The Group Travel Leader November December 2021

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MAKE YOUR MEETING AN EXPERIENCE

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BATON ROUGE

When the work is done, schedule in some playtime to discover a rich cultural scene, get your fix of southern flavors, travel back to defining historical moments and #ExploreBatonRouge.

Embrace

T H E C U LT U R E S O F

TEXAS

Plan Your Event and Host an Authentic Louisiana Experience VISITBATONROUGE.COM/ TRAVEL-PROS

AFRICAN AMERICAN H E R I TAG E G U I D E

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

MAKE YOUR MEETING AN EXPERIENCE

IN

BATON ROUGE

When the work is done, schedule in some playtime to discover a rich cultural scene, get your fix of southern flavors, travel back to defining historical moments and #ExploreBatonRouge.

Plan Your Event and Host an Authentic Louisiana Experience VISITBATONROUGE.COM/ TRAVEL-PROS

SAVORING COLU M BUS

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ALABAMA BOUNTY

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LOUISIANA LAGNIAPPES

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T H E C U LT U R E S O F

TEXAS AFRICAN AMERICAN H E R I TAG E G U I D E

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

Live Live to to make make memories memories as as good good as as the the company company you you keep! keep! If If you you believe believe the the more the merrier, Columbus is for you.

This city has plenty of experiences more the merrier, Columbus is for you. This city has plenty of experiences for for your your group group to to share, share, whether whether you’re you’re walking walking through through a a painting painting brought brought to to life life in Topiary Topiary Park Park or or deep deep diving diving into into history history at at Kelton Kelton House.

House. Let Let your your inner inner child child in fly fly free free with with the the butterflies butterflies at at the the Franklin Franklin Park Park Conservatory Conservatory and and Botanical Botanical Gardens or savor the city’s flavors on a food tour.

Columbus is Gardens or savor the city’s flavors on a food tour. Columbus is a a playground playground for for curiosity curiosity so so start start planning planning now now at at experiencecolumbus.com/groups. experiencecolumbus.com/groups.

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CONTENTS

GROUP TH E

TRAVEL LEADER

CHARTING THE EVOLUTION OF GROUP TR AVEL

COLU M NS

N EWS

6 Editor’s Marks

8 Family Matters

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ON T H E COV E R

A blue agave cactus sits in front of a pale stucco wall in south Texas. Photo by Jann Huizinga

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OnSite in Louisiana

Flavors of Columbus

VOL 30 | ISSUE 9

OnSite in Alabama

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AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE GUIDE

The arts are ascending in cities and towns throughout Texas

These attractions, restaurants and historic sites honor Black achievements past and present.

K E LLY T Y N E R 888.253.0455

MAC T. LACY CHARLES A. PRESLEY BRIAN JEWELL HERBERT SPARROW DONIA SIMMONS

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LON E STAR C ULTURE

Founder and Publisher Partner VP & Executive Editor Senior Writer Creative Director

KELLY TYNER KYLE ANDERSON ASHLEY RICKS

SARAH SECHRIST CHRISTINE CLOUGH

kelly@grouptravelleader.com

VP, Sales & Marketing Director of Advertising Sales Graphic Design & Circulation Controller Copy Editor

The GROUP TRAVEL LEADER is published ten times a year by THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER, Inc., 301 East High St., Lexington, Kentucky 40507, and is distributed free of charge to qualified group leaders who plan travel for groups of all ages and sizes. THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER serves as the official magazine of GROUP TRAVEL FAMILY, the organization for traveling groups. All other travel suppliers, including tour operators, destinations, attractions, transportation companies, hotels, restaurants and other travel-related companies may subscribe to THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER by sending a check for $59 for one year to: THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER, Circulation Department, 301 East High St., Lexington, KY 40507. Phone (859) 2530455 or (859) 253-0503. Copyright THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of editorial or graphic content in any manner without the written consent of the publisher is prohibited.

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EDITOR’S MARKS

“T

BY BRIAN JEWELL

he only people who will understand what you’ve experienced in the last three months are the ones with you in

this room.”

The director of my college study abroad program gave me and a group of fellow students one of the best observations I’ve ever heard. About a dozen of us spent a life-changing semester together in Mexico. (I know that’s a bit cliché, but it’s true — I probably wouldn’t have a career in tourism today if it weren’t for that incredible travel experience 20 years ago.) And after three months of traveling and studying together, we had all grown very close.

As the semester wound down and this Mexican professor prepared to send us off, he encouraged us to keep those friendships alive, meet from time to time and lean on each other as we transitioned from a magical experience abroad to a more mundane existence at home. His perspective struck a chord with me and proved to be incredibly wise.

My friends and family were happy to see me when I got home and genuinely wanted to hear about my trip. But no matter how much I tried to tell them, I could never make them understand.

The only people who could relate were those on the trip with me.

I’ve been thinking a lot about that advice over the past year and a half as the pandemic has subjected the tourism community to existential crisis.

COVID has been hard on everyone, but few people or industries have been subjected to as much pain as we have. I have found myself frequently trying

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to explain to friends and family members the kinds of hardships that travel professionals have been enduring. But I can tell by the looks on their faces that they don’t get it.

And the truth is, they probably never will. Because the only people who can understand what we have experienced in the last 18 months are the ones who have gone through it with us.

In the year or so after returning from Mexico, my fellow students and I would meet for a dinner every few months to reconnect and reminisce. Maintaining those relationships and gathering in person was helpful and fulfilling for all of us.

We’re coming into a season of the year where the group travel industry usually gathers at a series of large conferences and events. And for the first time in a long time, most of those events will be in person. There will be business appointments as always. But there will also be a lot of hugs — perhaps more than usual. And, I’m willing to bet, a few tears.

Coming together again will feel great, but it won’t feel normal.

Because we’re all different people than we were last time we met. And the world is a different place.

As we begin meeting again, let’s resist the temptation to let the divisions and fractiousness of our political era creep into our conversations.

We don’t have to agree on everything. But we do need to be together.

Because nobody else can appreciate where we’ve been — or help us get back to where we’re going — like the people with us in the room.

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FAMILY M AT T E R S

G W I N N E T T, G E O R G I A , T O H O S T B I G I N N OV E M B E R SALEM, Ohio — Travel planners with a focus on boomer and mature groups are invited to experience Gwinnett, Georgia, and attend Boomers in Groups (BiG), an event designed to increase knowledge and talent in tourism. Explore Gwinnett will host the three-day event, where activities will center around networking and exploring area tourism sites.

BiG holds its annual event in various locations across the country to help group travel planners expand their destination knowledge. Travel planners qualify to attend by acting as leaders of any group of boomer travelers.

“We enjoy networking with the hundreds of travel groups we meet at BiG,” said Charlie Presley, the organization’s co-founder.

BiG began the BiG Travel Weekend 15 years ago as a way

for group travel planners to network, and it has evolved into an event that now features a destination experience as well as a marketplace where group travel planners have appointments with travel industry representatives.

“We love seeing travel planners and industry partners develop new relationships and continue existing friendships at BiG Travel Weekend,” said Presley. Many of the attending groups use the annual event to continue and revitalize their networking with fellow travel planners. It is not uncommon to have groups from different states get together at BiG to plan larger tour programs for their group.

Explore Gwinnett will host BiG and the BiG Travel Weekend November 4-6, 2022. Contact Janine Emanuel at 800-628-0993 or jemanuel@grouptravelfamily.com for details or questions.

G O I N G O N FA I T H C O N F E R E N C E H E A D S T O PA N A M A C I T Y B E AC H SALEM, Ohio — Church and religious “We see a lot of groups that have become Panama City Beach group travel planners from across the nation comfortable in being together on a weekly basis will be gathering at Panama City Beach, and that are extending that to group travel,” Florida, next year to attend the Going On Faith Ferguson said.

Conference, an event for group travel within The travel planners attending the Going On Faith faith-based organizations.

Conference will experience Panama City Beach and “Faith-based travel has been quick to discover hotels, attractions and restaurants that will rebound from the past two years of disruption, welcome their tour groups. In addition, the delegates and we look for a strong attendance at Going will network with 150 travel planners to share ideas On Faith,” said Jennifer Ferguson of The Group for increased and improved travel. They’ll also meet Travel Family of Brands. travel industry delegates representing destinations, Recent surveys of faith-based travel groups hotels and attractions nationwide.

The Going On Faith Conference will be held have shown a rapid rebound in group travel activCOURTESY PANAMA CITY BEACH CVB at the Sheraton Golf and Spa Resort in Panama ity. Many church groups are reporting travel activity at or above pre-pandemic levels. The travel rebound is being City Beach September 13-15. Travel leaders of church, religious and attributed to close personal links inside the travel groups, leading to faith-based organizations can learn more about Going On Faith at a greater desire to engage travel as an activity. gofconference.com or by calling 800-628-0993.

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AATC OFFERS A GREAT TIME IN TOPEKA SALEM, Ohio — Visit Topeka will be the host of the African American Travel Conference (AATConf/AATC) 2022 and is inviting travel planners from across the country to visit Topeka, Ohio, and to discover the tourism diversity the city has to offer.

“Topeka is such a group-travel-friendly city, and we are excited to showcase it to our delegates of AATConf,” said Kacie Honeywell, the conference’s delegate manager. AATConf is the nation’s leading organization focusing on diversity in the group travel industry. The conference brings together travel planners of diversity groups for three days to discover the host city, network with travel planners from across the country and meet with travel industry delegates representing hotels, museums and cruise lines.

Attendees of AATConf 2022 will also enjoy extensive local sightseeing in Topeka so that they can plan future group tours to the city.

“We have a lot of fun at AATC, but group travel is a lot of fun,” said Honeywell.

The event will be headquartered at Topeka’s Capital Plaza Hotel, located in the exciting downtown district.

In its 28th year, AATC has helped thousands of travel groups connect with destinations, operators, hotels and sightseeing attractions to create quality tours.

AATConf 22 is shaping up to be no exception, with travel planners from 25 states expected to attend, along with more than 150 travel industry delegates.

AATConference will be held April 12-14, at the Capital Plaza Hotel in Topeka.

Registration to the three-day event includes lodging, meals, sightseeing, seminars and the marketplace for $95 per person. To qualify for registration, please call Kacie Honeywell at 800-628-0992 or khoneywell@grouptravelfamily.com.

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ALABAMA

FAM

FAM participants visited the famous Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, where some of the greatest hits of the 20th century were recorded.

“Wow, what a great experience! I had heard of things Birmingham has to offer, and this experience enhances my knowledge even more.”

— JOANN WASHINGTON JW TRAVEL AGENCY

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A luthier at Lowe Mill in Huntsville

Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church

Little River Canyon National Park

ALL PHOTOS BY BRIAN JEWELL

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ONSITE IN ALABAMA “SWEET HOME ALABAMA” IS MORE THAN JUST A SONG.

That’s what nine tour operators and travel planner readers of The Group Travel Leader discovered during a five-day familiarization tour of the state hosted by the Alabama Tourism Department. This tour introduced them to people and places that changed the world, from civil rights heroes in Birmingham to recording artists in Muscle Shoals and rocket scientists in Huntsville. Along the way, they discovered the state’s natural beauty, art and notable historic places.

Follow along on this itinerary to begin planning an Alabama exploration for your travelers.

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“I loved the campfire with Kelly roasting marshmallows, and the sing-along, dinner and the waterfalls.”

— DEBORA ERVIN C&C UNLIMITED TRAVEL

The UAB football field at Protective Stadium

Snacks in a Protective Stadium suite

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ARRIVAL IN BIRMINGHAM PROTECTIVE STADIUM TOUR BIRMINGHAM DRIVING TOUR TOUR AND DINNER AT VULCAN PARK AND MUSEUM

Travel planners began their trip by arriving in Birmingham by air, car and train. After gathering at the Hilton Birmingham at UAB, the group ventured out to explore the city. Their first stop was at the brand-new Protective Stadium, home of the University of Alabama Blazers football team, for a reception and tour. Next, an “experience giver,” Alabama’s term for a step-on guide, led the group on a driving tour to see some of the city’s highlights. The tour ended at Vulcan Park and Museum, where travel planners enjoyed amazing sunset views of the city, as well as a museum tour and a delicious dinner catered by a local chef.

PROTECTIVE STADIUM The University of Alabama at Birmingham played its first home game at the new $175 million Protective Stadium in October.

The FAM group got a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium, including a look inside locker rooms and a walk on the field, just weeks before opening day. The stadium will also play host to the opening and closing ceremonies of the World Games, which are coming to Birmingham in 2022.

Vulcan at night

Touring Protective Stadium

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Bread pudding in Birmingham

VULCAN PARK AND MUSEUM In 1904, the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce created a 56-foot-tall cast-iron statue of Vulcan to highlight the area’s heritage in the iron and steel industry. Today, that statue stands on a 125-foot pedestal in a hilltop park overlooking the city. The group visited the park at sunset for beautiful views of the monument and the city below and enjoyed a museum tour showcasing the city’s history. They also had a delicious catered dinner at the museum.

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

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• BREAKFAST AND TOUR AT 16TH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH • BIRMINGHAM CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE • KELLY INGRAM PARK • ALABAMA JAZZ HALL OF FAME • LUNCH AT PIZITZ FOOD HALL • DEPART FOR MUSCLE SHOALS • MUSCLE SHOALS SOUND STUDIO • DINNER AT RICATONI’S

The second day of the trip started with a treat: a catered breakfast at 16th Street Baptist Church, one of Birmingham’s most important civil rights landmarks. Next, a Black historian led the group on a tour of the church, as well as tours of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and Kelly Ingram Park, which was the site of highly publicized demonstrations during the civil rights movement. Next, the group got a quick preopening tour of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame and enjoyed lunch at Pizitz Food Hall, a market in a historic retail building. From there, the group left Birmingham and headed to Muscle Shoals, where they toured the famous Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and then proceeded to their accommodations at the luxurious Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa. 16TH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH In 1963, the bombing of Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church killed four Black girls and became a flashpoint in the civil rights movement. Today, the church is still home to an active congregation, as well as a museum detailing the attack and the events it set in motion.

The tour group enjoyed an exclusive catered breakfast in the church basement, followed by a tour of the historic sanctuary that highlighted its art and architecture in addition to its civil rights history.

BIRMINGHAM CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE So many important events in the civil rights movement took place in Birmingham that the city constructed the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute right across the street from the 16th Street Baptist Church. With interactive displays and historic artifacts, the museum helps visitors understand the injustices of segregation and the heroic efforts of those who worked to end it. Highlights include a Freedom Rides bus and the jail cell from which Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his famous “Letter From Birmingham Jail.”

