The Group Travel Leader March 2017

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TRAVEL LEADER TEXAS LOOKS BEST IN

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FEEDING GIRAFFES AT THE ZOO WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF OUR TOUR ‘TIL WE HIT THE DESSERT TRAY AT SCHMIDT’S

Columbus ranked “Highest in Visitor Satisfaction in the Midwest”

Great tours are Made in Cbus. Pair a visit to the zoo Jack Hanna calls home with a cream puff at iconic Schmidt’s in historic German Village. As a leader in experiential tours, Columbus is a perfect fit for a group of any size (or taste)!

experiencecolumbus.com/tours

Columbus, OH received the highest numerical score among 8 cities in the Midwest in the J.D. Power 2016 Destination Experience Satisfaction Study, based on 26,124 total responses, measuring the experiences and perceptions of travelers who visited a top 50 U.S. destination, surveyed February-July 2016. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com

When your group tour guide really doesn’t have to say anything.

Gibbs Gardens | Ball Ground, GA

Plan an unforgettable vacation for your next group tour. Make it fun, fill it with adventure. Embrace the culture, the taste, nightlife and picture perfect scenery at every turn. Because in Georgia the experiences are endless and they are all Pretty. Sweet. Plan your trip today at ExploreGeorgia.org.

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table ofCONTENTS VOL 27 | ISSUE 3

A M E R I C A’ S C R O S S R O A D S

6 EDITOR’S MARKS

T R AV E L G U I D E

12 C H A N G I N G H O R I Z O N S

CROSSROADS MUSIC

FOOD & SPIRITS

8 FA M I LY M AT T E R S 10 C O N F E R E N C E S C E N E

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C A P I TA L C I T I E S W E S T E R N H E R I TA G E U N I Q U E PA R K S

O N TH E COVER

Cowboy boots and creative design typify modern Texas. Photo by Jorge Gonzalez

DISCOVER ICONIC FOODS AND HIDDEN GEMS FROM POPULAR AMERICAN DESTINATIONS.

FEATURES

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TEXAS’ Get a taste for contemporary Texas in Dallas, Fort Worth and Waco.

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HOTEL INSIGHTS

KENTUCKY SPOTLIGHT

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HANDCRAFTED

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

Founder and Publisher Partner Executive Editor Senior Writer Creative Director Art Director

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ELIZA MYERS CHRISTINE CLOUGH SAVANNAH OSBOURN ASHLEY RICKS KELLY TYNER STACEY BOWMAN

Online Editor Copy Editor Staff Writer Circulation Manager Director of Sales & Marketing Advertising Sales Director

888.25 .0455 KELLY@GROUPTR AVELLEADER.COM

The GROUP TRAVEL LEADER is published monthly 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 travelrelated 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) 253-0455 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.

S GET A DIFFERENT TASTE

Introduce your group to the River City where

one-of-a-kind fun flows freely

Belle of Louisville Waterfront Park

Muhammad Ali Center Museum Row

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory Museum Row

Grab your group and visit a city with an 85-acre waterfront park featuring numerous riverfront performance spaces.

Book a cruise on the historic Belle of Louisville, check out our legendary attractions like the Muhammad Ali Center and the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, all just blocks from the waterfront, and that’s just the first day.

Learn more about the endless adventures that await your group visit GoToLouisville.com/TravelProfessionals.

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EDITOR’S T HE

re the travel magazines that you read filled with fake articles?

There has been a lot of talk about fake news in our culture recently, especially in light of the recent presidential election. And while there’s no need to get political here, I have found the discussion about fake news intriguing because it dovetails with a problem that has existed for a long time in the travel trade press: fake journalism.

Most of the fake news being discussed in the culture now consists of articles that have been fabricated, falsified or grossly exaggerated, often to demonize a public figure or to support a political agenda. Because these stories are presented online and disseminated through social media, they can often look very similar to the content created by established, reputable publishers. As a result, casual readers may not always realize when an article they see online is a phony unless they stop to take a second, more critical look.

Although this is a relatively new phenomenon in online publishing, the problem of fake journalism in the trade press has been around for decades. Here’s how it works: Trade publishers make money almost exclusively through advertising sales, and many of the organizations that buy those ads are also eager to get editorial coverage in magazines. So, publishers incentivize the potential advertisers with a clever hook: If you buy an ad, you get a free article along with it. And to make it even more attractive, you can write the article yourself and say whatever you want.

In the advertising industry, this kind of deal is

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known as “added value.” But there are a few terms that describe it more accurately: “advertorial,” “pay-to-play” and, my favorite, “fake journalism.”

This fake journalism isn’t fake in the sense that it is false or incorrect like much of the fake news online is. It is fake because the articles are being generated by marketing directors, public relations firms and ad agencies, all of whom are more interested in promoting their agendas than producing good information for readers. But the publishers who run these magazines don’t want you to know this, so they make these sections look like real articles written by independent, professional journalists and editors.

Many publishers have made a lot of money passing off these pay-to-play articles as real journalism. And when they do, it’s the reader who suffers.

The bad news is that this practice is widespread in the group travel industry. If you receive other tourism industry magazines, you should read them critically to see if any of the articles are fake journalism written by the advertisers.

The good news is that you will never find fake journalism in The Group Travel Leader or our sister publications, Select Traveler, Going On Faith and Small Market Meetings.

From the outset, our company has been committed to integrity in travel journalism. We don’t sell articles in any of our magazines. Nothing you read here has been written by an outsider with an agenda. Instead, all our articles are researched and written by professional travel writers and editors, many of whom have traveled to the places about which they are writing.

Everywhere I go, I hear from people like you that our magazine is their favorite publication in the industry, and I like to think that our professionalism and commitment to integrity is a big part of that. That’s why I review every word of every magazine with you in mind.

Our sales staff does a great job of selling ads, but you can always rest assured that they haven’t sold the articles you’re reading. We’re here to be the voice you can trust — in print, online and in person.

Jane Donovan 10 minutes ago Best tour stop ever in Northern Kentucky! So far we’ve petted sharks at the Newport Aquarium, taken a cruise on BB Riverboats, zip lined at the Ark Encounter and ate and shopped ’til we dropped in the historic Mainstrasse Village!

And tomorrow we’re heading across the river to catch a Reds game. Can’t wait!

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#breathtaking #mouthwatering #mindblowing

makeitNKY.com Proud member of the Cincinnati Group Tour Collaborative

FAMILY MATTERS AT A TIC CIT Y I

Courtesy Meet AC ATLANTIC CITY’S POPULAR CASINO RESORTS OVERLOOK THE NEW JERSEY OCEANFRONT.

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SALEM, Ohio – Travel planners looking for large or small group-travel destinations will find that Atlantic City, New Jersey, offers everything they need to plan group vacations.

Meet AC, the city’s convention and visitors bureau, has developed an approach that allows travel planners to tailor any visit to Atlantic City to their groups’ needs.

What other resort city can combine a worldfamous boardwalk and the beautiful Atlantic Ocean with 24-hour casino action, fabulous

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award-winning restaurants, spectacular headliner entertainment, exciting new attractions and brand-name, tax-free shopping outlets? No other, which is why group leaders love Atlantic City, and Meet AC is getting the word out.

Atlantic City has entertained guests for more than 150 years, but never before has such an array of group vacation ideas and activities been available to everyone who visits. Meet AC encourages planners to explore its website and group vacation travel guides. Their resources are helpful for coming up with group vacation ideas and planning travel to Atlantic City and the surrounding areas.

Group leaders will find a planner’s notebook, an event planning guide and a series of suggested itineraries. Meet AC-suggested itineraries include Pop Culture/Hip Happenings, Great Outdoors/Action Packed Play, Free Summer Fun/$0 Price Tag, Arts and Culture, Outdoor Recreation, and Tours and More.

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RING IN THE NEW YEAR YEAR-ROUND AT RIPLEY’S BELIEVE IT OR NOT! TIMES SQUARE NEW YORK — Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square unveiled an interactive exhibit in early February that lets visitors relive the excitement of a New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square 365 days a year.

The one-of-a-kind attraction is the only place in the world where visitors can touch and interact with the original ball from the 2007 centennial countdown, as well as the iconic Waterford Crystal podium used from the 2002 through 2014 countdowns.

Previously, only a select few high-profile individuals — including Lady Gaga, Christopher Reeve, Colin Powell and Muhammad Ali — have had the THE NEW EXHIBIT AT RIPLEY’S BELIEVE IT OR NOT! IN TIME SQUARE RE-CREATES THE EXCITEMENT OF NEW YEAR’S EVE IN MANHATTAN. Courtesy Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square

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opportunity to ring in the New Year at the iconic podium.

The first New York City Ball Drop was introduced to Times Square revelers by the New York Times, on Dec. 31, 1907, and was constructed of iron and wood and adorned with 100 25-watt light bulbs.

For the Dec. 31, 2007, 100th anniversary, a centennial anniversary ball was designed by Waterford Crystal and the Philips Lighting Company featuring 9,576 state-of-the-art LED bulbs that can create a palette of more than 16 million colors and billions of patterns.

The new exhibit also features a display case of 18 Waterford Crystals from18 different countdowns.

The exhibit opening marks the first of many yearlong events lined up for Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square 10-year anniversary.

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TAMPA BAY HISTORY CENTER EXPANSION TO FOCUS ON PIRATES AND SHIPWRECKS TAMPA, Florida — The Tampa Bay History Center will increase its exploration of Tampa’s local pirate lore with an $11 million expansion.

The new Treasure Seekers: Conquistadors, Pirates and Shipwrecks gallery will focus on explorers who landed in La Florida more than 500 years ago, pirates who wreaked havoc along Florida’s coasts in the 17th and 18th centuries, and efforts to recover long-forgotten shipwrecks from Florida’s waters.

The gallery will feature a 60-foot replica sailing vessel and rare artifacts recovered from shipwrecks off the coast of Florida, including 400-year-old navigational tools, weaponry and pottery.

The new Treasure Seekers gallery is part of an 8,500-square-foot expansion on the third floor that will also include the Touchton Map Library/Florida Center for Cartographic Education, which will be home to some 6,000 maps dating back to the discovery of the New World and will be the only research library of its kind in the Southeastern United States.

Opened in 2009 on Tampa’s Riverwalk, the Smithsonian affiliate Tampa Bay History Center tells the stories of the Tampa Bay area and Hillsborough County.

Construction of the new gallery began in January and is scheduled for completion in the fall.

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VISITORS WILL SEE ITEMS SALVAGED FROM SHIPWRECKS IN THE EXPANDED GALLERIES AT THE TAMPA BAY HISTORY CENTER.

Courtesy Tampa Bay History Center

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SELECT TRAVELER CONFERENCE MAKES SUCCESSFUL WEST COAST DEBUT B Y M AC L AC Y

SELECT TRAVELER CONFERENCE DELEGATES CELEBRATE THE SUPER BOWL.

A TRIBUTE ARTIST ENTERTAINS THE CROWD DURING THE EAST COAST TOURING CO. BREAKFAST.

The Select Traveler Conference visited the West Coast for the first time in its 22-year history as bank, chamber of commerce, recreation department and alumni travel directors from 24 states joined travel destinations from across North America, Italy and Thailand for the three-day event held February 5-7 in Ontario, California.

“It was exciting to see such a turnout for our first trip all the way to the West Coast,” said conference CEO Joe Cappuzzello. “A show of hands during our opening session revealed that about half our delegates traveled from east of the Mississippi River to be with us, which is great. It’s equally gratifying to know that we had half our delegation from the western side of the country, because a good number of those were with us for the first time. I think they’ll be

MARKETPLACE SESSIONS

TEAM BRANSON REPRESENTED MISSOURI DURING THE CONFERENCE’S SUPER BOWL PARTY.

Courtesy NTA Photos by Dan Dickson

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with us again next year in Louisville now that they’ve attended the Select Traveler Conference.”

The conference continued its recent run of Super Bowl dates, and the Greater Ontario Convention and Visitors Bureau delivered one of the best opening night events in recent years when they took the delegation to the Citizens Business Bank Arena for an exclusive Super Bowl party.

