Just a few miles from downtown, historic Highland Park is becoming one of the hippest – and most walkable – sections of L.A. It’s lined with trees, taquerias, vintage shops, bistros and bars. And it’s often overlooked by tourists trapped by the Venice Beach Boardwalk, Santa Monica’s famed pier or Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.

Gone are the days when it was enough for a hotel to have rain shower heads and high thread-count sheets. In a world where there are more hotels to choose from than ever, luxury and business accommodations are focusing on the extras to set their hotels apart from the rest.

Where to celebrate 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing this summer

Staying at the Ranch at Emerald Valley, near Colorado Springs, makes one feel like they’ve hit pay dirt after all.

The “Biggest Little City in the World” is a rapidly changing spot that holds attractions far beyond its old reputation for gambling and divorces.

“This is the best dessert ever!” my 6-year-old son gushed enthusiastically as he dunked a churro into a cup brimming with Mexican hot chocolate. He might have wanted to say more but decided to concentrate on downing the cinnamon-sugared wand of fried dough instead. I didn’t blame him; I was practically hoovering up my order. He, my wife and I were sitting in Cafe San Agustin, a go-to sweet spot in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. The brightly lit, always busy churreria’s walls are covered with photos and media clippings of its owner, telenovela star Margarita Gralia, and wicker baskets hang from the ceiling.

Abilene is where Eisenhower’s story is laid out for anyone to see

Now in a larger space, the International Spy Museum sports plenty of gadgets, games and pop culture references. But it digs into heavier topics, too, with exhibitions focused on the use of torture in interrogations, the psychology behind the agent-handler relationship and the ethics of mass surveillance.

There are many reasons why someone might want to make a road tour through America’s Deep South. Aside from the food, the scenery, the music and literature, my own personal list would include the region’s heritage.