Birmingham’s Historic 16th Street Baptist Church

Breakfast at 16th Street Baptist Church

Birmingham Civil Rights Museum

Exploring Birmingham’s civil rights district

A historic presentation at 16th Street Baptist Church

Martin Luther King’s jail cell on display at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute A segregation exhibit in Birmingham

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Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

Stories of segregation

Kelly Ingram Park

KELLY INGRAM PARK During the civil rights movement, powerful protests took place in Kelly Ingram Park, across the street from the 16th Street Baptist Church. Today, the park is home to a number of sculptures that depict the brutality of opposition to the civil rights movement and the overcoming spirit of those who persisted in the cause. The group toured the park, and they had a chance encounter with Sarah Collins Rudolph, a survivor of the 1963 church bombing.

ALABAMA JAZZ HALL OF FAME Built in 1935, the Carver Theater was at the center of Black entertainment in Birmingham for much of the 20th century. Fresh off a renovation, the 471-seat theater continues to offer performances.

Beginning this spring, it will also be home to the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, which will showcase Alabama musicians who made important contributions to the evolution of jazz. The group got a behind-the-scenes tour of the theater and a sneak peek at some of the museum exhibit areas.

MUSCLE SHOALS SOUND STUDIO In 1969, a quartet of talented session musicians known as the Swampers left their positions at a nearby studio and started the Muscle Shoals Sounds Studio in an unassuming roadside building in Sheffield. High-profile artists from around the world, including Cher, The Rolling Stones and Lynard Skynard, recorded more than 75 gold albums there over nine years. Today, visitors can tour the studio, which is set up almost exactly as it was during the Swampers’ heyday.

Memorabilia at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio

Meeting a bombing survivor at 16th Street Baptist Church

A performance area at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio

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• FAME STUDIOS • ALABAMA MUSIC HALL OF FAME • LUNCH AT ODETTE • DEPART FOR HUNTSVILLE • U.S. SPACE AND ROCKET CENTER • HUNTSVILLE BOTANICAL GARDEN • LOWE MILL ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT • DINNER AT RHYTHM ON MONROE The third day brought more music history, first at FAME Studios and then at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. The group enjoyed lunch at the charming Odette in downtown Florence before departing for Huntsville. Upon arrival there, they toured the iconic U.S. Space and Rocket Center, then proceeded to visit the Huntsville Botanical Garden and the Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment complex. To end the day, Huntsville treated the

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group to a spectacular sunset reception on the rooftop at downtown restaurant Rhythm on Monroe, followed by dinner in the main dining room. Guests overnighted at the Drury Inn and Suites.

FAME Studios

FAME STUDIOS The original Muscle Shoals recording studio, first called Florence Alabama Music Enterprise, is now better known as FAME Studios.

Opened in 1962, this studio put Muscle Shoals on the map and was the site of seminal recordings by artists such as Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, the Allman Brothers Band and many more. Today, groups can tour the working studios to see how music is recorded there and hear the stories of legends who created hits in those rooms.

ALABAMA MUSIC HALL OF FAME The Alabama Music Hall of Fame pays homage not just to the Muscle Shoals sound but also to the wide range of artists, songwriters and producers who have ties to the state. Among the many inductees are Hank Williams, Nat King Cole and Lionel Richie. The museum has instruments, stage costumes and other artifacts from dozens of Alabama music legends. Visitors can walk through a tour bus used by the country band Alabama or record their own versions of popular songs in the on-site studio.

U.S. SPACE AND ROCKET CENTER Much of the rocket science that led to the success of America’s space program was done by Werner Von Braun and a team of engineers in Huntsville. Today, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center helps visitors understand the scale of this program and the objects they created. The centerpiece of the museum is a Saturn V rocket that was used for testing the systems that would send astronauts to the moon. Groups can participate in interactive elements of the center’s popular Space Camp program.

HUNTSVILLE BOTANICAL GARDEN Not far from the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville Botanical Garden is a 112-acre jewel. Displays throughout the garden change with the seasons, and there are a variety of special exhibits and events throughout the year. A conservatory also serves as a butterfly garden during warm-weather months. The FAM group learned about the garden’s Galaxy of Lights, a holiday program rated among the top group travel events in North America, and enjoyed some free time to explore the garden.

LOWE MILL ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT A cotton and textile mill built in 1900 now serves as Huntsville’s hub for all things artistic. Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment is home to more than 200 artist studios and galleries. Visitors can browse the galleries, meet the artists, watch them work and buy pieces from them directly. In addition to the studios, there are a number of restaurants on-site, as well as a specialty tea shop, a brewery, a distillery, a chocolatier and other food vendors.

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Recording a song at the hall of fame

Alabama Music Hall of Fame

Art on display at Huntsville’s Lowe Mill

U.S. Space and Rocket Center

Huntsville Botanical Garden

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Harrison Brothers Hardware

Rooftop dining at Rhythm on Monroe in Huntsville

• HISTORIC HUNTSVILLE DRIVING TOUR • HUNTSVILLE MUSEUM OF ART • TOUR AND LUNCH AT BURRITT

ON THE MOUNTAIN • DEPART FOR DEKALB COUNTY • LITTLE RIVER CANYON

NATIONAL PRESERVE • DINNER AND CAMPFIRE

AT DESOTO STATE PARK

A historic cash register at Harrison Brothers Hardware

Browsing Harrison Brothers Hardware

Huntsville Museum of Art’s glass exhibit

Burritt on the Mountain

Touring the Huntsville Museum of Art

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The fourth morning of the FAM began with a driving tour that included the gorgeous homes of Huntsville’s Twickenham Historic District and ended with a shopping and refreshment stop at Harrison Brothers Hardware, a general store and gift shop. Next, the group explored the galleries at the Huntsville Museum of Art before ascending to Burritt on the Mountain, a house museum and historic village on a peak just outside town.

From there, the group departed Huntsville for DeKalb County and Lookout Mountain, where the visitors were amazed by the waterfalls and scenery of Little River Canyon National Preserve.

Next, they checked into the lodge at DeSoto State Park, where they enjoyed a delicious Southern dinner, followed by a campfire experience with s’mores and live music by a local performer.

HISTORIC HUNTSVILLE DRIVING TOUR Huntsville has a rich and varied history, and the FAM group spent some time getting to know more about it on a driving tour with an entertaining Huntsville experience giver. Along the way, they saw the site where Alabama’s constitution was signed, the historic depot where Civil War soldiers were held as prisoners of war and dozens of beautiful homes, some dating to the 1820s, in the Twickenham Historic District. The tour ended with a visit to Harrison Brothers Hardware, an 1879 store on the downtown square that is now a charming gift shop.

HUNTSVILLE MUSEUM OF ART For more than 52 years, the Huntsville Museum of Art has been the city’s repository for fine artworks. The museum has

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more than 3,000 works in its collection and showcases them in its 75,000 square feet of gallery space. Many of the museum’s exhibits are themed and change throughout the year. Whenever they visit, though, groups can explore a gallery of recently purchased artworks and admire pieces of innovative American studio glass.

BURRITT ON THE MOUNTAIN In 1938, an eccentric doctor named William Burritt built a self-designed mansion on 167 acres atop Round Top Mountain overlooking Huntsville. Today the home is open as a museum that showcases Burritt’s unique design sensibilities and the stories of his life there. Today, 12 acres surrounding the home serve as a historic park, which includes a village of cabins and other structures from the early 1800s. The FAM group explored the village and enjoyed a basket lunch in the replica 1800s Rosenwald School House.

LITTLE RIVER CANYON NATIONAL PRESERVE After driving into remote DeKalb county, the group spent an afternoon exploring the natural beauty of the Little River Canyon National Preserve. At more than 15,000 acres, the preserve protects a river canyon atop Lookout Mountain. Among the highlights is DeSoto Falls, a 45-foot waterfall nestled inside a canyon that is 550 feet deep in some places. A tour of the preserve included plenty of opportunities to stroll through the forest and admire the other waterfalls and rock formations.

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Enjoying the view over Little River Canyon

Desoto State Park

A re-created schoolhouse at Burritt on the Mountain

A campfire experience at DeSoto State Park

A campfire serenade

• DESOTO STATE PARK • DEPART FOR HOME

On the final day of the tour, the group enjoyed another delicious meal at the DeSoto State Park Lodge, then explored the park and points of interest in nearby communities. Then, they began the drive back to Birmingham to begin their trips home, with memories of Sweet Home Alabama fresh in their minds.

Little River Canyon National Preserve

WITH THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER

WITH THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER

ALABAMA TOURISM DEPARTMENT

ROSEMARY JUDKINS 334-242-4493 ROSEMARY.JUDKINS@TOURISM.ALABAMA.GOV

ALABAMA.TRAVEL

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LOUISIANA FAM

“I intend to feature Natchitoches in a future holiday tour, and I may use Cypress Bend Resort. The golf cart ‘race’ was my favorite experience.”

— CHARLENE TROGGIO BREAKAWAY TOURS

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ONSITE IN LOUISIANA IN LOUISIANA, NO MAN’S LAND IS A PLACE YOU’LL ACTUALLY WANT TO GO.

FAM highlights, clockwise from left: Cajun Country Swamp tours; exploring Lake Martin Swamp; a daiquiri stop in Lafayette; the Ragin’ Cajuns motorcoach; touring Cypress Bend Resort

That’s what eight tour operators and travel planner readers of The Group Travel Leader discovered during a six-day familiarization tour of the state hosted by the Louisiana Office of Tourism. The tour took them to the No Man’s Land region on the state’s border with Texas to discover fascinating history, charming towns and beautiful natural areas in nearby destinations.

Follow along on this itinerary to begin planning a No Man’s Land adventure for your group.

ALL PHOTOS BY BRIAN JEWELL

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• ARRIVAL IN LAFAYETTE • DOWNTOWN DRIVING TOUR • DINNER AT BON TEMPS GRILL

Travel planners began their trip by flying or driving to Lafayette, a midsize city with deep Cajun roots in south-central Louisiana. After everyone arrived, the group departed on a driving tour that included a stop at a frozen daiquiri stand and a look at the distinctive downtown area, which plays host to the Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, a signature cultural and music event.

The driving tour ended at Bon Temps Grill, where travelers got their first of many delicious Cajun-inspired seafood dishes during the tour.

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Lake Martin Swamp

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CAJUN COUNTRY SWAMP TOURS TOUR AND LUNCH AT VERMILIONVILLE MARTIN ACCORDIONS DEPART FOR LAKE CHARLES CRYING EAGLE BREWERY BOARDWALK PROMENADE DINNER AT LUNA BAR AND GRILL

The second day of the tour began with an intimate naturalist-led swamp cruise in a beautiful wetland area just outside of Lafayette.

Next, the group toured Vermilionville, a historic park that depicts the life of Acadian, Creole and native people who lived in the Lafayette area. From there, they visited Martin Accordions for a fascinating demonstration and lively concert. After departing Lafayette, the group traveled west to Lake Charles, where they visited Crying Eagle Brewery before enjoying the sunset beside the casinos on the city’s boardwalk promenade.

CAJUN COUNTRY SWAMP TOURS A short drive outside of Lafayette, Cajun Country Swamp Tours takes small groups on guided tours of the 800-acre Lake Martin Swamp, a flooded cypress forest that is home to alligators, turtles cormorants, great blue herons, woodpeckers, egrets and other animals. The tours are led by a Cajun naturalist who points out wildlife and tells stories of the swamp’s history.

The Cajun Country Swamp Tours naturalist

Exploring Vermilionville

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A historic Vermilionville building in Lafayette

VERMILIONVILLE Lafayette was at the center of the French Acadian culture in Louisiana, and Vermilionville is a 23-acre historic and folklife park on the banks of the Bayou Vermilion that tells the story of how the Acadians and Creoles lived and worked alongside Native Americans between 1765 and 1890. The group toured the village’s historic buildings with a costumed interpreter.

MARTIN ACCORDIONS Three generations of the Martin family work together to craft beautiful, hand-made concertina accordions — widely used in Cajun and zydeco music — at Martin Accordions near Lafayette. The tour group saw how the accordions are made and enjoyed a lively musical performance showcasing the development of Louisiana music through the ages.

CRYING EAGLE BREWERY Named for a prominent Native American leader in the area, Crying Eagle Brewing is the only craft brewery in Lake Charles.

Groups can tour the production area to learn about how the beers are created and packaged, then visit the taproom to sample the signature Louisiana Lager — made with local rice — and other varieties.

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BOARDWALK PROMENADE Many people travel to Lake Charles to visit its pair of gaming properties — Golden Nugget Lake Charles and L’Auberge Casino Resort — that are both situated along the banks of the Calcasieu River. The group enjoyed a beautiful sunset over the river on a quick visit to the city’s boardwalk promenade.

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Da y 3

CREOLE NATURE TRAIL LUNCH AT SEAFOOD PALACE CHARPENTIER DISTRICT 1911 HISTORIC CITY HALL DEPART FOR ALLEN PARISH LEATHERWOOD MUSEUM TOUR AND DINNER AT ALLEN PARISH CULTURAL CENTER • COUSHATTA CASINO

The third day began with a short drive outside Lake Charles to explore the wetlands and wildlife of the Creole Nature Trail. The group then returned to the city for lunch at the Seafood Palace, followed by a driving tour of the beautiful Charpentier Historic District and a tour of the galleries at the 1911 Historic City Hall.

After saying goodbye to Lake Charles, the group traveled farther west to Allen Parish, where they visited the Leatherwood Museum and then enjoyed a tour, home-cooked gumbo and live music at the Allen Parish Cultural Center. Afterward, some group members enjoyed the games and nightlife at Coushatta Casino.

CREOLE NATURE TRAIL One of 43 All-American Roads in the country, the Creole Nature Trail introduces visitors to the wetlands and wildlife of southwest Louisiana. During a driving tour, the FAM group saw some of the more than 400 species of animals and birds living in the area, including alligators and turtles.

1911 HISTORIC CITY HALL Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Lake Charles’ 1911 Historic City Hall is a former government building that found new life as a public art gallery and cultural facility in 2004. The group enjoyed the historic architecture of the building and browsed three floors of art exhibits, some of which highlight local artists.

LEATHERWOOD MUSEUM In Oakdale, the Leatherwood Museum showcases all things Allen Parish. Housed in a 19th century home, this museum has exhibits on Mardi Gras, Zydeco music, natural history, Native American culture and the area’s role in military preparations for World War II.

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Lunch at Vermilionville

Martin Accordions

Trying on an accordion

Crying Eagle Brewery

Lake Charles’ Boardwalk Promenade

Creole Nature Trail

1911 Historic City Hall

Leatherwood Museum

A gumbo dinner

Allen Parish Cultural Center

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Arrowheads at Allen Parish Cultural Center

The Wall of Honor at Allen Parish Cultural Center

First USO in DeRidder

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DEPART FOR BEAUREGARD PARISH FIRST USO AND WAR ROOM MUSEUM GOTHIC JAIL WOLF ROCK CAVE LUNCH AT HAZEL’S TEA PARLOR GAINES-OLIPHINT HOUSE TOUR, DINNER AND OVERNIGHT AT CYPRESS BEND RESORT

During the fourth day of the trip, travelers pressed deeper into No Man’s Land and learned more about the history of this region that went ungoverned for years in the 19th century. In DeRidder, they toured the first USO established in the country, followed by a historic jail built in Gothic style. Next, they enjoyed a short exploration at Wolf Rock Cave in Kisatchie National Forest, followed by lunch at the charming Hazel’s Tea Parlor in Leesville. From there, they traveled across Toledo Bend Lake and the state line to visit the Gaines-Oliphint House in Texas, before returning to Louisiana for a lovely afternoon and leisurely evening at the lakefront Cypress Bend Resort.

