A true destination, Alyeska is Alaska's biggest ski area. At the summit sits Mt. Alyeska Roundhouse, the state's only mountaintop museum.

Hikone is a city in Shiga Prefecture on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake. Its location combines a historic castle town with lakeside landscapes, wooded hills, and traditional neighborhoods. Hikone Castle, a National Treasure, is the city's best-known landmark and remains surrounded by moats, stone walls, and gardens.

What sets Kaikōura apart are the extraordinary marine encounters that begin just off the shoreline. The Kaikōura Canyon, an underwater gorge that plunges to great depths close to land, creates currents rich with nutrients that attract a remarkable array of sea life year-round. Sperm whales are a common sight here and are frequently spotted on local boat tours. Dusky dolphins twist and leap in large pods, and colonies of New Zealand fur seals laze on rocky outcrops along the coast.

Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, is a city of striking contrasts where gilded temples stand beside sleek skyscrapers and centuries-old traditions thrive amid modern life. At its heart is the Grand Palace, a dazzling complex that once housed the Thai kings, along with Wat Phra Kaew, the revered Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

Bourg is a small riverside town set along the Dordogne estuary in southwestern France. Its position above the water gives it a quiet but strategic presence, with stone houses rising along narrow lanes that lead toward the harbor. One of Bourg’s most intriguing features lies beneath its streets. Guided visits reveal hidden staircases, carved stone rooms, and cool corridors that offer a completely different perspective from the sunlit streets above.