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Past Meets Present in Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory
Groups visiting Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory will find not only a region rich in history, but also rich in invigorating things to do. Stories of the past come alive at historical sites and attractions, where visitors travel the same paths as Oregon Trail pioneers once did.
“There’s a lot of history here in Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory,” says Aaron Liersemann, the development and community relations senior specialist at Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory. “We’re the official end of the Oregon Trail in Oregon City. We launched the first newspaper west of the Rockies and transmitted long-distance electricity for the first time in the world from Willamette Falls to Port land—14 miles away. Not to mention, we’re home to the first incorporated city west of the Rockies in Oregon City. There are so many stories to tell, and you can hear them along the Mt. Hood Territory Heritage Trail.”
Credit: Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory
The heritage trail includes many group-friendly stops, including the Mt. Hood Cultural Center & Museum, which provides a perfect starting point for understanding the past and present of Mt. Hood life. Then, experience the Oregon Trail journey and the rich cultures of the regions’ Indigenous people at the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive & Visitor Information Center, an 8.5-acre area that served as the main destination for Oregon immigrants in the 1840s. Today, the site offers living history interpretations and multimedia dramatizations to vividly depict that time in history. Watch the center’s new film, “Oregon’s First People,” which sheds light on how the settling of Oregon affected the Indigenous people of the region and shows how they are working to rebuild their community and homelands today.
Credit: Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory
Bring a camera to Jonsrud Viewpoint— known for its epic overlook of Mt. Hood and the Sandy River—to capture a bird’s-eye view of the Oregon Trail route. Groups can stroll the brick pathways, look through the telescopes, and enjoy spectacular views of Mt. Hood and the Sandy River Valley, as well as the “Devil’s Backbone,” a ridge named by pioneers who were traveling on the Barlow Road (the last segment of the Oregon Trail). An exciting new amenity at the park is a special colorblind-adapted scenic viewer that enables people who are colorblind to experience the colors of nature. It’s the first location in the United States, outside of the state of Tennessee, to offer this experience.
Follow the Mt. Hood Territory Heritage Trail to Philip Foster Farm, where many of the buildings harken back to the 1800s, complete with living history demonstrations. Step back in time at the home of Philip Foster, one of Oregon’s earliest pioneers. Look, listen, and feel the pioneer experience while walking through the beautiful gardens and smelling the fragrance of the oldest lilacs in Oregon. Visit the 1883 farmhouse, 1860 hay barn, and authentic building replicas, including a store frequented by Oregon Trail pioneers and the newly opened 1850 Schoolhouse. Join a costumed volunteer for a guided tour, or try your hand at pioneer chores.
After spending the day reliving pioneer life, groups can recap their experiences while enjoying modern comforts at group lodging properties, like Monarch Hotel & Conference Center, Mt. Hood Oregon Resort, and Hilton Garden Inn Portland/Lake Oswego.
Lead image:
Jonsrud Viewpoint
Credit: Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory
Explore Native American Culture and History at These Engaging Sites
Between 10,000 and 15,000 years ago, the ancestors of contemporary Native Americans first roamed the North American continent, developing complex societies from the present-day California coast to the forests of New England. In the 15th century, the first English settlers arrived to find a continent full of natural resources and more than 600 diverse Native American civilizations—complete with robust cities and strong spiritual and cultural ties to the land. European contact led to disease, war, and forced relocation, drastically reshaping life for America’s first peoples. Despite the many hardships tribes across the continent face—and continue to face—Native Americans practice and share their culture and traditions that have existed for thousands of years. Today, 5 million Native Americans live in the United States, where 574 sovereign Native nations are federally recognized. These Native culture centers and historic sites share stories, artwork, and artifacts that illustrate the diversity of the Native American experience, then and now.
History & Heroes
Native history stretches back thousands upon thousands of years, and there are many historic sites related to Native spirituality, conflict, and trade. One of the oldest Indigenous archeological sites in the country, The Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village features a huge rock overhang that contains evidence of being used as a shelter 19,000 years ago. The site is located in Avella, Pennsylvania—land that was once home to prehistoric hunters and gatherers. In the historic village, visitors can practice spear throwing or watch a blacksmith forge iron at re-creations of wigwams, log cabins, and a trading post. In Wyoming, Devils Tower is a striking geological formation that showcases the oral traditions of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Kiowa, and Lakota nations. Today, many Indigenous people offer prayers, perform sun dances, and participate in spiritual ceremonies at this monument.
