Los Angeles

Downtown Los Angeles is seeing a return to glory with high-profile museums, new-construction condo towers, buzzing hotels and a dining scene that rivals any in America. There's chef Josef Centeno's restaurant collection (including the elegant Orsa & Winston) in the revitalized Old Bank District, Ori Menashe's white-hot Bestia and Bavel in the Arts District and David Chang's stunning Majordomo on the edge of Chinatown. Add in mass transit, a lively coffee-shop scene, an emerging arts scene and all the events at L.A. Live and the Staples Center, and you've got a history-rich area that feels like the future.