The Group Travel Leader May 2025 by The Group Travel Leader, Inc.

BY BRIAN JEWELL

Idon’t know about you, but I can’t wait for summer.

In my hometown of Lexington, Kentucky, mid-May can be hot, cold, sunny, rainy, windy — or an unpredictable mix. But whatever the weather is like, by this time in late spring, I’m usually eager for summer to begin.

There’s a lot to love about summer. School is out, the weather is nice, the world tends to slow down a bit. I’m looking forward to all those things. But I’m also excited about a few elements of summer that have become highlights of my annual rhythms as a travel journalist.

Here, in no particular order, are things I’m especially excited about over the next few months.

A Meeting of the Minds

I start each summer in early June with a trip to Macon, Georgia, to meet with a few hundred tourism professionals at the Southeast Tourism Society’s Marketing College. I teach a class on group travel and sit on a panel discussing the latest trends affecting the tourism market. I love the energy and curiosity of this group of people, who come from far and wide to spend a week honing their skills to make an impact on their tourism communities. Spending time with them gives me a lot of hope for the future of our industry.

Early Morning Daylight

I find my body functions best when I start the day with exercise before work. Most of the year, that means my 6:30 a.m. workouts take place in the dark, or, when it’s cold, inside on a treadmill. But during summer, the sun is up before I am, which means I can take a long bike ride in plenty of daylight before heading to the office. By Labor Day, the early morning daylight will be gone, so I have to savor the sunshine while I can.

EDITOR’S MARKS

A Classic Vacation

Most summers, I carve out a week for a classic family vacation. Sometimes that means a trip to the mountains. This year, it will be an extended-family trip to the beaches of Florida’s Gulf Coast. With 13 people in one big rental home, it will be wild, chaotic, hot — and a ton of fun. These are the times when family memories are made. And the older I get, the more I value that.

Deep Dives

Summertime is the key work period for one of my favorite journalism projects of the year — our annual Buyer’s Guide for the Group Travel Industry. This special section, which appears in the September issue of the magazine, is full of deep dives on topics we think will impact the tourism industry in the next year and beyond. Along with our associate editor Rachel Crick and a team of talented contributors, I get to interview some of my favorite thinkers and leaders in the industry and bring you in-depth, well-researched articles I’m always proud of.

Time to Look Ahead

Like many organizations, we slow down a bit in summer. In addition to giving people a chance for vacations, this rhythm also gives us time to look ahead. I take time in the summer to do strategic planning for the coming year. Taking a break from the grind of everyday productivity makes space for creative thinking. The summer slowdown gets my juices flowing and powers me for the rest of the year.

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TRAVEL SOUTH USA ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT WITH MICHELIN GUIDE

BY MAC LACY

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — Travel South USA, the leading industry organization for marketing international travel into the southern United States, has entered into an agreement with the MICHELIN Guide to feature authentic cuisine and restaurants from across its well-known travel region. The MICHELIN Guide was first published a century ago in France and has a worldwide following of travelers who enjoy dining at restaurants that have earned a star or stars from its anonymous inspectors.

The announcement headlined the organization’s Global Week conference, held March 31–April 3, in Louisville, Kentucky. Delegates from a dozen Southern states attended the gathering to attend educational sessions, meet with foreign travel journalists and learn more about Travel South USA cooperative marketing programs available to them.

“We are excited to embark on this new journey for the MICHELIN Guide as this will be the first time since the guide’s North American debut in 2005 that we are launching a regional selection,” said Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the MICHELIN Guides, who joined the group

from France via a live remote feed. “The cuisine of the American South is a unique product of diverse influences creating an iconic array of specialties prepared by proud and impressive culinary talent.”

“We’ve always led with our food,” said Liz Bittner, president and CEO of Travel South USA, following the announcement. “James Beard chefs and restaurants are very wellknown in this country, but to be included in a MICHELIN Guide is a worldwide designation that is backed by a century of credibility here in the United States and throughout the world. We are the first travel region in America to do this, and we are excited to offer MICHELIN Guide’s discerning culinary travelers our distinctive southern cuisine.”

MICHELIN’s anonymous inspectors are already dining in restaurants across the region for the organization’s first guide to the American South, which will be revealed later in the year. The guides use a one-, two- or three-star rating for restaurants, with three stars being the best. The work of the inspectors remains completely independent to meet the standards required by MICHELIN for the guide’s authenticity.

“We met with MICHELIN Guide officials in Paris last September to discuss this idea,” Bittner said. “They said they had already thought about this region for a guide but were unaware of Travel South USA as a potential partner in the project. There was mutual interest by both parties to create this new guide. It’s worth noting that not all MICHELIN Guide restaurants are necessarily expensive — a rating is also influenced by the local culture and character of the restaurant.”

For the first guide, six Travel South states have signed on: Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The city of Atlanta already has a MICHELIN Guide and will also participate.

“We’ll be promoting the MICHELIN name wherever we go throughout the world,” Bittner said. “A marketing theme of ours is based on getting travelers to stay one more night in the South. This program will influence those travel decisions. MICHELIN was founded to make people drive around, and that’s what we want them to do. We want to encourage road trips throughout the South.”

TRAVELSOUTHUSA.ORG

Travel South USA CEO Liz Bittner

Chris Gedhill, MICHELIN Guide, center, with Travel South USA officials

Gatsby party in Seelbach Hilton’s Rathskeller

PHOTOS BY JILL KELLY, TERRAPIN BLUE

SET SAIL WITH US!

Your Next Adventure is Waiting

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UNFORGETTABLE GROUP GETAWAYS

History, Bourbon & River Adventures

Plan your next group trip to Frankfort, Kentucky, where history, adventure and bourbon come together. Explore the Old State Capitol, Kentucky Historical Society and Daniel Boone’s gravesite.

Set sail on the Bourbon Belle for a scenic riverboat cruise. Savor world-class bourbon at Buffalo Trace and Castle & Key. Whether your group loves history, spirits or the great outdoors, Frankfort offers an experience like no other. Start planning today and discover where Kentucky’s story comes to life!

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UNFORGETTABLE GROUP GETAWAYS

Plan your next group trip to Frankfort, Kentucky, where history, adventure and bourbon come together. Explore the Old State Capitol, Kentucky Historical Society and Daniel Boone’s gravesite.

UNFORGETTABLE BLUEGRASS VACATIONS

Known as the Horse Capital of the World and the epicenter of Bourbon Country, the Bluegrass State is also a land of immense natural beauty. Sip centuries of tradition in the birthplace of bourbon. Stroll through rolling horse farms and catch a race at the track. Explore waters, caves and trails, offering endless adventure. With so much to see and do, the Bluegrass State is the perfect place for your next vacation. Find what moves you in our new Kentucky home.

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SET SAIL WITH US!

Your Next Adventure is Waiting

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EXPERIENCE GRAND RIVERS, KENTUCKY Entertainment, Dining & Exploring

Grand Rivers boasts small-town Americana charm and feel with big-town amenities. It’s the only town located in western Kentucky that borders Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, giving you access to over 300 square miles of the nation’s best recreational lakes. Stay at one of the gorgeous lakefront accommodations perfect for a romantic couple’s getaway or large family reunion. Visit Patti’s Settlement for award-winning dining experiences, shopping, acres of gardens, miniature golf and more. The Badgett Playhouse offers live performances and variety shows to entertain all ages.

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MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Can’t-Miss

Events in Oak Grove

On May 24-25, 2025, the Annual Spring into Summer Salutes Fort Campbell Festival provides attendees with world-class musicians, live entertainment, shows, carnival rides, fireworks and more! This twoday festival is completely free. Even the carnival rides are free to ride! Then, on July 12, 2025, the Kentucky Bands Bourbon & Wine Festival features wine, bourbon and spirit vendors from across Kentucky! There’s also food and beverage vendors and live music all day! visitoakgroveky.com/festivals

UNFORGETTABLE BLUEGRASS VACATIONS

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LO UISIANA FA M

“This entire trip was exceptional. I had no idea how great this region is and how much it has to offer. I learned so much and I’m excited to offer it to groups!”

— STACY BARRY SHARIN’ THE SOUTH TOURS

Louisiana scenes, clockwise from top left: An animal encounter at Global Wildlife Center; a photo stop at Oak Alley Plantation; strawberry daiquiris in Ponchatoula; Ponchatoula’s Strawberry Queen; inside the atrium of the Old State Capitol

ONSITE IN LOUISIANA

LOUISIANA’S CAPITAL CITY REGION IS FULL OF BIG FLAVORS AND COLORFUL CHARACTERS.

That’s what seven tour operator and travel planner readers of The Group Travel Leader discovered during a five-day familiarization tour hosted by the Louisiana Office of Tourism. The hub-and-spoke tour, which was based in Baton Rouge and featured excursions into nearby towns and parishes, showcased Cajun culture, wonderful wildlife, fascinating local history and some of the best food in the capital city and beyond.

Follow along on this itinerary to begin planning a Louisiana adventure for your group.

DayTravel planners began their trips by driving or flying to Baton Rouge (or New Orleans, which is just over an hour away) before meeting at the Element Baton Rouge South, which would serve as the home-base hotel throughout the entire tour. After a box lunch, they set out on a guided tour of downtown Baton Rouge with Red Stick Adventures. The tour showcased numerous museums and historic sites around the State Capitol. After a brief rest at the hotel, the group enjoyed some free time and live music at Perkins Rowe, a Baton Rouge shopping and entertainment district, before a delicious diner at Rouj Creole restaurant. 1

• ARRIVAL IN BATON ROUGE

• DOWNTOWN BATON ROUGE TOUR WITH RED STICK ADVENTURES

• CAPITOL PARK MUSEUM

• LOUISIANA STATE CAPITOL

• OLD GOVERNOR’S MANSION

• OLD STATE CAPITOL

• FREE TIME AT PERKINS ROWE

• DINNER AT ROUJ CREOLE RESTAURANT

CAPITOL PARK MUSEUM

Situated across the street from Louisiana’s State Capitol, the Capitol Park Museum offers visitors a wonderful overview of the state’s history, culture and character. Visitors learn about Louisiana luminaries such as Huey P. Long and Louis Armstrong and see exhibits showcasing music, Mardis Gras and the state’s long love affair with the mighty Mississippi River.

LOUISIANA STATE CAPITOL

The tallest state capitol building in the nation, the 34-story Louisiana State Capitol is a historic site and architectural landmark. Visitors can tour both legislative chambers, which feature decoration and artwork that highlight Louisiana culture, and learn about the assassination of former governor Huey P. Long, which took place in the Capitol’s hallway. An observation deck on the 27th floor offers a 360-degree view of Baton Rouge.