Credit: Heinz History Center
Native American heroes like Sitting Bull of the Lakota and Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce were brave leaders in the face of colonialism, and there are several sites dedicated to honoring and sharing their stories. In Mobridge, South Dakota, find the Sitting Bull and Sakakawea Monuments, thought to be the final resting place of the aforementioned warrior. Also in South Dakota, the Crazy Horse Memorial rock carving is the largest sculptural undertaking in the world. The memorial honors its namesake, a chief of the Oglala band of the Lakota peoples who was a leader against colonists and grew up in the modern-day Black Hills area. Your group can learn more about Crazy Horse and other Native American heroes at The Indian Museum of North America and The Native American Educational and Cultural Center.
In addition to Native military history, groups can also learn how Native culture, diplomacy, and trade flourished along the rivers of the Great Plains. Once an important trading site, the Fort Union Trading Post in Williston, North Dakota, hosted seven Northern Plains Tribes in the mid-1800s, as they often exchanged furs along the Upper Missouri River. At the Trade House, living history interpreters and park rangers answer questions about Native life on the Plains and demonstrate skills like blacksmithing.
National Museums
Across the United States, there are many museums dedicated to educating the public about Native American culture and history. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, has locations in New York City and Washington, D.C. Both museums illustrate Native American innovation, artistry, and resilience through engaging exhibits, presentations, and films. Outside the museum’s D.C. location is the National Native American Veterans Memorial, which recognizes the service of Natives in every branch of the U.S. military. The memorial was designed by Harvey Pratt, a member of the Cheyenne tribe in Oklahoma, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.
Credit: First Americans Museum
The First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City focuses on the 39 tribes native to present-day Oklahoma. The curvature of the building is an homage to Native American mound-building, a sacred practice that dates back thousands of years. While there, learn about the sports, games, songs, and languages of the original residents of Oklahoma. Mitchell Museum of the American Indian in Evanston, Illinois, offers film screenings, mural viewings, and information regarding Native heritage markers in the Chicago area. One of the Mitchell Museum’s tour options is the Regional Tour of American Indian Cultures, where groups can get an overview of the art and material culture of Native Americans.
Artistic Accomplishments
Overlooking the mighty Missouri River in Chamberlain, South Dakota, the Dignity of Earth & Sky sculpture’s gaze cuts across the horizon. This 50-foot stainless-steel statue of a Native American woman and her star quilt was built to honor the Lakota and Dakota peoples. Designed by Dale Lamphere, artist laureate of South Dakota, this gleaming statue is an awe-inspiring monument to the Native peoples of the region. The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art in Indianapolis, Indiana, is built on the lands of the Miami and Lenape people and has a large collection of older and contemporary Native artwork from tribes across the region. Founded in 1929, the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, is internationally recognized for its collection of American Indian art, exhibitions, and educational programs. Groups can tour the museum’s 10 galleries and outdoor courtyards as they take in Native artworks from across the Southwest.
Get To Know The Nations
Each Native tribe has a distinct history and culture, and there are many museums, cultural centers, and exhibits specific to individual tribes, providing an opportunity for an in-depth, authentic look at the diversity of Native American life. Originally from present-day New York state, many members of the Oneida Nation now live in Oneida, Wisconsin. Take a guided tour of the Oneida Museum and the Three Sisters Garden to learn about Iroquois and Oneida cultures. Also in Wisconsin, the George W. Brown, Jr. Ojibwe Museum & Cultural Center in Lac du Flambeau offers seasonal workshops and exhibits on the culture of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe. The Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post in Onamia, Minnesota, covers the storied history of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. Browse the region’s largest selection of Native-made artwork, crafts, and gifts at the restored 1930s trading post.
