23 June 2026
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This summer, plan a trip to one of the best food cities in the U.S., where you can sip award-winning local wines, enjoy creative alfresco tasting menus or indulge in unforgettable fried chicken and fresh oysters straight from the ocean. Each of these five destinations stands apart for its distinctive culinary identity, which is rooted in regional traditions, shaped by global influences and elevated by MICHELIN Guide restaurants.
And while exceptional food is often the main draw, the most compelling culinary destinations offer far more than what’s on the plate. From mountain hikes and vineyard tours to live music and cultural attractions, these places invite deeper exploration. Spanning California Wine Country, Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, the South Carolina coast and more, each destination delivers a rich mix of food, culture and summertime adventure for a well-rounded travel experience.
Outdoorsy Fun and Farm-to-Table Fare in Asheville, North Carolina
This laid-back, bohemian mountain town is the ultimate summer destination for travelers whose ideal day revolves around outdoor and artistic adventures, with exceptional meals in between. With its creative Appalachian cuisine, (resourceful, farm-to-table cooking rooted in the mountains and valleys of the Eastern U.S.), craft breweries and a sophisticated chef scene, Asheville, North Carolina, offers all the fixings for a great culinary escape. Plus, its higher elevation temperatures — thanks to the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains — keep things cooler than other places in the U.S. South at this time of year.
After Hurricane Helene devastated much of western North Carolina in 2024, Asheville faced a long road to recovery, but the city’s resilience and community spirit fueled a remarkable comeback. Today, the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway — a 469-mile (755-km) scenic roadway that stretches from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the mountains of North Carolina — is fully reopened, galleries in the city’s River Arts District have returned and restaurants and hotels are back in business.
Where to Eat
In and around Asheville, farm-to-table cooking has always been a way of life, and chefs have been pioneers in elevating and celebrating regional ingredients and flavors. Start your day with house-made sourdough topped with confit mushrooms at Mother, a cheerful bakery and cafe housed in a former garage that uses locally milled flour and seasonal fruits and vegetables on its menu. Open since 2003, Sunny Point Café is a beloved destination for breakfast and lunch, with dishes like carrot hotcakes served with cardamom cream cheese and maple syrup, and green shakshuka (baked eggs with sauteed greens and feta) made with produce grown onsite.For dinner, go for small plates: Cúrate Bar de Tapas is a lively spot for excellent Spanish-meets-Appalachian “farm-to-table pintxos” and wines. Chef Katie Button lets local ingredients shine in dishes like berenjenas bon miel (fried eggplant, with local honey and rosemary) and pimientos de piquillo rellenos, piquillo peppers with goat cheese from nearby Round Mountain Creamery, parsley and salsa verde.
Authentic North Carolina-style barbecue can be found in roadside joints and family-style restaurants all over Asheville, as well as a few unexpected places, like Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse. Try the smoked Carolina pork shoulder, which comes with toasted rye bread, fire-roasted kimchi and yuzu pickles, and pair it with a craft beer on tap from local breweries like Hi-Wire or Old Hickory.
What to See and Do
Before settling in for a satisfying meal, get your fill of the outdoors with a paddleboarding or kayaking trip down the French Broad River or a hike in Pisgah National Forest. Asheville has several farmers’ markets, but the North Asheville Tailgate Market, open Saturdays year-round, is especially worth a stop for delicious finds from more than 70 vendors, such as wood-fired sourdough bread from Hominy Farm and tea blends from Asheville Tea Company, which are made with regionally grown botanicals and herbs.Where to Stay
When it comes to deciding where to stay, the stylish Flat Iron Hotel is a newer addition to Asheville’s lodging scene and home to Luminosa, a restaurant serving wood-fired Italian dishes. The Radical, located in the River Arts District, embodies the city’s creative side, with bold decor inspired by street art. For a more intimate experience, Blind Tiger is a beautifully updated 19th-century Queen Anne-style house with 14 guest rooms.
