With steely skyscrapers, top restaurants and calendar of festivals, Chicago will blow you away with its low-key cultured awesomeness any day of the year.

It's hard to know what to gawk at first. High-flying architecture is everywhere, and whimsical public art studs the streets. You might be walking along and wham, there's an abstract Picasso statue that's not only cool to look at but you're allowed to go right up and climb on it. When you need a break from exploring the city, loosen your belt – you've got a lot of eating to do here.

Here are the top things to do on your trip to Chicago this winter.

Art Institute of Chicago

The second-largest art museum in the country, the Art Institute of Chicago houses a treasure trove from around the globe. The collection of impressionist and postimpressionist paintings is second only to those in France, and the number of surrealist works is tremendous. Wander the endless marble and glass corridors, and rooms stuffed with Japanese prints, Grecian urns, suits of armor, Grant Wood's American Gothic, Edward Hopper's Nighthawks and one very big, dotted Seurat. The Modern Wing dazzles with Picassos and Mirós.

Architecture cruises

Who cares if all the backward neck-bending causes a little ache? There's no better way to feel Chicago's steely power than from low on the water looking up while cloud-poking towers glide by and iron bridges arch open to lead the way. The skyline takes on a surreal majesty as you float through its shadows on a river tour, and landmark after eye-popping landmark flash by. Guides' architecture lessons carry on the breeze, so you'll know your beaux art from International style by day's end.

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Blues and rock

In Chicago no genre is as iconic as the blues – the electric blues, to be exact. When Muddy Waters and friends plugged in their amps in the 1950s, guitar grooves reached new decibel levels. Hear it in clubs around town, such as Buddy Guy's Legends, where the icon himself still takes the stage, or Rosa's Lounge, where it's a bit more down and dirty. The blues paved the way for rock and roll, so no surprise cool little clubs hosting edgy indie bands slouch on many a street corner.

Comedy and theater

A group of jokesters began performing intentionally unstructured skits in a Chicago bar a half century ago, and voilà – improv comedy was born. Second City still nurtures the best in the biz, though several other improv theaters also work from booze-fueled suggestions that the audience hollers up. Among the city's 200 theaters are powerhouse drama troupes such as Hollywood-star-laden Steppenwolf, and heaps of fringey, provocative "off-Loop" companies, such as The Neo-Futurists (which base admission cost on a dice roll).

Sky-high views

For superlative seekers, Willis Tower is it: the city's tallest building (and one of the world's loftiest). Breathe deeply during the ear-popping, 70-second elevator ride to the 103rd-floor Skydeck and then stride to one of the glass-enclosed ledges that jut out in midair. Look down some 1400ft. Crikey. The lakeside 875 N Michigan Ave building (formerly known as the Hancock Center) also rises high in the sky. Ascend to the 96th-floor Signature Lounge, order a cocktail and watch the city sparkle around you. It's especially lovely at night.

Global eats

In recent years chefs such as Grant Achatz, Rick Bayless, Stephanie Izard and many others put Chicago on the culinary map. They won a heap of James Beard awards, and suddenly international critics were dubbing Chicago one of the globe's top eating destinations. The beauty here is that even the buzziest restaurants are accessible: they're visionary yet traditional, pubby at the core and decently priced. You can also chow down on a terrific range of global eats in Chicago's neighborhoods, from Puerto Rican jibaritos (steak covered in garlicky mayo and served between thick, crispy-fried plantain slices, which form the "bread") to Indian samosas to Polish pierogi.

Millennium Park

The playful heart of Chicago, Millennium Park shines with whimsical public art. Go ahead, walk under Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate – aka "the Bean" – and touch its silvery smoothness. Let the human gargoyles of Jaume Plensa’s Crown Fountain gush water on you to cool down in summer. Unfurl a blanket by Frank Gehry's swooping silver band shell as the sun dips, wine corks pop and gorgeous music fills the twilight air. Or try to find the secret garden abloom with prairie flowers and a small gurgling river.

Wrigley Field

A tangible sense of history comes alive at Wrigley Field, a 100-plus-year-old baseball park, thanks to the hand-turned scoreboard, iconic neon entrance sign, legendary curses and time-honored traditions that infuse games played here. Shoveling down hot dogs and drinking beer in the raucous bleachers makes for an unforgettable afternoon. The area around the stadium is like a big street festival on game days: young people party in alfresco bars, kids lick ice-cream cones and die-hard fans occupy stools in age-old, sticky-floored taverns.

Public art

You can't walk two blocks downtown without bumping into an extraordinary sculpture. The granddaddy is Picasso's untitled sculpture (what the heck is it – an Afghan hound?), set smack in Daley Plaza. Jean Dubuffet's abstract creation is officially titled Monument with Standing Beast, but everyone calls it "Snoopy in a Blender." Marc Chagall's grand mosaic Four Seasons is more recognizable, depicting Chicago scenes. Alexander Calder's hulking, red-pink Flamingo could indeed pass for its namesake, but only after you've had a few beers.

Navy Pier

Stretching away from the skyline and into the blue of Lake Michigan, half-mile-long Navy Pier is one of Chicago’s most visited attractions. Its charms revolve around the cool breezes and sweet views, especially from the stomach-turning, 196ft-tall Ferris wheel. High-tech rides, splash fountains, big boats and greasy snacks blow the minds of young ones. Live music, Shakespearean theater and whopping fireworks displays entertain everyone else. A smart renovation has added public plazas, performance spaces, art installations and free cultural programming.

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Let Chicago wow you this winter: here are the best things to do

Wind your way beside the crashing Southern Ocean, twist around hairpin bends hugging limestone cliffs, take pit stops under koala-filled tree canopies, and bask in the sun on secluded beaches on one of Australia’s most spectacular drives: the Great Ocean Road.

While the drive is best known for the iconic Twelve Apostles and famous beaches at Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, Lorne and Apollo Bay, many of the region’s treasures are not on the Great Ocean Road itself. It might be hard to tear yourself away from that view, but we recommend you make a detour every now and then and stretch your legs to see historic country towns and lush rainforest where you’ll find native wildlife, Aboriginal cultural experiences and gastronomic delights.

This stunning coastal road (officially the B100) starts on the stretch between the surf town of Torquay and Anglesea, just over an hour from Melbourne, and ribbons its way along the ocean to finish up between Port Campbell and Warrnambool where it meets the Princess Highway (or the A1).

Surfs up on Bells Beach

Although you’ve only just started the road trip, you’ll want to veer off the Great Ocean Road early on to get a look at surfers riding the waves at Bells Beach between Torquay and Anglesea. It’s famous as the home of the annual Rip Curl Pro Surfing competition over Easter (as well as the setting for the beach wrestle between Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves in Point Break, although the scene wasn’t actually filmed on location here).

Sacred knowledge of the Wathaurung people

Situated close to Bells Beach, Point Addis is a stunning clothing-optional secluded stretch of beach backed by terracotta-colored cliffs and part of the Point Addis Marine National Park. The excellent Koorie Cultural Walk here will teach you a little about the Wathaurung people, who lived in the region for millennia before Europeans arrived by ship to colonize this country.

The bushwalk takes you on a 2km trail with informative plaques along the route. Keep an eye out for spiky echidnas waddling through the brush and wallabies hopping by, as well as taking in dramatic coastal views from the lookout points.

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Surprising golf buddies at Anglesea

The popular seaside town of Anglesea is a magnet for holidaymakers in the summer months for its family-friendly beach and pedal-boat rides on the Anglesea River. But we have a reason to head away from the water and into the residential backstreets: to glimpse the kangaroos who have made the Anglesea Golf Club their home. Play a round of golf and share the course with the resident population of Eastern Grey kangaroos, or simply join a 30-minute 'roo tour run by the club.

Misty waters at Erskine Falls near Lorne

Next the road twists and turns to the hugely popular seaside town of Lorne, nestled between tall gum trees on one side and the Loutit Bay on the other. To escape the crowds, take a 9km detour to the lovely Erskine Falls, which tumbles into the Erskine River 30 meters below. There are a couple of lookout options: it’s an easy five-minute walk to the viewing platform from the parking lot, otherwise, tackle the slightly more precarious 250 steps to the base of the falls in a lush fern gully to feel the mist on your face.

Historic Birregurra

A 30-minute drive inland from Lorne will bring you to the historic town of Birregurra, well worth a detour to wander its charming 19th-century streetscape and to dine at the much-lauded Brae –consistently voted one of the best restaurants in Australia. The restaurant is located just outside the main town in a lovely cottage among 30 acres of gardens with onsite accommodation suites that come with their own cocktail bar, record player and bathtub with nature views. Chef Dan Hunter creates a degustation menu of creative genius using mostly what is grown onsite or sourced locally. Note: you’ll need to reserve a table well in advance.

