Amsterdam is truly a biker’s city, although pedaling along the labyrinthine streets can get a little chaotic. Stick to walking and you won’t be disappointed. The gentle canals make a perfect backdrop for exploring the Jordaan and Rembrandtplein square. Pop into the Red Light District if you must—if only so you can say you’ve been there. The Anne Frank House is one of the most moving experiences a traveller can have, and the Van Gogh Museum boasts a sensational collection of works.

Centrally located Umbria's principal cities include Spoleto, Assisi, and Terni. The capital, Perugia, is famed for its chocolate. Take a tour bus or prepare for daredevil Italian drivers if you opt to rent a car. Assisi's Basilica has a host of treasures, including works by Giotto. The town is also home to the crypt of St. Clare, patron saint of television. St. Francis' meditation retreat is in the mountains to the north. Classes at Velia's Cooking Style in Terni make good use of local produce.

Located in the foothills of the Catskills Mountains, Cooperstown is proud to be a one-stoplight town, with quiet streets and charming old homes, sitting amidst the natural beauty of Otsego County. The area is home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the National Soccer Hall of Fame, the Fenimore Art Museum and the Glimmerglass Opera. Otsego County is also a popular destination for activities as diverse as antiquing, horseback riding and golf.

The sprawling University of Wisconsin sets the tone for this college town of cafes, bookstores, brewpubs, numerous restaurants (more per capita than anywhere else in the U.S.) and a good share of cultural and historical attractions. Stunning glacial waterways make the City of Lakes one of the more picturesque state capitals in the country. More than 250 parks offer residents and tourists plenty of recreational areas to choose from. If you visit the campus, be sure to try the famous Babcock Ice Cream at Memorial Union or Babcock Hall, before or after a visit to the Elvehjem Museum of Art's collection of Greek, Roman and Egyptian antiquities. And to really get into the college spirit, head over to State Street's eclectic range of ethnic restaurants. Be sure to try the mouth-watering bratwurst sandwich on a homemade bun at State Street Brats, a student favorite. At the end of State Street, the white granite, Roman Renaissance-style Capitol dominates the skyline and offers an observation platform for views of the city and lakes.

North America's biggest and most popular ski resort, Vail is an alpine village in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Long a favorite of serious skiers and jet setting celebrities, Vail now also draws a younger, hipper snowboarding crowd. Skiing is king at Vail Mountain and the Blue Sky Basin, but the area's vast splendor is perfect for hiking, biking, snowmobiling or scenery-gazing at any time of the year.

This gem in the heart of Utah is more than just a small desert town—it's a gateway to some of the state's most impressive sights. With red rock formations and slot canyons, the landscape is like something straight out of an Old Western—because it is. You can visit a whole outdoor museum with sets from classic Western films to see for yourself (look up: Kanab Movie Fort). For the real deal, there are plenty of main attractions—from Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, where the dunes change color with the sunlight, to Buckskin Gulch, one of the longest slot canyons in the world. If you're lucky enough, snag a permit to see the Wave, a surreal sandstone formation that is truly other-worldly.

High in the Eastern Sierra of California is the growing ski resort town of Mammoth Lakes, surrounded by alpine beauty and majesty. Powdered peaks of the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area and surrounding wilderness draw skiers, snowboarders, snowmobilers and ice skaters every winter. Summers are quieter and less crowded, but vacationers in search of the path less traveled will find secluded biking and hiking trails, rushing rivers, icy mountain lakes, green golf courses and breathtaking scenery.