Healing Spas, Lake Cruises, and World-Class Gastronomy: 3 Small Towns to Visit in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

When the Van Cortlandt family acquired their sprawling Hudson Valley estate in the late 1600s, they couldn't have imagined that it would one day host a jack-o'-lantern festival with pumpkin sculptures including a Kraken, moving windmill, and Statue of Liberty.

Summer vacations to Europe don’t have to mean sea and sand. Fresh water is equally as appealing, and the continent’s most beautiful lake regions are simply stunning year-round. Lake Como’s crystal clear water, dramatic scenery, picturesque villages, and five-star hotels — not to mention A-list celebrity visitors — have contributed to the region’s reputation for being the most romantic (and luxurious) lake in Europe. And while this is very true, Como is breathtaking, across the continent are other bodies of water that deserve attention. From the shores of Lough Corrib in Ireland, where you can stay in an ancient castle, to the limpid turquoise water of Lake Päijänne in Finland, where you can sleep overnight in a floating hotel made entirely of glass, these are the best lakes in Europe for a luxury vacation.

Island cruising usually conjures up images of crystal-clear water and bright sunshine in the Caribbean or the Mediterranean, and while MSC certainly offers sailings to both these popular destinations, the cruise line is also organizing a very different kind of island voyage.

On the western slope of the Wasatch Range, Salt Lake City is well known for its giant lake and for being a winter playground, with an abundance of chairlifts, backcountry ski runs, snowshoeing trails, and more snowy activities within reach less than an hour from downtown. But locals know that Salt Lake City has just as much outdoor adventure to offer during the warmer months. In fact, from the expansive canyons of the neighboring Wasatch Range to the foothills that form the edge of downtown, Salt Lake City is a hotspot for summer wildflowers.

Our first RV road trip in the UK put us straight in the deep end. My fiance James and I rented an RV and drove three hours south from our cottage near Glasgow, Scotland, to The Lake District in northern England with our Bengal, Angus. We’re both well-seasoned outdoors people, but this was the first time making a trip in a six-berth RV with our one-year-old kitten to a remote site with no hook-up or cell reception. That meant we had to pack smart. We learned a lot over the long weekend. I simultaneously overpacked and underpacked. We ran out of essentials like garbage bags by the final day. We should have packed the cooler and quick-drying towels. But we also had some wins. Below are some of our packing essentials that will join us on our future RV adventures.

When most Americans think of cruises, they probably think of island-hopping in the Caribbean or cruising by glaciers in Alaska from afar. That may be appealing for some people, but for others, the idea of being lazy on a ship of thousands of people for a week doesn’t sound like much of a vacation.

River cruises are soaring in popularity. They are becoming a new luxury tipple for those looking for a more intimate cruising experience on a smaller vessel. UNIWORLD is one of the leading boutique river cruise companies specializing in all-inclusive vacations. From classic routes such as The Danube and The Rhine to jungle adventures on the Peruvian Amazon, the cruise line offers exciting itineraries across the globe, with new offerings added throughout the year. One of their most extravagant trips is the Death on the Nile (without the murder) Splendors of Egypt and the Nile Cruise.

St. Kilda is arguably Scotland’s most storied island destination. The archipelago, inhabited for 4,000 years and evacuated of its last 36 inhabitants in 1930, is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the home of nearly one million seabirds, including the UK’s largest colony of Atlantic Puffin. While intriguing, the westernmost island in Scotland is, unsurprisingly, a hard place to reach. But it’s not impossible. St. Hilda Sea Adventures is one of a handful of Scottish small-ship cruise lines that can take you there.

If you’re looking for a cruise but don’t like the sound of a mega-ship, river cruises offer more intimate, handcrafted experiences, taking guests to parts of the world inaccessible to larger vessels. There’s a bunch of luxury river cruise companies providing five-star service, dining, and accommodation. One of the better in Europe is Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours. With nearly 40 years of experience, Scenic’s routes range from an architectural journey through the Douro Valley in Portugal to the French vineyards and romantic towns in Budapest. They offer a range of routes, but one of the most popular is the 15-day Romantic Rhine and Moselle itinerary. It explores two of Europe’s most enchanting river valleys, lesser-known historical sites, and includes a classical concert in a UNESCO-listed church in Trier, Germany.

When I first arrived to the Gstaad, Switzerland train station, it was late at night. I couldn’t see much, and I was so tired that I quickly made my way to my hotel and went to bed.

For those of us who travel to hear stories, it’s hard to beat small Midwestern towns. Everyone, everywhere, has a story to tell, but Midwest folks take the time to tell you theirs.

Leading full-service luxury villa company Rental Escapes has added as many as 65 hand-selected villas to its impressive collection of unique stays around the world.