South America is home to an impressive array of animals living in nearly every type of environment from cactus-filled deserts to glaciated mountain peaks. Here are five of our favorites!

It seems word has officially gotten out about this adventurer's playground, and globe-trotters from near and far want to experience firsthand why it's such a unique and sought after tropical destination. From hiking incredible landscapes to sipping a cup of locally grown coffee, it's easy to see why Costa Rica is one of the most popular holiday destinations Backroads offers.

With its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, Spain today is the culmination of thousands of years of trade, exploration and exposure to cultures from around the globe. Beyond its seemingly endless coastline, Spain boasts epic mountain ranges, world class cities, incredibly friendly people and intoxicating traditional music, food and drink. A trip here is sure to leave you spellbound, so we've highlighted seven of our favorite hotels across a wide array of Backroads adventures in Spain.

Floating atop the crystal clear waters of the Adriatic Sea, a 110-year-old wooden masterpiece named Bozidar, meaning “God’s gift,” awaits our arrival. As we finish our hike through charming coastal villages, centuries-old olive groves and secluded bays, the rocky trail conveniently ends at a small dock where Bozidar’s dingy picks us up to whisk us out to our group’s private boat for the week.

The landscape of Ha Long Bay, located just a few hours east of Hanoi, is among the most unique in the world. According to legend, several thousand years ago the burgeoning nation of Vietnam summoned the Mother Dragon to help them fight off an influx of invaders, which they did using divine fire and giant emeralds. The remnants of this fictitious battle can now be seen in the form of immense limestone pillars and tiny islets surrounded by emerald blue waters. This stunning series of earth and water formations combined with a multitude of classic junk boats, give the place a mystic, timeless feel. This UNESCO World Heritage site should be high on your adventure list--here are a few tips to make the most of your visit!

Here are our top picks for some of the best family adventures this summer!

The view from a mountaintop is always worth it and always inspires us. But the strange thing is, the view from the top seems to obscure the actual, physical toil it took to get there. Inevitably, we find ourselves lacing up our hiking boots again or putting our cycling shoes back on to climb yet another peak, seemingly oblivious to the incredible challenges ahead. Of course, climb a mountain–including the world’s most iconic ranges–with Backroads and the joy multiplies: logistics, gear, route-planning, lunch stops and guides will all be taken care of so that you can focus simply on finding your stride or cadence and achieving your best day, whatever that means for you.

The high desert is one of those places always worth visiting, particularly in the spring. Seemingly barren at first glance, it's the small springtime pops of paintbrush red, prickly pear pink, penstemon magenta and cliffrose white that draw our attention. These blossoms help us understand that the desert is not just a giant sandbox, but rather a colorful landscape teeming with life.

Working as a Backroads Trip Leader in Tuscany certainly has its perks. Besides the great food and wine, there is a fabulous cycling culture supported by an excellent infrastructure of well-paved and well-marked roads. Over the years I've created a list of my favorite rides in the region, some featured on our Backroads trips and others a combination of local favorites. Here are my top five bike rides that showcase the best of the heart of Tuscany, the idyllic region between Florence, Arezzo and Siena.

From the mountains to the vineyards to the Mediterranean, Italy has everything a traveler could want. Home to one of history's greatest empires, birthplace of philosopher's musings and Renaissance art, and with a cuisine so intoxicating it's been adopted across the globe, there's just no place like Italy. To set foot here is to transport oneself to a world apart. While every Backroads hotel in Italy is easily worth a visit, these are six of our very favorites that exemplify the Italian experience—the charm, majesty, history and beauty of a country you'll be longing to return to even before you've left it behind.