With the arena floor decked out as a football field, the game was shown on the arena scoreboard, on another large screen television in the opposite end zone and on televisions placed in more intimate viewing sections along each sideline.

“What a first-class event,” said Cappuzzello.

“Even the food was themed to each team, from New England clam chowder to Georgia peach cobbler. Our hats are off to Ontario CVB president Michael Krouse, his event partners and his entire staff for a Super Bowl we’ll never forget.”

More than 5,000 individual business appointments between high-end travel planners and destinations were held during the three days.

Nearly 30 major tour operators and cruise lines also attended the conference as sellers, and many were major sponsors. The conference continued its 22-year run of offering delegates sponsored meals from start to finish.

The Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau, host to next year’s conference, treated delegates to a Kentucky Derby-themed evening event with its Ohio River partner, the ClarkFloyd Counties CVB in southern Indiana.

Other meals were hosted by four longtime tour operator partners — East Coast Touring Company and TRIPS, which hosted breakfasts; and Collette and Globus Family of Brands, which hosted luncheons.

The 2018 Select Traveler Conference takes place in Louisville on February 4-6, 2018. For registration information, visit www.selectravelerconf.com.

INDUSTRY EDUCATION

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JOIN US FOR A TRIP TO KENTUCKY IN JUNE And once you get to Kentucky, all your expenses are covered.

“Join The Group Travel Leader’s executive editor, Brian Jewell, and Stacey Bowman, our director of advertising sales, for this fun and educational site inspection trip to see Kentucky’s best faith-based attractions.” said publisher Mac Lacy. “Brian and Stacey will accompany our Kentucky hosts on this trip and will be sharing their travel experiences with everyone in attendance.

“Brian and Stacey will be highlighting the trip in real time on social media, and Brian will write an article on this tour for publication in The Group Travel Leader magazine,” said Lacy. “Tour participants will have the opportunity to share their impressions and experiences about Kentucky with our staff and meet some wonderful hosts from the state. It’s going to be a lot of fun for everyone involved.”

ave you always wanted to visit the Creation Museum, the Ark Encounter and other faith-based attractions in Kentucky? Are you looking for ways to learn more about trip possibilities in the Bluegrass State and have a great time doing it? Do you have a few days to see Kentucky firsthand in June? Would you like to spend a few days with executive staff of The Group Travel Leader magazine while you’re at it?

If so, we have just the opportunity for you.

Kentucky Department of Travel is inviting up to 15 of our travel planner readers to enjoy a four-day site inspection trip in northern and central Kentucky, June 11-14. Qualified travel planners will be guests of the Kentucky tourism staff and will enjoy tours of the Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum in Northern Kentucky; Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in Harrodsburg; and beautiful, historic churches in Bardstown.

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The trip will begin at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. All accommodations, sightseeing, transportation and meals are included once participants arrive in Kentucky.

No travel expenses to and from Kentucky will be reimbursed.

This readership event and site inspection tour is limited to 15 qualified travel planners. Participants will complete a brief travel profile that will be used

by Kentucky tourism staff to select attendees.

To submit your travel profile and request a spot on this exciting trip, go to www.grouptravelleader. com/kytour2017 and fill out your profile online.

To inquire by phone or to ask a question, call us toll-free at 888-253-0455 and ask for Stacey.

Registration for this complimentary site inspection trip in Kentucky closes April 21, so don’t delay.

Join Brian, Stacey and your Kentucky hosts for a wonderful trip June 11-14.

FREE ONLINE!

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TRIVIA FUN AND KNOWLEDGE QUIZZERS P U B L I S H E D B Y T H E G R O U P T R AV E L L E A D E R I N C .

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Changing SHOULDER-SEASON VALUE IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES

BY B O B H O E L S C H E R

HORIZONS

hile waiting for a semi-permanent spot for my motorhome to become available in Washington state on November 1, I had some time available in October and decided to make a fall visit to Canada’s incredible Rocky Mountains.

Although I had explored the region extensively and repeatedly in the past, I had never been there during the initial weeks of autumn so was curious as to whether it is a salable destination for tour groups at that time of the year, from mid-September to mid-October. Despite some potential concerns with weather and seasonal closures, my experiences have prompted me to answer this proposition with a resounding yes.

Virtually everyone is aware that the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia and Alberta constitutes one of the world’s finest spectacles. However, even though the current strength of the U.S. dollar ($1 Canadian equals about $.76 as of this writing) has made Canadian vacations significantly more affordable than in past years, the Rockies region remains an expensive place to visit during the summer high-season months. So, before my departure, I contacted longtime friend Roland Neave, owner of Wells Gray Tours, Ltd., in Kamloops, British Columbia, to get his take on the situation. Neave confirmed my suspicion that area hotels and motels have much less business between the summer and ski seasons and are willing to play “let’s make a deal” to help fill vacant rooms during that time of the year. As a bonus this year, in celebration of Canada’s Sesquicentennial, admission to all Parks Canada sites is free of charge.

My experience with just one room (I was touring in my car, not my motorhome) proved that affordable lodging there is indeed available in early October, as I averaged spending just $56.39 nightly for the 13 nights I was in the area, and more than half of that included a continental breakfast. It seems likely that since I secured comfortable lodging individually for this kind of money, group deals for 25 or 30 rooms would be even more attractive, depending, of course, on the negotiation skills of the tour planner involved. Therefore, if lodging facilities have beds that would otherwise go empty and groups have warm bodies to help fill them, this could constitute a win-win situation for all concerned.

Japanese tour operators have apparently figured this out, as their groups (full coaches, by the way) were the only ones I encountered along the way.

What is it like in the Canadian Rockies in early October, and what are the concerns to which I referred above? First, a few of the park facilities, like visitor centers and lodges, were closed for the season, but the magnificent scenery was still easily accessible. Not surprisingly, the weather was a bit iffy, with both glorious days of bright-blue skies and sunshine, and others when it rained. Temperatures were comfortably cool, so travelers should bring jackets or coats. There were also a couple of days when it snowed at higher elevations, but this did not in any way inhibit my touring, plus the sight of snow-covered mountain peaks and pine forests added considerably to the scenic splendor. To sum up, the weather there is likely to be just as unpredictable as it is in many other places year-round, but in this case, it is more than compensated for by the substantially lower prices. And I haven’t even mentioned the wildlife and the beautiful fall foliage that I saw in many areas.

ATHABASCA FALLS AT JASPER NATIONAL PARK PROVES SCENIC AND SERENE IN AUTUMN.

By Bob Hoelscher

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PLANNER EDUCATION

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HERE IS A HOTEL HOW-TO FOR GROUP BUSINESS

BY B R I A N J E W E L L

f you work at a hotel, you probably known that booking a tour group can be a big score for your property. After all, 20 or 30 rooms can make the difference between a slow night and a high-occupancy, high-profit one. But do you know how to maximize your appeal to the group travel market?

After tour group passengers get to your hotel, they’ll have an experience that is largely like that of an individual, family or business traveler. But that doesn’t mean you can treat group leaders and tour operators the same way you would leisure travelers, wedding blocks or convention groups. Tourism groups have special needs both before and during their stays, and taking care to meet those needs will make you more likely to win continued business in the group market.

As you work on your policies, service strategies and marketing plans for booking tour groups into your hotel, keep these four distinctive requirements in mind.

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1 GROUPS NEED RE ASONABLE C O NTR ACT TE RMS. If you or your management at the hotel come from a corporate travel or convention sales background, you may be accustomed to group contracts that clearly spell out strict payment terms, attrition clauses and/or cancellation penalties. And although having these terms can work well when booking a convention group taking 100 or more rooms, they can be off-putting for all but the biggest tour operators and downright impossible for smaller operators and independent group leaders. Because the tour business is unpredictable and people might sign up for or cancel their tour shortly before departure, groups need the flexibility to add or cancel rooms without penalty and to pay for their stays once they have been completed.

2 GROUPS NEED COMPS. A tour group might consist of several dozen people who are traveling

on a fun vacation, but you can count on there being a couple of people in the group who are working — the escort and the bus driver. Those people need to stay overnight somewhere, and the best practice in the tourism industry is for them to stay at the same hotel that the rest of the group uses. If you want to compete for group business, you’re going to have to offer comps for drivers and escorts, especially if you’re getting a significant number of paid room-nights from the group. Tours often operate on thin margins, and trip planners need to save money wherever they can. If you don’t offer escort and driver comps, they will take their business to someone who does.

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GROUPS NEED TIMES AV I N G A M E N I T I E S .

In addition to their budgetary restraints, tour groups are also often short on time, which means they need to maximize their time at your hotel. You can help them do this by offering some services and amenities that make their arrival and departure speedier. Have the rooms keyed in advance so travelers don’t have to stand in line, and arrange for baggage handlers to take luggage from the motorcoach to hotel rooms so people don’t have to wait for their bags at the bottom of the bus. Having breakfast at the hotel helps groups save time, too, so if your property doesn’t have a free continental breakfast, consider offering breakfast vouchers for travelers to use in your restaurant.

4 G ROUPS NEED RESP ONSIVE SERVICE .

It should go without saying, but if you want to book group business, you need to be responsive and helpful when group leaders and tour operators reach out to you for information. One of the leading complaints of travel planners is that some vendors don’t promptly return calls or emails.

Offering great presale service will go a long way toward helping you get group business.

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SHRIMP GUMBO IS A MUST-TASTE FOR GROUPS TRAVELING IN LOUISIANA.

FOR YOU R

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THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA AT COPIA IN CALIFORNIA

by BRIAN JEWELL

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Courtesy Louisiana Office of Tourism

OR EGON The Pacific Northwest has its own climate, philosophy and culture, and each of those elements can be tasted in the signature food and drink enjoyed in Oregon.

Courtesy Albuquerque CVB

ood may not be the first thing you think of when choosing destinations for your group trips, but it definitely shouldn’t be the last.

Understanding the food cultures in the places you visit can help you plan culinary experiences that will leave your groups wanting more. To help give you some gastronomical insight, here’s a guide to some of the food highlights in popular tour destinations around the country.

SIGNATURE DISH: The tart marionberry pie is made with fresh blackberries and blackberry jam and is considered an Oregon classic dessert.

DON’T MISS THIS: Doungeness crabs are a distinct species found in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, and crab shacks throughout Oregon serve the freshest crab lunches you’ll likely find.

By bklphoto, courtesy Philadelphia CVB

BOTTOMS UP: The nationwide love of craft, small-batch India pale ales began in Oregon, and groups can get tours and samples at places like Friem Family Brewers and Breakside Brewery.

INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE: Forktown Food Tours takes visitors to various neighborhoods throughout Portland, where stops range from high-end restaurants to popular street-side food carts.

FOODIE FESTIVAL: Celebrating its sixth edition this year in September, Feast Portland has quickly risen to prominence and has been heralded by many as one of the top festivals in the country.

EAT HERE: Local Ocean Seafoods in Newport offers both restaurant dining and a fresh seafood market located waterside on the Yaquina Bay. — W W W.T R AV ELOR EGON.COM —

GREEN CHILE ROASTING IN NEW MEXICO Courtesy New Mexico Tourism Department

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Courtesy Rapid City CVB

By Victor M. Samuel, courtesy Visit California

F O O D I E S F L O C K T O T H E S E D E L I C I O U S S TAT E S CA LIF ORNI A

L OUISI A N A

Known for its healthy lifestyle and world-class wine country, California has developed a distinctive cuisine that draws on its best assets.

A collision of cultures and cuisines makes Louisiana a legendary food destination where Creole and Cajun classics are just the beginning of the fun.

SIGNATURE DISH: San Francisco was the birthplace of cioppino, a classic fish stew, and San Diego claims credit for the baja fish tacos that have become popular with beachgoers everywhere.

SIGNATURE DISH: You can’t go wrong with a gumbo in Louisiana, whether it is made with seafood, or chicken and sausage. Crawfish etouffee is also wildly popular.

DON’T MISS THIS: Mac ’n’ Cheetos has emerged as a cult favorite at The Attic on Broadway in Los Angeles, with such mouthwatering ingredients as braised short rib, sliced jalapenos and cayenne bacon.

