Historic destinations are timeless for groups.
With their intricate architecture, ties to celebrated figures and monuments to pivotal events past, these cities and regions come with built-in charms. They each have a story to tell, but their entertainment value isn’t all rooted in the past. Today, they’re thriving cities that combine a sense of reverence for history with vibrant amenities for travelers visiting them in the present.
These historic Southeastern destinations will impress more than just your group’s history buffs.
Louisville, Kentucky
Founded in 1778 and named for King Louis of France to show gratitude for his assistance in the Revolutionary War, Louisville, Kentucky, sits on the Ohio River. Boats needed somewhere to dock, thanks to a series of nearby waterfalls that disrupted safe passage along the river, and thus Louisville was born.
Groups can enjoy the river aboard the 1914 Belle of Louisville, the oldest operating Mississippi River-style steamboat in the world. It runs almost year-round with its sister boat, doing daily dining and sightseeing cruises with spectacular city views. On land, the city has several museums with guided tour experiences, including the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, an iconic part of the cityscape with its 120-foot-tall baseball bat sculpture leaning against the building; the Frazier History Museum, which features unique Kentucky exhibits; and the Kentucky Derby Museum adjacent to Churchill Downs, which can provide track tours and an inside look at the state’s most famous sport.
Bourbon also plays a major role in the city’s history. Groups can explore Whiskey Row, with its cast-iron storefronts and multiple tasting rooms. Mealtimes are made easy thanks to Louisville’s nearly 2,000 restaurants, which range from karaoke spots to fine dining prepared by James Beard Award winners. Visitors can try the famous Kentucky Hot Brown, a decadent, open-faced sandwich synonymous with Kentucky, at The Brown Hotel.
“Louisville has done a really good job of preserving our history,” said Rosanne Mastin, communications and public affairs manager for Louisville Tourism. “You really can see and feel the history from walking down the street.”
Richmond, Virginia
History buffs will have no shortage of tour stops in Richmond, Virginia, from Gilded Age mansions and Civil War battlefields to preserved Colonial-era settlements and beyond.
“Richmond has a breadth and depth of American history that you don’t find many other places,” said Carla Murray, director of marketing communications for Richmond Region Tourism. “It has 400 years of history, starting with Henricus, the state’s second oldest settlement in 1611. Then there’s Revolutionary War history, Civil War history and a rich Black history in the Richmond region. It covers the entire American experience.”
Richmond preserves this extensive history with its large collection of museums, from staples like the Virginia Museum of History and Culture and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to institutions with cult followings, like The Poe Museum, with the largest collection of artifacts from gothic poet and author Edgar Allan Poe. For living history experiences, groups can head to Henricus Historical Park, which stages reenactments, performances and educational programs. St. John’s Church also conducts reenactments of Patrick Henry’s 1775 speech when he famously said, “Give me liberty or give me death!” More on Henry can be found at Scotchtown, the historic home where he lived from 1771 to 1778.
Both 2025 and 2026 are exceptional years to take tour groups through Richmond, as the state gears up to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the beginning of the Revolutionary War.
Hannibal, Missouri
On the banks of the Mississippi, about 100 miles north of St. Louis, the port city of Hannibal, Missouri, was founded in the early 19th century. It’s best known for some of its most famous former residents. Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known to the world by his pseudonym Mark Twain, grew up there. Much of his inspiration for his most famous works came from Hannibal.
“Hannibal is a place where you can do a lot of exploring and write your own story,” said Trevor McDonald, sales manager at the Hannibal Convention and Visitors Bureau. “There are things to explore on your own, like beautiful parks and our recently renovated riverfront.”
Groups can tour the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum in the city’s historic district. The museum complex includes the boyhood home, the home across the street belonging to his childhood sweetheart, his father’s law office and a museum building, among others. The museum’s galleries contain two original Norman Rockwell paintings. There’s also the Mark Twain Dinette on property where groups can grab a meal.
But the city doesn’t stop there in paying homage to Twain. The Mark Twain Riverboat features daily sightseeing cruises and dinner cruises during the year’s warmer months. The Mark Twain Cave Complex, which Twain explored as a boy, offers guided tours as well.
