Sipping coconut milk while bargaining for handmade jewelry and swaying your hips to live music—just another Saturday morning in Rarotonga. After a few hours of checking out the wharf-side Punanga Nui Market, hit the beaches of this reef-protected volcanic island. There are plenty of picturesque lagoons that allow peaceful swimming or snorkeling, and moonlit strolls along the East Side sands are pure magic. Raro Safari Tours are a popular way to explore the island’s vivid rainforest.

Visitors to Teton Village will find great skiing at Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park. Most tourists stick to the Jackson Hole Nordic Centre, which offers great downhill and cross-country skiing, but there are kilometres of lesser-known trails and black-diamond slopes in the Park for the more adventurous.

Nestled between three separate mountains featuring five expert bowls, gladed tree skiing, smooth cruisers, mogul-covered runs as well as wide, groomed designated slow skiing trails, Keystone is a haven for skiers and snowboarders of all levels and abilities. A seven-month ski season promises adventure on the slopes, whether on skis, a tube, sleigh or in a snow cat. Summer is perfect for hiking and biking mountain trails. Off mountain, Keystone Village provides entertainment and shopping galore.

High in the cool hills, this colonial gem of cobblestone streets and picturesque churches inspires artists with its colour, character and light. Baroque, neoclassical and neogothic mix in the city's buildings, notably at the pink stone 18th-century church on the Plaza Principal. Founded in 1542, the city is a mix of Hispanic and Mesoamerican influences.

Situated squarely between Memphis and Nashville on Tennessee's "Heart of the Music Highway," Jackson has been the birthplace of numerous notable musicians in the traditional Southern styles of rockabilly, blues and gospel. The famous names of Jackson include Carl Perkins, Sonny Boy Williamson, Big Maybell and Big Joe Turner. Time your visit right and you might catch the annual Shannon Street Blues Festival or the Rockabilly Festival, hosted by The International Rock-A-Billy Hall of Fame.

Akumal means "Place of the Turtle" in the Mayan language, and if you snorkel here, you just might see one swimming alongside you. (Don’t touch it, though. That’s prohibited by law.) You’ll definitely see coral and beautiful fish in the clear, sparkling waters. This tourist-friendly little town is about an hour south of Cancun—but it seems light-years away.

An archipelago off the northwest coast of Panama, Bocas del Toro is an eco-tourism favorite with English-speaking and other tourists traveling to this Central American country. Seven islands (including Isla Colón, Isla Carenero and Isla Bastimentos) comprise the land area, with Bocas Town its regional capital and the “big city” for those looking to shop, dine well, and explore nightlife. Adventure lovers will find plenty to keep them occupied, as scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing, surfing and hiking are first-rate. And if you’re more of a tour-goer, never fear—Bocas del Toro offers a host of them, ranging from sailing to Nivida Bat Cave tours.