Prince still stops by the Minneapolis clubs to hear the latest bands, Reid promised. And you can also enjoy a show at Minnesota Public Radio's Fitzgerald Theater (named after St. Paul native F. Scott Fitzgerald) where Garrison Keillor tapes "A Prairie Home Companion." Keillor's next show is Feb. 2, 2013, but there's plenty of other entertainment there in the meantime.

Far away without a passport

While there's no need to have a passport when traveling to the U.S. territory of American Samoa, it will take most U.S. residents some time to get there. From already far-flung Hawaii, travelers take a nearly six-hour flight from Honolulu to Pago Pago on Tutuila.

It's not a place most people can afford to go, but it's worth your consideration for the trip of a lifetime, said Reid. "It's a dream South Pacific beach vacation," he said.

Tutuila offers incredible beaches, waterfalls and even the National Park of American Samoa, but Reid recommends jumping on a quick connecting flight to the 3-square-mile Ofu in the Manu'a Islands, which features white-sand beaches flanked by palm trees and surrounded by shark-tooth-shaped mountains. While the editors recommend visiting on Flag Day, April 17, when the island celebrates big time, snorkeling and pure Polynesian bliss is available almost anytime.