There’s much more to this pristine stretch of Florida’s Gulf Coast than its award-winning, white-sand beaches. Fine arts, food and rich culture run deep in Sarasota, offering an exciting and endless itinerary for groups that may want to trade their bathing suits for dinner jackets and hit the bustling town. Groups can board a leisurely cruise, view renowned art pieces and even soak in mineral springs, all in Sarasota County.
“We are lucky to have a bounty of natural beauty here,” said Virginia Haley, president of Visit Sarasota County. “Additionally, Sarasota’s diverse cultural offerings make it the perfect getaway for anyone craving the stress-free, coastal lifestyle.”
The Ringling, Sarasota, Fla. Credit: Visit Sarasota County
One of the pre-eminent art and cultural collections in the country, The Ringling is far from an average museum. Treasured paintings, sculptures and a 44,000-piece circus model carry on the legacy of the property’s original owner, John Ringling. The Ca’ d’Zan – Ringling’s winter home – remains on-site and is open to visitors.
DINE
Homemade pies, Der Dutchman, Sarasota, Fla. Credit: Visit Sarasota County
Der Dutchman is the best place to find all of those calories lost after a long, sun-soaked day at the beach. Decades of practice built these famous Amish recipes, from hearty meat-and-potato offerings, to dozens of sweet, homemade pies. Groups can bring that Amish charm home by stopping upstairs in Carlisle Gifts after finishing up their meal.
CRUISE
LeBarge Tropical Cruises, Sarasota, Fla. Credit: Visit Sarasota County
Welcome aboard LeBarge Tropical Cruises — the unmistakable party boat of Sarasota Bay. Choose from a variety of sightseeing cruises, including wildlife tours of dolphins and manatees, or a more relaxing sunset cruise. The double-decker vessel offers food, drinks and live entertainment to accompany its unique view of Sarasota.
RELAX
Warm Mineral Springs Park, Sarasota, Fla. Credit: Visit Sarasota County
Step off the regular tourist track and into the calm and healing waters of Warm Mineral Springs Park. Nicknamed “The Fountain of Youth,” the mineral-rich water is said to have limitless health benefits for those bathing in the ancient sinkhole, which naturally maintains a year-round temperature above 85 degrees, containing an estimated 51 minerals.
SAMARA, West Lafayette, Ind.
Credit: (c) Alexander Vertikoff
Experience architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian design firsthand at The John and Catherine Christian House, commonly known as SAMARA.
The home, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, is one of the most complete Wright homes in the United States.
“This exceptional Usonian home is one of Wright’s most fully realized projects in that he designed the house, landscape, and also designed or specified all the furnishings, lighting, tableware, linens — even the Christian’s stationery,” said Linda Eales, associate curator.
Interior, SAMARA, West Lafayette, Ind.
Credit: (c) Alexander Vertikoff
The 2,200-square-foot home was awarded National Historic Landmark status in 2015.
In the early 1950s, Purdue University professor Dr. John Christian and his wife Catherine dreamed of a home that would serve their desire to entertain faculty, staff and students and be a lasting structure that would grow with their family. Research, perseverance and a touch of luck led the Christians to Wright, with whom they built their dream home.
SAMARA, named for the winged seeds found in pine cones, was completed in 1956 near the end of Wright’s career. Wright died in 1959 at age 91.
At least 40 of Wright’s innovations are on display at SAMARA, including the carport, the great room and clerestory windows as a means of providing light and fresh air.
“Wright believed that a home should be a work of art, enhancing nature where it is sited and enriching the lives of its inhabitants,” Eales said. “In SAMARA, Wright achieved this with splendor. Coming late in his career, SAMARA represents a high level of refinement of Wright’s designs and philosophical principles.”
SAMARA is open for tours by appointment from April through November. Public tours generally last up to two hours and include stories of Wright, the Christian family’s personal experiences working with him and how the architect’s philosophies were applied at SAMARA. Tours or speakers addressing a particular topic can be arranged.
