Southwest
The Southwest is known for its natural beauty and desert landscapes. With sites such as the Grand Canyon and the Painted Desert in Arizona and New Mexico’s White Sands, it’s easy to see that greenery isn’t everything. The beauty of the Southwest comes from the shape and character of the land, which is reflected in the arts and culture of the region. The area’s indigenous people lived off the land and found their inspiration in it for their art and traditions. Let your group be awed at one of the Southwest’s many national monuments and parks, or surround your group with Native American culture at one of the region’s cultural centers, such as the Chickasaw Cultural Center or the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
Must Do: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West, Scottsdale, Arizona
Tour the famous winter home and studio of Frank Lloyd Wright, which incorporates desert elements and hues from the surrounding Sonoran Desert into its design. Groups visiting Taliesin West can choose from a variety of tours.
Must Taste: FireLake Fry Bread Taco, Shawnee, Oklahoma
Get a taste of the Southwest by trying an iconic Native American dish: fry bread. Born out of necessity to make use of food rations during the Reservation Period, fry bread has become so ingrained in Native food culture that it’s celebrated in many dishes. FireLake Fry Bread Taco in Shawnee, Oklahoma, serves fry bread with a variety of choices, including the popular Indian Taco.
Must See: Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Santa Fe, New Mexico
The museum of Indian Arts and Culture highlights the many Native cultures of the region throughout its exhibits with displays of pottery and art, and incorporation of indigenous culture and history.
Pacific Coast
To get a feel for the Pacific Coast it comes down to two things: the land and the stars. Taste the famous wines of the Northwest in Napa Valley or Willamette Valley, which produce world-class wines to rival those of Europe, or enjoy the beach and surfer culture on the coast. Experience West Coast cool for yourself by checking out Seattle’s homegrown musical genre — grunge rock — or try taking a celebrity tour in Hollywood. At Surf City USA, groups can tour the International Surfing Museum and peruse the many surfer shops and stops around the city, or the more adventurous can even grab a board and hang 10.
Must Do: Surfing Class, Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach, California, officially known as Surf City USA, was one of the first areas outside of Hawaii to pick up on surf culture, making it a great stop for adventurous groups wanting to catch some waves.
Must Taste: Oregon Wine Trail
The west coast of the United States is one of the few places in the world outside of the Mediterranean region with the optimal climate for producing certain wines. Because of this, areas like California’s Napa Valley and Oregon’s Willamette Valley have made names for themselves with regard to wine culture. Groups wanting to sip their way through the region can check out any of five wine trails or the different festivals in Oregon Wine Country.
Must See: EMP Museum, Seattle
The West Coast is known for its celebrities both in music and film, and visitors can see this firsthand at the Experience Music Project Museum in Seattle. The EMP museum is home to exhibits dedicated to contemporary pop culture and science fiction, with exhibits on Seattle grunge rock and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.