DON’T MISS THIS: The po’boy sandwich originated in New Orleans and can be found statewide, featuring shrimp, oysters or crawfish.

BOTTOMS UP: Napa Valley is a popular destination for groups that love wine, producing some of the country’s best white varieties. Los Angeles, on the other hand, is a hot spot for craft cocktails.

INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE: The newly opened Culinary Institute of America at Copia, located in Napa Valley, offers interactive demonstrations and hands-on instruction in cooking and baking.

INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE: The Mendocino Crab, Beer and Wine festival features all-you-can-eat crab feeds, winemakers dinners, cooking classes and much more.

FOODIE FESTIVAL: Visit numerous small restaurants in San Francisco’s Mission District to sample the original California burrito.

— W W W.V ISI T C A L I F OR N I A.COM —

BOTTOMS UP: The Sazerac — a variation of cognac or whiskey cocktails — is made with Sazerac-brand cognac and is the state’s official libation.

INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE: The Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans offers a Taste of Louisiana lunch demonstration twice a week.

FOODIE FESTIVAL: There are more than 400 festivals around the state, but the Louisiana Peach Festival in Ruston and Mudbug Madness in Shreveport are great for groups.

EAT HERE: Randol’s in Lafayette features Cajun seafood specialties served alongside a dance floor and live zydeco bands.

— W W W. LOU ISI A NAT R AV EL .COM —

A LOUISIANA SHRIMP PO’ BOY

MENDOCINO CRAB, BEER AND WINE FESTIVAL

Courtesy Louisiana Office of Tourism

Courtesy Visit Mendocino Co.

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M A INE Since it sports more than 5,000 miles of coastline, Maine is widely known as one of America’s premier destinations for fresh seafood.

SIGNATURE DISH: Lobster bakes feature the state’s most sought-after delicacy, served alongside clams, corn, potatoes and condiments.

LOBSTER BAKES ARE CULINARY HALLMARKS OF MAINE.

DON’T MISS THIS: The oyster is a Maine staple, and groups can take boat tours to oyster beds and taste the products fresh and raw.

BOTTOMS UP: More than 80 microbreweries throughout the state feature Maine flavors such as maple porters and pale ales made with foraged spruce tips.

INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE: Maine Foodie Tours in Portland showcases New England clam chowder, lobster mac-and-cheese, blueberry scones and more.

FOODIE FESTIVAL: Flavors of Freeport takes place during the winter and includes chef demos, chocolate factory tours, cocktail competitions and a lobster brunch.

EAT HERE: Groups love the fresh seafood at DiMillo’s in Portland, which is located on a ship overlooking Casco Bay. — W W W.V ISI T M A I N E .COM —

NE W YOR K An abundance of fertile farmland and a sophisticated culinary culture make the Empire State’s cities and countryside an enjoyable destination for food lovers.

SIGNATURE DISH: Buffalo chicken wings were created at Anchor bar in Buffalo and remain a staple of the region.

A favorite regional sandwich called beef on weck also comes from Buffalo.

Courtesy Maine Office of Tourism

M A RY L A ND The flavors of the Chesapeake Bay abound in Maryland, a mid-Atlantic destination steeped in history and culinary traditions.

SIGNATURE DISH: Residents will tell you that steamed crab is the quintessential Maryland dish, although many visitors come in search of the perfect crab cake.

DON’T MISS THIS: Pit beef is slow-cooked over charcoal for several hours, then sliced thin and piled on a roll.

Pit turkey and pit ham are also popular around the state.

BOTTOMS UP: The Black-Eyed Susan is the signature drink of the Preakness and is traditionally made with Sagamore rye.

INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE: n Crisfield, a restaurant offers the Crab + Cake program, which features demos of crab cakes and the Smith Island Cake, the state’s official dessert.

FOODIE FESTIVAL: The Maryland Seafood Festival in Annapolis is the state’s most popular culinary event and takes place the weekend after Labor Day. EAT HERE: There are numerous places for groups to indulge in a traditional crab feast, including Suicide Bridge Restaurant on the scenic Eastern Shore.

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DON’T MISS THIS: Grape pies are small, hand-held pies filled with locally made grape preserves and served cold throughout the Finger Lakes region.

BOTTOMS UP: Craft beer and spirits are booming throughout New York, and visitors can taste some excellent wines in the Finger Lakes and on Long Island’s North Fork

INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE: The Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, a legendary cooking school, offers one-day Food Enthusiast classes for groups.

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FOODIE FESTIVAL: The Annual Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally in Binghamton celebrates the spiedie, a local dish made from grilled, skewered meats.

EAT HERE: Milleridge Inn is considered one of the oldest treasures of Long Island, serving traditional American cuisine such as lobster, shrimp and salmon.

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NE W ME X ICO

WISCONSIN

A thriving Native American culture and influences from south of the border give New Mexico a culinary style that is singular and exciting.

There’s much more than cheese to sample in Wisconsin, a Midwestern capital of agriculture and scenic beauty that is perennially popular with groups.

SIGNATURE DISH: Green chile is a staple in New Mexico and can be found on everything from enchiladas to cheeseburgers.

DON’T MISS THIS: Sopapillas, small pastries made of deep-fried yeast dough, are popular as savory dishes with cheese, meat or beans, or drizzled with honey for dessert.

BOTTOMS UP: Local beer has become stylish in New Mexico, and the state’s True Ale Trail highlights more than three dozen microbreweries.

INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE: Santa Fe School of Cooking offers an array of hands-on classes that teach groups about the foods of the Southwest.

FOODIE FESTIVAL: The Hatch Green Chile Festival brings more than 30,000 visitors from across the country to celebrate the distinctive peppers cultivated in the town of Hatch.

EAT HERE: El Pinto in Albuquerque serves traditional New Mexican cuisine in indoor and outdoor settings, with plenty of space for large groups.

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SIGNATURE DISH: Friday-night fish fries take place at supper clubs throughout the state and feature staples such as cheese curds, whitefish and ice cream drinks.

DON’T MISS THIS: Lake Superior whitefish livers are deep fried or sauteed with peppers and onions, served with toast points and homemade tartar sauce.

BOTTOMS UP: The brandy old-fashioned is the state’s unofficial cocktail, but beer can be found in dozens of microbreweries.

INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE: The Cheesemaker in Mequon offers cheese-making workshops for groups that include plenty of creating and tasting.

FOODIE FESTIVAL: The Wisconsin Ginseng Festival takes place in Wausau, the “Ginseng Capital of America,” with field tours, cooking demos and lots of food.

EAT HERE: Jim and Linda’s Lakeview Supper Club in Pipe offers elegant food and scenic views of Lake Winnebago.

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COWBOY

Courtesy Grapevine CVB

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THERE’S AS MUCH TECH AS TACK

I N TEX AS

BY E L I ZA B E T H H E Y

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ong associated with cowboy heritage, modern Texas embraces its legacy but goes beyond that image with its sophisticated culture and cuisine. The DallasFort Worth metroplex, where one-quarter of all Texans live, boasts iconic architecture and museums as well as top-tier sports. Towns near the metroplex have much to offer groups, too.

Charming Grapevine, bookended by Dallas and Fort Worth, was settled under the Lone Star flag in 1844, a year before Texas joined the states.

Waco, 90 miles south of Dallas-Fort Worth, is enjoying notoriety tied to the popularity of HGTV’s hit show “Fixer Upper” and its stars, Chip and Joanna Gaines, who are building a decorating empire there. In Tyler, an hour and a half east of Dallas, groups can explore the gardens and historic homes of “America’s Rose Capital.”

AN ARTIST CREATES A COLORFUL GLASS PIECE AT VETRO GLASSBLOWING STUDIO IN GRAPEVINE.

DA LLAS Big D is known for many things: iconic sports teams — the Cowboys have five Super Bowl championships — prominent architecture and culture, and the third-largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the nation.

The Dallas Arts District contains 19 city blocks of ingenious design: museums and performing arts venues created by architecture masters such as I.M. Pei and Rem Koolhaas. All can be seen on a 90-minute, docent-led tour by the Dallas Center for Architecture.

The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden will open A Tasteful Place in the fall of 2017. This $8 million farm-to-table vegetable, herb and fruit garden will showcase views of the Dallas skyline; its patios overlook White Rock Lake. The 3,600-square-foot Garden Pavilion will include a dining room and a teaching kitchen to host local chefs preparing garden-to-table cuisine against 270-degree views of the garden. Groups will be able to go into the garden with the chefs to learn

how to pick, clean and prepare the produce.

The burgeoning calendar at the AT&T Performing Arts Center covers all the bases, from Broadway to comedy, opera and dance. This architectural gem encompasses 10 acres within the Dallas Arts District. The center includes the Winspear Opera House, home to the Dallas Opera and Texas Ballet Theater; the Wyly Theatre, home to the Dallas Theater Center, the Dallas Black Dance Theatre, and Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico; and Annette Strauss Square, an outdoor performance space.

For a classy night out, dinner at the stylish Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck affords a 360-degree view of Dallas at the GeO-Deck. Both are in the Reunion Tower, nicknamed “The Ball.” The sphere-topped tower is Dallas’ most iconic structure and was featured in the opening credits of the hit 1970s TV show “Dallas.”

FORT WORTH The heart and soul of Fort Worth can be found at the city’s historic Stockyards. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Chisholm Trail, which was used to drive cattle from Fort Worth to railheads in Kansas. The new Stockyards Adventure Pass covers all the Chisholm Trail sites around the city.

The Stockyard’s honky-tonk, Billy Bob’s, boasts a 127,000-square-foot dancehall, outfitted with more than 30 bars. Groups can see live indoor professional bull riding every Friday and Saturday night and participate in the rodeo culture themselves with two-step lessons, concerts and photo ops on a faux bucking bull.

Cow Camp takes place Saturdays, Memorial Day through Labor Day, but special weekday arrangements can be made for groups. The audience watches on risers while cowboys sit on their horses in the pens and walk through the ins and outs of herding cattle and branding and discuss

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WACO TV PERSONALITIES CHIP AND JOANNA GAINES

ENJOYING THE OUTDOORS AT WACO’S MAGNOLIA MARKET Courtesy Waco CVB

A BARREL TASTING AT GRAPEVINE’S MESSINA HOF WINERY Courtesy Magnolia

Courtesy Grapevine CVB

THE NATIONAL COWGIRL MUSEUM IN FORT WORTH

Courtesy Fort Worth CVB

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their Western outfits. Everything remains authentic to the late-1800s period. A re-enacted cattle drive takes place twice daily.

“Eight or nine cowboys on horseback herd up the cattle for a walk down Exchange Avenue,” said Sarah Covington, public relations manager for the Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The horn span of the longhorn is up to six feet, so it’s quite a spectacle.”

Shortly after exploring the stockyards, groups can proceed to the nearby Fort Worth Cultural District. Five world-class museums include the National Cowgirl Museum, the nation’s only institution dedicated to women in the American West, which displays memorabilia from Annie Oakley and others.

The Fort Worth Ale Trail showcases craft brews and adds a local flair to any stay. The free Ale Trail Passport invites participants to obtain stamps from each brewery; visiting five or all 10 breweries earns participants a gift.

GRAPEVINE Conveniently located 30 minutes from downtown Dallas and Fort Worth and 10 minutes from DFW Airport, historic Grapevine makes a perfect hub for groups. Its name comes from the tart, wild Mustang grapes that blanketed the area.

Main Street’s brick buildings offer more than 80 boutiques, galleries and restaurants, among them Vetro, which hosts group glassmaking events.

The city is home to the Grapevine Urban Wine Trail, which features daily wine tastings and special events throughout the year. Ten wineries lie within walking distance of each other. Puffy, Grapevine’s 1896 steam engine, travels along the historic Cotton Belt Route between Grapevine and the Fort Worth Stockyards. Each spring, the Jazz Wine Train hosts live music and dinner. Grapevine Wine Tours shuttles guests by bus to three tasting rooms while a guide recounts winemaking history in north Texas; lunch or dinner is included.

