Queens is the most ethnically diverse area of its size on Earth, which means there's a little something for everyone. Chow down on Indian food, sit in on a traditional Irish pub music session, and dance the night away at a Puerto Rican nightclub, all of it located within a few subway stops. Queens is also the home of the Mets and the US Tennis Open, and the former home of the New York World's Fair, now Flushing Meadow-Corona Park, and Paramount Pictures, now the Museum of the Moving Image.

Famous as the home of Yankee Stadium, elevated trains, and dense apartment blocks, the Bronx is also the greenest of New York City's boroughs. Visit the gorillas at the famous Bronx Zoo or wander through the 50-acre forest at the New York Botanical Garden. Pick up some gourmet foods on Arthur Avenue, the Bronx's Little Italy, and have a picnic at Van Cortlandt Park, which features two square miles of boating, horseback riding, tennis, and the oldest public golf course in the United States.

Westchester County, a collection of towns that serve as a popular suburb for the bordering New York City, is also the gateway to the Hudson River Valley, an area that promises a plethora of outdoor activities, from sailing to bird-watching to cross country skiing. The County also contains Rye Playland, a popular children's amusement park, historic sites from the American Revolution, the African American Heritage Trail and several famous houses, including Lyndhurst, a Gothic Revival mansion.

Wilmington is a vibrant riverfront city and the most accessible coastal area in the state. The pedestrian-friendly Riverwalk winds along the Cape Fear River, connecting many of the city’s shops, cafés, and nightlife with waterfront hotels, parks and the Port City Marina. Annual festivals, such as Riverfest, Wilmington Beer Week and the world-famous North Carolina Azalea Festival, attract crowds year-round. Three nearby island beaches offer even more dining, attractions and water sports.

Celebrities like PGA Tour golfers Ernie Els and Camilo Villegas, singer Celine Dion and actor Burt Reynolds own homes in Jupiter, a beach town on the Atlantic Ocean. The same things that many tourists love such as beautiful beaches, excellent, championship-style golf courses, a plethora of scuba diving sites, and historic sites presumably enamor the celebs as well. One of Florida’s most golf happy regions, the Jupiter area is home to miles of spectacular fairways. You can tee up at more than 50 courses in and around Jupiter such as Jupiter Dunes, Cypress Links, Jonathon’s Landing, Emerald Dunes Golf Club and the PGA National Resort. For beach lovers, popular places to sun and fun include Jupiter Beach Park, Juno Beach Park, and Blowing Rocks Beach on Jupiter Island. Dive enthusiasts have access to more than 30 artificial reefs such as King Neptune, a nine-foot statue of King Neptune and his turtles, and Breakers Reef, a two-mile reef with a five to fifteen foot ledge brimming with fish. Sightseeing highlights encompass the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum and the Dubois Home, an 1898 pioneer home listed on the National Register of Historic Places that was built on an ancient Indian Shell Mound.

While many visitors come for the beaches, arts celebrations and fiestas, San Sebastian-Donostia is serious about its food and drink. The Old Quarter’s narrow, winding streets are full of bars and restaurants, and in the modern city, sidewalk cafes are all around. The city specialises in seafood. Just make sure you know not to expect dinner at 6 or 7 p.m.—that’s much too early in Spain. Instead, tide yourself over with tapas, and enjoy eating and drinking late into the night.

Set near the borders of Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany, riverside Metz is a city born out of multiple influences. Its elegant old town is sculpted from honey-coloured stone, while German-inspired architecture dominates the Quartier Impérial. Plus, the city’s renowned food scene offers a cross-cultural menu.

Just as lovely as its name, the former Ancient Greek colony of Roses is set on a scenic bay amidst striking natural surroundings. As well as white-sand beaches, this resort town is home to 16th-century fortifications, megalithic tombs, and plenty of modern amenities.

Volcanic Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea provide the cinema-worthy backdrop for Taormina, Sicily's legendary resort town. Twisting mediaeval streets and a second-century Greek theatre add to its romantic air, which inspired the writings of D.H. Lawrence and Truman Capote. Take a cable car to the beach, or walk uphill behind the Church of St. Joseph for panoramic views.