This winter, your favorite Caribbean destinations will be showing off a bevy of new and improved hotels, spas and restaurants. Here’s what you need to know to plan your next great getaway.

Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort is the newest arrival on Mexico’s 81-mile Riviera Maya. All 491 rooms feature sleek, modern furniture, and 89 are reserved for adults only, with private plunge pools, massage tables and two whirlpool tubs.

Viceroy Anguilla Resort – The luxe but low-key CuisinArt Resort & Spa recently added a trio of three-bedroom beachfront villas, each featuring a courtyard, patio and pool. Set to open this month are three five-bedroom garden-view villas, which can be booked in a variety of configurations to suit the size of your group.

Jumby Bay, Antigua – Just in time for high season, the Inn at English Harbour puts the finishing touches on a $1.5 million renovation. Each of the colonial-style inn’s 28 rooms now features modern touches such as flat-screen TVs, iPod docking stations and Wi-Fi access; the beachfront bistro has been remodeled and expanded; and there’s also a new spa.

Crane Resort, Barbados – The venerable Crane Resort & Residences has been around since 1887, but the hotel isn’t resting on its laurels. This year it unveiled the new Crane Village inspired by 18th-century Bajan architecture. There’s a reception and lounge area, plus a gym, conference facility, private theater, and a variety of shops, restaurants and bars.

St. Georges Caye Resort, Belize – Set on a 320-acre spit of private sand just off the barrier reef and 20 minutes by boat from Belize City, diving- and fishing-friendly St. George’s Caye Resort recently added six bungalows — four oceanfront and two garden-view — along with a new swimming pool. The $2 million renovation has doubled the number of accommodations, and each thatch-roof bungalow features a private veranda and a fully stocked minibar.

Cotton Tree, Cayman Islands – Charming West Bay boutique resort Cotton Tree opened last March on the shores of Grand Cayman’s quiet Barker’s Beach. Each of its four two-bedroom cottages features a contemporary interior, kitchen, patio, spa bathroom and local art. There’s also a gym, pool and private spa pavilion, where guests can take yoga classes.

Golden Bear Lodge and Spa, Dominican Republic - Golfers will love Zoetry’s brand-new Golden Bear Lodge and Spa, which opens this month in Cap Cana and boasts two Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses. Golden Bear’s 126 suites feature marble bathrooms with whirlpools for two, plus terraces or patios — some with private plunge pools. If golf isn’t your thing, there’s also an infinity pool, four tennis courts and a fitness center.

Couples Tower Isle, Jamaica - Couples Tower Isle, formerly Couples Ocho Rios, reopened in April after a yearlong, $30 million renovation. The island’s original all-inclusive resort now feels brand-new with a revamped, retro-modern lobby and a terrace, game room, spa, 8 Rivers restaurant and piano bar. All rooms have been renovated, and 16 ocean-view suites feature patios with plunge pools. New additions include a wedding gazebo, oceanfront veggie and juice bar, a pool grill and a dive pool.

Privilege Aluxes, Cancun, Mexico – Eight miles off the Cancun coast, sleepy little Isla Mujeres is now home to Privilege Aluxes, a 124-room boutique that woos foodies with three upscale restaurants that tempt the taste buds with inventive cuisine. Most rooms offer private balconies with soaking tubs, and Presidential suites feature terraces with ocean views and private pools. The resort, which sits on a quiet stretch of Playa Norte, also has a spa.

Radisson St. Martin Resort, St. Martin - Last July, the year-old Radisson St. Martin Resort, Marina & Spa opened le Spa, a full-service sanctuary and fitness center that features a menu of body and facial services, as well as a poolside treatment cabana.

Gansevoort Turks and Caicos – South Beach style meets Grace Bay sands on Providenciales, where the Gansevoort Turks and Caicos opened last March. The stylish resort has 91 rooms (including 32 suites and four penthouses) featuring dark wood, platform beds, and bathrooms with rain showers and spa tubs. Chill out in the 7,000-square-foot infinity pool or at the Exhale Spa.

Besides the above resorts, there are countless other possibilities – both in Mexico and the Caribbean – at very reasonable prices. Pioneer Travel, the official travel agency of Quality Vacations, has great deals on the above resorts and many other destinations around the globe. For further questions, email Stephen Rhodes at: indysteve1563@yahoo.com. To book, please click here.

Folks, Christmas is just around the corner and yes, you don’t necessarily have to spend it at home. After all, the world’s your oyster – go and find your pearl! I have what I think are the best holiday hotspots that are out there that have a little something for everybody. Some are here in the States while others are international in location. My picks for where to spend your Christmas are:

Taos, NM

Why Go There: This remote village on a high desert plain is especially magical at Christmas, thanks to its rich mix of cultural traditions. Not to miss: historic Ledoux Street all lit up with luminarias(paper lanterns); the ceremonial reenactments of Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter, called posadas; and the dramatic American Indian Christmas Eve celebration that takes over the main square in Taos Pueblo. Plus, you can ski all day long on Christmas Day at Taos Ski Resort, 18 miles away.

