserve the swimming pool in right field for $6,500 (how cool is that?), or grab a seat in TGIF's Front Row, just beyond first base (602-462-3506; www.frontrowphoenix.myfridays.com). It's a full restaurant with "patio" seating in the stands. For the season schedule and general tickets, go to the Diamondbacks' Web site.

There's no better place to survey the most buzzed-about names in contemporary art than in west Chelsea. On Saturdays, these blocks crawl with curious onlookers and art investors on the prowl for the next Jeff Koons. Though some critics carp about Chelsea's increasing predictability (yes, that's another Warhol), there's still plenty of cutting-edge fare on display. The area is home to 230 venues, from the not-for-profit, contemporary gallery CUE Art Foundation (511 W. 25th St.; 212-206-3583; www.cueartfoundation.org) to blue-chip dealers such as PaceWildenstein (545 W. 22nd St. and 534 W. 25th St.; 212-989-4258; www.pacewildenstein.com) and the Gagosian Gallery (555 W. 24th St. and 522 W. 21st St.; 212-741-1111; www.gagosian.com). When planning your stroll, keep in mind that galleries often keep limited hours or are open by appointment only; www.chelseaartgalleries.com provides a good overview of the area. Art critic Merrily Kerr runs excellent tours of the neighborhood, taking you to a range of galleries and helping to put the pieces into context with what's going on in the larger art world.

Puzzling over video installations and abstract paintings is bound to leave you hungry—luckily, the district happens to be flanked by Tenth Avenue's excellent swath of restaurants, like Cookshop's locally sourced American cuisine (156 Tenth Ave.; 212-924-4440; www.cookshopny.com). After lunch, wander above it all on the High Line, a former elevated train line that has been converted into a park overlooking the city and the Hudson River.

The largest Asian community in North America has expanded its territory over the years, reaching into the Lower East Side and Little Italy; Manhattan's Chinatown now extends from Worth St. to Broome St. between Broadway and Madison St., but the main streets are Canal and Mott. The area is packed with markets overflowing with vegetables and fish, restaurants and noodle shops, stores selling everything from silk robes to discount luggage, and basement massage parlors where you can get a good, cheap shiatsu. If you don't like crowds, though, beware: It's a virtual mosh pit of humanity down here, and challenging to negotiate on foot. But there's also a spiritual side, particularly in the Eastern States Buddhist Temple on Mott St., where golden Buddhas are lit by candlelight.

Invented in the 1860s by Chinese immigrants as a way to share their culture, this is the largest parade of its kind in the United States. Giant dragons and lions, local dignitaries, marching bands, and costumed dancers snake through downtown, and the newly crowned Miss Chinatown USA and her court wave coyly from their float. Dress warmly and find a spot to watch early along the route (the sidewalk gets more crowded as you approach Chinatown) or spring for a $30 bleacher seat. The event takes place between January 21 and February 21. Chinese New Year dates vary; check the Web site for schedule.

Automotive tycoon Walter Chrysler wanted to build the tallest building in the world, and when this stainless-steel skyscraper opened in 1930, it was—at least until the Empire State Building was completed a few months later. His edifice may no longer have the height advantage, but architecture critics (and many New Yorkers) give it the edge on style, thanks to the automotive themes that rev up its Jazz Age design—the overlapping hubcaps that make up the building's crown and the eagle hood ornaments that extend from eight corners of the 61st floor. (For a behind-the-scenes look at Condé Nast Traveler's September 2006 cover shoot with Naomi Watts atop one of the 61st-floor gargoyles, click here.) It's a romantic building, particularly when lit up at night. Visitors can also check out the lobby during regular business hours, with its airplane ceiling mural and carved-wood elevator doors.

As befits a town notorious for its rain, Seattle has some standout theaters. Saved from impending destruction in 1999 by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, the retro Cinerama has a massive 90-by-30-foot curved screen (for three-strip films) and a wave-shaped ceiling to optimize the theater's surround-sound system. The subterranean Big Picture has the feel of a super-stylish living room, complete with leopard-print sofas and curlicued mirrors in the lounge area. Grab a martini from the bar and settle into a rocking chair in the theater, where first-run art-house films play weekly. Lines snake around the block each spring when the Seattle International Film Festival—a three-week series of about 400 films—comes to town.—Updated by Aaron Barker

A branch of the Met devoted to the art and architecture of medieval Europe, the Cloisters is a series of medieval passageways reconstructed from French monasteries and incorporated within a modern museum. Situated in Fort Tyron Park at the northern tip of Manhattan above 189th Street, the museum exists largely thanks to a generous endowment from John D. Rockefeller, Jr., who helped the Met purchase not only the collection but the new building and 700 acres of land in New Jersey, which preserves the bucolic views across the Hudson. The collection includes tapestries, stained-glass windows, illuminated manuscripts, and sculpture, mainly from the Romanesque and Gothic periods. The Cloisters is a popular destination on sweltering summer days, when strolling the cool, calm passageways and gardens is a heavenly respite from the urban madness.

Open Tuesdays through Sundays 9:30 am to 4:45 pm (November to February), 9:30 am to 5:15 pm (March to October). M-4 bus, with stops along Madison Avenue above 34th Street, is best direct transit to the park. You can also take the 1 train on the subway.

Back in 1991, CNN put Atlanta on the map with its real-time Gulf War coverage and its then-revolutionary concept of a 24-hour cable news service. While some programming has shifted to New York City, the global headquarters for the Turner Broadcasting System remains one of this city's most visible institutions. Guided tours provide a behind-the-scenes look at the operation, including a model control center and a blue-screen special-effects studio. Advance reservations are recommended. The walking tour includes several flights of stairs; call ahead to inquire about accessibility for persons with disabilities.

Starbucks, Torrefazione Italia Coffee, and Seattle's Best Coffee are among the chains that got their start here, but it's the smaller, funkier cafés that provide a glimpse into the city's renowned java culture. The fashionable Zeitgeist, in Pioneer Square, has high ceilings, warm wood shelving, and brick walls hung with art. It's always buzzing with beautiful people. Hand-painted murals and red-and-yellow walls make the Cuba-inspired El Diablo Coffee Company a sunny spot regardless of the weather. Try its robust Cubano, made with custom-roasted beans and sweetened with caramelized sugar. Capitol Hill has too many good coffeehouses to dare to pick a "best," but Victrola Coffee & Art stands out for lovely Art Deco–inspired digs, baristas who never seem to have an off day, and a commitment to hard-to-get specialty brews. Another great spot in the same neighborhood is the loftlike Capitol Hill outpost of Bauhaus (the brew of choice for Seattle's cool set), which houses a library of design books and has an upper deck with brilliant views of the Space Needle.—Updated by Aaron Barker

A stroll in Cole Valley, to the south of the Upper Haight, is a pleasant way to escape that area's crowds. Admire the Victorians on Ashbury Street, or go up Shrader Street, passing the "Angel of Hope" in front of #1591, carved from a cypress trunk after the tree fell in a 1997 storm. Turn left on Belgrave Street to enjoy the glorious vista from Tank Hill.

"Whale watching with a guarantee" is the motto of Condor Express—that's what they all say. But the waters off Santa Barbara are home to one of the world's largest concentrations of migrating blue and humpback whales, plus orcas, minke whales, dolphins, and other finned mammals throughout the year. Best time to see blues and humpbacks: May through September. Dolphins can be seen throughout the year, and orcas surface occasionally between late February and March. Catch the gray whales during their winter migration to Mexico between December and March, or between February and May, when they head north with their newborn calves. Condor Express offers two-hour coast cruises and half-day tours of the Channel Islands, depending on whale migrations. The only time that spotting a whale is not guaranteed is during the fall.

Hidden away in the tony suburb of Makiki, the Contemporary has an impressive collection of lesser-known works by modern-art masters. There are paintings by Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Robert Motherwell, and Richard Diebenkorn; sculpture by Deborah Butterfield; photography by William Wegman; and glasswork by Dale Chihuly. The café on the grounds is a lovely, serene place to lunch, and children are welcome to play among the outdoor installations in the garden.

For quirky shopping, eclectic dining, offbeat coffee bars, a swell farmer's market, and several smart galleries, head to Midtown Memphis's hippest neighborhood, centered at the intersection of Cooper and Young streets. Park on the southwest corner, behind Café Olé, and walk to Young Avenue Deli, fish-happy Tsunami (928 S. Cooper; 901-274-2556; www.tsunamimemphis.com; closed Sundays), or Casablanca, a Moroccan/Greek spot where ebullient proprietor Aimer Shtaya playfully regales the dining room with anecdotes (2156 Young Ave.; 901-725-8557; www.casablancamemphis.com). You'll want to drive to most other highlights, such as David Mah Studio (888 S. Cooper; 901-272-8880; www.davidmahstudio.com; by appointment only), Otherlands Coffee Bar & Exotic Gifts (641 S. Cooper; 901-278-4994), and retro store Flashback, Inc. (2304 Central Ave.; 901-272-2304; www.flashbackmemphis.com). In mid-September, the district's businesses host the popular Cooper-Young Festival, a celebration of art, music, crafts, and food.

NOTE: The Corcoran Gallery of Art will be closed for roof renovations from January 26 through March 13, 2009.
The city's first art museum, housed in an extravagant Beaux Arts building across from the White House, contains an encyclopedic assortment of American art, from portraits from the 18th century to modern works of the 20th century. It's not exclusively American, though, having benefited from the eclectic bequests of several wealthy collectors. The Clark Landing wing contains an extensive display of European paintings, sculptures, tapestries, rugs, and an entire Louis XVI salon belonging to Senator William Andrews Clark, who donated his possessions to the museum in the 1920s. A more recent addition is the photography collection belonging to the noted lensman Gordon Parks.

The National Audubon Society's 13,000-acre preserve, located 20 miles inland of Bonita Springs, protects pine flatwoods, open prairie, and North America's largest stand of old-growth bald cypress, a moss-draped redwood relative that can exceed 130 feet in height and 25 in girth. A 2.25-mile handicap-accessible boardwalk leads through the pristine forest and over wetlands and shallow "lettuce lakes" that are prime feeding grounds for alligators and wading birds. Almost 200 bird species have been spotted here, including yellow-billed cuckoos, painted buntings, and America's largest nesting colony of wood storks. While this is a self-guided walk, volunteer naturalists along the route will answer questions. Depending on the season, you may spot alligators moving through the grasses, black bears in the pinelands, or raccoons and otters. Given the shade thrown by the towering cypress trees and a thriving population of larvae-eating mosquito fish, this is a pleasant nature call, even in summer.

Open daily 7 am to 7:30 pm, April 11 though September 30, 7 am to 5:30 pm, October 1 through April 10.

This broad, grassy meadow between the Palace of Fine Arts and Fort Point was formerly the site of a U.S. Army post but is now a public park with a stunning view of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. You'll see many devotees of the Californian cult of fitness, from joggers and bikers to kite-surfers and Rollerbladers. Take a picnic so you can soak in the vista, stroll, and people-watch, or buy a cheap kite in Chinatown and meditate as it floats on the breeze.

Open daily 9 am to 5 pm.

There are several choices for cross-country skiing around Park City. White Pine Touring, right in town, has 12.5 miles of groomed trails that skirt along the mountains and past the pretty white McPolin Barn, a historic dairy farm; rentals are available. Soldier Hollow, the cross-country and biathlon venue for the 2002 Games, is just east of Park City and has a 20-mile trail system, rentals, and a tubing hill with 1,200-foot lanes served by a tow-lift.—Updated by Sarah Tuff

Ah, gliding over the snow, lungs filling with crisp oxygen, the smell of wood smoke in the air, and blue skies overhead—the best parts of Nordic skiing. Vermont has 36 dedicated cross-country ski areas, and many of the alpine resorts have attached Nordic centers (see the full list at www.skivermont.com). In northern Vermont, Craftsbury Outdoor Center has more than 80 miles of trails that wend through winter-hushed woods, skirt ice-clogged rivers, and cut through farmers' fields (535 Lost Nation Rd., Craftsbury Common; 802-586-7767; www.craftsbury.com). The area has lodging and meals, and in the summer converts to a sculling and trail-running destination. If you're looking to escape the alpine chaos at Killington, make for Mountain Top Nordic Ski & Snowshoe Center, a 15-minute drive away from the base area (802-483-6089; www.mountaintopinn.com). It offers a pristine 50-mile network of trails and 29 post-and-beam rooms at the Mountain Top inn. It also has a summertime alter ego as a top horseback-riding retreat. And for a true cross-country skiing adventure, the Catamount Trail is the winter equivalent of the famous Long Trail (802-864-5794; www.catamounttrail.org). Beginning at the Massachusetts line and ending at the Canadian border, it stretches the 300-mile length of Vermont, connecting backcountry routes and groomed trails.

One of the nation's biggest and best floral displays is set on the thickly wooded slopes above White Rock Lake, a popular recreation spot close to downtown. Paths shaded by magnolias and crape myrtles wind among immense beds of tulips and azaleas in the spring and chrysanthemums in the fall. A vast variety of vistas makes this a popular place for commercial and amateur photographers: water walls, gazebos, arbors, broad lawns, and myriad fountains and pools, some whimsical (four spouting toads), some ethereally minimalist. A new education center designed by the noted Texas firm Lake/Flato is a series of small classrooms and large pavilions in glass, steel, stone, and wood, a sophisticated modernist interpretation of traditional Texas barns and farmhouses. Picnicking is encouraged.

Open daily 9 am to 5 pm.

Though it is the least distinguished architecturally of the area's major museums, Edward Larrabee Barnes' sleek, modern building is dramatically ambitious if somewhat overbearing. The collections broadly survey European, American, Asian, and African art while also showcasing cutting-edge contemporary work, often from some of Europe's biggest stars. Decorative arts are another strength, with a definitive collection of American silver. But the premier collection is ancient art from South and Central America, and it's one of the world's finest, featuring stunning displays of Incan gold and Mayan ceramics. The museum also functions as a site for frequent concerts, readings, and lectures.

Open Tuesdays and Wednesdays 11 am to 5 pm, Thursdays 11 am to 9 pm, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays 11 am to 5 pm.

The aquarium isn't the half of this ambitious, privately operated zoological garden in Dallas's West End Historic District. An enormous glassed-in habitat reproduces Venezuela's Orinoco rain forest, monkeys and toucans gambol in the treetops, and crocodiles and manatees swim down below. In the new junglelike eight-story Mundo Maya habitat, hummingbirds and butterflies flit, panthers prowl, and bull sharks lurk over visitors' heads in a glassed-in tunnel. The aquarium has gorgeous saltwater environments ranging from British Columbia (giant octopus) to the reefs of Palau. Have a drink and a bite in the Eighteen-O-One restaurant while the kids go wild.

Open daily 10 am to 5 pm.

Every summer, San Diegans go horse-crazy and flock to Del Mar to bet on thoroughbreds. One of the nation's top horse-racing venues, the historic Del Mar Thoroughbred Club first opened in 1937. Races are presented six days weekly from mid-July through mid-September. On Fridays, a free concert series with big-name rock acts—Flaming Lips, Violent Femmes, Pinback—follows the races.

This is one of the best gardens you will ever see, possibly because it's so full of local plants. There are giant saguaros, the type of cactus that can hold up to 1,000 gallons of water, and succulents like aloe plants that are so tall (15 feet) that they look like they're from a Star Trek episode. Don't miss the desert flowers, either, which are achingly beautiful.

Damaged by an earthquake in 1989, the de Young opened its strikingly angular new building—clad in a perforated copper skin—in Golden Gate Park in October 2005. Locals love it or hate it: Some say it looks like a dragon; others, like something aliens built in the night. The permanent collection comprises American, African, Oceanic, American Indian, New Guinea, Maori, and Filipino art and includes some notable works by Frida Kahlo. The below-ground galleries house temporary exhibitions of varying quality. When it's clear out, the spectacular view from the nine-story observation tower is a stunner. On Friday evenings, the museum stays open late for its "Friday Nights at the de Young" program, when you can sip cocktails as you take in anything from poetry to performance art.—Updated by John Vlahides

Open Tuesdays through Thursdays 9:30 am to 5:15 pm, Fridays 9:30 am to 8:45 pm, and Saturdays and Sundays 9:30 am to 5:15 pm.

When you see the tongue-in-cheek cut-out sheep dotting the hillside just outside of Napa, you've arrived at di Rosa Preserve, one of the largest regional art collections in the country. More than 2,000 works by Northern California artists are assembled in three galleries and a sculpture meadow. In the di Rosa residence gallery, paintings cover every available surface, including the ceiling, while the Gatehouse and main galleries are more contemporary in layout. Among the works by 900 artists, there are some real gems, including paintings by William Wiley, a subterranean video installation by Paul Kos, and sculptures by Robert Hudson, Mark di Suvero, and Robert Arneson. While the Gatehouse Gallery is open on a pop-in, pop-out basis, you'll need to sign on to a tour in order to see the rest of the property. The guided one-hour tours can feel rushed, and visitors are not permitted to explore on their own. If you want extra time for wandering, book a two-hour tour or come on Saturday for an in-depth two-and-a-half-hour tour (April through October only). The estate also hosts its own First Friday art party every month during the summer and autumn tourist seasons.

Open Tuesdays through Saturdays 9:30 am to 3 pm.

Added in 1998, Animal Kingdom is the most spacious Disney Park by a large margin (500 acres), although most of that belongs to the menagerie of exotic, free-roaming animals. See them on the 20-minute excursion, "Kilimanjaro Safaris," as soon as the park opens, before long lines form and the animals seek shelter from the sun. When Disney realized the Kingdom's big-ticket attractions (the clever, sense-tricking movie It's Tough to Be a Bug! shown beneath the Tree of Life, the bruising indoor ride Dinosaur, and a few exhibits about animal conservation) weren't keeping guests busy enough to stay until closing time (at dusk), they added a roller coaster, Expedition Everest, in spring 2006 and a Broadway-style musical version of Finding Nemo, opened a year later. Despite these additions, visitors still tend to vacate the park by 2pm or so. Since much of the park's attractions are exposed to the elements, either limit your visit to the cooler morning hours or make sure to wear appropriate clothing.

Opened in 1989 (in part to head off Universal Studios, which debuted the following year), Disney's third Florida park was intended to double as a functioning studio, but the clients didn't materialize. The resulting property's most celebrated attractions are the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror—a technological and artistic home run that thrills guests by emulating a haunted elevator car—and an indoor roller-coaster (Disney World's only upside-down ride). It's also home to the new Toy Story Mania, an addictive ride through a 3-D video arcade simulating a half dozen carnival games, such as pie throwing and ringtoss. Otherwise, the Studios are mostly a place to catch live shows suited to the very young, including an electrifying car stunt show and bite-size versions of The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast.

Just a 45-minute drive from downtown Los Angeles, Disneyland is mandatory if you have children (and even if you haven't, don't you want to experience it once, just to get that big dose of Americana?). These days there are even some hotels with character and an increasing number of good spots for food.

Portland has long been known for its microbrew and wine scenes. But the latest local boozing trend is small-batch distilleries, tiny D.I.Y. outfits cooking up everything from bourbon to aquavit. Most line the southeast side of town on what has come to be known as Distillery Row. Among our favorites are House Spirits, whose old-timey apothecary offers tastings of Dutch-inspired Aviation Gin, Russian-Polish style Medoyeff Vodka, and whatever else they're tinkering with in the distillery out back. Locally made bourbon chocolates, vintage cocktail books, bitters, and tiki syrups are also available. Integrity Spirits focuses on botanicals like Oregon's first locally produced absinthe and hazelnut-infused vodka. Vodka is also the drink of choice at the all-organic New Deal, which adds savory flavors like basil. Across town in Northwest is the granddaddy of the distillery movement, Clear Creek. It's been creating liquors with local produce for 25 years, including a pear brandy with a pear grown in the bottle.—Colleen Clark

House Spirits tasting room open Mondays through Saturdays 11 am to 4 pm. Tours on Saturdays by appointment.

Integrity Spirits open Saturdays 2 to 6 pm or by appointment.

New Deal Distillery open Saturdays 12:30 to 5 pm and Sundays 1 to 4 pm or by appointment.

Clear Creek Distillery open Mondays through Saturdays 9 am to 5 pm.

The diving isn't as spectacular around Oahu as it is off Hawaii's outer islands (the deep water isn't quite as clear here). But there are some terrific plane-wreck dives, including the sunken Beechcraft plane off Waianae, and the Corsair crash site off Hawaii Kai, where garden eels "sprout" from their holes in the ocean floor. For trips to these sites, as well as shore dives off the North Shore, contact Oahu Dive Center, the largest and most reputable operator on the island (808-263-7333; www.oahudivecenter.com).

Good snorkeling can be had off almost every Oahu beach; in particular, Sharks Cove and Kuilima Cove on the North Shore are great during the summer, when the water is calm (no worries—you're unlikely to see sharks). The best snorkeling spot by far, though, is Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, a placid cove where the tropical fish have led protected lives since 1967. They're consequently tame as puppies, and swarm around snorkelers in hopes of getting a snack (feeding the fish isn't allowed, though obviously someone is doing it). It can be a little alarming to have hundreds of fish swooping in at you—and even nibbling at you—but they're harmless, and once you get used to it, it's actually pretty fun. There's a beautiful beach at Hanauma where you're welcome to spend the day, although you'll need to pay parking and entry fees (both under $5), and watch a short conservation film before you're allowed to walk down to the sand. The food at the sole snack stand is good but pricey (808-396-4229; www.co.honolulu.hi.us/parks/facility/hanaumabay).

Diving wannabes take note: Maui's waters are warm, clear, teeming with sea life, and calm (at least on the island's south side). In other words, this an ideal place to get certified (it takes less than one week). Better yet, the abundance of dive shops has driven the price of certification down to about $300. Maui Dreams Dive Co. has a solid reputation for safety and environmental awareness. For the certified, it's hard to argue with 25 years of experience diving on Maui—not that Mike Severns likes to brag. He and his team lead dives to all of the main areas of interest: Molokini, Makena, La Perouse Bay, the Kanaio coast, and the St. Anthony wreck.

