Not since bo derek’s slow-motion run down the surf-swept beach in the 1979 film 10 has so much excitement crashed on Manzanillo’s shores. A remodeled downtown, upgraded resorts, and a growing reputation for wildlife watching are slowly working their charms on visitors who might otherwise view Manzanillo solely as a gateway to the resort-rich Costa Alegre to the north.

The largest Pacific port in Mexico, Manzanillo has long balanced shipping and resort living in a separate-but-equal relationship. Now the prosperity generated by the port has helped fund a remodeling of the downtown district to make it a pedestrian-friendly community hub. A two-mile-long, palm-fringed malecón, or boardwalk, edges the sea. A giant blue metal sculpture of a sailfish makes an appropriate waterfront landmark for a town known as the “sailfish capital of the world.” And arcaded buildings housing shops and cafés behind their whitewashed arches surround a central garden, making classics like the 1940s-era Bar Social feel fresh.

Residents claim the development has improved the town, rather than merely commercializing it. Not that you won’t see development. At Las Hadas, the beach made famous in 10, the luxury Moorish-style Las Hadas Golf Resort & Marina was recently refurbished. The 18-hole Pete and Roy Dye golf course, consistently ranked among Mexico’s best, completes the country club scene. On nearby Audiencia Beach, the new 331-room high-rise resort Tesoro Manzanillo includes a tequila bar and a water park.

The deep-sea fishing that Manzanillo is famed for (it’s the site of an international tournament each November and February) has helped introduce visitors to the area’s natural wonders, including migratory gray and humpback whales, which can be seen from December through April, and dolphins that swim offshore year-round. Bird-watchers have long flocked to the tidal Juluapan Lagoon to spy spoonbills, flamingos, herons, and, though not a bird, crocodiles. Now a new kayaking outing from Coco Loco Tours ties together the wonders of lagoon and sea. Leaving the brackish water for the open ocean, paddlers jump overboard to snorkel just feet above a 10,000-year-old coral reef. Outdoors lovers give it a 10.

When the morning sun rises above the rock cliffs of Canyon de Chelly in northeastern Arizona, the 1,000-year-old cliff dwellings of the Anasazi are there to greet it. Less than four hours from Albuquerque, the Canyon de Chelly National Monument is an endeavor of the Navajo Nation and National Park Service dedicated to preserving a traditional, sustainable way of life. The Thunderbird Lodge, which served as a trading post in the early 20th century, offers guests a chance to sample traditionally prepared Navajo meals or purchase handmade rugs and pottery, and to learn about the canyon’s unique geology. nps.gov/cach

The balmy countryside of Greece has a secret: the mountains turn into a skiers’ paradise from December through May. Just two and a half hours from Athens, the Parnassos Ski Center, near the ancient site of Delphi on Mount Parnassos, has 18 runs totaling more than 13 miles of mythic snow. Ungroomed black routes with deep snow challenge the Zeuses of the mountain, and ski lessons and two learner lifts are available for mortal beginners. The center’s state-of-the-art equipment keeps ski and snowboard gear in top shape, and the nearby Epikouros Taverna restaurant serves up an octopus appetizer fit for the gods. parnassos-ski.gr/en

Those interested in unplugging from the digital world for an afternoon should head to Morristown, N.J., 20 minutes from Newark, and check out the Murtogh D. Guinness collection at the Morris Museum. The exhibit features more than 700 antique mechanical musical instruments and automata (mechanical figures that mimic human and animal behavior) from the late 1500s through the early 20th century. Long before digitized, downloadable music, these machines were the “on demand” musical entertainment of their time and a precursor to today’s recording industry. Assembled by a descendant of the famous Guinness brewing family, the collection includes music boxes, multi-instrument devices, street organs, and eerily lifelike mechanical figures. Of particular note is the 10-foot-high Rex orchestrion built in Germany, one of the few remaining examples of its kind. Orchestrions were designed to imitate an entire orchestra and once occupied a prominent place in beer gardens, dance halls, and hotel lobbies. morrismuseum.org

