Columbus, city and seat of Muscogee County, western Georgia, a port at the head of the Chattahoochee River, opposite Phenix City, Alabama. Columbus is a regional transportation, trade, cultural, and manufacturing hub. Its many textile, food-processing, and metalworking industries are powered by hydroelectric plants on the Chattahoochee River.

San Juan, Puerto Rico’s capital, is a city where cobblestone streets lead to centuries-old forts and pastel-colored buildings overlook the Atlantic. The district of Old San Juan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its Spanish colonial architecture and thick stone walls that once defended the city from pirates and naval attacks. The city hosts regular events such as La Campechada, which celebrates Puerto Rican art and literature with live performances and open-air exhibits.

Set along the shoreline of Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos, the Charles Darwin Research Station introduces visitors to a living laboratory shaped by volcanic land and rare wildlife. Located near Puerto Ayora, the station stands as the scientific heart of the islands, where researchers from around the world work side by side to understand and protect species found nowhere else on Earth.

Big Sky, located in southwestern Montana, is a mountain town renowned for its expansive wilderness, world-class skiing, and outdoor adventure opportunities. Nestled between the Spanish Peaks and the Gallatin Range, it offers a dramatic backdrop of rugged mountains, dense forests, and alpine meadows.

Gouda is a historic city in South Holland, situated where the Gouwe and Hollandse IJssel waterways meet. Its compact center is known for canals, brick houses, bridges, and a network of narrow streets surrounding the Markt, one of the Netherlands’ largest historic town squares. The Gothic St. John’s Church dominates the square and is particularly notable for its extensive collection of stained-glass windows.