OLD GOVERNOR’S MANSION

Built in 1930 by then-governor Huey P. Long, the Old Governor’s Mansion has been described as “Louisiana’s White House.” The Georgian-inspired mansion is now a historic house museum. Visitors see architectural highlights, including French crystal chandeliers and American marble, and learn more about Long and his family’s time in the home and in state government.

OLD STATE CAPITOL

First used as a seat of government in 1850, Louisiana’s Old State Capitol is a historic landmark in the shape of a Gothicstyle castle. On arrival, the FAM group was treated to a musical performance by a Huey P. Long reenactor. Then they toured the building, where they marveled at the colorful stained glass atrium ceiling and soaked up the history in chambers where monumental decisions, such as Louisiana’s 1861 secession from the union, were undertaken by lawmakers.

• DEPART FOR LIVINGSTON PARISH

• HUNGARIAN SETTLEMENT MUSEUM

• DEPART FOR TANGIPAHOA PARISH

• DOWNTOWN PONCHATOULA

• LUNCH AT MIDDENDORF’S

• GLOBAL WILDLIFE CENTER

• RETURN TO BATON ROUGE

• DINNER AT SOLERA TAPAS AND BAR

• KING CAKE DECORATING CLASS AT ELOISE MARKET AND CAKERY

Baton Rouge’s skyscraper State Capitol

Inside a legislative chamber Overlooking Baton Rouge from the Capitol’s observation deck

Capitol Park Museum

Flowers on the Capitol grounds

On the second day of the tour, the group headed east from Baton Rouge to Livingston Parish, where they learned about the area’s Hungarian community, and then to Tangipahoa Parish, the strawberry capital of Louisiana. After some time visiting downtown Ponchatoula, they had a lunch of fried seafood at Middendorf’s, a legendary waterfront restaurant, then experienced a safari exploration at the Global Wildlife Center. After a return to Baton Rouge and a brief rest, they enjoyed a Spanish dinner at Solera Tapas and Bar, then capped the day off with an interactive king cake decorating class.

HUNGARIAN SETTLEMENT MUSEUM

Most people know Louisiana as home to Cajun and Creole cultures, but fewer are aware of its Hungarian heritage. At the Hungarian Settlement Museum in Hammond, visitors learn about the community founded by Hungarian immigrants in the late 1800s that grew to become America’s largest Hungarian settlement by the 1930s. The museum features exhibits of traditional Hungarian dress, home goods, instruments and artwork, and the tour group also got to sample some Hungarian pastries at the nearby Livingston Visitor Center.

DOWNTOWN PONCHATOULA

In Tangipahoa Parish, the town of Ponchatoula bills itself as the Strawberry Capital of Louisiana. After posing for a picture with the town’s giant strawberry statue, the group toured the downtown district, stopping in at quaint shops, sipping on strawberry daiquiris and posing for pictures with Ponchatoula’s Strawberry King and Queen, who are crowned each April during the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival.

GLOBAL WILDLIFE CENTER

At Folsom’s Global Wildlife Center, more than 2,000 giraffes, zebras, camels, bison, kangaroos and endangered exotic deer roam free on a 900-acre preserve. During a VIP tour, the FAM group set out with guides on open-air, World War II-era Pinzgauer vehicles to visit, photograph and hand-feed these magnificent creatures. Along the way, they got to see wild baby donkeys and giraffes that had recently been born at the center.

KING CAKE DECORATING CLASS

King cake is a Mardi Gras tradition in Louisiana, and at Eloise Market and Cakery, a young entrepreneur runs a bakeshop and teaches visitors how to make and decorate these delicacies. Tour participants got to try their hands at rolling, filling and shaping their own king cakes, then decorating them with cream cheese frosting and signature purple, green and gold frosting. They also got to sample king cake hot from the oven, which offered a new way to experience an old favorite.

“I loved Global Wildlife, the strawberry tour and Cajun Village. I would definitely add these to an itinerary.”

— KIMBERLY BEASLEY

C&S TOURS

Posing with the Strawberry King and Queen

Ponchatoula strawberry daiquiris

Ponchatoula’s giant strawberry

Watching for wildlife

Huey P. Long’s bedroom in the Old Governor’s Mansion

King cake class

“My favorite part was experiencing the locals, their culture and the food. Coming from Wisconsin, this is very different. This whole thing was great!”

— TRACY SCHUELLER PERSONALIZED TOURS

• RED STICK FARMERS MARKET

• DEPART FOR ASCENSION PARISH

• JAMBALAYA DEMO AT CAJUN VILLAGE

• HOUMAS HOUSE ESTATE AND GARDENS

• LUNCH AT DIXIE CAFÉ

• NATIONAL HANSEN’S DISEASE MUSEUM

• RETURN TO BATON ROUGE

• BLUE, GRAY AND BAYOUS CIVIL WAR TOUR

• CHAMPAGNE RECEPTION AT THE MARKET AT CIRCA 1857

• DINNER AT TJ RIBS

The next day, the group began with a visit to Baton Rouge’s Red Stick Farmers Market then headed south from Baton Rouge to Ascension Parish, where they enjoyed an interactive jambalaya cooking class at Cajun Village. From there, they proceeded to Houmas House Estate and Gardens, one of the area’s most picturesque historic estates, where they enjoyed a tour of the grounds, the home and the on-site museum, as well as lunch in the estate’s Dixie Café. Next, they traveled to Carville to visit the fascinating National Hansen’s Disease Museum before returning to Baton Rouge. After a brief rest, they joined local historians for a Civil War tour downtown; stopped in for a Champagne reception and shopping at The Market at Circa 1857, a local antique mall; and ate dinner at TJ Ribs.

RED STICK FARMERS MARKET

Each Saturday morning, the Red Stick Farmers Market takes place in downtown Baton Rouge. Shoppers can find microgreens, cheeses, gelato, coffee, seafood, plants and wine produced on Louisiana farms within 40 miles of the city. The FAM group enjoyed live music and got a preview of the new food hall that is soon to open at the market site.

CAJUN VILLAGE

In the town of Sorrento, Cajun Village is a collection of authentic Acadian dwellings that have been restored and retrofitted for modern use. One of the buildings is home to Pirogue Adventures, where groups can learn to cook jambalaya and other traditional dishes over propane burners set up on the backs of overturned canoes. After the cooking experience, the tour group took a few minutes to explore the shops and café in the village.

HOUMAS HOUSE ESTATE AND GARDENS

In Darrow, Houmas House Estate and Gardens is a large estate showcasing the life of wealthy plantation owners on the banks of

Blue, Gray and Bayous Civil War tour

A jambalaya lesson

Colorful aprons at Cajun Village

Stirring the pot

A Houmas House painting

Fresh produce at Red Stick Farmers Market

the Mississippi River in the 1800s. During a tour, visitors see the gorgeous gardens and landscaping and walk through the historic home, which dates back more than 250 years. The group’s experience also included lunch at the estate’s Dixie Café and time to explore the on-site Great River Road Museum.

NATIONAL HANSEN’S DISEASE MUSEUM

On the grounds of a Louisiana National Guard Base in Carville, the National Hansen’s Disease Museum tells the story of the men and women suffering from Hansen’s Disease (often referred to as leprosy) who were quarantined for decades at the site, as well as the medical experts who cared for them and ultimately found a cure for the rare condition.

BLUE, GRAY AND BAYOUS CIVIL WAR TOUR

Tracing the Battle of Baton Rouge, which raged through what is now the heart of downtown in 1862, the Blue, Gray and Bayous Civil War Tour tells the stories of the leaders and ordinary men who became heroes during a confrontation that would serve as a precursor to some of the most significant moments of the Civil War. The tour included a stop at a historic cemetery, where headstones still bear the scars of bullets and cannonballs that struck them during the fighting.

• DEPART FOR ST. FRANCISVILLE

• THE MYRTLES

• AFTON VILLA GARDENS

• DEPART FOR NEW ROADS

• LUNCH AT MOREL’S RESTAURANT

• HISTORIC NEW ROADS WALKING TOUR

• RETURN TO BATON ROUGE

• WEST BATON ROUGE MUSEUM

• DINNER UNDER THE STARS AT LOUISIANA ART AND SCIENCE MUSEUM

The final full day of the tour took the group north from Baton Rouge to the charming village of St. Francisville, where they toured the beautiful Myrtles Plantation and the fascinating Afton Villa Gardens, a botanical treasure on the site of a former estate. Next, they proceeded to the town of New Roads for a waterfront lunch at Morel’s Restaurant and a walking tour of the historic city center. They then made their way back to Baton Rouge, stopping at the West Baton Rouge Museum before enjoying a lovely “dinner under the stars” in the planetarium at the Louisiana Art and Science Museum.

Touring the Myrtles

The Afton Villa gardens

Architectural ruins at Afton Villa

Exploring Afton Villa

Dinner in the planetarium at the Louisiana Art and Science Museum

THE MYRTLES

Centered around a plantation home constructed in 1796, The Myrtles is a privately owned estate that features a house museum, boutique accommodations, a restaurant, coffee shop and lounge. The group enjoyed a tour of the house, which features unique architectural details and historic artifacts, and learned about some of the stories of hauntings in the home.

AFTON VILLA GARDENS

A short drive from The Myrtles, Afton Villa Gardens is an imaginative garden landscape built on the ruins of an antebellum mansion that burned to the ground in 1963. The FAM group walked among the flower beds and horticultural features built around the foundations and crumbled walls of the original home and enjoyed refreshments and a guided tour with the family that cares for the up-and-coming 20-acre site.

HISTORIC NEW ROADS

Laid out on the banks of False River, a long, narrow lake in a horseshoe shape, New Roads is a small town with historic charm. The local tourism staff escorted the FAM group on a tour through the town, with stops at historic St. Mary of False River, a gorgeous Catholic church; Poydras Park; and the Julien Poydras Museum and Arts Center, housed inside a historic school.

WEST BATON ROUGE MUSEUM

On the west bank of the Mississippi River in West Baton Rouge Parish, the West Baton Rouge Museum preserves the history of the sugarcane farming industry in southern Louisiana. The group visited the museum to learn about the sugarcane crop, see a preserved slave cabin and enjoy traditional Cajun music, along with beignets and café au lait, in a re-created juke joint.