Walk in the treetops at Otway National Park

Detour into the ferny gullies and wander among ancient plant life in the beautiful Otway Ranges. This lush national park is home to the popular tourist attraction, Otway Fly Treetop Adventures, where you can brave the heights among the treetops on an elevated walkway 50 meters above the rainforest floor. There is plenty here to keep kids entertained from the zipline tour to the prehistoric path dotted with dinosaurs.

Mountain hiking and platypus spotting at Forrest

While the beachside town of Apollo Bay gets a lot of attention around this part of the Great Ocean Road, it’s definitely worth ducking into the Otways hinterland to the town of Forrest and nearby scenic Lake Elizabeth. Adventure lovers can hike the excellent trails around Forrest, beer lovers can sample cold ales at the Forrest Brewing Company, and nature lovers should not miss out on a guided canoe trip on Lake Elizabeth to spot elusive platypuses in the wild.

Ancient volcanic caldera at Tower Hill

Though technically the Great Ocean Road becomes the Princes Hwy around here, you won’t want to miss out on a detour some 15km from the town of Warrnambool to the vast caldera of Tower Hill that was born in a volcanic eruption 30,000 years ago. It was declared Victoria’s first national park in 1892 and not only does it offer some incredible wildlife watching opportunities – emus, echidnas, koalas, kangaroos and unique Australian birdlife – but it's an essential stop for anyone with an interest in Australia’s Indigenous history. The Worn Gundidj Aboriginal Cooperative operates the Tower Hill Natural History Centre where you can check out rare Aboriginal artifacts (don’t miss the possum-skin cloak) and join bushwalks led by Indigenous guides.

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Give your tastebuds a tour of Timboon

Port Campbell National Park on the Great Ocean Road is the gateway to the iconic Twelve Apostles, which should not be missed. After admiring these magnificent rock formations jutting skyward from the ocean, make the 15-minute drive inland from Port Campbell to the gourmet town of Timboon. Here you can indulge in everything from free cheese tastings at Timboon Cheesery, single-malt whisky at the Timboon Railway Shed Distillery and artisan ice cream at Timboon Fine Ice Cream, to name a few.

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Bozeman hits a travel sweet spot. It's big enough to warrant some top-rate cultural attractions, but small enough to retain a tight-knit community feel, and close enough to the mountains that you can hike, bike and even ski inside the city limits.

Bozeman's highlights are definitely its outdoor activities, but there are plenty more things to see and do in this switched-on and increasingly cosmopolitan Montana town. Be sure to take in the following highlights before packing the cooler and heading off into the hills.

Stare down a T Rex at the Museum of the Rockies

Bozeman's world-class Museum of the Rockies is easily Montana's best museum. The astonishing range of dinosaurs here represents the lifetime work of retired curator Jack Horner, widely believed to have been the model for Sam Neill's character in Jurassic Park.

Be prepared for incredible drama in these displays of 50 million-year-old fossils. From the group of teenaged sauropods who suffocated when their legs became stuck in river mud, to the dinosaur skeleton surrounded by the teeth of the predators who devoured it, these are rocks that come alive before your eyes.

Oh, and there are unhatched dinosaur eggs, and 9ft (3m) tall Apatosauros rib bones, and the world's largest T Rex skull... It is simply awesome. Throw in the Living History homestead, a planetarium and a hands-on exhibit specifically designed for children headed to Yellowstone National Park, and you'll see why admission is good for two days.

Hike to the College M

Look north from Bozeman towards the foothills of the Bridger Range and you'll see a distinctive, white letter M decorating the hillside. This 250ft (76m) tall college insignia was assembled by Montana State University (MSU) students in 1915 and today it acts as a symbol of the town, as well as providing the endpoint for one of its most popular hikes. The views from up here are superb.

Hiking up to "the M" is a daily ritual for many Bozemanites and a rite of passage for visitors, though you can also hike the quieter 2.5 mile (4km) Drinking Horse Mountain trail. Both are part of the town's "Main Street to the Mountains" trail system, which offers runners, cyclists and hikers dozens of miles of scenic trails inside the city limits.

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Drink your fill of Montana craft beer

Montanans love their craft breweries; in fact, the state has the third-highest number of breweries per capita in the nation. There are eight within the city limits of Bozeman, and they are great places to tap into Bozeman's community spirit, and maybe pick up tips for secret hiking routes.

Brewpubs run the gamut from simple, cozy taprooms with a single popcorn machine, such as Bozeman Brewing and Bunkhouse Brewery, to sleek, stylish industrial halls serving up top-notch food, such as Bridger Brewery and Nordic Brew Works. All are unfussy, down-to-earth and dog-friendly.

Most offer a sampler of four tasters, so you can quickly find your own favorite hoppy IPA, fruity sour or chocolatey porter. It's worth a trip to Nordic Brew Works just to watch a heavily bearded, plaid-shirt-wearing Montanan order a pint of Princess Unicorn IPA.

One thing to know is that thanks to state laws, craft breweries can only serve three pints to each customer and have to stop serving at 8pm, so come early or bring a growler (portable beer bottle) for takeaways. Non-brewery taprooms such as Bozeman Taproom can pour until 1am.

Grab a show at the Ellen Theater

The Ellen is a cultural mainstay in Bozeman. The Italianate style facade and beautiful gilded interior date from 1919, when this vintage theater was a vaudeville favorite and hosted regular musicals (one of which famously featured a live elephant).

Today it's the place to catch anything from a music concert to stand-up comedy, alongside a fine choice of independent movies curated by the Bozeman Film Society. You can even sign up for adults' and children's acting classes here. As with so many venues during the pandemic, the Ellen is recovering from a hard year, so a visit helps support a much-loved venue.

Stroll Bozeman's historic downtown

The compact heart of Bozeman is well worth a stroll for its historic red-brick buildings, chic bars, restaurants, Western-wear boutiques and outdoor gear shops. Pick up a walking tour leaflet and you'll be able to spot century-old theatres, storefronts and saloons, many of which were designed by Fred Willson, Bozeman's premier architect.

Notable Willson buildings include the art-deco Baxter Hotel (now Ted Turner's Ted's Montana Grill), the county courthouse, the Ellen Theater, and the Bozeman Armory, converted in 2021 into the town's first luxury hotel.

Finish up your tour at the former Northern Pacific Railroad freight building, now the ever-popular Montana Ale Works, or continue the nostalgic vibe by dropping into the Western Cafe for a slice of pie and old-time Montana decor.

Tuck into sustainable Montana cuisine

Visit Bozeman in summer and you'll quickly notice Montana’s obsession with huckleberries, with restaurants offering everything from huckleberry ice cream and huckleberry pie to huckleberry martinis. The best berries only grow in the wild and locals are prepared to arm wrestle grizzlies for them during the August and September harvest season.

Bozeman's two weekly farmers' markets are the place to find fresh huckleberries and other local produce, including Montana's fabulous Flathead cherries, and organic goat cheese from the award-winning local Amaltheia Dairy.

When it comes to dinner, Montana is still very much steak 'n' potatoes country, but you can add a Bozeman twist with a grass-fed bison steak or burger or a plate of bison potstickers (Asian-style dumplings), made from meat raised sustainably on regional ranches. As well as being tasty, bison meat is leaner and higher in protein than beef. Finish things off with a scoop of Montana-made Sweet Peaks Ice Cream (their 'Griz Tracks' feels like the obvious flavor).

Learn to fly fish

The blue-ribbon rivers around Bozeman have been etched into American lore as the premier spot for fly fishing in the country. Norman Maclean's novella A River Runs Through It may have been set in the Blackfoot Valley, but Robert Redford shot the fishing scenes for the movie version on the Gallatin River, southwest of Bozeman. Needless to say, this is holy ground for fly fishers.

Several outfitters in town operate guided trips and sell or rent equipment (the Simms line of gear is made here in Bozeman). Most also offer beginners' classes, from two-hour intros ($25) to multi-day courses that take you out onto the crystalline waterways.

Montana Whitewater offers families a 'cast and raft' option, combining fly fishing tuition with a rafting trip on the Gallatin River. Serious casters can learn to tie a wooly bugger or an elk hair caddis on a private lesson in the mystical art of fly tying.

Go directly to jail at the Gallatin History Museum

The Gallatin History Museum is the perfect place to come on a rainy day to get an insight into Bozeman's rootin' tootin' past. It's not a life-changing must-see, but the reconstructed pioneer log cabins and forts, exhibitions on vigilantes and hangings, and depiction of life on the hardscrabble frontier are well worth an hour of your time.

The crenelated medieval-style building, formerly the county jail (1911), is an attraction in itself, with exhibits displayed in former jail cells. Did you know that actor Gary Cooper went to high school in Bozeman? No? Then you need to visit this museum.