Holiday Dinner: On twinkling Ledoux Street, the seven-table hideaway Byzantium will offer its new winter menu—with dishes like shrimp ceviche and grilled pork scaloppine with apple, cabbage, and mustard-seed compote—beginning at 5 p.m. on Christmas Day. Reservations are a must.

Stocking Stuffers: For locally produced, mostly silver jewelry, including traditional American Indian styles, head to Mesa’s Edge, just off the plaza. Or, stop by Kimosabefor cowboy and American Indian and Spanish colonial folk art collectibles.

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Why Go There: The Spanish colonial gem and cultural hot spot in central Mexico is electric at Christmas, with theatrical processions around town, numerous posadasreenactments, and fireworks, live music, and dancing in the main square, El Jardín. Don’t miss a taste of ponche, a kind of Mexican hot toddy made of fruits and brandy, or the sweet bread rosca de reyes, both Christmas specialties.

Holiday Dinner: There’s no dining setting more spectacular than La Capilla, located in the centuries-old “chapel” behind the main cathedral. This year, its Christmas menu includes delicate crêpes with huitlacochemushrooms and fresh house-made goat cheese; roasted lamb chops with sour orange and coriander sauce; and pork loin stuffed with fig and chipotle chutney.

Stocking Stuffers: Pay a visit to art and design center Fabrica La Aurora, the 1902-built former textile factory that’s home to artists’ studios, galleries, and a wealth of shops selling housewares, antiques, ceramics, jewelry, and other treasures. For edibles, pick up hand-painted Mexican chocolates and pecan meringues at the atmospheric boutique at La Capilla (above).

Tromso, Norway

Why Go There: The snowy city island of Tromso offers unparalleled views of the northern lights (look for them between 6 p.m. and midnight) and a chance to say you’ve been to the North Pole—well, the Arctic Circle, anyway—for Christmas. Plus, there’s dogsledding, great food, and a mountaintop cable car. Here, “day” is just a couple hours of twilight blue.

Holiday Dinner: Go to the Clarion for a traditional Norwegian Christmas dinner at its restaurant, Astro. The chef will serve pinnekjøtt, cured lamb ribs, served with puréed rutabaga and boiled potatoes; and ribbe, a crispy version of spareribs, accompanied by Christmas sausage, apples, prunes, and red cabbage.

Stocking Stuffers: Norwegian chain Husfliden is the place to go for traditional clothing, including bunads (the Norwegian national costume) and handwoven sweaters. Blast, a glassblowing studio, sells the wares of its three resident artists.

Key West, FL

Why Go There: Good cheer and warm temperatures are typically Key West’s winning attributes, and Christmas is no exception. The trimmed palm trees, done-up historic inns (tours Dec. 11, 12, 18, and 19), and four festooned blocks of boats along the historic waterfront (the “Bight Before Christmas”) only amplify the town’s merriment.

Holiday Dinner: Housed in a 1906 Victorian manse, Nine One Five’s holiday menu mixes tapas (bacon-wrapped dates; duck liver pâté) with entrées such as Soul Mama seafood soup and mushroom risotto. Open Christmas Day 6–9 p.m.

Stocking Stuffers: Bésame Mucho is your best bet for sensual gifts like perfume or handwoven shopping bags made from palm fronds. Despite its moniker, local department store Fast Buck Freddie’s stocks tasteful—and sometimes whimsical—housewares and clothing.

Chicago

Why Go There: The Windy City embraces yuletide cheer to the max, with a million holiday lights along bustling Magnificent Mile; Christkindlmarket, a huge outdoor German crafts market with beer and fare like sausages to stoke your fire; a towering handmade Christmas tree; and Navy Pier’s Winter WonderFest, a holiday-themed amusement park and indoor skating rink.

Holiday Dinner: Cozy wine-driven eatery the Cellar at Bin 36 is serving its creative, locally sourced menu ($110) from 5 p.m. on Christmas Day. Starter highlights like semolina-crusted soft-shell crab and Applewood smoked bacon sausage are followed by the likes of a star-anise duck-leg confit with crispy potato Rösti, grilled Angus New York strip steak with truffled celery purée, and wild-mushroom and Gruyère cannelloni. Expert wine pairings are, of course, de rigueur.

Stocking Stuffers: The Chicago Architecture Foundation Shop is a must for Chicago-centric fare like Frank Lloyd Wright notecards, Lego sets of iconic buildings, or a round Chicago-sewer doormat.

