Just its location—in the Sacred Valley of the Incas—makes Urubamba sound like a mystical, magical place. The snow covered Ch'iqun mountain stands proudly in the background of this Peruvian town that serves as a base for people who want to visit the famous ancient Incan ruins of Machu Picchu. Zip lines and horseback rides let you experience this valley in the Andes in wildly different ways.

It's no wonder Machu Picchu is Peru's most-visited site. Dating to the mid-1400s, it's a marvel of mortar-free limestone architecture perched on a high plateau deep in the Amazonian jungle. Get there via train from Cusco or, if you're not faint-hearted, make the trip on foot via a multi-day hiking trail—you'll travel through deep Andean gullies and enjoy stunning views.

Peru’s Aguas Calientes offers weary travelers the chance to soak in thermal baths and browse for artisan souvenirs before (or after) using the town as a gateway to Machu Picchu. Its remote location deep in the Urubamba Valley is accessible to tourists only by train.

Inhabited since the year 1000, Aruba is an island rich in history and culture. Eagle Beach is an idyllic Caribbean beach, with white sands and turquoise waters, and is frequented by water sports enthusiasts. Palm Beach, on the island's west side, offers perfect swimming conditions and powdery sand. Those more concerned with conditions under the waves won't want to miss the wreck of the torpedoed tanker Pedernales, a popular diving site. Aruba is only 20 miles long, thus easily explored by bike or moped.

The largest island along Brazil's coast and, literally, a “beautiful island,” Ilhabela offers visitors almost 40 kilometers of pristine beaches and a tropical island's worth of hiking trails, waterfalls and even a nascent party scene. At 207 kilometers from the city of São Paulo, Ilhabela can get crowded, so try to get your beach time in during the work week.

Palm Beach has long lured America's big name social elite, from the Kennedys to the Pulitzers to the Trumps. If you don't have the Jaguar, catch a Palm Tram around the city. Opulent extravagance is the order of the day. But if you can take your eyes off the glittering procession of socialites and the prices at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Spa and in Worth Avenue stores, there are plenty of other sights to be seen. Don't miss Henry Morrison Flagler Museum or the hopping nightlife on Clematis Street.

At the northern reaches of the Mississippi, Tunica is one of the South’s leading entertainment destinations. Just 20 minutes from Memphis, it’s home to nine casino resorts and three championship-level golf courses, as well as Tunica RiverPark, the Tunica Queen Riverboat and the soon-to-open Gateway to the Blues Museum. Tunica is a popular starting point for the Mississippi Blues Trail, a scenic highway that winds through Mississippi and takes you to historic blues markers and landmarks.

We've heard Toronto described as "New York City run by the Swiss," and it's true—you can find world-class theater, shopping and restaurants here, but the sidewalks are clean and the people are friendly. The best place to start is literally at the top—the CN Tower, the tallest freestanding structure in the Western Hemisphere.