Culture-seekers will be charmed be La Isla's heritage and history, from Old San Juan's charms to folk art and festivals in the outlying towns. You can drive round Puerto Rico in a day, but take your time. Coffee plantations, colonial towns, beaches, bars and restaurants wait to be explored. Old San Juan, with famed Castillo de San Felipe del Morro, is an atmospheric place to wander. Experience life at a different pace by rainforest hiking, scuba diving or swimming Vieques' glowing bioluminescent lagoon.

Located on Puerto Rico’s north coast, Dorado is a resort town of relatively recent vintage. You’ll find luxury hotels and several championship golf courses. Of course, if you’re used to your local, scruffy public course, your score might suffer—gorgeous ocean views can be quite a distraction.

Among the best golf destinations in the world, Punta Cana is the very picture of leisure. Several of the courses have been designed by professional golfers, making for the perfect sort of kicked-back challenge that you want on a golfing holiday. The beaches here are simply perfect: calm, warm waters that gently lap at stretches of fine white sand. Thrill yourself with a zip-line adventure, clap along with traditional Dominican music at a cultural performance, or explore the magical lagoons of the Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park.

From gleaming skyscrapers to a steaming-hot beach scene, Balneario Camboriu can feel like Rio’s younger sibling. Locals enjoy the same wild nightlife, great restaurants, and backdrop of rolling green slopes, while the hilltop Christo Luz statue even mimic's Rio's massive Christ the Redeemer.

Hood River beckons travelers with the scent of orchard blooms and the promise of adventure on the rushing waters of the Columbia River. The winds through the Columbia River Gorge provide the perfect conditions for windsurfing and kite surfing, making the city a hotspot for those sports in recent years. The surrounding area is ripe with orchards growing cherries, apples, peaches and other sweets. Take the Mt. Hood Scenic Railroad through the orchard route and take in the views of Mt. Hood.

There are lots of beach types, and with 20 very different beaches to choose from, Albufeira delights them all. Hugging the coast in Portugal’s southern Algarve region, this prime vantage point showcases sparkling white houses with Moorish flair, breathtaking multi-hued cliffs, and old fortress remnants that ground modern amenities with a charming historical flair.

Distinctive architecture, sun-drenched resorts and eclectic small towns dot Andalusia, a dry, mountainous region of southern Spain that maintains echoes of its Moorish occupation. Spring and fall bring balmy temperatures, ideal for visiting Seville's cathedral, the world's largest Gothic structure, and the 1200-year-old mosque in Córdoba. Romantics love Granada, home to the Alhambra fortress and an inspiration to the late poet Federico García Lorca. Don't miss a dip in the sea along the Costa del Sol.