Famous as the home of Yankee Stadium, elevated trains, and dense apartment blocks, the Bronx is also the greenest of New York City's boroughs. Visit the gorillas at the famous Bronx Zoo or wander through the 50-acre forest at the New York Botanical Garden. Pick up some gourmet foods on Arthur Avenue, the Bronx's Little Italy, and have a picnic at Van Cortlandt Park, which features two square miles of boating, horseback riding, tennis, and the oldest public golf course in the United States.

Is there any possible way Las Vegas could not be on our "best nightlife" list? The only way we could possibly omit it is on a technicality—since you can do pretty much anything 24/7 in Vegas, it might be wrong to call it "nightlife."

Nevada's "other" gambling and resort town, Reno is located in the western part of the state near the California border. What the city lacks in glitz or reputation it more than makes up for in attractions and amenities. There are first-rate hotels, golf courses and casinos to rival its southern counterpart and, also like Las Vegas, Reno has become a popular destination for families. Galena Creek Park offers nature trails that even young children can navigate, plus organised educational events for families.

Located along the Willamette River and its namesake lake, the city of Lake Oswego has a beautiful downtown area featuring riverfront parks, boutique shopping and speciality dining including a European-style farmers market open from May – October. Lake Oswego also offers visitors an active arts scene: Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the outdoor “Gallery Without Walls,” or attend the annual Festival of the Arts in June.

At the top of Bavaria and dating back to at least the 11th century, Coburg sat undiscovered by many late 20th century tourists, surrounded as it was on three sides by the former East Germany. The town’s main attraction, impossible to miss since it overlooks the town, is the 13th century Veste Coburg Castle, one of Germany’s largest and most beautiful. Sometimes called the Franconian Crown, today it’s home to three museums. Reformer Martin Luther, then an outlaw, spent five months here in 1530.

It’s nicknamed the Eternal City for a reason. In Rome, you can drink from a street fountain fed by an ancient aqueduct. Or see the same profile on a statue in the Capitoline Museum and the guy making your cappuccino. (Which, of course, you know never to order after 11 am.) Rome is also a city of contrasts—what other place on earth could be home to both the Vatican and La Dolce Vita?