Around the World

-Los Angeles

Tinseltown. La La Land. Los Angeles is easily reduced to cliché.

But it doesn't take much to discover there's so much more than the glitz and glamor for which it's renowned.

Miracle Mile is home to some of the United States' very best museums, including the LA County Museum of Art and the

fascinating La Brea Tar Pits. Downtown LA has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years,

with a wealth of excellent new restaurants and bars.

Then, of course, there's the beach: Options for an afternoon chilling on the sand are plentiful,from Santa Monica to Redondo

More active types can escape the smog by exploring some of LA's canyon and hills on a network of superb hiking trails.

-New York

It's the most happening of cities, a place where over 200 languages are spoken and millions flock each year to see its world-famous sights.

New York draws visitors in like nowhere else. 

The crowded streets of Manhattan are the stuff of legend.

First timers will want to head to the top of the Empire State Building and stand beneath the glare of the lights of Times Square.

But there's so much more to see and do, whether it's catching an Off-Broadway play, checking out world class art

at MoMA or shopping the streets of SoHo.

Brooklyn's hip neighborhoods of Greenpoint and Fort Greene offer a more relaxed vibe, while the food in Queens' Chinatown is worth the long subway ride.

-Sydney

From its Harbor Bridge and Opera House to Bondi Beach, Sydney is home to some of Australia's most familiar sights.

Beyond its tourist hotspots, though, this is a city with a true creative and cultural buzz.

Ultra-hip Surry Hills and Redfern are home to the city's best coffee shops, clothes stores and restaurants, the ideal destinations for a lazy Saturday.

Architecture buffs will find plenty to admire in Randwick, while beach bums will not leave disappointed.

Bronte and Tamarama are among Australia's very best stretches of sand, with ample opportunities for swimming and surfing.

And the vast harbor is great for those looking to escape the city and see Aussie nature up close.

-Tokyo

Home to nearly 38 million people, Greater Tokyo is the most populated metropolitan area on Earth.

Seeing it all on a single trip is impossible, but that's part of its enduring fascination.

Efficient and ultramodern, yet imbued with a sense of tradition, Tokyo is one of the best cities for wandering.

The Imperial Palace Gardens and Sensoji temple in Asakusa provide a glimpse of old Japan, while the neon lights of Akihibara and hip Aoyama's out-there architecture show off the country's fascination with the cutting edge.

Tiny izakaya pubs in Shibuya and small sushi joints in Tsukiji market provide the perfect opportunity to get under Tokyo's skin.

-Dubai

Dubai is like nowhere else in the Middle East. In fact, it's like nowhere else on the planet. With the world's tallest skyscrapers perched where the desert meets the sea, this is a city that's changed dramatically

from its days as a fishing port.

The towering Burj Al Arab is perhaps the most defining sight, although its beaches are as much of a draw for the sun-seeking tourists who flock here throughout the year.

Go beyond the malls and shop-lined boulevards and there's history to be found, especially at the Al Fahidi Fort, the oldest building in Dubai.

-Hong Kong

Hong Kong is unlike any other Asian city.

Its past as a cornerstone of the British Empire is obvious at every turn, from post boxes to street names.

Yet this is a proudly Cantonese city, with a superb food scene that's the match of anywhere else on the continent.

The views of the towering skyscrapers of Hong Kong Island from Victoria Harbor are iconic, while the Mid-Level Escalators make exploring the Central district's bars, restaurants and backstreets a breeze. Across the water, Kowloon's neon streets are grittier and reward intrepid tourists with an up-close view of the real Hong Kong.

Beyond are some of the greenest hiking spaces and emptiest beaches in Asia.

-London

Whether it's Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament or Trafalgar Square, London's sights are instantly recognizable.

Blessed with a historical grandeur, from the Tower of London to the Inns of Court, the city's past provides ample opportunity for aimless, misty-eyed strolling.

Its museums are global big hitters, the brutalist Tate Modern and the National Portrait Gallery showcasing the finest art around.

And its royal parks are the ideal spot for spending a sunny afternoon, whether it's boating in Regents Park or taking a swim in Hyde Park's Serpentine.

Adventurous visitors can take advantage of London's superb Tube and rail system to explore distant neighborhoods, from leafy Hampstead to hip Hackney.

-Japan

It's easy to be swept up by the idea of two opposing Japans.

One, a hyperfuturistic vision of neon and next-gen tech.

The other, a place of deeply held traditions from Shinto to samurai.

In reality, these two worlds happily co-exist.

Tokyo's seemingly never-ending sprawl is a marvel, the ultimate city in which to get lost and enjoy local hospitality in izakayas, before quiet contemplation in hidden temples.

Kyoto wears its ancient history with pride, but still finds room for boutique capsule hotels and pachinko parlors.

Away from the urban sprawl, onsen baths, soaring mountains and remote beaches make Japan a surprising contender as a destination for a break from the pressures of modern life.