Credit: Dave Turner & the Minnesota Historical Society
Ledyard, Connecticut, is on the ancestral homelands of the Mashantucket Pequot peoples, and the tribally owned and operated Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center offers tours that explore the connection between Native people, community, and the land. The Seneca Iroquois National Museum is operated by the Seneca Nation. The Seneca people were once the largest tribe of the Iroquois Confederacy of Six Nations, a democratic government that predates the writing of the United States Constitution. The museum, located in Salamanca, New York, offers exhibits and community events that trace the history of the Iroquois peoples.
Voted one of the “Top 10 Best Native American Experiences” by USA Today, the Museum of the Cherokee Indian in Cherokee, North Carolina, traces the history of people native to southern Appalachia back 13,000 years. In Clewiston, Florida, the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum houses 200,000 artifacts unique to the Seminole people of modern-day Florida. Watch the orientation film, tour the gallery, and stroll along the boardwalk through the Everglades to experience a slice of Seminole history and culture. Also in Florida, visit the Tampa Bay History Center to view the “Florida’s First People” exhibit, see one of the largest collections of Seminole and Miccosukee craftwork, and learn about Coacoochee, a chieftain during the Second Seminole War.
Ancient Cities
Indigenous communities across North America built impressive structures to serve as their homes, gathering spaces, and storage rooms. Through the advocacy of local tribes and collaboration with government agencies and historical societies, many of these architectural triumphs still partially stand today, a testament to the building skills of early Native Americans. Groups can marvel at the remnants of North America’s first towns and cities.
During the 13th century, Cahokia (near present-day St. Louis, Missouri) was the largest pre-Columbian settlement north of Mexico—larger than London at the time! At its peak, this agricultural society was home to 20,000 people. Today, Cahokia Mounds is designated as a State Historic Site where groups can tour the archeological remnants of a sophisticated prehistoric city. There are many more well-preserved ruins of Native American dwellings, especially throughout the American West.
Credit: Arizona Office of Tourism
The Pueblo people built many communities into the sides of cliffs. In Mesa Verde, Colorado, the buildings of Mesa Verde National Park have stood for 700 years. Start at the Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center to learn more about the history of this designated World Heritage Site, then visit breathtaking structures like Cliff Palace and Spruce Tree House. Montezuma Castle National Monument in Yavapai County, Arizona, is a 20-room structure built into a limestone cliff. At the Montezuma Castle Visitor Center, groups can see household objects, hunting tools, and jewelry used by the Sinagua people. Canyon of the Ancients National Monument has the highest known archeological site density in the U.S., meaning it has the most well-preserved evidence of early Native American cultures, dating back 10,000 years. The site encompasses over 174,000 acres of agricultural fields, cliff dwellings, villages, and petroglyphs.
Main Image: Dignity of Earth and Sky sculpture; Credit: South Dakota Department of Tourism
Itinerary: Discover Milwaukee’s Roots
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a city that cherishes its roots. When visiting, you’ll see revitalized architecture throughout downtown and witness a parade of summer festivals that celebrate the diverse cultures that make the city what it is today. But Milwaukee is also a city that’s growing and changing. There are major construction projects like the newly opened Bradley Symphony Center, Marriot’s new Autograph Collection hotel The Trade, and a revival of historic streets and neighborhoods around the city that are contributing to a new energy in the air.
Milwaukee has become the second-largest cruise port city on the Great Lakes because of its natural beauty, world-class dining scene, and many attractions. The waterways, which have helped make Milwaukee the water technology capital of the world, also offer plenty of opportunities for group recreation like river cruises, fishing excursions, and more. Here’s a guide to some of Milwaukee’s top attractions to add to your group itineraries.
Credit: VISIT Milwaukee
America’s Black Holocaust Museum
America’s Black Holocaust Museum (ABHM) was founded in 1988 in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin, storefront by Dr. James Cameron, the only known survivor of a lynching. In 1992, Cameron acquired a spacious freestanding building, which he renovated and opened on Juneteenth in 1994. The museum attracted local, national, and international visitors until Cameron’s passing in 2006 combined with the country’s economic downturn, forcing the museum to give up its building in 2008. In 2011, a small group of community volunteers began working to reestablish ABHM as a physical facility, and today the museum’s new galleries are in Milwaukee’s Bronzeville neighborhood on the ground floor of the new Griot Building. The galleries take visitors on a chronological journey through the Black Holocaust, from 1619 to the present.