LOUISIANA ART AND SCIENCE MUSEUM

In a historic railroad depot on Baton Rouge’s Mississippi riverbanks, the Louisiana Art and Science Museum is home to permanent collections and touring exhibitions from around the world. Highlights include a triceratops skull fossil and an ancient Egypt gallery with a re-created tomb and authentic mummy. The FAM group enjoyed a heavy hors d’oeuvres dinner under the stars of the museum’s planetarium, followed by a larger-than-life film experience highlighting America’s music heritage.

5 Day

A sarcophagus at the Louisiana Art and Science Museum

A mounted alligator at the Poydras Museum and Arts Center in New Road

Touring the West Baton Rouge Museum’s historic structures

Lunch at Morel’s

The juke joint at the West Baton Rouge Museum

On the last day of the tour, participants checked out of the Element Baton Rouge South then visited the Rural Life Museum at Louisiana State University, where they enjoyed historic exhibits and a lively spiritual music performance. From there, they stopped for one last Louisiana meal at Piccadilly, a cafeteria-style restaurant, before returning home to begin planning their groups’ return trips to Louisiana’s capital city region.

A cotton exhibit at the LSU Rural Life Museum

Museum’s historic country church

essentialsGroup Travel

BY RACHEL CRICK

Insurance: the topic that takes the fun right out travel.

OK, just kidding. While it may not be the most glamorous aspect of frequent travel, it’s important. If you own your own travel business, you likely understand the importance of insurance because you’ve seen things go wrong. You’ve seen injuries, illnesses, missed connections, weather and accidents compromise the dream trips of many travelers and leave them in the lurch for thousands of dollars of expenses. But many people don’t know much about the various types of insurance in the travel ecosystem or why they are so vital.

That’s why it’s your job as a travel seller to explain the benefits of travel insurance to your customers and assist them in selecting the right product. It’s also a good idea to brush up on the type of insurance you need for your own travel business.

Here are some things to consider when selecting the right insurance for you and for your travelers.

THERE

ARE SEVERAL WAYS

Have Your Own

When you’re selling travel, the insurance you need as a business owner is a little different than what your travelers need. That’s because travel insurance is not the same as corporate insurance, even if your business is travel-related. A travel business will need insurance that covers liability for things like accidents so that you, as the business owner, won’t be held liable if there’s an accident that injures one of your travelers. It’s also a great idea to have a policy with errors and omissions coverage in case you make a mistake and need to refund your travelers. For example, if you book a client’s return trip on the incorrect date, you can refund them and file an insurance claim so that you don’t have to take the loss.

Check with Vendors

Travel insurance has many layers, some of which overlap. In addition to your business’s coverage, many of your vendors will also carry insurance. Think about transportation companies, for instance. Motorcoach companies, hotels and tour operators are examples of vendors that will likely have their own insurance policies to protect them from liability in case of an accident or injury. So, when you’re choosing vendors for your trips, be sure to ask them about their policies. By doing so, you can be confident the insurance you recommend and carry will cover any gaps.

TO CONSIDER TRAVEL INSURANCE

VISIT INDIANA’S TOP GROUP DESTINATION

Figure Out Your Passengers’ Needs

Your travelers will likely have very different insurance needs depending on several factors. The first set of factors is the destination and type of trip they’ll be taking. The risks of travel vary greatly depending on the trip’s length, cost and included activities. International travel will likely require significantly greater coverage than a three-day domestic trip; it will likely need to include medical coverage in case of emergencies abroad, where U.S. health insurance policies are unlikely to be helpful. Your trip’s primary mode of transportation can also affect what policies should cover. A policy insuring a bus trip across one state won’t be the same as one insuring an international flight. Your travelers’ demographics can also be a factor. Older travelers may be more likely to experience injuries or adverse health events on or before trips, meaning medical coverage and coverage against trip cancellation or interruptions could be especially helpful for them.

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- family-style dining

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- baggage handling

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Factor in Budget

The coverage you recommend to your travelers is going to vary based on their budgets, and what they can expect to pay will depend on the total cost of the trip. Insuring a domestic trip that costs $2,000 will be much less expensive than insuring an international trip that costs $10,000. The type of coverage they’re looking for can influence the cost as well. For example, a traveler who wants a policy that lets them cancel their trip for any reason should expect to pay significantly more than a standard policy that protects against cancellation for an emergency.

VISIT SIKESTON

Crawfish Boil & Music Festival May 17

Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo Aug 6-9

Consider the Timing

When customers book with you — whether you’re selling them travel insurance or they’re buying it through a third party — you’ll want to explain that there’s often a limited time frame to purchase travel insurance after booking a trip. Explain the nuances of travel insurance as efficiently as you can, and, if possible, have a policy you recommend, so your clients don’t have to spend too much time searching for a policy on their own. After all, travel insurance is a complicated and multifaceted product, so the faster they can make sense of it, the greater the odds are that they’ll be financially protected in case of emergencies, accidents and adverse events.

RemainsRENOWNED

Louisville’s Cave Hill Cemetery

COURTESY BILTMORE ESTATE

The grave of John F. Kennedy in Arlington National Cemetery

THESE HISTORIC CEMETERIES WELCOME GROUPS

HBY RACHEL CRICK

istoric cemeteries are favorite haunts for groups.

Some are noteworthy for the famous — or infamous — people buried there, from Hollywood stars to legendary outlaws, while other cemeteries are notable for their unique aesthetics or the role they play in a destination’s history.

Whether they’re taking a spooky nighttime cemetery tour or observing a nationally recognized ceremony, groups will love touring these historic cemeteries across the country.

Arlington National Cemetery

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA

Just outside of Washington, D.C., Arlington National Cemetery is one of the country’s most famous burial grounds, receiving at least 3 million visitors annually. The 693-acre cemetery was the family estate of Mary Custis Lee, wife to Confederate general Robert E. Lee. During the Civil War, the land was seized by the Union Army and used to bury a growing number of Union dead. The cemetery quickly became a national memorial for veterans, and today a burial at Arlington is one of the highest honors a veteran can receive. More than 420,000 people are buried on its grounds; they include veterans and their dependents, high-ranking military officials and persons of national significance, from presidents to astronauts to Civil Rights Movement figures. Some of its most notable inhabitants are presidents John F. Kennedy and William Taft, as well as Medgar Evers, Thurgood Marshall and Walter Reed.

The cemetery is also home to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where the remains of unknown soldiers killed in World War I, World War II and the Korean War are interred. The tomb is guarded at all times by military personnel, and groups can witness the popular changing of the guard ceremony during their visit. Both public and private tours of the cemetery grounds are offered.

ARLINGTONCEMETERY.MIL

Mulberry Street Cemetery

LAGRANGE, GEORGIA

In LaGrange, Georgia, a town about an hour south of Atlanta, one of the city’s historic cemeteries is getting a makeover. The Mulberry Street Cemetery, established in 1863, is the final resting place of Horace King, who was born into slavery and died a renowned covered-bridge builder, legislator and architect. One of King’s covered bridges was reconstructed within the cemetery to honor his legacy and showcase his contributions to LaGrange and the region. Mulberry Street Cemetery is also the final resting place of some 300 Confederate veterans from many states throughout the Confederacy, as well as an estimated 1,000 unmarked graves of African Americans, making it a great stop for those interested in Civil War history.

The cemetery is currently undergoing a $2.7 million revitalization project, which includes the addition of a boardwalk, landscaping and the restoration of historic monuments. Groups can visit to learn about LaGrange’s history, its culture and the legacy of those interred there.

MULBERRYSTREETCEMETERY.ORG

COURTESY ARLINGTON

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

Wrought-iron gates, oven wall vaults and haphazardly placed, above-ground tombs topped with intricate stone statues are among the features that make St. Louis Cemetery No.1 an easily identifiable New Orleans landmark. Established in 1789, the cemetery is the city’s oldest. Because it’s located in a swamp, above-ground burials are the best practice to ensure flooding doesn’t displace or disturb the graves. Visitors may notice that some of the cemetery’s oldest graves have almost entirely disappeared into the ground — proof that New Orleans is slowly sinking. Some of the most visited graves in the cemetery include those of Marie Laveau, the legendary Voodoo practitioner, herbalist and midwife of New Orleans, and the future grave of actor Nicolas Cage.

The cemetery is a top choice for tourists, but the only way inside its gates is with a guided tour reservation. Daytime and nighttime guided tours, led by knowledgeable local guides, are offered for groups of up to 20 people and last approximately 45 minutes.

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COURTESY BLACK HILLS AND BADLANDS TOURISM ASSOC.

New Orleans’ St. Louis Cemetery No. 1

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Tombs at St. Louis Cemetery No. 1

Deadwood’s Mount Moriah Cemetery

Mount Moriah Cemetery

DEADWOOD, SOUTH DAKOTA

Deadwood, South Dakota’s history is imbued with the rough-and-tumble spirit of the Wild West, from its heyday in the gold mining industry to brushes with famous outlaws. The cemetery was founded in 1878 and overlooks Deadwood Gulch, the town’s namesake. History buffs will especially enjoy wandering the cemetery’s hilly, woodsy terrain to see the graves of some of Deadwood’s most prominent former residents. The most famous internments in the cemetery are the outlaw Wild Bill Hickok and the daredevil frontierswoman Calamity Jane. Visitors will also find the grave of Seth Bullock, a frontiersman and U.S. Marshall, as well as notorious brothel madam Dora DuFran, among others. Groups in Deadwood will find that the cemetery is one of the best places to learn about the city’s history and the history of the Black Hills region. They can take self-guided or audio tours year-round but should note that bus parking is not available in the cemetery. Instead, groups should arrange alternate transportation from downtown Deadwood.

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A SACRED SPACE IN GEORGIA.

A Significant Historic Landmark.