Featuring 81 holes, Grapevine’s top-rated golf courses include Cowboys Golf Club, the nation’s only NFL-themed course. Three Grapevine golf courses hold the distinction of being ranked among the top public golf courses in the United States. For football fans, Texas Station, inside the Gaylord Texas resort, has one of the largest screens in north Texas for great game viewing.

The city’s calendar is full year-round. Annual wine celebrations include February’s Sweetheart Wine Trail, April’s New Vintage Trail and October’s Hallowine Trail, for which tasters dress in Halloween costumes. Main Street Fest takes place May 19-21 and revolves around craft beer. And from mid-November to early January, the “Christmas Capital of Texas” pulls out all the stops.

“If you love Christmas, this is the perfect place to come because we have 1,400 holiday events in 40 days,” said Leigh Lyons, communications manager at the Grapevine Convention and Visitors Bureau.

in the garden’s museum. The gowns worn by Texas Rose Festival queens are also displayed. Rose aficionados won’t want to miss the gift shop, with its rose-themed offerings.

In spring, Tyler’s 10-mile Azalea Trail explodes with color. The 58th Annual Azalea and Spring Flower Trail spans three weekends, March 24 to April 9.

First introduced to the city in 1929 by a local nurseryman who shipped azaleas by boxcar from Georgia, they now grow profusely within three districts that are listed on the National Historic Register.

An open-air shuttle takes groups along the Azalea Trail for great picture taking and a leisurely pace. Step-on tours are another option and feature homes along the trail in the Azalea District. The district encompasses about 950 homes, with many built during the 1930s as a result of the oil boom.

WAC O Waco has created the Magnolia Trail for fans of the popular HGTV program” Fixer Upper.” All shops, restaurants and attractions on the trail have been mentioned on the TV show or are included in Chip and Joanna Gaines’ blogs or website.

A good place to start your visit is at the distinguished Magnolia Silos, just off the highway. At these grain silos, now attractions in themselves, visitors can browse the Market, play games on the lawn, check out the garden and dine at food trucks. Newest additions are Magnolia Seed and Supply and the Silos Baking Co. Next up, groups can stop at the Little Shop on Bosque, which housed the original Magnolia Market. The shop moved to the Silos in late November 2015, but the stop makes a good photo op.

An exciting development this spring is that the 1910 Mailander House, featured on the first season of “Fixer Upper,” will be opening to group tours by appointment during the week. The tour accommodates 10 to 25 people, takes about 30 minutes and costs $10 per person. Larger groups can divide into two. Group leaders interested in touring the house should contact owner Dave Morrow directly at mailander.house@gmail.com.

The now-closed Elite Café was purchased by the Gaines family in 2016.

The cafe opened in 1919 and was Waco’s first restaurant to use refrigeration in 1923. It was often frequented by Elvis Presley when he was stationed as a private at Fort Hood. Future episodes of “Fixer Upper” will reveal how the dynamic duo will transform this historic property. The Gaines family donated the proceeds from an auction of the cafe’s contents to Mission Waco for a nonprofit grocery store, the Jubilee Food Market, in an older neighborhood.

T Y LER Tyler lives up to its moniker as “America’s Rose Capital.” At the Tyler Municipal Rose Garden, the nation’s largest rose garden, growers develop new varieties that are evaluated over a two-year period. Fourteen acres grow more than 450 rose species, from lovely tree roses to antique varieties. The Rose Garden hosts the annual Texas Rose Festival in mid-October. Visitors can meet the Rose Queen in this spectacular outdoor setting during the popular Queen’s Tea. “The roses bloom two times annually, from late April into early May and from mid to late October,” said Holli Fourniquet, assistant vice president of marketing for Visit Tyler. “The garden is a great place to visit year-round because of its other plantings, including camellias, azaleas and the autumn leaves. Some years, the rose and azalea bloom times overlap.”

The history of the Texas Rose Festival and the rose industry are chronicled

Artwork by Donia Simmons

AZALEAS ON DISPLAY IN TYLER Courtesy Tyler CVB

LIVE MUSIC AT A GRAPEVINE FESTIVAL

DALLAS’ REUNION TOWER Courtesy Dallas CVB

Courtesy Grapevine CVB

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KENTUCKY

STATE SPOTLIGHT

BY B R I A N J E W E L L

NEWPORT

P

ull into a small

Kentucky town during

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festival weekend, and you’re in for a tasty

culinary experience.

Communities large and small throughout the Bluegrass State

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1 BARDS TOWN

OWENSBORO

hold festivals to celebrate various aspects of

PA I N T S V I L L E

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their heritage. But

some of the most popular are the events that shine a spot-

light on the foods, spirits and flavors that make mealtime in Kentucky

unique. And though the state’s larger destinations have the wide-ranging food festivals that you would expect to find in any big city, the smaller towns tend to throw fetes that highlight one particular aspect of their culinary culture.

In Bardstown, the Kentucky Bourbon Festival is a celebration of all things whiskey. Owensboro plays host to serious competitive teams at the International Bar-B-Q festival, and Newport

puts on a series of different culinary festivals

throughout the warmer months of the year.

In London, the World Chicken Festival honors I S S U E M A R C H 2 01 7

the fried chicken tradition immortalized by Col.

Harlan Sanders. And in the eastern reaches of the state, the Kentucky Apple Festival features both fruit and the small-town charm of Paintsville.

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Photos courtesy KY Department of Travel

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BOURBON CENTRAL Since 1776, locals in and around Bardstown have been distilling bourbon, a distinctive whiskey that has become a culinary and cultural calling card of the Bluegrass State. Today, 69 percent of the world’s bourbon is created in the area immediately surrounding Bardstown, a charming small town located between Louisville and Lexington. That makes the town’s annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival a desirable destination for any bourbon aficionado.

Scheduled this year for September 11-17, the Kentucky Bourbon Festival is a weeklong celebration that highlights the history and pedigree of the state’s signature beverage. Visitors can enjoy distillery tours, tasting sessions, educational presentations and museum displays, as well as a wealth of music and entertainment.

During the evenings, groups that attend the festival can choose from a variety of events, ranging from laid-back mixers to upscale, bourbon-infused galas. Other options include bourbon-style cooking schools, scenic train rides and shopping with hundreds of artsand-crafts vendors.

BARBECUE COMPETITION In the western part of the state, Owensboro has developed a reputation as a hotbed of barbecue. It is consistently ranked among the top barbecue destinations in the country and has restaurants that have been visited by numerous U.S. presidents and other celebrities. This makes the town an ideal setting for the International Bar-B-Q Festival, which takes place this year May 12-13.

Competition is a big part of the barbecue culture nationwide, and the International Bar-B-Q Festival is no exception. Teams come from far and wide to compete for the Governor’s Cup, and festivalgoers are the beneficiaries of that competitive spirit. Visitors can taste dozens of varieties of traditional pork and chicken barbecue, along with accompanying rubs and sauces. But this festival also puts a spotlight on some barbecue dishes that are specialties of western Kentucky, such as mutton (smoked lamb) and burgoo, a smoked stew.

In addition to barbecue, this festival features free entertainment, a pie-eating competition, arts-and-crafts vendors and various other activities.

W W W.K Y B O U RB O N F E S TIVA L .C O M

W W W.B B Q F E S T.C O M

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BRING YOUR GROUP TO

PRIZER POINT FOR

and Fun!

Fishing & Boat Rentals • Water Park & Ropes Course Lakefront Condos & Cabins • RV & Tent Sites Restaurant • Outdoor Movies • Hiking • Biking Trails — CAN HOST GROUPS OF UP TO 300 —

1-800-548-2048

Near Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area in the Kentucky Lakes Region on Lake Barkley

www.prizerpoint.com

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CHICKEN HERITAGE You may never have heard of London, the small town in southcentral Kentucky, but you have almost certainly heard of one of the area’s most famous figures: Col. Harlan Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Sanders established his first fried-chicken restaurant there in the 1940s, and his nephew who worked with him went on to found Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken. Today, London’s annual World Chicken Festival is a tribute to the area’s culinary heritage.

The celebration takes place each year during the last full weekend in September (September 21-24 this year) and has been recognized as one of the top events in the state by the Kentucky Tourism Council and the Southeast Tourism Society. The highlight of the festival is, of course, fried chicken, which is prepared in the world’s largest skillet. At more than 10 feet in diameter, it can cook up to 600 quarter-chickens at once.

Festival attendees will also enjoy music and entertainment, a parade, and tours of the Colonel Sanders Museum.

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NEWPORT’S MENU Situated just across the Ohio River from downtown Cincinnati, Newport is one of northern Kentucky’s premier destinations for cuisine and entertainment. The city highlights its cultural heritage and culinary scene throughout the warm-weather months with a variety of events, any of which would be exciting for groups.

Festival season starts June 4 with A Taste of Newport. During this one-day street festival, local restaurants and other businesses offer samples of their most popular items at low prices, allowing visitors to taste the best of the city. A few days later, Newport Italianfest, June 8-11, highlights authentic Italian food and features Italian music performed by artists from around the country.

On July 14-16, the city hosts the Bacon, Bourbon and Brew Festival, which celebrates the area’s histories and connections to the brewing and pork industries, as well as Kentucky’s bourbon heritage. The Great Inland Seafood Festival takes place August 10-13, and the season wraps up with the Newport Oktoberfest, which runs September 22-24.

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APPLES IN THE MOUNTAINS Though it doesn’t get the kind of publicity that other appleproducing regions of the country do, eastern Kentucky has a variety of orchards and farms that grow apples, and the Kentucky Apple Festival in Paintsville showcases the area’s bounty with a variety of foods, entertainment and other activities.

Taking place October 6-7, this year’s festival will be the 55th installment of the celebration, which was started by a local orchard owner as a way to market his apples. A variety of apple food products make this a tasty event: Visitors will find traditional apple pies, candied apples and old-fashioned apple butter cooked in a castiron kettle. Other favorites include seasonal goodies like candied corn and barbecued chicken.

In addition to the food, visiting groups can expect to enjoy many of the traditional hallmarks of agricultural festivals in small-town America. Highlights include folk dancing, a car show, a parade and a variety of musical performances by locals from around the region.

W W W.K YA P P L E F E S T.O RG

Next time someone asks what you did last weekend, have a better answer. Start planning your fun, colorful, group-friendly Kentucky getaway today. Visit KentuckyTourism.com/famous.

Come experience what we’re famous for. #travelky

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#TRAVELKY

kentuckytourism.com • 1-800-225-TRIP

COME EXPERIENCE WHAT WE’RE FAMOUS FOR. From the rich history of horses and bourbon to the breathtaking fun of Corvettes and caves, come experience what we’re famous for…

HORSES Visit the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, where you can learn about over 40 horse breeds and pay homage to Thoroughbred great Man O’ War as the park celebrates his 100th birthday.

Travel to nearby Georgetown to visit with retired champions at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement farms or to nearby Shelbyville to view a majestic Saddlebred horse. Take in the track kitchen and watch the morning workouts at the Keeneland racetrack in Lexington and explore the history and pageantry of the greatest two minutes in sports at the Kentucky Derby Museum and Churchill Downs in Louisville.

BOURBON Learn about “America’s Native Spirit” at historic distilleries in Bourbon Country. From craft to the world’s largest bourbon

producers, many invite visitors to learn about their brands and have a taste during behind-the-scenes Kentucky distillery tours.

While on these distillery tours, make a stop in Bardstown, voted one of the Most Beautiful Small Towns in America, and tour the impressive mansion that is known as “My Old Kentucky Home.” Book a tour of Kentucky Cooperage in Lebanon, where new charred oak barrels are crafted for bourbon production.

ARTS AND MUSIC From bluegrass to newgrass, you can explore Kentucky’s diverse music history. Visit the homeplace of the father of bluegrass music, Bill Monroe, or the legendary Loretta Lynn. Start the journey on the Country Music Highway in Ashland at the Paramount Arts Center and follow this scenic road through the mountains of eastern Kentucky to see the birthplaces of scores of music stars.

Or travel west to the International Bluegrass Museum in Owensboro. Enjoy contemporary sounds by top Kentucky artists Jordan Smith, Chris Stapleton, and Cage the Elephant.

