Dating back to 1864, Cubbon Park spans 300 acres of lush greenery and is a haven for nature enthusiasts and leisure seekers alike. Home to a diverse array of flora and fauna, this expansive park is a favourite spot for picnics and impromptu cricket matches. Within its serene environment, you'll find the Public Library, the stately High Court, the Government Museum, and the Visveswaraiah Technological & Industrial Museum.

You’ll feel like you’ve crossed the border, but you’re not quite there yet. Of course, you’re aware that Maastricht’s central location in the Euregio means you can be in Belgium very quickly. But you don’t really feel it until you see how the city, and the countryside around it, is layered with a unique mix of foreign influences. With the Sint Pietersberg hill, the historic caves, the vineyards, Fort Sint Pieter, and Château Neercanne as backdrop, this part of the city has everything you need to capture that holiday feeling. Sint Pieter was its own municipality until 1920. This part of the city was always outside the city walls (and so had it the toughest in times of war). Then, it was mainly farmers who lived here; now, it’s mostly families, epicureans, and a few descendants of the inhabitants of that old Sint Pieter. Today, Sint Pieter is Maastricht’s most popular residential district, not just for its beautiful houses but because of its ideal location between city and green. And it still feels like its own town, with its own social life, and charm, even though it’s just a stone’s throw away from the city park. In fact, it has the best of both worlds: village and city. Nature and culture.

Spanning 1,200 acres, The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens is home to a fascinating array of wild animal species from the deserts of North America and Africa. More than just a zoo, its mission is to preserve desert ecosystems and educate visitors about the importance of these unique environments and the species that thrive in them. Explore the expansive desert habitats, where you’ll encounter everything from majestic giraffes to desert tortoises, and discover the incredible adaptations that help these animals survive in some of the harshest climates on Earth.

Joshua Tree National Park is where the Mojave meets the Colorado desert, an otherworldly crossroads where two contrasting landscapes merge into something truly unique. Named for its quirky, twisted Joshua trees, the park is a wonderland of rugged rock formations, open desert vistas, and breathtaking night skies perfect for stargazing. Beyond the trees, you’ll find a mix of desert ecosystems, each with its own plants, wildlife, and scenic trails. Hidden Valley is a popular spot for beginner hikers, while those looking for a bit of a climb can tackle the boulders at Barker Dam. For the best views, take a drive up to Keys View, where, on a clear day, you can see the Salton Sea and even as far as Mexico.