A restoration of the house is planned this spring.
For more information, call 765-409-5522 or visit samara-house.org.
U.S.
National Whitewater Center, Charlotte, N.C.; Credit: U.S.
National Whitewater Center
Home to the world’s largest manmade whitewater river, the U.S. National Whitewater Center (USNWC) in Charlotte, North Carolina, offers something for every group member. The center is set on 1,300 acres and features more than 30 land and water attractions.
“Groups should visit the USNWC for a unique outdoor venue that offers engaging space to learn, play and relax all in one place,” said Mel Kelly, director of business development at U.S. National Whitewater Center. “The variety and diversity of our programs and spaces allow groups the flexibility to create their own day full of shared experiences, much different from a typical group outing.”
Whitewater rafting, U.S. National Whitewater Center, Charlotte, N.C. Credit: U.S. National Whitewater Center
Groups that visit the USNWC enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities for all skill levels, including whitewater rafting, kayaking, rock climbing, zip lining, ropes courses, a canopy tour and mountain biking. Groups can choose to buy day passes, which allow them to explore the facility at their own pace or choose a more structured team development program.
In addition to the more than 30 activities, the USNWC features several indoor meeting spaces and outdoor venues where a group can host a conference, a family luncheon or an evening reception complete with on-site catering.
Zip lining, U.S. National Whitewater Center, Charlotte, N.C. Credit: U.S. National Whitewater Center
“Our first priority is to provide a great overall experience,” Kelly said. “For groups, we would hope each individual leaves with a sense of accomplishment knowing that they have challenged themselves to try something new. We might be one of only a few places that offer the opportunity to follow up a morning business meeting with an afternoon zip line tour and whitewater rafting trip. Finally, we hope group members walk away with the desire to get outside more often or try other new adventures because of their experience at the center.”
The center can accommodate groups of 15 to 1,000 people.
For more information, call 704-391-3900, ext. 116 or visit usnwc.org.
Credit: Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Think autumn and enjoy vivid hues and the bounties of the harvest and hearty foods on the Northern Indiana Fall Frolic Tour in Amish Country.
At Amish Acres, autumn is a special time during its Fall Harvest Days. The grounds are decorated with scarecrows and pumpkins and the fragrance of apple butter fills the air. Tour this Amish farmstead listed on the National Register of Historic Places, then head to the kitchen for a hands-on lesson to make shoofly pie. Afterward, dine in the rustic Barn Restaurant on Amish Acres’ famous Threshers Meal served family-style. A Broadway musical production in the Round Barn Theatre is a delightful way to “round” out the experience.
Day two promises a guided, autumn-themed culinary journey traveling scenic byroads in countryside tinged with hues of orange, red and gold. Throughout the day groups gather the ingredients for an apple or pumpkin treat, dip a caramel apple and participate in a pie making demo. A tasty high-point is a traditional “Haystack” lunch served at an Amish homestead. Tour the historic Bonneyville Mill in Bristol where huge millstones rumble into action and the friendly miller tells all about the grinding of corn into meal. Continue to Goshen and step on board a hay-wagon to tour Indiana’s largest apple orchard. Learn all about apple varieties and how to grow them; then watch the process of producing sweet apple cider. Of course, the ultimate treat is biting into a just-picked apple and sipping freshly-pressed cider. Dinner is served family-style inside Indiana’s largest restaurant, Das Dutchman Essenhaus in Middlebury. Visitors pass platters of piping-hot chicken and heaping bowls of sides but save room for pie — they offer 30 varieties!
The final day of the tour offers the chance to meet the real housewives of Amish Country, and see first-hand how these ladies do household chores without electrical appliances and run their businesses without modern technology. At one Amish home, enjoy a cinnamon roll demo and tasting! Chat with a basket weaver at her thriving business. Then visit an Amish school to meet an Amish school teacher and find out how she manages her multi-grade classes in just one-room. Visitors go home with a renewed respect for women who live a simple life, yet they’re anything but simple.
