You won’t find meat or dairy items at Stanford Inn by the Sea. But you will find gourmet plant-based fare even meat eaters would enjoy at this resort in Mendocino. Pets are welcome, which is what first drew my husband and me to the inn 20 years ago. We’ve returned many times with our dogs and daughter, the lone vegan in the family. All of us love the food. But it’s the idyllic setting and chill New Age vibe that lure us back.

Portland’s Chinatown is not the bustling Chinatown of San Francisco. But between 1870 and 1900, it was the second-largest in the country. Today the neighborhood, in Portland’s Old Town district, is an eclectic mix of Asian and Western influences. You can zen out in Lan Su Chinese Garden, a haven — including pavilions, a koi-filled lake and tea house — built by artisans from Suzhou, China. Or sip espresso at tiny sneaker-decorated Deadstock Coffee before shopping for high-end street wear. During a recent stay in Chinatown, my daughter and I enjoyed these activities and visited the new Portland Chinatown Museum.