The Dixon Gallery and Gardens, formerly a private residence, encompasses 17 acres of grounds and houses an admirable collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and decorative arts. Chagall, Renoir, Rodin, Gauguin, and Degas are represented in the permanent collection, along with a sizable portion of French artist Jean-Louis Forain's work, acquired in a deliberate effort to gather works by lesser-known, accomplished Impressionists. Temporary exhibits change four to five times per year. A stroll through the formal and woodland gardens makes for a tranquil, and sometimes peacefully moving, addition to an afternoon spent sightseeing.

Closed Mondays.

Mountain Musher Dog Sled Rides runs trips twice daily on the 10,000-acre Diamond Star Ranch outside Vail. Two people board a sled operated by a musher and pulled by 10 to 12 friendly huskies. The experience is a strangely quiet glide through snow-muffled woods. Halfway through, clients are given the option to take the reins (970-653-7877; www.mountainmusher.com).

A hefty donation from actor Michael Douglas saved the Santa Barbara Coastal Bluffs—now called the Douglas Family Preserve—from being developed into housing. The 70-acre grassy mesa sits above the popular Arroyo Burro Beach, and a walking trail meanders from the entrance on Linda Road to a bluff overlooking the water. Dogs are permitted off-leash within designated areas, making it a favorite for local dog lovers.

Open sunrise to 7 pm.

Downtown Los Angeles has been reputedly making a comeback for 25 years now, but the loft explosion over the past few years has made that notion seem truer than ever. There's lots of sightseeing to be done here, neighborhood landmarks include MOCA, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the new Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, ornate former movie palaces on Broadway, and the kitschy Mexican tourist attraction known as Olvera Street. There's also Chinatown—which is becoming an avant-garde multiculti art destination—and Little Tokyo.

These seven islands 70 miles west of Key West are a snorkeler's dream. The colorful coral reefs just a few feet offshore are populated by tropical fish and Queen conchs (there are free maps at the ranger's office). Back on land, you can tour Fort Jefferson, America's largest 19th-century coastal fortification. The fort was begun in 1846 but never completed despite three decades' worth of construction. It most famously served as a prison where John Wilkes Booth's unknowing accomplice Dr. Samuel Mudd was incarcerated (and later pardoned for his services during a yellow fever outbreak). The entire archipelago has also been designated a wildlife sanctuary to protect the nesting grounds of the sooty tern here; January is peak time for sightings.

There are two ways to reach the Dry Tortugas: by sea and by air. Taking the swoony 40-minute flight over the Gulf of Mexico is the faster but more expensive option (from $229 per person; 305-294-0709; www.seaplanesofkeywest.com). By sea, the high-speed ferry Yankee Freedom takes a couple of hours and can be choppy (bring Dramamine), but it's much better value ($159 per person including breakfast, lunch, island tour, and snorkel gear; 800-322-0013; www.yankeefreedom.com).

Countercultural by sheer virtue of its being a walking community, East Atlanta is an up-and-coming bohemian neighborhood surrounding the intersection of Flat Shoals and Glenwood avenues. Many of the area's boutiques and bars are within a few blocks, making it a fun area to stroll around on a weekend afternoon. The Earl is the unofficial clubhouse for the area's Pabst set, and its Sunday "dunch"—brunch for late risers that begins at 12 pm—is an integral part of most residents' weekend rituals. Another landmark is the East Atlanta Arts & Antiques Bazaar, which sells modestly priced furniture and housewares from area vendors and artisans.

From Houston Street up to 14th Street, and east from Broadway to Avenue C, the East Village has been home to 19th-century millionaires, waves of immigrants, and more recently, decades of counterculture. The Beat Generation arrived in the '50s, hippies in the '60s, punks in the '70s, and Madonna in the '80s. Today, gentrification has made it safe for the rest of us. The seedy drug dens of Alphabet City (Avenues A, B, and C) now house upscale restaurants and of-the-moment bars; Tompkins Square Park, where squatters incited by the police rioted in 1998, is now filled with strollers and dog-walkers; and an array of shopping choices means you can procure anything from New Age decoupage to a bustier designed by Chloë Sevigny or a garden gnome from the estate of Squire Van Tuyl, thanks to quirky auction house Everything Must Go (www.139norfolk.com). But don't worry, there are still plenty of places in the neighborhood to get a tattoo—or a haircut that will drive your parents nuts.

One of the town's earliest homeowners, Thomas Edison, once lamented, "There is only one Fort Myers, and now 90 million people are going to find it out." Well, the city has grown since Edison's time, but the inventor's 1886 home remains just as it was during his lifetime. You can tour the house, botanical gardens, and the laboratory where he conducted his experiments and took catnaps on a cot. Then go next door to tour the bungalow of Edison's close friend Henry Ford, which is decorated as it was in the 1920s. Upon request, a living-history actor plays the role of Thomas Edison, Mina Edison, Henry Ford, or Clara Ford, and speaks about his or her experiences in Fort Myers.

With the tragic demise of the World Trade Center, this symbol of New York is again the city's most recognizable skyscraper and, at 1,050 feet, its tallest. Since the 86th-floor observatory opened in 1931, 110 million visitors—including King Kong, as well as Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in Sleepless in Seattle—have taken in the panoramic views. On a clear day, this is one tourist experience that actually lives up to its billing. Waits can exceed three hours in peak season, as masses of would-be gawkers proceed through security, ticket lines, and waits for the elevator. You can skip one of those lines when you buy a ticket online; midweek at 8 a.m. (opening time) and between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. are generally the least crowded times. The speediest option, a $40 express ticket, guarantees that you'll be at the top in 20 minutes once you have a ticket in hand (though you still have to clear security).

Although Walt Disney wanted Epcot to be a real experimental community, like the Biosphere, what eventually opened 16 years after his death was more akin to a World's Fair, with corporate-sponsored rides and a mini-United Nations of pavilions representing a few of the world's countries. Epcot's focal point, the gorgeous orb of Spaceship Earth, houses one of the last attractions remaining from the 1982 opening, a history of communications. The Future World area, which surrounds Spaceship Earth is really a collection of family-friendly thrills like the launch simulator Mission:Space and the flying simulator Soarin' (it's the current blockbuster attraction, so hit it up early, when the line is short). World Showcase, gathered on a 1.3-mile footpath encircling the World Showcase Lagoon, is staffed by people native to the country of their respective pavilions. The American pavilion takes pride of place at the center, though the most interesting shopping options are in the Japan pavilion, which operates an outpost of Tokyo's historic Mitsukoshi department store. Authentic souvenirs and food are available at each stop, along with alcohol, which isn't sold at the Magic Kingdom.

Although this is the third-biggest national park in the Lower 48, there is only one access point from Florida's Gulf Coast—Everglades City, on the park's northwest border. Here the landscape is much different from the classic saw grass prairie, hardwood hammocks, and cypress swamp characterizing the east side of the 2,358-square-mile park, the largest wilderness east of the Mississippi River. Instead, the dominating feature is the mangrove forest of the Ten Thousand Islands, a labyrinth of ever-shifting islets and channels that is critical habitat for numerous species of fish and birds, as well as such endangered animals as the saltwater American crocodile. The Gulf Coast Visitor Center is the gateway for exploring the grandest mangrove swamp in North America. Park naturalists lead 90-minute boat trips, or you can rent a canoe and poke around Chokoloskee Bay and the Turner River by yourself to spot alligators, greenhouse frogs, bats, and butterflies. For experienced paddlers, this is also the northern launching point of the Wilderness Waterway, a winding, 99-mile inland route south to Flamingo, which takes nine days by canoe and requires a park permit. North American Canoe Tours (239-695-3299; evergladesadventures.com) can arrange day trips or multiday expeditions.

The park's Gulf Coast entrance is open around the clock. Visitor center is open daily from 9 am to 4:30 pm.

This multicolored blobular building, a 140,000-square-foot rock-and-roll museum designed by Frank Gehry, is home to the world's largest collection of Jimi Hendrix memorabilia—hand-scrawled lyrics, audio mixing boards, and psychedelic pantsuits among them. Adjacent galleries showcase guitars once owned by Bob Dylan and Hank Williams, and the interactive Sound Lab (complete with state-of-the-art instruments and recording equipment) will, for better or worse, bring out the rock star in even the most tone-deaf dad.

Unlike the exhibits at most museums, those at the Exploratorium are designed for tinkering with, climbing on, and crawling through, so as to teach you about science and perception through play. Adults as well as kids will enjoy blowing giant bubbles or entering a tiny room that scrambles one's sense of perspective. Don't miss the Tactile Dome, where during an intense 15-minute odyssey through pitch-blackness, you encounter hundreds of different shapes, temperatures, and textures; advance reservations for the Tactile Dome are essential.

Open Tuesdays through Sundays 10 am to 5 pm.

From cheddar to beer, lots of good things are produced in Vermont, and some of it is given out as free samples on factory tours. For the cheesiest stuff, find the Cabot Creamery in, naturally, Cabot (Rte. 215, Cabot; 800-837-4261; www.cabotcheese.com). Its annex store near Stowe also offers cheddar galore (Rte. 100, Waterbury Center; 802-244-6334). While in Waterbury, hit Vermont-based Ben & Jerry's for a 30-minute shtick on the company, ice cream tastings, and goofy photo ops (Rte. 100, Waterbury Center; 866-258-6877; www.benjerry.com). Beer lovers might make a stop in Burlington's Magic Hat Brewery (5 Bartlett Bay Rd., South Burlington; 802-658-2739; www.magichat.net), Otter Creek Brewing in Middlebury (793 Exchange St., Middlebury; 800-473-0727; www.wolavers.com), or the Long Trail Brewing Co. in Bridgewater Corners (Rte. 4 and 100A, Bridgewater Corners; 802-672-5011; www.longtrail.com).

Would you hike off the path and wade through waist-deep pond-apple sloughs to see the rare ghost orchid? You don't have to be obsessed with orchids to enjoy this four-hour ranger-led trek through Fakahatchee Strand Preserve Park, where real-life orchid poaching became the subject of Susan Orlean's The Orchid Thief and the movie Adaptation. You'll also have a chance to see otters, Florida black bears, Everglades minks, and Florida panthers. Wear long pants and sturdy shoes, and bring along food, water, and DEET-fortified insect repellent. (See the website for tour information.)

Maui's most upscale luau unfolds on the beachfront at Lahaina (Lele is the historical name). No stale buffet food here; couples and groups sit at individual tables with their own waiter who serves four courses from the Polynesian diaspora prepared by chef James McDonald (executive chef at Pacifico'o). The food corresponds with four dance performances from Hawaii, Tahiti, Aotearoa (New Zealand), and Samoa. It's a lovely evening, with the waves lapping gently at the sand, the Hollywood lighting, the authentic flavors of the food, and performances with short breaks in between so you can stroll the beach. However, the set menu can't be altered and younger kids might get a little restless, so should probably be left with a sitter back at the hotel. Endless cocktails on the luau menu are included in the ticket price ($110 per person), but top shelf liquor, wines or other cocktails are extra.

Brooklyn may not have as many obvious tourist draws as its neighbor across the river, but its parties and festivals are not to be missed. If you can't get to Carnaval in Rio, the West Indian Carnival held each Labor Day is a boisterous, pulsating conga line of feathers, sequins, and steel drums blaring down Eastern Parkway (www.wiadca.com). The Mermaid Parade, held in Coney Island on the last Sunday of June, is the nation's largest arts parade, with thousands of revelers decked out in elaborate—and sometimes risqué—sea-inspired costumes. (Mermaids have a tendency to drift off into the ocean for a dip, which makes for quite the spectacle.) Celebrities such as David Byrne, Queen Latifah, and Moby have all sat in as parade royalty (www.coneyisland.com/mermaid.shtml). DUMBO Art Under the Bridge Festival is the biggest weekend in DUMBO, with interactive and guerilla-style art installations popping up all over the neighborhood (www.dumboartsfestival.com; last weekend in September). And Celebrate Brooklyn!, a summerlong outdoor festival at the Prospect Park Bandshell, boasts a dizzying spectrum of musical acts from indie stalwarts including TV On the Radio and Latin-punk superstars Manu Chao (www.briconline.org/celebrate).

Lions and tigers and bears are the main attraction at this huge natural history museum, filled with interactive exhibits about planet Earth. Highlights include the Bushman (a stuffed gorilla) and the Lions of Tsavo, which devoured 140 British railway workers in East Africa in 1898. The crown jewel of the museum is Sue, the largest T. rex ever assembled. Her huge skull is displayed on another floor (it was too heavy to mount on the skeleton). Underground Adventure, another popular exhibit, takes you on a subterranean journey into the critter world (for an extra charge).

Open daily 9 am to 5 pm, last admission at 4 pm.

Twenty years before Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, and the Grateful Dead transformed the Haight into hippie haven, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Count Basie were claiming Fillmore Street as an international jazz capital. In a tip of the hat to San Francisco's rich musical tradition, the Fillmore Jazz Festival was founded in 1985. Ever since, nearly 90,000 fans fill the street during Fourth of July weekend, all ears for predominantly local talent including San Francisco favorites, the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra. The event brings artists from around the Bay Area to show their works, and it remains the biggest free jazz fest on the West Coast.

The Key West marina is packed with fishing boats available for charter. Dream Catcher Charters will take you out into the flats, the four-foot-deep waters around the Keys that are filled with tarpon, ladyfish, and barracudas (888-362-3474; www.fishingkeywest.com). For deep-sea fishing for amberjacks and cobia, Mr. Z Charters offers half, full, and even three-quarter day tours (305-296-0910; www.keywestfishtales.com). For snapper and grouper, head farther back up the Keys to Islamorada and call Richard Stancyzk at Bud'n'Mary's marina (800-742-7945; www.budnmarys.com).

The Gulf of Mexico's warm, shallow waters and protected estuaries make southwest Florida an angler's paradise. The sheltered Ten Thousand Islands are a favorite spot for backwater fishing and saltwater fly-fishing, especially for snook and tarpon. From Chokoloskee, an end-of-the-road hamlet surrounded by Everglades National Park, Capt. Charles Wright offers trips in either powerboats or sea kayaks (239-695-9107; chokoloskeecharters.com). Capt. Michael Van Jones of Fins-N-Grins (239-784-2442; charterfishingmarcoisland.com) in the Marco Island fishing village of Goodland will hook you up with redfish, sea trout, snapper, and even sharks. The Naples-based 45-foot Lady Brett (239-263-4949; tincityboats.com) and the 43-foot Sea Quest (239-765-7665; seatrekfishing.com), based in Fort Myers Beach, offer deep-sea charters in search of the big stuff, like goliath grouper, barracuda, and king mackerel. Farther north, Captiva-based guides Jim and Jimmy Burnsed lead private fishing trips, from two-hour jaunts to all-day backwater excursions (239-472-1779; sanibelcaptivafishing.com), that can also include shelling and snorkeling. It's also possible to wet a line from dry land: Naples Pier and Sanibel's Fish Pier are hot spots for catching pompano and Spanish mackerel. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (888-347-4356; myfwc.com) requires a recreational saltwater fishing license for non-Florida residents over 16 years old unless you're fishing from a licensed charter boat.

From May to October, big-game tournaments, with prize money totaling up to $1,000,000, inspire an atmosphere as competitive as the World Poker Championship. Newbies who want a taste of the hunt for monster-size marlin, wahoo, mahimahi, and tuna can charter a boat (they're easy to come by, thanks to the high density of sportfishers who live here year-round). Otherwise, the friendly folks at Kona Sea Sports offer sportfishing tours, in addition to snorkeling, diving, and swimming with dolphins. They practice "catch and release" for the big billfish (unless the fish are severely injured), but any fish you catch under 50 pounds is yours to keep. Booking two weeks in advance is recommended.

The staffers at High Country Flies have been the fishing go-to guys since the mid-'70s. Their brick-and-mortar store has everything from float tubes to tie-flying kits to top-notch fly-fishing equipment. They also share their accrued knowledge on guided trips (April through October) on the Snake, Green, and Yellowstone rivers.

The late publishing tycoon Malcolm Forbes was an idiosyncratic and highly specific collector. A generous one, too: His finds are on view without charge in this gallery in Greenwich Village. The exhibits rotate, but on any given day, visitors can see Forbes' collection of antique toy soldiers, cast-iron toy boats from the 19th century, or handmade vintage Monopoly games. Forbes was known for his lavish lifestyle, but the quaint artifacts displayed here in magnificent detail are an ode to subtlety and nuance.

Prearranged groups only on Thursdays; closed Sundays and Mondays.

Reopened in 2009 after an 18-month, $50 million restoration, Ford's Theatre National Historic Site is a working theater that doubles as a memorial to Abraham Lincoln, who was mortally wounded here on April 14, 1865, by John Wilkes Booth. Original artifacts on display include Lincoln's Brooks Brothers overcoat and Booth's derringer pistol. The Petersen House, directly across 10th Street, where the stricken president was taken after the shooting and died the following morning, is also open to the public. The 2011–12 theatrical season begins September 23 with the Tony Awardwinning musical Parade. While you can tour the theater for free, you'll have to pay, of course, for theatrical performances.—Chris Cox

No visit to Charleston is complete without a tour of this famous fort, where Confederate soldiers fired the first shot of the Civil War on April 12, 1861. Fort Sumter Tours (800 789 3678; www.fortsumtertours.com ) operates boats to the island from the City Marina, or from Mount Pleasant at the Patriots Point Maritime Museum, the world's largest naval and maritime museum. The 30-minute cruise is fully narrated and points out sights of historical significance. On the island, guides explain Fort Sumter's pivotal role in the War Between the States. The fort is also accessible by private watercraft. Entrance is free and boat tour costs $13 for adults.

One of the nation's top zoos draws raves for its acres of realistic habitats where animals roam free in natural environments. The safarilike African Savanna exhibit offers unique overhead, boardwalk views of white rhinos, ostriches, and giraffes; in the Raptor Canyon aviary, Andean condors and crowned eagles fly overhead. The spectacular hillside Asian Falls habitat includes a colony of elephants and two white tigers, while other evocative environments focus on Komodo dragons, meerkats, or gorillas and orangutans (in a re-created rain forest). Texas Wild features eight acres of the state's flora and fauna set around kid-pleasing regional tableaux, from a tornado-demolished house on the High Plains to a West Texas mineshaft.

Open daily. Late October through mid-February: 10 am to 4 pm. Mid-February through late October: Mondays through Fridays 10 am to 5 pm, Saturdays and Sundays 10 am to 6 pm.

You gotta love the walk-through heart, which thankfully has been refurbished and expanded since it was built in 1953. (The graffiti has been erased and the crumbling papier-mâché has been re-mâchéed.) The museum, originally constructed as a tribute to Benjamin Franklin's inventions, now specializes in hands-on science and technology exhibits. You can climb aboard a 350-ton, 101-foot Baldwin steam locomotive, the largest ever built; the Franklin Air Show, a great collection related to powered flight—including a T-33 jet trainer—just might capture the attention of those foot-dragging teens.

Open daily 9:30 am to 5 pm.

Winding around 16 historical sites, the two-and-a-half-mile Freedom Trail is a good introduction to Boston history—and also to the city's sometimes complicated geography. Pick up a map at the visitor's center on Tremont Street at the edge of Boston Common and walk along the red line on the ground (it's sometimes painted, sometimes lined in brick). While it's possible to walk the trail in an hour or two, leave time to stop along the way. You'll pass the graves of John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Ben Franklin's parents at the Granary Burying Ground; Boston's first meeting house, Faneuil Hall, which hosted debates about the Sugar Tax of 1764 and the Stamp Act of 1765—note the distinctive grasshopper weather vane on the top of the building, and don't miss the little-known military museum in the attic (4 South Market Building; 617-523-1300)—and the Paul Revere House. Dating to 1680, it's the oldest building still standing in downtown Boston, and a good example of Colonial-era architecture, though it's been used for so many purposes since Revere lived there (including, at one point, a cigar factory), and it really doesn't look much like it did then (19 North Sq.; 617-523-2338). As immortalized by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his poem "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere," two lanterns (as in "two if by sea") were hung in the belfry tower of the Old North Church to signal the landing of the British in 1775. It's a lovely building, though you cannot climb the tower (193 Salem St.; 671-523-6676). Launched in 1797, the U.S.S. Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship in the world that's still afloat. U.S. Navy sailors take you below deck to explain what life was like for early-19th-century seamen, and there's also a World War II destroyer, the U.S.S. Cassin Young, berthed nearby (1 Constitution Rd.; 617-242-7511). Both are free.—updated by Jon Marcus

Guided tours are available daily between April and mid-November. Specialty tours, such as a historic pub crawl, are held the rest of the year. Tickets can be purchased online.

Sometimes you just gotta give in to your inner materialist and buy a few things—especially when they're this darn cheap. The seaside village of Freeport has more than 170 retail outlets and shops, including the ginormous flagship store of L.L. Bean (800-559-0747, ext. 37222; www.llbean.com). It's been sitting on Main Street since 1917, sees 3.5 million visitors every year, and never closes—in fact, there's not even a lock on the door. It now has three separate stores at the Freeport campus: one for active wear and casual apparel; one for hunting and fishing gear; and another devoted to bikes, boats, and skis. When you're beat from shopping, check out (or check into) the Harraseeket Inn, which has a tasty Sunday brunch and 84 rooms with canopy beds (207-865-9377; www.harraseeketinn.com) or Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster.

Evocative, romantic, and mysterious, the French Quarter (also known as the Vieux Carré) is the literal footprint of historic New Orleans. Hugging the high ground on the banks of the Mississippi, the Quarter is a mix of tourist schlock (bead shops and overpriced "Cajun-style" eateries) and historical treasures, such as cathedrals and centuries-old Creole restaurants. Weekenders tend to stay in the area, sipping café au lait and munching sugary beignets (flash-fried square donuts) at the perpetually packed Café du Monde (800 Decatur St.; 504-525-4544; www.cafedumonde.com) or wandering Jackson Square (St. Peter St. at Decatur). Don't miss these standards, but also spend a few hours giving yourself over to the hidden treasures: art galleries on Royal Street, antiques shops on Chartres Street, or the quiet residential stoops away from the commotion of Bourbon Street. A good guideline for avoiding tourist traps: Go away from the light. Bright neon signs seem to attract sloshed frat boys like moths to a flame.

