When in New Orleans, Alton wakes up and strolls over to Café Beignet for its — you guessed it — beignets. Café Beignet prepares the classic New Orleans dessert to perfection. Be sure to grab a cup of the bitter chicory coffee. Then, dunk beignet in coffee, savor and repeat.

There is so much food at Quincy Market that ''you could spend all day in here and just eat from one end to the other.'' Rachael decided on a strawberry smoothie made with fresh fruit and yogurt from the Monkey Bar. With so much variety, ''the hard part is trying to make a choice.''

Every November, Becky's Diner pairs Thanksgiving dinner with the local catch of the day, going "outside of the box and not stuffing turkeys," but lobsters instead. Not visiting for the holiday? Any day of the year, the seaside spot offers family favorites like lobster rolls and fried clams.

A go-to indulgence for both Rachael Ray and Alex Guarnaschelli is the muffuletta, a 2-pound sandwich that originated at this store. A sesame seed-studded loaf is layered with Swiss cheese, provolone and slice upon slice of imported cold cuts (think mortadella and capicola), then finished with a briny olive salad.

A must for brunch on Nantucket, Black-Eyed Susan's is a quaint yet popular island spot. Rise early to snag a table, or mingle with locals at the breakfast bar. Breakfast grub like the Portuguese Scramble and Huevos Rancheros are local favorites; dinner is BYOB and known for being super fresh.

Food Network's $40 a Day, Rachael Ray discovers Even Keel Cafe, named the 2010 Nantucket Chowder Contest Winner, in Nantucket, MA.

Head to Cafe Mews, a Provincetown, Mass., institution for 40+ years, for casual fine dining with stunning ocean views. After you eat, visit the beautiful mahogany bar for an after-dinner cocktail. Rachael recommends a Cape Codder made with local vodka that she calls "a perfect way to end the day."

Giacomo's Ristorante has a line seven days a week but Rachael promises it is worth the wait at this tiny restaurant where they do not take reservations or credit cards. Their traditional Italian food is fresh and flavorful; Rachael praises the pumpkin ravioli, calling it ''heaven on a plate.''

Rachael Ray enjoys listening to live music in New Orleans, LA at the Jazz Parlor at Storyville, and upscale music hall playing jazz, blues, R&B, swing and rock, on Food Network's $40 a Day.

Carol Ann's Bake Shop is located in Faneuil Hall. Visiting on $40 a Day, Rachael enjoyed a signature New England flavor, cranberry, in a muffin. All the pastries are baked daily onsite so ''they come straight out of the oven to the counter.''

With a large selection of beer from both big-name brands and microbrewers, Grendel's Den is a great place to grab a beer. This ''cozy basement bar and restaurant'' serves the Cambridge community fresh food from original recipes at a bargain. Rachael loved drinking like a local at this popular pub.

Famous for its less-than-stellar service but outstanding food, Jack's Outback is a staple for breakfast on Cape Cod, Mass. You have to take your own order and wipe down your table, but locals keep coming back for popovers, omelets and French toast that Rachael said is "like dessert for breakfast."

Rachael's trip to Martha's Vineyard had her sampling from the local vineyard and then dining at The Seafood Shanty where they "got it all," from shanty-style mussels to peel-and-eat shrimp. But Rachael had to try the Lobster Quesadilla made with Jack and cheddar cheeses and a mango and papaya salsa.

Designer Vanessa Noel opened the Vanessa Noel Hotel in 2002 as the first boutique hotel in Nantucket, Mass. Inside the hotel is Cafe V Bar. Rachael was enchanted with this cool hotel, ''hip bar,'' and ''sexy'' shoe shop in one where ''you can shop, have a cocktail, then take a nap.''

Follow your nose to this little bakery, which is known for large, chewy cookies in varieties like chocolate chipotle, frosted cranberry oatmeal, butter pecan and one of Rachael's favorites, pistachio lime, which she compared to Key lime pie.