Exploring DeRidder’s Gothic Jail

Locked up!

Wolf Rock Cave

ALLEN PARISH CULTURAL CENTER The Allen Parish Cultural Center in Kinder commemorates local citizens who have served the community and the country.

Its Wall of Honor is a tribute to local veterans, accompanied by historic military uniforms, flags and other artifacts. After a brief tour, locals treated the group to a home-cooked dinner of gumbo and potato salad, accompanied by live Cajun music.

Hazel’s Tea Parlor

FIRST USO AND WAR ROOM MUSEUM In 1941, the first off-base USO in the country was opened in the Louisiana town of DeRidder to serve soldiers from nearby Fort Polk. Today, the building serves as a civic center and military museum. The FAM group learned about USO history and admired the building’s original furnishings and significant collections of weapons and other military equipment.

GOTHIC JAIL After many years as a “lawless” territory, No Man’s Land got some law and order with the 1914 construction of a jail in DeRidder.

The only Gothic style jail in America, the structure is now open for tours. Guests enjoyed exploring the cells and hearing stories of former jailers and inmates who once inhabited the building.

Corn bisque at Hazel’s Tea Parlor

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WOLF ROCK CAVE Near Leesville, Wolf Rock Cave in Kisatchie National Forest was used by early native people for generations and possibly later by smugglers transporting contraband through No Man’s Land. The FAM group got an introduction to the biodiversity of the forest

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Gaines-Oliphint House

from a park ranger and enjoyed the short walk through the woods to the mouth of the cave.

GAINES-OLIPHINT HOUSE Barely across the state line in Milam, Texas, the Gaines-Oliphint House is the oldest standing hand-hewn log structure in the state, dating to 1818. This No Man’s Land structure was built by a private landowner and later restored by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas in 1984.

CYPRESS BEND RESORT Situated on 400 acres on the shores of Toledo Bend Lake, Cypress Bend Resort features 905 guest rooms, a spa and an 18-hole golf course. The travel planners explored the hills and overlooks of the lakeside course on a golf cart caravan, then enjoyed a luxurious dinner in the resort pavilion, followed by after-dinner drinks and live fiddle music at the fire pit.

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• DEPART FOR MANSFIELD • MANSFIELD STATE HISTORIC SITE • DEPART FOR NATCHITOCHES • FORT ST. JEAN BAPTISTE

STATE HISTORIC SITE • LUNCH AT MERCI BEAUCOUP • CANE RIVER QUEEN • LOUISIANA SPORTS HALL OF FAME

AND NORTHWEST LOUISIANA

HISTORY MUSEUM • DINNER AT MARINER’S RESTAURANT • CANE RIVER BREWING COMPANY

A golf cart tour at Cypress Bend Resort

The Cypress Bend golf pro

Dinner at Cypress Bend Resort

A Cypress Bend Sunset

The group continued northward on the fifth day, starting with a visit to a Civil War battleground at Mansfield State Historic Site. They spent the rest of the day in Natchitoches, a charming riverfront town, where they explored Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site, took a river cruise aboard the Cane River Queen, and took in the exhibits at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum. After a waterfront dinner at Mariner’s Restaurants, some also toured and tasted at Cane River Brewing Company.

MANSFIELD STATE HISTORIC SITE In June 1863, several Civil War battles raged in northwest Louisiana. Groups can learn about the Battle of Mansfield at Mansfield State Historic Site, which features a battlefield and visitors center. The group got a video overview of the battle, followed by a battlefield medicine demonstration in the site’s museum.

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Fort St. Jean Baptiste in Natchitoches

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Riverfront Natchitoches

An auto racing exhibit at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum

FORT ST. JEAN BAPTISTE STATE HISTORIC SITE In 1714, a contingent of French soldiers set up Fort St. Jean Baptiste on the Red River in what is now Natchitoches. Today, Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site is a replica of the original fort, built with historic methods and tools. About 10 structures give visitors a glimpse of life at the fort, with costumed interpreters and live demonstrations.

Waterfront at Mariner’s Restaurant

Cane River Queen

Mansfield State Historic Site

Amazing architecture at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame

CANE RIVER QUEEN The Cane River runs right through downtown Natchitoches, and a cruise aboard the Cane River Queen gives travelers the opportunity to experience the beauty of both the waterway and the architecture of the town alongside it. The one-hour cruise featured memorable scenery and historic narration. Sunset cruises and private charters are available for groups.

LOUISIANA SPORTS HALL OF FAME AND NORTHWEST LOUISIANA HISTORY MUSEUM When it opened in 2013, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum in Nathcitoches was widely acclaimed for its architecture. Within its sweeping, contoured stone walls are exhibits honoring state sports legends such as Archie Manning and Shaquille O’Neal, as well as historic artifacts telling the story of the region’s past.

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• LOS ADAES STATE HISTORIC SITE • DEPART FOR HOME

WITH THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER

WITH THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER

LOUISIANA OFFICE OF TOURISM MATTHEW COPE 225-342-9282 MCOPE@CRT.LA.GOV

LOUISIANATRAVEL.COM

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Before departing No Man’s Land, the group stopped at Las Adaes State Historic Site, where they learned a fascinating part of the story of No Man’s Land. In 1721, Spain built a small fort at this site to prevent French incursion into their territory. It became the site of significant cooperation between the Spanish, French and Native Americans who lived in the region. The FAM group enjoyed an outdoor breakfast at the site, accompanied by a historic lecture from a Native American woman who served homemade pork tamales.

After finishing breakfast and touring the historic site, the travel planners bid goodbye to No Man’s Land and began the journey back home, where they would begin planning return trips to introduce their travelers to this storied region of Louisiana.

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Gruene Historic District

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San Antonio’s San Fernando Cathedral

Fredericksburg’s Altstadt Brewery

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COURTESY FREDERICKSBURG CVB

Austin’s Sixth Street Mural

German food in Fredericksburg

BY CLAIRE MCCORMACK, COURTESY FREDERICKSBURG CVB

Fredericksburg Oktoberfest COURTESY VISIT AUSTIN

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BY ROBIN DODD, COURTESY FREDERICKSBURG CVB

D E S T I N AT I O N

LONE STAR MEMORIES GROUPS ARE HEADED BACK TO TEXAS

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BY ROBIN ROENKER

exas is known for doing everything big, so it’s no wonder that when it comes to arts and culture, the Lone Star State delivers in a giant way.

Groups can explore a wide array of museums, historic attractions, live music and performance venues — and even a UNESCO world heritage site — all within the greater Austin-San Antonio corridor.

From a world-class military history museum and presidential homes to a famed Texas dance hall or German-inspired biergartens, there are arts and culture destinations in Texas sure to please any palate.

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A farm stand in Texas Hill Country

Groups can explore Texas’ famed Hill Country with a stop in Fredericksburg — but don’t be surprised if you feel at times like you’ve been transported to Old World Germany.

Founded in 1846 by German settlers, Fredericksburg maintains its ties to German culture via its architecture and, most especially, its food. The town boasts no fewer than seven German restaurants, and many of them, like the Altstadt Brewery or the Altdorf Restaurant and Biergarten, also serve traditional German-style beers.

Exhibits at the town’s Pioneer Museum tell the story of the area’s early German settlement, and the town’s popular walking tour offers insights into 30 of Fredericksburg’s most historically significant structures; a brochure detailing the tour is available from the local visitor’s bureau.

To fully immerse yourself in the town’s German legacy, plan to visit during the first weekend of October for Oktoberfest, a multiday, citywide festival of German food, music and culture.

“Pre-pandemic, we’d have visitors from around the world come specifically to enjoy Oktoberfest,” said Sean Doerre, communications and digital content manager for the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau.

Beyond its German flair, Fredericksburg also draws devotees of military history, since the city is home to the esteemed National Museum of the Pacific War.

BY JASON RISNER, COURTESY FREDERICKSBURG CVB G R O U P T R AV E L L E A D E R . C O M

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Positioned there in honor of Fredericksburg’s status as the birthplace of Adm. Chester Nimitz, the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet in WWII, the museum includes exhibits honoring Pearl Harbor, the Doolittle Raid, Iwo Jima and more.

History fans will also want to make time to visit the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, on the site of the LBJ Ranch, and the nearby LBJ State Park and Historic Site, which includes a living-history farm.

Groups looking to explore Hill Country’s beauty can plan a stop at any of the many area wineries or at Wildseed Farms, the nation’s largest working wildflower farm, which also boasts an on-site gift shop and deli.

“Pretty much any time of year you come, you’ll find something blooming there,” Doerre said. “But especially during the spring months, their wildflowers paint a fantastic picture around Fredericksburg and the Texas Hill Country in general.”

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SA N A N TON IO Explore the famed San Antonio Missions, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for a glimpse at the lasting legacy of early Catholic settlement in the region.

Built in the 18th century, San Antonio’s missions represent the largest concentration of Spanish colonial missions in North America.

“The entire Mission Trail is made up of five missions — the famous Alamo and four others: Concepción, San José, San Juan and Espada — which are operated by the National Park Service and are still home to active Catholic parishes,” said Stacey Carroll, marketing manager for Visit San Antonio.

Guests can start their 12-mile tour of the Mission Trail at the Mission San José Visitors Center, where a short film offers insights into the Mission movement in Texas. Ranger-led tours of Mission San José are offered daily at 10 and 11 a.m.

The Alamo itself is, of course, a must-stop on any San Antonio journey. Visitors can explore the 300-year history of the site and glean insights into the famed 1836 Battle of the Alamo through a guided tour, offered daily from the Alamo’s Welcome Center.

While your group is in San Antonio, make a point of enjoying the city’s vast array of public art. Or take in the impressive holdings at the San Antonio Museum, which boasts a rich antiquities collection, or the McNay Art Museum, home to 22,000 works from Medieval and Renaissance art through 21st-century European and American paintings.

At night on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday, groups can visit the exterior of the city’s famed San Fernando Cathedral, the oldest continuously functioning religious community in Texas, to catch “The Saga,” a video-art installation that bathes the facade of the cathedral in light and music. Shows are free and begin at 9, 9:30, and 10 p.m.

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Downtown New Braunfels COURTESY NEW BRAUNFELS CVB

AUS T I N Known as a food mecca and a live-music lover’s haven, Texas’s capital city delivers big on arts and culture of all stripes.

Groups can get a feel for the city’s embrace of creativity on a street art tour with Austin Detours, which offers not only a close-up glimpse of some of the city’s most-famed murals but also insights into the artists and inspiration behind them.

The contemporary art museum and outdoor sculpture garden at Austin’s Laguna Gloria, a lush, 14-acre site along Lake Austin, offers another terrific opportunity to embrace art outdoors. The grounds are home to both permanent and rotating sculptural exhibitions by renowned international artists. While there, enjoy a moment of quiet reflection in the gardens at nearby Mayfield Park and Preserve. And if you’re lucky, you may spot one of the park’s beloved peacocks, which roam the grounds freely.

Outdoor sculptures are the star attraction as well at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden, a tranquil six-acre property known as one of the most picturesque spots in Austin.

Music fans in your group will be thrilled to visit the city.

“Going on a live music crawl is a great way to learn about Austin’s rich music history,” said Alison Lamell, tourism and marketing specialist with Visit Austin. “They don’t call us the Live Music Capital of the World for nothing.”

Run by local Austin musicians, live music crawls offer an insider’s look at Austin’s venerated music scene and

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typically include stops at several of the city’s legendary country, rock and blues venues, including the Broken Spoke, the Continental Club and Antone’s.

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N E W BR AU N F E L S

Gruene Hall COURTESY TRAVEL TEXAS

Austin’s Umlauf Sculpture Garden

Roughly 40 minutes by car from San Antonio, New Braunfels is a great gateway to the lauded historic nearby town of Gruene.

On the Guadalupe River, Gruene offers groups an opportunity to stroll along quaint streets lined with unique shops, antique stores and eclectic restaurants. Founded by German farmers, the city has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places and is known for its charming architecture.

But Gruene really comes to life when the doors of its famed music hall open. Billed as Texas’ oldest dance hall, Gruene Hall features live music with top country and rockabilly performers seven nights a week throughout the year.

The nearby Gruene Mansion Inn, a historic mansion built in 1872, offers a comfortable place to stay and unwind. Many rooms offer private patios overlooking the river.

Back in New Braunfels, groups can catch an array of live performances at the Brauntex, the city’s restored, downtown, 1940s-era theater.

The city’s SophieNBurg Museum and Archives features local artifacts, photographs and mementos from the region’s early German settlers, offering insight into the unique history and heritage of New Braunfels and surrounding communities.

P L AY I N N E W B R AU N F E L S .C O M

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ATTENTION FOODIES ADD COLUMBUS, OHIO, T O YO U R R E S TA U R A N T A P P

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BY JILL GLEESON

olumbus’ food scene is even better than you think.

As the 14th-largest city in the U.S. and Ohio’s capital, it figures that Columbus would have a decent food culture that offers at least a little something for every group member, no matter their palate. But the city has evolved into one of the country’s great culinary meccas thanks in part to its location amid the Buckeye State’s vast agricultural fields.

There are loads of fresh farm-to-table offerings in the city, though that’s not all that makes it a foodie paradise, according to Lexi Sweet, senior public relations manager at Experience Columbus.

Groups can sample Jenni’s Ice Cream — a local favorite — and a wealth of other culinary delights at Columbus’ North Market.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY EXPERIENCE COLUMBUS

“We are a very diverse community,” Sweet said. “So that means we have any type of food you can imagine here, and it’s very authentic. You can essentially eat your way around the world in Columbus.”

The city provides a number of ways to experience its sublime fare, from dining in a long-loved eatery that recalls the city’s founding fathers to visiting food halls, taking culinary tours and sampling from the ever-increasing array of adult beverages crafted within its borders.

Just be sure your group arrives in Columbus hungry.

SC H M I DT ’ S R E S TAU R A N T A N D BA NQU E T H AUS

With roots that go back to a meat packing plant founded in 1886 by Schmidt family patriarch J. Fred, Schmidt’s Restaurant and Banquet Haus today sits tucked away in Columbus’ historic German Village and is one of the city’s best restaurant choices for motorcoach tours.

“Schmidt’s is a fifth-generation, German-owned restaurant,” said Roger Dudley, director of community and

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customer engagement for Experience Columbus. “And groups have been coming to it for over 20 years. They’ve been very bus friendly.”