Vienna, Austria

Why Go There: An old-fashioned warmth envelops Vienna at Christmas, softening the hard edges of imperial architecture with twinkling decorations and three outdoor Christkindlmarkts, which are best visited at night. Vendors sell crafts and ornaments, while visitors fuel their shopping with finger food and a glass of spiced mulled wine, or glühwein. And the Vienna Boys’ Choir gives free concerts Sundays at 9:15 a.m.

Holiday Dinner: Eight, the Ring’s acclaimed restaurant, is offering four- and five-course Christmas menus (from $128) with a choice of two entrées: roe deer loin with macadamia-nut brioche dumplings and port wine red cabbage, or truffle-crusted turbot with pumpkin orzo.

Stocking Stuffers: Seek out the confectionary Demel for chocolates, Sacher torte (supposedly made according to the original court recipe), marzipan, and pastries, and be sure to check out the marzipan museum in the basement. Loden-Plankl is the only place in town to go for traditional Austrian garb, from lederhosen to wool capes.

Quebec City

Why Go There: Lit-up cobblestone streets, 16th- and 17th-century stone houses, and lots and lots of snow make Quebec’s 400-year-old walled city an atmospheric and European-like place to be at Christmas. Quebec’s good cheer and great food could make you remember you love winter after all.

Holiday Dinner: Serving traditional Québécois cuisine based on 17th-century French recipes, Aux Anciens Canadiens is offering its main menu on Christmas Day from 5 p.m. Appetizer highlights include foie gras au torchon on a baguette and scallops and prawns in a white-wine sauce, while entrées run the gamut from a vegetable terrine to filet mignon of wild caribou. (Prix fixe $36-$79, depending on the main course, or à la carte.)

Stocking Stuffers: Step back in time with a visit to Maison Jean-Alfred Moisan grocery, a 140-year-old Vieille Quebec mainstay. For Québécois clothes, try La Maison Simons department store, and for hand-wrought ceramics, Boutique Pauline Pelletier is a good bet.

These and other quality Christmas destinations are available for you to check out, and Pioneer Travel, the official travel agency of Quality Vacations, has some pretty sweet deals to these and other locales, both here in the U.S. and elsewhere. to book or for more information, click here.

With over-the-top resorts, year-round sunshine, killer shopping, picturesque beaches, and the world’s tallest building, Dubai quickly became the celebrity destination of choice.

Not only were the Beckhams and Jolie-Pitts falling all over themselves to jet-set to the Persian Gulf, many were even investing in real estate there.

Well, until the government went public with their $80 million worth of financial woes.

Now that Dubai is done, where will the celebrities go to hide away from the unwashed masses? Morocco.

Just this past weekend, a bunch of A-listers jetted to Marrakesh to celebrate the opening of a Chopard boutique at the La Mamounia Hotel. Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Orlando Bloom, Salma Hayek, Miranda Kerr and Juliette Binoche were just a few of the guests in attendance. Could this signify a renaissance of the ’60s bohemian hot spot?

There’s lots of other hotspots not named Dubai that are out there. And you may be surprised where they are. These locales will have the rich and famous wandering around:

Croatia: The civil war is long over and celebs are rediscovering what tourists knew in the 1980s. Croatia — on the Adriatic arm of the Mediterranean — rivals other European seaside areas with beaches, sailing, and superb cuisine that’s attracted superstars like Steven Spielberg, Andre Agassi, Gwyneth Paltrow, Robert De Niro, Clint Eastwood, and Sharon Stone.

Turks and Caicos: Funny name, amazing islands. Since the opening of a handful of luxury resorts in the ’90s, this British West Indies 40-island archipelago has been working hard to make tourists forget about its shady past as a drug-smuggling hotbed. The exquisite beaches have called out to Donna Karan, Barbra Streisand and Britney Spears.

South Africa: With the World Cup in Cape Town right around the corner, tourists are running to score a vacation here. Just ask Oprah, Beyonce, and Kim Kardashian.

Bora Bora: One of the 118 islands that make up French Polynesia, Bora Bora is making celebs skip Tahiti because of its coral gardens and lavish spas. “Couples Retreat” was filmed there if you need a visual. Janet Jackson, Pierce Brosnan, Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz can’t all be wrong, right?

Kenya: Perfect weather, top-of-the-line accommodations, and scarcity of local media make this African country the perfect place to hide out. Bill Gates, Naomi Campbell, Serena and Venus Williams, and Oprah have all slipped under the radar here.

Whistler, British Columbia: Sure, we know celebs are “oot and aboot” every winter in Aspen, but this year folks like Sandra Bullock and Harrison Ford may be taking their expensive skis and snowboards to Whistler, BC. Oh yeah … and the 2010 Winter Olympics will be there as well.

There are plenty of deals to these hotspots throughout 2010. Pioneer Travel, the official travel agency of Quality Vacations, has tons of great deals to these locales plus many others. to book or for more information, click here.

