Used a backdrop for weddings, the Loretto Chapel is one of Santa Fe's oldest and most dear attractions. Formerly a Roman Catholic church, it now serves as a museum and wedding venue. Perhaps beyond its grand beauty and elegance, Loretto Chapel's continued allure lies in its mysterious spiral staircase. Both the identity of its builder and the stunning physics of its construction - there were no supports holding it as it spirals into the choir loft - remain a mystery. Legend says that St. Joseph himself made it, as the man who did build the staircase disappeared before the nuns were able to pay him, and the wood used was not native to the area. It is a stunning salute to the science of physics and the hearts of believers.

The National Museum Bangkok is the biggest museum in Southeast Asia and a great stop, alongside the Museum of Siam, if you want to understand Thai history and art. It’s spread across several buildings, showcasing everything from ancient sculptures and royal regalia to traditional costumes and ceramics. The collection can feel a bit overwhelming, so it’s worth focusing on the highlights—like the giant Buddha statues and the Bangkok-period royal artefacts. Guided tours are available if you want the backstory behind the displays, but wandering on your own gives a good sense of Thailand’s past at your own pace.

Artist Georgia O'Keeffe moved to Santa Fe in 1949 and established it as her new home and artistic haven as it, according to O'Keeffe, expressed “the wideness and wonder of the world as I live in it.” Though she had been popular and recognized in New York art circles, she found her niche in the rugged New Mexican terrain where she immortalized flowers, shrubs, rocks, shells, and other natural objects through large-scale abstractions. The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum has over 3,000 works of art, including 1,149 paintings, drawings, and sculptures done by O'Keeffe from 1901 to 1984. The museum is also dedicated to O'Keeffe's contemporaries and the American contemporary and modernist art movements; artists such as Arthur Dove, Sherrie Levine, Jackson Pollock, and Andy Warhol have had their work displayed at the museum.

Las Baulas National Park offers an often-overlooked natural getaway just outside the crowded beaches of Tamarindo. Take a tour of the park’s vast network of mangrove forests on a relaxing boat trip — howler monkeys, crocodiles and tropical birds will be your companions on this trip. Head to the beach for a chance to see the magnificent leatherback turtles. The turtle nesting season is from October to February. Except for the turtle nesting season (October-February), which allows you to stay on the beach until 5:00 PM.