In 1959 Lee Petty won the very first Daytona 500, but no one knew it for three days. It took that long for race officials to conclude, after reviewing photos and newsreel footage, that Petty’s car nosed across the line a fraction of a second ahead of Johnny Beauchamp’s. February 17 marks the 50th running of the Great American Race, and the event shows no sign of slowing down. To competitors and spectators alike, the Daytona 500 has grown to become much more than a race; it’s a legend maker. Cale Yarborough, Buddy Baker, Lee and Richard Petty, Mario Andretti (right), Jeff Gordon, and Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Jr. all made names for themselves on this track. Fans who can’t make it to NASCAR’s most prestigious run may find some consolation in the races that are slated as preambles. The Budweiser Shootout on February 9 and the Gatorade Duel on February 14 are both Daytona qualifier events. daytona500.com

Quebec City was founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, and it’s been a bilingual party ever since. Celebrations for Quebec City’s 400th Anniversary started December 31 and are scheduled to last through October 19. Events are designed to capture Quebec’s natural beauty as well as its arts and culture. Urbanopolis, an exhibition running through April 19 at the Musée de la Civilisation, explores the role of cities in human development and how their construction hurts — and helps — the natural world, and the Urban Opera project brings together the city’s greatest artists and performers, with a grand finale July 5. The living exhibit the Walking Road, August 15, pays tribute to the beautiful St. Lawrence River through a convergence of fire and water designed to leave the viewer speechless in any language. The closing events will honor Champlain and Quebec’s French heritage with performances by Cirque du Soleil on October 19. A full schedule of events for the year is available at the celebration’s official Web site (in French et Anglais), monquebec2008.com.

They say that real Southerners know their tea, and that’s certainly true in Charleston, S.C., home to the only tea farm in the continental United States. Perhaps no American city is more knowledgeable in the fine art of tea service. An essential stop for any visitor interested in the brewed leaf is Charleston Place. The hotel’s Afternoon Tea, served in the swanky Thoroughbred Club, presents a collection of the finest imported teas and delicious pastries and was named Best Tea in the South by Southern Living magazine. Sit down, relax, and try the Charleston classic tea, which includes a properly brewed pot, an assortment of sandwiches and cookies, scones with jam and honey, crumpets with whipped cream, and more mouthwatering fare. Who needs happy hour? charlestonplace.com

Sitting pretty in Mar Vista, a neighborhood in Los Angeles’ Westside, Soaptopia is an invigorating new boutique that blends body, soul, and bubble bath. Displaying soaps decorated with everything from flower petals to lavender seeds, Soaptopia prepares all-natural products using lush ingredients like coconut, olive, and avocado oils. Fresh batches of the beautifying bars are cooked up daily in-house, allowing visitors to view the dirty work firsthand. Bubbly names like Red Hot Lover, Orange You Glad, and Grapefruit Gatsby will soften the skin and spirits of even the most serious of soakers. And personalized messages can be screen-printed on the bars upon request, making a uniquely posh gift basket of homemade bath and body products even more special. soaptopia.com

It’s a little ironic that a trip outside the United States will get you an unparalleled view of the national bird, but it’s true: the world’s second-largest concentration of bald eagles can be found in the residential community of Brackendale in the Canadian district of Squamish, an hour’s drive from Vancouver. Literally thousands of eagles call the area home between November and March, when they flock there to feed on the spawning salmon in the local river systems. Local outfitters like Canadian Outback Adventures offer guided tours — for avid bird-watchers and amateurs alike — that take you by raft to see the noble creatures up close. A sighting of the eagles’ massive 6-to-8-foot wingspans, unfurled as they glide through the air on the lookout for a tasty fish or a cozy branch in the wilderness, will connect you to the spirit of nature like nothing else can. canadianoutback.com

Getting There: All the destinations covered in “Go Explore” can be reached by flying Continental Airlines. To book your vacation, contact Continental Airlines Vacations at covacations.com.