Greenville, South Carolina, is a welcoming place to shop, dine, see historic homes and watch minor-league sports. The city is also home to significant art collections and a vibrant performing-arts scene. Families can enjoy child-friendly activities such as searching for nine bronze mice scattered around the city, visiting the Greenville Zoo, relaxing in the many outdoor spaces and enjoying numerous annual festivals. State parks and Revolutionary and Civil War sites are a short drive away.

Columbia is South Carolina's capital and home to the University of South Carolina. Along its wide avenues are historic sites ranging from an antebellum mansion to the former home of a slave who bought her freedom, plus museums, galleries, music venues, theatres and shops. Columbia's three rivers, lake, canal, national park and several city parks offer opportunities for recreation and relaxation. Child-friendly destinations include a zoo and the largest children's museum in the south.

In the sweltering Georgia heat, no place is as cool as Athens. This hip college town is home to the University of Georgia, Pulitzer Prize winning authors and famous rock musicians. Explore the downtown area, where Victorian buildings are filled with an eclectic combination of independent coffee shops, restaurants and boutiques. Named "Live Music Central," Athens' busy music venues are known around the world. Check out The 40 Watt Club, where The B-52s and R.E.M got their start.

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."

Rich in medieval architecture, the northern city of Burgos provides a glimpse into bygone Spain. But the historic capital of Castile looks to the future, too, with its modern museums, celebrated culinary scene, and award-winning infrastructure.

Baden-Wurttemberg’s second-largest city after Stuttgart, Mannheim lies at the confluence of the Rhine and Neckar Rivers and is rare among German cities for its layout, a grid pattern (or “quadrates”) similar to those found in North America. The grid was originally plotted in 1606 and emanated from Friedrichsburg fortress, which later became the site of Mannheim Palace. Today, it partly houses the University of Mannheim. The city’s iconic water tower and its beautiful Luisenpark are must-sees.

This small, relaxed town’s artsy side runs deep. Chagall lived here, and great art museums such as the Maeght and Saint-Paul’s Museum are in town or just outside it. Its Chapelle des Pénitents Blancs was one of the last commissions undertaken by the Belgian artist Folon. Walk along the ancient city walls for great views—and bring your own sketchbook. Maybe you’ll be inspired too.