Das Dutchman Essenhaus, Middlebury
Das Dutchman Essenhaus, Middlebury, Ind. Credit: Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Enjoy traditional family recipes passed down through generations in Indiana’s largest restaurant. The all-you-can-eat buffet includes two soups, salad bar, three to four entrees, numerous sides and cobblers/puddings for dessert with beverages. Or, the meal is served to the table — the all-you-can-eat family style chicken dinner is complete with all the trimmings, slices of pie and beverages. Groups delight in the intimate Heritage Hall offering enriching theater performances containing a message that’s in keeping with Christian values. The Essenhaus Inn is Amish Country’s most beautiful lodging facility and located on the grounds.
Shipshewana Flea Market, Shipshewana
Shipshewana Flea Market, Shipshewana, Ind. Credit: Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Shipshewana Flea Market is a do-not-miss Hoosier tradition featuring 700-plus booths in an open-air market that covers over 40 acres. Vendors offer a variety of products and truly have something for everyone — quirky novelties, fresh seasonal produce and plants, crafts, baked goods, and everything in between. Open rain or shine. There are four food courts, a sit-down restaurant and many food vendors throughout the market. The antique auction barn, open Wednesdays year-round, has up to 10 rings simultaneously auctioning antiques and collectibles. Guests can stay just across the street at the peaceful Farmstead Inn & Conference Center. New is the annual Shipshewana’s Lights of Joy holiday light experience!
Amish Acres, Nappanee
Amish Acres, Nappanee, Ind. Credit: Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Welcome to the Heritage Resort in Nappanee, home of Indiana’s only professional repertory musical theater, guided house and farm tours, wagon ride, buggy rides, two documentary films about the Amish, shopping in quaint shops, and delicious food prepared by the Amish bakery and kitchen staff including the famous Threshers Dinner in the Restaurant Barn. Groups love to get a restful night sleep at The Inn at Amish Acres featuring breakfast each morning. Overnight special group packages are $99 per person and include one night’s lodging, guided tours, Broadway theater, and family-style dinner. The annual Arts & Crafts Festival each August features over 300 artists and craftsmen. New Year’s Eve specials include fireworks and cabaret music!
Shreveport-Bossier, La.
Credit: Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau
Located in beautiful northwest Louisiana, Shreveport-Bossier
is a mixture of spicy Cajun attitude and the wide-open Texas spirit. Experience
24-hour resort-style casinos,
riverfront entertainment, mouthwatering cuisine, music history, Shreveport
Aquarium, and shopping at Louisiana Boardwalk Outlets. Flavor
is a way of life here: The beloved restaurants dishing up Cajun-style seafood, stuffed
shrimp, po-boys, and gumbo prove it.
“Shreveport-Bossier is a place for groups to have fun,” said Erica
Telsee, tourism sales manager at the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist
Bureau. “Whether your group is looking to walk in the footsteps of a 19-year-old
Elvis Presley, hold a baby alligator at Gators and Friends Adventure Park, roll
the dice at the casinos, catch Mardi Gras beads at a parade, or watch the Red
River roll by, chances are we’ve got it in the sister cities.”
Backstage Music Tour at Shreveport Municipal Auditorium
Shreveport Municipal Auditorium, Shreveport, La. Credit: Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau
The Shreveport Municipal Auditorium is known internationally for its role in music history. Once home to the radio broadcast program the “Louisiana Hayride,” the auditorium is most famous for being the place Elvis Presley performed his first live radio performance. Today, groups can take a guided Backstage Music Tour of the iconic venue and walk in the footsteps of music legends like Hank Williams and Kitty Wells. The one-hour tour is led by an expert guide who will share the stories and the songs of the many stars who have graced the stage of the auditorium since its completion in 1929.
Casinos and horse racing
Louisiana Downs, Bossier City, La.
