Sevierville Tennessee is located on the eastern edge of the state, the town sits in the foothills of the Great Smokey Mountains, about ten miles north of the park. There are plenty of outdoor activities such as horseback riding and the Forbidden Caverns for the kids. Additionally, this quaint and quiet town's claim to fame is as the birthplace of Dolly Parton as well as being home to outlet malls and restaurants out on the highway.   

During the Civil War, Knoxville's Mabry-Hazen House served as headquarters for both the Confederate and Union armies. Today you can visit the house and other historic homes in this eastern Tennessee city. Among Knoxville's other attractions are museums, a zoo and the park that housed the 1982 World's Fair. University of Tennessee sports draw lots of fans, as does the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. To see Knoxville from the water, take a leisurely riverboat ride down the Tennessee River.

Located at the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cherokee is the headquarters for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Signs around town are in English and Cherokee, and the city itself is anchored by the Harrah's Cherokee Casino. The tourist-oriented area is rich in outdoor activities for the entire family. The tribe runs a botanical garden, cultural museum, Indian village recreation, historical dramas, and an arts and crafts center.

Helen, a Bavarian Alps replica town in Appalachian Georgia, is home to an Oktoberfest for the ages, overflowing with two-litre beer glasses and Germany's famous bratwursts.  To recover from the festivities, the savviest make their way to Cedar Creek Luxury Cabins on the edge of the Chattahoochee National Forest.

If you’re into eating locally and supporting sustainable agriculture, go to Ashville—and eat, eat, eat. This town of less than 100,000 people has 17 farmers’ markets, and the local restaurant scene is all about taking advantage of the seasonal produce sold there. And don’t miss the area’s microbreweries.

Surf, dive, snorkel, beach comb, horseback ride, bicycle, or relax in a hammock in Dominical. Take a stress-relieving yoga class at Bamboo YogaPlay. Enjoy beach restaurants serving up everything from East Indian curries and Italian pastas and pizzas to local gallo pinto and shots of anise-infused sugarcane liquor. Savor lonely beaches populated by pelicans, frigate birds, brown boobies, and hardy surfers here for the waves and good beachfront food at reasonable prices. When you’ve caught up on your sleep and feel relaxed, take the family on a hike to the double-cascade waterfall at Nauyaca. Perhaps the family would be up for a horseback gallop on the beach, or a trot to a smaller waterfall like Pazo Azul, whose plunge pool is popular with local kids. There is always boogie boarding at Playa Dominicalito. Or beachcombing and dolphin-watching at Playa Dominical. Guided bird-watching, and mangrove estuary and rainforest tours are always educational. Charter a fishing boat. Catch and release big sailfish like marlin in the deep sea, or keep some tasty dinner fish like red snapper, yellowfin tuna, snook, wahoo, and dorado. In Marino Bellena National Park, humpback whales migrate south towards Dominical to escape the Arctic cold. December to April is the humpback whale mating season in Ballena (Whale) Marine National Park. May to November is the nesting season, when Olive Ridley and Hawksbill turtles do their nocturnal egg-laying on the beaches. Low tide beach combing walks can take you out to Punta Uvita Tombolo island. Snorkel, dive, and explore mangrove habitats. Or just sit with the family on the gold and white sands watching green marine iguanas sunbathe between dives into the rocks and corals to feed on marine algae.

Whistler, British Columbia, is a short trip from Vancouver by road or air. The stunning landscape, pedestrian-only Village and genuine, down-to-earth mountain culture make Whistler an unforgettable year-round destination. Winters provide reliable snow for skiing, snowboarding and Nordic sports while golf, mountain biking and hiking fill the warmer months. Festivals, spas, restaurants and bars combine with endless outdoor activities to make Whistler the ultimate place to escape and unwind.

Welcoming, tolerant Gran Canaria offers a little something for everyone. Families flock to the water parks and beaches of Puerto Rico. Those seeking peaceful escape scamper to Mogan's quiet fishing villages. Gay visitors crowd the bars, restaurants and beaches of Playa del Ingles. Urban attractions are on offer in Las Palmas. Three highways open up the island for those with a rental car or a bus schedule. Prime sites to visit include Iglesia de San Juan Bautista de Arucas and Palmalitos zoo park.

Between Biarritz and the Spanish border, the Atlantic fishing village of Saint-Jean-de-Luz combines Basque charm with pleasant, family-friendly beaches on the bay. July and August are the high season here, so if you'd rather avoid the tourist crunch, either book outside of those months or plan to arrive at the beach first thing in the morning.

Snowboarders are an afterthought at a lot of resorts, but they get plenty of attention at this destination in the Italian Alps. Gold medalists regularly practice their spins and flips at the expert-level Mottolino Snowpark on the eastern slopes. Across the valley, Carosello 3000 has a terrain park for intermediate freestylers. The ski runs are challenging, but not too challenging, with only a handful of truly difficult patches. Because the slopes are so forgiving, Livigno is a great place to try off-piste skiing and snowboarding. The village soaks up the sun all winter long, so the main drag is always full of strollers. This is also a duty-free zone, with tons of shops catering to bargain-hunters.

Coveted by empires and republics throughout its history, Innsbruck was the seat of the imperial court of Maximilian I by the end of the 15th century. Trams make getting around the city quick, efficient and cheap. Explore the Tyrolean capital's history at Archduke Ferdinand II's 10th-century Schloss Ambras, the Tyrolean Folk Art Museum, the grand 15th-century Imperial Palace and Maximilian I's famous Golden Roof. One of Europe's most idyllic cities, Innsbruck is nestled in the heart of the Alps.