Embrace your inner nerd at the American Computer & Robotics Museum

Tech-lovers won't want to miss this endearingly low-tech homage to technology. Things start early with a millennia-old cuneiform tablet from Sumer in Iraq and progress through a Nazi-era Enigma code machine to the evolution of the first Macintosh personal computers.

The museum also displays the last surviving mainframe computer used by the Apollo 11 Moon mission, a monster machine the size of a large wardrobe. Amazingly, all the exhibits are original. You will come out marveling at the pace of technological change over the last 50 years.

Hike to tinkling Palisade Falls

On a sizzling Bozeman summer's day, there's nothing better than heading into the pine-scented mountains and cooling off with the fine spray of a waterfall on your face. The 80-foot Palisade Falls cascades down basalt cliffs and is easily accessible on a paved trail that is perfect for kids.

Only 20 miles (32km) from downtown, the fresh mountain air and views of the sparkling Hyalite reservoir along the route provide a fine taste of the wilds. The trail is just over one mile (1.6km) out and back, and can be snowed in until May.

Go llama trekking

Llamas are not the first animal that comes to mind when you picture a Montana ranch but this endearing South American camelid is an increasingly popular ranch animal, both for its fine wool and as a low-impact trekking partner. At Montana Llama Guides, you can visit the impossibly cuddly youngsters up close and help feed them. You can even buy yourself an alpaca at the affiliated Alpacas of Montana store – but they sell alpaca-wool socks if that seems like too much of a commitment!

For the full llama trekking experience, you can't beat a multi-day ramble in Yellowstone National Park, with pack llamas carrying all your food and gear. Alternatively, sign up for an easy 4 mile (6.4km) half-day hike, accompanied by a llama from the farm. It's not cheap but it's a one-of-a-kind experience and kids will love it.

Learn about bears at Montana Grizzly Encounter

Montana Grizzly Encounter is an animal refuge center that provides a home for bears unable to return to the wild, simultaneously educating the public about coexisting safely with bears. The center was started by Casey Anderson, star of National Geographic's Expedition Wild show, who adopted baby bear Brutus when he was the size of a squirrel and lived and filmed with him for 17 years – time enough for Brutus to reach over 7ft (2.1m) in height.

The center offers a rare chance to observe and learn about grizzlies without the need for caged or barred enclosures, but be aware that only one bear is allowed out at a time.

Soak up the scenery at Bozeman Hot Springs

After a long day of hiking, skiing or biking, there's nothing quite like soaking your sore muscles in the dozen hot pools of this venerable hot springs resort, about 8 miles (13km) west of Bozeman. Folks have been soaking in the natural hot springs here since the late 1800s.

Today's resort is no rustic affair; there are indoor and outdoor pools, a fitness center, a sauna and live music twice a week. Bring a towel and your own food, sit back and let your worries float away with the steam.

Uncover Bozeman's past on a historic walking tour

To get under the surface of Bozeman's frontier past, book a walking tour with Bozeman's Extreme History Project, a nonprofit organization whose aim is to bring Bozeman's gritty past back to life. Summertime tours focus on historic Main Street and the Sunset Hills Cemetery, telling the stories of the early town's founding families.

Other tours delve into the more salacious aspects of Bozeman life, including the town's early red light district. The entertaining storytellers will make sure you stay informed and mildly scandalized as you walk in the footsteps of Montana's first citizens. As the organization's slogan says: "history isn't pretty."

Shop For Outdoor Gear

Outdoorsy Bozeman has some great gear shops, so you can pick up anything you might need for a camping or skiing trip. Recreational Equipment Inc is an obvious first choice for gear, and also offers rentals and bike and ski repairs; check to see if outdoors workshops have resumed after the pandemic.

You can rent all sorts of outdoorsy gear in town, from stand-up paddleboards to snowshoes, but you'll get the best gear and advice at a specialist store. Paddlers should glide to Northern Lights, while mountain bikers should pedal to Owenhouse Cycling. Bob Wards is a local Montana chain that has been selling gear since 1917, so everyone should know their stuff by now.

Bozeman is also a good place to dig around for deals on used gear. Play It Again Sports and Second Wind Sports are good places to start. If you are in town for the first weekend in November, get equipped for winter at the two-day Bridger Ski Foundation ski swap, where you can both buy and sell used gear.

Lose Yourself in the Barmuda Triangle

If you are looking for life after dark, the most raucous option in town is the duo (formerly trio) of college bars known affectionately as the Barmuda Triangle. The Haufbrau is the diveiest of Bozeman’s dive bars and has been the place for nightly live music, sticky floors and cheap beer since the 1960s. A short stumble next door is the slightly classier Molly Brown, good for pool, trivia nights and poker machines.

The Scoop bar across the road sadly closed in 2021, so to complete the triangle you'll have to head further afield to somewhere like downtown's Rocking R Bar, which spills out onto Main St on late summer evenings.

Explore Bozeman's art scene at the Emerson

The Emerson Center for the Arts & Culture is the hub of Bozeman's progressive art community. There's always something going on here, with exhibitions in three spaces, a half-dozen private galleries, boutiques and studios, plus a range of art classes, summer kids camps, yoga and more. It's a great place to meet local artists. The onsite Emerson theater has a varied program of independent movies, documentaries and plays.

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With 33 amazing beaches, Anguilla is an island where one can really work up an appetite and thirst. For vacationers who gravitate toward the label of “foodie,” Anguilla is a proper slice of paradise.

The range of dining options found on this 16-mile-long Caribbean retreat is nearly endless. You’ll find 5-star oceanfront dining, custom meals by private chefs, eclectic cafes, roadside BBQ stands, food vans, bakeries, and some of the best beach bars in the world. During a stay on Anguilla, you can sample international cuisine one night, authentic local fare another, and then round it all out with a romantic gourmet dinner on the beach. Let’s see what makes the most northern of the Leeward Islands the Caribbean’s undisputed capital of cuisine.

Anguilla’s best in breakfast

Locals and vacationers alike will tell you that French bakery Le Bon Pain is the best way to start your morning. From their Café au Lait to their quiche and fresh croissants, this street-side café, located in Anguilla’s Island Harbour area, is a can’t-miss breakfast winner.

Sit at Le Bon long enough, and you’ll notice a slew of customers ordering their delicious whole-baguette sandwiches to bring back to their hotel for lunch. The occasional chicken or rooster flitting by and clucking a chorus of “see you tomorrow” adds to the ambiance.

Since 1999, breakfast-goers have flocked to Tasty’s restaurant in Anguilla’s South Hill district. The breakfast menu features American, Caribbean, and French fare. Many breakfast customers go for a taste of France with Tasty’s Grand Marnier French Toast, but if you’re in a more savory, New York state of mind, you can’t go wrong with Tasty’s Eggs Benedict.

Cap Juluc a, A Belmond Hotel is one of Anguilla’s longest-running hotel success stories. One reason for their legion of admirers is the breakfast buffet at onsite restaurant Cip’s by Cipriani. Your morning windfall begins with a parade of pastries, fresh juices, fruit, smoothies, and Johnny Cakes, a popular Anguillian baked good. And while at most breakfast buffets, the food is the star, the main event at Cap Juluca just might be the ocean views.

Best restaurants for lunch with a view

Anguilla has the most beautiful beaches in the world, and there are restaurants aplenty that take advantage of the island’s stunning scenery. Straw Hat Restaurant on Meads Bay Beach is all about the view of the strikingly turquoise ocean. Since 1996, Straw Hat owners Peter and Anne Parles have been serving up great food, great drinks, and that incredible scenery. Depending on the time of year you’re visiting Anguilla, your noontime gaze from your table toward the Caribbean Sea may include a mega-yacht stationed on the calm water, a dolphin frolicking in the distance, or a rainbow showing off after a brief Anguilla shower. As for your lunch choice, a wise selection would be a trio of blackened shrimp, mahi-mahi, and lobster tacos.

Sunshine Shack owner/bartender/chef Garvey Lake does business on an almost-too-beautiful-to-be-real stretch of white sand on Rendezvous Bay Beach. The expanse of beach is enormous, the views of neighboring St. Maarten are amazing, and the atmosphere is all-around unforgettable. The beach is ideal for a walk if you want to get in some cardio before you eat. After your stroll, enjoy Sunshine’s Caribbean fare, including chicken, ribs, snapper, and lobster. If you want something completely different to quench your thirst, ask for the “BBC,” a Banana Bailey’s Colada.

Anguillian dinners that are winners

For a truly unique setting, consider Veya Restaurant’s treehouse-style surroundings and visuals. The fun begins as soon as you enter through their lush garden and walk under a wooden arbor. Veya’s signature starter, a shrimp cigar, bursts with Moroccan spices, tomato chermoula, and apricot jam. Thanks to its incredible Caribbean flavors, the jerk tuna with poached pineapple, plantain chips, and red pepper is another favorite.