National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum
Bobble into the only museum in the world dedicated to bobbleheads. Featuring over 10,000 bobbleheads, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum is fun for everyone! Not just for sports fans, the museum also features bobbleheads from movies, TV, pop culture, politics, and more.
Credit: VISIT Milwaukee
North Point Lighthouse Museum
Groups adore Milwaukee’s beautifully restored North Point Lighthouse Museum, an enduring symbol of the region’s Great Lakes maritime heritage. Groups can climb the tower for a spectacular view, enjoy a tour of the museum, visit the gift shop, and enjoy Frederick Law Olmsted’s Lake Park.
Credit: VISIT Milwaukee
Pabst Mansion
When Captain Frederick Pabst, founder of the modern-day Pabst Brewing Company, and his wife Maria Pabst completed construction of their family mansion in 1892, they could not have anticipated that it would survive into the 21st century, serving as a testament to their enduring impact on the Milwaukee region. As leading figures in Milwaukee society, the Pabsts became consummate art collectors, filling their Flemish Renaissance Revival-style mansion with priceless treasures.
After the Pabst descendants sold the house in 1908, it became the archbishop’s residence and the center of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee for almost 70 years. The mansion was nearly torn down to make way for a parking lot in the early ‘70s but was spared demolition and went on to become an award-winning house museum and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The museum opened to the public in 1978. Since that time, Pabst Mansion, Inc. has been at work to return the historic Pabst Mansion to its 1892 glory and welcome visitors to observe, learn, and engage with its rich history and ornate architecture. The museum offers a variety of tours, easy parking, wheelchair access, and a new gift shop at street level.
3rd Street Market Hall
The 3rd Street Market Hall is a hospitality-driven food hall housing diverse local cuisine, exceptional drinks, and engaging games. Groups can peruse the 17 vendors selling everything from Venezuelan arepas to sushi, acai bowls, wings, pizza, inventive salads, and everything in between. Groups can also stretch their legs after a meal by checking out the food hall’s golf simulator, and the shuffleboard and cornhole areas.
Lead Image:
Milwaukee Skyline
Credit: VISIT Milwaukee
New in D.C.: Freshen up Itineraries With the Latest District Developments
Washington, D.C., is a must-see for every traveler, but it’s especially memorable when shared with friends, family, and colleagues. While it’s known for its historic significance as the capital of the United States and its globally revered Smithsonian museums, Washington, D.C., is constantly evolving (and elevating!) its offerings for groups.
“Along with its epic, marbled memorials and monuments, Washington, D.C., offers world-class museums, waterfront neighborhoods, and fine dining,” says Theresa Belpulsi, Destination DC’s vice president of tourism, sports, and visitor services. “Whether this is your first trip to the nation’s capital, or you’ve been here before, there is always something new to see or experience that provides a deeper understanding of history and the human story.”
Get Creative in the Capital
“Arts and Ideals: President John F. Kennedy” is the newest permanent exhibition at the illustrious John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The immersive exhibition uses digital technology to explore the former president’s commitment to the arts and how the Kennedy Center carries on that legacy today.
Credit: washington.org
Meanwhile, the National Museum of Women in the Arts is the first museum in the world solely dedicated to honoring women’s contributions to the creative industry. This fall, the museum will reopen and unveil the results of its first full renovation since 1987, adding thousands of square feet of gallery space and increasing accessibility for visitors. The museum will offer guided tours for groups to learn about the achievements of women artists from the 16th century onward.
Last summer, the Molina Family Latino Gallery at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History opened to the public. Dedicated to exploring the contributions of Latino Americans to the U.S., this gallery calls on artifacts and first-person storytelling to illustrate the history and diversity of Latino Americans. This is the first exhibition in what will become the National Museum of the American Latino, which is still in the planning stage of development.
Latest & Greatest
Credit: Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum
There are several new or updated museums and galleries in D.C. For instance, the National Air and Space Museum contains some of the most famous artifacts from the space race and attracts thousands of visitors annually. Last year, eight new galleries opened that share U.S. aviation history, covering topics like the Wright Brothers, the moon landing, and space exploration.