Immerse yourself in the vibrant arts scene of Berea and see artisans working in their studios or participate in a workshop to learn your own craft. Travel to the UNESCO Creative City Paducah, to tour the National Quilt Museum, the largest museum in the world devoted to quilts and fiber arts.

OUTDOORS Kentucky is home to Mammoth Cave, the longest cave system in the world. In Cave City, the main gateway into the park, there is a wide variety of outdoor adventure, from ziplining to horseback riding. Kentucky is also home to thousands of miles of waterways, making this a haven for adventure seekers. Kentucky Trail Towns, located along major trail systems, are ideal places to begin your journey, with plentiful opportunities for hiking, canoeing, kayaking and much more. Kentucky’s 17 state resort parks provide lodging and activities for every group.

The Great American Eclipse will traverse the western region of our state in August, reaching the point of greatest eclipse just outside Hopkinsville.

HISTORY Discover the story of Kentucky by visiting the birthplaces of Abraham Lincoln, Muhammad Ali and Colonel Sanders. Learn the fascinating history of the Shakers at Pleasant Hill, home to the country’s largest private collection of original 19th century buildings. Travel back in time to Old Fort Harrod State Historic Site in neighboring Harrodsburg to find the story of Daniel Boone and other early Kentucky pioneers. Visit multiple museums in our state capital, Frankfort, including the Thomas Clark Kentucky History Center and the Capitol Building, where you can also enjoy a tour of this impressive architectural treasure.

HARRODSBURG: THE COOLEST PLACE IN HISTORY! Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, a Historic Landmark destination (The Inn, Trustees’ Table, Dixie Belle riverboat, Discovery Tour). Old Fort Harrod State Park/outdoor theatre.

Classic Kentucky cuisine at Beaumont Inn. harrodsburgky.com

800.355.9192

FOOD AND DRINK Sample a taste of Kentucky’s rich culinary heritage and innovative contemporary fare prepared by some of today’s leading chefs. Take a traditional tour along the Western Kentucky BBQ Trail or the Beer Cheese Trail in Winchester.

Enjoy Lexington and Louisville’s growing culinary scene, garnering national and international acclaim for their bourbon-infused cuisine.

The attractions and events listed here are only the beginning.

Visit KentuckyTourism.com/group to plan an unforgettable getaway to fully experience Kentucky.

#TRAVELKY

kentuckytourism.com • 1-800-225-TRIP

OWENSBORO IS WESTERN KENTUCKY’S PLACE TO PLAY! From our signature barbecued mutton and burgoo to the O.Z. Tyler bourbon distillery and our ties to the roots of bluegrass music, Owensboro is the culinary and cultural hub of western Kentucky.

visitowensboro.com

270.926.1100

ABOVEGROUND AND UNDERGROUND ADVENTURE There is as much to do underground as there is aboveground in Cave City, KY; eight pre-historic caves to tour, three ziplines, horseback riding, biking, hiking and canoeing. Then move inside for one-of-a-kind Jurassic Park excitement at Dinosaur World and international wildlife at the Mammoth Cave Wildlife Museum. cavecity.com

270.773.8833

STABLES, TABLES AND DESIGNER LABELS Schedule an American Saddlebred Horse Farm Tour or a guided ride through the trails. Stay in one of our distinctive accommodations, including a bed and breakfast in the middle of horse country, or shop the everyday deals at Kentucky’s only Outlet Mall. Located between Louisville and Lexington, Shelbyville and Simpsonville are the perfect places to stay while visiting the surrounding areas, all within minutes of the Bourbon Trail®.

visitshelbyky.com

502.633.6388

Ashland, Kentucky, birthplace to the Judds and Billy Ray Cyrus, is located along U.S. 23 Country Music Highway – a mecca for arts, familyfriendly festivals, entertainment, hiking trails and off-road adventure.

THERE’S SOMETHING TIMELESS ABOUT A SMALL TOWN.

visitashlandky.com

visitbardstown.com

800.377.6249

ASHLAND AREA CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU

We’re not just any small town. We’re the most beautiful small town in America, according to Rand McNally and USA Today. Whether you visit the Stephen Foster Story, the Kentucky Railway Museum, or the pictured Old Bardstown Village, history repeats itself every single day in Bardstown, KY.

800.638.4877

HORSES AND HORSEPOWER 14 HOTELS AND 70+ RESTAURANTS Equine Activities • Minutes from the Kentucky Horse Park • Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm • Nearby Keeneland Racetrack Picturesque Downtown • Antiques, Specialty Shops and Cafes • Arts & Heritage

Other Charming Attractions • Toyota Motor Manufacturing Tours • Ward Hall • Country Boy Brewing • Close Proximity to the Ark Encounter • Nearby Wineries and Bourbon Distilleries

BEER CHEESE TRAIL & “TASTE OF KY” TOURING Winchester, the birthplace of Beer Cheese, offers The Beer Cheese Trail (Festival, 6/10) & tours of Ale-8-One, coffee roastery, winery & bison ranch. Downtown walking tour and shopping. Convenient – I-64 at I-75!

georgetownky.com

tourwinchester.com

888.863.8600

800.298.9105

#TRAVELKY

kentuckytourism.com • 1-800-225-TRIP

CENTER YOUR TRIP IN FRANKFORT Frankfort, located in the heart of Bluegrass country, is perfect for groups. Stay here and easily travel to distilleries, wineries, historic sites and arts venues with your group. Located just miles from Lexington and Louisville, we are affordable and group friendly. You’ll love what we can do for groups!

visitfrankfort.com

800.960.7200

MAKE IT, TAKE IT GR OU P S A R E GR AV I T A T I NG T O S E L F -M A DE H A N D C R A F T S

BY AS H L E Y R I C KS

W

hat do you bring home from a trip?

Is it a magnet from a gift shop, a T-shirt or some other kitschy item you would probably never buy at home?

You probably have one souvenir that stands out from the others: a piece of art you watched the artist bring to life in front of your eyes or a delicate glass figurine, after you saw how they were made in the studio you visited.

Experiencing the tradition and artistry of handcrafts can make an otherwise ordinary souvenir item seem exceptional. And playing a part in making that item yourself makes for remarkable travel memories.

The following five attractions offer workshops where your travelers can create their own special souvenirs.

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CHICKASAW COUNTRY OKLAHOMA

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Groups visiting Chickasaw Country in Oklahoma will be immersed in native culture, especially at the Chickasaw Cultural Center. Visitors to the cultural center will be able to learn about Chickasaw tribal history, take in a stomp-dancing performance and see other cultural demonstrations.

“Our goal is to share history and culture with our visitors and share who we are as a people,” said Valerie Walters, executive officer of the cultural center for the cultural division of the Chickasaw Nation.

Groups can take part in many different workshops at the cultural center, including beadwork, or making drums, pinch pots or sticks for stickball.

The beadwork session is popular with many groups. During the class, participants will be able to see examples of different styles of beadwork like those used on dance regalia or in jewelry before learning how to make their own beadwork bracelets or necklaces.

Visitors to the area will also want to stop at the ARTesian Gallery and Studios and check out the current exhibit or the work of the artists in residence. The studio now has five artists in residence, including Margaret Wheeler, a weaver.

Groups can participate in workshops with these artists, including ceramics and jewelry-making, or they can work with Wheeler, who leads a workshop teaching groups different weaving techniques to create scarves, sashes, placemats and other fabric crafts. In the longer half-day classes, groups may learn about different natural dyes and how they are sourced and gathered, before dying and creating their own items.

Groups visiting Chickasaw Country will also enjoy stopping at one of the restaurants or shops at the Artesian Hotel, Casino and Spa, near the ARTesian Gallery; touring the Chickasaw capitol; or exploring the Chisholm Heritage Trail.

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LOCAL ARTISANS SHOWCASE THEIR WORK AND OFFER CLASSES AT THE ARTESIAN GALLERY AND STUDIOS. Courtesy Chickasaw Nation

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TAMARACK VALLEY BECKLEY, WEST VIRGINIA

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Tamarack is great for groups seeking a handcrafting experience in the Beckley, West Virginia, area because a variety of craft workshops are offered year-round. Classes in almost every discipline are available, including jewelry-making, painting, glassblowing and more.

The glassblowing class with John DefMeules is popular with small groups. During the class, DefMeules teaches participants the process of glassblowing, including melting and shaping the glass. Then he helps each person create his or her own work of glass art. Amateur glassblowers can make small objects such as a whiskey glass, an ornament, a ring holder and a paperweight.

“People admire the lovely things that others create, but they get especially excited to learn the techniques,” said Norma Acord-Combs, marketing and creative education manager for Tamarack. “They seem really happy to make something and take it home and be proud of what they created.”

Groups visiting Tamarack may also be interested in the “almost heaven breakfast,” a buffet breakfast, before heading to their craft workshop.

Classes rotate, but if your group is interested in a particular class, check with Tamarack staff when booking to set up a workshop or a demonstration tailored to the interests of your group.

HANDCRAFTED GLASS IS A POPULAR SOUVENIR TO BRING HOME FROM TAMARACK.

W W W.TA M A R ACK W V.COM

Courtesy Tamarack

SEE FOR YOURSELF Stop in and browse handcrafted, West Virginia-made products.

Grab a bite of our famous fried green tomato sandwich, or stretch your legs in our beautiful courtyard. Tucked in the hills, yet right off the interstate, Tamarack is here to be the favorite part of your journey.

EXIT 45 I-77/I-64 BECKLEY, WV TAMARACKWV.COM 1.888.262.7225

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GULL AH /GEECHEE SEA ISL AND COALITION ST. HELENA ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA

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The Gullah/Geechee Cultural Corridor reaches from Georgia to Florida and centers around the Carolina Lowcountry and the islands. Groups that want to learn about and experience Gullah Geechee culture should visit historic St. Helena Island, South Carolina, where the Sea Island Coalition offers tours and workshops to share their culture with visitors.

Groups that take part in one of the basket-weaving workshops will learn about how sweetgrass is gathered and dried, as well as how the palmetto, native to South Carolina, is prepared and used to sew, rather than weave, the baskets. As beginners, participants are given a starter to create a small basket, or they can sew a wreath using a similar process.

The strip-quilting workshop is particularly fun for groups. The class starts off with learning some of the basic quilt shapes and stitches; then everyone chooses his or her color scheme and a shape to create. What makes the workshop special is that everyone in the group then brings the pieces together to make one strip quilt. Not every piece will be in the same color or style, but the quilt will come together to create a special memento for your group.

Queen Quet, chief of the Gullah/Geechee nation, explained why these two art forms are such an integral part of the culture today: “We teach about the history and how it relates to the African diaspora and how it relates to us as people so that when you leave with it, you feel the warmth and the connection we feel when we make something like this for our families,” she said.

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3 Courtesy Banff/Lake Louise Tourism/ Chateau Lake Louise Fairmont

QUEEN QUET SHARES A GULLAH/ GEECHEE STRIP QUILT.

Courtesy Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition

Hands-On Fun Get Your Craft On! All the different hands-on activities are a blast, no talent required! You are treated like their guest and everything is planned out for you. We loved it!”

– Triumph Community Bank Travel Club, East Moline, IL

Request Your FREE Planner Call 1-800-322-8198 or order it online at:

www.TOURSoutheastIndiana.com/planner Dearborn County Convention Visitor & Tourism Bureau 320 Walnut Street • Lawrenceburg, IN 47025 • 1-800-322-8198

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AMERICAN SWEDISH INSTITUTE MINNEAPOLIS

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The American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis started out as the residence of Swan Turnblad, a local editor and Swedish immigrant. The Turnblad family donated their home to become a cultural center to celebrate their Swedish heritage in 1928. The institute and its 2012 addition, the Nelson Cultural Center, offers a schedule of workshops that change twice a year for groups interested in learning slöjd, a method of Swedish handicraft where the artist creates objects entirely by hand or using only simple tools.