This historic cemetery honors Confederate soldiers, formerly enslaved individuals, and Horace King, a former slave turned engineer and legislator. It features an interpretive pavilion, walkways, seating, and one of just ﬁve remaining King covered bridges. Discover the stories that shaped history at this important memorial. VisitLaGrange com/Mulberry Oh, The Stories You’ll Tell

Mulberry Street Cemetery, Coming in 2025

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Wild Bill Hickok’s grave

Cave Hill Cemetery

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

Just outside downtown Louisville, Kentucky, Cave Hill Cemetery is a Victorian cemetery and arboretum renowned for its beautiful landscaping and architecture. Founded in 1848, the 296-acre cemetery is the final resting place for nearly 140,000 people, making it the city’s largest cemetery both by land area and number of burials. Several well-known Kentuckians buried there include legendary boxer and Louisville resident Muhammad Ali; Louisville founder and Revolutionary War officer George Rogers Clark; and Colonel Harland Sanders, founder of restaurant chain Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Private group tours can be arranged for groups of 10 or more, and student group tours are available free of charge. Tours last approximately 90 minutes and discuss famous burials, flora and fauna of the cemetery, and its architecture and design. Bus parking is available. CAVEHILLCEMETERY.COM

Florence Satterwhite’s monument

PHOTOS COURTESY LOUISVILLE TOURISM

Cave Hill Cemetery in autumn

Muhammad Ali’s grave

Hollywood Forever Cemetery LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

Even after their deaths, Hollywood celebrity sightings are a major draw. Every year, thousands of visitors flock to Hollywood Forever Cemetery, a 60-acre cemetery in the heart of Los Angeles, for strolls, tours and events. The picturesque cemetery was founded in 1899 and today serves as the final resting place for many Hollywood icons, musicians and celebrities, including Judy Garland, Rudolph Valentino and Chris Cornell. The cemetery is also home to a very popular Dia de Los Muertos festival, which is attended by nearly 30,000 people each year, as well as weekly community events, such as classic film screenings. Groups can opt for several experiences: a basic tour that lets visitors pay their respects to the cemetery’s most famous residents, a night tour that allows groups to explore the

PHOTOS COURTESY HOLLYWOOD FOREVER CEMETERY

Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles

A Day of the Dead celebration

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

SLEEPY

HOLLOW, NEW YORK

Perhaps the best-known cemetery in New England is Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in the New York village of the same name. Both the village and the cemetery gained their fame and their names from the 1820 short story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” The story’s author, Washington Irving, said to be the founder of the short story genre, is buried there. The 90-acre cemetery, founded in 1849, boasts a serene, New England forest setting, including an arboretum, water features and, in autumn, gorgeous fall foliage. But it’s also home to the graves of many notable figures of American history, including Walter Chrysler, Andrew Carnegie and William Rockefeller Jr., among other prominent business titans, actors, journalists and philanthropists.

Groups can arrange a guided tour of the cemetery to explore its grounds and visit its most famous graves. They can opt for a standard, two-hour walking tour, where they’ll learn about the cemetery’s legends and history. Or they can select a special tour, including a nighttime lantern-led tour, or a “Murder and Mayhem” tour, a perfect way to experience all the macabre magic of this little New England village cemetery.

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PHOTOS COURTESY SLEEPY HOLLOW CEMETERY

Historic Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

Washington Irving’s grave

GEORGIA

By Tom Adkinson

Although New Jersey, South Carolina and California each grow significantly more peaches than Georgia, it’s Georgia that has long enjoyed the nickname of “the Peach State.” Fruit production aside, Georgia is a peach of a tour destination. It has mountains and beaches, big cities and small towns, colorful festivals and quiet museums — and plenty of peach cobbler, too.

Travelers get up-close views of clownfish and other aquatic creatures at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.

BY TOM ADKINSON

POPULAR DEMAND

HELEN

Helen was a tiny Appalachian town on the wane in the 1960s and 1970s when community leaders transformed it into slice of the Bavarian Alps with Bavarian-inspired architecture, festivals, decorations and food. Oktoberfest is a huge deal, as are Christmas shopping and fall foliage season. The popular summertime activity of floating down the Chattahoochee River on colorful inner tubes is decidedly not German, but it’s still fun to watch and photograph. Dining hotspots include Hofer’s of Helen, a German bakery and café with a biergarten, as well as Cafe International, the Hofbrauhaus Restaurant and The Heidelberg. Groups can walk off calories on miles of hiking trails in the surrounding mountains, including the popular Anna Ruby Falls Trail.

JEKYLL ISLAND

Jekyll Island covers only nine square miles, but it is a destination packed with activities for tour groups. A causeway connects it to the mainland, and it’s famous for its Atlantic beaches, the skeletal trees on Driftwood Beach, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, dolphin cruises and many chapters of Indigenous, Colonial and American history. It gained fame in the late 1800s when developers built resorts and homes for wealthy visitors escaping winters in the Northeast. The still-operating Jekyll Island Club Resort is a vivid reminder of that period. One of the resort’s interesting historic facts is that it was on the line for America’s first transcontinental phone call.

BY TOM ADKINSON

“Ghost trees” on the beach at Jekyll Island

A sign at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center

BY TOM ADKINSON

COURTESY ALPINE HELEN

Anna Ruby Falls

Holidays in Helen

POPULAR DEMAND

JAMES BROWN IN AUGUSTA

“The Godfather of Soul,” “The Hardest-Working Man in Show Business” and “Soul Brother Number One” were nicknames for James Brown, whose memory lives on in Augusta, his hometown. Visitors can learn about his career through a permanent exhibit at the Augusta Museum of History and then pose for photos beside a life-size statue in the middle of Broad Street and in front of colorful building murals. Brown, a first-year Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, influenced musicians worldwide. As the museum exhibit explains, “He was an innovator, emancipator and originator who brought Southern gospel, R&B and soul into the mainstream.” It’s OK to shout, “I feel good!”

GEORGIA AQUARIUM

Downtown Atlanta seems an unlikely place to see dolphins, sea lions, sea dragons, sharks, rays and a gigantic whale shark, but unlikeliness disappears at the Georgia Aquarium, which is, by many measurements, the largest aquarium in the Western Hemisphere. Within its walls are 11 million gallons of water, with more than half of that in the massive Ocean Voyager exhibit. That’s where the mild-mannered whale shark hangs out. In all, there are 100 habitats for 500 species, including penguins, sea otters and clown fish that everyone calls Nemo.

A COMMUNITY THAT CARES

A James Brown mural in Augusta

A Georgia Aquarium exhibit

UP AND COMING

SAVOY AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM

The Savoy Automobile Museum is a big attraction in the small town of Cartersville, 45 miles northwest of Atlanta. Among its great appeals is constant change. The museum’s founder is a Cartersville businessman who sold his telecommunications company in the 1990s and shifted gears to creating museums. He had a small collection of approximately 140 cars, but the museum is not dedicated to them. One gallery showcases some of his cars, but four other galleries feature changing exhibitions drawn from many sources. Something new arrives every month.

From historically significant locations to quaint eateries and hidden gems, each exuding a genuine and inviting atmosphere that beckons locals and visitors alike. It’s no wonder we were named one of Southern Living’s Best Weekend Getaways

Savoy Automobile Museum

MARGARET MITCHELL HOUSE

The two-story Atlanta house where Margaret Mitchell wrote “Gone with the Wind” isn’t exactly new, but it was off everyone’s itineraries for four years, starting with the COVID shutdown. It reopened in 2024. The Atlanta History Center made major changes during the closure to address some of the novel’s myths, espe cially relating to slavery, the Civil War and Reconstruction. Beyond Mitchell’s novel, another book also gets attention in the updated museum — “Black Reconstruction in America” by fellow Atlantan, W.E.B. Du Bois.

OTIS REDDING CENTER FOR THE ARTS

The legacy of Otis Redding, the “King of Soul,” expanded with the opening of the Otis Redding Center for the Arts in early 2025 in downtown Macon, his hometown. The center is a philosophical extension of the nearby Otis Redding Museum. A museum expansion is in the works to tell even more of the story of the artist who gave the world “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” and “Try a Little Tenderness.” An amphitheater at the new performing arts center faces downtown Macon’s main street.

OVERNIGHT SENSATIONS

WINDSOR HOTEL

President Jimmy Carter’s death in 2024 drew revived attention to south Georgia and his hometown of Plains. Americus, the “big city” near Plains, and its history-laden Windsor Hotel serve as a base for area exploration. The five-story, 53-room Victorian landmark was built in 1892, occupying most of a city block. Its three-story atrium was quite impressive before high-rises were common. It closed in 1972 but reopened after renovations in 1991, 2010 and 2019. Of course, its rooms inventory includes the Carter Presidential Suite. Sipping a cocktail from Floyd’s Pub in a veranda rocking chair adds a special touch to a day of touring. The hotel is part of Choice International’s Ascend Collection.

BY MATT ODOM

Otis Redding Center for the Arts

An exhibit at the Margaret Mitchell House

Windsor Hotel in Americus

PHOTOS COURTESY ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER

Margaret Mitchell House

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OVERNIGHT SENSATIONS

PLANT RIVERSIDE DISTRICT

Savannah’s hulking municipal power plant from 1912 is now a hospitality magnet with lodging, dining and entertainment venues. The star of the Plant Riverside District is the JW Marriott Savannah, with 419 guest rooms in three buildings, each with its own theme and feel. It also has 14 hotel-owned restaurants, 14 shops, a 330seat concert venue, a recording studio and a broadcast/podcast facility. Its main lobby is a veritable museum filled with geodes, fossils, an imposing dinosaur sculpture overhead and exhibits about the district’s history. It is in the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Historic Hotels of America program.

CHATEAU ELAN

Chateau Elan is a touch of France in the town of Braselton in the North Georgia hills above Atlanta. Hillside vineyards set the scene for stays at the 276-room Chateau Villa and a 95-room Hampton Inn on the 3,500-acre estate. The Chateau Elan Winery produces 30 wines from its own grapes and grapes from California. Resort amenities include three golf courses — two championship 18-hole courses and a nine-hole, par-3 course — a 35,000-square-foot spa and a Viking Culinary Studio.

MEMORABLE MEALS

DILLARD HOUSE

Changes — good changes — are coming to the Dillard House restaurant in the far northeast corner of the Georgia mountains when the Dillard House resort completes extensive renovations this summer. The traditional Appalachian-style family fare will remain the star in a dining room that seats more than 200 guests eager for fried chicken, green beans, biscuits and apple pie, while the Rock House Tavern is becoming a true farm-to-table restaurant with an à la carte menu. A brewery is in the mix, too. The destination’s original 80 rooms are open, and a 60-room hotel and spa are expected in late 2026.

TWIN SMOKERS

Finding a countryside barbecue joint isn’t unusual, but finding a standout barbecue joint in downtown Atlanta is. Twin Smokers is barely a five-minute walk from the Georgia Aquarium. Its “Wood Library” is stocked with mesquite and post oak for Texas-style barbecue and white oak and hickory for Southernstyle barbecue. Meats are smoked overnight for each day’s meals. Come for brisket, pulled pork, ribs, turkey, Springer Mountain chicken and sausage. Some of its beers flow from its next-door neighbor and sister company, Stats Brewpub, and its bourbon milkshakes have plenty of fans.