A real find among the city's museums, this collection housed in an exquisite Beaux Arts mansion on the Upper East Side represents the personal holdings of Henry Clay Frick. The 19th-century industrialist had excellent taste: Among the exhibits are rare collections of Limoges enamels, Chinese porcelains, French 18th-century furniture, and a who's who of painters from Rembrandt to Gainsborough to Vermeer. Proust scholars will enjoy Whistler's dark-hued portrait of Robert de Montesquiou, Arrangement in Black and Gold, the inspiration for the Baron de Charlus in Remembrance of Things Past. The quasi-residential setting—the antithesis of the Metropolitan Museum—lets you imagine living amongst this exquisite art.

Closed Mondays.

More like an overgrown gallery space than a museum, it's free and you can comfortably ponder all of its works in an hour. The three center rooms hold the permanent collection, many of the works once belonging to the founders Charles and Emma Frye, and more than a few 19th-century pastoral scenes. The outer rooms are dedicated to rotating contemporary multimedia exhibitions. A recent exhibit included a mix of Amy Helfand's bright garden-scene textiles and prints, alongside the sinister pencil drawings of Robyn O'Neil. The small café has outdoor seating and food that's much more sophisticated than average museum snacks. The best time to visit is late afternoon on a weekday, when you'll practically have the place to yourself.

This tiny Chartres Street storefront contains an unrivaled collection of artistic photography. Owner Joshua Mann Palait exhibits limited-edition prints from the old masters (Henri Cartier-Bresson, Ansel Adams, Diane Arbus) and newer stars (Sebastio Salgado, Richard Sexton). You can also find unique pieces like antique daguerreotypes, jazz photographs of Herman Leonard, and a few of E.J. Bellocq's classic New Orleans "Storyville portraits" from the early 1900s.—Pableaux Johnson

Gambling remains Las Vegas's bread and butter, and it's still the reason most people come here. Even if gambling is not your thing, give it a shot: Spending an hour or so at a low-stakes blackjack table is a blast—as long as you know your own limit. As with restaurants, you can judge a good Las Vegas casino by the number of locals playing there. Near the Strip, that's the Palms, where the comps and drinks come fast. The Palms also has one of the best poker rooms in town, where dealers remember regulars. Careful, though: The action moves fast.

For high-limits gambling, where the minimums start at $100 and push $1,000 in games such as baccarat, blackjack, and roulette, the Wynn and Bellagio have separate rooms away from the masses; the dealers and staff are also extremely attentive. The lowest minimums on table games such as blackjack, roulette, and craps can be found in the Station casinos such as the Red Rock Resort off the Strip (www.stationcasinos.com), or downtown at the Four Queens, Binion's Horseshoe, or Golden Nugget—usually to the tune of 25-cent roulette and $2 blackjack. Low minimums draw crowds, so expect to wait for a seat.

Slots are everywhere. Make sure to get comp points as you play: The Wynn has a new tracking system that uses your room key. And everybody should see a genuine bingo hall at some point: It doesn't get more real than the big room at the Plaza, located downtown. Think old ladies and crazy people waiting for B22.

Cigarette smoke is ubiquitous, but for nonsmoking areas, check the tables and poker room at Bellagio, the Mirage, and large sections of Harrah's and the MGM Grand. Finally, cocktail waitresses bring free drinks to anyone playing slots or table games, or in the sports book—a $2 tip is customary.

Nothing much grows in Keahikawelo (translated from Hawaiian as "Garden of the Gods"), a desert expanse of red, lavender, and brown dirt. But the spooky Martian barrenness makes a dramatic backdrop for volcanic rock pinnacles shaped by hundreds of years of wind erosion to resemble a rough-hewn tiki. You can walk between the formations, which are scattered around as if placed by a divine force, but be aware that this area is very isolated, and there's no shelter. Use common sense and bring lots of water. To get here, head northwest on Polihua Road from Lanai City. It's only about six miles, but the trip takes 25 minutes because the road is so bumpy, and if there's been rain, it will be muddy. Ask when you rent your jeep if anything is off-limits that day. Go slow for the sake of your kidneys, and look out for vehicles heading in the opposite direction. On the way, you'll drive through the Kanepuu Conservation Area, a native dry-land forest that's home to the endangered Hawaiian gardenia. There's a small sign by the side of the road to mark the beginning of a short self-guided trail. Afterward, you can hike or drive another four miles to two-mile-long, white-sand Polihua Beach, or Kaena Point, an ancient Hawaiian religious site located about a mile southwest of Polihua.

Before Disney gave the Central Florida backwoods a modicum of sophistication, Gatorland's oversized gator mouth entranceway, which debuted in the 1950s, was the epitome of the area's populist tourist mentality. It's still going all these years later, feeding the ornery reptiles for the pleasure of cringing tourists. The most popular show, Gator Jumparoo, features the creatures propelling themselves out of the water to clamp their powerful jaws around chicken carcasses suspended from wires. Visit on warm, sunny days when the cold-blooded animals are more active.

Housed in a beautiful old stone building with a shrub-lined courtyard, the 522-seat Geffen Playhouse celebrated its tenth anniversary last year with a $19 million renovation that included upgraded seats in a gentle stadium slope, state-of-the-art acoustics, and an additional new 120-seat theater for more intimate productions. The offerings range from the classics to the debut of new works, and in the past have included such names as Sam Shepard, David Mamet, and Steve Martin.

After nine years of renovations and additions, the Getty Villa, the hilltop Malibu site of the original Getty Museum, reopened in January of 2006. The museum's antiquities collection—some 44,000 different works, concentrating on the ancient Greeks, the Etruscans, and the Romans—is housed in a reproduction of the Villa dei Papiri, one of the most lavish houses in Herculaneum, destroyed in A.D. 79 by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. The villa and gardens are actually quite lovely, in spite of the obvious kitsch factor. Among the additions is a 450-seat amphitheater, where in summer audiences can enjoy open-air productions of Greek and Roman masterpieces. The Villa Theater Lab also presents experimental interpretations of the classics by local groups like the Latino comedy ensemble Culture Clash. Tickets are free, but must be booked in advance by calling ahead or visiting the website.

Memphis music pilgrims should make this detour to find out how one of the world's premier electric-guitar makers crafts each tuneful axe. The 45-minute tours impart 100 years of Gibson lore, along with the artistry behind binding, neck-fitting, painting, buffing, and tuning the instruments. The factory is part of the Gibson Beale Street Showcase, a complex one block from Beale Street that also houses The Lounge, a concert venue for such acts as Wilco, Etta James, and the Indigo Girls. Reservations are required for large groups to take the factory tour. Children under age five are not permitted.

Thanks to the year-round idyllic weather, there are more than 90 public and private golf courses in San Diego county. Topping the must-play list of courses open to the public: Torrey Pines Golf Course, one of the top municipal courses in the country and home of the 2008 U.S. Open (www.torreypinesgolfcourse.com); Poway's Maderas Golf Club, an 18-hole championship course designed by Johnny Miller (www.maderasgolf.com); and Aviara Golf Club, an Arnold Palmer–designed 18-hole, 7,007-yard course at the posh Four Seasons Resort in Carlsbad (www.fourseasons.com/aviara/golf.html).

With more golf courses per capita than any state west of the Mississippi, the Valley of the Sun has become a golfing mecca. Greens fees range from $40 on a public course to $500-plus at some of the most exclusive courses. Plan your golf vacation in advance. Companies like Arizona Golf Adventures can help in setting up a perfect trip by arranging tee times and making sure you get to try a variety of courses (800-398-8100; www.azteetimes.com). But for those who are a little less serious about it (or have nonduffers who won't stand to be widowed), just stay at the Fairmont, Arizona Biltmore, or one of the other properties in town that have their own golf courses.

Located inside Mountain Village, the Telluride Golf Course at the Peaks Resort elevates your game to 9,300 feet above sea level, where the thin air promises 15 percent more distance for your Titleist. The par-71, 6,739-yard course is open May to mid-October. Carts are equipped with GPS systems (970-728-7320; tellurideskiresort.com).

This Robert Trent Jones, Jr.-designed course is consistently rated the best course in Wyoming—and, thanks to new construction, it keeps getting better. The grounds are currently in the midst of a $12-million improvement project that, when completed in summer of 2007, will include a 10,000-square-foot clubhouse and a reconstruction of holes 1 and 15.

Vermont is a duffer's dream, thanks to the 70-plus courses that dot its bright green valleys. For those staying in the Northeast Kingdom region, Jay Peak Resort hosts 18 holes ($99 on weekends) by course architect Graham Cooke (4850 Rte. 242, Jay; 802-327-2184; www.jaypeakresort.com). In the Burlington area, the Jack Nicklaus–designed Vermont National Country Club is private but welcomes guests of select city hotels, including the Sheraton Burlington and the Courtyard Marriott Burlington, for $120 each and reciprocal guests for $105 each (1227 Dorset St., South Burlington; 802-864-7770; www.vermontnational.com). Too steep? A former dairy farmer now milks golfers for only $32 a round at the pretty 18-hole Cedar Knoll Country Club (13020 Rte. 116, Hinesburg; 802-482-3186; www.cedarknollgolf.com). Farther south, guests at the Equinox hit the Golf Club at Equinox ($80 to $115 on weekends), now managed by Troon Golf; those staying at the Deerhill Inn can enjoy the Mount Snow Golf Club ($85 on weekends), designed by Geoffrey Cornish, just two miles away (Rte. 100, West Dover; 802-464-4254; www.mountsnow.com).

With more than a dozen world-class courses, the Big Island is Hawaii's premier golf destination, known for tricky shoreline holes (the classic shot over water and lava field onto the green), challenging winds, and rolling hills. Greens fees for the Kohala courses are akin to highway robbery, although guests pay less when they play where they're staying. Playing is much more affordable on the more modest Waimea, Volcano, and Hilo courses. Due to the blazing sun, it's best to tee off in the morning, but golfers who can stand the heat can take advantage of discounted greens fees after 3 pm.

Damage sustained during a 2007 earthquake closed the Kohala Coast's Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and its 1964 Robert Trent Jones, Sr., golf course (the standard of excellence in these parts), but there are still many more to choose from. In Kailua-Kona, the Jack Nicklaus–designed course at the Hualalai Golf Club is relatively protected from the wind and is one of the most player-friendly courses on the island (open only to Four Seasons guests). The ocean- and lava field–views from the popular, well-maintained Mauna Lani Francis H. I'i Brown South Course in Waimea may distract you from your game. The Waikoloa Kings Course is tough, with many lava obstacles, but also stunning 360 degree views. Close to Kohala, the Waimea Country Club is affordable, and generally cooler temperatures mean you can play all day; as long as mist, fog, and rain don't cut your outing short. At 40,000 feet above sea level, the Volcano Golf & Country Club can be chilly and sometimes wet; unlike at most other courses, afternoon rounds are favored over morning play and there's very little wind. Locals are the usual foursomes at the small, nine-hole Hamakua Country Club—it's casual, great for beginners, and since Hilo is one of the rainiest places in the state, the course is always lush.

It's not just celebrity chefs and hoteliers that have lent their monikers and talents to Miami. Some of the biggest names in golf course design have left their mark on many of the area's 30 courses. The Doral Golf Resort & Spa is home to five championship golf courses, including Dick Wilson's legendary Blue Monster, where the fountain-festooned 18th hole was named among Golf Magazine's top 100 holes in the world. Greg Norman's Great White course at Doral is notable for its transporting desert golf experience (with crushed coquina shells for sand) set amid all that South Florida lushness. It's not completely arid though: There's a water hazard on 14 of the course's 18 holes to challenge even the most devout shot makers. Doral hosts the World Golf Championships, an annual PGA Tour event, and the luxurious spa resort itself is enough of a reason to make the pilgrimage, with or without your clubs. Don Shula's Hotel and Golf Club's par 72 Senator Course is one of the longest championship courses in Miami at 6,982 yards. The golf school is a good place for beginners to get hooked on the game.

Not surprisingly, many of the most notable courses are located outside the city limits. Traditionalists should make the trek to Coral Gables and the Biltmore Hotel, where an Old Florida ambience is combined with the par-71 designed by Donald Ross in 1925 that still beckons the likes of Tiger Woods and European royalty. The fabulous (and fabulously public) Crandon Golf Course is just a short drive from the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne. Lakes and lagoons that blend with the island's natural surrounds were instrumental to Robert Von Hagge and Bruce Devlin's organic design, and the course is considered one of the state's most beautiful and most challenging. You'll spot prolific birdlife and perhaps even an alligator while you play.

Golf is a huge part of the Palm Beach lifestyle, and the area's waterfront courses and vibrant greens make it a regular stop on the PGA tour. There's even a PGA Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, a 20-minute drive from Palm Beach proper. The courses at the resort are some of the toughest around: Lee Trevino once described the last three holes on the Jack Nicklaus–designed Champions course as "the real killer in golf." Another of the area's more challenging courses is at the Abacoa Golf Club, a 20-minute drive from West Palm Beach in the town of Jupiter. The par-72, 7,200-yard course was one of the final designs overseen by legend Joe Lee before he died in 2002, and the surprisingly hilly elevation rises up to 40 feet, unheard of for a South Florida course.

There are also courses in Palm Beach, of course. The Ocean Course at the Breakers is the oldest in Florida. Railroad magnate Henry Flagler had it built as a 9-hole course when he opened the hotel here in the 1890s, then had it expanded in 1901 to a full 18. It was revamped in 2000 by Brian Silva and is now about 6,200 yards and a par-70 course. The hotel's other course was once known as Breakers West but was renamed the Breakers Rees Jones Course after the designer transformed it in 2004 to a 7,100-yard, par-72 spot. The downside to these two courses is that you have to be either a guest at the hotel or a club member to get a tee time. The public Palm Beach Golf Course is open to all. Endearingly known locally as the Par 3, the course was designed in 1961 by Dick Wilson and is still a favorite today (pro Jasper Parnevik is a fan). The superb views along the Intracoastal Waterway are its best feature, and it's a short course, just 2,465 yards, with holes ranging from 100 to 222 yards each. Its place in golf history was solidified shortly after it opened, when LPGA Hall of Famer Louise Suggs trounced a dozen male pros, Billie Jean King–style.

With more than 130 courses, southwest Florida suits golfers to a tee (sorry, we couldn't help ourselves). Although the majority are private, there are also several dozen public and semiprivate links (the latter accept nonmember players, especially outside the January–March high season). The nationally known Tiburón Golf Club is the centerpiece of the Naples Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, with two Greg Norman–designed 18-hole layouts known for their wetland water hazards and stacked-sod bunkers. The long (7,288 yards), demanding Gold Course is the site of the annual Merrill Lynch Shootout. Another Naples course, the 7,171-yard Lely Flamingo Island Club, was the vision of Robert Trent Jones, Sr., who did duffers no favors by sculpting hourglass-shaped fairways and undulating greens. Hidden in the countryside east of Fort Myers, the Jack Nicklaus–designed Old Corkscrew Golf Club is considered one of the best new courses in the country. A bear at nearly 7,400 yards, it hosted the 2008 Florida State Seniors Championship. The city of Fort Myers owns the recently renovated 6,772-yard Eastwood Country Club, regarded as one of the best public courses in the region. Set amidst a Sanibel Island wildlife reserve, the Dunes Golf & Tennis Club plays short (5,578 yards), but its ever-present water hazards can leave all but the most precise golfers over par.

With streets named for Gerald Ford, Dinah Shore, and Bob Hope, you know the Coachella Valley is obsessed with golf. The city of Palm Desert is golf central: Classic Club hosts the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic each January, but novice players are equally at home. Instead of standard-issue palms, look for pine, olive, and pepperwood trees and flower beds lining the fairways. A 65,000-square-foot Tuscan-style clubhouse is due for completion in summer 2007 (75-200 Northstar Resort Pkwy.; 760-601-3600; www.classicclubgolf.com). Marriott's Shadow Ridge, designed by Nick Faldo (there's a Faldo Golf Institute on site), is playable for all levels, even if some of the bunkers are challenging (9200 Shadow Ridge Rd.; 760-674-2700; www.golfshadowridge.com). Nearby, Desert Willow receives raves for its two photogenic, environmentally friendly courses: The Mountain View course has wide fairways, while the tougher 7,056-yard Firecliff Course has more than 100 bunkers with dramatic desert landscaping (38-995 Desert Willow Dr.; 760-346-7060; www.desertwillow.com). Down valley, there's the Golf Resort at Indian Wells. The Celebrity Course opened November 2006, designed by Ryder Cup member Clive Clark. Rolling waters and wildflowers lend a botanical-garden look (44-500 Indian Wells La.; 800-874-8190; www.golfresortatindianwells.com). In La Quinta, the Arnold Palmer–designed SilverRock Resort has tees suitable for all levels of play. It's at the base of the majestic Santa Rosa Mountains, surrounded by 100 acres of natural desert landscape (79-179 Ahmanson La.; 888-600-7272; www.silverrock.org).

This 172-acre former military facility situated off the southern tip of Manhattan has become something of a warm-weather playground for open space–deprived downtowners and Brooklynites. Around 92 acres of the island's northern section are a National Historic Landmark District and open to the public during summer and early fall. Expansive lawns and shaded walkways are beyond bucolic, while the stately brick mansions and clapboard houses (formerly Army and Coast Guard housing) give the island the slightly spooky air of a quaint neighborhood abandoned when its inhabitants fled an unknown disaster. Ranger-led historic tours will give you perspective on the history of the island and a look inside the supposedly haunted Castle Williams, built in the early 1800s and used as a Civil War military prison. The best way to see the island is by bike, and a company called Bike and Roll rents everything from retro cruisers to family-friendly quadcycles for riding the road that encircles the island, giving you views of the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn. Once you've worked up an appetite, hit Water Taxi Beach for burgers, hot dogs, and beer to enjoy at picnic tables set on imported sand. Or pick up one of their Picnic Pouches (sandwiches, bottled water, and fruit plus a beach ball) and snag a prime spot under the trees.

To reach the island, take one of the free ferries from lower Manhattan's Battery Maritime Building near the Staten Island Ferry terminal. Boats leave Manhattan every hour until 3 pm, and the last ferry departs Governors Island at 5 pm.—Emma Sloley

Open Fridays through Sundays late May through mid October, plus Memorial Day and Labor Day.

While a few cynics dismiss rock 'n' roll's Xanadu as a tourist trap, Graceland (designated a national historic landmark in 2006) remains the predominant reason to visit the region for anyone with an interest in Elvis or Memphis's musical heritage. In the spring of 1957, at the age of 22, the King spent $100,000 on this house, part of a 500-acre farm named Graceland. He lived here until his untimely death in 1977 and is buried, along with his closest relatives, by the swimming pool out back. His widow, Priscilla Presley, opened Graceland to tours in 1982, and now millions come to celebrate the majesty of the King. Elvis commissioned a redecoration in 1974, and much of that look remains intact. With a 15-foot couch, avocado- and gold-colored kitchen appliances, a fake waterfall, and the green shag-carpet ceiling of the "jungle room," the home exudes fun, loud 1970s style. Tours of the mansion start at the visitors' plaza across the street, where tickets are sold and souvenir shops and cafés serve the masses. On busier days the staff will assign your tour time, or you can book ahead. The recording that accompanies the one-and-a-half-hour mansion tour includes a narration by Priscilla and sound bites from Elvis himself. If that doesn't entirely satisfy your curiosity, dig deeper into the mystique by viewing additional memorabilia in the "Sincerely Elvis" collection, such as 56 of the King's stage costumes, or touring his too-cool car museum and private, decked-out jet, the Lisa Marie. For a one-of-a-kind experience, join the thousands of visitors to whom Graceland plays host during mid-August's annual Elvis Week (a.k.a. Death Week), which culminates in a candlelight vigil; or check out Paul McLeod's estimable collection of memorabilia at Graceland Too.

Closed Tuesdays from December to February.

About 45 miles southeast of Memphis, in Holly Springs, you'll find Paul McLeod's kitschy, obsessive homage to the King. Paul's house bears a striking resemblance to Graceland (intentional) and holds the world's second-largest collection of Elvis memorabilia: Nearly every surface is papered with Elvis posters, records, cards, and photographs; trunks are filled with carpet remnants from Graceland; binders document every mention of Elvis ever broadcast or printed—including every TV Guide cover he appeared on. On the tour, Paul is likely to include as many tidbits about himself (such as that his son, named Elvis Aaron Presley McLeod, is a dead ringer for Elvis, or that his sister is a Priscilla Presley look-alike) as about Elvis (he failed music class in high school—Paul has the report card). Don't be put off by the over-the-top security—Paul's door is always open, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If he doesn't answer, just knock harder.

In the entrance pavilion to this truly grand terminal, there is a small plaque dedicated to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. It doesn't celebrate her status as a former First Lady—it thanks her for almost single-handedly saving this extraordinary Beaux Arts building from destruction when a skyscraper was planned to replace it. In 1976, largely due to her efforts, Grand Central was declared a National Historic Landmark, though only in recent years has it been restored to a state worthy of that title. From its exterior, with imposing statues of Minerva, Hercules, and Mercury flanking a 13-foot clock, to the epic 375-foot-long main concourse with its celestial ceiling, complete with zodiac constellations, this is a building of unquestionable beauty. Now, with the addition of shops and restaurants, it has also become a place for even noncommuters to congregate. Take a seat at one of the restaurants in the mezzanine and watch the throngs zig-zag their way around each other at rush hour. Among the terminal's lesser-known treasures: The Campbell Apartment, a 1920s cocktail bar that was once a private office and salon (212-953-0409; www.hospitalityholdings.com); the basement Oyster Bar, a slice of Old New York and still a great place for a martini (212-490-6650; www.oysterbarny.com; closed Sundays); and the tiny dark patch on the northwest corner of the ceiling's sky mural, a grubby memento of what the station looked like before its recent overhaul.

The Teton Range is a 40-mile mountain chain that defines the sturdy beauty of the state. The jagged peaks—which are still growing about an inch every hundred years—rise dramatically into the vast panorama of Wyoming sky. The tallest is 13,770-foot Grand Teton. Binocular hounds get dizzy picking out wildlife: The park teems with elk, moose, bison, black bear, and grizzlies. There are also some 300 species of birds, including bald eagles and peregrine falcons. During the warm months, activities include hiking, walking, fishing, climbing, boating, and biking; winter pursuits range from cross-country skiing to snowshoeing and snowmobiling. The closest entrance to the park is just a 20-minute drive from downtown Jackson. The park's website has more information and detailed maps.

