One thing that makes travel memorable is discovering a variety of new foods and drinks. Be it a crawfish pistolette, a smoky barbecue platter or a whiskey and chocolate pairing, sometimes the food is the reason to travel. Pack an appetite for these destinations where culinary experiences are the main attraction.
Credit: Visit Jacksonville
Credit: Visit Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
This town touts itself as the state’s shrimp capital, and to demonstrate why, it’s created the Mayport Shrimp Trail, which leads visitors to the most delectable restaurant dishes showcasing the crustacean. Download the app to find destinations tucked between Naval Station Mayport and the St. Johns River. The biggest and tastiest white and brown shrimp are caught at the mouth of the river in November and December, but they are available year-round. After eating at five locations, diners can win a prize. The app is free; shrimp dishes vary in price by location. 100 N. Laura St., Jacksonville, Florida. 800-733-2668, visitjacksonville.com/mayport-shrimp-trail
Credit: Cat Fennell Photography
Credit: Cat Fennell Photography
San Francisco
After you’ve had your fill of sourdough bread, sate your sweet tooth with a visit to small-batch candy maker Dandelion Chocolate. Breathe in the aroma of roasting cocoa beans while touring the historic brick factory, learning about chocolate history and watching the makers at work. Try a sample of fresh cacao pulp and compare it to the finished chocolate product. Sign up for a tasting table or a class to perfect your truffle-making skills, or introduce your taste buds to the partnership of Irish whiskey or tequila with chocolate. In any case, you’ll be sent off with plenty of samples to share. Private and group sessions are offered. $20-$165. 2600 16th St., San Francisco. 415-349-0942, dandelionchocolate.com
Credit: Louisiana's Cajun Bayou
Credit: Louisiana's Cajun Bayou
Thibodaux, Louisiana
Lafourche (translation: “the fork”) Parish, about 45 minutes west of New Orleans, is anchored by the town of Thibodaux and the bayou waters running through it. Along the serene waterway are 18 restaurants that make up the Cajun Bayou Food Trail. Each is authentically Cajun and heavy on seafood served in casual settings. Grab a crawfish pistolette (fried bread stuffed with crawfish and cheese) at Cher Amie’s Seafood, blue crab beignets at Grady Vs or fried Gulf oysters at Spahr’s. Make five stops listed on the “Up and Down the Bayou” passport and earn a T-shirt. Along the way, catch live music jams or take a swamp tour and feed the gators. On Nov. 8, the Big Boys Main Street Cook Off hosts more than 30 teams showing off their Louisiana-inspired dishes. The following day is the Thibodeauxville Fall Festival featuring arts, crafts, food, a car show and a rubber duckie race on Bayou Lafourche. 4484 LA-1, Raceland, Louisiana. 985-537-5800, lacajunbayou.com, downtownthibodaux.org
Nassau, The Bahamas
Head to the Baha Mar resort located on 1,000 acres overlooking Cable Beach for five days of dining decadence, Oct. 22-27. The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival marks its third year at this upscale seaside resort and showcases local celebrity chefs, expert mixologists and Food Network stars Amanda Freitag, Carla Hall, Maneet Chauhan, Geoffrey Zakarian and Scott Conant. Beyond an array of signature food experiences, the festival includes a beach party at the Baha Bay Waterpark, the FUZE Art Expo with works from seven Caribbean countries, printmaking demonstrations, a pickleball tournament, a young chefs competition, master cooking classes and a closing concert by rock legend Rod Stewart. $50-$799. 1 Baha Mar Boulevard, Nassau, The Bahamas. +1 242-788-8000, festival.bahamar.com
Destin, Florida
If you act fast, you can still make plans to visit in time for the Destin Seafood Festival Sept. 27-29. A fundraiser for the Destin Charter Boat Association, the event is held at Destin Harbor Sidewalk where there will be four stages of music and a plethora of food vendors serving local delicacies. If you can’t make the festival, check out the year-round Destin Community Farmers Market, open every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Look for the freshest fall fruits and vegetables, along with meats, cheeses, baked goods and more. Check the schedule of events to see when the market will host cooking demonstrations, author signings, raffles, live music performances, yoga, face painting and hair braiding. Destin Seafood Festival: Free, VIP tickets $75 and up. 102 Harbor Blvd., Destin, Florida. destinseafoodfest.com. Destin Community Farmers Market: Free. 15003 Emerald Coast Parkway, Destin, Florida. In the Bealls parking lot near Walmart. 850-347-6850, destincommunityfarmersmarket.com
Fredericksburg, Texas
