FLORIDA – Hey Mitt! Yo Paul! You guys and the GOP gang need to recover from the convention. Stone crabs, icy margaritas, big sunsets — that will win anyone's vote.
QUONOCHAONTAUG, Rhode Island – The country's smallest state lives in Massachusetts' shadow. But there are beautiful hidden beaches on its coast, and amazing places to eat.
THE AEGEAN SEA – So many islands, so few vacation days. It's okay, wanderer: We have the easy lowdown to sort Agkistris from Ikaria, Skiathos from Santorini. Come on in. The water's beautiful.
MYKONOS – Mykonos has lots of Ibiza-type beaches if you want a thumping music scene. But I prefer the bohemian strips of sand that pepper the island. Like Fokos. Bathing suit optional.
LESBOS, Greece – We didn't know much but were told we must see Molyvos. Everyone was right. The beaches are extraordinary, and the water is so clear and blue.
AEOLIAN ISLANDS, Italy – It's best to hike up the volcano at night, stopping off for dinner at a restaurant close to the top. People cheer when the lava explodes in the sky. It's like organic dinner theater.
I dream about my meal at a ryokan near Tokyo. Everywhere I go, I check out the beach. When I arrive in a new place, I learn the lay of the land by getting lost.