The setting is part of the appeal. Schmidt’s, which is in a former livery stable, is a National Historic Site. Handsome banquet rooms sit above the restaurant, providing space for groups of 15 to 112 people. Two packages for tour groups are available: a buffet that includes dishes like pork bratwurst, sauerkraut with pork and German potato salad and the buffet combined with live accordion music and a city tour.

After their meal, visitors will undoubtedly want to stroll about the charming German Village. Originally dubbed the South End, it was largely established in the mid-1800s

by German immigrants like Schmidt who at one time accounted for a third of the population of Columbus.

NOR T H M A R K E T A N D BU DD DA I RY FOOD H A L L

Columbus is experiencing a food hall boom, though you could call the city more of a trendsetter in this area

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COLU M BUS FOOD A DV E N T U R E S

Exploring North Market

BY LEVI ELY

Budd Dairy Company

For groups that want to dive deep into central Ohio’s comestible goodies, Columbus Food Adventures offers private tours, with experience having run roughly 500 exclusive excursions for companies such as Nationwide, Chase and BMW since opening in 2010. “They can do a customized food tour for a group,” Dudley said, “so if tour operators want to include a brewery or make sure to include a Jeni’s Ice Cream or one of our local coffee shops or something like that, they can price it all out and customize it.”

Or groups can choose from one of the company’s prepackaged walking tours, which range from guided beverage tours to jaunts through neighborhoods including the German Village, with six tasting stops over four hours; Old Worthington, with six tasting stops over 3.5 hours, including a visit to the farmers market; and Short North, with six tasting stops over 3.5 hours and a look at the area’s public art. Sweet recommended the Alt Eats Tour that, she noted, “goes to some of the ethnic restaurants that the city has that visitors might not normally seek out if they are here just for a weekend.”

B R E W E R I E S A N D DIS T I L L E R I E S

BY BILL CODY

than a trend-follower thanks to North Market. Located downtown, “the market has been there for many, many years,” Dudley said. “It’s in a historic building; they have over 20 vendors within, anywhere from prepared foods to foods you can take home and cook yourself if you’re local. It’s also where Jeni’s got its start, which is our ice cream that Columbus is really well known for. So that has been a group staple for many years.”

Foodie groups touring Columbus will also want to visit Budd Dairy Food Hall, which just debuted in May of this year. Created by restaurateur Cameron Mitchell, who owns a number of popular concepts throughout the city, it’s a 10-stall incubator that gives a series of rotating chefs new to the scene a chance to try out their skills in a space they oversee. Cuisine now being served in the former dairy processing plant includes everything from Hawaiian poke to Filipino street food and Maine lobster rolls. In addition, Budd Dairy Food Hall, which is in the city’s Italian Village neighborhood, features three bars, a rooftop watering hole and a beer garden.

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Should groups be looking to wet their whistles while visiting Columbus, the city provides an almost dizzying assortment of beers and spirits proudly made within its borders. The Columbus Ale Trail now includes more than 50 breweries, including spots like Crooked Can Brewing Company. Located in historic Old Hilliard, it shares its premises with Center Street Market, home to beloved food vendors including Dumplings of Fury and the Cheesecake Girl. Tour leaders who schedule a stop there should allow time to wander Old Hillard, which offers attractions such as First Responders Park, a powerful memorial to those who sacrificed their lives on September 11, 2001.

Along with microbreweries, Columbus offers a fast-growing selection of distilleries, according to Dudley.

“We actually have quite a distillery scene in Columbus,” he said. “And a couple of our local distilleries also have restaurants attached to them, such as High Bank Distillery.

They’re in the Grandview area, and along with distilling award-winning vodka and whiskeys, they have a really great menu and a huge space. So if a group is looking for that kind of unique dining experience, they could do that well.”

EXPERIENCECOLUMBUS.COM High Bank Distillery

Schmidt’s Restaurant, a German Village institution

BY LEVI ELY G R O U P T R AV E L L E A D E R . C O M

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DOUBLING DOWN

THESE CASINOS OFFER R EM A R K A BLE A RCHITEC TUR E

Stunning art and architecture surround visitors at Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun.

COURTESY MOHEGAN SUN

BY PAUL A AVEN GL ADYCH

C

ome for the games, stay for the architecture.

Around the U.S., standout casino properties are making a name for themselves with unforgettable design elements, world-class art collections and high-end entertainment.

From Connecticut and New Jersey to Nevada, Oklahoma and Indiana, here are a few casinos that are worth seeing, even if you don’t bet a dime.

ARTWORK BY DAVID BROWN

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Tropicana Atlantic City COURTESY TROPICANA ATLANTIC CITY

TROPICANA ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY A Dale Chihuly sculpture at Mohegan Sun COURTESY MOHEGAN SUN

MOHEGAN SUN CONNECTICUT Native American motifs of earth, wind, fire and rain are incorporated throughout Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun casino, one of the largest casinos in the United States. Stories of the cosmos are incorporated into unique environments throughout the gaming spaces, retail shops, restaurant pavilion and hotel lobby. The crystalline exterior of the 1,200-room, 34-story luxury hotel was inspired by the rock and smoky quartz crystal used by the Mohegans to make arrowheads and ceremonial objects.

Interior details include the Tree of Life, waterfalls and pools. Wombi Rock, a three-story crystal mountain, was crafted from more than 12,000 individual plates of onyx that were fused to glass stands at the center of Casino of the Sky. A planetarium dome measuring 150 feet across covers the 115,000-square-foot casino, using fiber-optic technology to project constellations, sun cycles and clouds. Another artistic highlight is River Blue, a large glass sculpture by world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly that took 2,500 handblown cobalt blue, silver and clear glass pieces to build a structure 14 feet wide and 25 feet tall.

The casino has more than 300 table games, nearly 5,000 slot machines and a state-of-the-art poker room. The resort has multiple entertainment venues, including the Wolf Den, the Mohegan Sun Arena and Comix Roadhouse, a Mandara Spa and the Mohegan Sun Golf Club, with 18-hole course and practice range.

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On the famous Atlantic City Boardwalk, Tropicana Atlantic City is a mix of retro Atlantic City charm and modern amenities, with its five hotel towers, 2,400 guest rooms and 125,935-square-foot casino with 150 table games, an 18-table poker room and more than 2,300 slot machines.

It also features a sports book and Asian table games like baccarat and pai gow.

The Quarter at Tropicana is a 200,000-square-foot entertainment complex set in a two-story streetscape that resembles Old Havana in Cuba with more than 50 restaurants, entertainment venues, retail shops and a spa. The Marketplace, which opens to the Boardwalk, also has a Cuban vibe and offers 21,000 square feet of dining, entertainment and shopping.

The complex features an Imax theater, a nightclub, a karaoke bar, four escape rooms and the Tropicana Showroom, a 2,000-seat theater that hosts concerts, revues, sporting events and Broadway shows. The Multimedia Light and Sound Show, which was added in 2015, turns the Boardwalk-facing side of the hotel into a choreographed light and sound show displayed on a 66-foot-high curved LED screen surrounded by five double-sided, 24-foot LED screens with moving spotlights.

TROPICANA.NET

HORSESHOE CASINO HAMMOND, INDIANA Horseshoe Casino Hammond is one of the largest floating casinos in the U.S., with 350,000 square feet of casino and convention space that rises four stories, or 116 feet, from the hull, above the four barges on which it is built. To accommodate the behemoth, the Hammond Marina needed to be dredged to 16 feet deep.

The casino sits right across the water from Chicago and is a 15-minute drive to Chicago’s hotels and the famous Navy Pier. The vessel’s main gaming floor has 3,000 slot machines and 100 gaming tables. The high-limit gaming

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room features 125 machines in denominations up to $1,000 surrounding an acrylic horseshoe statue that was the second-largest acrylic statue in the U.S. at the time the casino opened in 2008. Horseshoe Casino has a large poker room with 34 tables at all limits and has a private poker area. The Caesars Sportsbook is in a 5,300-square-foot space with more than a dozen 85-inch televisions, 10 betting counters and a deluxe lounge with chairs and couches.

The second floor features The Venue, the casino’s 3,400-person capacity entertainment space, and a buffet.

The Venue hosts concerts and shows of all kinds. The vessel is adjacent to the casino’s main pavilion, with restaurants, a gift shop and meeting facilities.

C A E S A R S .C O M / H O R S E S H O E - H A M M O N D

The spa at Reno’s Atlantis Casino Resort COURTESY ATLANTIS CASINO RESORT

Poolside at Choctaw Casino and Resort

COURTESY CHOCTAW CASINO AND RESORT

C H O C TAW C A S I N O A N D R E S O R T DURANT, OKLAHOMA The Choctaw Casino and Resort opened in 2006 with a 100,000-square-foot casino, about an hour from the Dallas/ Fort Worth area. Since then, it has been through four major expansions, including its newest 21-story Sky Tower addition, which opened in August. The Sky Tower was designed to give guests an experience that would rival Las Vegas resorts.

It has a world-class Choctaw art collection that is displayed throughout the new tower and includes paintings, sculptures and special art installations by Choctaw artists.

In addition, there is a special immersive digital art installation called the Link that features beautiful and otherworldly scenes of wildlife that are ever-changing. A bear or bison may wander into view or a cluster of butterflies take off from their perch on a tree as guests wander by.

Sky Tower added 1,000 hotel rooms, 16 restaurants and lounges, two swimming pools, 3,300 slot machines, 40 table games and 30 poker tables, bringing the resort’s total number of guest rooms to 1,700; its casino increased the number of table games to 136 and the number of slot machines to 7,400.

The League Sports Bar features 88 televisions and a 100-foot video wall that can be broken into 16 separate events at the same time. On weekends it is open for off-track betting.

C H O C TAWC A S I N O S .C O M / D U R A N T

AT L A N T I S C A S I N O R E S O R T S PA RENO, NEVADA It’s hard to miss the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa on Virginia Avenue in Reno. Not only is it connected to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center by a sky bridge, but out front it features a beautiful set of fountains that perform synchronized routines to music. There are two huge flaming torches that light up Virginia Street and can be seen from miles away. The resort’s glassed-in sushi and oyster bar sits between them for wonderful views of the flames and Reno’s main drag.

Atlantis is known for its four-star Spa Atlantis, with three pools of different temperatures, the Laconium Relaxation Lounge, the Brine Inhalation-Light Therapy Lounge, an herbal steam room, a cedarwood sauna and almost every spa treatment imaginable. The spa also has a tea lounge that offers dried snacks, fresh fruit, coffee, tea and infused waters.

The Atlantis Casino has 60,000 square feet of casino space with 1,400 slot machines and dozens of table games, including blackjack, craps, baccarat, roulette and pai gow poker. It also features a race and sports book and a nonsmoking poker room and gaming areas. A cabaret stage in the middle of the casino provides live musical performances.

AT L A N T I S C A S I N O.C O M

The Atlantis gaming floor COURTESY ATLANTIS CASINO RESORT

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AFRICAN AMERICAN H E R I TA G E G U I D E

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DISCOVER BOURBON CITY’S BLACK HERITAGE

Kentucky Derby Museum

Groups can take a step back in time and explore Louisville’s Black heritage with the Unfiltered Truth Collection. These eight immersive experiences feature perspectives and histories that you may not have heard before.

Learn more at UnfilteredTruthCollection.com

CONTENTS AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE GUIDE

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HISTORY AND CULTURE MUSEUMS These institutions tell the stories of the Black experience in America.

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MUSIC EXPERIENCES Discover African American culture through the power of sound.

UNDERGROUND RAILROAD SITES

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These historic places were instrumental in the fight for freedom.

CULINARY HERITAGE

32

Black-owned restaurants across the country have been feeding travelers for generations.

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Black history is all around in Memphis

BY VICKIE MITCHELL

I

n Memphis, the stories of African Americans are found in museums but also in barbecue joints and picturesque parks, on Beale Street and in neighborhoods like Soulsville.

From slavery and civil rights to entrepreneurial success, Black history is all around.

A trio of museums & tours gives a fine overview To grasp Memphis’s role in civil rights, start at the National Civil Rights Museum. It is housed in the reimagined Lorraine Motel, where the Rev. Martin Luther King died in 1968, and while the room where King stayed has been preserved, the rest of the motel has been turned into a world-class museum. A few years ago, more than 40 new films, oral histories and interactive media were added to its already forceful collection.

King was among the Civil Rights leaders photographed by Ernest Withers Sr., a wellknown photographer who spent more than 60 years documenting Black life. His former studio on Beale Street became The Withers Collection Museum and Gallery in 2011, where a fraction of his 1.8 million images are displayed. He photographed stars like Aretha Franklin and Willie Mays, as well as not-sofamous friends, neighbors and families.

At Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum, visitors experience the depths of slaves’ despair as they step down into the cellar and hidden tunnels that would take them North – concealed by a white clapboard house that served as an Underground Railroad stop. Local tour operators including Heritage Tours and A Tour of Possibilities offer group excursions to landmarks like these, as well as guided van or bus tours to several sites of interest.

A breath of fresh air; whiffs of barbecue The city’s air is scented with wood smoke and simmering sauce, a happy byproduct of its bounty of barbecue restaurants. The Bar-B-Q Shop, in Midtown, was chosen among the country’s top 5 by the Food Network. Off I-55, Interstate Bar-B-Que owner Jim Neely has smoked tons of pork since he retired from a successful career in insurance and challenged himself to make a better barbecue sandwich. He apparently succeeded, as Interstate’s has been repeatedly ranked among the best barbecue in the country. For a break from smoked meat, try the Four Way, a local favorite, where meat and three costs around $10. Since 1946, The Four Way has dished up black-eyed peas, meringue pies and other Southern favorites as it served as a center of community activism. King and other civil rights leaders often met there over meatloaf, cornbread and greens, and the tradition continues.

A day of attractions; an evening of theatre & entertainment By day, the Stax Museum of American Soul Music and The Blues Foundation’s Blues Hall of Fame welcome visitors to learn, listen and even dance to the sounds of Memphis’ enduring, global music legacy.

After a busy day in the city, it’s nice to sink into a seat at the Hattiloo Theatre, the only freestanding Black repertory theater in five surrounding states. Since 2016, this homegrown effort has staged professional shows ranging from classics like Porgy and Bess to original works written by its founder. Or, hit world-famous Beale Street, soaked in history and neon light, for live music seven nights a week.

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EXPLORING BLACK

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CULTURE THESE MUSEUMS EXAMINE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY

BY LYSA ALLMAN-BALDWIN

The National Museum of African American History and Culture, a Smithsonian museum in Washington, houses the country’s foremost collection of Black history and cultural artifacts.

THE STORIES OF BLACK AMERICA ARE ON DISPLAY LIKE NEVER BEFORE. History and culture museums play a significant role in our lives. As physical representations and repositories of time, they share the stories of specific cities, regions or countries; artistic expressions; political legacies; cultural trends and icons; music history; religious paths; and more.