An hour north of San Antonio, this town founded by German immigrants in 1846 is home to a growing wine industry and acres of peach orchards that produce some of the sweetest varieties outside of Georgia. The area’s history and culinary culture are celebrated during the free Fredericksburg Food and Wine Fest, Oct. 25-26. The town’s Marktplatz comes alive with music, cooking demonstrations and food booths showcasing the best of the region. While in the area, take a tour of the more than 100 vineyards and tasting rooms, many of which feature wines from native mustang grapes. Sign up for a class at the Fischer & Wieser Culinary Adventure Cooking School, now in its 50th year, and take home their award-winning jams, jellies and sauces. Cooking classes $100-$120. 302 E. Austin St., Fredericksburg, Texas. 830-997-6523, visitfredericksburghtx.com
Quebec City, Canada
The chilly Canadian temperatures lend themselves to meals that warm up and fill up at the same time. Sample a selection of Québécois cuisine during a guided walking food tour through the historic Old Port that takes tasters to several eateries. Start with a classic pea soup and a freshly baked croissant and move on to a pâté chinois, the French version of a shepherd’s pie. Roll your own taffy from maple syrup poured over ice and get a sugar rush from a slice of maple syrup pie. No visit to this city on the St. Lawrence River is complete without diving into a dish of poutine: French fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. Tours can last up to three hours and include glasses of local wines and spirits. Guides share their food knowledge along with local lore and history of area landmarks from the famed Chateau Frontenac to the old city walls. $93 and up. 24 Rue Sainte-Anne, Québec, QC. 418-431-0195, localfoodtours.com/quebec
Credit: Visit Lake Charles
Credit: Visit Lake Charles
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Luxuriate in the flavors of barbecue and bourbon at the Smoke and Barrel festival Nov. 14-16. Sample barbecue dishes and choose among more than 80 bourbons and whiskeys to pair them with. There is a cocktail mixing contest on Nov. 14 and a Meet the Makers dinner Nov. 15. But the main attraction is Nov. 16 when an amateur barbecue cookoff, bourbon and whiskey tasting, live musical performances and artisans takes over the city’s historic courthouse lawn and swaddle it in the aroma of oak and hickory. The fun ends Sunday with a brunch. Some tastings require tickets; general admission is free. Free-$200. 1000 Ryan St., Lake Charles, Louisiana. 337-436-9588, visitlakecharles.org, www.smokeandbarrel.org
Franklin, Tennessee
Eat off the land at Southall Farm & Inn, a 425-acre working farm that puts guests in touch with their culinary senses. Don a beekeeper suit and explore the seven apiaries, then taste the various honeys they produce. Take a field tour through the greenhouses, orchards, gardens, animal pastures and rolling farmland before sitting down to meals of seed-to-table dishes created from the seasonal harvest. Three-course menus built around a selected vegetable come with pairings curated by a chef and sommelier. Thanksgiving weekend features a classic feast and a holiday market. After an indulgent dining experience, retire to one of the inn’s 62 rooms or suites or head to the spa for a relaxing service. $635 and up. 2200 Osage Loop, Franklin, Tennessee. 616-282-2000, southalltn.com
Islamorada, Florida
The taste of fresh fish doesn’t get any tastier or fresher than when you catch your own and have it cooked the same day. The Islands of Islamorada have several fishing charters that often reel in tarpon, marlin and mahi mahi. After a day at sea, take your catch to one of several local eateries, including the Lorelei Restaurant and Cabana Bar, where the kitchen staff will prepare and cook to perfection whatever you bring in. The spot is also noted for its sunset views to enjoy while dining. $15-$20. Mile Marker 82, Bayside, Islamorada, Florida. 305-662-2692, loreleicabanabar.com
Credit: Main Street Greenville
Credit: Main Street Greenville
Greenville, Mississippi
The Delta Hot Tamale Festival marks its 13th year with a celebration of this specialized dish. Delta hot tamales use corn meal and are simmered, not steamed. The spicy fillings can include seafood, vegetables, venison or whatever inspires the chef. Festivities begin Oct. 17 with a Southern-themed dinner served by chef David Crews at the Hotel 27 downtown. Oct. 18 is Food Truck Friday, ending with a concert. The main event Oct. 19 is free and features eating and cooking contests, and the ticketed Flavors of the Festival that gives each guest flights of tamales paired with craft beers. Free. Welcome dinner $125; Flavors of th Festival $30. 504 Central St., Greenville, Mississippi. 662-378-3121, mainstreetgreenville.com
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