Credit: Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau
The fun never stops at Shreveport-Bossier’s six riverfront casinos and thoroughbred race track. Guests can enjoy luxurious, resort-style amenities — from posh accommodations, pools, and spas to dining, shopping, and more — as well as gaming and nightlife. Several casinos have recently introduced new amenities including restaurants, bars, and a wine and chocolate group experience. For the heart-pounding thrill of live horse racing, Harrah’s Louisiana Downs has all the right stuff. Home of the Super Derby, Louisiana Downs offers live thoroughbred racing, quarter horse racing and year-round simulcast. Whether rolling the dice or lounging poolside, guests are treated to award-winning hospitality, amenities and player perks.
Wine and Chocolate Tasting at Margaritaville Resort Casino
Wine and Chocolate Tasting at Margaritaville Resort Casino, Bossier City, La.
Credit: Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau
Tantalize your taste buds with unique pairings of wines and fine chocolate in the middle of paradise at Jimmy’s Seafood and Steak at Margaritaville Resort Casino. During the Perfect Pair – Wine and Chocolate Tasting, groups can learn from an expert instructor about different flavor profiles, wine varieties and how to re-create perfect pairings at home. Chocolates are provided by The Chocolate Crocodile, a locally-owned shop situated next door at Louisiana Boardwalk Outlets. Named the Best Overall Property by Southern Gaming Magazine multiple years in a row, Margaritaville Resort Casino offers an island-style luxury resort experience with non-stop gaming, electrifying entertainment and five top-rated restaurants.
Us Up North Dining Experience
Us Up North Food Tours, Shreveport, La.
Credit: Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau
Taste the Official Meal of North Louisiana and celebrate its unique flavors and culinary traditions during the Us Up North Dining Experience. This experience allows guests to enjoy locally sourced dishes and cooking demonstrations by Chef Hardette Harris, who established the Official Meal of North Louisiana in 2015. The menu may include favorites such as fried catfish, barbecue smoked sausage, collard greens, and hot water cornbread. Following the cooking demonstration and meal, groups have the option of exploring the diverse food scene of Shreveport-Bossier on a guided tour with Chef Harris.
Shopping at Louisiana Boardwalk Outlets and more
Shopping, Shreveport-Bossier, La.
A vacation to Shreveport-Bossier wouldn’t be complete without shopping for unique Louisiana souvenirs and stopping by Louisiana Boardwalk Outlets. Explore a growing collection of more than 60 outlet stores, restaurants and entertainment venues at Louisiana Boardwalk Outlets, a dynamic shopping destination where shoppers save up to 65 percent off regular retail prices every day. Shop for art and gifts created by local artisans at the Agora Borealis, an artist’s marketplace in downtown Shreveport. Wander through the aisles of the Mardi Gras headquarters at Tubb’s Hardware and Cajun Gifts. Check out local boutiques like The Enchanted Garden in the Line Avenue Shopping District.
Book your group today! For more information and to book your group today, contact the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau at 800-551-8682 or Shreveport-Bossier.org/Groups.
COASTAL MISSISSIPPI —On Monday, March 11, Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast — the tourism marketing organization for the state’s three coastal counties along the Gulf of Mexico — hosted an event for the tourism community to unveil a new name and new ad campaign designed to capitalize on today’s top tourism trends.
Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast will now be known as Coastal Mississippi, a new trend for destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) to brand themselves as more destination focused.
“Coastal Mississippi speaks to who we are and what we offer as a region,” said Coastal Mississippi CEO Milton Segarra, CDME. “Coast is the place where the water meets the land, but coastal encompasses the beaches, the water and the land beyond.”
Segarra explained that the distinction is an important one in highlighting the region’s main competitive advantage. The Coastal Mississippi experience includes the miles of coastal communities stretching along and north of the beaches — offering charming small towns, attractions and activities, diverse natural resources and a rich, authentic culture where visitors can feel right at home.
Coastal Mississippi will debut to the world with a new ad campaign called “The Secret Coast,” which focuses on the region’s largely undiscovered riches and was designed to appeal to a specific travel trend.