Some Anguilla vacationers choose to stay in the multitude of private houses, villas (such as Patsy’s Seaside Villa or Shoal Bay Villas), suites, or condos available on the island. A great way to make the most of these accommodations is to hire Private Chef Tyrone Hughes for a day or even the week. Chef Hughes offers 10 menus to choose from, with each including at least three courses. His “Anguilla Way” menu begins with local pumpkin and ginger soup, followed by an entrée of pan-seared blackened mahi-mahi or snapper with sweet potato mash and assorted vegetables flavored with tarragon, mango, and tomato salsa. Dessert features cinnamon and nutmeg pineapple, along with coconut ice cream.

If a craving for authentic island barbecue strikes you during your Anguilla trip, head over to B & D’s BBQ in Long Bay Village. This second-generation, open-air restaurant serves up mouth-watering barbecue chicken, lamb, lobster, fish, and ribs. Some say the secret to their success is mastery of the coal kiln for cooking. Others might say that it’s their Johnny Cake and plantains. But most would probably agree that B & D’s welcoming atmosphere has a lot to do with it, too.

This is just a sampling of Anguilla’s top dining experiences. What’s truly amazing is that on an island that’s tip-to-tip shorter than most work commutes, you’ll find a thriving culture of local cuisine alongside restaurants that draw on flavors from every corner of the globe, with new dining concepts opening frequently. Anguilla’s reputation as the Caribbean capital of cuisine is certainly well-deserved.

Discover why Anguilla is the Caribbean’s capital of cuisine

Qatar ’s dining culture has come a long way from humble beginnings. Now, you’ll find world-class restaurants, fusion cuisine and unique concepts that will blow your mind in a land that prides itself on its food and the hospitality that comes with it.

So rich is the culinary landscape of this country, no matter what cuisine your taste buds seek, you’re bound to find it in Doha. From roadside cafes to luxury restaurants, unique themes to colorful décor, comfort food to one-of-a kind delicacies, you’re covered from breakfast to dinner and everything in between.

Let’s explore some of Qatar’s most extravagant restaurants, which have become as much a part of its scenery as palm trees and huge buildings.

Zengo Doha

Located on the 61st floor of the Kempinski Residences and Suites, Zengo Doha is Qatar’s highest restaurant, where the Doha skyline provides the backdrop, and the vibrant avian-inspired décor elevates the award-winning dining experience to a whole new level.

The menu is inspired by Chef Richard Sandoval’s travels around the world features flavors from the historical spice routes stretching from Asia to the far East. You’ll find authentic Pan-Asian cuisine with a  twist, like sushi, sashimi, delicate curries, and flavorful entrees and wok dishes. It’s all cooked to perfection with Asia-inspired beverages – the perfect accompaniment to this upscale dining experience.

Nobu Doha

The Nobu brand name is synonymous with luxury, extravagance and lifestyle, No wonder, then, that the biggest Nobu in the world resides in Doha. This huge oyster-shaped restaurant celebrates Qatar’s pearl diving past and stands on its own private beach at the Four Seasons Hotel Doha. It’s the brainchild of world-renowned celebrity restaurateur Chef Nobu Matsuhisa.

This 26,000-square-foot restaurant has a visually stunning design, with warm caramel and brown hues and wood interior, as well as an astounding view of the city and Gulf from the rooftop bar and lounge. But what really has the guests gushing is the gastronomic experience that combines Japanese cuisine with Peruvian ingredients. Chef Nobu’s signature dishes include black cod miso, lobster and kohlrabi salad with dry miso, and yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno, to name only a few.

Enter Nobu Doha via the Four Seasons, where you’ll be escorted in a golf cart to the restaurant – but make sure you have a reservation.

COYA Doha

COYA Doha is one of the newer upscale restaurants in Doha, where the Peruvian fusion restaurant joins an impressive lineup of options at W Doha, Qatar’s first lifestyle hotel (a hotel with boutique amenities but with the perks of a chain.) The interior is breathtaking with vibrant foliage, colorful murals and bespoke plush seating so you can comfortably stay for hours surrounded by the vibrancy of the Latin American motifs.

Already located in Monte Carlo, Paris, Mykonos and London (where it’s won a multitude of awards), this posh restaurant is right at home in the heart of Doha’s West Bay. The contemporary cuisine is infused with Spanish, Japanese and Chinese ingredients and the result is a phenomenal burst of fresh flavors and healthy food that you won’t be able to forget. The ceviche, tiraditos, anticuchos, arroz nikei, bife angosto wagyu and, of course, the churros for desert are must-order dishes.

Three Sixty

Qatar is full of dynamic and unique dining experiences like the Three Sixty Restaurant on the 47th floor of The Torch Doha, one of the country’s most iconic landmarks. When Doha played host to the Asian Games in 2006, this building featured the flame that is symbolic of the event. The building itself was designed to represent a torch, and the flame was the highest in the history of the games. Afterward, The Torch Doha was transformed into a luxury hotel with panoramic views.

The fine dining restaurant inside is a must-visit, not only because it’s the only revolving restaurant in Qatar, but also because the food is an epicurean delight with an a la carte Mediterranean menu and signature dishes. The restaurant revolves so subtly you can barely feel it, but with each bite you’ll get a different view of Qatar’s Al Waab area, the lush green Aspire Park and the Aspire Zone – Qatar’s sports city, which surrounds the hotel.

La Mar Doha

La Mar Doha brings a taste of innovation to Doha’s waterfront. A standalone restaurant located on the beach, La Mar Doha is part of the classy Intercontinental Doha and has indoor and outdoor seating. The Peruvian food served at this elegant but simply designed restaurant is rich in flavor, diverse in influence and will take you on an adventure through Latin American cuisine.

If the weather’s nice, sit on the terrace and take in the surrounding beachfront with views of Doha’s elegant skyline while you sip on a Pisco sour and relish a perfect ceviche, fresh seafood, or charcoal-grilled meats. The menu curated by Gastón Acurio to represents the best of Peruvian gastronomy in Doha and some of the most unforgettable food you’ve ever had.

Casual weekend brunches come complete with Peruvian classics, Japanese-inspired makis and traditional desserts, and are a must-try if you want a taste of what gives La Mar Doha the edge when it comes to avant-garde cuisine with a view.

BIBO Doha

Celebrity Chef Andy Garcia is the influence behind BIBO Doha, an Andalusian-styled brasserie that serves European and Mediterranean cuisine adapted for Qatari locals and inspired by the Spanish Chef’s travels. Located in the swanky St. Regis Hotel Doha, BIBO Doha has been cooking up a storm ever since it opened its doors in 2020.

Savor the ‘culinary travel guide’ where Spanish flavors are served with a ‘personalized international twist,’ quickly winning the title of Best European Restaurant in Doha. The brioche, the tapas, the seafood, raw bar and the wagyu steaks are brimming with flavor and packed with ingredients that will leave you wanting more. There’s even an amazing 3-pound bone-in ribeye steak with beef sauce.

Designed to seat 160, BIBO Doha is a ‘cosmopolitan gastronomic experience’ you just have to be part of. Simply put, this is one of Doha’s most unique dining places and if you miss it, you’ll regret it.

Yasmine Palace

Yasmine Palace is in the uptown area of The Pearl-Qatar, which is one of Qatar’s most luxurious addresses. Known for its world-class residential buildings, its pictureseque marina and its multitude of fine dining choices, The Pearl-Qatar is a befitting destination for this opulent restaurant.

Yasmine Palace is Doha’s only multi-themed restaurant and its extravagant décor is matched only by the food. There are three unique gastronomical journeys, which will take you through Levant, Andalusia and Qatar for a ‘complete luxurious sensory experience.’ Menus are inspired by the charm of the past and the warmth and hospitality of Arab culture. Every elaborately designed nook at Yasmine Palace has its own story to tell and the food is fit for kings and the queens – even The Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who dined here with friends in 2019.

If the weather’s in your favor, sit on one of the terraces where you’ll be treated to the scenery of The Pearl-Qatar in all its splendor.

Morimoto Doha

You can’t come to Doha and not dine at Morimoto, the only one in the Middle East. This Japanese restaurant by ‘Iron Chef’ Masaharu Morimoto is the epitome of design, with rose-gold pillars, Japanese painter Hiroshi Senju’s gorgeous artwork, and a beautiful and low-hanging chandelier in the center of the dining area.