One of the most rewarding adventures on Nantucket is a drive on the beach to the island's wild and woolly remote northeastern tip. You'll need a four-wheel-drive vehicle with reduced tire pressure (so you can maneuver on the sand), $125 for the entry fee (collected at the Wauwinet gatehouse), and a picnic lunch to enjoy beneath Great Point Light. The five-mile trip is pretty easy: Just follow the tire tracks. Stop along the way for a dip in the waves—the only other person in sight might be a surf caster fishing for blues.

The West Village extends from Houston to 14th streets and from the Hudson River to Broadway, where the East Village unofficially begins. Farmland in colonial times, it's now home to some of the most beautiful streets in the city: leafy, sometimes cobbled lanes dotted with 18th- and 19th-century brownstones and outdoor cafés. Poets, artists, writers, and anyone with an alternative lifestyle has long been drawn here. The gay community that used to make its headquarters along Christopher Street has mostly moved to Chelsea with the artists, but still takes to the Village streets for Gay Pride Day the last Sunday of June and for the nation's largest Halloween parade. Bleecker Street, which cuts a diagonal swath through the village from Hudson Street to Sixth Avenue, has become the epicenter of interest for visitors, thanks in part to landmarks such as Magnolia Bakery and a micro-neighborhood of swanky boutiques. Escalating real-estate prices mean many of the original pioneers have been replaced by high-income families and NYU college students, and national chains have replaced a number of the small, independently owned shops that used to give the area much of its character. But it's still easily the most charming neighborhood in Manhattan.

Five miles south of downtown are four palm-studded canyons, stewarded by the Agua Caliente Indians and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Most popular are the 15-mile-long Palm Canyon (end of S. Palm Canyon Drive) and the sacred Tahquitz Canyon (500 W. Mesquite, just west of Palm Canyon Drive) with its 60-foot waterfall, rock art, and ancient irrigation systems. Both locations have free hiking maps and rangers available for guide tours at the canyon entrances ($8 for adults; an extra $3 per person to have a ranger show you the way).

Established in 1931, this museum, theater, and gathering place serves as a reminder of an era when the East End was as much a magnet for artists as it was for millionaires. Guild Hall hosts an annual gala as well as a members' exhibition, benefits, film series, and theater openings. The 2011 schedule includes a stand-up show by late-night comedian Colin Quinn, a conversation with chef Eric Ripert, and Roundabout Theatre Company's acclaimed production of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. There's also a small permanent collection of works by Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Saul Steinberg, Chuck Close, and Larry Rivers. For event tickets, call the box office at 631-324-4050.—Updated by Darrell Hartman

On the East End, exercising is as fashionable as dining out. Alexis Stewart and her mother, Martha, are principal owners of this upscale mini-chain of fitness centers where, for $30 a day, you can work out at the East Hampton, Sag Harbor, or Southampton locations. (The latter is the biggest and newest of the three.) The Southampton and Sag Harbor branches offer classes ranging from cycling and kickboxing to yoga and Pilates, the price of which is included in your day-use fee. Alternatively, training director Chris Cosich can hook you up with a personal trainer, if you're willing to spend $75–$150 an hour to look beach-ready.

Taos has long attracted artists who fall in love with New Mexico's clear light and inspirational views of the Sangre de Christo Mountains. Founded by Elizabeth Harwood in 1923, this is the second oldest art museum in the state, and represents Taos artists from the 1700s to the present. It's a highly accessible collection, including some excellent works by the Taos Society of Artists who came in the early 1900s, such as Ernest Blumenschein and Bert Phillips Colony. Victor Higgins's emotionally charged 1932 Winter Funeral depicts a gathering of black cars in the snow as angry clouds rage overhead. There are also a number of paintings by Agnes Martin as well as works in wood and tin in the Hispanic Tradition Gallery.

Open Tuesdays through Saturdays 10 am to 5 pm and Sundays noon to 5 pm.

Located eight miles north of Hilo at Onomea Bay, this lush garden is composed of easy-to-navigate nature trails running through a rain forest of rare and endangered flora. Beautiful and buggy—be sure to bring deet.

Open daily 9 am to 5 pm; last entry at 4 pm.

Note: Due to an eruption that began on March 5, 2011, Chain of Craters Road, all east rift and coastal trails, and the Kulanaokuaiki Campground have been closed until further notice. See the National Park Service Web site for the latest info.

If you had to have one defining reason to go to the Big Island, the erupting Kilauea caldera would be it (lava-spewing Puu Oo crater went on a brief sabbatical in 2007, leaving Kilauea dry for the first time in more than 20 years, but the dry spell was short-lived). Nearly two million people visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park each year. Looking at the lines of cars parked on the Chain of Craters Road and people hiking in while carrying gifts, you'd think aliens had landed; most of these pilgrims bring water, cameras, and offerings to the volcano goddess, Pele (be mindful not to litter in the park). You can't get as close as you could in past years, but it's still so hot you may feel as if you're dinner walking on the grill. Get situated before sunset to see the molten lava fingers glowing red down the hillsides and flowing into the sea. Over half of the park is designated an International Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site and is great for hiking. Camping is allowed, and there's Volcano House, a very decent restaurant and hotel inside the grounds (Crater Rim Dr.; 808-967-7321; www.volcanohousehotel.com). Driving and hiking will get you close to the active flow, but only a helicopter can transport you directly over the crater for a look in. Blue Hawaiian Helicopters is the island's most established operation and absolutely worth the money. If you're prone to motion sickness, take precautions before boarding the aircraft for the 50-minute "Circle of Fire" and waterfall tour.

Next to the Kilauea Visitor Center, the Volcano Art Center gallery is run by a nonprofit organization and holds workshops, classes, special events, and local art exhibits (Crater Rim Dr.; Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Volcano; 866-967-7565; www.volcanoartcenter.org).

Home to stylish clothing boutiques, furniture stores, and art galleries, Hayes Valley is the perfect place for window-shopping. Nearly every business is homegrown and unique (residents campaigned to stop a Starbucks from moving in). Salivate over the handmade shoes at Paolo, or the 220-plus sakes at True Sake. Recharge at cult favorite Blue Bottle Coffee with a rich, organic Gibraltar (a shot of espresso with a short pour of steamed milk).

This private museum houses one of the best collections of Native American art in the country. Founded by Dwight and Maie Heard, who moved to Phoenix from Chicago in 1895, the museum opened in 1929 to exhibit the couple's unparalleled collection of more than 38,000 ethnographic objects and contemporary works of art. If you go to just one museum in Phoenix, make it this one. Also worthy of note: the terrific Arcadia Farms café (602-251-0204; www.arcadiafarmscafe.com/arcadia_heard.htm).

Open daily 10 am to 5:30 pm.

Publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst's monument to himself is by far the best-known attraction on the California coast. Perched high atop La Cuesta Encantada (the enchanted hill) and modeled after the grandest European châteaux, it really is a castle, occupying a whopping 90,000 square feet, with 56 bedrooms and 61 bathrooms divided between four buildings. You can't possibly see it all in one day, but for most people, one of the five different tours suffices. If you've never been here, take Tour No. 1 to get an overview. (Make reservations well in advance; spots are limited.) If you're staying in Big Sur or Monterey, plan for a long day trip. It takes two to three hours to make the one-way trek, depending on traffic, and you'll want to spend at least a few hours at the castle. If you want to break the visit into two days, note that San Simeon has notoriously lousy lodging (the nicest place is the Best Western). For greater selection, head to nearby Cambria instead, which has better food, some cute B&Bs, and several passable seaside motels, but nothing that we believe merits a write-up here.

Kauai is a place where filmmakers come for the scenery: Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Blue Hawaii, and South Pacific were all filmed here. And there's no better way to appreciate the beauty than by helicopter, which can get you to places that are impossible to reach by car or on foot, including the crater of Mount Waialeale, a massive, Edenic green gorge surrounded by walls of weeping waterfalls—one of the most beautiful places on earth. Most island outfits run similar circuits around the island, but Blue Hawaiian Helicopters (800-745-2583 [toll-free] or 808-871-8844) and Heli USA Airways (866-936-1234 [toll-free] or 808-826-6591) both have EcoStars, a chopper that's more environmentally friendly than most. Island Helicopters now has exclusive rights to land at the Jurassic Park waterfall—you can get out and walk around for 25 minutes as long as you don't mind wearing shoe booties to protect the native plant species (800-829-5999 [toll-free] or 808-245-8558). But the most unique offering comes from Niihau Helicopters, which offers tours of the "Forbidden Island" of Niihau, a privately owned island located off Kauai's west coast (877-441-3500 [toll-free] or 808-338-1234).—Updated by Cathay Che

If you're an advanced skier—in other words, if you can handle black diamonds mined with big moguls—it's well worth the splurge for a day in the bird: Around $775 gets you six runs, or approximately 12,000 to 15,000 total vertical feet. Be warned: A full day of unadulterated, first-rate powder-plowing in the Snake River Mountains may forever spoil you for regular hills.

The brilliant and controversial writer was a native New Yorker, but his archive is here, in the town where he lived for 18 years and wrote some of his best work. If you like Miller, or think you might after having seen Henry & June, check out the library. It's a coffeehouse and cultural center of sorts, with open-mike nights and an outdoor film series in summer (call ahead to see what's on the calendar). The wooded grounds and funky little sculpture garden are lovely places to curl up with a book, and you're welcome to linger as long as you like. There's even Wi-Fi access, as well as an old blue iMac on an outdoor deck where you can check your e-mail.

Open Wednesdays through Sundays 11 am to 6 pm.

Part of the Woodruff Arts Center, the High is one of Atlanta's premier cultural institutions and is conveniently located in the city's Midtown arts district. Highlights of its permanent collection include an impressive stash of 19th- and 20th-century American art, such as Chuck Close's Self-Portrait (3 Parts) and Dorothea Lange's White Angel Breadline. The High Museum has also partnered with the Louvre to bring exhibitions from the famed French institution to this Southern city through 2009 (www.louvreatlanta.org). But most visitors are interested in the architecture: The High's original white-on-white Richard Meier building is widely considered the architect's best work, and a three-building expansion, designed by Renzo Piano, opened in November 2005. An added bonus: Santiago Calatrava's Opera House will be going up nearby (www.atlantasymphony.org/symphonycenter/).

Closed Mondays.

Nobody walks in L.A., but they do hike. There are great trails along the Santa Monica Mountain bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the forested Angeles Crest. Or you can head uphill into Hollywood's Runyon Canyon, where somewhat disheveled celebrities can often be glimpsed walking their dogs off-leash. In Beverly Hills, there's Franklin Canyon. For information and maps of these and other trails, check out www.latrails.com/hike, or contact the Sierra Club (213-387-4287; www.angeles.sierraclub.org) for information about its organized walks.

The 16,000-acre South Mountain Park in South Phoenix—the world's largest city park—has 51 miles of beautiful desert wilderness trails for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders (10409 S. Central Ave.; 602-534-6324; www.phoenix.gov/PARKS/hikesoth.html). Most trails are more of a stamina test than a measure of climbing skill. For more technical climbing, head to Camelback Mountain, which sits smack in the middle of the city. The best way to hike it is to start on the northwest side, at Echo Canyon Recreation Area (Tatum Blvd. and McDonald Dr., Paradise Valley; 602-256-3220; www.phoenix.gov/PARKS/hikecmlb.html). The moderate hike up to the camel's head takes about two hours round-trip and rewards you with one of the best perspectives of the Valley. Serious hikers should tackle the trek to the top: the peak of Camelback's main hump, 2,704 feet above sea level. You'll learn to pull yourself up by any means possible (there are rails) and then can carefully navigate your way down.

The best hiking in Big Sur isn't right along the coastline. Because the cliffs here tower a thousand feet high and drop precipitously to the pounding surf below, there are countless rocky coves and tiny sand beaches that are entirely inaccessible; the land is just too steep for trails.On the inland side of Highway 1, though, it's a different story. Here, the terrain is manageable enough that you can get those stunning views—without plummeting to your death. For major visual impact and only minor physical output, head to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, south of the town of Big Sur. Take the flat Waterfall Trail (about a half mile, round-trip), which leads to a fabulous overlook with a year-round waterfall. Hardier souls can reach the tops of the coastal ridges via the Tan Bark Trail, a 6.5 mile round-trip hike into the hills.

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, abutting the town of Big Sur, has lots of great trails, including Pfeiffer Falls, an easy 1.4-mile round-trip walk through redwood groves to a 60-foot waterfall. Serious hikers should continue into the adjacent Ventana Wilderness, part of Los Padres National Forest. Be prepared for some intense elevation gains: Some of the mountains rise nearly 5,000 feet within two miles of the coast. This is rugged country—you'll need proper hiking boots and physical stamina. You should also bring water and wear layers you can remove. Although it may look foggy near the water in all these hiking areas, once you climb high enough, you'll emerge into the blazing-hot sun.

Outdoor types will find prime hiking and mountain biking 15 miles outside of Santa Fe in the Santa Fe National Forest. For some of the best hiking, take Hyde Park Road up to the base of Ski Santa Fe and park in the second lot (the one that's furthest from the ski area). From there, the intermediate-level Windsor Trail leads up through aspens and pines. For a full-day out-and-back, start Windsor early in the morning to reach the summit of 12,622-foot Santa Fe Baldy; it's approximately 14 miles round-trip. The entire area, including the connecting Pecos Wilderness, is threaded with trails (www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe). Note: Even in summer, the weather can be unpredictable. Bring water and warm gear, even on a short day hike. Only advanced outdoorspeople should attempt the trail in the off-season.

If you're a fat-tire aficionado, take the Windsor Trail going down toward town. It's 10 or so miles of challenging and fun singletrack. The trail will dump you out on County Road 72A, near the village of Tesuque. Arrange for somebody to drive you back up to the parking lot, unless you feel like riding back uphill.

Well-marked and challenging trails crisscross Volcanoes National Park (you'll get a map upon entering), including the popular hikes down and across Kilauea Iki Trail, to Napau Trail, along Byron Ledge and the daylong Crater Rim Trail (808-985-6000; www.nps.gov/havo). Lightweights and families can try the 15-minute trek along the Malama Trail, just north of the Mauna Lani resort, to see Hawaiian petroglyphs. For the really hardy, the steep walk down and even more exhausting hike back up the Waipio Valley is worthwhile—it's a sacred spot to Hawaiians.

Cape Cod has miles of hiking trails through woods, marshland, cranberry bogs, and seashore, varying by length and difficulty. The Cape Cod National Seashore is laced with 11 self-guided hiking trails. Our favorites are in the often overlooked Fort Hill section (Route 6 at the Orleans–Eastham line), where shaded paths ramble through a dwarfish forest of gnarled pitch pines and marshland, past the spots where French explorer Samuel de Champlain dropped anchor in 1605, the Mayflower Pilgrims first sighted land 15 years later, and merchantmen and pirates were shipwrecked. The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History offers guided wetlands hikes through the bay-side conservation land it owns. The Wellfleet Audubon Sanctuary maintains five miles of trails through 1,100 acres of salt marsh, sandy beach, and pine woodland teeming with songbirds (291 State Highway Rte. 6, South Wellfleet, 508-349-2615, massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Wellfleet). And you can hike through nearly 50 acres of holly trees at the Ashumet Holly Audubon Sanctuary (Ashumet Rd., East Falmouth, massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Ashumet_Holly). The Cape Cod Trails Conference, a network of hikers, maintains a guide to hiking routes (cctrails.org), and the Cape Cod Commission has a longer list of everything from flat walks to challenging hikes, organized by town (capecodcommission.org/pathways/#directory).

Maui's network of hiking trails, beaten paths and otherwise, suit trekkers at all fitness levels: Our favorites include the six-mile Lahaina Pali Trail (near touristy Lahaina), which ends at Papalua Beach, and the strenuous nine-mile Kaupo Trail, which leads up Haleakala to Kaupo Gap (the site of free raves when the moon is full). The centrally located Iao Valley State Park has some easy paved trails that will barely make you break a sweat—except from mosquito-swatting (apply repellent liberally). Most people come to gawk at the Iao Needle, a phallic stone of Kanaloa, Hawaiian god of the ocean, and take a dip in the natural pools. See www.hawaiitrails.org for more hiking information.

Although Oahu is heavily populated (it has 800,000 people, or 80 percent of the state population), much of it is still undeveloped, lovely, and crisscrossed by safe, well-marked hiking trails. Of course, most tourists do the obvious hike up the 760-foot Diamond Head. The 1.4-mile, round-trip trek takes about 90 minutes and is pretty challenging for the average person, especially on a hot day, but the sweeping view of Waikiki is unbeatable. The trail starts at a clearly marked parking lot off Diamond Head Road; there are no facilities.

At Waimea Valley on the North Shore, hikes range from an easy meander through tropical gardens to a steep, .75-mile-long hike to a 40-foot waterfall. (You can swim at the falls when the water's high enough.) The valley is protected by Audubon Society gatekeepers, so you'll pay entry and parking fees to get in (Audubon Center, 808-638-9199; waimea.audubon.org). For other suggested hikes, check out the helpful Oahu hiking website www.backyardoahu.com.

The Hill Country may not be as dramatic as Big Bend or the Piney Woods, but many Texans say it's the most beautiful region in the state. In the spring, when bluebonnets and other wildflowers add a splash of color to the limestone cliffs and live oak–covered hills, it can be downright spectacular. You'll see hordes of families pulling over on the highways to take photos in the flowers. You can see why Lance Armstrong trains here. In fact, cyclists of all types come for the challenging terrain and stunning beauty. Hill Country Bicycle Works in Fredericksburg rents high-quality mountain and road bikes and recommends the best trails (830-990-2609; www.hillcountrybicycle.com). For hiking and camping within an hour of town, drive west on Highway 71 to Llano, then head south on Highway 16 until you reach Enchanted Rock State Natural Area (830-685-3636; www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/enchantd). Get there early, though, as the park fills up fast. For a more sedentary afternoon, take Farm-to-Market Road 1431 to Marble Falls and savor the chicken-fried steak at the Blue Bonnet Café; (830-693-2344; www.bluebonnetcafe.net). The journey home at sunset is even more enjoyable on a full stomach. Better still is Café 909 (830-693-2126; www.cafe909.com), where the menu goes beyond mere comfort food to haute Texas cuisine with dishes like grilled peaches wrapped in Speck and sprinkled with shaved Parmesan and balsamic syrup.

Hillwood was heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post's Washington residence from 1955 until her death in 1973. Today, the 25-acre estate in northwest Washington displays her estimable collection of 18th-century French decorative arts and Russian imperial art, such as 19th-century Fabergé eggs, along with more personal items, such as her designer wardrobe. The botanical attractions, including a formal French landscape and Japanese gardens, are also worth the trip. And since the gift shop sells replicas of many of her priceless objects (brooches, the Fabergé eggs), it's one of the most interesting museum shops around.

Closed Sundays, Mondays, and the month of January.

This mill sits not in Hilo but on 24 verdant acres in the blink-and-you'll-miss-it town of Mountain View just south on Highway 11 (chances are you'll smell the place before you see it). Green coffee beans from family farms throughout the state are processed here in small batches, packaged on-site, and distributed to many of the island's best restaurants. Stop into the café to power up for an outing to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (the mill is on the way) and get a quick tour of the entire process, or just purchase some bags of beans to take home.

Open Mondays through Fridays 7 am to 4 pm, Saturdays 8 am to 4 pm.

All kitsch, all the time. Named after a 1930s entertainer and hula dancer, this emporium is one-stop shopping for Hawaiian music CDs, his and hers Hawaiian shirts, tiki home decor, Hello Kitty Hawaii, even mini ukuleles. And free coffee and shell leis when you walk in the door. Check the Web site for additional locations.

Open daily 8:30 am to 6 pm.

Charleston's gorgeous antebellum homes make it one of the most well-preserved cities in the Deep South. It's easy to see them on foot and various companies offer guided walking tours, including Charleston Strolls (843-766-2080; www.charlestonstrolls.com). Or go house hopping via horse-drawn carriage operated by Old South Carriage Company (14 Anson St., 843-723-9712; www.oldsouthcarriagetours.com).

Can't-miss homes include the Nathaniel Russell House (51 Meeting St.; 843-724-8481; www.historiccharleston.org). Built in 1808, this townhouse mansion, with its three-story free-flying spiral staircase, is one of the finest neoclassical dwellings in the district. The Aiken-Rhett House, a Charleston double-house, has survived unaltered since 1858 and includes an art gallery and a marble staircase with mahogany railings (48 Elizabeth St.; 843-723-1159; www.historiccharleston.org). Located in the original walled portion of the city, the Heyward Washington House is the former home of Thomas Heyward, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and was also the setting for author Dubose Heyward's Porgy (87 Church St.; 843-722-2996; www.charlestonmuseum.org).

West of town, the Ashley River Historic District is a 13-mile national scenic highway featuring 53 historical sites including Magnolia Plantation (www.magnoliaplantation.com), Drayton Hall (www.draytonhall.org), and Middleton Place (www.middletonplace.org), which is also a hotel and restaurant.

For a taste of haunted Charleston, Bulldog Tours (40 North Market St.; 843-722-8687; www.bulldogtours.com) runs twice-nightly jaunts through city graveyards, spooky houses, and dungeons.

Hollywood is the same sun-blasted mecca for celebrity worshippers it's always been, but trees now line the main drag, Hollywood Boulevard. At night, the club-crawlers come out to play, even though the A-list spots come and go at warp speed (see our Nightlife section for help). The Kodak Theatre hosts the Academy Awards and other splashy events, which means that several blocks of the Boulevard near Highland Avenue are perpetually closed off to traffic. There's still no great shopping (unless you're looking for T-shirts or platform sandals in men's sizes), but lots of hip restaurants and bars. Hollywood is filled with ornate Mediterranean and Art Deco buildings, all gradually getting face-lifts. Thai Town and Little Armenia occupy the eastern end, with great ethnic markets and restaurants, like the famed Palms Thai, where a Thai Elvis-imitator performs nightly.

Open from late May through early October, this famed outdoor venue hosts jazz, rock, and country performers, along with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The shell was originally designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and later updated by Frank Gehry. There are 18,000 seats—the boxes are jealously reserved, but (shhh, don't tell the A-listers) the acoustics are actually better in some of the cheap seats.

