Forget all the bad press NYC gets in the news. It’s an incredible city that is more alive than any I’ve ever been to. In a single weekend you can stroll through ritzy row homes of the West Village, sit in the front row at a trendy Williamsburg Jazz bar, and knock down mezcal shots with the staff of one of the world’s best cocktail bars. This place is electric.

The key to success when planning your perfect itinerary and having the best chance at nailing the spots that you want to experience is to have a plan. Plan further ahead than you think. Start thinking about where you want to eat and drink at least 2 months ahead of time.

Most people know Nashville as a party destination, and for good reason. Lower Broadway is an iconic place to catch live music from artists that may one day be playing in your car speakers. However, as Music City has grown in popularity amongst stag and hen parties, it has also attracted and forged some of the best culinary talents in the country. Yup, don’t be surprised to find out that the city known most for hot chicken isn’t ONLY ransacked with spots serving gut-bubbling fried bird.

There was one day trip that topped them all: our day in Hiroshima from Osaka. As Americans, Hiroshima is an obvious choice due to its significance during WWII, specifically related to our dropping of the first atomic bomb.

This day trip became possibly the most memorable travel experience we had. Not just because of our humbling experience at the Peace Memorial Museum, but also because of some of the incredible food stops we made along the way. Let’s dive in.

Make no mistake about it…Barbados is a party island. Not the type of party island that you might fantasize about like in Ibiza, Mykonos, or St. Barths. Bajans don’t have to rely on tourists to fuel their party atmosphere, they create it themselves. And with all of the rum they produce, they don’t need to go far to have a good time.

In the heart of the chaos lies Delhi’s old city, a maze of narrow streets lined with merchants selling all goods imaginable. From traditional wedding garments and bangles to bread, fresh veggies, spices, and most importantly, street food, you can find it all tucked away in these packed halls. I opted for a head first dive into the deep end by choosing to explore Old Delhi for my first full day in India.

Getting to Copenhagen was the easy part. Deciding how to spend just 24 hours in one of Europe’s most bustling cities was a daunting task. Luckily, food is my guiding light, and Copenhagen has plenty of great food.