With 55 percent of frequent travelers saying they primarily travel to discover new experiences, cultures, lifestyles, food and places and regularly using terms like “hidden gem,” “undiscovered,” and “unexpected;” Coastal Mississippi is perfectly poised to surprise and delight. The campaign showcases the fact that the region has all the relaxation, adventure and variety that travelers want without the overexposure that they don’t!
“Everyone in Coastal Mississippi has had the same experience when friends or family come to visit,” said Segarra. “Their guests are amazed at the beauty and variety of the region and often remark ‘I didn’t know all of this was here!’ We love sharing that experience with visitors. It may be a secret, but it’s a secret made all the richer by sharing it.”
Last announced November, Segarra announced that in 2017 a record 13.5 million people visited the destination. During that year, the market saw an 11 percent increase in enplanements and deplanements at its Gulfport airport, as well as increases across the board in rooms sold, occupancy and occupancy tax receipts, average daily rate and casino revenue.
Coastal Mississippi is also experiencing a building boom for hotels and attractions. More than 500 new hotel beds will come online in 2019, which can accommodate new visitors to the region as well as repeat visitors who are finding reasons to extend their stay. The Mississippi Aquarium will also open in Gulfport in late 2019, adding a world‐class aquatic tourism attraction to the destination. In addition, Margaritaville Resort & Family Entertainment Center in Biloxi will undergo a $200 million expansion this year adding more hotel rooms, restaurants, meeting space and family attractions including an amusement park and water park. Within the next five years, Coastal Mississippi will see at least 30 new projects developed, amounting to an investment of over $669 million.
Pristine coastlines, heart-pounding entertainment and culinary delights seamlessly blend in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This popular beachfront destination, known as the Grand Strand, is big on groups, offering both tranquil, relaxing getaways and a robust nightlife scene.
Groups can even take a step back into the past in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, tracing the detailed history of the Gullah-Geechee culture.
“The Myrtle Beach area of South Carolina is the perfect destination for group travel as it offers something for everyone along its 60 miles of pristine coastline,” said Karen Riordan, president and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce/Visit Myrtle Beach. “Groups can take advantage of more than 100 championship golf courses, a variety live entertainment theaters and endless ocean-to-table dining options sure to please any palate.”
Myrtle Beach, S.C. Credit: iStock
Outdoor enjoyment
Located on the coast of South Carolina, Myrtle Beach has some serious bragging rights when it comes to ocean views. The famed, mile-long Myrtle Beach Boardwalk pairs breathtaking seaside views with unique shops, mouthwatering eateries and the towering, 187-foot SkyWheel, one of the country’s largest Ferris wheels.
Just outside of Myrtle Beach, Brookgreen Gardens offers an escape from the hustle and bustle. Brookgreen is considered the finest outdoor presentation of American figurative sculpture in the world, displaying over 1,400 sculptures by over 350 famous sculptors throughout the gardens.
Brookgreen sits on 9,100 acres, allowing groups to walk the grounds of four former plantations. The gardens offer world-class sculpture tours, a zoo, pontoon boat excursions, history tours and butterfly house.
Eats and entertainment
If there’s one thing Myrtle Beach is famous for, it’s an unrivaled entertainment scene. From award-winning dance, music and comedy shows to celebrity concerts, this coastal city has it covered.
Legends in Concert, possessing the greatest collection of live tribute artists in the industry, is known as the pioneer of live tribute shows. Shows include elaborate sets, vibrant costumes and a full array of special effects; groups won’t forget a performance by the outstanding cast of singers, dancers and a live orchestra.
Legends in Concert, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Credit: Visit Myrtle Beach
The first theater in Myrtle Beach — The Carolina Opry Theater — is the only theater designated as the “Most Outstanding Attraction” by the state of South Carolina. It has been the No. 1 group destination in Myrtle Beach for nearly 35 years.
The theater presents five award-winning live entertainment experiences: The Carolina Opry, Time Warp, The Carolina Opry Christmas Special, Thunder & Light, and Pure Magic.