THE OLDE PINK HOUSE

Dining in The Olde Pink House’s crystal chandelier-lighted rooms while admiring a collection of oil paintings detailing Savannah’s history is special, but the experience is made extraordinary learning that the restaurant was built in 1781 on a royal British land grant. The story only begins there, with subsequent chapters involving transformation into a bank, time as a Union Army headquarters, fires, pandemics and more. Leisure groups can arrange special menus. Ask the staff why the building is pink. It wasn’t by plan.

Whitefish Mountain Resort

Spring at Chateau Elan

BY CARLA BOHNA, COURTESY TWIN SMOKERS

Twin Smokers

BY TOM

JW Marriott Plant Riverside in Savannah

Fried chicken at Dillard House

Designed in 1902, Springfield’s Dana-Thomas House is considered one of architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s great Prairie style works.

DESTINATION

PRAIRIE STATE STARS

THESE FIVE TOWNS CAN ANCHOR A TRIP TO ILLINOIS

BY JILL GLEESON

If you think Illinois begins and ends with The Windy City, think again. Sure, groups can effortlessly get to Illinois from anywhere through Chicago O’Hare International Airport, but the heart of America beats just as strong in the Land of Lincoln’s smaller cities. This is a proudly Midwestern state built by big personalities, from our nation’s greatest president to legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright and businessman John Deere, creator of the iconic farm equipment that has helped feed Americans for generations.

Defined on its western border by the mighty Mississippi and graced by Route 66, the Prairie State offers easy traveling for motorcoaches down its long, flat byways. Even better is how close many of its most charming communities are to one another — only the Oak Park to Galena leg of the following itinerary takes more than 90 minutes to travel. Best of all? The world-class attractions served up with heaping doses of Heartland hospitality.

OAK PARK

Located just 10 miles from Chicago, Oak Park is best known for its connection to Frank Lloyd Wright. America’s greatest architect lived and worked for the first two decades of his career in the suburb, and it boasts 25 of his structures, more than any other single location in the world. According to Gail Orr, tourism consultant for Visit Oak Park, any group’s first stop should be the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio. It’s where Wright birthed the Prairie style of architecture, famed for its flat roofs, horizontal lines and open floor plans.

“The other main attraction is Unity Temple,” Orr said. “It’s a Unitarian Universalist Church and it’s also open for tours. Wright was a Unitarian — he designed it between 1905 and 1909. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s just an amazing building. Groups can walk from the home and studio through the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District to the temple. It’s only about four blocks. The Wright Trust has a recorded walking tour.”

HISTORY & HERITAGE ISSUE

Wright wasn’t the only big-name creative to call Oak Park home. Ernest Hemingway, the author of classic books like “The Sun Also Rises,” grew up there. Groups can grab an hour-long guided look at the Ernest Hemingway Birthplace Museum before wrapping up their Oak Park adventure with a Historic Homes and Garden Tour. The package includes visits to the Oak Park Conservatory, a nearly century-old Edwardian beauty showcasing 3,000 plants; the 12,000-square-foot Cheney Mansion; and the early Prairie School-style Pleasant Home, where groups can unwind with a boxed lunch on the porch.

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“They do Mississippi pontoon boat cruises at the bottom of the mountain, too. It’s 90 minutes long, and they have an interpreter who talks about the area’s environment and history.”

— TOM RYNOTT, GALENA COUNTRY TOURISM

GALENA

Consistently ranked as one of the Midwest’s best small towns, Galena is a pleasant three-hour drive northwest from Oak Park. A burg of just 3,250 residents, it’s filled with beautifully preserved 19th-century buildings that unspool along its historic Main Street. It’s the perfect place for tour leaders to give groups time on their own, said Tom Rynott, communications director for Galena Country Tourism.

“We have over 125 independently owned businesses, including boutiques, restaurants, galleries, wineries — you name it, we’ve got it. And they’re all within about half a mile of each other on one street downtown.”

After travelers have shopped ’til they’ve dropped, they can relax aboard old-fashioned trolleys, which offer hourlong tours of the town. Other historic hotspots in Galena include the Ulysses S. Grant Home State Historic Site. The handsome former residence of the Civil War general and 18th U.S. president is filled with original Grant family furnishings and gives tours to groups. With more than 6,000 square feet of exhibits, the Galena and U.S. Grant Museum provides an in-depth look not only at the town’s homegrown hero, but also at its lead-mining heritage.

When groups want to enjoy the great outdoors, Rynott suggested a stop at Chestnut Mountain Resort. It offers the usual assortment of downhill fun in the winter, while

COURTESY ERNEST HEMINGWAY FOUNDATION OF OAK PARK

Ernest Hemingway’s birthplace in Oak Park

Inside Oak Park’s Pleasant Home, a National Historic Landmark

Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio

COURTESY FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT TRUST

COURTESY PARK DISTRICT OF OAK PARK

summer activities include everything from a trip down the Alpine slide to Segway tours.

“They do Mississippi pontoon boat cruises at the bottom of the mountain, too,” Rynott said. “It’s 90 minutes long, and they have an interpreter who talks about the area’s environment and history.”

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MOLINE

Moline, which sits 90 minutes south of Galena on the Mississippi River, is one of the Midwest’s celebrated Quad Cities. Encompassing communities that straddle the waterway in Iowa as well as Illinois, the area hosts the global headquarters of farming equipment manufacturer John Deere. Groups can tour three of the brand’s factories there, including John Deere Seeding in Moline, according to Nicki Brus, Visit Quad Cities business growth and service manager. Tours run an hour and a half and are free of charge.

Leaders may want to plan a whole “plow-wow” tour by including a visit to the Butterworth Center and DeereWiman House. Once home to four generations of the Deere family and offering spectacular gardens, the historic mansions are located on the same bluff overlooking the river. Meanwhile, the recently renovated John Deere Pavilion

gives travelers an opportunity to “hop up on the combines and take selfies with these huge, beautiful green creatures,” Brus said. “They have staff who will greet the motorcoach and give an overview of who John Deere was and what the company is, and then people can explore on their own.”

Of course, not everything in Moline revolves around agriculture. Groups can get out on the river aboard the Celebration Belle, a 750-passenger paddlewheel vessel that’s the largest non-gaming riverboat on the Upper Mississippi. Options include narrated cruises, lunch cruises and dinner cruises with entertainment. Before heading out of town, groups will appreciate a stop at Lagomarcino’s, a quaint chocolate shop and soda fountain that dates to 1908. It serves goodies like hot fudge sundaes and sandwiches made on house-baked bread.

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“They have staff who will greet the motorcoach and give an overview of who John Deere was and what the company is, and then people can explore on their own.”

— NICKI BRUS, VISIT QUAD CITIES

PHOTOS COURTESY ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM

Galena’s Main Street

An alpine slide in Galena

Shopping in Moline

PEORIA

A century ago, the city perched on the Illinois River became known for the phrase, “Will it play in Peoria?” An important stop for vaudeville acts, Peoria was used as a test market by luminaries including Jack Benny and Will Rogers. Nowadays, the community of about 110,000, which is an 80-minute drive southeast from Moline, still serves up blockbuster entertainment at the Peoria Civic Center in downtown. Groups can catch everything from touring Broadway musicals and the Peoria Symphony Orchestra to professional hockey at the venue.

Speaking of sports, Peoria is also home to the massive Louisville Slugger Sports Complex, where groups can check out memorabilia, shop the Team Store, grab a bite at the Suite Fire Bar and Grille and cheer on the Bradley University softball team. Special activities are available, too, said J.D. Dalfonso, CEO of the Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“Louisville Slugger can really tailor those experiences based on what the client wants, whether it’s a tour or things like branding your bat,” he said. “They have a huge indoor dome, so groups can experience the facility in all seasons.”

Impressive spaces abound in Peoria, both indoors and out. The Peoria Riverfront Museum features not only a 40-foot dome planetarium and a 194-seat giant screen movie theater, but also a permanent collection of 15,000 objects spanning art, science and history. The Wildlife Prairie Park gives leaders a wide range of adventures to choose from, including meet and greets with animal ambassadors like Nakoma the Bison, a narrated hayrack trek through the bison and elk pasture, or a ride aboard the Prairie Zephyr train.

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COURTESY ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM

COURTESY PEORIA RIVERFRONT MUSEUM

COURTESY ILLINOIS DEPT. OF TOURISM

Downtown Peoria

Illinois Route 66

Experience in Springfield

Peoria Riverfront Museum

Peoria’s Louisville Slugger Sports Complex

A dress on display at Springfield’s Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

SPRINGFIELD

For Lincoln-loving groups, there can be no more important stop than Springfield. An hour’s drive due south of Peoria, the Illinois capital tells the story of the 16th U.S. president with both depth and drama.

“I suggest motorcoach groups start at the Presidential Library and Museum,” said Darrin Thurman, tourism manager for Visit Springfield, Illinois. “It really gives you a window into Lincoln as a real person, someone who had feelings and had a family. So then you’re more connected to him when you tour the Lincoln Home Site and the Old State Capitol.”

There’s no charge to enter the Old State Capitol State Historic Site, the building where Lincoln tried cases and gave his fabled “House Divided” speech, or the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, the only residence ever owned by Honest Abe. Thurman also recommended leaders arrange for one of Springfield’s historic interpreters to visit with their group. Bookable through the CVB, the personalities available include Abraham Lincoln, his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, abolitionist Frederick Douglass and Ulysses S. Grant, who first met Lincoln in Springfield.

Along with its blockbuster Lincoln attractions, Springfield gives groups that haven’t gotten their fill of Frank Lloyd Wright the chance to tour one of his most spectacular homes. Designed in 1902, the Dana-Thomas House is a 12,000-square-foot masterpiece filled with Wright art glass and furniture. Before wrapping up their Illinois exploits, nostalgia lovers and “Mother Road” fanatics alike will want to catch the Illinois Route 66 Experience. Tucked inside the Illinois State Fairgrounds, it pays tribute to the Illinois communities located along the road with neon signs, vintage billboards and even a drive-in theater.

VISITSPRINGFIELDILLINOIS.COM

The dome of the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield

COURTESY ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM

CHILL IN GREENWOOD THIS MISSISSIPPI

TOWN DEFINES THE DELTA

TBY KEVIN OSBOURN

here’s a reason Greenwood, Mississippi, has been called “The Most Southern Place on Earth.”

Located in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, Greenwood provides a combination of music, food and fun in a Delta region. Greenwood’s unique and sometimes tragic history helped spark the Civil Rights Movement and inspired Hollywood to film “The Help” in town.

Groups can enjoy everything from cooking classes at the downtown headquarters of luxury appliance-maker Viking to music from local greats like B.B. King and Bobbie Gentry. Visitors can relax by floating on the scenic Tallahatchie, Yalobusha or Yazoo rivers or shopping at Greenwood’s charming downtown antique shops.

