Across the United States, resorts are inviting guests to explore local food beyond the dining room. Activities range from fishing and oyster harvesting to cooking classes, farm tours and foraging walks--bringing travelers closer to regional ingredients and the people who work with them.
From the water to the table
At La Pesca Lodge on Texas's Baffin Bay, guests can fish with local guides and bring their catch back to the lodge, where chefs prepare dishes such as ceviche and grilled fillets. Virginia's Tides Inn offers a different coastal experience: visitors join an ecologist to learn about oyster cultivation, help collect oysters and practice shucking.
Cooking, growing and gathering
In Arizona, Andaz Scottsdale Resort and Bungalows hosts hands-on pasta-making classes, while Castle Hot Springs pairs a farm tour with a mixology lesson using herbs and produce grown on the property. Tennessee's Blackberry Farm introduces visitors to its gardens, livestock and dairy, with tastings of farmstead products.
At Wildflower Farms in New York's Hudson Valley, guests can learn sourdough basics and make focaccia with herbs and other toppings. In California, Alila Ventana Big Sur leads guided walks that introduce guests to edible plants and botanicals, with a separate class focused on creating cocktails from foraged ingredients. Wisconsin's Osthoff Resort also offers practical cooking classes throughout the year.
These experiences make food a way to understand a destination, connecting travel with local landscapes, skills and traditions. As more resorts bring guests into the process of growing, gathering and preparing ingredients, culinary activities may become an increasingly hands-on part of travel.
