Henley Vazquez

The tiny central African country is erupting with fascinating things to do – from wildlife safaris and jungle treks to visiting women’s cooperative craft shops and drinking homemade banana beer. With plastic bags banned for years, Rwanda is at the forefront of sustainability in Africa. Conservation is central to the tourism industry which preserves habitat for wildlife making Rwanda one of the best places to see the Big Five and rare primates and apes including chimpanzees and gorillas.

With international travel hassles and overcrowded destinations, I've been leaning more towards domestic adventures lately. Especially with kids in tow and an ever busy work life, road trips have become my go-to. They check all the boxes – budget-friendly, great for making family memories and flexible enough for last-minute plans.

Recently, I hit the open road with my kids, driving from DC to Atlanta. With fall just around the corner, it felt like the perfect time to head south and soak in the southern charm. The trip was a mix of culture, learning and laid-back nature escapes.

Though it’s a year-round destination, the perfect time to visit Chile is in the Northern Hemisphere fall, winter and early spring before the peak season for rainfall starts in the Atacama. Adventure types will be enamored with all the active experiences Chile has to offer. There’s no doubt this country in South America is a bucket-list place you must visit once in a lifetime, although you’ll likely end up wanting to go back and see more as the country is long and vast. Make Santiago your base and jet off on side trips to some of Chile’s most spectacular destinations. Before booking anything in Chile, reconcile yourself with a lot of car time. Know that the draw of the Chilean places you’ll experience in this travel guide overshadow logistics.

The quickest way to St. Tropez? It’s called St. Barth’s, the Caribbean’s most stylish destination where French flair and island vibes combine for a fabulous beach getaway.