“People say we are so nice to come up, introduce ourselves and ask where they are from,” said Ashley Farmer, executive director of the Greenwood Convention and Visitors Bureau. “There is a lot of history of the blues here, a lot of the Civil Rights Movement happened here, and we are a foodie destination.”

SOUTHERN CHARM

It all starts in Greenwood’s historic downtown. The city’s centerpiece is The Alluvian, a four-story, 50-room boutique hotel offering a classic Southern breakfast and featuring art from Mississippians on every floor. The Mississippi Delta is considered an alluvial plain, which is how The Alluvian got its name. Every Thursday night in the hotel lobby, musicians play classic blues before dinner is served. Downtown stores feature pottery made from native clay, and groups can take cooking classes at the Viking Cooking School near The Alluvian hotel. At the school, student chefs — ranging from novices to seasoned cooks —

gather in stadium seating to learn how to make traditional Southern delicacies, and participants can sample the dishes after the demonstrations.

“A chef prepares food, and they bring the dishes out to be served,” Farmer said. “They serve ‘The Help’ menu, which is fried chicken, turnip greens, mac and cheese, biscuits and cornbread and Minnie’s Pie.”

Guests can also visit The Alluvian Spa, which offers sweet tea in addition to face and body care, massage therapy, therapeutic baths, hand and foot care and hair services.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY GREENWOOD CVB

Downtown Greenwood

Museum of the Mississippi Delta

B.B. King Birthplace

A getaway at the Alluvian Hotel

Robert Johnson’s grave Fan & Johnny’s

SOUL MATES

The Delta’s history of hard work and self-deprecating humor shines through in its music. It’s no wonder that several of the world’s most acclaimed blues pioneers grew up in Greenwood. These masters helped birth the blues — one of the most important influences of American popular music — through legends like Guitar Slim, Furry Lewis and Robert Johnson.

A marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail commemorates the final resting place of Johnson at the rural Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church, and Johnson influenced other artists such as Muddy Waters and Elmore James with notable blues standards like “Sweet Home Chicago.”

B.B. King is another music legend who was born outside Greenwood and later returned to the area. The B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in Indianola tells the story of King’s life and international career.

Visitors today also enjoy live blues at the newly renovated Club Ebony, one of the South’s most important African American nightclubs. Seven years before his passing in 2015, King purchased the venue to keep the club’s famous traditions alive.

Groups also visit the locations in Greenwood where Emma Stone and Viola Davis starred in “The Help.” Directed by Jackson, Mississippi, native Tate Taylor, the 2011 film based on Kathryn Stockett’s novel depicted the discrimination that Black people faced across the South. Many groups watch the film prior to their stay in Greenwood and enjoy seeing film locations, like the home where the tea party scenes were filmed.

MILESTONES

This August marks the 70th anniversary of the murder of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old Black teenager whose shocking death galvanized the birth of the Civil Rights Movement.

There is a nine-foot bronze statue of Till that was unveiled in Greenwood in October 2022 to coincide with the release of “Till,” a movie documenting the transformation of his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, into a Civil Rights activist. Hundreds of people attended the statue’s

unveiling, not far from where white men kidnapped and brutally killed Till over accusations he had flirted with a white woman at Bryant’s Grocery.

Tour groups visit where Till lived with his great-uncle, Moses Wright. Martin Luther King Jr. subsequently stirred crowds during visits to Greenwood, and it was in Greenwood that Stokely Carmichael, one of the original Freedom Riders, gave impassioned speeches.

Other notable destinations include the Museum of the Mississippi Delta, which houses pieces produced by Mississippi artists and is home to one of the nation’s largest collections of Native American beads and pottery. Famous guitars from B.B. King and other greats can be seen at the museum. The exhibit, called America at the Crossroads: History of America Through the Guitar, explains how Mississippi shaped American music “six strings at a time.”

“A tour group would never forget visiting Greenwood because of its rich history, unique culture, Southern hospitality and deep connections to the Civil Rights Movement,” Farmer said. “Our Southern food scene is unforgettable, from fried catfish to hot tamales. As we like to say, no one leaves hungry.”

VISITGREENWOOD.COM

The ‘Mother Road’ Awaits

TIME TO PLAN YOUR ROUTE 66 ROAD TRIP

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

People the world over are obsessed with Route 66. A two-lane road that took travelers from Chicago to Santa Monica, California, before four-lane highways were built, “The Mother Road” spanned 2,448 miles through eight states. Something about the mystique of the road, which traversed the country during simpler times, captures visitors’ imaginations, from the small towns with their old-fashioned gas pumps and motels with neon signs to kitschy roadside attractions and classic Western scenery.

The highway got its start in 1926, but its heyday spanned from the 1930s to the 1960s. Although the road still exists, portions of it have disappeared into history, making it difficult to drive along the entire length.

As Route 66 approaches its 100th anniversary in 2026, cities and towns along the way are making big plans for new attractions, festivals and celebrations. Here are a few of the must-see attractions along the Route 66 as it crosses the country.

Illinois

Route 66 begins in the heart of Chicago, near the intersection of South Michigan Avenue and East Adams Street, across from the Art Institute of Chicago. It travels 301 miles through the state, wending its way through Joliet, Wilmington, Dwight, Odell, Pontiac, Bloomington, Lincoln and Springfield.

Route 66 icons in Chicago include Lou Mitchell’s, a local restaurant and bakery that was founded in 1923 and has served travelers along Route 66 since its inception, as well as The Berghoff, which opened in 1898 and is the oldest nearly continuously operated restaurant on Route 66.

COURTESY WAGON WHEEL MOTEL

BY JACKIE PHOMMAHAXAY, COURTESY AMARILLO CVB

The Midpoint Café in Adrian, Texas

Top attractions along the Illinois route include the Old Joliet Prison, the historic Rialto Theatre and the Joliet Area Historical Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center. In Pontiac, visitors can peruse the Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum, the PontiacOakland Automobile Museum and Route 66 murals along Main Street. Groups should make sure to take in the Gemini Giant in Wilmington, the Two Cell Jail in Gardner, and restored gas stations in Dwight and Odell.

Memory Lane in Lexington, Sprague’s Super Service gas station in Normal, and the McLean County Museum of History and Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitor Center in Bloomington are also worth a visit.

The town of Atlanta is known for its Paul Bunyan Giant, a famous Muffler Man statue holding a hot dog, as well as the Route

66 Memories Museum and the Route 66 Arcade Museum. Lincoln is home to The Mill Museum on 66, which looks like a large Dutch windmill and is now a Route 66 museum; the World’s Largest Covered Wagon; the Postville Courthouse, where Abraham Lincoln practiced law; and the Lincoln Heritage Museum.

Springfield boasts the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Lincoln Tomb, and the Old State Capitol. Henry’s Rabbit Ranch in Staunton is known for its “car henge” made of Volkswagen Rabbits.

Missouri

Route 66 stretches 317 miles through Missouri, from St. Louis to the Kansas state line west of Joplin, passing through Cuba, Rolla, Lebanon, Springfield, Carthage, Brooklyn Heights and Webb City. The Gateway Arch is one of the most famous stops along the route, and The National Museum of Transportation, also in St. Louis, has one of the largest collections of vehicles in the world. The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, which was built in 1929, spans the Mississippi River between Illinois and St. Louis. It became part of Route 66 in 1936 when the road was rerouted.

The Route 66 Red Rocker, which is the world’s largest rocking chair, sits next to the Fanning Route 66 Outpost, four miles from Cuba. The famous Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba has served visitors along the route since 1934. Meramec Caverns, the largest commercial cave in Missouri, is a must-see stop along the way.

Connie’s Shop at the Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba

COURTESY ILLINOIS OFFICE OF TOURISM COURTESY ROUTE 66 ASSOC. OF MO

A historic photo of the Wagn Wheel Motel on Route 66

COURTESY COZY DOG DRIVE INN

COURTESY ROUTE 66 ASSOC. OF MO

Springfield’s Cozy Dog Drive Inn

The Bunyon Giant in Illinois

A neon sign at the Wagon Wheel Motel

Kansas

The Kansas leg of Route 66 spans 13.2 miles that cut across the southeast corner of the state on its way to Oklahoma. Galena is the first stop outside of Missouri. There, visitors can visit the Galena Mining and Historical Museum and Cars on the Route, a sandwich and souvenir shop that is housed inside the old Kan-O-Tex gas station. The 1950s International Harvester tow truck that inspired the character Tow Mater in the movie “Cars” sits outside.

The Old Riverton Store has been operating along the route since the 1920s. It is the headquarters of the Kansas Route 66 Association. Baxter Springs features an old rainbow-arched Route 66 concrete bridge and the Crowell Bank, which was robbed by the famous outlaw Jesse James. A restored Phillips 66 filling station is now a museum and information center.

Oklahoma

The Mother Road runs approximately 400 miles through Oklahoma, through Oklahoma City, Tulsa and many smaller towns. The state boasts plenty of Route 66 attractions, including the kitschy Waylan’s Ku-Ku Burger in Miami, which is a 1960s-era restaurant shaped like a giant cuckoo clock, including a yellow cuckoo bird that pops out of the roof. Totem Pole Park near Chelsea is famous for the world’s largest concrete totem pole standing at 90 feet tall.

Claremore is home to the Will Rogers Memorial Museum and the J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum, which showcases weapons

used by Pretty Boy Floyd and Pancho Villa. The Blue Whale of Catoosa was built in the 1970s as a swimming hole attraction and has since become a major photo-op stop along the route.

The Chandler Route 66 Interpretive Center, housed inside a sandstone armory built by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s, tells the story of the route.

Pops in Arcadia is famous for its 66-foot-tall pop bottle sculpture that lights up at night with colorful LED lights. Pops has a collection of more than 12,000 soda pop bottles, and visitors can sample more than 650 varieties of soda or grab a bite at the old-fashioned diner.

The Arcadia Round Barn is a famous Route 66 landmark built in 1898. It has been restored and now exhibits Route 66 memorabilia. The Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton is one of the best along the road, and the National Route 66 and Transportation Museum in Elk City highlights many of the quirky roadside attractions that have made the route famous around the world.

Texas

The Mother Road stretches 177 miles through the Texas Panhandle, passing through Shamrock, Lela, McLean, Alanreed, Groom, Conway, Amarillo, Bushland, Wildorado, Vega, Adrian and Glenrio.

