If summer means the beach to the inhabitants of Greater Buenos Aires, Mar del Plata is most often the beach they are thinking of. Situated on the northern Atlantic coast, 400km from the capital, beaches in this area sprawl for eight km, with sophisticated mansions (reflecting the area's upper-class origins) mingling with the new middle-class resorts. Sea lions keep an eye on the fishing activities around the wharves, and a replica of the grotto of Lourdes is a kitsch paradise.

Tree-lined avenues, grand architecture, and the imperative to live well defines Bucharest, a bustling city that is rebounding and expanding. In the 1900s, this vibrant Romanian capital was nicknamed "Little Paris" and that jubilant, raise-a-glass spirit carries over to this day.

Dunedin is the second largest city in New Zealand and home to the world's only mainland-breeding albatross colony, the Royal Albatross Centre.

Copper River, Alaska's fourth largest river travels from the dry interior climate to the temperate rainforest along Prince William Sound.

On the North Platte River in north central Wyoming, Casper has been the center for much of the oil industry in the State.