Then, of course, there’s the food, which is called ‘a bridge between culinary traditions.’ from lobster sushi rice to Wagyu filets, Robata grill to surashi sushi, each dish is curated to perfection and is an elaborate work of art with flavors that burst in your mouth. The Morimoto Omakase – translated as ‘leave it up to the chef to decide’ ­– multi-course tasting menu is designed to deliver the essence of Morimoto's innovative cuisine

Located in the luxurious Mondrian Doha in West Bay, Morimoto Doha attracts plenty of locals and visitors, so prior reservation is a must.

8 of the finest dining experiences in Qatar

From its snowy ski slopes to its tree-lined hiking trails, it’s no secret that Aspen is a great base for outdoor adventurers. But this scenic mountain town in Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley also has a vibrant arts and culture scene, great shopping, engaging museums and top-notch bars and restaurants, making it a crowd-pleasing vacation destination for just about anyone. Whether you’re visiting for the very first time or you’ve been coming here for years, don’t skip out on these quintessentially Aspen things to do.

Jam out at a concert at Belly Up

Belly Up is an intimate concert venue with a big reputation – it’s been a downtown Aspen staple since 2005 and regularly attracts big-name artists in all sorts of musical genres (B.B. King, Jimmy Buffett, Snoop Dogg are among the many well-known artists that have played here). The Colorado venue’s small size is a major draw: fans can get up close and personal with their favorite musicians. With a diverse lineup and over 300 concert a year, you could attend a gig nearly every night of the week and have a different experience every time.

Drive or bike over Independence Pass

Topping out at 12,095 feet, Independence Pass is a two-lane (and, at times, one-lane) highway that traverses the Continental Divide. It’s a scenic summertime drive, with vibrant orange Indian paintbrushes, lavender Columbines and other abundant wildflowers blooming along the side of the road in July and August. The pass is also popular among road cyclists, though it’s a challenging climb that requires a high level of fitness and constant vigilance for cars. Whether you drive or bike, stop for a break at Independence Ghost Town, where you can wander among restored miners’ cabins and the remains of abandoned buildings from the 1880s.

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Snap a sunrise photo of the Maroon Bells

The Maroon Bells – a pair of 14,000-foot peaks reflecting in an alpine lake near Aspen – are some of the most photographed mountains in North America. Their natural beauty has made them incredibly popular, but you can ditch some of the crowds by waking up before dawn to reach Maroon Lake. Plus, sunrise is a stunning time to photograph the Bells, which become pink and sparkly as the sun hits them.

Depending on when you go, you may need to make a parking reservation or take a shuttle bus, so be sure to read up on the latest seasonal requirements for visiting the Maroon Bells.

Find the shrines on Aspen Mountain

Keep your eyes peeled while skiing at Aspen Mountain, aka Ajax, and you might suddenly find yourself immersed in a colorful shrine to Jerry Garcia or John Denver. There are dozens of shrines hidden among the trees at Ajax, as well as Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass, paying homage to everyone from celebrities to beloved deceased locals; there are even shrines honoring dogs who have crossed the rainbow bridge. Some are somber, others are lighthearted and fun – but they offer a window into Aspen’s unique culture and identity.

Go mountain biking at Snowmass Bike Park

While there are hundreds of miles of mountain bike trails throughout the Roaring Fork Valley, a good place to start is Snowmass Bike Park. In the summer and fall, the snowy ski slopes transform into lush, wildflower-speckled singletrack trails for all skill levels. The bike park makes it easy to spend all of your time going downhill, since you can hop on the Elk Camp Gondola with your bike for the ride up the mountain – no huffing and puffing required (unless you want to ride cross-country!). There are 25 miles of downhill trails spanning nearly 3,000 vertical feet, with terrain for beginner, intermediate and advanced riders.

If you’re new to the sport, Snowmass Bike Park is also a great place to take a lesson or sign up for a skills clinic; you can rent gear there, too. Beyond that, there are more than 300 miles of mountain bike trails throughout the valley, which has been designated a gold-level ride center – the highest rating possible – by the International Mountain Bicycling Association.

Enjoy music under the tent at Aspen Music Festival

In the summer, Aspen is brimming with music students and professional musicians from around the world, who travel to the Roaring Fork Valley for the renowned Aspen Music Festival and School (you’ll often hear and see students playing expert-level classical music downtown to make a little extra cash!). Since 1949, students have been able to rehearse and perform alongside principals from major orchestras, attend lectures, participate in masterclasses and listen to panel discussions.

Members of the public, meanwhile, benefit from the hundreds of public performances that students and professionals put on, many of them taking place in the open-air Benedict Music Tent on the Aspen Institute campus. Though the venue seats more than 2,000 people, many concert-goers  lounge on the grassy lawn surrounding the tent, with a picnic or a book to read, while listening to the world-class performances.

Stroll through the Aspen Art Museum

Designed like a woven picnic basket, the Aspen Art Museum is a great place to spend an afternoon, no matter the season. The museum, one of the many free things to do in Aspen, hosts rotating exhibitions featuring mostly contemporary art; there’s also a gorgeous, sunny cafe on the third floor that’s perfect for a light lunch or catching up on emails. Expect to spend about an hour here – it’s not a very big museum, but the architecture and building design are also inspiring.

Go uphilling at Buttermilk

To work up a little sweat while you ski – or “earn your turns,” as some skiers say – try uphilling at Buttermilk, one of Aspen Skiing Company’s four mountains. Uphilling is exactly what it sounds like: skiing uphill. It’s a workout for sure, but also allows you to skip the lift lines and avoid many of the crowds, which can make for a more peaceful, serene experience on the snow.

To uphill, you’ll need some special equipment – chiefly, skins, which are grippy strips that attach to the bottom of your skis to prevent you from sliding backward as you glide uphill. There are special hours for uphilling to avoid getting in the way of fast-moving downhillers, and you’ll need to buy an uphill season pass for $69.

A popular route for uphilling is Tiehack, which climbs 1,600 feet to Buttermilk’s east summit. Once you get to the top, take off your skins, tighten your boots and let it rip to ski back down.

Eat pancakes at Bonnie’s

Take a break from skiing at Ajax to refuel and warm up at Bonnie’s a cozy, mid-mountain spot that’s known for its pancakes and apple strudel. On bluebird days, it’s also a great place to grab a beer and soak up the sun on the deck while skiers and snowboarders cruise by.

Another must-visit on-mountain restaurant is the Sundeck, located a few paces from the top of the Silver Queen Gondola (the main lift from downtown Aspen). It’s a cafeteria-style setup, but this is far from cafeteria food – perfectly cooked burgers, gourmet pizzas, creative sandwiches and other hearty, fresh foods prepared by the top chefs at the Little Nell, one of the most luxurious hotels in Colorado. Even if you’re not hungry, the Sundeck is worth a stop for the views of the surrounding 14,000-foot peaks.

Walk back in time with Aspen Historical Society

Aspen’s active historical society keeps the city’s history alive and relevant with museums and ghost towns. The Aspen Historical Society also offers an array of informative and entertaining walking tours around town, including a Victorian West End walking tour that explores the historical characters and distinctive architecture of the West End neighborhood. The historians are highly knowledgeable and often wear period-appropriate clothing, helping you imagine what Aspen was like decades ago.

Ride an e-bike to Pine Creek Cookhouse

Cycling is a popular sport in Aspen, but the city’s already high starting elevation (8,000 feet) and even higher mountain roads can make it a challenge for visitors, particularly those coming from sea level. Enter the electric bike, or e-bike for short, which will give you a little extra oomph while you pedal.

Rent an e-bike for the day from one of Aspen’s many bike rental shops, then begin the 12.5-mile climb toward Pine Creek Cookhouse, a popular lunch restaurant in a log cabin. Even with the electrical assistance of your bike, this ride is still a challenge, so you’ll be hungry by the time you arrive. The ride back to Aspen, however, is a breeze as it’s all downhill: don’t be afraid to eat every last bite of your massive Castle Creek Knife Burger.

In the winter, you can also cross-country ski or take a scenic horse-drawn sleigh ride to the restaurant, which is just up the road from Ashcroft Ghost Town.

Go birding at Hallam Lake

Founded in 1968, the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies is a beautiful 25-acre environmental learning facility and nature preserve – and one of the best spots to go birding year-round in Aspen. Hallam Lake, located on the center’s grounds along the Roaring Fork River, is home to dozens of species of resident and migratory birds, including colorful waterfowl, delicate warblers and impressive birds of prey.

ACES hosts monthly group birding outings led by naturalist and writer Rebecca Weiss – and there’s even a bird club you can join to help support the center’s work.

Sip an Aspen Crud at the Hotel Jerome’s J-Bar

The Hotel Jerome has been an Aspen landmark since 1889. For more than 130 years, the stately brick building has stood at the corner of Main and Mill streets, surviving the mining boom, the silver crash, the quiet years, the start of Aspen’s ski area, the Hunter S. Thompson years (when gonzo journalist Thompson ran for sheriff in 1970, he made the hotel’s J-Bar his unofficial office) and, finally, the glitz and glimmer of the present day.