While the Napa Valley region of California is a very popular wine destination, you don’t necessarily have to do what the natives do, so to speak. There are some off-the-beaten-path things that are available in Napa which are every bit as enjoyable as the usual things. Here’s a sampling:

There aren’t that many vineyards in the Napa Valley

Although it has casually been dubbed California’s wine country, Napa Valley is hardly the state’s largest wine-producing region (that honor goes to San Joaquin Valley, 80 miles southeast). Napa’s 400 wineries produce only 4 percent of the state’s wine. The focus here is quality, not quantity. But I suppose that is old news, especially if you frequent the area on a regular basis.

A kitchen shop with character

Shackford’s Kitchen Store in downtown Napa has a seemingly endless selection of gleaming gizmos: cupcake molds, paella pans, cappuccino makers. But the most compelling item in the place is John Shackford himself, a true Napa legend who runs the shop with his wife, daughter, and granddaughter. At 80, Shackford works in the store six days a week, just as he has for the past 34 years, punching an antique cash register, hand-printing receipts, and calling his customers by first name. 1350 Main St., Napa, 707/226-2132.

A wine tour using legs, not limos

In the town of Napa, 18 tasting rooms stand within easy walking distance of one another, and a $20 Taste Napa Downtown card gets you a pour at 13 of them. Officially, each winery is supposed to charge you 10¢ to do the tasting, but most won’t take your dime. napadowntown.com

The Preiser Key tells all

Consider Monty and Sara Preiser your all-knowing wine country guides. They’re the couple who in March 2007 launched The Preiser Key to Napa Valley, a free booklet that comes as close as possible to listing every Napa wine label (over 800) and restaurant (170) — but no chains! The Key also includes detailed maps of the region. They put out a new issue three times a year and distribute it all throughout the valley. Visit: preiserkey.com

It’s all casual, all the time

In Napa, there’s no such thing as a dress code, even in the poshest places. So that bearded guy in weathered blue jeans sitting at the next table? He’s probably just the billionaire from next door.

Fainting goats. Yes, fainting goats!

In Calistoga, a town near the top of the valley known for its hot springs, there’s a regularly erupting geyser called — you guessed it — Old Faithful. You’ll want to tread lightly; the area near the geyser is also home to a herd of Tennessee fainting goats, a quirky breed with a nervous-system disorder that causes them to keel over (harmlessly and temporarily) when startled. 1299 Tubbs Ln., Calistoga, 707/942-6463; $10 adults, $3 kids 6–12. oldfaithfulgeyser.com

The road less traveled

When the traffic bottlenecks on Highway 29, Napa’s central thoroughfare, find salvation on the 35-mile Silverado Trail, a pastoral road along the valley’s eastern edge that’s lined with world-class, often small-batch wineries whose labels you’re unlikely to find at your local grocery store. Visit: silveradotrail.com

The two-wheel option

Founded 22 years ago, Napa Valley Bike Tours is an area fixture. Among the staff’s favorite routes to lead you on is the Rutherford Loop, a 16-mile spin that meanders through the Rutherford and Oakville appellations, known for their cabernets, before depositing you back at the shop. If you’d rather go solo, you can pick up a map with other suggested routes. 6795 Washington St., Bldg. B, Yountville, 800/707-2453; tours from $134, rentals $35 per day. napavalleybiketours.com

There’s a respectable oil industry – olive, that is

Forget grapes — olives are another treasured Napa crop. Round Pond Estate, one of the valley’s top olive oil producers, offers guided tours that lead you from harvest to mill and culminate in tastings paired with cheese and freshly baked bread. 886 Rutherford Rd., Rutherford, 888/302-2575, tours $25, by appointment. roundpond.com

Lots of great deals to be had in this wine nirvana. For more information or to book, visit Pioneer Travel, the official travel agency of Quality Vacations by clicking here.

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The world’s largest cruise ship has arrived in Florida. The Oasis of the Seas docked Friday at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale.

From Greektown to Chinatown, from the Polish Triangle to Pakistani restaurants on Devon Avenue, Chicago has a wealth of diverse ethnic neighborhoods to explore.

Chicago is known as a city of neighborhoods and Patricia Sullivan, manager of the city’s Chicago Neighborhood Tours program, said visitors need to leave the tourist-heavy Loop and Michigan Avenue areas to really see the different ethnic and cultural corners of the city. According to Sullivan:

“They’re distinct and they’re beautiful. The architecture is different, as are the restaurants and the stores. It’s really a melting pot.”