For African Americans, the documentation of their history in this country in these hallowed edifices is nothing new. The first African American museum was established in 1868 in Virginia, and since that time, Black history museums have continued to grow in number, scope, significance and architectural magnificence.

Step inside the following seven museums that together illuminate and celebrate the challenges and triumphs weaved into the fabric of so many African American communities and their experiences — past, present and future.

BY ALAN KARCHMER, COURTESY NMAAHC

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NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE

Washington, D.C.

Opened in 2016 as the 19th museum of the Smithsonian Institution, the National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history and culture.

Encompassing approximately five acres, this state-of-the-art museum spans five floors and some 85,000 square feet and is home to an astounding 36,000-plus artifacts, a dozen exhibition spaces and 13 different multidimensional, interactive experiences.

The symbolism of its location on the National Mall in Washington and the architectural design of the building itself speak volumes about its importance in documenting and sharing the history, culture and stories of all Americans that contribute to the blended fabric of this nation.

The outstanding exhibits here encompass a wide variety of themes.

“A Changing America” deals with the continuing definition of African American identity since African slaves were first brought to our shores. “Double Victory” focuses on the roles African Americans have always played in the U.S. armed forces, dating all the way back to the Revolutionary War. “The City of Hope” was named in homage to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Martin Luther King Jr.’s unveiling of the Poor People’s Campaign in 1968. There’s also the Segregated Southern Railway Car, the Oprah Winfrey Theater and the Edisto Island Slave Cabin.

Groups can enjoy a variety of signature activities, such as dance and theater performances, film screenings, fashion shows, concerts and book discussions. nmaahc.si.edu

The National Museum of African American History and Culture, with the Washington Monument in the distance

Exterior architecture at the National Museum of African American History and Culture

GREENWOOD RISING

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A National Museum of African American History and Culture exhibit PHOTOS BY ALAN KARCHMER, COURTESY NMAAHC

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Opened to great fanfare in August, Tulsa’s Greenwood Rising is an institution 100 years in the making. On May 31, 1921, armed white men looted, burned and attacked the residents, homes, businesses and churches of Greenwood, a Black neighborhood north of downtown.

In only three days, an estimated 300 people were killed, some 1,200 homes were destroyed, and almost all of this historic African American community, called Black Wall Street, lay in smoldering ruins. Although called a race riot by some, the prevailing nomenclature is “the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.”

A national model of prosperity, of self-sufficiency and the embodiment of the Black American dream, Black Wall Street, oddly enough, came about as a result of segregation. Because Black people were denied the right to spend their money anywhere outside their 35- to 40-block community, they had no choice but to buy, eat, drive, worship, live and die in the Greenwood district.

“The City of Hope” was named in Tulsa’s Greenwood Rising

homage to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Martin Luther King Jr.’s unveiling of the Poor People’s Campaign in 1968.

PHOTOS COURTESY GREENWOOD RISING

An immersive barbershop exhibit at Greenwood Rising Greenwood Rising is a combination state-of-the-art, multimillion-dollar history center, memorial and testament to the resilience and pioneering spirit of a community that at its core could never be destroyed.

Connecting it and several sites within the Historic Greenwood District is the Pathway to Hope. This beautiful, landscaped walking route peppered with unique artwork and relaxation benches symbolizes the rejoining of the area that was physically, mentally and emotionally cut off in the 1960s and 1970s when Interstate 244, under the guise of needed “urban renewal,” ousted the residents and many of their thriving business enterprises. greenwoodrising.org

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Atlanta

The Apex Museum in Atlanta

Charlotte’s Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts and Culture

BY LYSA ALLMAN-BALDWIN

Atlanta has always held a special place and played a significant role in the history, achievements and legacy of the Black community.

And it is here that you will find the African American Panoramic Experience Museum — the “Apex Museum” for short.

Located within the city’s Sweet Auburn Historic District, home to numerous other iconic and historical entities including the Martin Luther King Jr. Birth Home, the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, the Old Ebenezer Baptist Church, the Rucker Building and Prince Hall Masons Grand Lodge, the Apex Museum is the oldest Black history museum in Atlanta.

Founded in 1978, it is in the John Wesley Dobbs Building, a historic structure in its own right, as it was built in 1910 and, several decades later, retitled in honor of its namesake, a powerful political and civic leader that back in the day was often referred to as the unofficial mayor of Auburn Avenue.

Visitors to the museum will find a wide array of permanent and changing exhibits that underscore the numerous contributions African Americans have made to the city, state, country and world.

“Sweet Auburn Street Pride” features artifacts and memorabilia related to the life and work of many of Atlanta’s early Black pioneers.

“Africa: The Untold Story” spans some 6,000 years of the history of the continent, highlighting the culture, music, people and other aspects that have had positive reverberations all over the world. apexmuseum.org

COURTESY APEX MUSEUM

APEX MUSEUM

HARVEY B. GANTT CENTER FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN ARTS AND CULTURE

Charlotte, North Carolina

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A Gantt Center gallery

BY LYSA ALLMAN-BALDWIN

Originally founded as the Afro-American Cultural Center in the late 1970s by two University of North Carolina at Charlotte professors who wanted to create a Black studies center on campus, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts and Culture has always been Afro-centered.

In 2009, the center moved to the heart of Uptown Charlotte in the historic Second Ward and former Black community of Brooklyn and was renamed in honor of Harvey B. Gantt. In 1960, Gantt, who is still active within the Charlotte community, became the first African American student admitted to Clemson University. He went on to serve as Charlotte’s first African American mayor.

According to David Taylor, president and CEO of the Gantt center, one of the most striking aspects for visitors is the Grand Lobby staircase.

“Also known as Jacob’s Ladder, it became a highlighted feature thanks to our architect Phil Freelon, who was also the architect of the Smithsonian African American History Museum in Washington, D.C.,” he said.

A M E R I C A’S CULTURAL VIP

ST. AUGUSTINE | P O N T E V E D R A St. Augustine Foot Soldiers Monument in the Plaza de la Constitución

This Very Important Place is home to Fort Mose, where America’s first legal free Black settlement began and where the first underground railroad ended. Five centuries later, St. Augustine remains an important place to experience African American culture. Bring your group to St. Augustine.

We promise to treat you like a VIP. Contact Christina Parrish Stone Executive Director, St. Johns Cultural Council grouptravel@historiccoastculture.com

REGINALD F. LEWIS MUSEUM OF MARYLAND AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE

Baltimore

Since it first opened its doors in 2005, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture has stood as one of this country’s premier museums about the African American experience.

In the heart of downtown Baltimore, just a stone’s throw from Maryland’s iconic Inner Harbor, the museum is named for a successful entrepreneur, lawyer and philanthropist. Reginald Lewis was the first African American to build a billion-dollar company, and in the 1980s, he was one of the richest African American men in the U.S. Spanning 82,000 square feet, the building is home to approximately 10,000 permanent objects that encompass some 400 years of history.

The permanent and temporary exhibition spaces are expansive as well — over 13,000 square feet — detailing every aspect of the educational, industrial, artistic, political, military, sports and other Maryland history as it relates to the Black experience.

In addition to the exhibit and gallery spaces, visitors can also enjoy special events in the two-story theater and engage in a wide array of exciting educational programs offered throughout the year.

Several designated spaces are available for groups desiring to hold a meeting or a special event, including the beautiful outdoor terrace, which offers spectacular views of the city and harbor. lewismuseum.org

DUSABLE MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY

James Madison’s Montpelier ORANGE, VIRGINIA

Ever since the founding of this nation, it has often been difficult to reconcile the ideology of the founding fathers with their complicity in the slave trade. Yet that is our history, and it can prove very illuminating when viewed through various perspectives.

One such window into this dichotomy is James Madison’s Montpelier. It was here that this draftsman of the U.S. Constitution and fourth president of the United States was raised in the early 1760s.

The name of the property is believed to have been in homage to the famous French city. The first structure was a brick Georgian-style home built by slave labor. Over time it expanded greatly, encompassing some 2,650 acres with over eight miles of walking trails, spectacular gardens, a visitor center museum, a museum shop, a cafe and several classroom buildings for groups.

Guided tours include a behind-the-scenes main home tour, a highlights of Montpelier tour, and the Montpelier outdoor walking tour.

Two of the most significant structures on the property are the 1910 Train Depot and the Gilmore Cabin.

The horrors of the Jim Crow era and the tumultuous civil rights movement are illustrated in the train depot exhibits. The cabin is named after George Gilmore, who was born here in 1910. After the Civil War and slave emancipation, he was able to purchase the structure, and it is widely recognized today as the first freedman’s site in the country. m o n tpe li e r. o rg

COURTESY JAMES MADISON’S MONTPELIER

It symbolizes a visual guidepost to continued education and reaching for greater things in life.

In addition to experiencing the rotating exhibits in the expansive gallery spaces and the videos that highlight tidbits of Charlotte Black history, groups can engage in several guided tours.

“Visualizing Black Art Enhanced” includes an art-making workshop. “Envision Me Enhanced” encompasses a goal-setting workshop.

And “Activate the Image” features a writing and performing workshop.

The Gantt also offers three levels of event space, from the Grand Lobby to the rooftop terrace, all set against the backdrop of its award-winning architectural design. ganttcenter.org

Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History and Culture

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COURTESY VISIT BALTIMORE

Chicago

In a true testament to grassroots organization and community engagement, the Ebony Museum of Negro History and Art was founded in the home of a well-known activist, artist and educator in Chicago’s South Side neighborhood in 1961.

At the time, it was lauded as a truly homegrown cultural entity.

Growing in scope and renown over the six decades that followed, it eventually was moved to the city’s grand Washington Park and was

African American history comes alive on the Long Road to Liberty. Explore this vibrant itinerary celebrating Black heritage in the Sooner State. At the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, behold the inspiring work of Kehinde Wiley, who reimagines classic portraits using African American subjects. Then, venture to Greenwood Rising, a moving tribute to Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre. Next up: the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, where jazz icon Charlie Christian is immortalized. Wrap up your journey at Honey Springs Battlefield and Visitor Center, where heroic Black soldiers secured a Union victory.

Discover Oklahoma’s African American legacy.

Get the full itinerary at TravelOK.com/Group.

CALIFORNIA AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM

Los Angeles

DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago

COURTESY DMAAH

renamed the DuSable Museum of African American History. The name was chosen in honor of Chicago’s Haitian-born founder, JeanBaptiste Pointe DuSable.

Today’s DuSable (pronounced “doo-SAW-bull”) Museum is a Smithsonian affiliate and carries the distinction of being the first independent, nonprofit museum in the country dedicated to the collection, documentation, preservation, study and dissemination of the history and culture of Africans and African Americans.

Visitors find a wealth of permanent and rotating interactive exhibits peppered with over 15,000 artifacts and artworks, including historical memorabilia, sculpture, paintings and photography.

Welcoming an estimated 100,000 visitors annually, the museum is a civic, cultural and artistic showplace that is both educational and inspirational. In addition to the exhibit and gallery space experiences, individual visitors and groups can enjoy special lectures, workshops, educational programs and other events. dusablemuseum.org

Los Angeles’ California African American Museum

COURTESY CAAM

COURTESY CAAM

When a facility or entity is not only founded but designed, directed and curated by African Americans, it makes a clear statement about its focus and commitment to upholding important aspects of the global African Diaspora. Such is the case with the California African American Museum (CAAM).

South of downtown Los Angeles in the city’s famed Exposition Park, CAAM was originally founded in 1977, the result of a unique, multiyear campaign by numerous Black and other civic leaders to what became the first museum of art, history and culture dedicated to the Black experience and fully supported by a state.

Encompassing approximately 44,000 square feet, the museum features a remarkable 4,000-piece permanent collection of sculptures, paintings, artifacts, films, audio recordings and photographs that highlight a wide array of artistic genres from the 1800s to the present.

Great attention and reverence are placed upon African American contributions to the artistic, political, economic and cultural landscapes.

Visitors can explore an impressive variety of permanent, temporary and traveling exhibits and gallery spaces, all aimed at interpreting the past and its effect on our present and potentially future identity as people of all colors, races, creeds, genders and sexual identities.

Special tours and programming are available for groups, as are visits to their noncirculating Research Library collection, teeming with over 6,000 records, books, periodicals and other documentation that date back to the museum’s formation. caamuseum.org

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The California African American Museum atrium

CUSTOM CONTENT

Connect with the struggle for civil rights on Arkansas trail

BY VICKIE MITCHELL

T

he U.S. Civil Rights Trail connects 100 sites in 14 states, and one of the most important is Little Rock’s Central High School National Historic Site and Visitor Center.

Built in 1913, the high school was considered one of the most beautiful in the country but is better known for having become a crucial battleground in the struggle for civil rights in 1957, when nine Black high school students were met by angry mobs and the Arkansas National Guard as they tried to integrate the school. President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent in the military and desegregation was accomplished, a major stride forward for the civil rights movement.

Stops to make on Arkansas Civil Rights Trail The school remains in use, and it and the visitor center across the street have long been popular tour stops. During the pandemic, the National Park Service has offered prearranged streetscape tours instead of tours inside the school.

Central High is also on the Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail, and other trail stops

are nearby. At the state capitol grounds downtown, a statue called Testaments captures the determination of The Little Rock Nine. A few blocks away at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, an exhibit devoted to the students includes a video of Clinton presenting each with the Congressional Gold Medal in 1999. Another exhibit called Building One America details Clinton’s work to defend affirmative action and pass tougher laws on hate crimes, including making church arson a federal crime.

Black business districts sprouted up in many cities in the late 1800s, including Little Rock’s West Ninth district. The district’s Mosaic Templars Cultural Center explores African American life in Arkansas and spotlights more than 80 Black leaders in its Arkansas Black Hall of Fame.

Detour to Tyronza and Helena Tours traveling to or from Memphis could detour to Tyronza and visit the Southern Tenant Farmers Museum to learn more about a Delta farming practice that impacted many Black farmers. Or they could travel to Helena, a Mississippi River riverfront town and home to King Biscuit Time, the country’s longest-running blues radio show.

The radio show has, for years, recorded before live audiences, and its studio is in the Delta Cultural Center, which offers free tours.

To hear about one Black family’s foray into business, stop by the new Delta Dirt Distillery downtown. Harvey and Donna Williams grew up on farms nearby and after successful careers elsewhere, returned and started turning sweet potatoes into vodka. Their growing business donates 1 percent of sales to local education and community efforts.

For a down-home style lunch, try Rosie’s Diner, where the menu is written on a white board in a rainbow of Sharpie colors. Along with mac ‘n cheese, yams and fried fish come surprises like hog mawls and whole caramel cakes. It’s a tiny place so a large group might need to order to go, but by all accounts Rosie’s lives up to its claim to Feed Your Soul.

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FUSION

BLACK MUSIC ENJOYS GLOBAL ACCLAIM

BY LYSA ALLMAN-BALDWIN

The Stax Museum of American Soul Music preserves the site of an influential recording studio in Memphis.

