Chiriquí Province is a mountainous wonderland, located near the Barú Volcano. If you’re an adventure and nature lover, you’ll be right at home here, as the region offers everything from white-water rafting and kayaking to zip-line rainforest rides and hiking. More relaxed activities, such as coffee plantation tours and bird-watching, also are available here. To reach Chiriquí, you’ll likely pass through David, Panama’s third-largest city. If you choose to visit the Gulf of Chiriquí, you’ll find first-rate scuba diving, snorkeling, and other water sports that take full advantage of its marine location.

Near the southernmost tip of Peninsula de Nicoya, Mal Pais offers rocky coves, white sand beaches, waterfalls, rainforests, surfing, and relaxation near a remote fishing village and Cabo Blanco National Park. The prime attraction is surfing at beaches like Playa Mar Azul, Playa Santa Teresa, Playa Manzanillo, and Playa Carmen. Plus there is fishing, boating, snorkelling, diving, hiking, horseback riding, biking, and 4-wheel drive touring. A 4-wheel drive vehicle comes in handy for navigating unpaved roads in this still mostly wild area, particularly during the rainy season. Though locals zip around on quad bikes and motorcycles transporting their surfboards. Allow the better part of a day driving from San Jose Costa Rica’s Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) to Mal Pais. Budget extra time to board the car ferry from Puntarenas across the Golfo de Nicoya to Paquera on the Peninsula de Nicoya. Or take the short flight from San Jose to Tambor Airport (TMU), and be within an hour of Mal Pais. Some Mal Pais beaches have little sand, and judging point break direction and swell size requires surfing acumen. A Mal Pais surf camp may be perfect for family members wanting to learn to read the surf better. Santa Teresa’s beaches have more white sand, and point breaks like Suck Rock are almost legendary among surfers flocking here when the seas around Playa Carmen get too rough. Playa Carmen has enough variety to accommodate all levels of surfers, but the swells can get too rough and too frequent to get out during the rainy season. A bit to the north, with waters calmed by a rock jetty, Playa Manzanillo is known for its annual sand castle competition.

A popular spot for getting wowed or soaked amid natural splendor, Niagara Falls attracts curious spectators and adventurous honeymooners from around the world. The splendid main attraction - more than six million feet of water cascading over a rocky crest - sits partially in the United States and partially in Canada. The U.S. side has recently been busy promoting other activities to lure visitors. Venues like the Aquarium of Niagara offer parents fun and engaging alternatives for kids, after or in between visits to the Falls. Outdoor recreation such as hiking, biking, fishing and camping can be found at the Niagara Falls State Park. The storied history of attempts to conquer the majestic Falls is captured at the Daredevil Museum; the Schoellkopf Museum concentrates on the history and geology. There's more to the Falls than, well, the Falls, including a wide array of dining and lodging options, from budget to upscale. This awe-inspiring region makes for an exhilarating and multi-faceted getaway

Stretching 160 miles through Utah, the Wasatch Range makes a rugged, glacial backdrop for the 85% of the state's population who live within 15 miles. Mount Nebo is highest at 11,928 feet, but the peaks around Alta and Park City are most popular. "The greatest snow on earth" falls on these spectacular slopes. Lone Peak's granite outcrops provide top climbing. Canyons and valleys are loved by fly- fishermen and hikers. After all that adventure, retire to a hip restaurant or enticing hot tub in chic Park City.

This urban waterworld is a fast-growing city tucked into a bend of the Parana River about 186 miles northwest of Buenos Aires. Slip into a kayak or take a cruise for the best river views, or hit the city centre, bustling with discos, theatres, pedestrian malls, restaurants and parks popular with cyclists. A national monument on the riverbank honours the city's historic role as the site where the Argentine flag was first flown.

One of Spain’s most gravity-defying hill towns, Cuenca clings to steep limestone cliffs that tower above twin ravines. The UNESCO-listed town centre retains its medieval Moorish character, though a peek inside many “hanging houses” reveals the town’s modern-day fixation on abstract art.