Yantai is on the coast of the Bohai Sea and one of the most picturesque small cities in China. Visit Penglai Pavilion, said to be where the 8 Taoist Immortals flew across the sea or view the city from the 14th-century Yuhuang Hill Temple where the abundant rose-colored buildings and orange-tiled roofs of the town are nestled between the sea and the gentle hills.

Popoyo is a small coastal community on Nicaragua's southwestern Pacific coast, in the department of Rivas. It is known for its broad sandy shoreline, rocky coastal points, and consistent Pacific surf. The surrounding landscape remains largely rural, with pastureland, farms, tropical vegetation, and small settlements extending inland from the beach.

Hunter Valley in New South Wales is one of Australia’s oldest and most celebrated wine regions, shaped by European settlement in the early 1800s.

Mayotte, a French overseas department nestled in the Mozambique Channel between Madagascar and mainland Africa, offers travelers a window into a lesser-known island culture shaped by Swahili, Malagasy, and French influences. Unlike its neighbors in the Comoros archipelago, Mayotte remains part of France, giving it a unique blend of European infrastructure and Indian Ocean traditions.

Oklahoma City stands at the crossroads of Western tradition and modern energy. It’s a place where cowboy boots walk into sleek coffee shops, and horse shows take place just a few miles from contemporary art galleries. A good starting point is the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, home to one of the largest collections of Western art and artifacts in the world.