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.

The Atlantic coast of New Jersey, with its beaches and boardwalks, stretches from Sandy Hook in the north to Cape May in the south. Fresh ocean breezes fan 127 miles of sandy beaches. Drive between cities or catch a NJ Transit bus or Atlantic City jitney bus. Atlantic City packs people in to nightlife venues and casinos. Wildwood's boardwalk is well-trod. Asbury Park is once again popular, particularly with gays and lesbians. Cape May's restaurants and Victorian inns lure tourists to the historic town.

Second only to Berlin in size and population, the city of Hamburg is home to one of the biggest harbours in Europe. A stroll along its many waterways and canals illustrates why it has been called the "Venice of the North." Don't miss a trip to the local fish market (Fischmarkt), the Merchants District (marked by its imposing red-brick architecture), a fine dining experience along the river or a night out in the university quarter. And did we mention the Reeperbahn (red light district)? It's quite famous for its… red lights.

The bubbling, turquoise crystalline pools of Plitvice Lakes National Park comprise one of Croatia's most popular tourist destinations. Just a two-hour drive from Zagreb, the national park offers 50 acres of forest and lake. In winter, it's a wonderland of frozen waterfalls. In summer, the park is lush with greenery. Wooden walkways and hiking trails traverse the porous karst limestone. This World Heritage Site is a veritable wildlife haven, home to everything from birds to boars and even bears.