MUSIC IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IS NOT JUST ABOUT RHYTHM. IT’S ABOUT TRADITION. IT’S ABOUT CULTURE. IT’S ABOUT PERSEVERANCE. AND IT’S ABOUT COMMUNITY. In Africa, music was a core component of daily life. Music became one of the few things slaves brought with them when they were seized from their homeland and cruelly dispersed all over the world. Over the generations, the music changed from pure tribal sounds to take on some of the characteristics of their surroundings in Europe, Brazil, the West Indies and North America.

Today, African American music is a fusion of spirituals, Afro beats, R&B, calypso, gospel, reggae, hip-hop, blues, pop, rock ’n’ roll, funk and other genres. Together they have influenced every aspect of music theory and history. Black innovators, writers, producers, artists, sound technicians and others have profoundly influenced the global cultural landscape.

Although Black Music Appreciation Month, officially decreed in 1979, is held every June, groups can celebrate all forms of African American music and its amazing, transformative history all year long at the following museums and performance venues.

BY RONNIE BOOZE, COURTESY STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC

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St. Louis’ National Blues Museum

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC

Nashville, Tennessee

COURTESY NATIONAL BLUES MUSEUM

The decision to create the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) in Music City was a no-brainer. Nashville has long been the home of some of the finest recording companies, producers, songwriters and entertainers in the world. And it became the spoke of the wheel when an estimated 6 million African Americans fleeing the Jim Crow South came through between 1916 and 1970 during the Great Migration.

Like any major move, it wasn’t just the people — their distinctive traditions sojourned with them as well. For African Americans, an important part of those traditions is music.

Opened this past spring, the NMAAM is the only museum in the country that specifically focuses on the many ways African American music has influenced and produced the distinctive soundtracks of this country.

In the 56,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility downtown, original instruments, photos, costumes and other memorabilia are highlighted in expertly curated, interactive galleries. Some 50 genres and subgenres of music, from early slavery-era spirituals to gospel, blues, R&B, jazz and hip-hop, are beautifully folded into the social, political and historical settings and issues present during that particular genre’s heyday.

Throughout the museum journey, visitors enjoy immersive film experiences, animated timelines, listening stations and sing-along studios, all designed to educate, entertain and inspire. Throughout, the visitors can scan their admission wristbands on certain elements to create unique playlists that are emailed to them after their visits. nmaam.org

BY BILL BOWEN, COURTESY MOTOWN MUSEUM

Motown Museum in Detroit

MOTOWN MUSEUM

Detroit

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Ground Zero Blues Club, a Mississippi music hotspot

COURTESY VISIT CLARKSDALE

You can’t talk about Detroit without mentioning the Motown Museum. Located in the original studio and birthplace of Motown Records, it is affectionally dubbed “Hitsville USA.” The company was originally founded in 1959 as Tamla Records by songwriter and record company executive Berry Gordy Jr., who also lived on the property with his family. A year later, the name was changed to Motown Records. Scores of soon-to-be-chart-topping artists like Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Four Tops, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five became blockbuster legends here between 1959 and 1972.

Unlike most other museums, where the experience is self-directed, visitors explore the Motown Museum on guided tours. Docents serve as personal storytellers as they immerse visitors in the history behind the curated exhibits, the studio spaces, the instruments and the recording equipment that helped birth the Motown sound.

Specially tailored tours are available for groups, meetings and conferences, family reunions and other themed gatherings.

The museum is in the midst of a multiphase $50 million expansion

project called Hitsville Next. Designed around the historic Motownera structures, it will expand the property to 50,000 square feet and will encompass an ultramodern performance theater, a professional recording studio, hands-on exhibits, meeting spaces and other community-focused engagement opportunities. motownmuseum.org

NATIONAL BLUES MUSEUM

St. Louis

In the MX district of downtown St. Louis along Highway 61, also known as the Blues Highway, the National Blues Museum is dedicated to preserving this seminal musical genre and art form.

Its location is significant because scores of blues artists traveling to Chicago and other cities made St. Louis a performance stop. Bringing their own Southern sounds and styles, they were soon blended with the “Northern versions” of jazz and ragtime, in the process creating a new, unique sound that became known as St. Louis Blues.

Throughout the $14 million, 23,000-square-foot facility opened in 2016, visitors enjoy a wealth of interactive, artifact-driven gallery spaces and exhibits, including two specialty spaces: the Mix It Up Room and the Jug Band Interactive.

“This museum really emphasizes that [the blues] is a truly American art form that cannot be found anywhere else and that this genre is intertwined with African American history in this country,” said assistant director Delyn Stephenson. “Without blues and its predecessors, there would be no rock, pop or other types of modern music. It is a foundational art form.”

Many of the exhibits also illustrate how profoundly the blues influenced other music styles and performers worldwide, mostly notably British invasion bands like the Beatles, as well as how it is increasingly infused with contemporary music, synthesized rhythms and drumbeats, and other engineered sounds.

The museum also features a series of public programming, a state-of-the-art theater and the Lumière Place Legends Room, which hosts live music performances, all suitable for individuals, families and groups alike. nationalbluesmuseum.org

It was in Clarksdale that venerable musicians like Sam Cooke, Muddy Waters, Anthony “Big A” Sherrod, John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson, Ike Turner, and Charlie Patton got their starts, and that music mastery tradition continues today at Ground Zero.

“As a blues tourist destination, the Ground Zero Blues Club fits into the overall music history in a highly significant way,” said co-founder and president Bill Luckett. “Clarksdale has been regarded for decades as “ground zero” for the blues — meaning that Clarksdale was the epicenter of the [Delta blues] music scene.”

Luckett also pointed out that one thing that may differ from people’s usual perception of the genre is that blues music can carry happy as well as more somber tones.

The club attracts blues fans in equal measure from the U.S. and from across international borders to enjoy a wide array of live music Wednesday through Saturday — and occasionally on Sunday — accompanied by down-home Southern fare.

Private parties including live entertainment can be arranged for groups.

In 2021, the Ground Zero Blues Club is celebrating its 20th anniversary of showcasing the best of today’s Delta Blues musicians and the area’s rich blues heritage. Plans to open a second club in Biloxi, Mississippi, are underway. groundzerobluesclub.com

GROUND ZERO BLUES CLUB

Clarksdale, Mississippi

Recognized as one of the top live music venues in the world, the Ground Zero Blues Club at Blues Alley in the heart of historic downtown Clarksdale, Mississippi, is the place to enjoy live, authentic Mississippi Delta Blues music.

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STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC

Memphis, Tennessee

The history of Black music cannot be told without the story of Stax Records. As the entity that produced artists including Rufus and Carla Thomas, Otis Redding, Booker T and the MGs, Wilson Pickett and so many others, it was a major force responsible for catapulting Memphis into the national and international limelight.

That history, as well as its social, political and economic influences is shared at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, in the Soulsville USA neighborhood on the original site of the Stax Records studios.

“Soul music has a rich history that can be told only by those who created it,” said Tim Sampson, communications director for the Soulsville Foundation. “Not only were its musical contributions some of the most authentic sounds in the history of music, but it also helped change popular culture forever and played an integral role in the civil rights movement in the 1960s and 1970s, particularly in Memphis and the southern United States.

“Memphis is, of course, a hotbed of music innovation, and Stax

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Middleton Place

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

To say that Henry Middleton was one of South Carolina’s wealthiest landowners is an understatement. In the mid-1700s, he took over the 1,600-acre property his father had amassed, eventually expanding it to encompass over 50,000 acres. That property today is call Middleton Place.

Along the Ashley River in Charleston and designated as a National Historic Landmark, 110-acre Middleton Place still holds great significance for the story of the family and estimated 800 slaves, many of them born here, who worked in the home and toiled the land.

A great many were so valued and trusted for their skills and talents that the Middletons bequeathed land and/or structures to them and several succeeding generations for years to follow. One of the last slaves, who lived here for 68 years, died in 1994.

Together, the Middletons and their slaves weathered the loss of most of the property by fire just before the end of the Civil War, the Great Earthquake of 1886 and years of neglect. However, after being purchased in the early 1920s by a Middleton descendent, the property was slowly restored.

Visitors today will find America’s oldest landscaped gardens — spanning 65 acres — a house museum that features family furniture, memorabilia, artifacts, special exhibits, art, personal journals, a museum shop, a restaurant, a garden market and nursery, working stable yards, an organic farm and the award-winning 55-room Inn at Middleton Place.

Tours include the house, formal gardens and stable yards, with optional add-ons and packages for groups. m i ddle to n pla c e .org

COURTESY HOUMAS HOUSE

Philadelphia

Born in Hamlet, North Carolina, in 1926, moving to Philadelphia after high school, John William Coltrane always had a creative ear and a talent for music.

Upon returning to Philly after serving in the Navy in World War II, where he played the clarinet and the tenor saxophone in swing bands on base, he lived in a beautiful Dutch-gabled home in the city’s Strawberry Mansion Neighborhood.

Many venerable African American jazz musicians of the 1940s performed in Philadelphia, and it was here that Coltrane began his career as a sought-after composer and jazz pioneer who would be later referred to simply as Trane.

Even today, the Grammy-nominated artist who released some 25 albums throughout his short career — he died in 1967 at the age of 40 — is regarded by some jazz historians as “one of the most influential performing soloists in the history of jazz.”

Despite being placed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1999, Coltrane’s home — because of the overall deterioration of the neighborhood — is now in danger of demolition. However, a dedicated group of community and civic leaders is trying to save this prominent residence from such a fate, with the hopes of potentially transforming it into a museum about Coltrane’s life and work.

The historical marker outside denotes 1952-1958 as the dates Coltrane lived in this home. By pioneering an entirely new sound and method that still reverberates around the world, he solidified his legacy as one of the most influential musical giants of the 20th century. facebook.com/thejohncoltranehouse

The John Coltrane House in Philadelphia

BY K. HUFF, COURTESY PHL CVB

JOHN COLTRANE HOUSE

THE WAY

TO MEET

’S RICH EXPLORE PENSACOLAHISTORY. AFRICAN-AMERICAN vibrant

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The highlighted experiences below are a great place to start planning your group’s itinerary.

MUSEUMS & HISTORIC SITES Belmont Devilliers Neighborhood

EVENTS Back on the Blocks Festival

Chappie James Museum

Crawfish Festival

Fort Pickens

Foo Foo Festival

Historic Pensacola Village

Gulf Coast Summerfest

Mississippi Blues Trail Marker

Pensacola JazzFest

Rosamond Johnson Beach

Pensacola Stompfest

Voices of Pensacola Multicultural Center

PLAN YOUR TRIP @THEWAYTOMEET.COM

A Stax Museum exhibit HISTORIC 18TH AND VINE JAZZ DISTRICT

BY RONNIE BOOZE, COURTESY STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC

is a mixture of all of those influences, which became known as the Memphis Sound. That legacy continues to influence generations of musicians today.”

Visitors are immersed in the state-of-the-art galleries that highlight over 2,000 artifacts and memorabilia, everything from period recording equipment to photographs, musical instruments, hit albums, video interviews, costumes and other relics. Other highlights include the Express Yourself dance floor, vintage episodes of the iconic Black music television show “Soul Train” and interactive listening stations.

Special tours for groups, family reunions or other celebrations, some featuring creative student performances of classic hits, can be arranged with alumni of the Stax Music Academy. staxmuseum.com

Kansas City, Missouri

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BY JASON DAILY, COURTESY VISITKC

A historic theater in Kansas City’s 18th and Vine district

BY JASON DAILY, COURTESY VISITKC

Since the early 1900s, Kansas City, Missouri, has been synonymous with great jazz and blues music. By the 1920s and 1930s, live jazz and blues could be heard in over 200 venues along 12th and 18th streets downtown, vital hubs in the African American community. Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Mary Lou Williams, Count Basie, Claude “Fiddler” Williams, Orin “Hot Lips” Page, Louis Armstrong and other artists could be heard almost every night of the week.

Today, the Historic 18th and Vine Jazz District encompasses four primary entities: the American Jazz Museum, the Blue Room Nightclub, the Gem Theater and the Mutual Musicians Foundation.

The American Jazz Museum is a state-of-the-art facility that immerses visitors right into the experience of this original American art form. The Blue Room is the museum’s “working exhibit” and a quintessential city jazz spot. It hosts a wide array of local, regional, national and international artists against a backdrop of jazz memorabilia, artifacts, vintage photographs and other throwback accoutrements.

The Gem Theater was built in 1912 as a silent film house and has been restored into a cutting-edge, 500-seat performing arts center.

Dance performances, community events and an annual Jammin’ at the Gem concert series featuring national and international artists are among the activities here.

Founded in 1917 and designated a National Historic Landmark, the Mutual Musicians Foundation is the only place in town to enjoy a Late Night Jam Session. Held Friday and Saturday nights from 1 to 5 a.m., it’s also when musicians used to convene after their regular gigs to unwind, swap techniques, rehearse and provide their fans with more intimate performances. americanjazzmuseum.org mutualmusicianslive.com

A Charlie Parker monument in Kansas City

CUSTOM CONTENT

Jackson shares its soulful spirit

BY VICKIE MITCHELL

J

ackson isn’t exaggerating when it says it’s the City with Soul. The Mississippi capital’s indomitable spirit is everywhere--from its church pews and homegrown chefs to its powerful push for civil rights.

Start with singing On a Sunday, wakeup a tour with rousing hymns sung by a church choir. Many Jackson congregations welcome groups, including New Hope, Anderson United Methodist and Cade Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, where Visit Jackson President and CEO Rickey L. Thigpen, Ph.D., is a member.

“He would roll out the red carpet if someone wanted to come to his church,” assures Yolanda Clay-Moore, Visit Jackson’s communications manager.

The city’s best-known choir, the Mississippi Mass Choir (Clay-Moore is a member) keeps a packed schedule, but groups can visit Malaco Records, which recorded the choir’s first album. In business since the 1960s, Malaco is the force behind dozens of R & B, soul and gospel singers.

2 Museums, much to see

museums, called 2 Mississippi Museums. The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, opened in 2018, is “a day by itself, “ says Clay-Moore. “There is so much information in each museum that if you do the Civil Rights first you won’t make it to the history museum.”

The Civil Rights Museum’s exhibits are heart wrenching. There’s the menacing rifle, used to murder civil rights activist Medgar Evans in his Jackson driveway. Classrooms for white students and black students from the segregation era remind separate is not equal. But a central space feels hopeful, designed to grow brighter as more people enter it. “People can come into the light, take a breather and dive back in to the galleries,” says Clay-Moore.

Dig in to chefs’ delights Visitors can also taste local talent in the museums’ Nissan Café by Nick Wallace, opened in 2021. Wallace, a Black chef and Jackson native, was the first Mississippian to win the Food Network’s Chopped. The café serves his takes on gumbo, Mississippi mud pie and other Southern dishes.

