A 20-minute boat ride from Cancún lies the small island of Isla Mujeres with its laid-back Caribbean ambiance, tiny streets lined with stalls, and street cafés in pastel-colored houses. Golf carts and mopeds dominate the streets, and although the island is only 5 miles long and half a mile wide, it still offers plenty of things to do and see. Everything from a beautiful palm-fringed white beach on the north coast to a dramatic rocky shoreline on the eastern side to a sea turtle sanctuary and the remains of a Mayan temple at the southern tip. If you're into adventure, then you should visit the Garrafon Reef Park & Beach Club, where you can go zip-lining, snorkeling, and kayaking. Lastly, a must-visit for nature and wildlife lovers is a tour to Isla Contoy, a nature reserve only inhabited by a few biologists and restricted to 200 visitors per day.

Although the Blarney Castle is an hour's drive from Waterford, it is famous enough to be put on your to-do list during your visit: this medieval stronghold is home to the rock that gives the gift of eloquence to anyone who kisses it.

Enjoy one-hour sight-seeing cruises along the River Wear with suggestive views of Durham Cathedral and Castle aboard the 150 seat Prince Bishop. For a gentle and more intimate journey, rowing boats are also for hire at Browns Rowing Boats.

There are a lot of activities for both children and adults at Takino Suzaran Hillside Park. In the winter, you can go sledding and tubing or skiing on a gentle slope. In the summer, the park is full of pretty flowers and children can engage physically by bouncing on rubber, rolling huge red balls up the hills, exploring mazes and spider web climbing.