Anyone who has spent time in Big Sur lights up when they talk about it. This 90 mile stretch of the California coast accomplishes the nearly impossible: fierce preservation of land and culture with well-oiled hospitality and recreation.

Most Americans who visit Argentina never make it north. There are quite a few tourists, but most come from Chile, Peru and Bolivia. Salta and Jujuy are considered the "heartland" of Argentina. The terrain changes frequently, you go from mountains to forests to volcanic gravel to straight desert.

Every single day in the Azores feels like a fairy tale. The islands are so green, perfectly manicured, there's cows everywhere and you are never far from a volcano.