In Nuevo Nayarit, you can lounge on the golden-sand beaches of Banderas Bay… or take an ATV tour through the nearby Sierra Madre jungle. A local water park has great twisting slides and sea lion shows… or you could treat the children to a memorable swim with dolphins. (It'll make for a great "What I did over summer holiday" report.)

Yearning for the laidback feel of a rural fishing village with white sand beaches, combined with the luxuries and mild year-round weather of the Mexican Riviera? Punta Mita has all this plus championship golf, diving, sport fishing, surfing, sailing, sea kayaking, whale watching, mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, Jeep tours, and rainforest excursions. Walk into town for beachfront restaurant dining and Pacific Ocean sunsets. Kids can safely swim at Playa El Anclote, where the rock jetties calm the shallow waters near restaurant row. Surf El Anclote’s long slow waves. Or seek out those special surfing spots along the coast, like near Punta Sayulita. Enjoy kayaking. Take the family sailing. Tee off overlooking the breezy blue waters of the Pacific Ocean at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Pacifico Course, rated among the best in Latin America. Pacifico is renowned for its optional 19th hole, the “Tail of the Whale,” a 199-yard par-three where you tee off over the Pacific Ocean onto a large island green. The Bahia, another Nicklaus-designed championship course, has six ocean holes, and is lined by beach sands and gated resort properties controlling course access. The Bahia Banderas (Bay of Banderas) and north towards Sayulita is great for fishing and diving volcanic tunnels, or just watching whales, dolphins, turtles, and ocean birds. Snorkel colour-splashed shallow reefs. Spend a day on a ponga, a motorized open-bow fishing boat in search of mahi-mahi (dorado), pugnacious pargo (big cubera snapper), Pacific sailfish, fighting roosterfish, yellowfin tuna, and bonita. From Islas Marietas and El Morro to La Corbetena and El Banco, the diving opportunities are numerous.

A charming fishing village, Sayulita is a hidden gem with picturesque beaches, charming restaurants and great food. Unlike some other Mexican towns, tourists mingle with locals in a relaxed atmosphere, without the hustle and bustle of major touristy resorts. For those seeking more nightlife, Puerto Vallarta is a mere 30 minutes away.

Houston hums with an energy and independent spirit all its own. A leading cultural and culinary destination in the South, the city is home to over 11,000 restaurants featuring cuisine from more than 70 countries. The thriving arts scene includes resident opera, ballet, symphony and theatre companies. The Museum District houses 19 museums, all within walking distance. Be sure to visit Space Centre Houston, where you can visit NASA’s Historic Mission Control at the Johnson Space Centre.

South Lake Tahoe is the only destination in the country that combines two strikingly different worlds: The spectacular beauty of a national park, and all the desirable amenities of a world-class resort. Here you can enjoy a full range of exhilarating outdoor activities – from skiing and snowmobiling, snowshoeing, sleigh rides and sledding to hiking, biking, kayaking, boating, fishing, swimming, and golf - alongside the excitement of 24-hour nightclubs, fine dining, gaming and entertainment.

Although much of Jacksonville is urban, this sprawling northeastern Florida city also has nature and wildlife reserves, historic residential neighbourhoods and lots of golf courses. Attractions in Jax, as the locals call it, range from art, science and history museums to a brewery tour, from the Jacksonville Landing entertainment complex, along the St John's River, to Bronson Motor Speedway. The city's beaches offer soft sand and warm water - perfect for swimming, surfing and kayaking.

For a weekend of fun and relaxation, you don't have far to go. North Dakota's largest city gained a certain measure of modern fame with its 1996 film namesake. But Fargo is more than a city of friendly folks and flat accents. Local museums will please art lovers, children and baseball enthusiasts. After a family visit to the Red River Zoo, parents can unwind at local area lounges, many of which offer casino gaming. In Fargo's sister city of Moorhead, Minnesota, The Heritage Hjemkomst Interpretive Centre has replicas of a Viking ship and a Norwegian Stave church. Back in Fargo, Bonanzaville USA gives modern visitors a taste of pioneer life.

Trust us, you’ll want to get an early start when you’re exploring this massive national park on the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rockies. The sunrise lights up each of its peaks—several of them towering over 10,000 feet—one by one. Just getting there is a blast, as Icefields Parkway takes you through forests of lodgepole pines. Once you arrive, lace up your hiking boots (or strap on your snowshoes) for an above-the-tree-line trek through the Bald Hills. A wintertime ice walk to Maligne Canyon takes you past frozen waterfalls. There’s zero light pollution here, so stay up late to see billions of stars and sometimes even the aurora borealis.

Culture-seekers will be charmed be La Isla's heritage and history, from Old San Juan's charms to folk art and festivals in the outlying towns. You can drive round Puerto Rico in a day, but take your time. Coffee plantations, colonial towns, beaches, bars and restaurants wait to be explored. Old San Juan, with famed Castillo de San Felipe del Morro, is an atmospheric place to wander. Experience life at a different pace by rainforest hiking, scuba diving or swimming Vieques' glowing bioluminescent lagoon.

California’s desert regions fascinate visitors with the unexpected. Vast expanses, wide salt flats and ghost towns are on full display in In the quintessential desert at Death Valley National Park. Visit Joshua Tree National Park to see both the Mojave and Colorado desert landscapes, where wildflower blooms offer a spectacular sight every spring. Don’t miss the sculpture gardens and hiking trails of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.