Good Times and Global Flavors in Nashville, Tennessee
Home to the Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium, Nashville (nicknamed “Music City”) is best known as America’s country music heart. And while it’s almost as famous for its Southern comfort food (think biscuits and gravy, mac and cheese and collard greens) and hot chicken (a crispy type of fried chicken coated in a cayenne-spiced hot oil), the Tennessee capital has, in recent years, also developed one of the fastest growing dining scenes in the U.S. South.
In summer, travelers come for the food — along with the city’s outdoor and late-night dining culture — but they are also enticed by its rooftop pools, live outdoor music and more.
Where to Eat
A tourism boom has attracted talented chefs who create diverse, globally inspired dining concepts while building on the city’s strong Southern food traditions, with many of their restaurants now being included in the MICHELIN Guide as of late 2025. Locals and visitors alike can feast on anything from traditional Southern barbecue to contemporary American tasting menus and Asian fusion cuisines.For an upscale night out, book a table at Tailor, where Chef Vivek Surti artfully marries his Indian and Southern heritage with dishes like a tomato sandwich with masala onion aioli or chicken from Caney Fork Farm flavored with fenugreek, ginger and coconut. Or try Audrey, an ode to Appalachian cuisine with dishes like succotash with hominy and preserved tomatoes, or pork from Bear Creek Farm with black sunchoke gravy, grilled blueberries and purslane. If you’re craving barbecue, Shotgun Willie’s, in nearby Madison, has some of the best pulled pork, brisket and salt-and-pepper pork ribs.
In Nashville’s Highland Yards complex, Kisser is a cozy lunch spot serving Japanese dishes like beef tataki udon and snow crab onigiri. The city’s Thai cooking is strong, from traditional and modern dishes like trout laab (a boldly flavored minced meat salad from northeastern Thailand and Laos) at International Market to crispy Thai-style fried chicken at S.S. Gai.
What to See and Do
Be sure to soak up the city’s music culture before, during or after a good meal. At Centennial Park, Musicians Corner is a free outdoor concert series where you can hear everything from soul to mariachi. The Four Seasons Hotel Nashville’s refreshing rooftop infinity-edge pool has skyline views and a large deck where musicians perform on Wednesday nights all season long.And if the summer heat is still too much to bear, retreat to one of the city’s airconditioned museums. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is a must-see, but other worthwhile stops include the Frist Art Museum, the National Museum of African American Music and the Johnny Cash Museum. Another way to stay cool is to rent a kayak and explore the Cumberland River, or escape the sun completely and head underground for a guided cave tour at Dunbar Cave State Park, about an hour outside of the city.
Where to Stay
Just like its dining scene, the city has a range of hotel options for different budgets and styles. Drift Nashville is an affordable stay with inviting indoor-outdoor spaces, a coffee bar and a regular calendar of events. At the other end of the spectrum, the historic Hermitage Hotel offers luxurious rooms with 24-hour room service and a grand lobby.
Scenic Hikes and Refined Bites in Aspen, Colorado
If you’ve never experienced the posh winter ski destination of Aspen in the summer, you’re in for a treat. With alpine lakes and fields of wildflowers replacing snowy slopes, the mountain scenery surrounding this Colorado resort town is just as glorious — and less crowded — in the off-season. It’s also a great place to escape the heat, with summer highs in the 70s F (low to mid-20s C).
This year is an especially good one for visiting, as celebrations around America's 250th anniversary and Colorado's 150th anniversary as a U.S. state are driving special programming throughout the summer, such as heritage tours and exhibits, drone shows lighting up the sky and outdoor music festivals.