The J-Bar, inside the hotel, was also a very popular hangout spot during Prohibition. According to legend, the bartender would surreptitiously toss a few shots of bourbon into a vanilla milkshake for those who asked for “that Aspen Crud.” The boozy milkshake is still on the menu today – and yes, it’s delicious.

Ride bikes along the Rio Grande Trail

This 42-mile “rails-to-trails” route connects the communities in the Roaring Fork Valley from Aspen to Glenwood Springs. It’s a popular trail for cycling, running, walking, jogging and rollerblading because it’s protected from vehicle traffic (except for a handful of well-marked spots where it intersects with roads) as it meanders through varied scenery along the Roaring Fork River. The trail, which is mostly paved and relatively flat, can also connect you with dozens of other trail systems, which means you can ride to your heart’s content without needing to rely on a car.

Get swept up in a Theatre Aspen show

Head to Hurst Theatre, a unique and elegant enclosed tent structure located right along the Roaring Fork River, to be transported to another time and place during a Theatre Aspen musical or play. The professional theater company puts on Broadway shows like Chicago and Guys and Dolls during its annual summer season.

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While exploring the world in the 1830s, Charles Darwin and the crew of the H.M.S. Beagle didn’t always know where their next meal would come from. When heat transformed inedible ingredients into nutritious food, it led to Darwin’s proclamation that fire is “probably the greatest (discovery), excepting language, ever made by man.”

It’s no mistake Darwin’s fiery revelation came while he was traveling. Many of us learn about a new culture through its cuisine, and flavor memories can allow us to revisit favorite destinations from home.

Three seemingly different destinations — Japan, Kansas City and Lebanon — are known for very different cuisines, but their food has a common element: fire-powered flavor.

Pan-fried teppanyaki wows in Japan

Located in the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire, Japan has a menu often associated with sashimi, or thinly-sliced raw fish. But fire braziers have also been used to grill heartier food in Japan for centuries.

The small charcoal grills many people think of when they hear the word “ hibachi ” are actually called shichirin in Japanese. They’re nothing like the large sheet-metal cooking surfaces found at many Western-style Japanese “hibachi” restaurants, where chefs make flaming onion volcanoes and flip a shrimp or egg into their hats, but many of the delicious dishes are the same.

More correctly called teppanyaki — teppan, which is a metal cooking plate, and yaki, which means grilled or pan-fried — this type of Japanese cuisine features beef, shrimp, scallops, lobster, chicken and a variety of vegetables that might include mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, peppers and squash. Everything is cooked in a light oil, often coconut, sunflower or canola, and simply seasoned. These grilled goodies are traditionally served with fried rice or perhaps yakisoba stir-fried noodles, and accompanied by flavorful dipping sauces featuring robust flavors of soy, sesame and ginger.

Don’t have a giant cooktop at your disposal? Go for one of Japan’s most famous street foods: yakitori. These scrumptious skewers of grilled chicken are easy to eat on the go. Another street food favorite is gyoza, the crispy pan-fried dumplings stuffed with savory pork or vegetable fillings. Itadakimasu!

Get the flavor: U:ME’s coconut oil blend spray is perfect for Japanese stir-fry at home. Its umami spice shot blend will help anyone recreate that Japanese oomph.

Centuries of cuisine culminates in Kansas City

Cooking with fire doesn’t always require a special container. In fact, primitive man grilled on the ground around 1.8 million years ago. The word “barbecue” comes from the Taino tribe of Caribbean Indians, who raised the fire off the ground onto a green-wood grate and called it barabicu, or “sacred fire pit.”

The history of barbecues in the United States dates to Colonial times, and rather than moving upward, Americans began digging deeper holes, which were known as barbecue pits. In the South, cooks dealt with tough cuts of meat by slow-roasting them to make them tender and juicy, turning them into delicacies.

When a Memphis pitmaster moved to the Midwest in 1908, it was the birth of Kansas City barbecue. Henry Perry’s slow-cooked ribs sold for 25 cents a slab, and during the jazz era of the 1920s and 1930s, they helped put the Heart of America on the map.

Of course, they didn’t just stop at ribs. The Kansas City masters also barbecue brisket, pork and chicken slathered with sauces made with peppers, chili powder, paprika and other spicy goodies simmered in oil and added to a ketchup, vinegar and molasses base, then tempered with sweet brown sugar. But the crown of Kansas City barbecue just might be the burnt ends. Rather than being inedible as the name might imply, the fatty tips of barbecued brisket absorb all of the flavor as the meat smokes for hours, becoming juicy and crispy as they cook. Dig in!

Get the flavor: Coming soon, U:ME’s fiery spice shot blend will be the perfect way to get that Kansas City burnt-ends flavor at home. Made with tomato, honey and spices with the added kick of fiery chilli, this upcoming simple oil blend is optimized for grilling, barbecuing or roasting.

The spit-roasted and zesty tang of Lebanon

Take the horizontal spit of a Kansas City barbecue pit, turn the fire on its side, and you’ll be on your way to roasting some Lebanese shawarma. Often made with lamb or chicken, you’ll also find mutton, beef, veal and turkey shawarma. Thin cuts of meat are stacked on a skewer approximately 20 in (60 cm) long, which rotates slowly past the heat, continuously roasting the outer edge. These cooked edges are sliced off with a long, thin knife, where they fall into the drippings for a second round of cooking that makes them even more succulent.

The vertical grilling technique originated in the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century, and it’s used not only for Lebanese shawarma but also for the doner kebab you find in Turkey and the gyros of Greece. And it was the foundation of tacos al pastor when Lebanese immigrants brought their cooking techniques to Mexico in the early 20th century.

Shawarma can be eaten as a sandwich or a wrap with olive oil or garlic sauce, pickled vegetables and fries for a quick lunch from a street vendor, or the meat can be served as a platter. The latter is accompanied by grilled pita bread and mezze, or small servings of a variety of salads, dips and cheeses.

Popular Lebanese mezze include silky smooth hummus swimming with olive oil, baba ghannouj made with grilled eggplant, slices of halloumi or feta cheese, creamy labneh yogurt spread, fresh tabbouleh salad made with finely chopped parsley and mint, and Lebanese pearl couscous with rich olive oil. If shawarma isn’t on the menu, then look for hot mezze like crunchy chickpea falafel fresh from the bubbling frier, fried kibbe, which are spiced meat croquettes, or kefta, the tasty meatballs often grilled on small skewers. Sahtayn!

Get the flavor: U:ME’s vegetable and olive oil blend spray makes it easy to get the robust flavors of Lebanon at home. Mix, stew or sizzle anything by using U:ME’s zesty spice shot, created with onion, garlic, pepper and the tangy zing of lemon.

The Taste of a Destination: Flavors worth traveling for

Expansive beaches, chic hotels and moody Poldark filming locations; it seems picturesque Cornwall is rarely off British TV screens. But while the county is awash with sandy beaches and quaint pubs, there’s also a much richer narrative to explore. This one sees you seaweed foraging, vineyard visiting, barefoot beach combing, or soaking in an open-air geothermally heated pool. Time to star in truly awesome adventures of your own with our pick of the best things to do in Cornwall.

Go for a gorgeous geothermal soak

Although Cornwall has some of Britain’s warmest seas an outdoor swim can still feel a decidedly chilly affair. Enter Penzance’s art deco, open-air Jubilee Pool. This triangular 1930s salt water lido sits right beside the sea, a geometric vision in blue and white. But what makes it a sensational swim spot is the geothermal section. It’s heated to a blissful 30 to 35 degrees Celsius by water that’s been extracted from a geothermal well that plunges 410m into the ground. It’s not only an unforgettable place to float, it’s sustainable too as the whole heating process has a tiny carbon footprint. Geothermal tickets sell out fast: book well in advance.

Eat in an authentic pub

Cornwall is home of  lush scenes on TV screens but visitors can be surprised to find not everywhere is picture-perfect. Cornwall is one of Britain and Europe’s poorest regions, thanks to a decline in traditional industries, lower than average wages, high house prices and a seasonal gig economy. Time then to support the fishing industry, back a brilliant chef and have a fantastic meal at the same time. The Tolcarne Inn sits beside the harbour wall in the decidedly gritty port of Newlyn. Here chef Ben Tunnicliffe has created a superb, unpretentious dining experience in a welcoming, cosy, historic pub. Opt for whatever’s come in on the day boats – it’s sustainable and has been landed just yards away.

