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.

Home to sprawling beaches, retail centres, and activity parks, the resort town of Puerto Rico is one Gran Canaria’s more family-friendly destinations. Subtropical temperatures and sunny skies make an ideal climate to soak up rays on golden sands or explore the volanic coast.

Strongly influenced by the tribal culture of the Guanches (the original inhabitants), Tenerife was conquered by the Spanish 500 years ago. It's home to Mount Teide, Spain's tallest peak, and to the popular beach resort of Los Gigantes. Today visitors flock to Loro Park to see tropical birds, to Tenerife Zoo Monkey Park and to Parque Nacional Las Canadas del Teide's volcanic rock formations. Explore by car or with a "bono bus" ticket, which offers reductions on regular prices.

Los Cristianos was a humble fishing village before it became known as a convalescent resort for Swedes. Now it’s a playground for beachgoers from all over Europe, thanks to sunny weather and plentiful hotel options. At night, you’ll find a lively bar scene.

Playa de las Americas, near Tenerife's southwestern tip, is a lively, upbeat resort built in the 1960s. Today it's crammed with British restaurants, bars and hotels and North European tourists. Its white sands attract hordes of sun worshippers, while nearby El Medano is famed for its windsurfing. Top attractions include sailing, golf and dinner theatre shows, but it's the nightlife on Veronica's Strip that is the top draw for the crowds of young tourists who flock here to party around the clock.

Costa Adeje, on the southern side of Tenerife in the Canary Islands, is home to many newly-developed hotels that draw chic European guests. You’ll find great shopping (in boutiques and markets) and upscale restaurants, as well as plenty of sunny weather.

Drawn by its fiestas, late night discos and clubs, water parks and golf courses, visitors can't resist sunny Fuerteventura. Discover local culture in Betancuria, home to a cathedral and several museums, at Tefia's eco-museum or at one of February's quirky Carnaval celebrations. Cool down after a hot day on the beach or a hard night at the clubs at Baku Water Park.

A gorgeous backdrop of pine-clad mountains looms behind the seaside resort of Marmaris in southwest Turkey. Popular as a cruise ship and yacht port and with the British budget holiday crowd, Marmaris offers an abundance of fast food restaurants, the restored castle of Suleyman the Magnificent and an appealing cobblestoned old quarter. Outside the busy town, coves and bays of the Datça Peninsula make lovely daytrip destinations for those travelling by boat.

From the heights of the Bay of Fundy tides to the sandy beaches and warm waters of the Acadian coast, New Brunswick is home to spectacular natural wonders and first-class attractions. The Canadian province is also renowned for its outdoor adventures, natural and recreational parks, pristine rivers, lively cities, picturesque towns and vibrant culture. Add a dash of Acadian joie de vivre and its people’s legendary friendliness and you have the makings of a truly unique Maritime experience.

Ogunquit's three-mile stretch of beach is one of the longest in Maine, and also one of the least rocky. The water may never warm up, but it's pristine, and this quaint New England town's attractions make it a perfect, picturesque seaside destination.

You don't have to choose between visiting a cultural capital or a sunny Caribbean beach destination—San Juan is both. This city's architecture ranges from Spanish colonial to 20th-century Art Deco, while the new Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico presents Latin American and Caribbean artwork in state-of-the-art galleries.

U.S. citizens still need to jump through a few hoops to visit Cuba, but as visitors from around the world know, this island offers some amazing opportunities for cultural exchange. Havana is a mix of old-world architecture and of-the-moment culture. Head out of the capital city to the small town of Trinidad to see more Spanish colonial architecture. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a fantastic home base for a visit to the Valley of the Sugar Mills, a pocket of land that formerly served as the centre of Cuba’s sugar industry.

From the Magic Kingdom to magical spa treatments, Orlando sparkles with the promise of adventure. Spend a day exploring the world-famous Disney theme parks or screaming your head off on a Universal Studios roller coaster. For a less adrenaline-pumping afternoon, enjoy the quiet natural beauty of the Harry P. Leu Gardens or enjoy a seaweed scrub at a luxury day spa. Savor fresh and local ingredients at one of Orlando’s James Beard-nominated restaurants.