The "resting place of Hollywood's immortals" is L.A.'s answer to Père Lachaise in Paris; here, loyal fans can visit the tombstones of everyone from Rudolph Valentino to Johnny Ramone. Among the palm trees and mausoleums, there are even video screens that show Life Stories (like mini bio-pics put together by the families of the deceased). Occasionally in the summer, the public is invited to charity screenings: You can take a picnic dinner and a blanket and watch a movie in the graveyard. Hey, that's showbiz!

Sculptor/architect Kenneth Treister's Memorial in Miami Beach is both evocative and upsetting. Visitors enter this outdoor memorial through black-granite colonnades with walls etched with surprisingly graphic images of the concentration camps, then pass through a tunnel that echoes with the voice of Israeli children singing World War II songs. The central sculpture is a 42-foot-high bronze hand that reaches up to the sky, emaciated figures clinging to it, fighting to climb higher and escape. The ID number tattooed on the arm's wrist is missing its final digit on purpose, as the artist was careful to make no reference to specific prisoners. Note, too, the address, a nod to the era of persecution.

Open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

This very centrally located museum has more than 50,000 works of art, including pieces from such masters as Picasso, Gauguin, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Rauschenberg, and Noguchi. It also offers studio art classes for both adults and children, and hosts events throughout the year. Themed ARTafterDARK parties, held the last Friday of every month, attract Honolulu's equivalent of young society: people in their twenties to forties looking to network and connect.

Closed Mondays.

This well-kept facility reflects the Hawaiian love of horses, which became central to the economy when they were introduced to Lanai in 1803. Located about half a mile from the Lodge, the stable offers trail rides for every level of experience. The Koele trail is good for beginners, while the Paniolo Trail and the Mahana Trail are more challenging. All meander to areas off the main road that are difficult to access otherwise. Expect to see lots of deer, native plants, and birds; untouched land; hidden valleys; and, if you continue to the shore, stretches of coast not accessible to many. Sunset trail rides and "Sweetheart" romance trail rides just for two are among the more creative options. Note that children must be at least nine years of age and four-foot-six to ride, and no person weighing over 225 pounds is allowed on a horse.

One- to four-hour trail rides set off from Buttermilk Mountain, just outside of Aspen, for scenic rides through the Elk range. Multiday guided pack trips are great for those who want more saddle time.—by Samantha Berman

If you can't commit to a hike but want to go where cars can't, consider hitting the trail on horseback. Molera Horseback Tours runs guided rides that wind through Andrew Molera State Park to the beach; some pass through forests of redwood and oak, and along the mouth of the Big Sur River. Group rides last from one to 2.5 hours; prices for most rides are between $25 and $60. You can also book a private guided ride for as little as $36. (831-625-5486 or 800-942-5486; www.molerahorsebacktours.com).

Telluride Horseback Adventures trots riders along trails below the Wilson Range, including Mt. Wilson, the majestic peak on the Coors beer logo. The outfit conducts sunrise and sunset rides, day trips, and custom pack trips into the San Juan Mountains backcountry (970-728-9611; www.ridewithroudy.com).

Since most of Montana's dozens of protected wilderness areas and forests lack roads, one of the best ways to explore is by horseback. We recommend the guidance of a licensed outfitter. If you're up by Glacier National Park or the million and a half acres of rugged, isolated backcountry known as the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area, call Swan Mountain Outfitters; they'll take you on a five-day ride-and-fish pack trip to some of the most remote lakes and streams in the state. If Yellowstone is your target, join Wilderness Pack Trips, located in Emigrant, just north of the Gardiner entrance to the park. Their trip into the park's Thorofare region—called by some the most secluded place in the Lower 48—is a nine-day ride of uninterrupted wildflower, elk, moose, bear, and wolf viewing. If you can't coutenance a week's worth of saddle sores, both outfitters offer dazzling one-day excursions as well. Neither outfitter has a standard two- or three-day itinerary, but they'll happily plan something for you if you call a week or so in advance.

Catching the sun's first light on the Tetons is one of those life-affirming thrills. It does, however, require you to lug yourself out of the sack before dawn. Wyoming Balloon Company will pick you up in Teton Village before sunrise and have you 4,000 feet above the Teton foothills as the mountains blush with first light. Prices are around $235 per person.

If the view from the gondola isn't enough, soar up to 2,500 feet above the Maroon Bells and the beautiful Elk Valley in a hot-air balloon. Rides launch at sunrise and last about an hour. A Champagne brunch is served when you land.—by Samantha Berman

The same geothermal features that entertain the crowds at Yellowstone's Old Faithful also heat the mineral waters in Chico Hot Springs, a perfect rehab for the body after hiking or skiing. It's located 23 miles south of Livingston at the foot of Paradise Valley's Absaroka Mountains (800-468-9232; www.chicohotsprings.com), and a night under the stars in the open-air springs is a local tradition. Expect rowdy, happy crowds.

A five-mile sliver of green between the West Side Highway and the Hudson River, this is downtown's open-space alternative to Central Park. Reclamation of the downtrodden waterfront is ongoing—though the area south of 23rd Street is already flourishing. Chelsea Piers (between W. 18th and W. 21st streets) is a year-round sports and recreation center with a driving range, bowling alley, restaurants, marina, and more. Pier 54 (at W. 13th St.) hosts film screenings and concerts. Further south, kids splash in the fountains on the Pier 51 playground (at Jane St.), and picnic space on the grassy knolls can be hard to come by when the temperature rises, especially on cruisey Pier 45 (at W. 10th St.), where the West Village's gay population comes to preen and sunbathe—this is the best place to get a glimpse of locals' enviable roof decks and the Richard Meier towers at Perry and Charles streets. The park's southernmost tier is a multi-million-dollar work in progress: Construction is underway to create lawns, bike paths, beach volleyball courts, a dog run, boat moorings, and a whole lot more, with the majority of work due to be completed in 2010. (For updates on progress, visit www.hudsonriverpark.org) The popular Trapeze School New York, which teaches you to fly through the air 24 feet up (with a safety net, naturally), has relocated to the top of Pier 40 for the duration of the construction. Aspiring trapeze artists can test their mettle from April until October while taking in views of the Hudson River and the Statue of Liberty (212 242 8769, newyork.trapezeschool.com).

Birch, a Chicago lawyer, raked in money as the legal counsel for Rockefeller's Standard Oil and used it to buy vast chunks of $1-per-acre land down in newly settled Florida at the end of the 19th century. Birch deeded most of it to the state on his death, and it's now a glorious park, centered on a shady freshwater lagoon with forests of sea grape and hardwood trees—an ideal break from sunning on the beach. And though Birch's estate may have been huge, his still-standing house at the center of it all was surprisingly modest.

Visitors center open only on weekends.

This perfect white-sand swath just west of Manele Bay has rocky tide pools and a marine preserve (on the beach's eastern side). Hulopoe is known for its clear, aquamarine waters and exceptional snorkeling and swimming. Thanks to the island's relative isolation and a small human population, Lanai's coral reefs are thriving with parrot fish, sea stars, Barber pole shrimp, and limpets; spinner dolphins and humpback whales have also been known to make guest appearances. On calm days, you can spend all day snorkeling. When there's a swell, check out the small pods of talented local surfers tackling the wickedly challenging shorebreak.

Aside from its renowned art collection and rare antique books—which include one of the two earliest-known editions of Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales —the main draw of this property is its magnificent botanical gardens. There's a three-acre rose garden with more than 1,200 varieties of bloom (as well as a lovely tea room), a remarkable 12-acre desert garden, English gardens, and Japanese gardens. A new Chinese garden, which due to be completed in 2008, will include a lake with carved-stone bridges, and pavilions and walkways set among rock gardens and native Chinese flora.

Closed Mondays.

The world's largest collection of telescopes (13) on top of Hawaii's highest mountain, Mauna Kea, has long distinguished Hawaii as a mecca for astronomers. For the rest of us, the Imiloa Astronomy Center at the University of Hawaii's Science and Technology Park in Hilo strives to make a powerful connection between the expertise of the indigenous Hawaiians who navigated by the stars and advancements in the field today. Visitors begin with a planetarium show called Mauna Kea: Between Earth and Sky, which raises as many questions as it answers about the origin of the universe, then walk through interactive displays. Kids under 5 won't get much out of the place, but it is a good rainy-day activity, and in Hilo, those days come frequently. The café (open to the public) has a growing local following and is a good place to grab a quick, tasty lunch.

Open Tuesdays through Sundays 9 am to 4 pm.

Before Napa became famous for wine in the late 1970s, the valley was best known for the boiling hot springs bubbling up through volcanic mud in Calistoga. The little main-street town was founded in the 1850s by Sam Brannan, an East Coast entrepreneur who envisioned a California version of New York's Saratoga. (Legend has it he was a drunk and declared the town the "Calistoga of Sarafornia.") Opened by Brannan himself, Indian Springs is the granddaddy of the town's mud-bath emporiums. There's nothing fancy about the utilitarian 19th-century spa building, but this is the real deal. You get buried in mud, soak in a tub of clear hot-spring water, then take a eucalyptus steam before drifting away in a blanket wrap; tack on a massage and facial for the full treatment. The effect is glorious: you'll feel both relaxed and detoxified. Afterward, take a swim in the gigantic, hot spring–fed swimming pool. The resort also rents cozy 1940s cottages and hotel rooms with Frette linens.

Open daily 8 am to 9 pm.

King David Kalakaua built this palace in 1882, as a symbol to the world that Hawaiian royalty was as grand as any in Europe. Only two Hawaiian royals ever lived here, though: Kalakaua, who was childless, and his sister, Queen Liliuokalani, who succeeded him only to be overthrown and put under house arrest in 1895. Today, the well-preserved structure, filled with period furniture, royal portraits, and a showcase of the Hawaiian crown jewels, gives a glimpse into the state's majestic (and tragic) past.

Closed Sundays and Mondays.

Every year in October, the Kohala Coast hosts the awe-inspiring Ironman Triathlon world championship: a 2.4-mile ocean swim, followed by a 112-mile bike ride through a lava field, followed by a 26.2-mile run—all executed in one day under the blazing sun. (Spectators should be aware that there isn't much sun cover on the sidelines either.) For a week before and a week after the event, the quiet coast bustles with camera crews and some of the most hard-core athletes you'll ever meet. And not just energetic twentysomethings—there are triathletes who compete through their 60s. After the event, the whole bay-front strip of Alii Drive turns into an Ironman after-party.

Isabella Stewart Gardner was an heiress and something of a black sheep of late-19th- and early-20th-century Boston society: She was a rabid Red Sox and horse-racing fan. Tapping into a $1.75 million inheritance from her father (a linen merchant) and husband (a financier and heir to a shipping fortune himself), Gardner personally designed this four-story building, modeled on a Venetian palazzo, to house her extensive collection of art and antiquities. The exhibits include paintings by Manet, Sargent, Holbein, Whistler, Rembrandt, Matisse, Michelangelo, and Titian; 15th-century Flemish tapestries; a first edition of Dante's Divine Comedy; and inscrutable documents—look for the one signed by Marie Antoinette. A visit to the museum is like meandering through the attic of a wealthy, if eccentric, old aunt. Mrs. Gardner believed that art should be appreciated on its own merits, so almost nothing is labeled, though some rooms have laminated information cards that fill in the blanks (and some have blank spaces on the walls where masterpieces hung until they were stolen in one of the greatest art heists in American history). The indoor garden courtyard, filled with citrus trees, orchids, and seasonal plantings, is as impressive as the collection—and there's an explanatory book about it that you can pick up at the information desk. If your name is "Isabella," you will be admitted free, and there's a discount if you have visited the nearby Museum of Fine Arts within a two-day period. (Bring your ticket stub.)—updated by Jon Marcus

Open Tuesdays through Sundays 11 am to 5 pm.

Puget Sound has a string of gorgeous islands, all easy day trips from the city, and all with their own distinct personalities. Washington State Ferries runs trips to all islands; note that spots on popular car-ferry routes can fill up quickly during high season (206-464-6400; www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries).

The easiest island to pop over to is Bainbridge Island. The ferry ride (35 minutes) to and from the island is an attraction in itself, as you get unparalleled views of the skyline, with Mount Rainier looming to the south. Bainbridge is something of an exclusive bedroom community, so it's not as bucolic as some of the other islands, but it's lovely in its own right and has everything from cute little ice cream shops to its own winery. There are two state parks (one on either end of the island) and several other protected areas and gardens, including the Bloedel Reserve, which shouldn't be missed; reservations are required to visit (206-842-7631; www.bloedelreserve.org).

Vashon Island (15 to 35 minutes by ferry, depending on which dock you depart from) is only 12 miles long; you could easily bike the whole thing in a day. Expect to find organic farm stands, galleries, and at least a few old-school hippies. Walks along the beach are a favorite activity out here, as each shore provides views of either the city and the Cascade Range or the Olympic Mountains.

Above Puget Sound in the Strait of San Juan de Fuca is the massive San Juan archipelago. Though many people come to the San Juans to relax, even more come to kayak, hike, play golf, or go whale-watching. The San Juans are extremely popular tourist destinations, so expect lines for the ferries and crowds at B&Bs and restaurants in the summer. San Juan Island is the place to go to book a whale-watching tour or charter a boat; Frday Harbor, the island's main town, is also the commercial hub for the archipelago. Orcas Island is the most spectacular of all the islands. Moran State Park has tons of trails that include everything from lakeside ambles to summit hikes. Orcas also has quite a few pricey inns and resorts perfect for a romantic overnight trip, with Rosario Resort & Spa, in a converted seaside mansion, being the most luxurious (360-376-2222; www.rosarioresort.com). Washington State Ferries to the San Juan Islands leave from Anacortes (one and a half hours north of Seattle); if you want to leave directly from Seattle, the Victoria Clipper has limited service to Friday Harbor (206-448-5000; www.victoriaclipper.com).

Considered by aficionados to be the best-designed amusement park on earth, IOA's designers spared little expense. Its five themed areas (Marvel Super Hero Island, Toon Lagoon, Jurassic Park, Lost Continent, and Seuss Landing) are distinct and hand-designed down to the lampshades and the trash cans. Its entangled Dueling Dragons coasters are synchronized to tease riders with three near-collisions, and the Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges are the wettest and most thrilling of the white-water boat genre. Don't miss the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, where riders don 3-D glasses and whisk through a series of rooms in which motion simulation, animation, and sense trickery (bursts of flame, water droplets) collaborate in thrilling harmony. Next up for the park: A whole Harry Potter universe, set to open in 2010. Leave your bags in your car (the parking lot's covered), since you can't bring anything but yourself and your screams onto the roller coasters.

If you're lucky, you'll encounter alligators, manatees, loggerhead sea turtles, roseate spoonbills, and even the 11-foot female American crocodile that loves to sunbathe on Wildlife Drive. You'll see and learn plenty in this well-managed preserve, which you can explore by bicycle, four-mile drive, open-air tram ride with naturalist, or two-mile boardwalk trail. You can also paddle a kayak or canoe through Tarpon Bay's mazelike mangrove forest, by yourself or with a guide (239-472-8900; tarponbayexplorers.com). Within the 6,400 acres of wetlands, sabal-palm savanna, and mangrove forests, there are 32 different mammals, 51 types of reptiles, and 238 recorded bird species, including bald eagles, mangrove cuckoos, and two dozen warbler species. Bird-watching is best in the early morning, an hour before or after low tide. Mosquitoes and the annoying no-see-um sand flies are most prevalent at dawn and dusk—avoid those hours, and bring insect repellent at all times.

Wildlife Drive is open Saturdays through Thursdays from 7:30 am until a half hour before sunset. The Education Center is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm, November through April, 9 am to 4 pm May through October.

Located on the 66-acre Sarasota estate that once belonged to circus tycoon John Ringling and his wife, Mable, this art museum showcases the work of Baroque masters such as Rubens, Van Dyck, and Poussin. The collection encompasses 10,000 objects—paintings, prints, photographs, sculptures, and drawings—from ancient through contemporary times. While you're there, visit the Ringling's 32-room mansion, Cà d'Zan, and check out the posters, props, wardrobes, and parade wagons on display in the Circus Museum.

Located on the Potomac River next to the Watergate complex, Washington's premier performing arts venue (dedicated to arts advocate JFK) has nine stages and is the home base for the National Symphony Orchestra and Washington National Opera. It hosts more than 2,000 performances each year, including touring plays, Broadway musicals, and dance programs. Free performances, from Japanese koto recitals to family-friendly theater, take the Millennium Stage daily at 6 p.m. (tickets are not required). The building itself is also worth a look: There's artwork on display (gifts from other nations), an impressive bronze bust of JFK in the Grand Foyer, and panoramic Potomac River views from the building's outdoor terraces. Guided tours are available.

Jungle Island (formerly known as Parrot Jungle) used to be an oddball charmer far south of the city, an old rambling park full of squawking, bird-filled cages. Now it's a gleaming, multimillion-dollar family attraction on its own island between downtown and South Beach. The new aviary, home to more than 200 parrots and 3,000 exotic animals such as monkeys and reptiles, has various custom-built environments. The Manu exhibit, for example, mimics a Peruvian mountaintop and has indigenous birds, and the Serpentarium is a good place to see alligators up close (don't miss the albino one). The neighboring Ichimura Miami Japan Garden, also run by the Jungle Island team, is a calm oasis of stone lanterns and boulders, wrapped in a traffic noise-dampening concrete wall and topped by a large, genial Buddha.

Open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

In addition to raising grass-fed livestock that you've probably already eaten in a nice restaurant on the West Coast, Kahua Ranch—8,500 acres on the northern end of the island—operates a renewable-energy enterprise, ATV tours, and its own retail store, where it sells everything from ranch wear to beef and lamb chops. The ATV tours are nothing to write home about, but it's worth stopping by to get schooled by a paniolo (Hawaiian for cowboy).

Open Mondays through Saturdays; by appointment only.

This often-forgotten botanical garden is one of Miami's true finds—that is, if you can find it. It's located on a mansion-filled stretch in the backwoods of Coconut Grove, the leafy neighborhood south of downtown. This land was originally owned by botanist David Fairchild, of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden fame, who traveled the world collecting exotic plants to populate the garden. When David and his wife passed away, Catherine Sweeney bought the property and carried on this tradition of specimen gathering. Their efforts combined have yielded an impressive array of about 5,000 plants and fruits, from ylang-ylang (the base note for Chanel No. 5) to bael, a hard-shelled Indian citrus known for its laxative and aphrodisiac qualilties, that Fairchild ate daily for breakfast. Oh, and the bizarre name? It's Malaysian for "cluster of houses." Call ahead to make an appointment and the director, Larry Schokman, will lead you on a custom tour.

Open Monday through Friday by appointment only.

Monterey Bay supports one of the world's most diverse ecosystems and spans a whopping 5,300 square miles. A National Marine Sanctuary since 1992, it's an absolute must to explore by water, with frolicking sea lions and sea otters, low-flying pelicans, and giant orange starfish common sights.

If you've never gone kayaking, don't worry: It's fairly easy—assuming you're in reasonable shape and you stick to relatively sheltered areas (if you head out to sea, you're on your own). Monterey Bay Kayaks provides rentals, instruction, and tours for all levels; most tours last three hours and cost about $60 (800-649-5357; www.montereybaykayaks.com ) . If you want real drama, take a sunset paddle, or time your trip by the lunar cycles and take a full-moon tour.

Kayaking is a good way to explore La Jolla Cove's cliffs and dramatic sea caves. La Jolla Kayak rents tandem and single sit-on-top kayaks and offers guided tours (2199 Avenida de la Playa, La Jolla; 858-459-1114; www.lajollakayak.com). Bring snorkel gear (or rent it) and watch for bright orange garibaldi fish, bottlenose dolphin, sea lions, and (harmless) leopard sharks below the waves.

Originally a WPA project in the 1930s, this huge aquarium is swimming with barracuda, eels, parrot fish, stingrays, and other exotic creatures that live below the surface in Key West. Visitors can pet a live shark during daily feedings or hold a starfish at the touch tank.

This 19-acre site jammed into the center of Old Town dates back to Key West's 19th-century heyday, when the shipwrecking industry (salvaging goods from sunken ships) made it briefly America's richest city. Estimates put the cemetery's permanent residents at up to 70,000, most in vaults aboveground because of the high water table and solid coral bedrock that prevent the standard six-feet-under. The cemetery is both a fascinating time capsule—the opulence of some of the older graves underscores the town's onetime economic prominence—and an amusing catalog of Conch eccentrics. Look for Edwina Lariz, whose stone reads "Devoted fan of singer Julio Iglesias" and B. P. Roberts, who moans eternally "I told you I was sick." Pick up a guide to the graves in Walking & Biking Guide to Historic Key West by historian Sharon Wells (www.seekeywest.com).

Open daily sunrise to 6 pm.

Aside from—obviously—Disneyland, there are lots of other sights and activities in L.A. that are geared toward kids. They'll be wowed by the La Brea Tar Pits, in mid-Wilshire, a site where asphalt bubbled up out of the earth about 40,000 years ago during the Pleistocene epoch—the last of four Ice Ages—trapping mammoths, giant sloths, and sabre-toothed tigers (way post-dinosaur-age). The remains of these animals have been retrieved since 1906 and are now on display. The adjacent George C. Page Museum has one of the world's most famous collections of fossils and bones, and during summer months there is an observation deck from which visitors can watch paleontogists carefully digging through the black muck (5801 Wilshire Blvd.; 323-934-7243; www.tarpits.org).

Universal Studios adds to its tour and park attractions whenever a blockbuster warrants it. Right now the tours are narrated by Whoopi Goldberg and include TV-show sets from Crossing Jordan and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (how scintillating is that lineup?). Some of the park attractions are "The Fast and the Furious: Extreme Closeup," and a Fear Factor audience-participation attraction. A recent fire destroyed the 20-foot high King Kong as well as the studios New York streets, but Universal says it will rebuild the Big Apple and add a new attraction to replace the giant ape (100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City; 800-864-8377; www.universalstudios.com). More subdued is the Warner Bros. VIP tour, better for older children who love the movies and who are interested in visiting the sets and soundstages of the studio (4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank; www2.warnerbros.com/vipstudiotour/). Another venue best for older children is Six Flags Magic Mountain, which has the Guinness World Record for the most roller coasters in one place (26101 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia; 818-367-5965; www.sixflags.com/parks/magicmountain).

