The La Brea Tar Pits and Museum offer a rare, up-close look at Ice Age fossils still being uncovered in the heart of Los Angeles. Tens of thousands of years ago, tar trapped mammoths, saber-toothed cats, and dire wolves, preserving their remains for modern paleontologists to study. Today, visitors can explore these discoveries in the museum, watch scientists at work in the Fossil Lab, and even see active excavation sites like Project 23, where new fossils are unearthed daily.

Dubbed the "home of American coffee culture," Portland knows what it takes to brew the perfect cup. In a 2016 survey of 100 U.S. cities, Portland topped the list, boasting the most coffee roasters per capita and the highest number of cafés. With so many spots to enjoy a great cup of coffee, you might think there's little room for discovery — but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Portland’s coffee scene continues to evolve, with unique additions like Oracle Coffee Company, run by Andy Hurley, the drummer of Fall Out Boy and a self-described "vegan straight-edge anarchist." The choices are endless, but for a glimpse of where it all began, visit the original Stumptown Coffee Roasters location at 4525 Southeast Division Street. Many credit this tiny space with launching Portland’s rise to coffee fame, now a chain with outlets from New York to LA.

A short boat ride from Santorini, Therasia feels like stepping back a few decades. It’s quiet, with only a few hundred residents, scattered villages, and not much in the way of shops or crowds. Most people visit as a quick stop on a caldera boat tour, but if you’ve got more time, it’s worth staying a bit longer—have a slow lunch, walk around, and take in what Santorini was like before tourism took over.

The Santa Clara Monastery & Museum has a long and interesting history, from being an Arab palace to becoming a monastery. The museum holds an exhibition of archaeological remains and religious art.