See more with a detour

Those Golden Gate views are mesmerizing and the city is home to one of the most dynamic dining scenes in the country, but another part of San Francisco’s longstanding allure is that it provides easy access to many of California’s most captivating landscapes. Take the drive to Monterey, which hugs the breathtakingly scenic Pacific Coast Highway. Alongside staggering ocean views from dramatic cliffs with potential whale sightings, it promises pitstops for spontaneous kayaking or hiking, or the historic charms of the real-life Cannery Row immortalized by author John Steinbeck. Start at San Francisco’s fancy-but-friendly Chateau Tivoli for a convivial stay crammed with character and color; then retreat south to the tranquil cliffside Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur (also pictured top).

A true metropolis it may be, but Tokyo isn’t Japan’s only must-visit city: Promptly reached by bullet train with Mount Fuji views en route, Osaka’s culinary credentials are clear in its nickname—“the kitchen of Japan”—plus, it’s a world-class nightlife-and-culture destination (one that’s cheaper than Tokyo and more relaxed than Kyoto to boot). For hotels that fuse history and modernity, Hoshinoya Tokyo is an impeccably styled high-rise modeled after a traditional ryokan inn, while Hotel Royal Classic Osaka features a soaring glass tower pitched on top of a traditional gabled theater.

Right on Broadway and with an eclectic events program, The Ned NoMad pulsates with energy, putting you in the heart of NYC’s around-the-clock action while providing a welcome sanctuary to sleep it off. For a real post-Manhattan recharge, a mere 2.5-hour drive will transport you to the Hudson Valley’s Urban Cowboy Lodge, set deep in forested mountains where cell reception remains patchy. With a bowling alley and a tree growing in its bar, this is a wonderfully folksy hotel. Stressed-out city types decamp here for soul-lifting scenery and day trips to attractions like Dia Beacon’s staggering modern art displays, the 500-acre Storm King outdoor museum, or the Opus 40 environmental sculpture park.

Dubbed the “pearl of the Adriatic,” Dubrovnik has become one of the region’s most popular vacation destinations, with its picturesque terracotta rooftops and starring role in Game of Thrones. On a nearby peninsula, the Dubrovnik Palace resort marries easy access with total tranquility. Plus, it makes a handy gateway to another beautiful—but relatively undiscovered—city. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, mountain-ringed Mostar wows with age-old Ottoman architecture and its iconic medieval arched bridge. Stay at Hotel Sinan Han, a stylish address that’s very budget-friendly, and remember to schedule a stop at Kravica Waterfall, where multiple cascades are enveloped by shimmering greenery.

At the Lyric Hotel Paris near the ornate Palais Garnier opera house, you’ll find yourself in a creatively minded space where classic portraits and scenes of dancers hang from sage-green walls. But Paris isn’t the only city around with serious cultural and architectural clout. A quick 2.5-hour Eurostar train through neighboring Belgium will get you to Bruges, whose chocolate-box center is easily navigated via its romantic cobblestone streets or on calming canal-boat jaunts. A converted 15th-century monastery, the grand and welcoming Hotel de Orangerie makes a wondrous base for your Belgian bonus excursion.

One of the world’s most vibrant, multifaceted capitals, it’s easy to fall for Mexico City. Surrounded by pastel-colored, art-deco mansions and edgy galleries, artsy NaNa Vida CDMX in stylish Roma Norte really channels the spirit of its home city. Still, if you fancy a change of scenery and a dose of tension-melting self-care, then hop on a bus or drive north to Grutas Tolantongo in the sprawling state of Hidalgo. A natural wonderland where plunging canyons give way to scenic terraces of turquoise hot springs, it’s one of the most photogenic (and blissful) spots in the country. After a day wallowing in warm waters, you’re guaranteed to sleep soundly at Fiesta Inn Pachuca Gran Patio before heading back to CDMX.

London looks magnificent from Shangri-La The Shard, halfway up the tallest building in the country. At GǑNG Bar, guests enjoy a panorama that wends along the Thames past the Tower of London and all the way to Wembley Stadium—there’s no more efficient way to sightsee. But tacking on a road trip to Bath (with a stop at prehistoric Stonehenge on the way) offers another overview of English history. This handsome Roman city features long parades of neoclassical, golden-stone buildings and ancient thermal baths. Packed with art and with its own spruce spa, No.15 Bath by GuestHouse sits on an incomparably grand street and is just as awe-inspiring as its elegant surroundings.