The anchor of Fort Worth's celebrated Cultural District, Louis Kahn's exquisitely proportioned 1972 building is on most short lists of the 20th century's greatest architectural achievements. A series of travertine-clad barrel vaults bathed in natural light, this sublime modern classic would be worth a visit empty. But the Kimbell's concise collection is uniformly of the highest quality, offering an art-history highlight reel of dozens of masterpieces, from Duccio's The Raising of Lazarus to Poussin's Venus and Adonis to Picasso's Woman Combing Her Hair. Classical, Asian, and pre-Columbian collections are comparably rich. In an art world coup, the museum recently acquired what is believed to be the earliest known painting by Michelangelo, The Torment of Saint Anthony, which dates from 1487-88, when the artist was only 12 or 13.

Open Tuesdays through Thursdays 10 am to 5 pm, Fridays noon to 8 pm, Saturdays 10 am to 5 pm, Sundays noon to 5 pm.

It's hard to get more landlocked than the interior of Texas, but Austin has three lakes nearby—two essentially within town—that on weekends explode into social scenes.

Lady Bird Lake (renamed from "Town Lake" for Lady Bird Johnson, who recently passed away) isn't actually a lake, but rather the Colorado River. The wide part of the river that runs through downtown is ringed by hiking and biking trails; sculling is also popular, though motorboats are prohibited.

Lake Austin sits between two dams on the western edge of town and is rimmed by million-dollar homes; its usually calm surface is perfect for waterskiing. The Hula Hut has a deck on Lake Austin and is massively popular after work (3825 Lake Austin Blvd.; 512-476-4852; www.hulahut.com)—probably because the cocktails are better than the food. Next door is Mozart's, whose magical lakefront location makes it one of the most romantic coffee shops in Texas—perhaps America (3826 Lake Austin Blvd.; 512-477-2900; www.mozartscoffee.com).

Located 20 minutes outside of town, Lake Travis has more than 270 miles of shoreline. Though there might be fewer cigarette boats spraying rooster tails than in the go-go days of the dot-com boom, the waters are still full of ski boats, and there's as much boat-to-boat socializing as actual waterskiing. A handful of marinas offer day rentals for powerboats, party barges, and wave runners; try Just for Fun (Emerald Point Marina; 5973 Hiline Rd.; 512-266-9710; www.jff.net). Johnny Fins (16405 Clara Van Trail; 512-266-2811; www.johnnyfins.com) and the Lakehouse Café; (512-264-7040; www.lakehousecafe.com; weekends only) are the main options for float-up dining and drinking—but take heed of strict local policies on drinking and boating. There are several beaches, but the curious steer toward Hippie Hollow, the only public clothing-optional park in the state.

Even if you don't hunt (or more specifically, would never hunt), you can have fun on this unexpected outing without compromising your ethics. First-timers are sternly instructed on safety guidelines, fitted with lightweight shotguns (to minimize recoil), and given lessons as they proceed with an instructor through the 14 shooting-range stations in this 200-acre pine-wooded valley. The targets are disks, still called "clays" though they're now made of compressed fertilizer that seems to keep the area trees very happy. There are archery and air-rifle ranges, too, on what is now the grandest facility of its kind in the state. Ask the staff which celebrities have visited (Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Selleck, for example), and who sucked—they'll tell you.

Big secret revealed: There's good surf on Lanai and hardly anyone around to take advantage of it (though admittedly, it's not easy to get to). Unless you're a badass who surfs Pipeline every winter, you should book a four-hour surf safari in a four-by-four with this husband-and-wife team. Affable Nick Palumbo was raised on Lanai (so you'll get the local perspective on the best spots for your level), and his wife, Alex, specializes in teaching women and girls. It's a reputable outfit—all the instructors have at least 15 years of surfing experience and are CPR-, first aid–, and Hawaii-lifeguard–certified. Lanai Surf School is also the choice of the Four Seasons. Surfboard and gear rentals are available.

This magnificent Beaux Arts building commands dramatic views of Golden Gate Bridge. Inside, its collection of ancient and European art spans 4,000 years, including more than 70 Rodin sculptures representing every phase of his career. Don't miss The Thinker and the bust of the artist by his lover, Camille Claudel.

Open Tuesdays through Sundays 9:30 am to 5:15 pm.

This 128-acre theme park, made up of 15,000 LEGO models built from more than 30 million LEGO bricks, sounds kitschy, but it's actually pretty cool. The rides, shows, and waterpark playgrounds are best for families with children aged 2 to 12. There are also a few roller coaster–style attractions to keep teenagers from dragging their feet.

For lighthouse aficionados, driving the 400-mile length of Route 1 between Kittery (at the southern tip of Maine) and Fort Kent (at the Canadian border) is a rite of passage. The two-lane road follows the rugged, rock-strewn coast and delivers beacon hunters to four of the state's most iconic lighthouses. The first stop is Cape Neddick in York, just north of the New Hampshire border. Better known as Nubble Lighthouse, the 40-foot tower was built in 1878 and is still in operation. A 45-mile drive north and a short detour into picturesque Cape Elizabeth brings you to Portland Headlight. Commissioned by George Washington in 1791, it is Maine's oldest lighthouse, and it may look familiar if you've seen Edward Hopper's 1927 watercolor portrait of it in Boston's Museum of Fine Arts. Another 60-mile jaunt north, in Bristol, is Pemaquid Point, a quaint lighthouse of whitewashed brick. And one last 100-mile haul brings you to Acadia National Park, where Harbor Bass Light is located on a cliff on Mount Desert Island. In the heat of summer, Route 1 is notoriously jammed with bumper-to-bumper traffic, particularly around popular vacation towns like Ogunquit and Old Orchard Beach. Use I-95 or I-295 to speed along your journey.

Three of the Vineyard's five lighthouses (all on the north side of the island) are open to the public for sunset tours operated by the Martha's Vineyard Museum (508-627-4441; mvmuseum.org). East Chop Light, in Oak Bluffs, is perched on a cliff 79 feet above the sea (508-693-8104). The red-brick Gay Head Lighthouse is on the edge of the Aquinnah cliffs and visitors are allowed into the light chamber; its original Fresnel lens, which was exhibited at the 1855 World's Fair in Paris, is now on exhibit in the Martha's Vineyard Museum. The Edgartown Lighthouse originally stood in Ipswich, Mass., and was moved to its present site after its predecessor was badly damaged by the Hurricane of 1938 (508-627-4441). Guarding the entrance to Vineyard Haven, the West Chop Lighthouse in its current brick incarnation dates from 1838 and was the last manned lighthouse on the island. There are also guided tours to (though not inside) the Cape Poge Lighthouse, at the far end of Chappaquiddick. This structure has been rebuilt four times since it first went up in 1801. The current white wooden structure was built in 1893 and on four occasions has had to be moved farther from the water—the last time by helicopter (508-627-3599; thetrustees.org). For lighthouse connoisseurs, the Vineyard has launched an annual Martha's Vineyard Lighthouse Challenge in June, including transportation to all five lighthouses and a "lighthouse passport" book (800-505-4815; mvy.com/islandinfo/lighthouse_challenge).

By the sheer size of its facilities and the scope of its performances—approximately 400 events every year—this cultural complex, which opened in the mid-1960s and is in the midst of a massive, multiyear reconstruction project, claims the crown as the city's preeminent center for the performing arts. The Metropolitan Opera is based at, naturally, the Metropolitan Opera House, the New York City Ballet at the New York State Theater, the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall. Individual events and festivals are scattered throughout these and other performance halls, including the newest addition, Jazz at Lincoln Center, located several blocks south in the Time Warner complex. Summer sees special outdoor events, including Midsummer Night Swing, when the public boogies to live bands on the plaza, and Lincoln Center Out of Doors, a festival of free open-air performances.

Occupying a beautifully landscaped strip of park in between the perfectly manicured streets of tony Lincoln Park and the shimmering waters of Lake Michigan, the Lincoln Park Zoo is the nation's oldest zoo (it was founded in 1868). It's also one of the last of its kind: A free—and incredibly well maintained—neighborhood zoo. Although it's charmingly small, you should still allow yourself two to three hours to wander the paths among landmark Georgian Revival brick buildings and colorful flower gardens. Main attractions include the Great Ape House (completely rebuilt in 2004) and the centrally located Sea Lion Pool.

Grounds open 9 am to 6 pm, buildings open 10 am to 5 pm. Call ahead for restricted hours in the winter and extended weekend hours in the summer.

It has been said that San Francisco, the birthplace of a generation of Beat authors, is a city in love with two things: books and booze. Once a year, local literati—Armistead Maupin, Dave Eggers, Amy Tan, Michelle Tea—and their fans celebrate this happy, drunken marriage with a festival of readings and panel discussions. Sound boring? In any other city, it might be. Litquake, however, draws literary-minded hipsters to dive bars, swank lounges, and even laundromats with honeyed words and drink tickets. The weeklong festival, which opens the first weekend in October, culminates in a Saturday night three-hour LitCrawl through various bars in the Mission, with more than 300 authors giving readings on topics ranging from food and pets to war and sex.

Almost no moment in western history casts a longer shadow than June 25, 1876, when General Custer and 262 men fell to Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors. The Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, 55 miles east of Billings in eastern Montana's Crow Indian Reservation, has detailed self-guided walking tours. It's surprisingly interesting and thorough, taking guests through the desolate prairie and detailing each Indian encampment, doomed charge, and gun position. The trail wanders past white grave markers for fallen soldiers, culminating at the 7th Cavalry Monument and the Indian Memorial.

Just west of the downtown business district is this several-block bastion of the city's Cuban community. Calle Ocho, or S.W. Eighth Street, is the heart of the area, and on it you'll find shops with women rolling cigars, salsa music emanating from old record shops, art galleries, coffee shops for a shot of bracing café cubano, and the restaurant Versailles. In March, the neighborhood hosts a two-week street festival of art, music, and food (www.carnavalmiami.com/calle8).

LACMA's permanent collection of over 100,000 works includes everything from extraordinary Asian antiquities to period costumes to contemporary artworks. It also hosts a steady series of temporary exhibitions, some so popular the museum has been forced to stay open into the late night. The various buildings on the museum's 20-acre campus have gone up at different times, in disparate styles; Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano won the commission (over Rem Koolhaas) to unify the museum, adding a 20,000-square-foot glass entrance pavilion, as well as a covered concourse linking the open spaces between buildings. The renovation included an expansion of the Ahmanson Building with a skylighted hall for music and art performances, lectures, and other public events.

Step into this French Quarter boutique and jump a couple of centuries into New Orleans's past—without the trouble of a fancy time machine. As a purveyor of 19th-century culinary antiques, Lucullus presents a wide range of kitchen- and dining-related objects, from period glassware and porcelain to intricate absinthe spoons and oyster plates. The showrooms are laid out like dining rooms—antique tables and chairs are set with antique china and matching flatware—and filled with accoutrements (damask napkins, glass rolling pins, Champagne flutes), with an understandable emphasis on French antiques.—Pableaux Johnson

When most first-time visitors imagine Walt Disney World, the place with the castle, the Hall of Presidents, and Space Mountain, they're thinking of the Magic Kingdom, which was the first of the four theme parks to open on Disney property back in 1971. A larger version of California's original Disneyland, its idealized mock-up of a prototypical Main Street USA spills into several themed areas (Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Mickey's Toontown Fair) stocked with tame rides and wandering Mickeys, Minnies, Goofys, and the odd Captain Hook. Get those famous mouse ears at Le Chapeau, just to the right as you enter. The lines for the kiddie rides of Fantasyland are shortest immediately after opening and again in the evening, when tykes go to bed. Otherwise, the Fastpass system allows you to pick up timed tickets, which get you onto the ride with a much shorter wait; use it liberally. The Kingdom experiences its biggest crowds on Mondays, so plan your trip accordingly. And if you plan on staying for the evening fireworks, wait around for 45 minutes or so to avoid the crush of departing visitors that overwhelms the transportation systems.

Locals avoid it and tourists flock to it, but there's still a lot to love about Mallory Square. Vendors selling everything from hand-painted coconuts to conch fritters set up shop in the brick, waterfront area, while tourists take in classic acts like the tightrope walker or the one-man band that looks like something straight from a Dr. Seuss fantasy. Amid all the kitsch, you can find some treasures for sale, too, like intricate palm-frond baskets woven by a man who's been a Mallory Square fixture for decades. Sunset is obviously the time to go, and the scene continues for about an hour afterward, as sailboats pass close to the docks for a photo moment and the sky glows with the day's last color.—Updated by Terry Ward

U.S. states have official flowers, birds, and songs, but some sap gave Vermont an official flavor: maple. Sugar makers produce a half million gallons of the amber liquid each year, tapping their sugar maples (Vermont's official state tree, natch) during the spring thaw and boiling up batches of syrup in sweet-smelling sugarhouses. Many makers, including Sugarbush Farm in Woodstock (591 Sugarbush Farm Rd.; 802-457-1757; www.sugarbushfarm.com) and Morse Farm in Montpelier (1168 County Rd.; 802-223-2740; www.morsefarm.com), open their sugarhouses to the public; the best month to visit is March. A full list of places and events can be found at www.vermontmaple.org.

Usually associated with half-nude debauchery and flammable rum drinks, Mardi Gras gets a bad—if not completely undeserved—rap. Despite its Girls Gone Wild reputation, Mardi Gras is more than simple "boobs for beads" transactions; if that's your goal, head for Bourbon Street with the out-of-towners. Locals congregate in neighborhood bars on hidden side streets and along the parade routes on Uptown stretches of St. Charles Avenue. Fat Tuesday itself always falls on the day before Lent begins—in late February or early March—though the Mardi Gras season starts on January 6, the 12th night of Christmas. But the carnival spirit never quite leaves the city. Head over to the recently relocated Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World, near the Convention Center, for a tour of the studios where artists sculpt the famous sparkling parade floats. The tour also includes time to roam the warehouses, where larger-than-life visages of Louis Armstrong sit next to 15-foot papier-mâché bullfrogs (1380 Port of Orleans Pl.; 504-362-8211; www.mardigrasworld.com).

Local real-estate developer Marty Margulies amassed such an impressive collection of photography over the years that in 1999, he finally bought a warehouse in the emerging Wynwood Art District downtown to showcase his holdings. Seven years—and several expansions—later, the stark-white, 45,000-square-foot space is crammed with permanent and rotating collections of impressive photography, from Cindy Sherman classics to Vanessa Beecroft's sexy, modern snaps. Even better, Margulies's impeccable taste stretches to video installations and sculpture. It's hard to single out particular works, but don't miss Ernesto Neto's creepy, tentacle-like installations made from women's panty hose.

Open Wednesday through Saturday between October and April.

A visit to these botanical gardens in Sarasota is especially appealing in the fall, when the weather is cooler and the plants are still in full bloom. Grab a map and embark on a self-guided tour of the orchid-filled greenhouse, bamboo garden, butterfly garden, banyan grove, and fragrance garden. Kids underwhelmed by the vegetation will get a kick out of vividly colored poison-dart frogs frolicking in multilevel tanks filled with mosses and tropical plants. Lunch at the outdoor café, then browse the plant store inside the historic Selby mansion.

Religious camp meetings were a fast-growing trend in the 1830s, when Methodists encamped for the first time in Oak Bluffs. Eventually, they built small wooden houses in concentric circles around a massive open-air tabernacle on streets with names like Jordan Crossing. Many of the 312 gingerbread-style houses have been passed down from generation to generation; the land on which they sit is owned communally. For best effect, enter the Martha's Vineyard Camp Meeting Association through the metal arch off Circuit Avenue. Renovations to the tabernacle, rebuilt in 1879, were completed in spring 2008, and in the summer, the Camp Meeting Association (which is now interdenominational) hosts community sing-alongs on Wednesday nights and bands and choirs on Friday and Saturday nights. Only one of the colorful cottages, the Cottage Museum, is open to the public; it exhibits typical furnishings and memorabilia, including the rocking chair where President Ulysses S. Grant sat when he visited. There's also an original magic lantern film projector lighted with a wicker candle (1 Trinity Park; closed October 1 through late May).

The emotional core of this sprawling city can be found in the Preservation District of downtown Atlanta's Sweet Auburn neighborhood. The Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site pays tribute to the city's most famous native son, encompassing three important landmarks: King's childhood home, the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, and King's burial site. Guided tours of the home can be arranged through the visitor's center, which also offers interactive exhibits, films, and educational programs throughout the year.

With over 2,000 acres of woodlands, salt marshes, and pristine coastline, the Nature Conservancy's Mashomack Preserve covers nearly a third of bucolic Shelter Island (take the car ferry to reach it). There are self-guided nature walks of various lengths, easy-to-follow maps, and the promise of a few hours of getting blissfully lost and forgetting all about the big city to the west.

Open daily 9 am to 5 pm, July and August only.

The city's best-kept secret, this ornate 19th-century temple designed to house the state's Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania hides in plain sight across from City Hall. In addition to a small collection of Masonic artifacts, and the largest collection works by American sculptor William Rush, there are seven halls that represent specific architectural styles: Corinthian, Ionic, Renaissance, Norman, Gothic, Oriental, and, of course, Egyptian.

Tuesday through Friday 10 am to 5 pm, Saturday 10 am to 12 pm.

Maui is crawling with boldfaced names, but during the week of the annual Maui Film Festival in mid-June, it's just ridiculous. The festival shows a good number of quality indie films (though a few mediocre big-budget films have been known to slip in as well), and it's a good time for anyone with $10 to buy a ticket (tickets to private parties and events are extra). Best of all, some screenings are held under the stars on the green of the Wailea Golf Club. The MFF also runs a popular weekly series of movies at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, along with a series of academy screenings the public can attend during the holiday season (www.mauiarts.org).

Mauna Kea, 14,000 feet above sea level, is the highest peak on the island. It's an all-day affair to drive up there, and definitely worth it if there's snow (for the novelty value). But the air is thin—you may suffer from altitude sickness—and you should bring your own supplies. The summit of Mauna Kea is recognized as one of the world's best places to observe stars, so about a dozen of the finest telescopes are situated here, along with some of the world's best astronomers. Most of these facilities are for experts only, but there are free tours on Saturday and Sunday, and the visitors center hosts a stargazing program nightly from 6 to 10 pm.

Open daily 9 am to 10 pm.

Not so long ago, this was New York City's version of the Wild West—a warren of cobblestone streets abutting the West Side Highway, home to butchers and alternative-lifestyle night owls. Very little of that world exists now that the beef carcasses have moved out and the megaclubs, boutiques, and restaurants have moved in, with the stiletto-and-Prada crowd tottering swiftly behind. Still-standing stalwarts include Hogs & Heifers, where the shtick of bullhorn-shouting female bartenders who berate patrons and cut off their neckties with scissors was born (859 Washington St.; 212-929-0655; www.hogsandheifers.com), and the first upscale joint to move to the hood, Keith McNally's always good, always packed bistro, Pastis (9 Ninth Ave.; 212-929-4844; www.pastisny.com). Others haven't been so lucky—the classic all-night diner Florent, whose walls could no doubt tell some hair-raising stories, was shuttered as of mid-2008, pushed out by exorbitant rents. Lately places seem to open up more quickly than one can follow—the Hotel Gansevoort and clubs like Aer already seem kind of, well, old. While the neighborhood is fun and the shopping can be stellar (or should that be Stella?), it's also seeing the inevitable backlash—stop by during the week; weekends are elbow-to-elbow with way-too-drunk amateurs. Still, everyone can agree that the High Line elevated park and the hip (and affordable) Standard Hotel have gone a long way towards bringing the best of Meatpacking's past into its hip future.

Every May, the Memphis in May committee selects a foreign country and fetes it with a month of barbecue, beer, and blues. Past honorees include Morocco and South Africa. Most people think Memphis in May is synonymous with barbecue, but it's actually a celebration in three acts that attracts about 250,000 attendees each year. Blues, gospel, pop, and classic rock luminaries perform live for the Beale Street Music Festival. Teams such as the Natural Born Grillers and the Notorious P.I.G. compete to smoke the tastiest pork ribs, shoulder, or whole hog in the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (a.k.a. the Super Bowl of Swine). For $3, audience members can participate in the "People's Choice" awards, though not all of the competitors enter this segment of the competition. And as the closer, maestro David Loebel leads his Memphis Symphony Orchestra in renditions of the 1812 Overture—and maybe even "Ol' Man River"—at the often-humid, always entertaining Regions Sunset Symphony on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi.

One half-block south of the intersection of Beale Street and Third, you'll find this interactive museum on the plaza outside the NBA Grizzlies' home, the FedExForum. The Smithsonian Institute chose this location to host its first-ever permanent exhibit outside Washington, D.C.: "Rock 'n' Soul: Social Crossroads." The exhibit details how the uniquely earthy sounds of Memphis's alleys, juke joints, choir lofts, and fields coalesced to become American popular music at the hallowed grounds of Beale Street, Sun Studio, and Soulsville, USA. A great place for music-loving tourists to start, the museum's seven galleries tie together Memphis's celebrated music forms—the blues, rock 'n' roll, and soul—through 100 music clips that you can choose from five vintage jukeboxes, as well as cool artifacts like the Reverend Al Green's bible and robe, B.B. King's beloved guitar named "Lucille," and the control board that producer Sam Phillips used to record the first Elvis hit, "That's Alright Mama." In addition to the Smithsonian exhibit, the museum devotes one gallery to new exhibits, which often highlight how Memphis music has influenced modern artists.

Held the week after Easter in Hilo, this is the showcase and competition for the best and the brightest stars of the hula dance world. It's traditional, authentic, intense Hawaiian hula with strong chanting and rhythmic drumbeats. Amazing to behold, the guardians of Hawaiiana and many in the Hawaiian community attend in all their finery, but that means there's not a lot of room for tourists. Also broadcast on local television.

Held Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings the week after Easter.

This big-time professional rodeo is just 15 minutes east of downtown Dallas. The season runs from April through September, but don't worry about the sweltering heat: The 5,500-seat Resistol Arena is fully air-conditioned. If you require further pampering while watching the calf roping, steer wrastlin', and barrel racing, decorated luxury suites offer wet bars and waiters. This very family-friendly environment includes pony rides, a petting zoo, and finger-lickin' BBQ from local legend Sonny Bryan; kids under 55 pounds can even suit up in a helmet and vest just like the pros and ride a sheep (called mutton bustin'). But the marquee bull-riding event, where the one-ton animals usually win, is a dangerous sport for the real pros only.