Where to Eat
Aspen is a resort town through and through, which means high-end dining with strong wine and cocktail programs and luxurious hotels. Diners can expect a chef-driven mix of upscale restaurants, après-ski favorites and globally inspired cuisine that focuses on seasonality and local ingredients from the Rocky Mountains, such as game like bison and elk and foraged foods like juniper berries and spruce tips.At Bosq, Chef Barclay Dodge uses ingredients from the area’s farms, fields and mountains to create imaginative dishes that reflect the changing seasons, like beef tenderloin with charred carrots and black trumpet mushrooms, or lobster grilled over juniper branches. In the swanky Hotel Jerome, Prospect serves fancied-up bistro fare like pan-roasted duck, short ribs with whipped potatoes and Colorado lamb with grilled carrots.
One of the finest (and most famous) stays is The Little Nell, a hotel that’s also home to the glitzy fine-dining restaurant Element 47. Although it’s open for three meals a day, this is a place to go big at dinner: the locally sourced menu is a tempting lineup of classics like beef Wellington, butter-poached lobster and for dessert, baked Alaska.
At Mawa’s Kitchen, which blends African, Mediterranean, French and American cuisines, Chef Mawa McQueen has won over a devoted following for her jerk salmon, chicken yassa and traditional Spanish paella.
What to See and Do
A popular summer activity is hiking, especially on Maroon Bells Scenic Trail, named for Colorado’s famous twin bell-shaped peaks. The mountain views are incredible, but you’ll also encounter crystal-clear lakes, flower-filled valleys and maybe even some wildlife. Aspen may be small, but it has enough boutiques to fill an afternoon of shopping, from high-end western-wear at Kemo Sabe to clothing by luxury brands like Bode and Isabel Marant at Pitkin County Dry Goods.If you’re in the mood for a culture break, go gallery hopping or visit The Aspen Art Museum, which has interesting contemporary exhibitions. Starting in July, the Aspen Music Festival, one of the top classical music events in the U.S., offers eight weeks of performances throughout the city with a 2026 theme of “For All” that features American composers. The Aspen Ideas Festival, running from late June through early July, is using the U.S. Declaration of Independence (from 1776 to 2026) as a guiding theme.
Where to Stay
If you want to stay close to downtown shops and restaurants, Mollie Aspen is a boutique hotel right on Main Street. It has a sleek, Japanese-Scandinavian design and third-floor terrace with a pool and views of Aspen mountain. In the winter, the Viceroy Snowmass is a popular choice for its ski-in/ski-out access, but in the warmer months, guests can enjoy farmer’s market tours with a hotel chef, e-bike rentals and a pool with private cabanas.
Scenic Strolls and Neighborhood Spots in Charleston, South Carolina
Long considered one of the top dining destinations in the country, Charleston joined the MICHELIN Guide in late 2025, cementing itself as a serious globally-recognized food city. For a relatively small city, it is packed with restaurants run by ambitious chefs who are putting their own spin on Lowcountry fare (seafood- and rice-based dishes shaped by coastal geography and West African and Gullah Geechee heritage) and global cuisines alike. Summer is a great time to visit this coastal charmer and enjoy meals on sunny patios and creative cocktails on hotel rooftops.
Where to Eat
One of the challenges of dining here is deciding whether to return to longtime favorites or try newer spots. Chef Mike Lata’s Fig has been an institution for more than two decades, and one bite of his pillowy ricotta gnocchi with lamb bolognese explains why. Husk, another iconic restaurant, still turns out thoughtfully prepared Southern fare like deviled eggs with Bloody Mary jam even after 15 years.Charleston has a number of exceptional neighborhood spots that are date night-worthy, but comfortable enough for a weeknight. Vern’s is one of the best, with its expertly curated wine list, simple pastas and seasonal, produce-forward small plates, such as strawberries with snap peas, caraway seeds and feta. Or go for fried chicken, Champagne and oysters at Leon’s Oyster Shop, located in a converted garage turned fun hangout.
Chubby Fish’s “dock to table” menu showcases the best local seafood in dishes like grilled Steamboat Creek oysters with crab fat curry and chili-garlic shrimp. The restaurant doesn’t take reservations, so put your name on the list and know that the wait is worth it.
