Monroe-West Monroe, Louisiana
Before 2012, the sister cities of Monroe and West Monroe, Louisiana, may have been known for their hospitality, but that didn’t put them on the nation’s radar. The premiere of cable network A&E’s smash hit “Duck Dynasty,” a reality show that follows the Robertson family and its multimillion-dollar company, Duck Commander, did that.
“The show has been very, very good for us,” said Harolyn Falgoust, senior convention and tourism sales for the Monroe-West Monroe Convention and Visitors Bureau. “When you talk to families or motorcoach groups that are coming into the office, they say it’s a family-style show. They can watch the show with their children, and they want to come and experience anything to do with the Robertson family.”
The CVB launched its Official Duck Commander Hometown Tour to take groups around town free of charge to sites they may recognize from the show, such as White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ, Debbie’s Snowballs and Haskell’s Donuts.
But visitors will soon have a new attraction. The CVB can’t say too much yet, but the Duck Commander Experience, coming in early 2016, will allow guests into the day-to-day lives of the Robertson family and give them behind-the-scenes access to the official Duck Commander headquarters. People will be able to see Willy’s office, the duck-call room and the inside of the Duck Commander warehouse.
Although the show has been a boon for them, the cities are home to more than “Duck Dynasty” attractions. Landry Vineyards offers concerts in the spring and fall, and the Chennault Aviation Military Museum tells Monroe’s story as the birthplace of Delta Air Lines and one of the largest World War II pilot training bases. The Biedenharn Museum and Gardens offers guided tours of the mansion as well as its on-site Coca-Cola and bible museums.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Nothing is more all-American than Route 66, and the original Mother Road runs through downtown Albuquerque. A self-guided Route 66 tour starts in the historic Nob Hill neighborhood and stretches west along Central Avenue through downtown, past the 1927 KiMo Theater, and through Historic Old Town to the Albuquerque Aquarium and Rio Grande Botanic Garden.
About 15 miles east, near Tijeras, groups can drive the Route 66 “Singing Road,” which plays “America the Beautiful” when vehicles drive the speed limit: 45 miles per hour.
“It’s really cool, and it really works,” said Shamaine Giannini, group tour liaison with the Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau.
But the culture in and around Albuquerque is older than the United States itself. The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center works with dozens of local artists, so groups can arrange Native American dance, flute and storyteller performances or bring in artists for pottery-making, weaving, jewelry-making and glassblowing demonstrations. The center also offers culinary programs, and visitors can enjoy Native American fusion dishes at the on-site Pueblo Harvest Café and Bakery.
At Petroglyph National Monument, groups can do some light hiking or take a guided tour to explore the petroglyphs that Native Americans and Spanish settlers carved 400 to 700 years ago.
Some area pueblos are also open to the public. Acoma Pueblo, about 50 miles west of Albuquerque, sits on a 365-foot-high sandstone mesa, known as Sky City. There, visitors are often surprised to discover that families still occupy the traditional homes. Groups can buy Acoma-made pottery at the visitor center, which also houses a museum, and arrange for guided mesa tours, guided hikes, meals with native food or artist demonstrations, Giannini said. Visitors should keep in mind that pueblos can close unexpectedly for special events or religious observances
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is about as American as you can get, especially considering the city’s pivotal role in the United States’ founding. The town was Virginia’s capital from 1699 to 1780, key years of the war, and is part of the state’s Historic Triangle, which includes Jamestown and Yorktown.
Modern visitors immediately think of Colonial Williamsburg, the historic district and living-history museum, where every building is original or rebuilt on its original foundations. Groups can see blacksmiths, carpenters and shoemakers at work; watch fife and drum corps march past; or chat with George Washington and Thomas Jefferson re-enactors as they stroll the milelong Duke of Gloucester street. Group tours give an overview of key sites, such as the Governor’s Palace, the Capitol Building and the courthouse, and custom tours can highlight different interests, such as the formal gardens or Washington’s life.
“When you’re doing these tours, you find yourself thinking back to ‘George Washington was here. He was actually here,’” said Vivian Bunting, tourism sales manager for the Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance.
Groups typically combine Colonial Williamsburg with Historic Jamestowne, the first permanent English settlement, where active archaeological digs are ongoing, as well as the Yorktown battlefield and the Yorktown Victory Center. In Yorktown, Riverwalk Landing sits on the banks of the York River. There, groups find restaurants and shops, as well as a marina that’s home to Yorktown Sailing Charters, which offers cruises and charters aboard its two schooners, Alliance and Serenity.
Guides wearing period costumes lead group tours of the original 1726 Berkeley Plantation mansion, packed with 18th-century antiques, and visitors can explore the terraced gardens and on-site museum on their own. About 11 miles east, Sherwood Forest Plantation, home of President John Tyler, offers self-guided grounds tours or home tours by appointment.