The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden sheds light on the ideas of our time. The sculpture garden has more than 30 works of art, including some from the original art collection of the museum’s benefactor, Joseph H. Hirshhorn, and is undergoing a revitalization process that will include new walking paths, green spaces, reflecting pools, and of course, world-renowned sculptures. Although the museum will be closed for the next two years to complete the renovation, it’s worth adding to future trip itineraries.
Opening this spring, the centerpiece of the new Capital Jewish Museum is the Adas Israel synagogue. The building will merge old and new, incorporating the original brick synagogue (the oldest in the region) into a modern structure of metal, glass, and concrete. The building has been preserved since the Civil War era and shares the stories of Jewish life in the nation’s capital.
The National Museum of American Diplomacy, scheduled to open later this year, will be a testament to the people, places, and practices that make up the nation’s history of international diplomacy. Learn about the U.S. Department of State, foreign embassies, and American leaders like Madeleine Albright, the first female Secretary of State.
Washington, D.C., is an excellent destination choice for group tours of all sizes. With stunning public spaces, new museums, and reliable and plentiful transportation options, there are many ways to experience the nation’s capital.
Classic D.C.
Don’t forget these popular, tried-and-true tour options
Monuments Bus Tour
Make sure you hit all the D.C. hot spots by hopping on a bus tour. See the Lincoln Memorial, U.S. Capitol, Washington Monument, and more.
River Cruise
Take in the sights while you cruise the Potomac River. Set sail with one of the district’s many comfortable, knowledgeable cruise services.
U.S. Capitol Building & Visitor Center
Tour the halls of the Senate and the House of Representatives, see the Rotunda, and learn about the history of the United States Congress, all while guided by a knowledgeable docent.
Featured Image: Molina Family Latino Gallery, Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History; Credit: Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History
Itinerary: Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas, is the riverside capital city and heart of the the Natural State. Arkansas has been home to many notable Americans, including President William J. Clinton, poet Maya Angelou, and Samuel P. Massie, the first African American professor at the U.S. Naval Academy. Explore the stories of these trailblazers and enjoy many engaging attractions and a top-notch dining scene, all in Little Rock.
The Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau has all the resources and information needed to plan a memorable trip to Arkansas’ capital city. Visit littlerock.com to learn more.
See
Credit: Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau
Be immersed in history, visual arts, and performance at Little Rock, Arkansas’ numerous museums. The newly renovated Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts houses an international collection of over 14,000 works spanning seven centuries. Groups can take a docent-led or self-guided tour of the museum’s rotating exhibitions, installations, and performing arts experiences year-round. At Esse Purse Museum, visitors learn about women’s history through the lens of handbags and their contents. One of two purse museums in the world, Esse showcases the dynamic fusion of fashion, gender, and self-expression.
Taste
Nothing defines a city quite like its food and drink scene. In Little Rock, groups can find craft and cultural cuisine around every corner. An expansive list of Southern-style restaurants, local eateries, craft breweries, distilleries, bars, and cafes help give Little Rock the title of “Dining Capital of Arkansas.” Visit iconic establishments like James Beard Award-winner Lassis Inn, sip whiskey at Arkansas’ first legal distillery since Prohibition at Rock Town Distillery, or enjoy dinner and drinks at Lost Forty Brewing.
Tour
Credit: Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau
Get an insider’s look at the Arkansas State Capitol on a tour of the state’s government center and marvel at its towering dome modeled after the United States Capitol. Interpretive signs and displays throughout the building guide visitors through Arkansas’ history and heritage. On the doorsteps of the Capitol, reflect on the historic Testaments sculpture—a civil rights memorial commemorating the group of nine African American students who courageously integrated Little Rock Central High School in 1957.
Featured Image: Aerial view of Little Rock; Credit: Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau
10 Places to Experience Colorado’s Cowboy Culture
Colorado has a rich heritage in cowboy culture and remains a global ranching capital. Groups can experience the state’s rich Western heritage in its many museums, historic sites, and rodeos.
This list, provided by Tour Colorado, includes the best places to experience cowboy culture in the state.