Twain is not the city’s only famous former resident. Hannibal was the birthplace of the “Unsinkable” Molly Brown, noted for her heroism during the Titanic tragedy, as well as her political involvement, activism and philanthropy. Brown’s home appears as it may have during her childhood and is open for tours.
Lafayette, Louisiana
When the British expelled French settlers from their home in Acadia (present-day Nova Scotia), the settlers ended up in a region in Louisiana inhabited by several Indigenous tribes as well as Spanish settlers. They introduced their French culture, from the French language to Catholicism, into the mix and later became known as Cajuns. Lafayette is at the heart of this cultural medley.
“It’s a great arts and culture scene,” said Eugenie Mitchell, vice president of tourism sales at the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission. “You can see the vibrancy, and the people are very welcoming when you visit. It’s a culture like no other. You’re seeing and doing things you don’t in other parts of the country.”
Music is at the heart of Cajun culture. Groups can experience this when in Lafayette with Soko Music, a collaborative musical presentation between Yvette Landry and Jourdan Thibodeaux. It combines storytelling with live music and can be held in English or French.
Another favorite is Vermilionville, the living history museum that tells the story of the Acadians, Creoles and Native Americans. Interpreters can take groups through the preserved village for a lesson in history, demonstrations of art forms such as quilting and, if they’re lucky, a musical performance. For more living history, LARC’s Acadian Village is another great stop.
Another authentically Louisiana treat is a visit to Avery Island, the only place in the world where Tabasco hot sauces are bottled. They can tour a museum to learn about the iconic condiment’s history, see the property where the peppers are farmed and look inside the factory for a peek at its production.
Louisiana’s food scene is legendary, and Lafayette is no exception. Randol’s has Southern comfort food and is a live music venue with a dance floor for learning the two-step. Acadian Superette is a great lunch stop for frozen meats and sandwiches near downtown, and The Cajun Table offers authentic Louisiana fare.
Upper Arkansas Delta
The Arkansas Delta comprises 15 counties along the eastern border of the state, which means groups have plenty of tour stops to choose from. This region is packed with plenty of history detailing everything from the Blues to the Civil War.
One of the Arkansas cities in the region, Helena, features a downtown corridor with historic architecture, art and the Delta Cultural Center, which offers tours for groups. The cultural center is the site of the longest-running daily American radio broadcast, King Biscuit Time, which features blues performances. Helena is also home to the iconic King Biscuit Blues Festival, held in early October each year.
“We are among some of the oldest settlements in the area,” said Helen Halbert, executive director of the Helena Advertising and Promotion Commission. “We still have a lot of cool architecture in our downtown corridor. We also try to capitalize on the fact that we have musical roots here.”
The musical roots in the region include musical legend Johnny Cash’s childhood home. About two hours north of Helena, it’s now an Arkansas State University Heritage Site known as the Historic Dyess Colony: Johnny Cash Boyhood Home. The Historic Dyess Colony was a federal agricultural resettlement community for farmers on the heels of the Great Depression. Cash’s family moved into the Dyess Colony, and the colony eventually inspired some of Cash’s songs.
Groups can tour Cash’s boyhood home and the rest of the colony. The tour begins with a brief documentary then takes groups from building to building to see exhibits about Cash and the colony’s history.
Charleston, West Virginia
First founded as Charles Town in the late 18th century, Charleston, West Virginia, contains a wealth of historic attractions mixed with a vibrant, contemporary cultural scene. This charming river city is the state’s capital, complete with a gleaming, gold-domed Capitol building in the heart of its downtown.
The West Virginia State Capitol was built in the 1930s, and the complex also includes the governor’s mansion, the Culture Center and the West Virginia State Museum. Groups can arrange guided tours of these attractions to learn about Charleston’s history, from its prominence in the salt industry to its role in the Civil War. In 1862, the Union Army was defeated in Charleston by the Confederates. The city was then occupied by Confederate soldiers for nearly two months before they moved on, depleting the area of many of its natural resources. Several Civil War-era buildings have been preserved and are part of a trail system with markers for sites related to the war.
Because the city sits at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha rivers and is surrounded by lush forests of the Appalachian Mountains, there are plenty of recreational activities in Charleston. From enjoying active pursuits like kayaking and white water rafting to relaxing on the city’s riverfronts, every group has opportunities to enjoy Charleston’s surrounding nature.