Cindy Ayers-Elliott, a Black businesswoman and farmer who wears pearls and a straw cowboy hat, provides another take on local food. She welcomes tours to Foot Prints Farm, her 68-acre solution to the city’s lack of fresh vegetables. She also brings in a chef to cook up a meal for guests.

Final stop: Farish Street No exploration of Jackson’s African-American heritage is complete without a stop in the Farish Street District, for decades the state’s most important Black business district. The Smith-Robinson Cultural Center, with its replica of a slave ship, is nearby.

At The Big Apple Inn, where Medgar Evers had his office upstairs, fourth-generation owner Geno Lee fills orders for pigs’ ears and smoked sausage sandwiches or “smokes.”

“When anybody who has left Mississippi and Jackson comes back, they have to go there for smokes,” says Clay-Moore.

Jackson’s history and civil rights are entwined and so are its civil rights and history

visitjackson.com

601-960-1891

SHERRI RATLIFF, CMP 601-345-2539 DIRECT 601-960-1891 SRATLIFF@VISITJACKSON.COM

SAFE

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PASSAGE

THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD WAS A BRIDGE BETWEEN RACES

BY LYSA ALLMAN-BALDWIN

More than 1,000 former slaves found shelter, food and support at the Levi and Catharine Coffin House, now an Indiana State Historic Site.

ALTHOUGH CALLED THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, THE NETWORK THAT HELPED ENSLAVED PEOPLE ESCAPE THE PLANTATIONS IN THE SOUTH AND HEAD TOWARD FREEDOM IN THE NORTH BETWEEN 1810 AND 1850 WAS NOT AT ALL RELATED TO TRAINS. The name is a metaphor for what is known as the first great freedom movement in the Americas.

Black freedom fighters and white abolitionists braved extreme danger to help more than 100,000 slaves escape through an incredibly comprehensive hidden network of secret routes and safe havens. Their stories are told at Underground Railroad sites around the country.

Deeply ingrained into the social and historical consciousness of our nation, these tales are a fusion of tragedy, hope, perseverance and inspiration.

COURTESY IN STATE MUSEUM AND HISTORIC SITES

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The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center’s slave pen at its original location in Kentucky.

NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FREEDOM CENTER

Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park

COURTESY DOCHESTER COUNTY

COURTESY NUGRFC

Cincinnati, Ohio

Opened in 2004 and located along the Ohio River in the heart of Cincinnati’s appropriately named The Banks district, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is a world-class destination.

Permanent and traveling exhibits, interactive gallery spaces and special programming are all part of the experience at the center, which engages visitors in the history of the Underground Railroad from its inception through post-Civil War abolition.

Among the most poignant exhibits here is the Slave Pen. An original structure found on farmland only a stone’s throw from the Freedom Center, it was built in the early 1800s.

Hands-on activities, introspective role-playing and vivid storytelling take center stage in the “Escape! Freedom Seekers and the Underground Railroad” exhibit, and the important issues of human trafficking and modern-day slavery are deftly addressed in “Invisible: Slavery Today.”

“Brothers of the Borderland” showcases the work of the Rev. John Rankin and John Parker, two of scores of anti-slavery activists credited with helping slaves navigate the Underground Railroad.

Additionally, travelers will find a series of in-depth films that are shown throughout the day. The films immerse visitors in subject matter and historical context that is related to today’s social issues, such as implicit bias and the rise in violent attacks on Black, Asian, Hispanic and other communities of color all over the world.

Free personalized assistance is available in the John Parker Library and Family Search Center for those desiring to trace their family trees.

And the center offers a wide array of private indoor and outdoor spaces for groups for panel discussions, corporate meetings, lectures and other events. freedomcenter.org

Harriett Tubman

HARRIET TUBMAN UNDERGROUND RAILROAD NATIONAL MONUMENT & NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK

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COURTESY LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Dorchester County, Maryland

Leader, freedom fighter, liberator, nurse, humanitarian: Harriet Tubman was all these things and more, and her incredible story is told at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument and National Historical Park in Dorchester County, Maryland.

Born Harriet Ross in 1822, she was a slave from birth, escaping north to freedom after her master died in 1849.

“Harriet Tubman’s first home was the Choptank River Region,” said Dana Paterra, park manager, Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park. “It’s where she loved, worshiped, toiled and ultimately came back to 13 times to rescue friends and family. She learned the values of faith, family, community and freedom that shaped her during her most formative years.”

Harriet was married twice, the first time to free Black man John Tubman. Unfortunately, the couple’s freedom efforts didn’t align, so she later remarried, keeping her Tubman surname.

Through a wide range of permanent exhibits, a film and research library documentation, visitors learn about Harriet’s rescue missions and gain an understanding of the value of her tireless anti-slavery efforts, which ultimately succeeded in helping an estimated 70 slaves escape to freedom.

In addition to a visit here, travelers can also embark upon the Tubman Byway. Meandering over 225 picturesque miles through Maryland’s Eastern Shore and Delaware, this self-guided driving tour, available through a free Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway Tour app, encompasses 45 historically significant Underground Railroad sites. More than just a simple “stop here” guide, the tour includes storytelling, dramatizations and narration by numerous historians, experts and others.

Plans are underway for several yearlong events to celebrate Harriet’s 200th birthday in 2022. nps.gov/hatu

KELTON HOUSE MUSEUM AND GARDEN

Columbus, Ohio

Named after three generations of the Kelton family that lived here from 1852 to 1975, the Kelton House Museum and Garden in Columbus, Ohio, is a wonderful repository of decorative arts and Columbus history from the Victorian period.

But the story behind the walls is so much richer.

One day, Sophia and Fernando Kelton, who owned the home, encountered two young runaway slaves on their property. Sisters Martha and Pearl Hartway were fleeing north from Virginia to Canada. The Keltons saw that Martha was too ill to continue the journey, so, being opposed to slavery, they took her in. Martha was raised with the Kelton children and lived there into adulthood, and she eventually married Thomas Lawrence, the Kelton’s handyman.

According to Sarah Richardt, executive director of the Kelton House Museum and Garden, their coming together is a much bigger story about neighborhoods, jobs and family.

“Many visitors are struck by the fact that the Lawrence families and the Keltons stayed close through their lives,” Richardt said. “Thomas worked for the family for 37 years. After Thomas and Martha were married, they lived with the Keltons for two more years. Ella Kelton, youngest daughter of the Keltons, and her husband, James Watson, gave property to the Lawrences, and Thomas was even listed in Col. James Watson’s will. Martha named their children after two of the Keltons.”

What visitors find today is a lovingly restored 1852 home that highlights an array of memorabilia, permanent and temporary exhibits and period furnishings; approximately 80% of them belonged to the Kelton family.

In addition to the regularly scheduled tours, groups can opt for a private tour or arrange a special event on the garden grounds. keltonhouse.com

JOHN BROWN FARM STATE HISTORIC SITE

Lake Placid, New York The John Brown Farm State Historic Site in Lake Placid, New York, offers great insight into both the beauty of the Adirondack Mountains and the ugliness and loss of life that took place during the anti-slavery conflicts in this country.

It was here that abolitionist John Brown lived and was ultimately laid to rest in 1859. Staunchly opposed to the practice of slavery, he famously led a coordinated attack at the U.S. Arsenal at Harper’s Ferry in West Virginia in an attempt to procure arms to help free slaves in the South. But his failure, imprisonment and hanging are only part of the story.

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JOHN FREEMAN WALLS HISTORIC SITE AND UNDERGROUND RAILROAD MUSEUM

Ontario, Canada

In the area of the Refugee Home Society, the Puce River settlement approximately 20 minutes from the Detroit/Windsor border in Ontario, Canada, the John Freeman Walls Historic Site and Underground Railroad Museum is named after a slave from North Carolina who purchased the two-story cabin in 1846 for himself and his wife. The two raised nine children there.

Opened to the public in 1989, it is the only Underground Railroad site in the world founded, owned and run by direct descendants of a fugitive slave.

“The story of our destination and the personal struggles of my family, from enslavement in the United States to freedom in Canada, is based on a true story that I carefully researched,” said Bryan Walls, great-great grandson of John Freeman Walls and founder and president of the site and museum and the Proverbs Heritage Organization. “In the overall Black history story in the African diaspora, it represents an important and significant terminal of the Underground Railroad in North America.”

The Historic Walkway symbolizes what escaped slaves may have waded toward: freedom. The Simcoe Building, a log cabin built in 1798, honors the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada, John Graves Simcoe, who was instrumental in helping to pass Canada’s first anti-slavery law.

The Freedom Train represents the end of the Underground Railroad line in Canada, and the Peace Chapel features elements honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and civil rights activist Rosa Parks.

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John Freeman Walls Underground Railroad Museum

COURTESY ST. JOHNS CULTURAL COUNCIL

BY ANNA DAVIS WALLS, COURTESY JFWURM

A re-enactor at Fort Mose Historic State Park

Fort Mose Historic State Park in St. Augustine

COURTESY ST. JOHNS CULTURAL COUNCIL

Although many visitors to the site believe that this was a major stop along the Underground Railroad, it was really an open African American settlement called Timbucto.

“This far north, no [secret hiding places] were needed to aid freedom seekers,” said Brendan Mills, site manager and interpretive program assistant. “The land grantees who settled in the area were all citizens of New York State. They were given land here by a wealthy benefactor in an effort to obtain voting rights. On my tours, I tell people that we only have evidence of two freedom seekers coming through here on the Underground Railroad.”

The beautiful grounds highlight spectacular open meadows, verdant forests, sweeping vistas and soaring peaks. The visitor center features exhibits about Brown’s life and legacy, as well as the Timbucto African American colony. Brown’s historic home and gravesite are part of the tour experience, and groups can also take advantage of a series of special programs, concerts and symposia. parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/johnbrownfarm

The Walls Family Cemetery is the final resting place of John Freeman Walls, his wife and over three dozen family members, runaway slaves and others.

Guided tours are often conducted by direct family descendants, and special events for groups and others include gospel and other music concerts. undergroundrailroadmuseum.org

FORT MOSE HISTORIC STATE PARK

St. Augustine, Florida

Chartered in 1738 by the Spanish governor of Florida and originally named Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose, Fort Mose (pronounced “MO-say”) was this nation’s first legally sanctioned free African settlement. Although it was the first stop along the Underground Railroad in this area, the fort became a multicultural sanctuary.

“It was an interesting society during the Spanish period,” said Christina Parrish Stone, executive director of the St. Johns Cultural Council. “At one point the Spanish government required that if [slaves] came to Fort Mose, they could be free, but they had to serve in the

militia and become Catholic. Native American, Spanish and African Americans all lived together and fought in significant battles, including against [English military leader] James Oglethorpe, who was ultimately forced back to Georgia.”

Fort Mose spans some 40 acres along marshy waterfront just north of St. Augustine. The visitor center and museum feature an overview film, artifacts, historic maps and interactive audio and video stations and exhibits.

The park grounds offer interpretive signage, hiking trails, a kayak launch, picnic areas and an observation and birding boardwalk. A replica fort and an app about the Flight to Freedom are also in the works.

Designated as a National Historic Landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and part of the Gullah Geechee Heritage Corridor, Fort Mose also offers several special events for individuals and groups, including ranger-led tours, monthly cannon firings and the annual Battle of Bloody Mose and Flight to Freedom, which features re-enactors that portray escaped slaves who came to the fort about 1740 when Oglethorpe and his army attempted to capture it. floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/ fort-mose-historic-state-park

America’s First Freedom March Follow the footsteps of America’s First Freedom March on the 1811 Slave Revolt Trail. Start where the uprising began at the 1811/Kid Ory Historic House and travel the route to Destrehan Plantation to discover how the revolt ended.

For extended experiences, visit Whitney Plantation, featuring an exclusive focus on the lives of enslaved people and Historic Riverlands, a host site to the 1811 Slave Revolt Re-enactment.

Access the free mobile pass to receive exclusive offers, the audio tour, and the interactive map when you visit the1811slaverevolt.com.

Scan for FREE Mobile Passport

GROUP THE

TR AVEL LE ADER

Explore the Interactive Map

Audio Tour Narrated

by Wendell Pierce

G R O U P T R AV E L L E A D E R . C O M

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For 20 years, the Coffin House, an eight-room, Federal-style brick home built in Fountain City, Indiana, in 1839, belonged to Levi and Catharine Coffin, members of a strong Quaker community adamantly opposed to slavery. Earning the nickname the Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad in east central Indiana, the home provided shelter, food and support to over 1,000 former slaves escaping the South on their way north to freedom.

It wasn’t far from three other heavily traveled Underground Railroad routes, a boon for the Coffins’ efforts. A typical house from the outside, the Coffin home had a large attic, a well and kitchen in the basement, and other special features inside.

According to Joanna Hahn, central regional director of Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indiana’s proximity to Kentucky, then a slave state, was an attractive feature. “[Indiana] had many free Blacks settling after gaining freedom from slavery in states such as Virginia and North Carolina,” she said.

“The state also attracted white settlers who were anti-slavery. Newport was a community not only willing to take in freedom seekers but was also open to allowing some to join their community. The site works to bring those stories and their voices to the public. We try to understand why some chose to stay, even though they were legally still considered fugitive slaves.”

Groups can watch an orientation video and see a self-guided exhibit in the interpretive center, hear stories of those who assisted the slaves and take a guided tour of the Coffin home. From May through September, special walking tours of Fountain City highlight other homes and town residents who worked with the Coffins and helped make the town a center for anti-slavery work. indianamuseum.org/historic-sites/ levi-catharine-coffin-house

Whitney Plantation EDGARD, LOUISIANA

Located along the west bank of the Mississippi River about an hour from New Orleans, Whitney Plantation is the only museum in Louisiana dedicated solely to the plight of enslaved people.

Exploration here begins inside the visitor center, which features permanent exhibits that highlight the deep and complex history and unfathomable numbers involved in the global slave trade.

Although the plantation labor force in Louisiana in early 1700 was Native American and European indentured servants, it quickly and dramatically shifted to large numbers of Africans captured in their homeland. A century later, those numbers soon reflected some 100,000plus primarily Creole slaves born in this country.

Next, guests embark upon a detailed, self-guided audio tour via headset or mobile app to wander around the sprawling al fresco property. Comprising a church, original slave cabins, a jail, an overseer’s house, a blacksmith shop and a variety of other structures, the tour weaves the grim picture of slave life on this indigo, sugar and rice plantation.

Among the most poignant features are the spectacular yet somber sculptures, art installations and marble and stone memorials etched with the thousands of names of those held captive here.

Although every plantation offers its own unique exhibits and historical insights and perspectives, Whitney Plantation stretches beyond the imagination and is an absolute must-visit. whi tn e ypla n tati o n.org

Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site

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A hiding place inside the Coffin House

COURTESY WHITNEY PLANTATION

Fountain City, Indiana

PHOTOS COURTESY IN STATE MUSEUM AND HISTORIC SITES

LEVI AND CATHARINE COFFIN STATE HISTORIC SITE

COME FOR THE

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CUISINE

DON’T MISS THESE GREAT BLACK DINING EXPERIENCES

BY LYSA ALLMAN-BALDWIN

Dookey Chase’s Restaurant in New Orleans has been a leader in Black cuisine since 1941.