What to See and Do
The Holy City (named for its many churches) is made for exploring on foot (or bike), allowing you to take in the colorful row houses, historic downtown market and breezy Waterfront Park. King Street is a hub for independent boutiques, bookstores and places to grab a coffee or glass of wine, as well as standout hotels like The Pinch, The Restoration and Hotel Bennett. Go gallery hopping in the French Quarter neighborhood, which is also home to the Gibbes Museum of Art. Summer is a great time to get out on the water; many companies offer sunset tours of the harbor.For a deeper understanding of Charleston — and U.S. — history, visit the new International African American Museum, which offers a powerful look at the African American experience. The city is also honoring the country’s 250th anniversary with special Revolutionary War- and Civil War-themed events.
Where to Stay
With decor inspired by Charleston’s public and private gardens, The Loutrel is a serene stay in the French Quarter with rooftop cocktail service and well-appointed rooms with lots of natural light. For a more intimate experience, Zero George has 18 rooms in four beautifully restored residences dating back to 1804 and two brick carriage houses.
Wine Country Charm and Creative Tasting Menus in Healdsburg, California
Napa might be the most popular destination for a wine-focused vacation in Northern California, but if you’d prefer a more laid-back experience with a small-town feel, Healdsburg may be an even better choice. Located in Sonoma County, it’s smaller than Napa, but that’s a good thing. The town has everything you need for a summertime stay: excellent restaurants highlighting the best local ingredients, a charming and walkable downtown and easy access to tasting rooms in three different wine regions — Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Russian River Valley.
This summer, visitors can alternate between wine tastings and summer concerts and festivals, such as Healdsburg’s Jazz Festival, Juneteenth Celebration, Arts Festival and Plaza summer concerts with local bands and food vendors.
Where to Eat
When it comes to dining, chefs follow the California Cuisine seasonal eating philosophy but with a nuanced global twist, taking full advantage of the nearby vineyards, countryside and sea by pairing expertly crafted, hyperlocal dishes with regional wines.The most luxurious Healdsburg experience is at SingleThread, an elegant, Japanese-inspired restaurant and inn with a long list of accolades. With just five guest rooms and an intimate dining space, reservations book far in advance, even after opening a decade ago. Chef Kyle Connaughton sources ingredients for his kaiseki tasting menus from SingleThread’s farm, which is run by his wife, Katina Connaughton. A summer meal might include sungold tomato sorbet with clingstone peaches, plated on a bed of ice surrounded with a painterly arrangement of greenery and miniature tomatoes on the vine.
Inside Hotel Healdsburg, Chef Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen offers seasonal tasting menus, three-course dinners (don’t miss the 50-layer lasagna or the Manila clam chowder) and reportedly the largest Sonoma County wine list in the world. At The Matheson, global and California influences combine in dishes like Dungeness crab pasta with kombu beurre blanc.
What to See and Do
As outstanding as the food scene is, you’re likely here for the wine. Understanding the three primary valleys can help you tailor an itinerary to your tastes: Alexander Valley is known for cabernet sauvignon, the Russian River Valley is prized for chardonnay and pinot noir and Dry Creek Valley is all about sauvignon blanc and zinfandel.Kayaking and canoeing are other ways to explore the Russian River Valley — the river’s clear, cool waters are wonderful in the summer. Just outside of town, you can take an awe-inspiring (and pleasantly shady) hike among ancient redwood trees at Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. The Healdsburg Farmers Market is a welcoming community gathering place where you can appreciate the full summer bounty of this beautiful part of the country.
Where to Stay
A delightful change of pace from a traditional resort, The Madrona is an 1881 estate with an ornate mansion-turned-boutique hotel, bungalows and an impressive array of amenities, including a lovely pool, e-bikes and breakfast with fresh orange juice from the property’s fruit trees.
Hero image: Collage: © John Fielder/Colorado Collection | © The Radical | © Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. | © Kristen Holliday/Audrey | © Shawn O'Connor/Prospect | © Zero George | © Paige Greene Photo/Dry Creek Kitchen
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