Biarritz, located on the Basque coast of southwestern France, is a glamorous seaside city renowned for its picturesque beaches and rich history. Once a modest fishing village, Biarritz evolved into a luxurious resort destination favored by European royalty in the 19th century.

Coos Bay is the Coast's largest urban community and a major wood products shipping center, thanks to the deepest harbor between San Francisco and Puget Sound. In addition to museums, shops and theaters, Coos Bay is well known for its myrtlewood and diverse activities in beautiful surroundings. Visit the Coos Art Museum; fish for chinook and coho salmon in the Coos River or the ocean; take a drive out to Golden and Silver Falls State Park.

Udawalawe National Park, located in southern Sri Lanka, is one of the country’s best places to see wild elephants in their natural environment. Established in 1972, the park protects an important watershed area around the Udawalawe Reservoir and provides a sanctuary for hundreds of elephants, which can often be seen roaming in herds across the open grasslands.

Phinda Private Game Reserve is a protected wildlife area in northern KwaZulu-Natal, within the broader Zululand region near the Indian Ocean coast. Its landscape is unusually varied for a single reserve, combining dry sand forest, open grassland, woodland, wetlands, and low mountain ranges

Modesto is a city in California’s Central Valley, located along the Tuolumne River between the Sierra Nevada and the Coast Range. The city is surrounded by some of the state’s most productive agricultural land, with orchards, vineyards, dairies, and fields extending across the surrounding countryside. Modesto’s urban center includes historic neighborhoods, downtown businesses, parks, and cultural venues, while the Tuolumne River provides a natural corridor through the region.