PUERTO RICO

Passports are as optional as shoes in this domestic paradise, a U.S. territory that floats in the Caribbean Sea. The streets are always alive in Old San Juan, where explorer Juan Ponce de León’s statue continues to watch over the settlement he founded and its stunningly curated museums and colorful handicraft marketplaces. Not to be outdone, San Juan keeps its spirit young with stylish shopping and dance-heavy nightlife, plus creative fine dining that rivals the grand traditions of New York.

Not far is El Yunque—the only tropical rainforest managed by the U.S. Forest Service, featuring three types of forests, two waterfalls, and 30 types of orchids—and Toro Verde Nature Park, home of the Caribbean’s largest zipline and an astounding adventure park. Twenty-three golf courses and billfish-rich seas round out open-air pursuits along with fabulous beaches like Isla Verde, Condado Beach, and Vieques. And as the sun goes down, other waterscapes on the island literally light up with wonder—Puerto Rico is known to have the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world.