Here are the ethnic neighborhoods in Chitown worth the time and effort:

CHINATOWN: Visitors to this neighborhood on Chicago’s near South Side will be greeted by the large red and green Chinatown Gate on Wentworth Avenue and Cermak Road. Here are blocks of stores to explore that sell Chinese slippers and robes, trinkets and bamboo plants alongside Chinese tea shops and herbalists. Restaurants range from nicer sit-down eateries to small take-out establishments. The neighborhood is home to the annual Chinese Lunar New Year parade with marching bands and floats. The community also hosts a summer concert series that includes traditional Chinese music in Chinatown Square along with a Chinatown summer fair each July. The Chinese-American Museum of Chicago (238 W. 23rd St.) has been closed since a fire in September 2008. For more information: http://www.chicagochinatown.org.

GREEKTOWN: It’s clear you’ve reached Greektown when you read the signage on the local Walgreens drugstore — it’s written in Greek. Greektown stretches along Halsted Street from Van Buren Street north to Washington Street in the city’s West Loop neighborhood. Fancier restaurants with names like Pegasus, Parthenon and Santorini serve saganaki (fried cheese) and spanakopita (spinach pie). They set alongside bakeries, candle shops and corner fast food eateries where you can order take-out gyros. The cultural center focuses around the National Hellenic Museum (801 W. Adams St.), where museum officials say visitors can see folk art and textile exhibits. The museum also boasts an oral history center that lets listeners wear headsets to hear Greek immigrants tell their stories. Each August the neighborhood hosts a Taste of Greece festival. The Greek Independence Day Parade is in the spring. For more information: http://www.greektownchicago.org/ and http://www.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/.

LITTLE ITALY: Chicago’s Italian community is centered along Taylor Street on the city’s near West Side bordered by the University of Illinois-Chicago campus. Dennis O’Neill, director of the neighborhood’s University Village Association, says visitors who walk west on Taylor Street from Halsted Street to Ashland Avenue will discover the area’s rich dining history. The street is lined with fancy Italian restaurants that serve pasta and steaks as well as take-out pizza and sandwich eateries. Among them are the red awnings of Al’s Italian Beef (1079 W. Taylor St.) where you can get 8-inch-long beef sandwiches with peppers and cheese. In the summer, lines form outside Mario’s Italian Lemonade (1068 W Taylor St.) for frosty to-go Italian ices. The neighborhood also is home to the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame (1431 W. Taylor St.), http://www.niashf.org/, where you can see boxer Rocky Marciano’s 1952 championship belt and Mario Andretti’s race car. Across the street, O’Neill says visitors shouldn’t miss Joe DiMaggio Plaza’s fountain and statue of the baseball great.

MEXICAN: Those looking to capture Mexican culture can tour both the Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods on Chicago’s near south and west sides. In Pilsen, start on Halsted and 18th streets and walk west to Ashland Avenue. Carlos Tortolero, president and founder of the neighborhood’s National Museum of Mexican Art (1852 W. 19th St.), says visitors will find affordable taquerias, art galleries, churches and shops selling religious goods. For restaurants, try La Cebollita (1807 S. Ashland Ave.) for sopes (dough patties with various toppings) or Taqueria El Milagro (1923 S. Blue Island Ave.). In Little Village, an arch welcomes visitors with the words “Bienvenidos a La Villita” at 26th Street and Albany Avenue. Walk west along 26th Street and the area stretches for more than a mile. Luis Alva, director of the Little Village Chamber of Commerce, says the neighborhood has more than 70 Mexican restaurants along with candy stores, bakeries and shops selling Mexican-style dresses, boots, hats and belts. The neighborhood hosts an annual Mexican Independence Day festival and parade. For more information: http://www.lavillitachamber.org/ and http://www.nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org/.

POLISH: There are several Polish areas in Chicago and the suburbs, but the main neighborhoods are along Milwaukee Avenue. Start at the historic Polish Triangle — the intersection of Milwaukee Avenue, Division Street and Damen Avenue. At the beginning of the last century, this neighborhood was crowded with Polish immigrants and businesses, says Jan Lorys, director of the Polish Museum of America. The museum (984 N. Milwaukee Ave.) is a few blocks southeast on Milwaukee Avenue, where visitors can see Polish folk costumes and crafts among other exhibits. A good place to get a meal nearby? Podhalanka (1549 W Division St.) is a small kitchen serving homestyle Polish food. Then travel northwest on Milwaukee Avenue to Belmont Avenue. Here, Lorys says, you’ll find a neighborhood lined with Polish groceries, bakeries, bookstores and shops. A popular restaurant in this area is the Red Apple Buffet (3121 N. Milwaukee Ave.) where you can eat a Polish dinner for $10-$11. For more information: http://www.polishmuseumofamerica.org/.

