Denver, Colorado, known as the “Mile High City” for its elevation exactly 5,280 feet above sea level, offers far more than a mountain backdrop. It’s a city where old saloons, Victorian homes, and vintage brick warehouses sit beside sleek skyscrapers and buzzing food halls. While the nearby Rocky Mountains are visible from almost anywhere in the city, places like City Park and Washington Park offer wide green spaces right in town.

Nosara, on Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, is a laid-back coastal town known for its strong connection to wellness, nature, and surf culture. Unlike some of the country’s busier resorts, Nosara has kept development low-key, with no large beachfront hotels and a community that values sustainability.

Castro is the capital of Chiloé Province on the island of Chiloé in southern Chile, set along the eastern shore of the Gulf of Corcovado. The city is recognized for its distinctive waterfront, hillside neighborhoods, and traditional wooden architecture. Its most recognizable feature is the palafitos, houses built on wooden stilts above the tidal edge, particularly around the Gamboa and Río neighborhoods.

Palm Beach, located on Aruba’s northwest coast, is the island’s most famous stretch of sand: a two-mile ribbon of soft white shore lined with turquoise waters and a lively resort scene.

Albuquerque, New Mexico, is a city where centuries-old adobe architecture, desert landscapes, and modern innovation meet beneath some of the clearest skies in the country. Every October, Albuquerque becomes the site of one of the most photographed events in the world: the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. For nine crisp mornings, hundreds of hot air balloons rise over the city, painting the sky in brilliant colors and wild shapes with everything from farm animals to space aliens.