Panama Canal

Discover Los Angeles’ multicultural history by walking through its diverse selection of neighborhoods: See the ornate Twin Towers Dragon Gateway in Chinatown and the traditional Mexican shopping stalls and vendors of Olvera Street. Then, chill by the beach at Santa Monica Pier, or take the iconic drive down Sunset Boulevard, one of the most often-filmed thoroughfares in the country.

Santa Monica, Venice, Malibu and Long Beach are four of Los Angeles’ most popular beach destinations. Of the four, Malibu is the most remote and least urban — head here for surfing and stand-up paddleboarding. Depending on traffic, you can get to Long Beach in 40 minutes, while the others take around an hour.

Snap a pic of the Hollywood sign, stroll down the Sunset Strip and the Hollywood Walk of Fame, or visit Paramount Studios. You can see all of these and more on the Grand City Tour by StarLine Tours which operates two times a day, seven days a week.

As Baja California’s most electrifying destination and a playground for the rich and famous, Cabo San Lucas delivers a dreamy set of tropical wonders. Unspoiled shores like Lover’s Beach paint the town in brushes of turquoise and white. Fertile ocean waters supply the seafood for fish tacos with adobo sauce. Cruise to Cabo San Lucas and head to Desert Park Natural Reserve to behold expansive cream-colored desert scenery. See soaring natural rock formations plunge into the Sea of Cortez at Land’s End, only reachable by boat — the spot is also known for throwing the best beachside parties. Stride along a happy crowd while sipping on a margarita, taking in the impressive views and doing a little dancing while you’re at it.

An exciting mixture old and new Mexico, Mazatlan has been blessed with a harbour of natural beauty. The neighbouring mountain range rises as a majestic backdrop rfor this scenic city. Shop at Mazatlán Golden Zone, home to Mexican and Indian handicrafts. Delight in the colours, songs, and dances of ancient and colonial Mexico.

Puerto Quetzal is the ideal starting point to discover some of Guatemala’s most iconic attractions. After a short ride outside of this port city, roam the Spanish Colonial streets of Antigua, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the colossal Volcan de Agua in the background. Cruise to Puerto Quetzal and learn how to weave using the back-strap loom technique or how to grind coffee by hand from the Maya women of San Antonio Aguascalientes. Then, reach Guatemela’s highlands, and get happily lost in the town of Panajachel, with its pastel-coloured houses that face idyllic Lake Atitlan.

Situated on the long Nicoya Peninsula, Puntarenas is a great jumping-off point for the eco-adventures that have made Costa Rica famous. Trek lush rainforests in San Luis Park. Discover tropical flora and fauna in Pos Volcano National Park, and shower under Costa Rica’s tallest waterfall at Pura Vida Gardens and Waterfalls. Looking for oceanside adventure? Take the short drive from Puntarenas to the Nicoya Peninsula, where there’s a wide array of beaches – relax on family-friendly Playa Guiones, or check out dramatic Playa Ostional, with its volcanic black sands and vibrant sea turtle population. Puntarenas cruises give you access to Playa Tamarindo, where you can find some of the best surf and food in the country.

A voyage through the Panama Canal is filled with views of lush terrain and calm waters. This marvellous achievement of modernity is best witnessed from the bow of the ship, where you’ll see the revolutionary mechanism of the canal at work when it elevates the vessel up 26 metres. The ship reaches the canal’s higher elevation and is able to sail swiftly through its tranquil waters. As you make your way between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans with your Panama Canal cruise, you’ll pass by Soberania National Park, a lush region of protected rainforest – you may even spot one of the many species of rare birds that inhabit the forest.

Home to the Panama Canal’s Atlantic Ocean entryway, Colón is the second-largest city in Panama. Start your adventure at the Gatun locks, where you can watch ships being raised by water lifts to the higher elevation of the canal. Then, visit the Portobelo Natural Park and take in the beauty of its 16th century forts. Or head to the beach at Playa Maria Chiquita for clear Caribbean Sea waters and white sands. Cruise to Colón, Panama and check out Portobelo National Park, where you can see 17th-century Fort San Lorenzo or go bird-watching along the Achiote Trail in San Lorenzo Protected Forest. Or take the one-hour trek to Panama City, the Caribbean’s urban heartbeat.

Cartagena de Indias boasts romantic colonial architecture and a Caribbean coast glittering in shades of bright white and aquamarine. Saunter through the leafy Plaza de Bolivar, photographing multicolored streets like Calle Segunda de Badillo. Cruise to Cartagena to dance to the beat of merengue, salsa and Colombia’s very own cumbia at places like Bazurto Social Club. Discover Proclamation Square, where the town people gathered in 1811 in support of the declaration of independence from Spain, and walk the 16th-century fortifications of Castillo San Felipe de Barajas. Enjoy Cartagena’s natural grandeur on its many beaches, like Bocagrande, Playa Blanca and placid Rosario Islands National Park, just 45 minutes away from the city.

Grand Cayman is where the high life meets island life. This international banking haven is as much known for award-winning beaches as for the flocks of celebrities and high rollers that frequent them. You can sip Cayman Mama’s while rubbing shoulders with the global glitterati. During your Grand Cayman cruise, you can snorkel with stingrays in Stingray City. Treat your inner foodie at eateries established by acclaimed top chefs like Michael Schwartz, or chow down on conch fritters by the seashore. You can even soak up some rays at one of the beaches voted best in the world, Seven Mile Beach. And do it all in the same day.

While in Tampa, be sure to stroll through the historic Ybor City, full of restaurants, shops and bars, visit the Busch Gardens theme park or explore the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg. This metropolis never stands still.