MICHELIN STARS AND JAMES BEARD AWARDS MAY BE GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED HONORS IN THE CULINARY WORLD, BUT THEY DON’T USUALLY APPEAR BESIDE THE NAMES OF MANY OF THE MULTIGENERATIONAL BLACK-OWNED RESTAURANTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. Nevertheless, the significance of these establishments cannot be understated.

America’s Black-owned eateries, from back porch patios to corner diners, neighborhood bistros, iconic dining rooms and everything in between, have long been more than places to enjoy great food.

They have served as essential community gathering places as well as pathways for entrepreneurship and economic empowerment within the Black community. During the civil rights movement they were safe havens for meetings and strategy sessions.

Culinary innovators and industry leaders have honed their skills in these kitchens. And some have played pivotal roles in transforming the diversity and accessibility of both traditional and elevated soul food across racial and ethnic enclaves.

In an industry where an estimated 80% of restaurants close before their fifth anniversary, these traditional, family-owned institutions have stood the test of time, created a legacy and continue to thrive.

So loosen your belt, grab a napkin, and get ready to sink your teeth into these seven tasty cultural treasures that have sat at the heart of the African American gastronomic landscape for generations.

COURTESY NEW ORLEANS & COMPANY

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PRINCE’S HOT CHICKEN SHACK

Nashville, Tennessee

New Orleans

It’s not often that previous iterations of a dining establishment owned by the same family include a lottery ticket outlet and a bar.

Yet that is part of the rich history of Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in New Orleans.

Originally opened as a sandwich shop in 1941 by Emily and Dooky Chase Sr., Dooky Chase’s and four generations of owners have played a major role in the gastronomic, artistic, musical and political landscape of the city.

In the early days, Dooky Jr. and his sister were part of a bebop band well known throughout the South. When the area’s blue collar workers struggled to find places to handle their finances because of the Jim Crow laws of the time, the restaurant featured an unofficial check-cashing entity. Years later it also achieved popularity as New Orleans’ first art gallery for African American artists.

At the helm now is Leah Chase, Dooky Jr.’s wife, known as the Queen of Creole Cuisine, who has transformed the popular gathering place into one of the country’s first African American-owned fine dining restaurants and the premier restaurant for authentic Creole cuisine in New Orleans.

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Prince’s Hot Chicken in Nashville

Artwork at Prince’s Hot Chicken

In the kitchen at Dookey Chase’s Restaurant

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DOOKY CHASE’S RESTAURANT

The dining room at Dookey Chase’s Restaurant

COURTESY NASHVILLE CVC

There aren’t many restaurants that can say they’ve been in business for over 100 years. Yet Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack has stood the test — and taste — of time.

The founding father of this three-location, Nashville-area favorite was Thornton Prince, whose womanizing became the stuff of legend.

According to the story, Thornton’s steady girlfriend grew weary of his philandering and decided get revenge by lacing his fried chicken with blistering hot peppers and other fiery seasonings. Much to her chagrin, he didn’t burn up; instead, he loved the heat. And the idea for Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack was born.

In more recent years, hot chicken has become a nationwide and, in some circles, commercialized trend. But nothing can hold a candle to the carefully perfected recipe that will go down in history as the original hot chicken.

At Prince’s, guests can order chicken tenders, wings, breasts, legs, quarters, whole birds, chicken salad and chicken sandwiches. Diners should choose their sauce wisely: Heat levels range from Lite Mild to Medium, Hot, X Hot, XX Hot and, finally, XXX Hot. Sides to accompany the main meal include baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, mac and cheese, seasoned fries and “Get it Girl greens,” accompanied, of course, by slices of bread and cups of pickles. Pie and cake are available for dessert.

Family owned and operated since the beginning, the restaurants are now operated by Prince’s great niece. princeshotchicken.com

Shirley Mae’s chicken wings

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Shirley Mae’s Cafe

COURTESY SHIRLEY MAE’S CAFE

COURTESY PRINCE’S HOT CHICKEN

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Menu items include oyster Norman, fried chicken, braised duck, oysters, stuffed shrimp, veal penne, chicken Creole, po’boys, shrimp Clemenceau, gumbo and crab soup, among a melting pot of other delicious options.

Diners here encompass scores of local regulars and tourists, in addition to the growing list of entertainers, politicians, writers, actors and other notable guests.

A dedicated dining areas can accommodate groups of up to 160 people. dookychaserestaurants.com

Black History in Southwest Mississippi Where the African American Story Comes to Life!

SHIRLEY MAE’S CAFÉ

Louisville, Kentucky Baked “chick’n” and country cornbread “dress’n,” skillet-fried fish with homemade tartar sauce, slow-cooked pork spareribs, Southern fried chicken wings, hot water cornbread, chess pie and jam cake: This is just the beginning of the cornucopia of flavors awaiting groups at Shirley Mae’s Café.

Situated in the heart of Smoketown, the oldest African American neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky, the cafe story is as rich as the history of the community and building location. The edifice dates back to 1880, when it originally housed a tobacco company. It changed hands numerous times over the years, with iterations as a grocery store, a dry goods shop and residential apartments. In 1988, Shirley Mae, the first African American to own the building, opened her namesake cafe here.

Throughout its 30-year history, Shirley Mae’s has been the place for locals and prominent Black Americans to dine on one-of-a-kind, historically authentic Southern dishes made with nothing but the freshest ingredients and “lots of love.” Shirley Mae and all her children are intimately involved in every aspect of the business, and its renown has continued to grow.

“We have been on some food shows, which extends our customer base,” said restaurant manager Warren Simpson. “Regular customers love the wings, meatloaf and ribs. Old-school customers love the chitterlings. Shirley Mae’s is home cooking at a good price.” shirleymaescafe.com

DAVIS CAFÉ

Montgomery, Alabama

They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. That certainly applies to the Davis Café: the exterior is a bit rough around the edges, but the experience inside is worth the visit.

Serving tasty, authentic Southern home cooking in the classic “meat and three” style, the Davis Café has been a neighborhood fixture in Montgomery, Alabama, for decades. Open for breakfast and lunch, the restaurant’s offerings vary on different days of the week.

Depending on when they arrive, groups might choose from oxtails over rice, pork chops with gravy, baked turkey and dressing, fried

proud to take a stand monument Forks of the road rhythm night club memorial museum The dr. john bowman banks museum natchez museum of african american history & culture

“The Natchez campaign was the single greatest community victory for the Civil Rights movement in Mississippi.”

-- Lance Hill, author “The Deacons of Defense” (2004)

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Davis Café in Montgomery

COURTESY DAVIS CAFÉ

tilapia and meatloaf. An everyday staple is the signature fried chicken.

Every plate comes with delicious cornbread, and side dish options include steamed rice with gravy, breaded fried okra, purple hull peas, scalloped potatoes, and turnip and mustard greens, just to name a few.

Many of the cafe’s regular patrons suggest having dessert first. To that end you can choose from red velvet cake, potato pie, pound cake, rainbow cake and banana pudding loaded with cookies.

Beyond the eats, the Davis Café is also popular for its excellent customer service, friendly staff and welcoming ambiance.

A fried chicken plate at Davis Café

GATES AND SON’S BAR-B-Q

“Hi, may I help you?” That’s the first thing you’ll encounter at any Gates and Son’s Bar-B-Q restaurant. The ubiquitous greeting is offered — some would say “yelled” — well before guests reach the order counter. Yet it’s one of the things that draws people from all over the world to this family-owned, Kansas City barbecue enterprise credited with elevating a passion for barbecue into a thriving and reputable industry.

Originally founded in 1946 by George W. Gates as Gates Ol’ Kentucky, the restaurant was among the first successful barbecue joints in this venerable cow town. The patriarch of the family is now George’s son Ollie, who apprenticed here throughout his early education and college years and today is a major contributor in the Kansas City philanthropic community.

When Ollie took the reins, the name was changed to its current one.

Multiple generations of family members are involved in all operations of the company, and it has grown to six locations on both sides of the Missouri/Kansas state line.

Although primarily known for delicious ribs — slabs, center cuts, and short and long ends — you’ll also find barbecue chicken, sausage, mutton, beef, burnt ends and ham served in a variety of solo and mixed plates and sandwiches. Specialty items like chicken wings and legs, chili and chili cheese fries are available at select locations.

Gates’ distinctive sauce options include classic original, sweet and mild, and extra hot, and fans can purchase them, as well as their dry seasonings, in many national grocery chains and other specialty stores. gatesbbq.com

COURTESY DAVIS CAFÉ

Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas

Gates and Sons Bar-B-Que in Kansas City

SYLVIA’S RESTAURANT

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Harlem, New York

What started out as a 15-stool, six-booth luncheonette purchased in 1962 from a former employer, has grown into an epicurean dynasty in the world of authentic soul food: Sylvia’s Restaurant.

On Malcolm X Boulevard in Harlem, the restaurant is named after Sylvia Woods, the family matriarch dubbed the Queen of Soul Food, who has earned international acclaim.

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Sylvia’s Restaurant, a Harlem institution

Everyone from politicians to entertainers, actors, international tourists and locals flocks to Sylvia’s regularly to enjoy delightful, carefully crafted dishes. Highlights include Grandma Julia’s cornmeal fried whiting; Carolina-style fried catfish; chicken and waffles; Sylvia’s world famous barbecue ribs with her original Sassy Sauce; down-home fried or smothered chicken; old-school sandwiches with fried chicken or fried whiting; baked chicken; and a few beef, chicken and seafood combo plates.

Sides are the quintessential collard greens, baked macaroni and cheese, black-eyed peas, buttered corn and more. And don’t forget dessert: Chocolate, double chocolate, coconut and red velvet cake are among the sweet offerings.

Recognized as a must-visit for foodies, the restaurant has garnered numerous awards and accolades. Several generations of the family still run it and have expanded its offerings over the years to encompass special seating and menus for groups as well as full-service catering and a line of Sylvia’s food products. sylviasrestaurant.com

A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration April 9 through September 11, 2022 Be the first to see brand new artwork by 12 contemporary artists on the impacts of the largest migration of African Americans in U.S. history.

The Great Migration is co-organized by MMA and Baltimore Museum of Art with support provided by the Ford Foundation and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Its presentation in Jackson, Mississippi is sponsored by the Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Henry Luce Foundation, Trustmark National Bank, Mississippi Humanities Council, and

MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM OF ART

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601.960.1515 | msmuseumart.org

Although not a long-standing African American establishment, the Grey Restaurant in Savannah, Georgia, offers a fascinating and worthy perspective on the history of Black food culture.

The restaurant’s name honors its former iteration as a segregated 1938 Art Deco Greyhound Bus terminal. Its proprietors — African American chef Mashama Bailey and Italian business partner Johno Morisano — lovingly and meticulously renovated and transformed the site into what has now been called “an essential American dining destination.”

The contrasts of these unconventional partners’ backgrounds speak volumes, and it is their mission to use the restaurant to inspire conversations around race, culture, class and gender while also offering patrons a unique food, wine and service experience.

On the menu, which combines upscale gastronomic fare and familiar Port City Southern recipes, diners find creative and outstanding dishes that rotate according to the availability of fresh seasonal produce, meats and seafood.

The country pasta with bucatini, pork belly and egg yolk is a fan favorite, as are the crab beignets with blue crab, mascarpone and remoulade; smoked fish with potato rosti, creme fraiche and Oklahoma caviar; and duck liver mousse with red lime marmalade.

The property also includes the Grey Market, a combination of a Southern lunch counter and a New York City-style bodega. Private dining options for groups include the Shower Room, which overlooks the main dining room, and the Boiler Room, which can accommodate up to 10 people. Preset menus can also be provided for parties of more than nine people. thegreyrestaurant.com

Destrehan Plantation DESTREHAN, LOUISIANA

The land on which Destrehan Plantation sits was originally procured in the early to mid-1700s by Frenchman Jean Baptiste Honore Destrehan, who came to the Americas to help expand French territory in the region.

The first official owner of any buildings here was a man by the name of Robin deLogny, who married into the Destrehan family, and subsequently hired Charles Paquet, a slave known for his superior master craftsman abilities.

Today, while touring the French Colonial style home and spacious property, historical interpreters help visitors learn about and experience Paquet’s outstanding design and building skills and the lives and work of the over 200 slaves estimated to have lived here.

More than just a set of buildings, Destrehan Plantation is a historical repository with numerous original deLogny and Destrehan family artifacts, documents and memorabilia, as well as folk life demonstrations and interactive media and gallery exhibits.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Destrehan Plantation is reportedly the oldest intact plantation house remaining in the Lower Mississippi Valley, which runs through seven states. Several different themed tours are available.

de s tre ha n pla n tati on.org

BY MELISSA MONICA, COURTESY DESTREHAN PLANTATION

GREY RESTAURANT

Savannah, Georgia

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Grey Restaurant owners Johno Morissano, left, and chef Mashama Bailey

BY CHIA CHONG, COURTESY GREY RESTAURANT

Savannah’s Grey Restaurant

you bring the group. we’ll bring the smiles.

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THIS ISN’T ORDINARY. THIS IS SAVANNAH.

THE GINGERBREAD HOUSE

SAVANNAH 2-DAY AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE ITINERARY Whether you’re a tour operator, motorcoach company, wholesaler, travel agent, group leader, or other travel professionals, Visit Savannah offers all the services and resources you need to plan your visit successfully.

Savannah celebrates more than 250 years of black history and features several historic sites that focus on this crucial piece of the area’s past.

Day 2 Stop by Laurel Grove Cemetery, one of Savannah’s most significant final resting places for African Americans.

Discover three floors of photographic and interactive exhibits at the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum.

Experience Gullah Geechee culture at Pin Point Heritage Museum.

Day 1 Visit the oldest continuous black church in North America, the First African Baptist Church.

Tour the Owens-Thomas House & Slaves Quarters to see Regency architecture in America and the original slave quarters that housed the enslaved.

Uncover three decades’ worth of African American arts and crafts at the King-Tisdell Cottage.

Please visit us at VisitSavannah.com/groups to start planning your next group tour.

REDISCOVER ATLANTIC CITY

The Story Continues Excitement awaits in Atlantic City, including miles of sandy beaches, our world-famous Boardwalk and the thrilling Steel Pier. Enjoy tax-free shopping, award-winning dining, live entertainment and other great attractions.

Here you can experience the ultimate getaway and create a lifetime of memories.

Atlantic City Expert Heather Colache is available at 609-318-6097 or hcolache@meetac.com to make sure you enjoy Atlantic City as it was meant to be experienced.

Meet AC received funding through a grant from the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism.

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