Looking for an unusual and beautiful landscape? Sandstone canyons, flamingo-dotted salt flats, steaming geysers, hot springs, volcanic peaks and alien-looking rock formations are on offer all around San Pedro de Atacama. Hiking, biking and horseback riding are the preferred means of exploration. Death Valley here is surprisingly great for picnics.

Known for walkable urban villages like Crystal City, Rosslyn and Ballston, Arlington was part of the "10 miles square" surveyed in 1791 to be the United States capital. Just across the Potomac from Washington, Arlington is home to the Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery, the Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima), Air Force Memorial and Pentagon Memorial. With 11 Metro stops, Arlington is car-optional and offers visitors everything from eclectic theatre to Bohemian cafes.

With its beaches of soft sand or smooth pebbles, sylvan hiking paths and historic lighthouses, Rockport may be the perfect place to sit down and compose that magnum opus, write your novel or paint your master work. The waters surrounding Cape Ann beckon scuba divers, kayakers and sailors to explore the bay. Watch for whales or puffins on one of many charters; hike through the wilds of Halibut Point or along the breathtaking Headlands. Find inspiration in the glades and bluffs of Cape Ann.

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.

Northwest of Tahoe City, the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics still seduces ski fanatics to its slopes. Squaw Valley's impressive stats--34 lifts, 6 great peaks, 4000-acres of world-class terrain—give winter visitors a major high. High Camp's Olympic Museum provides skiers sights to aspire to.

On the California-Nevada border, Truckee-Lake Tahoe's scenic mountain beauty is perfect for romantic getaways and outdoor excitement. Lake Tahoe is America's largest alpine lake, with beautiful blue water surrounded by 70 miles of gorgeous shoreline. Donner Lake offers a public beach, and Donner Memorial State Park has campsites and trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding and rock climbing. Boca Dam and Reservoir features magnificent fishing, with rainbow, brook, and brown trout, plus Kokanee salmon.