SOUTH ASIAN: Immigrants started opening businesses along Devon Avenue on Chicago’s North Side in the early 1970s and the area now is a bustling district, says Lakshmi Menon of the Indo-American Heritage Museum (6328 N. California Ave.). Start at California Avenue and walk east along Devon Avenue and the neighborhood stretches for more than 10 city blocks. Menon suggests a good first stop would be at a grocery where ethnic foods and special cooking utensils line the shelves. Popular grocery stores include Patel Brothers (2610 W. Devon Ave.) or Kamdar Plaza (2646 W. Devon Ave.). Sit-down, buffet and take-out restaurants serve tandoori dishes and naan breads while sweet shops have ethnic desserts. Try Hema’s Kitchen (2439 W. Devon Ave.) or the vegetarian Udupi Palace (2543 W. Devon Ave.), and for Pakistani cuisine, try Sabri Nehari, (2502 W. Devon Ave.), which is known, and named, for a stringy meat delicacy. Merchants along the street stock colorful sari dresses, embroidered outfits and an array of jewelry. The Indo-American museum offers guided tours by appointment at http://www.iahmuseum.org/.

CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD TOURS: If you’d rather have a guided tour, Chicago Neighborhood Tours offers bus rides between 3 and 4 1/2 hours long. Tours go through Chinatown, Greektown, Little Italy, Pilsen and Little Village. They also offer special interest tours, including Greek Chicago, Polish Chicago and Irish Chicago. Neighborhood tours are $25 for seniors and $30 for adults. Special interest tours include lunch and are $50 for adults and $45 for seniors. See http://www.chicagoneighborhoodtours.com for more information.

Getting the urge to experience Chicago from an ethnic point of view? Check out Pioneer Travel, the official travel agency of Quality Vacations. There are plenty of travel deals to Chicago through the end of this year. For more information or to book, please click here.

Looking to tread terrain still untouched by foreign stag expeditions? Want to unwind in luxury or drink up the sun? Here’s a few international hotspots that should help you become a “party animal”:

BELGRADE, SERBIA

The long years of bad press that kept Serbia off the map have now passed, and foreigners are now realizing what locals always knew – that Belgrade really rocks. With an exuberant population and its legacy as an intellectual hangout, Belgrade offers varied nightlife, ranging from eclectic watering holes for those in the know, to the busy restaurants and bars of the Skadarlija district and the summer clubs in barges on the Sava and Danube Rivers.

MONTREAL, CANADA

Easygoing Montreal is increasingly popular with foreign travelers, who enjoy the joie de vivre of a place with bilingual ambience, good local beer and even skiing at nearby Mt Royal. Montreal’s irrepressible student population and atmospheric old quarter give the city a light-hearted, Bohemian air. There are Old World cafes, cool jazz clubs, packed discos and late bars to choose from, plus a popular comedy festival each July.

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

With its unique mix of European and South American cultures, and a native passion for dance, the Argentine capital provides fertile ground for lively nightlife. There’s an emphasis on fashion and a diverse range of entertainment offerings in Buenos Aires’ barrios. Relax at a swinging jazz club or dance all night by the waterfront; some clubs and cultural centres offer classes so you can learn to tango or salsa like a local. There’s everything from Irish pubs and local folk to house parties.

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

For those who can afford it, the world capital of conspicuous consumption is unbeatable. Dubai’s extravagance is way over the top, with ultra luxury hotels on artificial islands, slick modern malls and tonnes of precious metals glittering in shops. Yet Dubai is also a cosmopolitan place, so if you’re not invited to party on board the private yacht of a celebrity, you can always mingle with people from around the world in the swank bars and clubs of the Middle East’s most decadent desert getaway.

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

With the 2010 World Cup bringing a global audience to South Africa, the partying will only get harder as travelers converge on a city already well known for nightlife. Luxuriate on some of the world’s best beaches by day and kick back under the moonlight at suave cocktail bars by night. Two hours east, in the Indian Ocean, lies the elegant beach village of Mossel Bay, with more great beaches and chic flair. Visitors must try some of the wines crafted by South Africa’s world-renowned vintners, either at a Cape Town bar or at one of several wineries nearby.

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

Myriad cafes, bars and dinner clubs cater to a hip young clientele. Try the glittering waterfront for smart bars, and hit the happening clubs (some stay open 24 hours). There are plenty of live shows on offer too, from folk in Devonport to louder sounds at Mt Eden. And you can always walk off the Sky Tower – the southern hemisphere’s tallest structure – a 328m cable-controlled drop in which jumpers reach a speed of 85 kph.

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL

Like elsewhere in the Mediterranean, Israel’s capital gets going late. The endless bars, pubs and cocktail venues start to fill up by midnight, from which point the nightclubs get revved up with dancing till dawn. Nowadays an international crowd joins Israelis for a mixed bag of funk, pop, house and techno at the city’s dozens of entertainment hotspots. Tel Aviv has a relaxed air, and prides itself on being gay-friendly and outgoing.