The Carolina Opry is a two-hour show blending high-energy music, comedy and dance in a luxurious theater with state-of-the-art lighting, sound and special effects. Groups can enjoy VIP recognition from the state, special seating and more.
Myrtle Beach may be known for its robust nightlife and entertainment, but it’s also big on serving up fresh, local cuisine (especially seafood).
Check out Croissants Bistro and Bakery for in-house roasted coffee, and homemade soups, sandwiches and baked treats. Honored as South Carolina Restaurateur of the Year and South Carolina Chef Ambassador, owner Heidi Vukov blends fresh ingredients with exceptional customer service to create an unforgettable experience for her guests. Custom dining options and off-site catering are offered for groups.
Croissants Bistro and Bakery, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Credit: Croissants Bistro and Bakery
Storied past
Deeply rooted in South Carolina’s history, the Gullah-Geechee people are one of the oldest cultural groups still living as a nation within a nation. The community stretches from Jacksonville, North Carolina, to Jacksonville, Florida, with the largest concentration of the population residing just off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina.
The ancestors of the Gullah-Geechee people were brought to Charleston, South Carolina, from West Africa in the late 1500s during the slave trade. Bringing together a variety of African cultures, dialects and customs, these different groups formed their own Gullah-Geechee culture, traditions and cuisine, while still staying true to their African roots.
Today, the Gullah-Geechee people still serve up their unique Lowcountry cuisine, weave sweetgrass baskets, and share their stories on tours and in galleries and museums in the Myrtle Beach area.
ASK Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce/Visit Myrtle Beach 843-916-7248 visitmyrtlebeach.com
Chicago concert, Harrah's Hoosier Park Racing & Casino, Anderson, Ind.
Credit: Anderson/Madison County Visitors Bureau
Group tours encounter lots of fun in Anderson/Madison County. Set in east-central Indiana, Anderson is located 35 miles northeast of Indianapolis, at exit 226 off Interstate 69.
“In Anderson and Madison County, we create a unique blend of activities: music and theater, local cuisine, seasonal adventures and shopping all rolled into a perfect group mystery tour,” said Maureen Lambert, marketing/tourism director for the Anderson/Madison County Visitors Bureau.
Be sure to see The World’s Largest Ball of Paint in Alexandria. The attraction is now over 14 feet in circumference and weighs over 2½ tons. Under all those layers of paint is a baseball!
Check out Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino in Anderson for gaming, dining, racing and entertainment.
TASTE
Good’s Candy Shop, Anderson, Ind.
Credit: Anderson/Madison County Visitors Bureau
Stop at Good’s Candy Shop in Anderson to watch the staff make chocolates, ice cream, popcorn and Randy Good’s newest creation: root beer. The Good family has been making candy since the 1940s. Good’s mission: “To make the lives of our friends, guests, associates and business partners just a little sweeter, one piece of chocolate at a time.”
TOUR
Paramount Theatre, Anderson, Ind.
Credit: Anderson/Madison County Visitors Bureau
Visit The Paramount Theatre Centre & Ballroomin downtown Anderson for a guided tour. The John Eberson-designed atmospheric theater was almost demolished in 1989, but citizens rallied to save the 1929 landmark. It has been restored to its original splendor, featuring a magical night sky complete with hundreds of twinkling “stars.”
DISCOVER
Pure & Simple Restaurant, Gaither Family Resources, Alexandria, Ind.
Credit: Anderson/Madison County Visitors Bureau
Gaither Family Resources is a full experience that can include a tour, dining and specialty shopping. It’s located in Alexandria, the hometown of gospel music greats Bill and Gloria Gaither. Browse the vast selection of hand-chosen gift items, tour the Gaither Recording Studios, view Gaither memorabilia and enjoy lunch or dinner at Pure & Simple Restaurant.
SHOP
Downtown Pendleton, Ind.
