Kerala’s first city, with its knotty official name of Thiruvananthapuram (often substituted by the shorter, more manageable Trivandrum), is a rich introduction to southern India's urban and cultural life. Trivandrum tends to be unjustly overlooked en route to the state's beachside settlements but easily warrants a few days of its own.

Over a million visitors flock to the Kingdom of Crystal each year, an area spanning Kronoberg and Kalmar counties in Småland, within the municipalities of Emmaboda, Lessebo, Nybro, and Uppvidinge. Many return time and again, and it's easy to see why. Watching the glowing hot glass mass transform into delicate crystal or robust bowls is a spectacle that never grows old. Here, you can discover renowned glassworks and brands such as Orrefors, Kosta Boda, Skruf, Mats Jonasson Målerås, among others. Additionally, you can enjoy the best of Småland's nature, with its forests, lakes, stone walls, and a wealth of cultural experiences like Vilhelm Moberg's emigrant route.

As its own self-contained oasis of relaxation, Avila Beach is California’s whisper of a getaway. Far more calm and smaller than other cities along the coast, Avila Beach is a veritable resort town. Visitors are invited to shed their worries at the shoreline and take to the multitude of amenities and entertainment. Dine alongside sunsets, sip on local wines, decompress in the mineral hot springs, and feel rejuvenated with a stay in Avila Beach.

Vibrant, ever-changing, multi-faceted Johannesburg flings contrast at you from every angle. Trees line streets where houses hide their manicured gardens and pristine blue swimming pools behind high white walls, miles of shacks tell of the effects of the apartheid years — still to be overcome. The air of Africa’s most dynamic city vibrates with music and buzzes with business while its stylish restaurants, elegant shops, art galleries, and theatres delight the international visitor.

Nestled in the foothills of the beautiful Ozarks, Bentonville is a place filled with culture and a strong sense of community; a place brimming with artistic and natural beauty. Bentonville has experienced a seismic culture shift in the last decade spurred by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, a museum which the Washington Post referred to as "the most talked-about new museum in the United States in a generation."