Open early April through late September; most rodeo events Fridays and Saturdays 8 to 10 pm.

Philippe de Montebello, who was the director of this epic museum for 31 years, once said that you can tour its highlights in an hour if you look selectively and walk very fast. Not to argue with the man, but we're not sure we believe it. You could spend weeks here admiring the collections. Among the highlights: a European painting gallery packed with masterpieces (Rembrandt, Giotto, Caravaggio, Raphael, Goya, El Greco, Turner, Vermeer, Degas, Renoir, and Cézanne are all represented); a trove of Egyptian art and artifacts, including the showstopping reconstructed Temple of Dendur; an impressive selection of Greek and Roman statuary; American paintings and sculpture from colonial times through the present day; and prehistoric artifacts from all over the globe. Our suggestion is to pick two or three small sections you'd like to see, and then return another day for a few more. Or browse some of the less-appreciated and less crowded—but no less stunning—collections, such as the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, or the smallish but exquisite galleries of Modern Art. The museum's Costume Institute displays portions of its extensive collection of clothing from around the world in themed exhibits twice a year. Also make time to sit and people-watch in the common areas, such as the space by the American Wing Café, overlooking a fountain—you'll rarely hear as many languages spoken in one place. And if you're looking to actually meet one of those people, let us suggest the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden (closed in winter), accessed by the southwest elevators on the first floor. It has amazing views of Central Park, hosts sculpture exhibits, and serves up simple drinks such as beer and wine. The Met is pretty much always buzzing, but the crowds thin on Friday and Saturday nights, when the museum stays open until 9:00 p.m.; members can get into some exhibits half an hour before they open to the public in the mornings.

Closed most Mondays.

Less than a half-hour drive from downtown, Tijuana (abbreviated to TJ by locals), especially the area around Avenida Revolución, is dirty, loud, cheesy, and touristy to the extreme, but it can be entertaining. More upscale dining and nightlife can be found at Plaza Fiesta in the heart of TJ's Zona Rio (www.tijuanaonline.org). Giving Tijuana a run for its tourist money is the small, casual resort town of Rosarito, 17 miles farther south via the Rosarito–Tijuana toll road (www.rosarito.org). Slightly farther still is Puerto Nuevo, a tiny fishing village that's famous for its local lobsters served with beans, rice, and fresh tortillas. Driving across the border can be daunting, so take the San Diego Trolley to the border at TJ, then catch a shuttle from there straight to Rosarito Beach Hotel (www.mexicoach.com). If you do decide to drive, make sure you buy Mexican auto insurance, either from your rental car company or one of the many agencies near the border, before leaving the U.S.; then stick to the toll road and try not to do much driving after dark.

Located downtown in the Miami-Dade Cultural Center, this museum showcases the diverse international makeup of the community in its display of Miami-based artists and art of the Western Hemisphere in general. Founded in 1996, it's not yet a major institution, but it has been gradually expanding its collection and raising its profile; Terence Riley, formerly of New York's Museum of Modern Art, is the director, and architects Herzog & de Meuron are creating a new space downtown next to Biscayne Bay (due in 2012).

Open Tuesdays through Fridays 10 am to 5 pm, Saturdays noon to 5 pm.

There are two key shutterbug sites in Key West. Mile Marker 0, at the junction of Fleming and Whitehead streets, is a small green sign that marks the southern tip of U.S. Highway 1, a full 2,390 miles from its northern terminus in Fort Kent, Maine. The second is the squat red, black, and yellow barrel-shaped marker at the tip of South and Whitehead streets, which marks the closest you can get to the southernmost point of the continental United States (the actual point is part of a naval base). Word to the wise: Taking pics for tourists is a local moneymaking scheme, so the helpful people who offer their photography services will most likely expect a tip.

Art Deco may be better known, but a growing base of architecture buffs are raving about MiMo style, or Miami Modernism. To protect and promote the genre, the city of Miami Breach established a new preservation zone in 2000, the John S. Collins Waterfront Historic District, between 22nd and 44th streets along Collins Avenue. The buildings, largely from the fifties and sixties, are playful and jokey, brightly colored, and full of atomic-era optimism. There's a sense of movement, with delta fins and pylons added as decoration, or oddly shaped holes, known as woggles, punctured through walls. The best known example is Lincoln Road, the pedestrian mall that cuts across South Beach and whose fountains, benches, and shelters were designed by MiMo master Morris Lapidus. The newly restored Fontainebleau Hotel is considered Lapidus's masterpiece: Check out the bow ties embedded in the terrazzo and the decorative staircases to nowhere. Further up, in North Beach, there are even more MiMo buildings, such as Temple Menorah, a bright yellow synagogue on 75th Street.

If Louis Kahn's Kimbell Museum is regarded as one of the best buildings of the last century, Tadao Ando's new Fort Worth Modern, just across the street, may well stand up as one of this century's finest. Dramatic, 40-foot-tall Y-shaped concrete columns support the flat, cantilevered roofs of the glassed-in, satiny-gray concrete galleries—the entire structure seems to float in the immense reflecting pool. The collection stresses Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, and Minimalism. Touring exhibitions focus on major retrospectives of modern masters. The Café Modern has become a hot luncheon pick.

Open Tuesdays through Saturdays 10 am to 5 pm, Sundays 11 am to 5 pm.

Worth visiting for its architecture alone, the 1906 personal library of Pierpont Morgan, the late 19th-century industrialist, was designed by Charles McKim of McKim, Mead and White. It's clear that no expense was spared—beneath an ornately painted ceiling, literary types will marvel at three tiers stacked with texts, as well as Thoreau's Walden Pond journal and preliminary sketches from the children's book Babar. Music lovers can peruse original manuscripts by Beethoven. A gallery upstairs in the Renzo Piano addition—an airy glass-and-steel structure completed in 2006 that unites three historic buildings—houses more adventurous special exhibits, compared with the somewhat staid permanent collection.

Closed Mondays.

At this Lido Key aquarium, kids of all ages gawk at color-changing cuttlefish, a 135,000-gallon shark tank, and Molly the Mollusk, a 27-foot-long preserved giant squid discovered in New Zealand. At Contact Cove, Mote's aquatic petting zoo, visitors can touch sea stars, horseshoe crabs, and sea urchins. Just next door, in the Goldstein Marine Mammal Center, wildlife specialists work to rehabilitate injured sea turtles, dolphins, and whales so that they can be returned to their natural habitats.

Imagine riding 30 miles from the 10,000-foot summit of a dormant volcano. Steeply downhill. On a bike. Sounds awesome—and it is—but this excursion isn't for everyone. To catch the sunrise at the top of Haleakala, you need to leave your resort as early as 2 am. Temperatures at the top dip below freezing, and it very well might rain on the way down, so riders must wear a helmet with a face shield and full rain gear—typically, a bright yellow slicker and pants. It's not much of a workout (except for the hand you use to squeeze the brake), but you share a road with vehicles, so there are some risks. Maui Downhill takes safety seriously and has an excellent track record (808-871-2155; www.mauidownhill.com). Afterwards, even the heavily bandaged say it's one of the best things they've ever done: Magnificent 360-degree views of Maui and beyond, a crash course in volcanic geology, and the opportunity to pass through multiple climatic zones, all before breakfast.

Mountain-biking trails run through the Santa Monica Mountains from Griffith Park to the Pacific. On any given day, you'll see purple-faced actors with washboard abs pumping furiously up canyons as if starring roles were being handed out on the peaks. Check www.labikepaths.com or www.latrails.com for routes. Two of many bike-rental companies are Hollywood Pro Bicycles (323-466-5890) and Spokes 'n Stuff Rental in Santa Monica (310-395-4748).

The capitals of American dirt single-tracks—Durango, Crested Butte, and Moab—may all be within two and a half hours of Telluride, but with hundreds of miles of trails, Telluride itself is no slouch. Visit Bootdoctors, which runs easy, mostly downhill tours for novices and intermediates, and sells maps and guidebooks for gnarlier riders. Bootdoctors also rents a variety of full-suspension bikes (970-728-8954; www.bootdoctors.com). Don't miss the flowing, aspen-shaded single-tracks Deep Creek Trail and Jurassic Trail.

When the snow melts, Park City is transformed into a vast adventure land for mountain bikers and trail runners, with bright blue skies, dry air, and very few tourists. You could easily hop on a fat-tire rental from White Pine or lace up your all-terrain shoes and begin exploring the 150 miles of trails that spider-web through the hills. But for more service (and downhill thrills), you'll find lift-served mountain biking and hiking at Deer Valley Resort, Park City Mountain Resort, and the Canyons. The Mountain Trails Foundation has trail maps for much of the area, including the spectacular 26-mile Mid Mountain Trail, a steady singletrack that cuts through the Wasatch Mountains at 8,000 feet.—Sarah Tuff

The only lift-served mountain biking in the Roaring Fork Valley, the 50 miles of trails on Snowmass are suited to never-evers as well as seasoned two-wheelers. Take the gondola halfway up, or if you are feeling adventurous, go all the way to the top. Guided tours are also available.—by Samantha Berman

Think of Exum's four-day mountaineering class as Mountain Climbing 101; graduation takes place on the 13,770-foot summit of Grand Teton. The country's foremost guide service takes novices with no climbing experience and gets them to the top of the Tetons. The only prerequisite is to be in good aerobic shape and "demonstrate proficiency" (read: don't throw up or whine) after the first two days of training. Even the tamest way to the summit entails getting roped up and being exposed to cold winds for several hours. But don't fret—you'll be in the capable hands of tough guys like Jack Tackle and Mark Newcomb, and tough gals like Evelyn Lees. They might not smother you with warm fuzzies, but they will get you back down safely.

No mountain climbing late September—early December.

About two hours' drive northeast from downtown, Arrowhead has an Alpine village feel, while Big Bear is more rustic, with traditional log cabins. In addition to skiing and snowboarding, there's a whole menu of summer activities, from horseback riding to mountain biking, plus fishing and boating (909-866-7000, www.bigbearinfo.com; or 909-337-3715, www.lakearrowhead.net).

At one stage of George Washington's life, his enormous estate, 16 miles south of the city that bears his name, was 8,000 acres and composed of five farms. Today, 500 acres remain, 50 of which are open to the public. Washington lived here from the age of three. As an adult, he expanded his home; filled it with exquisite pieces, many of which are on view today (such as 18th-century silver and books from his private library); and built a successful whiskey distillery down the road. Plan to spend several hours, if not a whole day, touring the mansion, working farm, gardens, and George and Martha Washington's tomb. Expect to wait about half an hour in line for the mansion tour in the summer, and even longer in April and May and on weekends. The wait tends to be shorter in the afternoon.

Hike along the high ridge to Lanaihale summit, and you'll be rewarded. At 3,370 feet, it's the only place in the state where you can see six Hawaiian islands at once: Lanai, Maui, Kahoolawe, Molokai, Oahu, and the Big Island. You'll wend your way through dense rain forests full of eucalyptus and pine, that open up to vast panoramas of canyons and ocean. Mountain bikers and four-wheel-drive vehicles can also access this dirt trail, named after New Zealand naturalist George Munro, who planted the ubiquitous Cook Island pines to create a watershed for Lanai.

Bring quarters (or dollars for the change machine) so that you can fully enjoy this bizarre collection of historic arcade games housed at this wacky museum on Fisherman's Wharf. At the entrance stands Laffing Sal, a gap-toothed six-foot mannequin whose raucous cackle will haunt you as you explore further. Perhaps you'll ask the Sex Appeal Meter to rate your attractiveness, or maybe you'll test your strength on the Arm Wrestle Machine. Kids will love the clockwork farm, where 50 cents activates a host of tiny moving people and animals.

Open Mondays through Fridays 10 am to 7 pm, Saturdays and Sundays 10 am to 8 pm.

Housed in a postmodern building shaped like a slice of pie, this museum is now attracting big-name temporary shows thanks to its well-connected new director, Irvin Lippman, who's spent time at the National Gallery in D.C. Until March 2010, it's home to the "With You I Want to Live" an eclectic exhibit of art from the 1960s and 1970s; the King Tut exhibit was on view in 2006, and it was one of only two North American pit stops for the 2004 Princess Diana dress exhibit. The permanent collection is heavy on Pop Art (plenty of Warhol) as well as the Abstract Expressionist CoBrA movement, with artists like Asger Jorn and Karel Appel known for their intensely colored canvases.

The MCA recently reasserted its position as one of the country's leading contemporary art museums with a highlights show that trotted out permanent-collection pieces by everyone from Francis Bacon to Andy Warhol. The museum, though, is more interested in keeping things cutting-edge and fun than in surveying even the recent past. More characteristic exhibits include Sympathy for the Devil: Art and Rock and Roll Since 1967, which used photos, paintings, film, sculpture, and music to explore the convergence of the two art forms. The museum's busy social calendar includes summer concerts on the lakeview terrace, First Friday events with DJs and drinks; and Sunday brunch at the ground-floor Puck's Café. Not enough fun? Try the MCA's double-decker gift shop, which stocks serious art books and artfully silly tchotchkes, including lots of Japanese action figures alarmingly armed with rocket launchers.

Open Tuesdays 10 am to 8 pm, Wednesdays through Sundays 10 am to 5 pm.

The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) features art from 1950 to the present day in two locations, one on the beautiful coastline of La Jolla, the other in downtown San Diego in a converted loft (formerly the Santa Fe Depot baggage building). The galleries show edgy rolling exhibitions and include pieces from their collection of more than 4,000 works by the likes of Robert Irwin and Yoshitomo Nara. The La Jolla gallery is worth a visit for the dramatic cliff-side setting alone. While there, check out MCASD's X Store and stop off at the organic café.

Open Thursdays through Tuesdays 11 am to 5 pm, third Thursday of the month 11 am to 7 pm.

When the Museum of Contemporary Craft reopened in an expanded location in the summer of 2007, it threw a huge block party with local microbrews, gelato, live music, and an impressive array of artist demonstrations. Families mingled with artists, gallery owners, and donors, and the whole thing was a raging success. That pretty much captures what the museum is setting out to do: to make art and craft accessible, interesting, and fun. The calendar is packed with events, from formal tours, lectures, workshops, and demonstrations to casual coffee get-togethers during which a specific aspect of the craft world is discussed. The temporary exhibits may or may not strike a chord—depending on when you're here, you may find a broad retrospective on craft in America or a specific artist-based exhibit. At the very least, the gallery is full of distinctive items by mostly regional artists, from gorgeous ceramics to handmade jewelry and textiles.

Open Tuesdays through Sundays 11 am to 6 pm, Thursdays until 8 pm.

This museum, sandwiched between the boutique hotels, bars, and shops just off Union Square, is much cooler than it sounds. Enter through a magnificent wrought-iron gate to a charming courtyard garden. Inside the unpretentious museum—the size of a gracious one-bedroom apartment—unexpected traveling exhibitions speak to the art of handmade design. Past showings have included a collection of artworks composed of common tools, as well as a study of wine label art. Pick up unique gift items—a "bubble wrap" vase or homespun scarf—at the funky museum store.

Open Tuesdays through Saturdays 10 am to 5 pm, Sundays noon to 5 pm.

At the mouth of the Charles River, with views of the Boston skyline, the Museum of Science is crowded with hands-on exhibits that demonstrate everything from biology to computers to physics. Kids can determine how much sugar is in a bottle of Coca-Cola, measure the volume of their lungs, and investigate the mysteries of lightning with the world's largest Van de Graaff generator. (That one's a blast for adults, too.) There's also an adorable troupe of live cotton-top tamarin monkeys who live here to help the museum staff study evolution, a planetarium that was renovated and reopened in 2011, and an Omnimax theater that shows science- and technology-oriented films, such as Galápagos. Volunteers roam the building on Segways to dole out information. The Butterfly Garden, a humid greenhouse opened in 2005, flutters with about 100 butterflies (monarchs, owl butterflies, and bamboo pages) and features exotic plants, like the Stachytarpheta (or Blue Rat's Tail). In a city as high-tech as this one, the museum falls surprisingly short of being cutting edge, and some of the exhibits are worn. Nonetheless, it's generally mobbed by school groups on weekdays and herds of suburban families on weekends (a huge parking deck sits next to the building to accommodate them). Visit on a Friday evening after 5 pm to avoid the crowds.—updated by Jon Marcus

Open daily 9 am to 5 pm (until 9 pm on Fridays). Summer hours, between July 5 and Labor Day, 9 am to 7 pm (until 9 pm on Fridays).

Tour a captured U-505 German Sub, take a trip into a coal mine, walk through a model of the human heart, or watch genetically engineered chicks hatch at this huge hands-on science museum. Lines form early for the A-list exhibits: a renovated Pioneer Zephyr train; a full-size 727 airplane that replays recordings from United Flight 9457's black box; and Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle, a lavishly decorated dream dollhouse built in 1928 with real diamonds and emeralds in the chandeliers. View fruit flies under a microscope or digitize yourself at Networld, an immersion into the Internet. You'll feel like you're flying the space shuttle at the center's five-story Omnimax Theater.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 9:30 am to 4 pm, Sundays 11 am to 4 pm.

The two biggest wingdings of Telluride's festival-packed calendar induce a lot of dancing in Tevas. The Telluride Bluegrass Festival takes place mid-June, during four of the longest days of the year, and a couple of weeks before the daily afternoon thunderstorms kick in. Expect the likes of bigger acts such as Barenaked Ladies and Bonnie Raitt, as well as less organized acts, including roving bands of banjos. The other biggie is the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, which is exactly what the name says. It takes place each September with acts like Willie Nelson and the Flaming Lips.

The famous annual Monterey Jazz Festival brings in jazz and blues luminaries from around the world the third weekend in September. Past performers have included Bonnie Raitt and Dave Brubeck (831-373-3366; www.montereyjazzfestival.org).

The Carmel Bach Festival, which has been running since 1935, draws international artists to venues throughout the area; for maximum atmosphere, attend a performance at the 18th-century Carmel Mission (831-624-2046; www.bachfestival.org). The music performed is—obviously—Bach-centric, but pieces by other 17th- and 18th-century luminaries such Mozart and Vivaldi are also included.

A depiction of wild horses running through a stream, The Mustangs of Las Colinas is the world's largest equestrian sculpture. Also of interest is an on-site museum that illustrates the process artist Robert Glen had to go through to create this gigantic piece of public art. Commissioned in 1976, the work was intended to catapult the then-tiny development of Las Colinas to larger fame, thus attracting more residents.

Museum open Wednesdays through Saturdays 11 am to 5 pm. Sculpture is accessible 24/7.

Moby Dick? True story. The Nantucket whaler Essex, the basis for Herman Melville's classic, was rammed by a whale off the coast of South America in 1820 and survivors resorted to cannibalism to stay alive. The personal journal of an Essex crewman is part of the collection of Nantucket's Whaling Museum. Housed partly in an 1847 spermaceti candle factory, the museum completed a $13 million restoration and expansion in 2005—making it large enough for the curators to suspend a 46-foot sperm whale skeleton from the main gallery's ceiling. Also on display: a large collection of scrimshaw (etched and carved whale ivory) and whaling trade artifacts (13 Broad St.; 508-228-1736; nha.org; closed late October–mid-April). For more Nantucket history, head to the small post-and-beam African American Meeting House. Dating from 1827, it's the nation's second-oldest surviving meetinghouse built by free blacks for their own use. It has been renovated and is open to the public (29 York St.; 508-228-9833; afroammuseum.org; closed September–June). Maria Mitchell, the country's first female astronomer and first female professor of astronomy was also the first American woman to discover a comet through a telescope—and she did it on the roof of Nantucket's Pacific National Bank building on October 1, 1847. The telescope she used is in her birthplace, a typical Quaker-style Nantucket home built in 1790 that's now known as the Maria Mitchell House and Museum of Astronomy. The Maria Mitchell Association also operates two observatories. Check mmo.org for the schedule of tours and nighttime viewings (1 Vestal St.; 508-228-9198; closed mid-October–early June).

The world's hottest museum designer, Renzo Piano, outdid himself with this exceptionally transparent glass, travertine, and aluminum construction in the heart of the Dallas Arts District, across the street from the Dallas Museum of Art. Local collector Raymond Nasher's internationally coveted collection of modern sculpture is revealed in Piano's beautifully bared galleries, which open onto a refined, oasislike sculpture garden. A light supper at Café Nasher on a Thursday evening, when the museum is open late and the lit-up office buildings tower overhead, is a sublimely romantic urban experience.

Open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays 11 am to 5 pm, Thursdays 11 am to 9 pm.

The National Archives and Records Administration collects millions of documents, but you're probably familiar with at least two of them already: the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Between 2001 and 2003, these founding documents were painstakingly cleaned, repaired, and vacuum-sealed in state-of-the-art encasements to preserve them for posterity and make them easier to read. During the day, they're displayed in a neoclassical rotunda, and at night, they're locked in an underground vault for safekeeping. In the public vaults, visitors can research their genealogy, view original patent drawings (like the pencil), and listen to recordings of White House conversations during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Touring the exhibits takes approximately 90 minutes. Reservations are recommended (202-357-5450); otherwise, expect to wait an hour or more outside of the building.

Through fund-raising efforts, the Martin Luther King Memorial Foundation purchased the defunct Lorraine Hotel, the site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, at auction in 1982. Nearly ten years later, the first museum to trace America's civil rights movement opened its doors at the tragically historic site. In 2002, an $11 million expansion added 12,800 square feet of exhibition space, including the exhibit "Exploring the Legacy." The exhibit traces the path American civil rights have taken since King's death and also details other historic civil rights movements worldwide. Each year, the museum honors significant contributors to civil or human rights with three Freedom Awards (national, international, and lifetime). Past recipients include Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, and Bono.

