Sapporo, Japan’s resident cool kid – the one who loves beer and goes skiing every winter – is a must-see city for way too many reasons to squeeze into just four hours, but with a local host as a GPS and guidebook, you’ll easily pack the most into your time. Perhaps you’ll get a fascinating history lesson at the Historical Village of Hokkaidō, or maybe you’ll ride to the top of the famous Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium like an athlete from Sapporo’s 1972 Winter Olympics. Wind down in neon-lit entertainment district Susukino for a drink at your host’s favorite izakaya, or make your way to Horomitoge Lavender Garden – a sprawling, lavender-blanketed lookout point with sunset views that are pure perfection.

In central Sapporo, an energetic hub of festivals, restaurants and lots of shopping, you could join the crowds moving through the Tanukikoji shopping arcade (and maybe belt one out in a karaoke bar) or head to the traditional Nijo Market across Sōsei River to see how locals like to shop. Four miles west in gorgeous Maruyama, you might walk the grounds of 150-year-old Hokkaidō Shrine and wander among trees in the cedar forest, or perhaps you’ll make your way to the iconic Mt. Moiwa Ropeway, an aerial lift to an observation deck with panoramic views of the Sapporo cityscape. Maybe your host will point out the area of your dinner location from the top – will it be the local specialty of hearty soup curry or Genghis Khan (barbecued mutton)?