The Dominican Republic’s north coast is the Caribbean capital of edgy aqua sports and extreme partying.

As the summertime tourist stampede fades from memory, life goes on (gorgeously) in the city’s working-class districts and artist-colony islands.

Two hours away from touristy Tamarindo (and miles from any paved roads), this laid-back village is the perfect place to catch your first wave.

A four-hour drive from Manhattan, the sleepy Adirondacks town is a great jumping-off point for strenuous fall hikes.

Big D’s ongoing building boom means ever-expanding malls, a high concentration of haute couture, and a flurry of boutique openings.

Long Island’s less-posh fork harvests much more than potatoes and corn these days. Its 30-plus vineyards and Slow Food–minded dining scene offers a tasty alternative to the Hamptons.

Whether you like your thrills on wheels, trails, or rocks, there’s much fun to be had in the crags of the Shawangunk Mountains just 90 miles north of Manhattan.

A spate of renovations to hotels, restaurants, and old-fashioned main streets has given Connecticut River Valley towns like Essex, Ivoryton, and Chester a much-needed dose of modernity.

Mangrove-lined islands and backcountry rivers and canals attract a remarkable mix of fish species—and waterfront activities—to the coast and inlets of the Gulf of Mexico.

This season’s metallic leggings and T-shirt dresses may be gone by fall, but in the City of Light, yesterday's couture is still in vogue—and for sale.