Forming the northern anchor of a four-block Independence-palooza (which includes a visitor center, the Liberty Bell, and Independence Hall), the exterior of the Constitution Center might seem jarringly modern. But don't be put off: The 160,000-square-foot museum, designed by I.M. Pei's firm and opened in 2003, is a must-see on the historic trail. Avoid crowds by going on a weekday afternoon, when you'll be able to get to more than 100 interactive and multimedia exhibits. Best hands-on setups: taking the presidential oath of office and reading landmark legal cases at a replica Supreme Court bench. Before leaving the neighborhood, make a stop at the Curtis Center, a Georgian Revival building on the southwest corner of Independence Park (at 6th and Walnut Street) that once housed the Saturday Evening Post and whose lobby contains the Dream Garden, a 49-foot mosaic by Louis Comfort Tiffany. It's based on a painting by Maxfield Parrish and is comprised of about 100,000 pieces of glass.

Open Mondays through Fridays 9:30 am to 5 pm, Saturdays 9:30 am to 6 pm, Sundays noon to 5 pm.

If you'd prefer to see elk in the wild rather than just on your plate, they can't be missed here. Every winter, the 25,000-acre refuge—which is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service—is home to some 7,500 elk, the largest herd in the world. Although drivers can spy them right off Highway 89 (a mere three miles north of downtown), it's more entertaining to go by horse-drawn sleigh. Forty-five-minute joyrides leave from the Jackson Hole/Greater Yellowstone Visitors Center (at the N. Cache Drive address above) on a first-come, first-serve basis from mid-December to the end of March.

Overlooking the Elk Refuge, this medieval-looking stone-and-stucco building blends seamlessly into the brown hills. (Look for it as you drive down Highway 89.) It contains more than 2,300 wildlife photos, paintings, and life-size bronze sculptures from around the world—some dating as far back as 2000 BC.

Three striking—and strikingly different—national parks are a short drive from Telluride. About two hours south is Mesa Verde, where visitors can climb a 32-foot-tall ladder, crawl through a 12-foot-long tunnel, and then scamper an additional 60 feet up ladders and stone steps to visit Balcony House, a 14th-century Anasazi cliff dwelling (www.nps.gov/meve). Two and a half hours west, in Utah, is Arches National Park, where eons ago rushing waters carved out arches, narrow canyons, and oddly-shaped rocks (www.nps.gov/arch). Near Montrose, Colorado, about 90 minutes north, is Black Canyon of the Gunnison, established in 1999. Eleven hundred feet across at its narrowest point and 2,772 feet deep, the canyon's dark walls are shaded most of the day, begetting the name. Fly-fishing, kayaking, and hiking rarely get more dramatic (www.nps.gov/blca).

A project that began as a museum dedicated to the Allied invasion of Normandy has become an ever-expanding exploration of World War II's causes and lasting impact. The original exhibit brings mid-20th-century history to life through immersive multimedia presentations, restored WWII weaponry, and interviews with participants in Operation Overlord (the official name of the D-Day invasion). Additional galleries examine the Pearl Harbor attack and the ensuing war in the Pacific. A new building features a 1940s-style musical canteen with live music, a state-of-the-art theater (featuring the WWII documentary Beyond All Boundaries), and the American Sector, a restaurant by local celebrity chef John Besh.—Pableaux Johnson

The junkyard lot known as the "Boneyard" might seem and sound ominous, but it's overflowing with more than 100 pieces of vintage nonoperative signage that trace Las Vegas's unique physical history. Among the mountains of metal and broken bulbs are the letters from the old Stardust sign and the 20-foot-tall high-heeled shoe that once revolved atop the Silver Slipper's marquee. Tours of the Boneyard are available by appointment only (submit your request on the museum's web site), and well worth it for those who are nostalgic for the Las Vegas of a bygone era.

Between the Met and the Guggenheim sits the Neue Galerie, the most recent (2001) addition to Museum Mile. A former home of society grande dame Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt III, it displays a modest but focused collection of early 20th-century Austrian and German art and design—Egon Schiele's disconcerting studies of male-female relationships; Gustav Klimt's dazzling first portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer, with its luminous patchwork of gold and silver; an elegantly simple table fan by Josef Hoffman. The museum's founders, Austrian art dealer Serge Sabarsky and cosmetics mogul Ronald Lauder, have put in a tiny design shop and Café Sabarsky, which evokes a Viennese café, in fitting with the theme (212-288-0665; kg-ny.com).

Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Located right on Boston Harbor on Central Wharf, the New England Aquarium is home to animals from both the Northeast and around the world. Atlantic harbor seals greet guests from an outdoor habitat, and 3 of the 17 penguin species are represented here—you can use a beam of light to encourage them to play in the water, or show up at 9 am or 2:30 pm for feeding time. There are exhibits on local ecosystems, such as the Boston Harbor Islands, but the centerpiece of the building is the 200,000-gallon Giant Ocean Tank. Start at the top and wind down the ramp to view Murtle the Turtle, a 550-pound Atlantic green turtle, as well as schools of fish, sharks, and rays that rub right up against the glass. The largest IMAX theater in New England, which screens 3-D movies such as Deep Sea 3D (narrated by Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet), is housed in an adjacent building. Between April and October, the aquarium hosts whale-watching tours that last three to four hours; book in advance online.

Open Mondays through Fridays 9 am to 5 pm, Saturdays and Sundays 9 am to 6 pm. Summer hours, between July 1 and Labor Day, Sundays through Thursdays 9 am to 6 pm, Fridays and Saturdays 9 am to 7 pm.

After Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest is the city's biggest celebration, when dedicated music fans pack the infield of a local horse-racing track for hundreds of national and local acts performing on half a dozen stages. Jazz, funk, rock, and world music groups rule the stages, while soul-soothing power choirs rock the gospel tent. Over the years, national touring acts (Al Green, Foo Fighters, Bonnie Raitt) have infiltrated the lineup, which routinely showcases New Orleans legends (the Meters, Dr. John, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, miscellaneous Marsalises). The concession booths take festival food way beyond funnel cakes and nachos, with transcendent roast-pork po'boys and creamy Crawfish Monica. As always, Jazz Fest falls during the last weekend of April and the first weekend of May.

Home to Miami's New World Symphony, this Miami Beach building designed by Frank Gehry debuted in early 2011. Architectural elements include embellishments on the building's facade that resemble Scotch tape origami, along with an unusual flipped-up awning. The enormous campus—which fills two city blocks and houses a concert hall, an opera house, and teaching space—showcases public performances led by conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, founder of the NWS. An egalitarian touch is the free simulcasting of concerts on a 7,000-square-foot exterior wall throughout the year. —Terry Ward

Established in 1891, the 250-acre New York Botanical Garden is an oasis for pavement-pounding city dwellers, just a 20-minute Metro North ride from Grand Central. Cedar, fir, and spruce trees shade winding paths that connect 50-plus gardens, plantings, and greenhouses populated by countless species of native and exotic flora. Among the highlights are the Magnolia Grove (blooms in April), Rockefeller Rose Garden (peaks in June and September), and the Irwin Perennial Garden (where there's something to see year-round). Inside the Victorian Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, the "World of Plants" immerses visitors in ferns, palms, African euphorbias (a cousin of the cactus), and other tropical tendrils. In the Children's Adventure Garden, kids can explore a maze, jump on plastic lily pads to make water jets shoot up, or do a fun weekend workshop. Nearby are the Garden's research facility and a rare orchid collection with 6,000 different species hunted down by botanists and studied extensively on-site. The Garden's gates are open year-round but visiting is, of course, best (and busiest) in the spring.

Closed Mondays (except holidays).

First colonized by railroad magnates and silver barons, Nob Hill is now home to apartment buildings with wedding-cake facades and venerable hotels like the Fairmont. Observe the cable-car system's innards at the Cable Car Museum. Then visit the neo-Gothic pile of Grace Cathedral nearby, begun in 1927 and completed in 1964. Enjoy a walk on the terrazzo-stone replica of Chartres labyrinth in the church courtyard, designed to inspire spiritual meditation. For further relaxation, book an ultimate massage at award-winning Nob Hill Spa inside the Huntington Hotel.

When the rents in SoHo zoomed, many smaller, idiosyncratic designers and shops moved to the area "North of Little Italy": Mulberry, Mott, and Elizabeth streets between Houston and Broome. What was once predominantly a working-class Italian neighborhood is now full of creative restaurants and cutting-edge boutiques displaying contemporary furnishings, fashion, and jewelry. Basically, it makes for a great wander, where you're likely to happen onto items that you never thought you needed or imagined you might be hungry for. The Mexican-style grilled corn drenched in butter and cheese from Café Habana is a great on-the-go snack (17 Prince St.; 212-625-2002; www.cafehabana.com). One nonshopping landmark: the original St. Patrick's Cathedral, now known as Old St. Patrick's. Located at Prince and Mulberry streets, it was the inspiration for the cathedral in Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York.

Fremont is probably the best known of the northern neighborhoods, and while its days as a haunt for starving artists and all members of the counterculture from hippies to bikers may be drawing to a close, it's still extremely laid-back and quirky. Exploring the shops along N. 36th Street and up Fremont Avenue makes for an immensely enjoyable afternoon. West of Fremont is Ballard, which used to belong mostly to Scandinavian fisherfolk, but is now the domain of hipsters. Ballard Avenue has an almost European or Old New York vibe, and great shops, pubs, and restaurants. On weekends, a mellow farmers' market pops up on one of the empty lots. Wallingford, east of Fremont, has a spate of specialty shops along N. 45th Street: Nowhere else in the city can you pick up gourmet Belgian beers, handmade stationery, an authentic aloha shirt, and a racy cake from the resident erotic bakery all within a few blocks. North of Fremont and Wallingford, Green Lake's main draw is its namesake, a beautiful lake whose ring road is thronged with joggers, bikers, in-line skaters, and happy dogs. The cozy triangle around N. 56th Street and Kenwood Place (off the southeast corner of the lake) has the best eateries, namely the excellent Eva Restaurant & Wine Bar and Zoka Coffee.

Anini Beach: Protected by the longest reef in Hawaii, this sweet spot is generally safe for swimming and snorkeling, and is one of the few places on the island to windsurf and kitesurf. Since water depths range from four feet to 100 feet, it is also a popular place to shore dive. Turn off Highway 56 between mile markers 25 and 26 onto Kahili Wai Road, then veer toward the ocean onto Anini Road, which ends at the beach.

Hanalei Bay and Beach Park: This long crescent of sand is great for a beach walk or run, and is an immensely popular place to socialize with Hanalei's attractive locals. It's swimmable in calm conditions, but when big swells roll in, advanced surfers and boogie boarders from around the state provide quite a show. Between mile markers four and five on Highway 56, turn toward the ocean on Weke Road.

Lumahai Beach: One of the most romantic yet dangerous spots on the island, Lumahai Beach was immortalized in South Pacific as the place where Mitzi Gaynor washed that man right out of her hair. That makes this wide swath of sand a great place for a photo op as well as for sunbathing or a picnic, but it's rarely swimmable. There is no lifeguard on duty, and the cove is not protected by a reef, so currents are fast and furious. You'll find it on Highway 560, near the town of Hanalei, between mile markers five and six.

Kee Beach, Haena State Park: Literally at the end of Highway 560 (just past mile marker 10) is one of the most visited beaches on the island. Swimmers enjoy the protected lagoon; snorkelers and divers come for the wealth of tropical fish just beyond the reef; and hikers catch the beginning of the Kalalau Trail on the western end. For your safety, do not venture past the lagoon if the waves are washing over the reef, and avoid the vicious sucking current at the reef opening on the western end.

This eclectic but impressive collection centers on post-1900 boldfaced names like Picasso and Matisse as well as Americana from Norman Rockwell and Edward Hopper. There are also some edgier pieces like Soutine's tight-mouthed Portrait of Madeleine Castaing, Henry Moore's Family Group, and Brancusi's shimmering bronze Mlle Pogany II. The museum was founded in 1941 and a new wing was added in 1997 to accommodate the growing collection. That's where you'll find its roster of Old Masters—the Brueghel still life has been helpfully annotated with all the plant and insect species depicted. There is an Impressionist room full of Renoir and Degas sketches, Gauguin, Monet, Cézanne, plus a typically tender Berthe Morisot. The new wing also contains one of Dale Chihuly's signature trippy glass installations exhibited in a see-through ceiling. If you have kids in tow, duck outside into the garden, where the tiled maze called Theseus and the Minotaur (complete with solution on the descriptive card) will cure any Impressionist boredom. Note that the Norton has a frustratingly small on-site parking lot: It's easier to park at City Place shopping center and hop the free downtown trolley.

Amid beautiful gardens inspired by Monet's Giverny, this somewhat drab, boxy museum (built in 1969) had its interior spruced up by Frank Gehry in the late '90s. Inside, there's a treasure trove of European paintings from the 14th to the 20th century and a dazzling collection of Asian art. Degas is well represented, as is Picasso, and there's a fantastic series of French Impressionist galleries. The café, like so many others in Los Angeles, is run by Chef Joachim Splichal's Patina Group, and serves salads and sandwiches.

Hold and feed a live sea horse! An exciting prospect at any age, and the one-hour tour of this sustainable sea horse farm is well worth the price tag. Located in the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii complex, the farm provides sea horses for the majority of the world's aquariums, since wild sea horses often die when stolen from the ocean and put into the tank. That's not a problem with these sea horses, bred in captivity and so tame that at one point on the tour you're able to stick your hand into the water and have a little sea horse curl its tail around your finger. The $30 tour ($20 for children) also includes a natural snack of fresh kelp and a ton of pretty convincing information about why we should all take better care of our planet's oceans.—Cathay Che

Powder Tours takes expert skiers in 11-person snowcat groups to terrain selected according to daily snow conditions and the group's experience. Expect an average of 10,000 vertical feet on ungroomed terrain, hitting glades and open bowls. Lunch is provided in a woodstove-heated cabin.

Although the name might imply a distinctly traditional focus, the Ogden's collection features an impressive collection of modern works from artists who work in New Orleans and other parts of the Deep South. With the collection of Roger Ogden at its core, the museum curates exhibitions that range from Alabama painter Walter Anderson to photographer Sally Mann to multi-artist ceramic exhibitions celebrating the cup as a functional and artistic form. The museum's Thursday night music series blends live New Orleans music with the visual arts in the building's spacious atrium.—Pableaux Johnson

The Vail valley's predilection for all things Teutonic climaxes in three raucous weekends in September. The first weekend in September is a more civilized affair in Beaver Creek with live bands, beer tasting, and culinary classes on the finer points of German cuisine. The festivities then unravel the following weekends in Vail with foot-stomping oom-pah music, yodeling, and alpenhorn-blowing demonstrations, a bratwurst-eating contest, keg bowling, and, of course, all the Erdinger Weissbräu you can guzzle down. Expect public drunkenness and bad singing.

Built during the 1935 California Exposition in Balboa Park, the Old Globe is a Tony Award–winning theater that puts on world-class shows, some (like Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and The Full Monty) before they hit Broadway. A season of 14 plays and musicals are presented year-round on three stages. It also hosts the highly regarded Shakespeare festival every summer.

The Bluff City has a number of lovely parks and outdoor spaces that are an ideal place to work off all that barbecue you've been wolfing down. Tom Lee Park, which runs along the bluffs of the Mississippi River, is a good place for a twilight stroll. Overton Park is home to the Memphis Zoo, where a $23-million Northwest Passage exhibit opened in 2006 and gives visitors an underwater view of sea lions and swimming polar bears (2000 Prentiss Pl.; 901-276-9453; www.memphiszoo.org). The 96-acre Memphis Botanic Garden (750 Cherry Rd.; 901-576-4100; www.memphisbotanicgarden.com) is located across the street from Audubon Park and hosts a hip Live at the Garden summer concert series (901-576-4107; www.liveatthegarden.com). And Shelby Farms, one of the largest urban parks in the country at 3,200 acres, is a good place for canoeing and fishing, though you must bring your own equipment (500 Pine Lake Dr.; 901-382-0235; www.shelbyfarmspark.org).

Erected in the late 19th century, the elaborate Victorians here are now inhabited by millionaires. Notable houses include the Spreckels Mansion (2080 Washington St.), owned by novelist Danielle Steel, and the Haas-Lilienthal House (2007 Franklin St.; 415-441-3004), a restored Queen Anne Victorian. Enjoy the views from Lafayette Park and the steps at Broadway and Lyon streets, then head over to the ritzy Upper Fillmore for some shopping.

In Hawaii, tsunamis, more than any other natural disaster, have been responsible for killing the most people. From 1900 to 1964, small tidal waves hit Hilo every seven years. A 1946 tsunami destroyed beachfront neighborhoods, flooded downtown, changed the coastal landscape, and killed about 159 people. This museum stands as a memorial and a source of information to demystify the big-wave phenomenon.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 9 am to 4 pm.

See the flip side of Santa Barbara from a sit-on-top kayak. Paddle Sports offers a range of guided day trips along the coast; full-moon tours departing from the harbor just before sunset; kayak and bike combos; and day trips and multi-day kayaking trips in the Channel Islands, where you can paddle into mammoth sea caves and coves, encounter dolphins and seals, see spectacular blowholes, and even camp overnight at Scorpion Ranch on Santa Cruz Island.

With cement made from sand and seashells, Palm Cottage was built in 1895 by a Louisville newspaper publisher, one of the city's founders, who spent many winters in Naples. Once the scene of countless glamorous parties, Palm Cottage is now home to the Naples Historical Society and is filled with period furnishings, memorabilia, photographs, paintings, and other artifacts documenting the history of Naples.

Call ahead for guided tour information.

This ten-minute cable-car ride takes you 8,800 feet up Mt. San Jacinto (the next 2,000 feet to the top are under your own steam). The ascent goes from sandy desert to alpine snowfields, with a 30-degree temperature drop. Stay for dinner at the fine-dining Peaks restaurant or casual Pines Café. Adults $22, tram only; $35 for the ride and dinner at Pines Café.

Check out how the other half lives on this witty tour past the homes of Bob Hope, Goldie Hawn, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Liberace, Elvis, and Dean Martin. Tours range from one hour ($30) to two and a half hours ($35).

The rolling countryside, expert landscaping, and dramatic views of the surrounding mountains give the Park City Golf Club an exclusive feel. Happily, however, it's public. And tough. Most holes have water hazards and sand bunkers, and playing at altitude makes the 18 holes a lot more strenuous.

Founded in 1847, Parker Ranch is one of the oldest and largest privately owned ranches in the United States. Because a drive through Waimea affords views of the lands, an official tour may seem redundant; but it's worth a stop for an ATV tour, horseback riding, hunting, and the often overlooked but delightful Parker Ranch Historic Home Tour. The home tour includes a brief history of John Palmer Parker, who befriended King Kamehameha, married a Hawaiian princess and built the ranch, and a walk through the family's original wood cabin, Mana Hana. In a radical jump from past to present, the tour also includes a walk through the Puuopelu estate of Richard Parker Smart, last descendant to live on the ranch (until the late '80s). A Broadway actor before resettling on the Big Island, Parker Smart collected Impressionist art while traveling abroad and amassed one of the most impressive private collections in the state.

Gas Works Park was once a belching natural gas production plant. Remnants of the site's industrial past remain (a tangle of towers, pipes, and catwalks), but the main attraction is a gigantic grassy hill, typically covered with kite-flyers and picnickers enjoying one of the city's best water views (N. Northlake Way at Meridian Ave.). Discovery Park is a local favorite in the charming neighborhood of Magnolia. At 534 acres, it is Seattle's largest preserve, with nine miles of footpaths, two miles of beach trail, great bird-watching, a lighthouse, and sweeping views of the sound (3801 W. Government Way at 36th Ave. W.; 206-386-4236). Washington Park Arboretum is home to an internationally renowned collection of trees and plants from the Pacific Northwest (N. of Madison St. on Lake Washington Blvd. E.; 206-543-8800). Volunteer Park is in the heart of Capitol Hill. This is a true neighborhood park but it's also home to the striking Seattle Asian Art Museum. In addition, there's a small conservatory, and an observation deck in an old water tower from which you can see the water and the Space Needle (1247 15th Ave E.; 206-684-4555).

Founded by art collector and benefactor Samuel Longstreth Parrish in 1897, this museum's collection is centered around American paintings of the late 19th and 20th centuries. It includes many of the artists, like Larry Rivers, who worked out of Eastern Long Island studios in the 1950s, as well as contemporary artists (such as Elizabeth Peyton and Erich Fischl) with Hamptons connections and the turn-of-the-century American Impressionist William Merritt Chase. Southampton's first (and only) art museum is also in the midst of planning a major makeover: In 2012, it's expected to move to a new, 34,000-square-foot space in nearby Water Mill designed by Herzog & de Meuron.—Updated by Darrell Hartman

Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, mid-September through late May.

Pasadena is famous for the Rose Bowl and Parade, and for the remarkably beautiful architecture, including landmark Greene and Greene houses. Old Pasadena once was a bohemian mecca, but though it's evolved into a collection of chain stores, it does still have Vroman's, the largest independent bookstore in town (695 E. Colorado Blvd.; 626-449-5320; www.vromansbookstore.com). The Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa (626-568-3900; www.ritzcarlton.com/hotels/huntington/) is a landmark with a great high tea. Not far away is the beautiful Santa Anita Race Track, as well as the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden. Don't miss the Huntington Library + Gardens (see above); the generous-sized cactus garden, formal Japanese gardens, and English landscaped gardens are wonderful.

This Spanish-colonial landmark with its welcoming tiled central patio was built in 1917, and some of filmdom's most highly regarded actors, including Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman, trained here in the theater's heyday. Closed and nearly destroyed in the seventies, it was revived in 1986 following extensive renovations, and it now offers well-regarded productions ranging from the classics to musicals to new plays, starring an array of well-known faces from film and television.

The nation's oldest museum and school of fine arts, founded in 1805, preens in the middle of Center City. Architects Frank Furness and George Hewitt made a beautiful High Victorian Gothic building to house an impressive collection that includes Thomas Eakins (check out his 1875 masterpiece, The Gross Clinic), Winslow Homer, and Benjamin West. If you're in town for the hugely popular annual student show in May, you can compete with locals for well-priced works from the masters of tomorrow.

Open Tuesdays through Saturdays 10 am to 5 pm, Sundays 11 am to 5 pm.

You don't have to be a baseball fan to appreciate San Diego's new PETCO Park, a state-of-the-art baseball stadium in the newly revitalized East Village that holds 42,445 people and has seven restaurants. It was inaugurated by the San Diego Padres in the 2004 season. To avoid traffic on game day, park in Old Town and take the trolley to the game.