Bruce Northam

America has a heartland. So does the Philippines. It has 7,600 islands organized into three major island groups, with the midlands comprising the welcoming Visayas region. My ninth trip there delivered an adventurous medley of down-to-earth pensions, a luxe island resort, and a perfect lifestyle mix of everything in between. I explored six different islands where one tune always sings true: this getaway means hospitality on steroids.

Although dwarfed by Manila’s staggering 28 million people, Cebu City, the second largest urban center, and its one million proud citizens, have something to say about what’s cool in the Philippines.

Columbia, Missouri, is a dynamic three-college town in the Midwest's rolling prairies. It baffles me that more holidaymakers don't take advantage of American college-town fun during their yearly four months of offseason calm.

Wales reminds you to unfold your days–and life–like a map, understanding we can’t always refold them the same way. In this corner of the UK, the ever-present ancient structures and modern culinary delights are a vacation in themselves. Bilingual Wales (Welsh and English) has the most castles per square mile in the world, excluding the ubiquitous castle-like churches. Its population of three million people thrives in a vastly diverse landscape the size of New Jersey. Nearly everything fun you can do here is accessible by public footpaths that explore spectacular stretches of coastline, forests, intimate villages, and the world-class city of Cardiff. This place isn’t just a feast for the eyes; it’s a land of feasts.

I love under-the-radar destinations. Schenectady, a sweet balance of history and modern multicultural flair, is a prime example of why. Upstate New York’s original “Electric City” sits only 15 miles from Albany, the state’s capital, but a world away. Settled by the Dutch in 1661, it played a crucial role in the development of early American industry and innovation, primarily in electronics and locomotion. Thomas Edison founded General Electric at Mohawk River-hugging Schenectady. It’s also where I found a surprising urban-pastoral balance of early-U.S. architecture, inviting parks, scenic bike paths, welcoming restaurants, and engaging locals.