In Shamrock, the Art Deco-style Conoco Tower Station and U-Drop Inn was made famous by its selection as the model for Ramone’s House of Body Art in the Pixar movie “Cars.”

The El Rancho hotel in Gallup

Amarillo’s Cadillac Ranch

BY JACKIE PHOMMAHAXAY, COURTESY AMARILLO CVB

BY LUCIEN MAXWELL, COURTESY EL RANCHO HOTEL

The Blue Whale of Catoosa

BY RHYS MARTIN, COURTESY VISIT TULSA

before the road existed. Downtown Albuquerque has the distinction of being the place where Route 66 crosses itself because of a realignment at 4th and Central. The Nob Hill neighborhood features large neon archways that hang across four lanes of traffic on both the east and west ends of the neighborhood. Main Street businesses boast original neon signs and roadside attractions.

In Grants, visitors can drive through an 18-foot-tall neon sign that’s shaped like a Route 66 highway marker and stop for photos. The El Rancho Hotel in Gallup hosted celebrities such as John Wayne, Ronald Reagan and Katharine Hepburn as they shot movies in the 1930s and 1940s.

In Amarillo, Cadillac Ranch and The Big Texan Steak Ranch are top Route 66 attractions. Cadillac Ranch is an art installation featuring 10 Cadillacs from 1949 to 1963 buried nose-first in the ground, like an automotive Stonehenge with tail fins. The Big Texan is famous for its 72-ounce steak challenge.

The Midpoint Café in Adrian is a 1950s-themed diner that marks the midpoint of Route 66 and features a sign indicating 1,139 miles to both Los Angeles and Chicago.

New Mexico

New Mexico’s section of Route 66 spans 322.3 miles, from Tucumcari to Albuquerque and onto Gallup near the Arizona border. Top Tucumcari stops include the New Mexico Route 66 Museum, the giant chrome and sandstone Route 66 Monument and Tee Pee Curios, a former gas and grocery store turned souvenir shop with an entrance shaped like a Native American tepee that has its original neon sign. The town’s Blue Swallow Motel, which has served guests since 1939, is famous for its neon sign and vintage cars.

The Blue Hole in Santa Rosa, an 81-foot-deep sinkhole filled with clear, blue water, has been a welcome respite for travelers since

Arizona

From small towns like Seligman and Williams, which seem frozen in time with their neon signs, diners, motels, funky art, shops and gas stations, to larger cities such as Flagstaff and Kingman that were major stops along the route, Arizona is rich in Route 66 nostalgia. America’s Main Street runs 385 miles from Lupton on the ArizonaNew Mexico border to just west of Kingman near the California border.

The historic Wigwam Hotel, with its tepee guest rooms, is a must-see in Holbrook. In Winslow, visitors love to snap photos at Standin’ on the Corner Park, which celebrates the Eagles’ hit “Take It Easy” with a life-size

BY ANGELA GUTHRIE, COURTESY AMARILLO CVB

COURTESY MINE SHAFT TAVERN

A throwback stop at Sid’s Diner in Oklahoma Meat on the grill at Big Texan Steak Ranch

New Mexico’s Mine Shaft Tavern and Cantina

COURTESY SID’S DINER

BY LARRY DAY, COURTESY WIGWAM VILLAGE

Wigwam Village Motel No. 6 in Arizona

statue of an Eagles-like singer and a red flatbed Ford like. In Antares, visitors can snap selfies with Giganticus Headicus, a sculpture that looks as if it belongs on Easter Island. Kingman has several vintage motels with neon signs, including Hill Top Motel and El Trovatore Motel. The Arizona Route 66 Museum and Powerhouse Visitor Center is also a must see.

California

California’s section of the road stretches 316 miles, from Needles on the Arizona border through San Bernardino and Los Angeles to the Pacific Ocean. The Aztec Hotel in Monrovia is one of the few remaining Mayan-style buildings in the U.S. It opened in 1925 along an early alignment of Route 66.

The California Route 66 Museum in Victorville is housed in the former Red Rooster Café and features rotating displays of classic

The end of the trail at the Santa Monica Pier

Route 66 memorabilia. In Barstow, Harvey House is one of a network of restaurant-hotels built and operated by the Fred Harvey Company in conjunction with the Santa Fe Railroad. Originally named Casa Del Desierto, Harvey House is now home to two museums, the Route 66 Mother Road Museum and the Western American Railroad Museum.

The California Wigwam Motel in San Bernardino is similar to the one in Holbrook, Arizona. It was built in 1949 and is made up of tepee-style cabins. The two hotels were the inspiration for the Cozy Cone Motel in the “Cars” animated movie. The last photo stop on Route 66 is a sign marking the highway’s terminus at the Santa Monica Pier.

St. Louis’ Gateway Arch

A Route 66 motel in Kingman

HISTORIC

CONNECTS THE PRESENT TO

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Mother Road Museums

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

As businesses and cities along Route 66 prepare for the highway’s centennial in 2026, tour groups can celebrate the anniversary by getting their kicks on the Mother Road. Here are five must-see museums that highlight not only the history of the road, but also the cars and businesses that made it famous.

Arizona Route 66 Museum KINGMAN, ARIZONA

Founded in 2001, the Arizona Route 66 Museum in Kingman, Arizona, features brilliant murals, photos and life-size dioramas showing scenes from Route 66, U.S. Army-led survey expeditions and North American trade routes.

Located in Kingman’s historic powerhouse, the museum recently received a grant from the Route 66 Association of Arizona to renovate the entire building before the centennial. The Mohave County Historical Society, which operates the museum, is working hard to update exhibits and add hands-on and digital components to make the stories more accessible.

New exhibits will tell the stories of Dust Bowl refugees traveling Route 66 as well as the Green Book experiences of Black travelers along the road. The Dust Bowl exhibit includes a 1930s-era truck set up to look as if it traveled the road during that time period. Another new exhibit will focus on the railroad and its impact on the road and the cities and towns along the way.

A new app is being developed to lead guests through the museum. When it is completed, it will be available in nine languages. Visitors will get to see vehicles from the 1950s and ’60s, a huge collection of postcards, a replica Conestoga wagon, and a Main Street USA exhibit with miniature storefronts that show items that would have been purchased in those stores.

BY AN PHAM, COURTESY ARIZONA ROUTE

A vintage gas pump at the Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum

The museum is also home to the Route 66 Electric Vehicle Museum, which displays 28 electric vehicles, from a 1909 ElwellParker baggage tug to the Buckeye Bullet, the fastest electric vehicle in the world until 2018.

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Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum

SAPULPA, OKLAHOMA

Sapulpa, Oklahoma, is a classic Route 66 town located about 14 miles from Tulsa. Its historic downtown district looks much the same as it did during the highway’s heyday. The Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum is a relatively new addition to the town, but it is hard to miss. Route 66 travelers inevitably find the museum because they are attracted to the 66-foot-tall gas pump that sits out front.

The museum was the dream of Richard Holmes, a Tulsa attorney and car enthusiast. He and some classic car aficionados wanted to open an antique car museum, but they couldn’t find the right spot in Tulsa. The city of Sapulpa offered them a decommissioned armory, which sits on a road that intersects Route 66.

The 10,000-square-foot armory was completely renovated, including the addition of three huge garage doors that allow cars to drive in and out of the museum. Thirty-four beautiful cars are on display. There is a space dedicated to Route 66, as well as an area that shows how the armory was used by the 45th Army Reserve.

The oldest vehicle in the museum is a 1905 Cadillac, but the most popular car in the collection is the Chip Foose-designed Impostor, a 2009 Corvette with the body of a 1965 Chevrolet Impala, which was shortened by 14 inches to make it fit the smaller vehicle.

The museum has applied for a grant from the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission to build a 5,000-square-foot expansion.

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A re-created Main Street scene at the Arizona Route 66 Museum in Kingman

BY AN PHAM, COURTESY ARIZONA ROUTE 66 MUSEUM

Arizona Route 66 Museum

A roadster at Oklahoma’s Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum

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Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame and Museum

COURTESY ROUTE 66 ASSOC. OF ILLINOIS

Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum

Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame and Museum

PONTIAC, ILLINOIS

Pontiac, Illinois, has a rich Route 66 history that is on display at the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame and Museum. As part of the city’s Route 66 centennial celebrations, Centennial Plaza is being built behind the historic museum complex, where there is a large Route 66 Shield mural. The Bob Waldmire “Road Yacht,” a converted 1966 school bus, will soon be covered from the elements, and seating put in for people to gather and enjoy the space.

Waldmire used the bus as his art studio and home for many years as he traveled Route 66. If groups want to tour the bus, they need to make a reservation, as it isn’t always staffed. Several murals line Main Street in Pontiac, including many that highlight Waldmire and his legacy.

The Bob Waldmire Experience at the museum traces the artist’s impact on Route 66, showcasing his unique artistic style and how it evolved over the years. Waldmire’s Volkswagen van is inside the museum, along with a mural he painted over the course of several years. The van served as inspiration for the character Fillmore, in the Pixar movie “Cars.”

Memorabilia from the road’s glory days pack the exhibits, including photographs and stories that tell what life was like when Route 66 was the most important thoroughfare in the U.S.

The Pontiac-Oakland Automobile Museum features antique and classic cars that would have gotten their kicks along Route 66.

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New Mexico Route 66 Museum TUCUMCARI, NEW MEXICO

The New Mexico Route 66 Museum in Tucumcari, New Mexico, is a bit hard to find but worth the visit. Located on the back side of the Tucumcari Convention Center, the museum features memorabilia from the road’s early days, including old gas pumps, classic cars on loan from private owners and Coca-Cola merchandise that was prevalent in Route 66’s prime. Most of the cars on display are from the 1930s to 1960s, when road-tripping along the route was prevalent.

The museum initially was founded to highlight photographs taken by Michael Campanelli, who drove Route 66 more than 75 times between Chicago and Santa Monica, California. The collection includes 166 photographs and is the largest Route 66 photo collection on display anywhere in the country.