Slöjd workshops at the institute include felting and needlework, woodcarving, leatherworking and glass mosaics, among others. Groups that choose to do the leatherworking workshop will learn about how to choose leather, the different tools used, sewing a traditional saddle stitch and how to finish their piece, before going on to create their own card case, wallet or journal cover.

Travelers can also create items like handmade cutting boards from the woodcarving workshop, and trivets or sun catchers from the glass mosaics class. During winter, the mansion is decorated for Sankta Lucia’s Day and the Christmas season, and special classes are offered to created birch bark ornaments.

Groups visiting the institute will enjoy adding one of the many tours to see the mansion’s elegant architecture and Scandinavian details, or taking an intro to Swedish class. The award-winning Fika cafe serves New Nordic cuisine and a seasonal menu that highlights Swedish traditions, making it a great way to round out your visit with a bite to eat.

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NORDIC HERITAGE MUSEUM SEATTLE

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The Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood is located in the old school building of the historically Scandinavian area of the city. The Craft School at the museum offers a schedule of workshops, with spring and fall classes available. Past classes have included knitting, beer-making, baking and Scandinavian table dressing.

Rosemaling — Scandinavian-style painting — and Viking/dragon-style or acanthus woodworking class series are offered throughout the year.

Groups visiting during the summer season can learn how to make flag balls, based on Japanese temari balls. Temari were originally adapted from Chinese leather balls used by nobles to play games but grew to be a traditional art form in Japan. Temari are fabric balls tightly wrapped with more strips of fabric, then sewn with intricate designs in brightly colored threads. Today the art has been incorporated into many cultures and transformed to represent more than just the original Japanese heritage. During the temari workshop at the museum, participants will make a flag ball sewn in the temari style; but then they will learn how to decorate it and sew the flag of one of the Scandinavian countries — Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland or Finland — onto its surface.

During Christmastime at the museum, there are also special events and workshops such as traditional Scandinavian baking workshops and workshops where groups can make woven paper hearts or felted hearts, traditional ornaments in many Scandinavian countries.

The new Nordic Museum complex is set to open in 2018 on nearby Market Street in the historic Scandinavian Ballard neighborhood.

W W W. ASI M N.ORG

W W W. NOR DIC MUSEU M.ORG

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CROSSROADS MUSIC

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By Kevin Brown, courtesy Symphony in the Flint Hills

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or many people, music is a visceral experience, taking them back to childhood or defining moments in their lives. So when groups trace the roots of their favorite artists and music styles, they often feel a personal connection with that history. Next time you plan a trip to one of the states in America’s Crossroads, consider taking your group to these remarkable music destinations.

Dyess, Arkansas

Before he became the “Man in Black,” Johnny Cash hailed from the rural community of Dyess, Arkansas, where he lived from the age of 3 until he graduated from high school. Thanks to restoration efforts over the past few years, music fans can now visit the home that shaped so much of his personality and style.

“The house has been restored to exactly how it looked when the Cash family lived there in the 1930s and ’40s,” said Ruth Hawkins, director of Arkansas Heritage Sites at Arkansas State University.

The tour begins in the Dyess Colony Museum in the administrative building, which features exhibits on Cash’s childhood and his life in Dyess Colony. Guests can watch several orientation videos at the restored Dyess Theatre next door, where Cash’s brother worked and carved his initials.

Next, a shuttle takes visitors to the home itself, where Cash first Symphony in the Flint Hills features professional classical music performed in the Kansas tallgrass region.

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learned guitar from his mother and began writing music at the age of 12. Many items in the house were donated by Cash’s family, including his mother’s piano, his high school yearbook and the pillow he shared with his brother, Jack.

“When people step into the house, there’s a real sense of his presence,” said Hawkins. “Often, when people leave, they say, ‘Now I can see where his music came from.’”

This fall, Dyess will host the first Johnny Cash Heritage Festival in the field adjacent to the home. The three-day event will include a guest appearance from Michael Streissguth, who wrote Cash’s biography, as well as a concert performance from Cash’s daughter, Roseanne Cash. dyesscash.astate.edu

Kansas City, Missouri

The Johnny Cash Boyhood Home has been restored to its 1930s condition.

Courtesy Arkansas State University

Located in the 18th and Vine Jazz District of Kansas City, Missouri, the American Jazz Museum commemorates the vibrant history of jazz and its dramatic influence on the world.

“It’s where modern jazz was really established,” said Jessica Thompson, director of development and communication at the museum.

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“In the ’30s and ’40s, performers like Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald and John Coltrane — they would all come to 18th and Vine to play.”

Guests can enjoy interactive listening stations and touch screens throughout the permanent exhibition, and the museum frequently introduces new components, such as the upcoming “Jazz and the Presidency” exhibit, which explores the influence of jazz on U.S. presidents. Bill Clinton’s saxophone will be featured as part of the display.

“A lot of people are turned off by jazz because they think it’s too intellectual for them, so the museum is a great way to expose people to jazz and show them how it shaped history as a true American art form,” said Thompson.

For a real taste of jazz culture, groups can stop by the museum’s Blue Room Club in the evening to hear a live jazz set, offered four nights each week. The Gem Theatre also hosts numerous concert series with jazz masters and other Grammy winners throughout the year.

One of the museum’s most popular events is the Riffing on the Repertoire series, in which various authors from around the country discuss their work and sign their books. Past guests have included celebrated jazz critic Ted Gioia and Pulitzer Prize winner Michael D’Antonio.

Over Memorial Day weekend, the neighborhood floods with music and food in celebration of the annual Kansas City Jazz and Heritage Festival. www.americanjazzmuseum.org

Groups can hear great live music at the American Jazz Museum in Kansas City.

Courtesy American Jazz Museum

Beautiful

Acres of sunflowers, bathing in golden light. A violet-peach sunset over the lush, rolling Flint Hills. A million stars gazing down upon a stone fence that stretches for miles. There’s no place like Kansas for placing yourself into nature’s canvas.

800.2.KANSAS · TravelKS.com

Near Lawrence

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Stillwater is the capital of Oklahoma’s Red Dirt Music movement.

As a genre, red dirt music is sometimes difficult to define, but there is no question that it holds its roots in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Featuring a blend of rock, folk, country and blues, red dirt music developed during the late 1970s when a group of college students rented an old country house just outside town commonly known as “The Farm.”

They began hosting jam sessions with their friends on the porch or in the garage, which they called “The Gypsy Café.” Before long, The Farm became a haven for young artists to gather and experiment with their craft, and red dirt music was born.

From this dynamic community emerged acclaimed musicians like John Cooper, a member of the Red Dirt Rangers band, and Bob Childers, later known as the “godfather of red dirt music.”

“Their influence is still felt throughout our culture in Stillwater, from acoustic sets in little coffee shops to big-name events,” said Kylie Vincent, vice president at Visit Stillwater.

Each spring, the city hosts the Bob Childers Gypsy Café event, named after the garage where red dirt music first thrived. More than 60 musicians perform at three separate venues in Stillwater in celebration of Bob Childers’ legacy. Ticket proceeds go to the Red Dirt Relief Fund, which helps support musicians in need. www.visitstillwater.org

Courtesy Visit Stillwater

Stillwater, Oklahoma

BIG RIVER CROSSING

Arkansas

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r velers to West Memphis, Ark ns , c nnot miss the milelong Big River Crossing Bridge, which debuted this p st ctober s the lonnd bicycle bridg cross the

gest pedestri Mississippi River.

It st rted ou m in to m in” project, connecting the two downtown r s of West Memphis, Ark ns nd Memphis, Tennessee, nd is now considered n intern tion l ttr ction.

As of mid- ovember, more t n 80,000 people ve used the bridge.

W t m kes the bo rdw lk so unusu l is t t it runs long the 100-ye r-old H r n r ilro d bridge. According to Jim J ckson, executive directo t the West Memphi ffice of Tourism, visitor n now “experience views t t most peopl ve never seen of one of the most wellknown rivers in the world.”

At night, the bridge sp rkles to life with 100,000 progr mmed LED lights t t often synchronize with music or fireworks.

WWW.WESTMEMPHIS.ORG

© 2017 Cherokee Nation Businesses. All Rights Reserved.

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Photo by Georgia Reed

Life is a story.

P ho

In Oklahoma, the plot thickens.

to by D ir sc h m an

Find adventures and itineraries at TravelOK.com/Group.

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In Oklahoma, every destination is a story waiting to unfold.

e

serenade. Then celebrate the 80th anniversary of Lake Murray, Oklahoma’s largest state park.

al

Watch a 1,000-pound stallion thunder atop the baked earth. Cruise Olympic-style rapids in the heart of downtown OKC. Marvel at the world’s largest banjo collection while enjoying an impromptu

Symphony in the Flint Hills is a hit with visitors in lawn chairs or on horseback.

Cottonwood Falls, Kansas

There are few opportunities to experience symphony music with a panoramic view of sweeping grassland. Every year at the beginning of summer, a nonprofit called Symphony in the Flint Hills organizes a special concert in the tallgrass region of Kansas, which covers around 20 counties.

“Our mission is to enhance appreciation for the tallgrass prairie, which is an endangered ecosystem and landscape,” said Christy Davis, executive director of the nonprofit.

The site is carefully chosen to ensure 360 degrees of untamed landscape, with no buildings or phone lines in sight. About 700 volunteers work to build a tent city from scratch. Guests can drive to an out-of-sight parking lot and follow a prepared half-mile trail to the site.

This year’s theme will be the Chisholm Trail, in honor of the famous cattle route’s 150th anniversary. Throughout the day, guests can enjoy covered wagon rides, prairie-inspired art and educational programs, as well as food and beverage tents. Many people find a grassy hill where they can sit and relish the view.

Later, as the sun sets over the prairie, everyone gathers before the main stage for a performance from the Kansas City Symphony that

By Mark Higgins, courtesy Symphony in the Flint Hills

“OUR MISSION IS TO ENHANCE APPRECIATION FOR THE TALLGRASS PRAIRIE, WHICH IS AN ENDANGERED

ECOSYSTEM AND LANDSCAPE.” — C h ri sty Dav i s Sy mphony i n t he F l i nt H i l l s

presented by

Special Exhibition

May–Aug. 2017

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Groups are always welcome!

Group rates available!

1-800-332-1286 www.mobot.org/tourism

features Western-themed music and an appearance from cowboy music star Michael Martin Murphey.

Known for his hit radio song “Wildfire,” Murphey is a major advocate for tallgrass prairie conservation.

And the evening fun does not end there.

Following the concert, groups can enjoy a community dance, cowboy poetry and star-gazing, along with a discussion led by a local astronomy club.

The one-day event takes place in June, when wildflowers are in bloom and the tallgrass reaches full height. Ticket sales begin in March. www.symphonyintheflinthills.org

Nov. 2017–Jan. 2018

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ne of the highlights of visiting state capitals is learning about each one’s unique history and the role it has played in shaping the state. But there are many other features that characterize these vibrant cities, from local breweries to haunted prisons and chocolate festivals. Make sure to check out some of these hidden gems next time you tour the America’s Crossroads states.

With sculpture gardens, theaters, streetcar tours and so much more, Little Rock, Arkansas, has a wide range of offerings for groups.

One prominent attraction is Heifer Village, headquarters of Heifer International. This organization works to end world poverty and hunger through sustainable practices, encouraging people to sponsor a goat or a cow for families in the Third World instead of donating money. Groups can learn about global issues through colorful exhibits and, later, grab a bite to eat at the Heifer Café. Next door is the Clinton Presidential Center, which contains Bill Clinton’s presidential library and museum.

For those who enjoy home and garden design, there are several home tours near town. At Moss Mountain Farm, the residence of television host and lifestyle guru P. Allen Smith, groups can reserve a lunch tour to see the house and terrace gardens, with an occasional appearance by Smith himself.

Landscape designer Chris Olsen also opens his stylish home to visitors.

Groups can get beautiful views of Oklahoma City during a Ferris wheel ride in the Wheeler District.

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One hidden gem that female groups should keep an eye out for is the Esse Purse Museum, which displays purses through the decades and examines how different fashion statements reflected the larger values of the time. It is one of three purse museums in the world.