Pioneer Travel is the official travel agency of Quality Vacations. For more information on these destinations, travel deals or to book your next vacation, please click here.

While it is true that Australia is and always will be a popular travel destination, there is a little known destination that deserves some consideration that offers diverse, interesting and just as importantly, economical options. And what is this destination, you’re asking? It is a place not far from Australia: New Zealand. And they have a city that can be considered a well-kept secret: Auckland.

With a population of about 1.3 million people, twin-harbored Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city and is known as the City of Sails. The city will host the Rugby World Cup in 2011 -– one of the world’s largest sporting events -– but there are plenty of cheap and offbeat reasons to get to know it now.

Part of the Auckland’s downtown SKYCITY entertainment complex (which includes a casino, two hotels, restaurants and a theater), the 1,076-foot-hight Sky Tower is taller than the Eiffel Tower and is New Zealand’s tallest building.

Glass-fronted elevators (one with a glass floor) carry visitors to indoor observation areas offering 360-degree views of the city, its landmarks and the surrounding countryside, but thrill-seekers can opt to take a tethered outdoor stroll around an upper-level deck or get hooked up to a cable for a 14-second Sky Jump off the side.

Tip: Admission to the main Sky Tower observation deck is included in the Auckland Multipass, which offers discounts to four attractions. And while the Sky Walk and the Sky Jump are offbeat, they’re not cheap, so look for two-for-one coupons online and in tourist brochures.

New Zealand’s rich maritime history, from Polynesian migration and visits by Captain James Cook to modern day campaigns to capture the America’s Cup is explored at the New Zealand Maritime Museum (starting November 2nd, it’s the Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum).

In addition to temporary exhibitions, there are permanent indoor galleries filled with genuine and replica vessels used for trade and transport and an all-too-real reproduction of a steerage cabin from the 1840s that rocks (and rolls) to simulate a sea voyage. (Beware if you’re prone to seasickness.)

In December the museum will open a giant new wing dedicated to the late New Zealand hero, environmentalist and yachtsman, Sir Peter Blake. In addition to housing the 1995 America’s Cup-winning boat (NZL32-Black Magic), memorabilia from Blake’s life and career will be displayed, including his good luck charm: red socks.

Tip: Time it right and your admission to the Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum will include a ride on one of the museum’s vessels. Although it’s not actually pronounced the way it reads, kids will enjoy being able to tell friends about their trip on the museum’s historic steam launch, the SS Puke.

As you’ll learn in the Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum, or in conversation with just about anyone in town, the City of Sails is passionate about the sailing regatta and sporting trophy known as the America’s Cup.

It’s usually only the very wealthy — or the very skilled — that get to sail on the sleek, finely-tuned vessels that compete in these races, but Sail NZ has two former America’s Cup yachts, NZL40 and NZL41, that welcome aboard both experienced and novice sailors for laid-back, 2-hour sailings or 3-hour yacht-vs.-yacht races.

Tip: The contest for the America’s Cup, yachting’s Holy Grail, began back in 1851. Read New Zealand’s take on the history of the race here.

While it does tell the stories of and serve as a memorial site for New Zealanders lost in wars, the massive, 80-year old Auckland War Memorial Museum is better known as the home of the country’s major natural and human history collections.

Highlights include dinosaurs, an Egyptian mummy, the ice axe that New Zealand’s Sir Edmund Hillary used to climb Mount Everest, and galleries filled with treasures of the Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand.

For an educational and enjoyable crash course in Maori culture, attend one of the museum’s daily Maori cultural performances and/or the guided tours of the Maori gallery.

Tip: For its Sonic Museum project, the Auckland Museum asked well-known New Zealand musicians and sound artists to create aural responses to some of the museum galleries. Listen to what they came up with here.

As its name implies, Auckland’s Butterfly Creek has plenty of butterflies and you’ll find up to 700 colorful, free-flying butterflies flitting about in the warm, walk-though butterfly house.

But “the Creek” is also home to a petting farm with tropical fish, birds, lizards, baby alligators, giant saltwater crocodiles (Scar and Goldie), tarantulas, cockroaches, and New Zealand’s largest insect, the giant weta, or wetapunga, which weighs as much as a small mouse.

Tip: You can walk to Butterfly Creek from the Auckland Airport, but the attraction also provides complimentary shuttle rides back and forth, making this a good option for long layovers with (or without) young children.

The 40-acre Museum of Transport and Technology is home to more than 30,000 objects, ranging from a cute-but-complete Victorian village to farm machinery, trams, restored steam trains, the world’s first chilled beer tanker, and Auckland’s original pump house, with its giant restored beam engine.

In the Pioneers of Aviation exhibit, you’ll find a replica of the plane Richard Pearse used to become the first New Zealander to fly, and audio visual displays that detail the life of Jean Batten, a pioneer aviatrix from New Zealand who broke several flying records.

