Hi,
You're probably on the right track with the Curves effect. You might also try experimenting with the Auto Levels and Levels effects too, since they're a bit easier to use than curves.
If you're looking to make some specific areas pop, you could try using the eraser tool. Right click on an effect name in the layer list (Color Levels, for instance) and select "Erase". Using the brush tools, you can make it so only parts of the image are affected by the effect.