In addition to artisan ice-cream shops and bakeries throughout town, there are quite a few breweries and distilleries developing in town.

“We have a burgeoning craft-beverage and food scene,” said John Mayner, vice president of the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau.

One popular brewery is Lost Forty Brewing, and Rock Town Distillery offers a wide selection of spirits such as bourbon, vodka and flavored moonshine. www.littlerock.com

Named “Most Beautiful Small Town in America” in 2013, Jefferson City, Missouri, is a hub of restaurants, museums and historic sites, all nestled along the Missouri River.

Though it is known for its capitol, one of the city’s most popular attractions is the original Missouri State Penitentiary, the oldest prison west of the Mississippi. In 1967, Time Magazine called the prison the “bloodiest 47 acres in America” for it unusual record of

Central Dairy serves classic ice cream treats to groups visiting Jefferson City.

Heifer International in Little Rock

Groups can taste craft spirits at Little Rock’s Rock Town Distillery.

Courtesy Little Rock CVB

“EVE N WH E N IT ’S 30 D EG R E ES FAH R E N H E IT, TH E R E AR E P EOP LE

LINED OUT THE DOOR.” — K at heri ne R eed Jef ferson City C V B Cent ra l Da i r y

Courtesy Little Rock CVB

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Courtesy Visit Jefferson City

Missouri State Capitol rotunda

murders and assaults, a fact that draws numerous paranormal groups to the site, such as the hit television show “Ghost Hunters.”

The prison housed many infamous inmates over the course of its history, including James Earl Ray, the man who assassinated Martin Luther King Jr.; the Reno brothers, who committed the first train robbery in the United States; and Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd, a famous bank robber during the Great Depression.

The inmates were transferred to a new facility in 2004, and several years later, the old building reopened for tours, quickly becoming one of the state’s top attractions.

“Many of our history guides actually worked at the prison, so you really get a sense of what life was like for the inmates,” said Katherine Reed, communications manager at the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Guests can partake in the two-hour history tour or the two-hour ghost tour, with each group limited to about 30 participants. Across the street, visitors can tour the Marmaduke House, which contains the penitentiary museum in the basement. Admission to the museum is included with the prison tour.

Another must-see in town is the old-school Central Dairy ice cream

Courtesy Visit Jefferson City

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Groups will find no shortage of attractions in Oklahoma City, from the eclectic offering of museums to the vibrant entertainment district of Bricktown. In the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, visitors will be awed by the glittering glass art exhibit and three-story glass tower by renowned artist Dale Chihuly. Just five minutes away, groups can witness glassblowing in action at the Blue Sage glassblowing facility.

The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum offers a special experience called Date With the Duke, where groups dine at a banquet, watch John Wayne’s classic film “The Cowboy” and receive a private tour of the Western Performers Gallery.

At the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum, which honors the victims, survivors and rescuers involved in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, groups can stroll across the beautiful outdoor area in

Courtesy OKC CVB

parlor in the Old Munichburg Historic District. Some locals claim it as Jefferson City’s best feature.

“Even when it’s 30 degrees Fahrenheit, there are people lined out the door,” said Reed. www.visitjeffersoncity.com

Oklahoma City’s Boathouse District hosts a variety of special events throughout the year.

HERMANN FARM MUSEUM

Missouri o ted on 20 cres of f rml nd in Missouri’s sweeping wine country, the Herm nn F rm Museum commem tes the history of Germ n settlers

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in the region. e the f rm o erm n immigr nt n med George Husm nn, the museum invites visitors to step b ck through tim s they tour the property.

Every det il of the building s been meticulously designed to embody lif n 1800s settlement, from wooden shoes on the floor in the c bin to nd-sewn quilts in the spirit house.

“There’s so much to see here,” s id Jo n Tries, m rketing directo t the f rm. “Y n come into the mer ntil nd pick u ew jelli kes or some re lly wonderful Missouri-m de cr fts.”

The couple who founded the site, Ji nd M ry Diergerg ve spent n rly 30 y rs investing in the Herm nn community, h ving opened the Herm hof Winery d restored other historic fe tures of the town.

WWW.HERMANNFARM.COM

CALL: 800.637.1477

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Let It Be Grandiose!

Our Four Diamond Hotel is designed to satisfy travelers who like their stay to be quietly luxurious and unique. Distinctive in our amenities and services, the fully renovated landmark offers over 130,000 square feet of meeting space, including the Midway, a convention space with natural lighting and historic relevance. Captivating guests is the majestic Grand Hall with nightly 3D light shows, small plate dining and hand crafted cocktails. An icon of Saint Louis heritage for over one hundred years, now the leading host of meetings in the Midwest.

1820 Market Street

St. Louis, Missouri

314.621.5262

stlunionstationhotel.com

the evening, when the gates and chairs are lit up.

“It’s a very moving experience at night,” said Sandy Price, vice president of tourism at Visit Oklahoma City.

With free admission, many visitors stop by Remington Park, a horse-racing track and casino with the longest racing season of any track in the country.

There are endless dining options as well, from the internationally recognized Cattleman’s Steakhouse to Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill on the canal. Water’s Edge Winery will host groups even when it is closed, as long as visits are scheduled in advance, for wine tastings and bottling parties. www.visitokc.com

Climbing the central dome of the Kansas State Capitol

Courtesy Visit Topeka

Though many capitals feature stunning architecture, Topeka’s capitol is the only one in the country where visitors can climb a staircase 360 feet into the central dome and walk outside to relish the sweeping view.

In addition to the history tour of the capitol, groups can take advantage of many other engaging experiences in the city, like making a bowl or a mug at Potland Pottery. At Prairie Glass Studio, visitors

The Oklahoma City National Memorial offers a peaceful reflection spot.

Courtesy OKC CVB

can coordinate a session through Topeka’s convention and visitors bureau to learn about glass-making and fashion items like sun catchers or business-card holders to take home.

There are several notable events throughout the year, among them the Tulip Time Festival in April and the Beer Festival in June, during which nearly 40 Midwestern breweries gather to showcase original brews.

With the Hershey Chocolate Factory nearby in the state, chocolate fanatics would be remiss not to attend the chocolate festival in the fall; the festival includes baking tutorials, chocolate-pudding-eating contests and chocolate-themed items from local shops, such as chocolate diamond jewelry.

In the summer, cyclists gather for a weekendlong biking event called Cyclovia Topeka, which commences with a Glow Ride on Friday, in which participants decorate their bikes with glow sticks and tour the downtown area.

“We try to make sure that everyone can participate, no matter what their biking level is,” said Michaela Saunders, director of brand strategy at Visit Topeka. www.visittopeka.com

The Glow Ride is an evening highlight of the annual Cyclovia Topeka event.

By Earl Richardson, courtesy Visit Topeka

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#Adventure #NewPlaces #KansasCityKS

Kansas City Kansas Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.

VisitKansasCityKS.com

Little Apple...

BIG ADVENTURE

Manhattan has so much to offer!

The Flint Hills Discovery Center will inspire you, savor our local dining, wander into our quaint shops, eclectic art galleries, museums and great outdoors.

VisitManhattanKS.org Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau 501 Poyntz Ave • Manhattan, KS 66502 800-759-0134

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haracterized by rugged individualism and the elusive dream of “Manifest Destiny,” the American Frontier continues to dazzle the imagination. Though the days of the Wild West may be long gone, the legacy of train robbers, cowboys and U.S. marshals is very much alive in the states of America’s Crossroads — Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma — where groups can delve into history through cowboy poetry nights, live gunfights and so much more.

Fort Smith, Arkansas

Spanning roughly 80 years of history, Fort Smith National Historic Site exposes visitors to some of the most vivid examples of Wild West culture, highlighting the lives of U.S. marshals, Native Americans and settlers during the Gold Rush.

The property was the site of two military forts and a federal court, where the infamous “hanging judge” Isaac C. Parker presided for 21 years over lawless Indian Territory. During a tour of the courthouse and jail buildings, visitors learn the true story of Parker’s background, in contrast to his depiction in many Western books and films as a ruthless hand of justice.

“He was a very misunderstood character,” said Cody Faber, park ranger at the historic site. “He was actually very anti-capital punishment, but it was the law at the time.”

A working blacksmith helps to re-create life in historic Wichita at the Old Cowtown Museum.

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Visitors get a glimpse of life on the Arkansas frontier at Fort Smith National Historic Site.

As people explore the grounds, they will find an American flag with 37 stars, just as the fort would have displayed during the mid19th century, as well as the federal court’s notorious gallows. There is also a Trail of Tears National Historic Trail along the Arkansas River, recognizing the forced migration of Southwestern Indian tribes.

Four times each year, Fort Smith holds a “Night Court,” where the public gathers in the courthouse to watch actors play out real transcripts from murder trials that took place during the 1800s and 1900s. After a discussion, the audience decides on a verdict, and the historical outcome is then revealed.

Other events throughout the year include Civil War re-enactments, artillery demonstrations and discussions led by Native American groups. www.nps.gov/fosm

St. Joseph, Missouri

Once a luxury hotel, the Patee House marks the beginning of the Pony Express mail service, as well as the end of Jesse James, both icons in Western lore.

“In 1858, John Patee built this hotel knowing that people would need a place to stay along the route out West,” said Gary Chilcote, director of the museum.

Courtesy Patee House Museum

Jesse James Home at the Patee House Museum

A Pony Express office is re-created in the Patee House Museum in St. Joseph, where the service was founded.

During the 1860s, the hotel briefly housed the headquarters of the Pony Express, which played a crucial role in communication between the East and West before the telegraph was introduced. These horseback riders confronted outlaws, endured Indian attacks and withstood weather conditions to carry messages across untamed land, completing the passage in just 10 days.

During the Civil War, Union marshals took control of the hotel and used the upstairs office as a courtroom. At least seven men were taken across the street for public hangings, and visitors can find a replica of the gallows in the museum.

In 1882, the legendary outlaw and train robber Jesse James was shot and killed by Robert Ford in his home just a block from the hotel, and the house has been relocated to the museum grounds. Several items from his grave are featured inside.

“We don’t try to make him a hero,” said Chilcote. “We tell the story like it is.”

To commemorate this colorful past, the house contains two floors of exhibits. Groups can climb aboard an 1860-era train or take a whirl on a 28-foot carousel. Other highlights include a blacksmith shop, a dressmaker’s shop and a wing with Western art by George Warfel. Some of the paintings depict famous Westerners that stayed at the hotel during its prime.

In June, the city will take part in the National Pony Express Re-Ride, an annual re-enactment of the daring horseback journey between St. Joseph and Sacramento, California. More than 600 riders will participate in the relay, which lasts 10 days, just as the journey did during the 1800s.

Many people come out to watch the event. www.ponyexpressjessejames.com

Courtesy Patee House Museum

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Duncan, Oklahoma

By Toni Hopper, courtesy Chisholm Trail Heritage Center

Chisholm Trail Heritage Center

No one thinks of the Wild West without picturing cowboys, from driving cattle across the prairie to singing songs under the stars. One major component of that culture was the Chisholm Trail, a cattle trail that extended from Texas to Abilene, Kansas.

Immortalized by the classic cowboy song “The Old Chisholm Trail,” the route served as a passage for millions of longhorn cattle from 1867 to 1885. During that challenging two-month journey, cattle drivers led the herds through rivers, braved prairie storms and fought off cattle thieves.

At the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center in Duncan, Oklahoma, groups can learn how to rope a longhorn steer, play a game of checkers in the Duncan general store or admire Western and Native American art in the Garis Gallery. There is also a 4-D sensory theater where the audience can experience the rumble of a stampede.

This year, the trail will celebrate its 150th anniversary, and numerous activities and events have been organized across Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas in celebration.

“Chisholm is a uniquely American piece of history, and the anniversary really gives us the chance to talk about it,” said Stacy Cramer Moore, executive director at the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center.

Courtesy NPS

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Chisholm Trail Heritage Center exhibits depict the cowboy life traveling from Texas to Kansas.

“It’s been really fun to see the three states come together to work on a project of this scale.”

