Las Vegas: Red Rock Canyon

Las Vegas is a destination absolutely brimming with over-the-top excitement. From the flashing lights to glittering shows, massive buffets, and tempting poker tables, it’s always a feast for the senses. But, if you feel like you need a reset amid your trip, the answer is to head to the nearby Red Rock CanyonOpens in a new window. The conservation area sits just 30 minutes outside the city and has hundreds of miles of hiking trails to explore. Plan a visit in the early morning or the evening for even thinner crowds and to see the sun cast a stunning burnt orange hue across the brick red rocks.

Paris: The Arc de Triomphe

The romance of Paris is unparalleled. It’s a spot where everything is très chic, including its secondary tourism attractions. Sure, if it’s your first visit to the City of Light, a visit to the Eiffel Tower is a must. (Pro tip: See it at night when its light show sets the tower aglow.) However, Paris is also packed with other significant historical gems, including the Arc de TriompheOpens in a new window, a monument first built to celebrate Napoleon’s victories and later dedicated to the armies of the Revolution and the Empire. The monument is also home to the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and a flame of remembrance is rekindled at the site every day at 6:30pm.

Tokyo: Jimbocho Book Town

Tokyo is home to more than 4,000 temples and shrines that are each well worth a visit (when the option to travel to Japan becomes available to you, of course), like the famed Meiji Shrine. The shrine is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife, and its grounds are surrounded by a lush park landscape that makes for an excellent place to take a stroll. After seeing the big stuff, dig a bit deeper into the local culture by heading to Jimbocho Book Town, located at the intersection directly above Jimbocho Station in the Kanda district. The neighborhood is overflowing with book shops selling new and classic titles, as well as a few rare booksellers that may surprise you. Pick up a good read or two, find a nearby tea shop, and spend a quiet day flipping through the pages of your new treasures.

Rome: Roman Forum

Here’s the good news about Rome: There are historical sites for you to explore at almost every turn. Perhaps the most commanding is the Colosseum. As the most recognizable landmark in Rome, it’s no surprise people flock to it day after day to catch a glimpse of this ancient architectural masterpiece. After spotting it from either near or far, move on to the Roman ForumOpens in a new window, an equally impressive archaeological site with its own fascinating history. The Forum is a square located in the center of the city (in fact, it’s just a one-minute walk from the Colosseum), which is packed with ruins of several ancient government buildings and temples. Take a guided tour to soak in everything you can and walk away feeling smarter for it.

New York City: The Cloisters

From the Empire State Building to the Statue of Liberty, the Freedom Tower to the Brooklyn Bridge, New York City has too many astounding must-see tourist attractions to count. One that seems to go overlooked time and time again is The CloistersOpens in a new window. Located at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters is a collection of medieval abbeys and chapels that were disassembled stone by stone from Spain and France then rebuilt in a garden setting in the middle of the city. The site contains more than 5,000 Medieval European works of art and architecture on display to admire.

Athens: Theatre of Dionysus

Like Rome, Athens is a place where history is bountiful, almost to the point of being overwhelming. From the Acropolis to the Parthenon and the Temple of Zeus, it’s got something for everyone. While in town, make sure to also carve out some time to see a site that’s far less visited than the ones listed above—the Theatre of DionysusOpens in a new window. It sits just feet from the Acropolis, so it’s easy to tack on a quick visit to a spot far fewer people tend to see. It was the first theatre built in Athens, and at its prime, could seat 17,000 fans at once. Take a seat, close your eyes, and imagine what seeing the very first play production was like way back in the 6th century B.C.

Peru: Sacsayhuaman

For many travelers, spending time in Peru means making the journey to Machu Picchu. And we get it. It’s a cultural and historical mecca that’s most certainly a sight to behold. But, on the way there, try to make a detour at one of the nation’s other important—and wildly underrated—monuments, SacsayhuamanOpens in a new window. Located close to Cusco, the site is the largest architectural work by the Incas and reportedly took some 20,000 men to construct. Today, an estimated 40% of the site still stands, making it all the more impressive to gaze at and imagine what once was.