Credit: Visit Colorado Springs
1. ProRodeo Hall of Fame & Museum of the American Cowboy
Orient your group to the region’s cowboy history at the ProRodeo Hall of Fame & Museum of the American Cowboy in Colorado Springs. Visitors can explore the immense exhibition hall that houses saddles, chaps, and other equipment from centuries of rodeo history. The Hall of Champions honors wranglers, stock contractors, and rodeo clowns that contributed to rodeo culture.
2. Ghost Town Museum
Step into the spurs of 19th-century settlers at Colorado Springs’ Ghost Town Museum. Visitors can walk through an immense indoor re-creation of a pioneer village that consists of preserved artifacts and buildings from the Pikes Peak area. Test your aim at the shooting gallery, try your hand at a printing press, and even pan for gold.
Credit: Visit Denver
3. Black American West Museum & Heritage Center
Learn about the profound influence African Americans had upon Western expansion at the Black American West Museum & Heritage Center. Located in the former home of Dr. Justina Ford (the first Black female doctor in Denver), the center profiles black cowboys, homesteaders, and lawmen as the American West rapidly developed after the Civil War.
4. Bent’s Old Fort
Bent’s Old Fort in Colorado’s southeastern corner was once a thriving trading post that connected fur trappers, Westward pioneers, and the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. Register for an interpretive tour to interact with costumed craftspeople and walk the ramparts of this adobe structure to learn how these disparate groups interacted during the fort’s heyday in the 1840s.
5. The Fort
The Fortin the town of Morrison was built in 1962 to match the style of Bent’s Old Fort, including an authentic adobe foundation, furniture, and doors constructed using 19th-century techniques. Groups can call ahead to tour the campus and learn about Colorado’s Western past before enjoying entrees of bison, elk, and quail, in addition to the signature house cocktail that was served in Bent’s Old Fort in 1833 (consisting of bourbon, sugar, and mint).
6. Gunnison Pioneer Museum
Learn about Rocky Mountain history at the Gunnison Pioneer Museum, a 14-acre campus that consists of 30 buildings. Tour a preserved schoolhouse, post office, and rail depot to learn about the Native Americans and settlers who made a home of this rugged region.
Credit: Visit Denver
7. Buffalo Bill Grave & Museum
If you are staying in the Denver area, venture into the mountains to visit the Buffalo Bill Grave & Museum. The resting place of America’s famous cowboy and showman includes artifacts from the touring Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, a peace pipe that belonged to Lakota leader Sitting Bull, and beautiful views of downtown Golden.
8. Greeley Stampede
Colorado’s signature Western event is the rodeo. Originally developed as a showcase for vaqueros and cowboys to display their roping and livestock herding skills, rodeos have developed to showcase the ranching lifestyle with a broad array of skills competitions, live music, food, and art. Dating to the late 1800s and once the largest fair in the world, the Greeley Stampede is a massive festival that welcomes over 250,000 annual visitors and features bull-riding, displays by local artists, and performances by internationally renowned country singers. Visitors can watch over 100 cars become rubble in a demolition derby, catch a variety of roping competitions, and see beautiful Western-inspired paintings and sculptures at the art show.
9. National Western Stock Show
Another must-see spectacle is the National Western Stock Show just north of Denver. Hosting over 15,000 animals, the event includes bull-riding competitions, barrel racing, and booths that sell authentic Western ware like cowboy boots, belts, and blankets. Groups can also watch trick roping at the Mexican Rodeo, learn about unsung history at the African American Heritage Rodeo, and enjoy impressive tricks during the Super Dogs show.
Credit: Visit Colorado Springs
10. Flying W Ranch
Is your group hankering for an interactive cowboy experience? Flying W Ranchin the foothills of Colorado Springs offers dinner and a show in an operating cattle ranch. Sit down for a famous three-course chuckwagon feast and enjoy delights like mouthwatering meats, Dutch-oven buttermilk biscuits, and savory trail beans while being serenaded by one of the country’s oldest cowboy singing groups in its brand-new performance venue. The Flying W Ranch is also a great place to learn new skills and understand more of daily life in the Old West. Try your hand at Navajo rug weaving, silversmithing, horse shoeing, or hat making, and get up close with the many ranch animals on-site.
For more information about Tour Colorado, call 888-401-4330 or visit tourcolorado.org.