In April, the three states will kick off the anniversary celebration with galas, concerts and educational programs on cowboy culture. As fall winds to a close, the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center will hold a cowboy poetry night under the stars, where groups can settle next to a campfire and enjoy open-mic performances. www.onthechisholmtrail.com

Wichita, Kansas

By Toni Hopper, courtesy Chisholm Trail Heritage Center

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Now celebrating 65 years, the Old Cowtown Museum in Wichita, Kansas, provides groups an unforgettable Western town experience with live gunfights and saloon girls dancing the can-can.

“We try to tell history through the exhibits as well as live demonstrations,” said Jacky Goerzen, executive director at the museum.

As groups explore the 54 historic and reconstructed buildings in town, they can take a stagecoach ride or visit the printing, dressmaker and blacksmith shops, which contain authentic machinery and period furnishings. One of the biggest highlights for many visitors is seeing

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the live gunfights that take place twice each day.

The attraction also hosts a variety of events throughout the year, such as a steam punk costume contest, a Roaring ’20s event and a Civil War re-enactment. Over Labor Day weekend, Cowtown will feature extra shows, demonstrations and catered food in honor of the Chisholm Trail’s 150th anniversary.

Though it’s open year-round, the museum’s full slate of activities and shows is available spring through fall. www.oldcowtown.org

Oklahoma City has that big city atmosphere with thE

small town availability.

there’s a ‘wow factor’.

PIONEER WOMAN MERCANTILE

Oklahoma ince th ioneer Wom n Mer ntile opened in whusk , k hom st ctober, the line of customer s r rely slowed. The 22,000-squ re-foot store fe tures kery el n et il section. The shop fe tures int ge yet chi estheti nd sells products such s en meled flor l bowls, little cowgirl towels nd le ther tote b gs. ner Ree Drummond beg n Th ioneer Wom n blog in 2006, writin bout life, foo nd f mily nd the incredible success of her work led t oo etwork sho nd sever l published books. Due to her loy l following, m ny people w lk into the Mer ntil lre dy feeling like old friends.

The century-old bric nd mort r buildin rich b ckground ving served v rious roles in the communit er ntil nd, l ter ub. During construction, workers found old whiskey bottl nd tion l Biscuit Comp ny mur l underne th the pl ster, which Drummond chose to keep s p rt of the store’s unique decor.

WWW.THEMERCANTILE.COM

Jay Smith, President, Sports Travel and Tours

OKC-ing is believing.

From whatever direction your tour approaches OKC, you’ll find the intersection of I-44, I-40, I-35 and Route 66 is a modern metropolis with loads of group-friendly attractions like the Bricktown Canal, the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.

If OKC isn’t already on your list, it’s time to stop and OKC what you’ve been missing.

/GROUPS

Learn more at

#SeeOKC

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Courtesy Kanopolis M A R CState H 2 0Park 17

GROUPS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THESE

By Savannah Osbourn

hough most state parks are known for beautiful trails and scenery, groups will find activities to pique everyone’s interest at these four parks in the America’s Crossroads region, with state-of-the-art lodges, golf courses, guided nature tours and more.

Bismarck, Arkansas

Out of 52 state parks in the Natural State, DeGray Lake Resort State Park is the only resort state park, featuring sunset cruises, paddleboarding, horseback riding and an 18-hole golf course. Guests can stay in the 96-room lodge or set up a tent in the campground. For those interested in something in-between, there are also yurts, which are large dome-shaped tents with bunk beds inside.

In addition to the stunning natural scenery, the park offers a variety of tours. During the eagle tour, guests ride a boat along the shore and try to catch a glimpse of the many eagles that nest in the area during the winter.

“It’s a good photo opportunity,” said Michelle Edmonds, assistant sales director at the park. “Sometimes you see them catching a fish or flying to a nest.”

For a nighttime adventure, groups can take a golf course safari and learn about nocturnal wildlife as they ride across the course on golf Kanopolis State Park offers gorgeous views of the Kansas countryside.

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carts. Many groups enjoy the lake tour and steak dinner, where guests are taken on a boat tour to a pavilion with prepared catering.

There are numerous educational programs as well, such as Edible Insects. Though it may sound like a children’s class, many adults enjoy the squeamish humor of the program, which discusses the edible insect industry and allows participants to try eating a dried cricket or a flavored mealworm. Another program is Primitive Fire, where guests learn how to build a fire the old-fashioned way using two sticks and a string. www.degray.com

Groups can try stand-up paddle boarding on the peaceful waters of Arkansas’ DeGray Lake.

Though it just opened last July, Echo Bluff State Park is already drawing crowds to its brand-new lodge and beautiful trail system. The rustic-style Betty Lea Lodge features modern amenities and broad windows that overlook the surrounding scenery, as well as indoor and outdoor dining.

The park is named after a large, sheer bluff on the property, where visitors can hear their voices echo because of the rock’s concave shape. Just below the bluff, guests can swim, fish or canoe in Sinking Creek’s crystal-clear water.

Courtesy DeGray Lake State Park

Eminence, Missouri

KANSAS: EVEL KNIEVEL MUSEUM

Kansas DeGray Lake State Park in Arkansas

mous for his s r-sp gled costum nd d ring motorcycle jumps during the 1960s nd 1970s, Evel Knievel went down in histor oneer stunt performer. pening this summer in Topek , K n s, the Evel Knievel Museum will house the world’s l rgest collection of Knievel’s helmets, motorcycl nd perform nce l ther s wel s the “Big Red” M ck truck he used to drive his bik ll over the country.

“It w re m of Knievel’s t v useum, but it neve ppened during his life,” s id Mik tterson, owner of the museum.

Visitors will b ble to experience the fe ts of Knievel’s 11-ye r jumpin reer through inter ctive exhibits, suc ouch-screen displ y t t reve ls Knievel’s broken bones. Knievel holds the Guinness World Record for the most broken bones i ifetime t 433.

Guest lso pl n their own jumps throug r phic simul tor, or sit on motorcycle nd don virtu l-r lity goggles t t show r l jumping foot ge over 16 polic rs.

The museum is p rt o 6,000-squ re-foot exp nsion of Historic H rley-D vidson, vint ge-bike museum t t f tures popul r b rbecue rest ur n lled Henry’s Grill.

WWW.VISITTOPEKA.COM

Adventurers kayak through Echo Bluff State Park in Missouri.

Courtesy Missouri State Parks

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There are two main trails: the Painter Ridge Trail and the Current River Trail. The Painter Ridge Trail is a mountain-biking trail with two challenge routes that feature ramps, ladder bridges and narrow balance elements. The Current River Trail spans roughly five miles and connects to Current River State Park.

“It’s a great base camp for outdoor adventures in the area,” said Steph Deidrick, communications director at for Missouri State Parks.

“It’s part of an extensive trail system, with several other parks nearby.”

The lodge offers meeting and event space, and larger groups can use the Bluff Top Shelter, which accommodates up to 200 guests for weddings, corporate events and more. Throughout the year, the park also uses this amphitheater to host nature programs, movie night and history discussions about the Ozarks. www.echobluffstatepark.com

Courtesy Missouri State Parks

Leisure time at Echo Bluff State Park Courtesy Great Passion Play

Hulbert, Oklahoma

It is hard not to fall in love with the Sequoyah State Park’s 2,000acre, serene wooded landscape. Recently renovated, the lodge contains 104 newly refurbished rooms as well as an in-house restaurant. In addition, there are 45 cottages, a fully furnished lake house and a lake

Courtesy DeGray Lake State Park

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Travelers can see foxes and other animals up close in the nature center at Sequoyah State Park in Oklahoma.

hut. A lot of larger groups rent the bunk house, which can hold up to 46 people and features meeting space, a fireplace and a kitchen.

Sequoyah offers a variety of ways to delve into nature. Groups can rent a boat from the marina or take advantage of the two-and-a-half-mile paved trail, which is great for runners and bikers and accessible for those with disabilities. There is also a fitness trail with exercise stations along the path.

After an afternoon of hiking or fishing, guests can lounge on the swimming beach or wade into the newly renovated pool between the bunk house and the lodge.

Other amenities include horseback riding, lighted basketball and tennis courts, an 18-hole golf course and a disc golf course. In short, Sequoyah has plenty to offer everyone.

“It’s wonderful for families and large groups because there’s so much to do,” said Kelli Clark, programs officer for the Oklahoma Tourism State Parks Division. www.travelok.com

Marquette, Kansas

Situated in the Smoky Hills region of Kansas, Kanopolis State Park Courtesy Sequoyah State Park

Book your group now! mohistory.org/civilrights March 11, 2017–April 15, 2018 Free admission

Explore, Discover, Enjoy...with a Enjoy Customized Itinerary!  Art  Boating

 History  Hiking

 Music  Fishing

 Day Trips  Overnights  Mystery Trips

Kirksville - a vibrant blend of art, nature, history, and recreation.

St. Louis American

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Forest Park St. Louis

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Visitors often see waterfowl on excursions in Kansas’ Kanopolis State Park.

yields a breathtaking and unusual landscape, with rugged canyon cliffs, desert plants and tallgrass prairie.

“It was our first state park, and it’s a vista that we don’t have anywhere else,” said Linda Lanterman, director of Kansas State Parks.

Rangers work hard to maintain the park’s nationally recognized trail system, which draws many equestrian groups and mountain bikers. On the Horse-Thief Canyon Trail, visitors can hike or ride along exquisite cliffs overlooking the 3,500-acre lake.

Using the boat ramps or courtesy docks, those who enjoy fishing can take advantage of the lake’s abundant supply of fish and game. Other local wildlife includes herons, osprey, bald eagles and prairie dogs.

The unique terrain extends to the adjacent park, Mushroom Rock State Park, which is managed by Kanopolis staff as well. It is worth stopping by this small park for the afternoon to see the strange mushroom-shaped rock formations that gave the park its name.

Kanopolis offers six cabins with modern amenities and campsites with corrals for equestrian use. Groups can also choose to book a hotel in one of the nearby towns, such as the Swedish heritage town of Lindsborg. www.ksoutdoors.com/state-parks Courtesy Kanopolis State Park

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sound-off

STAFF

H AT FOO AV OU H A TH AT YOU I H YOU CO

I think I could live on a Mediterranean diet. Last April, I spent a week in Nice with Collette and ate fresh seafood and salads almost exclusively.

I did not eat beef that week and never really wanted to. Tuna Nicoise salads, fresh oysters from Normandy, meals featuring salmon, capers and olives — it seemed that eating became an event. If we could create a fresh Mediterranean diet in Bardstown, Kentucky, our local abattoir would see much less of me.

— Mac Lacy, PUBLISHER

Toss up between an elephant ear and the foot-long corn dog.

Those carnies have mad skills.

— Stacey Bowman, DIRECTOR, ADVERTISING SALES

I lived in France for several months as a college student, and the local food I miss the most is probably the crêpes. When I walked through Paris or Caen, I could smell the pancake-like pastries cooking from street stands and restaurants, from dessert crêpes glazed in Nutella or salted caramel to savory crêpes stuffed with salmon and cream sauce.

Combined with the view of cobblestone roads and Baroque architecture, it would take more than a good recipe to recapture the experience.

— Savannah Osbourn, STAFF WRITER

OU AV A AT H O

?

City Tavern in Philadelphia is a re-creation of the Colonialera establishment where many of the Founding Fathers spent time during the Continental Congress. The menu features many period dishes, including a decadent chocolate cake that comes from Martha Washington’s recipe book. The cake is perhaps the most delicious dessert I have ever tasted.

And though the recipe is widely available, friends who have tried to make it say that it is extremely difficult. So I leave it to the experts and look forward to a slice whenever I visit Philadelphia.

— Brian Jewell.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

The butterbeer from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando.

I’ve tried a couple of versions, but nothing compares to the real thing!

— Ashley Ricks, CIRCULATION MANAGER I S S U E M A R C H 2 01 7

EDITOR’S NOTE Welcome to Staff Sound-Off, the monthly column where our staff members answer questions about their travel practices and preferences.

We hope you enjoy these tips. If you have a question you’d like to see us answer, send it to me and it may appear in a future issue.

BRIANJ@GROUPTRAVELLEADER.COM

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