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Unearth the real stories behind those photogenic mines

Poldark – the BBC TV series (also on Netflix) of life, love and tragedy in 18th century Cornwall. Research shows 13% of tourists named it as a main reason for visiting the county. But while many head to the filming location of ruined Botallack Mine to snap a selfie, more powerful narratives can be explored at Levant Mine, a few miles north. Here you can see the world’s only still-working steam beam engine thundering away and head into the Man Engine tunnel. This was the scene of Cornwall’s worst-ever mining tragedy, where 31 men were killed when a transport system collapsed in 1919. Watching Poldark will never seem quite the same again.

Sample Cornish wines besides the vines

While foodies head to Cornwall’s harbour side restaurants, wine lovers go inland. Because the county is one of the best places to sample superb local vintages in the UK. The wine produced at Camel Valley is some of Britain’s best – under winemaker Sam Lindo Camel Valley’s fizz has beaten French Champagne house Bollinger in global awards. Camel Valley is also a beautiful site to visit – rows of vines etch sun-soaked slopes on the edge of Bodmin Moor. Book ahead for a guided tour or arrange to sip chilled wine by the glass on their vine-side sun terrace.

Catch the eco bug & a concert at Eden

The pioneering eco attraction that is the Eden Project tops many visitors’ lists of things to do. Famously built in an abandoned China clay pit, this cluster of gigantic geometric greenhouses is home to massive biomes that recreate two key world climate systems. The Mediterranean biome transports you to temperatures of 9 to 25 degrees Celsius and the fruits, herbs and flowers of Italy, Greece and Spain. Here you’re surrounded by bougainvillea, cotton, aloes, olive trees and vines (no surprise than many people visit Eden when it rains).

In the Rainforest biome you’ll feel temperatures rise to 18 to 35 Celsius as you stroll beside rubber tree groves, sugar cane plantations and banana trees. You can even walk a swaying wooden bridge, suspended high in the canopy. The biome also explores issues surrounding palm oil and deforestation. Everywhere at Eden, artwork and imaginative displays outline environmental issues and nudge us towards a greener, clearer future. But the best way to see Eden is during one of the legendary Eden Sessions – a series of summer music concerts that’s showcased artists from Tom Jones and Kyle Minogue to Paloma Faith, Oasis, Elbow and Muse – tickets include a day-pass to the wider site.

Cook a Cornish pasty

The Cornish pasty – beloved by 17th century miners, claimed to be worth £65 million to the Cornish economy, and awarded protected status (only pasties made in Cornwall can use the geographic name). Buy them everywhere from rugby grounds and surfer hangouts to old fashioned village stores. Or go one better and learn to make them yourself. The pasty making course run by the Philleigh Way Cornish Cookery School near Falmouth sees you learning about the delicacy’s history and culture and practicing essential techniques, including the famous crimp. A demo on homemade scones and a Cornish cream tea is thrown in while your pasties bake – gifting you two Cornish culinary icons in one session.

Explore the Cornish mainland’s second-most westerly point

The problem with travelers’ totems is that sometimes they get overrun. At Cornwall’s most westerly mainland location, Land’s End, the dramatic cliffs are crowned by a theme park complete with hotel, pub and 4D cinema. Time to head 7 miles north to the rugged headland at Cape Cornwall. Here you’ll discover a real end of the world feel, a ruined early-Christian chapel, a derelict mine stack and tiny Priest's Cove which – at low tide – has a pocket-sized pool. Until about 200 years ago, the Cape was actually thought to be the most westerly point in mainland Cornwall then it lost that title to Land’s End. It’s a lot quieter than that other headland now.

Discover Cornwall’s Forgotten Corner

Most of the cars whizzing west into Cornwall cross the county border and carry straight on. But if you turn south instead, you enter the much-overlooked Rame peninsula. It’s home to three mile Whitsand Bay, the pretty fishing villages of Kingsand and Cawsand and Rame Head – a rocky promontory which juts into the sea providing 360-degree views east to south Devon and west to the Lizard peninsula, some 50 miles away. To get a true taste of the area’s wild beauty, walk to Whitsand Bay from Mount Edgcumbe Country Park – a 10 mile cliff path hike via Kingsand, Cawsand and Rame Head that has exceptional views.

Paddle off on a sea kayaking expedition

Supremely scenic from the land, Cornwall’s coast and rivers are spectacular when explored by kayak. Gin-clear seas, towering cliffs, tree-lined creeks, otherwise inaccessible coves. To really get immersed in the experience, sign up on a five-day sea kayaking trip with Evoke Adventure. Run by international expeditioner, Erin Bastian, the Best of Cornwall adventure sees you exploring the coast and estuaries near Falmouth – opening up everything from gliding up the sheltered waters of the bewitching Helford Passage, to paddling beneath the exposed cliffs of the Lizard peninsula. It’s an unforgettable way to explore.

Forage for your food

Cornwall’s wide sea views draw your eyes to the horizon, but there’s much to be gained from zooming in. The Family Foraging Kitchen has you studying the shores, hedges, fields and woods in front of you. Courses take place on the Rame peninsula – their seaweed foraging courses are held on golden beaches beside the broad sweep of Kingsand Bay. Each course covers local history, science and folklore as well as ethical foraging, species identification and how to cook what you find. By booking a session you’re also supporting a good cause – the Kitchen helps combat food poverty by providing free wild food education to local families in need.

Spot naïve art in St Ives

The clear light and picturesque scenery of Cornwall have long drawn artists – from the impressionists of the Newlyn School of the 1880s, to the abstract artists of the St Ives School in the 1940s. The local creative heritage was a factor in one of Britain’s most prestigious art institutions, the Tate, opening a beach-side outpost in St Ives in 1993.

Amongst the wealth of works, hunt out pieces by St Ives resident Alfred Wallis. A retired fisherman, he was entirely self taught. Working at his kitchen table, he used marine paints on bits of cardboard boxes to capture quintessentially Cornish scenes. His unaffected, instinctive style chimed with artists wanting a fresh approach after the horrors of WWI and he later became lauded for creating evocative naïve folk art. Head for the gallery’s ongoing Modern Conversations display and hunt out Wallis’ Schooner under the Moon and The Hold House Port Mear Square Island Port Mear Beach – then stroll outside onto Porthmeor Beach itself and look for the similarities between Wallis’ work and the scene today.

Give a little back with a beach clean

While Cornwall’s beaches are genuinely gorgeous, they’re as hit by plastic pollution as any others around the world. Cornish environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage began campaigning to clean up seas in 1990, but now cites plastic as the new sewage. As well as backing organised coastal litter picks and inspiring people to stage their own, the charity also has a map of Cornish beach boxes where you can stash any trash you’ve collected. An ideal opportunity to explore Cornwall’s endless beaches and do good deeds for the environment at the same time.

Blast across Falmouth Harbour by boat

Cornwall’s shoreline is a string of beautiful beaches and bays and few things beat exploring them by boat. One of the very best Cornish boat trips is this 20 minute voyage from the busy port of Falmouth, across vast Falmouth Harbour to the exclusive yachting haven of St Mawes. Here cottages cluster around a sandy harbour and the well-preserved 16th century St Mawes Castle overlooks the scene. Many trippers explore the village and enjoy a meal or drink in one of the many classy restaurants and pubs. If you can though, walk north beside the water for just over 2 miles to the less-visited village of St Just In Roseland. There you’ll find a sleepy tidal creek and an exquisite 13th century church – the graveyard here is ablaze with color in summer and spring.

Explore the China Clay Trails

Walkers rightly adore the Cornish stretches of the mighty 630-mile South West Coast Path for epic hiking and cracking views. Cycling families love the 18 mile Camel Trail, especially the flat, scenic, 6-mile stretch between Padstow and Wadebridge. But for fewer crowds and a unique insight into Cornwall’s past, head to the Clay Trails. Fanning out from St Austell, this network of 3 to 5 mile walking and cycling paths leads right into the heart of China clay country – an area mined for kaolin for centuries.

Trails snake beside immense clay tips (dubbed the Cornish Alps), working clay pits, drying chimneys, luminous blue lakes and glittering turquoise dams. Wildlife has reclaimed much of the landscape, so your insight into industrial heritage comes complete with buzzards and kestrels, wildflowers and vivid yellow gorse. One of the routes even passes right by the Eden Project – a suitably environmentally friendly way to arrive.

Get cast away on an uninhabited Scilly isle

The Isles of Scilly sit 28 miles west of the end of mainland Cornwall – an exquisite archipelago of five inhabited islands. White sand beaches, azure seas, a mild microclimate and a slower pace of life make them one of Cornwall’s most appealing places. Fleets of boat trips fan out from the main island, St Mary’s, to the other four inhabited isles. Tresco is the most visited thanks to the subtropical Tresco Abbey Garden. St Martin’s has arguably the best campsite on Scilly. Bryher’s rugged western shore is home to the smart Hell Bay Hotel. Rugged St Agnes has the Turk’s Head, the UK’s most south westerly pub. Each island is richly rewarding to explore. But the best tip is to arrange to be dropped on uninhabited Sampson by the Isles of Scilly Boatmen’s Association. The twin hills and sweeping beaches of this eerie outcrop were home to a handful of farmers and fishermen until the mid 1800s. Today you can explore their ruined homes and boat sheds between swims in crystal clear seas.