Lead image:
National Western Stock Show
Credit: Visit Denver
5 Must-Visit Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Destinations
Even though Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month is wrapping up, planning a group visit to AAPI-related sites should extend well beyond the month of May. K-pop, anime, and films like “Everything Everywhere All at Once” have made for a juggernaut few years for Asian and Asian American arts (Shout-out to James Hong for finally receiving his Hollywood star!) but these communities have changed the course of America for decades. Here are five spots to take your group to learn about Asian American history and Asian/Asian American culture.
1. Angel Island in Tiburon, California
Credit: AIISF
Angel Island is the largest island in San Francisco Bay and known as the (former) Ellis Island of the West Coast. Immigrants were detained here, oftentimes for weeks, because of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. The site became a registered California Historic Landmark in the 1970s, and visitors are still able to see the hand-carved Chinese poems on the walls written by the people who lived and waited there.
Group tours of the Detention Barracks Museum can be reserved for six people or more through California Ports, but make sure to save time to explore the rest of the island, which is also a state park. There are biking, hiking, and tram options, and then if you hop back to San Francisco, you can visit places like San Francisco’s Chinatown, the Asian Art Museum, or if you drive about an hour south, the 18-acre Hakone Historic District‘s estate and gardens.
2. Chinatown in New York City, New York
Credit: Christopher Postlewaite/NYC & Company
New York City actually has several Chinatowns, but we’re talking about the one in Manhattan, which includes countless eateries and shops, the Museum of Chinese in America (group tours available), and the Mahayana Buddhist Temple, the city’s largest (private tours available for 10 or more). It’s impossible to encompass it all here, so to hit some of the most significant spots, consider using tour guides such as the Mott Street Girls, two second generation Chinese Americans who offer a history tour and a food tour.
3. Golden Spike National Historical Park in Corinne, Utah
Credit: Golden Spike National Historical Park
The Golden Spike National Historical Site became the first national park with significant attribution to Asian American history in 2019, according to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. To many, the changes made to better acknowledge the Chinese labor on the first transcontinental railroad were long due. Records show that Chinese workers were paid less than others, were not provided food, and had worse housing; more than 1,000 died during construction. Year-round, groups can explore the visitor center’s exhibits and go on short, self-guided auto tours to see where workers built the railroad.
4. Manzanar National Historic Site in Independence, California
In 1942, a few months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, and for four years, the government incarcerated more than 110,000 Japanese Americans in 10 camps across the United States. The best preserved one is at the Manzanar National Historic Site. Guided tours are available by reservation, but visitors are also able to dive into the history on their own.
More places that remember this dark history include the Rowher Japanese American Relocation Center museum in Arkansas and Seattle’s Panama Hotel (now owned by Jan Johnson), which has a display of unclaimed items from the Japanese and Japanese Americans who were forced into internment. Also in Seattle, the Wing Luke Museum has an exhibit featuring art, first-person accounts, and historic materials around the Japanese American incarceration through September of this year. Even if you miss it, though, the nation’s only pan-Asian Pacific American museum has permanent exhibits on topics including Desi American culture, Filipino American history, and the Khmer Rouge genocide in Cambodia.
5. Portland Japanese Garden in Portland, Oregon
Credit: Jonathan Ley
The 12-acre Portland Japanese Garden first opened in 1967 and includes eight separate garden styles, an authentic Japanese tea house, and countless serene and beautiful spots, such as its Heavenly Falls, zig zag bridge, and Sand and Stone Garden outlook. When Nobuo Matsunaga, the former ambassador of Japan, visited in 1988, he called it “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.” Its eponymous nonprofit organization has worked to maintain this praise, opening a cultural village space in 2017 to house some of its many events and community education programs. Group tours are offered multiple times per day, and private group tours can be reserved for 15 or more.
There are a number of other Asian-inspired gardens throughout the country, but two notable gems are the Liu Fang Yuan garden located in the Huntington Library in San Marino, California, and the Korean Bell Garden in northern Virginia’s Meadowlark Botanical Gardens. Liu Fang Yang, or the Garden of Flowing Fragrance, is inspired by the 16th and 17th gardens of Suzhou and include rock features, architecture, and culturally significant flowers across its 15 acres. The Korean Bell Garden is not the largest garden at about 4 acres, but it includes the Bell of Peace and Harmony—a three-ton bell modeled after one from 702-737 A.D. and created in South Korea, making it the only bell of its kind in the U.S.