The museum features a vintage diner display with a Rock-Ola jukebox, two restored neon signs from motels that went out of business long ago, a Route 66 guitar signed by Loretta Lynn and New Mexico history displays. There’s also a multimedia presentation

A historic auto at the New Mexico Route 66 Museum

A classic van at the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame and Museum

COURTESY ROUTE 66 ASSOC. OF ILLINOIS COURTESY

visitors can watch to learn more about Route 66 throughout the state. Tucumcari is well worth a visit, as several of its retro motels have been remodeled, including Roadrunner Lodge Motel, Motel Safari and the famous Blue Swallow Motel, with its original neon sign. Travelers to the area can also visit Mesalands Community College’s Dinosaur Museum and Natural Science Laboratory, the Tucumcari Historical Museum and the Tucumcari Railroad Museum, which is in the town’s restored Union Station depot. NMRT66MUSEUM.ORG

New Mexico Route 66 Museum in Tucumcari

66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame

A mural at the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame

Route 66 State Park Visitor Center

EUREKA, MISSOURI

Route 66 State Park is a small park that covers less than one square mile on the former site of Times Beach, Missouri, a town that was founded in 1925 as a vacation resort along the Meramec River. It became an actual community during the Depression of the 1930s. The city was evacuated in 1983 due to dioxin contamination and was officially disincorporated in 1985. All the town’s buildings were demolished at that time except for the historic Bridgehead Inn, a 1935 roadhouse that sat on the original Route 66, and remnants of the Highway 66 Bridge over the Meramec River between Eureka and St. Louis.

The Bridgehead Inn houses the park’s visitor center, which offers travelers a chance to learn more about Missouri’s Route 66 through newspaper clippings and memorabilia, including signs from now defunct Route 66 businesses. Another exhibit tells the history of Times Beach and why it became a ghost town.

Most of Route 66 through Missouri has been rerouted to Interstate 44, but some paved sections of the old road still exist, including a short section in Route 66 State Park. Visitors to the park can walk a small section of the original road as well as explore trails throughout the park. They can also use the boat launch on the Meramec River.

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Most of Route 66 through Missouri has been rerouted to Interstate 44, but some paved sections of the old road still exist, including a short section in Route 66 State Park.

PHOTOS COURTESY MISSOURI STATE PARKS

Route 66 neon in Missouri

Biking along Missouri’s Route 66

A historic auto at the

New Mexico Route 66 Museum

Vintage travel guides at Route 66 State Park

Festival Festival Festival Festival

Catch a Festival

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

As cities and towns along Route 66 gear up for the highway’s centennial celebration in 2026, their festivals have become more elaborate. Here are five festive events taking place in 2025 that include everything from car shows and old-car cruises along the road to live bands, farmers markets and hot-air balloon rides.

Texas Route 66 Festival JUNE 5-14, 2025

AMARILLO, TEXAS

The Texas Route 66 Festival is a 10-day extravaganza that takes place in several locations along the 178-mile stretch of Route 66 through the Texas Panhandle, with activities ranging from rodeos and karaoke to live concerts and car shows. The entire event culminates in a huge celebration on June 14 along Amarillo’s historic Sixth Avenue, which is considered one of the most iconic stretches of Route 66 in Texas.

The festival begins with the Coors Ranch Rodeo Kick-Off at the Amarillo Tri-State Fairgrounds on June 5. Each day features different events. On June 6, there is a Celebrity Fast Draw Shoot Out, Coors Ranch Rodeo and a Night Under the Neon at the famous U-Drop Inn and Café in Shamrock with live music, dancing and food. On June 7, groups can catch the cattle drive and parade downtown, a rodeo, rodeo dance and 60 Years on the Square, with a petting zoo, roping demonstrations, food trucks and sales at participating shops.

Other days feature a 5k and 10k race through the ghost town of Jericho, a lowrider cruise down Route 66, live music and movies. On June 11, the TX 66 East Bus Tour takes groups to visit quirky Route 66 attractions, including the Britten Leaning Water Tower,

Texas Route 66 Festival in Amarillo

Jericho ghost town, Devil’s Rope Museum, the historic Conoco Tower Station and U-Drop Inn, and The Big Texan Steak Ranch. The TX 66 West Bus Tour takes visitors to Vega, Texas, and historic sites such as Magnolia Gas Station and the Milburn-Price Culture Museum. Other stops include Russell’s Truck and Travel Center, with its collection of classic cars and Route 66 memorabilia, and Glenrio Historic District, a ghost town with 17 abandoned buildings.

The Festival Finale takes place in Amarillo’s Route 66 historic district with vendor booths, food, live music, the Miss Texas Route 66 Pinup Pageant, kids’ activities, a car show and more.

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Celebrating Route 66 Summerfest in Albuquerque

A cattle drive at the Texas Route 66 Festival

Route 66 Summerfest

JULY 19, 2025

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

Albuquerque plans to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Mother Road beginning with its Route 66 Summerfest on July 19, 2025, and continuing through December 2026. The 2025 festival is located in Nob Hill, an area of the city famous for its old Route 66 motels, historic KiMo Theatre and neon signs. The event takes place along a one-mile stretch of Central Avenue/Route 66, from Girard Boulevard to Washington Street, with live music on several stages covering different genres, including jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, the blues and country.

Some of the city’s best restaurants and food trucks will be present, serving up everything from New Mexican cuisine to international delicacies and mouthwatering desserts. Several New Mexico breweries, wineries and bars will serve drinks. A large artisan market offers attendees the opportunity to shop for locally made wares, including jewelry, crafts and artwork.

The festival also features a classic car show with beautifully restored vehicles that would not have been out of place cruising Route 66 during the height of its popularity. A Kids’ Zone will offer family-friendly activities, including interactive games, rides and face painting.

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The festival also features a classic car show with beautifully restored vehicles that would not have been out of place cruising Route 66 during the height of its popularity.

Driving Route 66 in downtown Albuquerque

COURTESY VISIT ALBUQUERQUE COURTESY NM TOURISM DEPT.

Albuquerque neon

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COURTESY TEXAS ROUTE 66 FESTIVAL

Live music at Amarillo’s U-Drop Inn

31st Annual Rolla Route 66 Summerfest

JUNE 6–7,

2025

ROLLA, MISSOURI

The Rolla Route 66 Summerfest got its start as a way to promote downtown Rolla, Missouri, with sporting events all over town. It has evolved over the past 30 years into a major celebration of Old Route 66 and the beginning of summer. Friday night kicks off with an old-car cruise from Saint James, 11 miles away, to downtown Rolla’s festival lots. The cruise, which follows Route 66, usually attracts 70 to 100 vehicles. There is a Crazy Funny Dog Show, a drumming competition, a street dance, and a Friday night movie and release party, which includes characters from the movie and treats that fit the theme. There are also bounce houses, a barrel train, pony rides, game vendors and live music at the food court.

On Saturday, the food court will be open with live music all day. There will be craft and arts vendors and children’s activities. A car show on Pine Street — the original 1926 alignment of Route 66 in downtown Rolla was on Pine Street — has attracted up to 160 cars from as far away as Texas, Louisiana and Tennessee in prior years. Hillbilly Drag Racing features contestants racing each other on souped-up lawnmowers. The Burnout Contest is for anyone who doesn’t care about losing some tire tread, and the entire festival ends with the free Concert Under the Stars.

ROUTE66SUMMERFEST.COM

The Burnout Contest is for anyone who doesn’t care about losing some tire tread, and the entire festival ends with the free Concert Under the Stars.

Classic cars at Rolla’s Route 66 Summerfest

PHOTOS COURTESY ROLLA ROUTE 66 SUMMERFEST

Rolla Route 66 Summerfest

A Harley

Rolla

Arcadia Annual Route 66

Balloon and Kite Festival 2025

SEPTEMBER 26–28, 2025

ARCADIA, OKLAHOMA

Last year was the first year for the Route 66 Balloon and Kite Festival in Arcadia, Oklahoma, and although weather disrupted some of the festivities, organizers say it was a great event anyway, attracting more than 15,000 attendees through the three-day weekend.

Route 66 travels through Arcadia, which is less than a mile from the main highway. The Balloon Festival is held at Parkhurst Pumpkin Patch, a family-owned ranch. Last year’s event hosted 15 hot-air balloons offering tethered rides for attendees. Event organizers are hoping for an even bigger turnout in 2025, as the event is open to any balloonists who want to participate. There will be helicopter rides that take guests on an eight- to 10-minute flight around Arcadia Lake and up and down Route 66 before returning to the event grounds.

A kite show will highlight 40- to 60-foot kites taking to the skies in the mornings, and there will be paramotoring demonstrations, when a person harnessed to a motor and a paraglider can take off from the ground.

Last year’s event featured 30 food trucks and 70 vendors selling arts and crafts and handmade jewelry.

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KINGMAN

Route 66 travels through Arcadia, which is less than a mile from the main highway. The Balloon Festival is held at Parkhurst Pumpkin Patch, a family-owned ranch.

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Enjoying a flight at the Arcadia Annual Route 66 Balloon and Kite Festival

Arcadia’s Round Barn

Arcadia Annual Route 66 Balloon and Kite Festival

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24th Annual International

Route 66 Mother Road Festival

SEPTEMBER 26–28, 2025

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS

In Illinois, Springfield’s three-day International Route 66 Mother Road Festival typically begins with an old-car cruise from the outer part of the city to the heart of downtown, attracting 1,500 to 2,000 cars. Spectators line the parade route to catch a glimpse of the participants in their restored vehicles. There is live music on the main stage on both Friday and Saturday that incorporates all genres of music, from rockabilly and 1960s music to more modern varieties.

The second day of the event features a judged car show, with trophies that attracts 1,000 vehicles, and Miss Mother Road and Mr. Mother Road contests, where the contestants compete while decked out in vintage clothing. Car show participants come from across the U.S. Last year’s event attracted participants from Canada and Germany.

The cars line up on different blocks based on the era they are from. One block might have large-fin cars from the 1950s, and another might feature exotic sports cars. There is a Saturday farmers market downtown and a section where children can race pedal cars or motorized cars. The event is close to all of Springfield’s major attractions, including the Old State Capitol and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. ROUTE66FEST.COM

June5-14,2025

June4-13,2026

The Most Western Stretch of Route 66 Runs Through Amarillo

With the Route 66 Centennial coming in 2026, now’s the time to start planning. Attend the Texas Route 66 Festival, June 5–14, 2025, to experience it rsthand—10 days of classic cars, live music, roadside icons, and true Western spirit. It’s the perfect opportunity to scout the celebration and craft unforgettable group itineraries.

Looking for something year-round? The TX 66 Coin Cruise Album o ers a self-guided journey through the Texas stretch of Route 66, with collectible coins at iconic stops and exclusive group discounts.

Step into the real Texas—where historic highways meet bold horizons.

PHOTOS BY MINDY PASTROVICH, COURTESY INTERNATIONAL ROUTE 66 MOTHER ROAD FESTIVAL

A hot rod at Springfield’s International Route 66 Mother Road Festival 66 100 Y EARS GETYOUR K I CKS IN2o26

Classic cars at the festival