Tip: Museum admission includes entry to MOTAT’s aviation collection, housed down the road. The Sir Keith Park Memorial Aviation Collection includes more than two dozen aircraft and a few one-of-a-kind items.

Auckland has close to 50 volcanic cones, but don’t fret: the last eruption was about 600 years ago, and chances are slim (to none) that another eruption will take place anytime soon.

So don’t be shy about visiting two of the prettiest and easiest-to-access in-city volcano sites: One Tree Hill and Mount Eden.

One Tree Hill (named for a lone and long-gone sacred tree; not the U2 song or the TV show) is among Auckland’s largest volcanoes and was the site of the largest documented Maori settlement.

The park at Mount Eden, Auckland’s highest volcano site, is one of the city’s most popular lookout sites.

Tip: Several groups offer guided volcano walking tours. You can also learn more about Auckland’s volcanoes at the interactive Volcanoes exhibit at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, where you can sit in a mock-up of a typical Auckland home as it shakes and rattles in a scary, simulated eruption.

When it first opened in May, 1959, more than 100,000 people took the opportunity to walk across the Auckland Harbor Bridge over Waitemata Harbor.

Today, the only way to cross the bridge is by bus or car, or on foot during the annual Auckland Marathon, which takes place this year on November 1.

The rest of the year, brave souls can climb the bridge with a tour guide or drop and dangle from it on a Bungy Jump.

Tip: Throughout 2009, the Auckland Harbor Bridge is celebrating its 50th anniversary. View an online exhibition about the history of the bridge here.

Some caves in Waitomo and other parts of New Zealand offer the perfect breeding grounds for an unusual fly: the Arachnocampa Luminosa, or the New Zealand glow worm.

During its one-year lifecycle, the fly spends much of its time as a luminescent worm that sends out a sticky web to catch food.

While it sounds icky, once you’ve hiked down into a limestone cave and gazed up from a boat at a ceiling beaming with thousands of neon-green dots, you’ll forget that glow worms are actually phosphorescent maggots.

Tip: Waitomo is about a 3-hour drive from Auckland. In addition to the Glow Worm caves, many visitors give underground “black water” rafting a try.

Pioneer Travel is the official travel agency of Quality Vacations. They have the largest inventory to more destinations than any other travel portal. Whether you want to visit New Zealand or any other domestic or international locale, Pioneer Travel will take you there. For the most up-to-date travel specials or to book your next vacation, click here.

Quick: What city do you think of when you think great coffee shops? How about terrific music? What if you’re in search of the perfect winter getaway?

Say you just want to meet some friendly locals — where would you go? Or perhaps you have a least favorite city, where the restaurants are overrated or overpriced and the people aren’t so attractive — or smart?

TravelandLeisure.com really wanted to know, so for the third consecutive year, they asked visitors to our site to rank their favorite American urban locales. These travel experts weighed in on a wide variety of topics: where they like to go for a family vacation, a shopping bender, or a relaxing getaway; and which spots are the best for cheap eats, haute cuisine, and more.

This year they changed the rules a little. Before the main survey opened, they gave travelers one month to vote for five additional cities to join the 25 veterans in our lineup.

The voting was tight, but the results were clear: Houston, Kansas City, Cleveland, St. Louis, and Providence would all contend for titles in the 55 survey categories.

Knowing how strongly travelers feel about airports and hotels, TravelandLeisure.com also expanded the survey to include questions about how the cities’ airports rate on everything from on-time arrivals to layover-worthy restaurants. And they added questions about which cities offer the best lodging options, ranging from the biggest big-name luxury hotels down to the smallest B&Bs.

The 2009 survey opened at midnight on June 1. Visitors rated the 30 American cities in 10 overall categories (People, Type of Trip, Hotels, Nightlife, Culture, Shopping, Food/Dining, Quality of Life/Visitor Experience, Airports, and Holiday Travel) and 55 subcategories.

By the time the voting closed, at 11:59 p.m. on July 31, visitors had answered almost four million questions about their favorite — and least favorite — destinations.

And what did they tell us? Well, Miami is home to America’s most attractive people (though perhaps not its most intelligent), Cleveland and Kansas City are the best spots for an affordable getaway (they tied), Minneapolis/St. Paul ranks No. 1 for smart people, and Houston is home to the best airports.

But that just scratches the surface. Where do travelers go for a wild weekend? Where do they head when they’re in the mood for a getaway in a stylish boutique hotel? And where would they never take their kids?

The 2009 AFC results are sometimes surprising, often funny, and always trip-provoking. To see the results, please click here.

Do you have a favorite Amercian travel destination? Let us know!

Travel Expert Pauline Frommer offers great tips on travelling to Belgium.