Los Angeles, CA to Panama City

After the Jesuits built a series of missions along the coast of Alta California, the Spaniards established a port in 1781 as a supply stop for their coastal shipping routes. With the arrival of the transcontinental railroad and the discovery of oil, people began to arrive in droves. In 1923 the much-photographed giant letters were erected on the hill, and the golden age of Hollywood was born. The scale of Los Angeles, 90 miles long by 50 miles wide, defies belief.

Twenty years ago Cabo San Lucas, at the southernmost tip of Baja, was little more than a fishing village occasionally visited by itinerant Californian surfers and sport fishermen with the means to sail in or fly down. In recent years, however, it has rapidly become the focal point of Los Cabos, the catch-all term for the beaches and resorts ringing the toe of the peninsula. Condos have sprung up, palms transplanted, water piped in and everything is kept pristine.

Set at the foot of the majestic Sierra Madre, this popular resort port on Mexico’s Pacific Gold Coast boasts long stretches of pristine beaches, historical attractions, an active marina and splendid sunsets. Shop the Zona Dorada, where wares from all over Mexico can be found. Stroll the Olas Altas as it curves around a turquoise bay or indulge in a variety of watersports from marlin fishing to sailing or snorkeling.

Acapulco, nicknamed "Pearl of the Pacific," is Mexico's most glamorous pacific resort. Located on a deep, semi-circular bay, Acapulco is located southwest of Mexico City. Few destinations can match its superb weather with an average of 360 days of sunshine per year and with temperatures comfortably in the 80s. Acapulco was important as a port city for Spanish galleons sailing between Spain and the Orient long before it was "discovered" as a vacation playground.

Drive into the mountains to beautiful old Antigua, once the country's colonial capital, and discover its lovely bougainvilleadraped buildings and breathtaking views of emerald volcanoes. Travel to famed Lake Atitlan and step back in time as you encounter the indigenous people in all their finery still living along the lakeshore. Or better yet, fly to Flores and experience the magnificent and enigmatic Mayan temples and palaces of the Tikal complex, surrounded by jungle.

Puntarenas, which means "Sandy Point" in Spanish, is the capital and main city in the province Puntarenas, Costa Rica, at the Pacific coast. The oddly-shaped province has its largest section in the South, far from the capital. A mountainous country, Costa Rica ranges from sea level to peaks as high as 13,000 feet and a succession of white, sandy beaches follow one another along the Pacific Coast. The country was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1502.