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With steely skyscrapers, lakefront beaches and world-class museums, Chicago will blow you away with its low-key yet highly cultured awesomeness. The city center is an architectural wonder, but it’s Chicago’s mural-splashed neighborhoods – full of inventive restaurants, fringe theaters and sociable dive bars – that will create lasting memories of your time in the Windy City.

Here are the best neighborhoods to explore on your trip to Chicago this winter where you'll have one of the crowds and you'll see the city in whole different light.

The Loop

Best neighborhood for sightseeing

The Loop is Chicago's center of action, named for the elevated train tracks that encircle its busy streets. There's lots to see in the Loop: the Art Institute, Willis Tower, the Theater District and Millennium Park are the top draws among the skyscrapers, while the city's biggest festivals keep people flocking to the area's large green spaces.

The Loop holds loads of lodgings. Cool boutique and architectural hotels are the specialty. The neighborhood is convenient to the parks, festival grounds, museums and the Theater District, with easy transport access to anywhere in the city. But the Loop does get a bit dull after dark because most restaurants and bars are geared towards office workers. There's not much open after 9pm.

Near North and Navy Pier

Best neighborhood for shopping

The Near North packs in deep-dish pizza parlors, buzzy bistros, art galleries and so many upscale stores that its main vein – Michigan Avenue – has been dubbed the " Magnificent Mile." This neighborhood is unapologetically, in-your-face commercial. Shops, restaurants and amusements abound. Navy Pier, a half-mile-long wharf of tour boats, carnival rides and a flashy, king-sized Ferris wheel, is the neighborhood's top sight.

Architecture is a neighborhood highlight, thanks to iconic buildings such as the Tribune Tower and Marina City. Art is another strong suit, especially underrated sights such as the Driehaus Museum and Arts Club of Chicago, as well as River North's many galleries.

The Near North is Chicago's most lodging-packed neighborhood, with hotels on practically every street corner. They're mostly midrange chain properties, though a couple of nifty boutique hotels and hostel-hotel hybrids are mixed in. This neighborhood is also where you'll find Chicago's mother lode of restaurants. There's a huge variety, from deep-dish pizza to ritzy seafood to modern Mexican. It's a touristy area, thanks to all the hotels that are here, so prices can be higher than they need to be.

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Gold Coast

Best neighborhood for luxury

The Gold Coast has been home to the wealthiest Chicagoans for well over a century. Bejeweled women glide in and out of the neighborhood's stylish boutiques as the occasional Tesla or Rolls-Royce wheels along the leafy streets. The Gold Coast is relatively compact, but it holds several worthwhile sights. The 360° Chicago observatory and Museum of Contemporary Art are the top attention-grabbers.

Lodging options in the chi-chi Gold Coast area tend to be large, luxury hotels, which offer easy access to both downtown and the lakefront, plus you have a shopping bonanza at your doorstep. The Gold Coast is the epicenter of hot-spot steakhouses, swanky eateries and martini lounges for pretty people on the prowl. Glamorous old-time lounges and skyscraper bars with spectacular views can also be found in this neighborhood.

Lincoln Park and Old Town

Best neighborhood for comedy and live music

The green space of Lincoln Park is Chicago's premier playground, filled with lagoons, walking paths, beaches and zoo animals. Lincoln Park, the surrounding neighborhood, adds top-notch restaurants, kicky shops, and lively blues and rock clubs to the mix. To the south, stylish Old Town hangs on to its free-spirited, bohemian past with artsy bars and the improv-comedy bastion Second City.

Lodgings in this area range from hotels to B&Bs and hostels, and they have lots of character. They're near fun nightlife, and some are a short walk to Lincoln Park, the zoo and beaches. They're a bit removed from downtown's sights, however. It's also a popular neighborhood for apartment rentals.

Mega-high-end restaurants such as Alinea and Boka hold court here, but Lincoln Park caters to budget tastes too, thanks to the student population of DePaul University. Old Town's options are quieter and quainter. This is a great area to catch some top-notch live performances in the evenings, with numerous options ranging from blues and rock music to comedy improv and dramatic plays.

Pilsen and Near South Side

Best neighborhood for museums

The Pilsen and Near South Side area spans a crazy-wide range of things to do. The Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium cluster at the lakefront Museum Campus. Peaceful 12th Street Beach and hilly Northerly Island offer nearby refuges to ditch the crowds. Historic house museums and a famed blues sight beckon nearby. Meanwhile, at the neighborhood's southern edge, Chinatown bustles with noodle shops and small storefronts. Further west is Pilsen, where Mexican culture mixes with Chicago's bohemian underground, and colorful murals, taquerias and cafes result.

This neighborhood doesn't have many hotel options besides what's around the enormous convention center, but Pilsen is a good area for apartment rentals. Pilsen's 18th Street teems with Mexican taquerias, tamale shops, hip gastropubs and modern American restaurants. Blue Island Avenue is a similarly rich vein. Chinatown offers a densely packed smorgasbord of noodle houses, low-cost bakeries and dim sum places. Pilsen has activist cafes, microbrewery taprooms and artsy dive bars, while the Near South Side has neighborhood pubs and leafy patios. Chinatown isn't much of a drinking destination, though it rocks for satisfying late-night, post-booze munchies.

Lake View and Wrigleyville

Best neighborhood for nightlife

Lake View is the overarching name of this good-time neighborhood, known for its nonstop lineup of bars, theaters, rock halls and global eateries. Wrigleyville is the pocket that surrounds star attraction Wrigley Field, where big changes are afoot. For years, sticky-floored boozers were the stock in trade. Now cocktail bars, fancy doughnut shops and trendy eateries have joined the game. Foodies and families are thrilled. Those who perceive a loss of local color are not.

Nightlife is the specialty of Lake View and Wrigleyville, and there are heaps of options: traditional sports bars and new cocktail bars around Wrigley Field, dance clubs and gay bars in Boystown, and cozy wine bars, English pubs and jazz-wafting little taverns scattered elsewhere throughout the neighborhood.

Some great new boutique hotels have popped up recently, especially near Wrigley Field. They join several already-existing boutique properties and B&Bs, most of which are surrounded by rollicking bars, restaurants and music clubs. The main areas can be congested and rowdy at night. Room prices typically rise when the Cubs are playing.

Wicker Park, Bucktown and Ukrainian Village

Best neighborhood for restaurants

The three neighborhoods of Wicker Park, Bucktown and Ukrainian Village in the larger area of West Town are trendy, hot property. Hip record stores, thrift shops and cocktail lounges have shot up, though vintage Eastern European dive bars linger on many side-street corners. Wicker Park is the more commercial heart; it's flanked by Bucktown (a bit posher), Ukrainian Village and East Village (a bit shabbier), and smaller Noble Square. The restaurant and rock-club scene around here is unparalleled in the city.

There aren't many traditional sights here, though art galleries, onion-domed churches, a couple of national/ethnic museums and writer Nelson Algren's house keep it interesting. Walking or cycling the 606 trail is an excellent way to spend an afternoon.

For hostels, B&Bs and apartment rentals away from the tourist masses, this is your neighborhood. Everything is near buzzy nightlife and trendy shops, plus it's only a 15-minute L ride to get downtown. Trendy restaurants open almost every day, with many serving nouveau takes on classic comfort food. Division Street is a bountiful vein of snazzy bistros and pubs, many of which have sidewalk seating.

Milwaukee, Damen, Division and Chicago Avenues burst with cocktail lounges and chic bars, while authentically retro mom-and-pop joints thrive quietly on the neighborhood's side streets. Unsurprisingly for such a hip area, the northwestern neighborhoods have a bevy of choices for an evening's entertainment. You'll find venues for indie rock, hip-hop and other popular genres, as well as a few of Chicago's smaller independent theater companies.

West Loop and Near West Side

Best neighborhood for trendy Chicago

The West Loop buzzes with hot-chef restaurants and on-trend bars that have taken over former meatpacking factories. Development continues big time, with condos, tech-company offices and brand-name hotels rising at a dizzying pace. The neighborhood is edgy and flashy and has the largest percentage of millennial residents of any community in the USA.The West Loop packs in a group of the city's hippest, most trend-setting properties, with prime access to all the surrounding fashionable eats. You'll pay big for the pleasure. Fancy cocktails are West Loop's calling card. Distilleries, wine bars and coffee shops that take their lattes seriously add to the scene. Further flung in the Near West Side's industrial landscape is a smattering of breweries.

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