This round-up is does not cover so many Asian American-significant spots in the country, nor can it.
The Asian American diaspora covers about 50 ethnic groups, around 100 languages, and more than 25 million people in the United States. For instance, if you visit the Twin Cities in Minnesota, you’ll be amid one of the largest Hmong populations in the country and can stop by places like Little Mekong, Hmongtown Marketplace, and Hmong Village, which all also host periodic community celebrations or street markets. You’ll find the largest Holi festival in the country in Utah. Los Angeles’ Historic Fililpinotown, formerly known as Little Manila, is the most authentic spot in America to go on a Jeepney tour. And we haven’t even gotten to Hawaii, the Pacific islands, or Alaska yet.
Written by Lianna Matt McLernon
Featured Image: Chinatown; Credit: Julienne Schaer/NYC & Company
American Bus Association (ABA)
ABA represents approximately 1,000 motorcoach and tour companies in the United States and Canada. Its members operate charter, tour, regular route, airport express, special operations and contract services (commuter, school, transit). Another 2,800 member organizations represent the travel and tourism industry and suppliers of bus products and services who work in partnership with the North American motorcoach industry. ABA is also home to ABA Foundation, a nonprofit organization with an emphasis on scholarships, research, and continuing education.
Member: IMG, ABA
Attraction Type:
Trade Association
Hours of Operation:
9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Seasonal Dates:
Open Year Round
111K Street N.E., 9th floor
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 202-218-7216
Phone: (800) 283-2877
Fax: 202-842-0850
E-mail: rlewis@buses.org
Web: www.buses.org
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‘Learn Like a Local’ in Denton, Texas
Credit: Denton County Office of History and Culture
In Denton County, Texas, historical sites and museums share perspectives from the past, and groups are welcome to visit, tour, and learn about the area’s rich history. At the Denton County Courthouse-on-the-Square Museum, located in downtown Denton, visitors get a glimpse into the history and culture of the area through rotating and permanent exhibits. Housed inside the iconic 1896 courthouse designed by architect W.C. Dodson, the museum’s permanent exhibits include an evolution of firearms, a 1913 farm wagon, and a vintage grocery store for interactive play. On the second floor, visitors can take in the historic Commissioners Courtroom and admire the restored features of the pressed tin ceiling and the courtroom’s woodwork. On the courthouse lawn, visitors may be surprised to find the grave of the county’s namesake, John B. Denton. The museum is currently hosting a special exhibition called “Making a Scene,” which takes visitors on a journey through Denton’s legendary music scene. On view through Aug. 26, this exhibit features photographs, posters, and other items representing decades worth of the beloved artists, venues, and festivals that played a vital role in putting Denton on the map.
Credit: Denton County Office of History and Culture
After visiting the Denton County Courthouse-on-the-Square Museum, take a stroll over to the Denton County Historical Park. Just a few blocks from the downtown square, the park is home to the Bayless-Selby House Museum, the Taylor Log Cabin, and the Denton County African American Museum. Each of these museums provide a look into early periods of Denton County’s history. Groups visiting on Saturdays can enjoy the weekly Denton Community Market and the Denton Farmers Market.
Credit: Denton County Office of History and Culture
Group tour visitors can request to visit both the Denton County Courthouse-on-the-Square Museum and the museums at the Denton County Historical Park, or opt to visit one site. A clocktower tour, with beautiful views of the city, can be arranged by special request. In addition, the Quakertown Walking Tour highlights the people and places of a former African American neighborhood in Denton known as Quakertown.
“We hope that by visiting our museums, visitors will get a sense of what makes Denton County unique and an important part of North Texas,” says Kelsey Jistel, curator of educational programs at Denton County Office of History and Culture. “We often use the phrase “learn like a local!”
Lead Image:
Farm wagon on display, Denton County Courthouse-on-the-Square Museum
Credit: Denton County Office of History and Culture