Credit: Anderson/Madison County Visitors Bureau
As group members stroll Historic Downtown Pendleton and visit all of the unique locally owned shops, look up and notice the historic facades and building architecture from over 100 years ago. Founded in the 1820s, Pendleton fuses small-town charm and bold, modern thinking.
Home to the likes of ranching, winemaking and songwriting, Lubbock, Texas, sits in the heart of West Texas. From its western heritage to award-winning wine, the “Hub City” displays its pioneering spirit best through its people who extend unmatched hospitality to visitors.
Do: Wine Tasting
McPherson Cellars
Taste the grapes of the High Plains with nearly 90 percent of Texas’ wine grape production grown in the region. Home to more than seven wineries, the area boasts award-winning wines from winemakers at McPherson Cellars, Llano Estacado Winery and CapRock Winery, to name a few. Grapes grown in this region include Tempranillo, Mourvèdre, Albariño and Sangiovese.
Experience: The Blue Light Live
The Blue Light
Down in the Depot Entertainment District, The Blue Light Live gives life to songwriters and encourages the creative, hardworking performers to produce the authentic tunes of West Texas. Several up-and-coming artists played on the stage of The Blue Light early in their careers such as Flatland Calvary, Josh Abbott Band and William Clark Green.
See: First Friday Art Trail
First Friday Art Trail
Home to one of the first cultural arts district recognized by the state of Texas, the Lubbock promotes and enjoys the arts. A favorite among locals and visitors alike is the First Friday Art Trail (FFAT). For an up-close-look at the arts scene in West Texas, the first Friday of every month, rain or shine, offers a slew of art studios and local galleries open for artists and art lovers to appreciate. Not to mention, the Arts District is packed with food trucks and live music, making it the perfect evening.
Learn: Buddy Holly Center
Buddy Holly Center
At the Buddy Holly Center, visitors learn about the life and music of Lubbock’s favorite son Buddy Holly and tour the adjacent J.I. Allison House, where Buddy and The Crickets wrote “That’ll Be The Day.” The iconic Buddy Holly glasses are memorialized in a larger-than-life statue right out front.
From sun up to sun down, Johnson City delivers opportunities for discovery and adventure for every group. Historic sites, unparalleled outdoor fun, local food and unique craft brews are available throughout all corners of the city. From scenic mountain views and world-class lakes to Southern hospitality and genuine experiences, Johnson City is one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
“Having an opportunity to showcase our community and the many things that make it so unique is something that excites us,” said Jenna Moore, director of sales at the Johnson City Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We love sharing our gem of a city with visitors. What we have in Johnson City is special — it’s hard to verbalize but easy to feel and experience once you’re here.”
Hands On! Discovery Center, Johnson City, Tenn. Credit: Johnson City CVB
The brand new, all-ages Hands On! Discovery Center offers programs and exhibits that include a musical Tesla coil, giant building blocks and a maker studio inviting guests to engineer a rocket, create a masterpiece and uncover something new. Get up close with an active prehistoric fossil dig site dating back 5 million years.
EXPLORE
Downtown Johnson City, Tenn. Credit: Johnson City CVB
Downtown Johnson City is the place to be if groups want to eat, shop and live like a local. It features 14 local restaurants, three coffee shops, a farmers market, walking art trail, Tweetsie Trail, Tannery Knobs Mountain Bike Park, four music venues, two galleries and several unique shops.
CREATE
Skillville, Johnson City, Tenn. Credit: Johnson City CVB
The region’s first and only community makerspace, Skillville is the hub of hands-on, educational classes. Groups can sign up for classes and make their own souvenir to take home. Some rotating classes feature woodwork, metalwork, pottery, stained glass, jewelry making, soap making and blacksmithing.
LEARN
International Storytelling Center, Jonesborough, Tenn. Credit: Johnson City CVB
The International Storytelling Center is located 10 minutes from Johnson City in Tennessee’s oldest town — Jonesborough. It serves as the vanguard of the storytelling movement, helping preserve and enhance the world’s oldest art form. Storytellers bring to life the engaging history of the town in the frontier days.A
