The sweet smell of change wafts through the air as spring slowly turns into summer, ushering in a new wave of produce, ripe for the plucking. All across the country, farmers markets’ cups runneth over, bursting with colorful fruits and vegetables for sale. The ripest tomatoes, sweet corn, eggplant, and berries come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. They lay freshly picked from the abundant fields, just waiting to be transformed into delectable seasonal dishes.
With a growing popularity in the farm-to-table movement, you don’t have to look too far—even on getaways—for a meal crafted using locally-sourced ingredients that change according to the seasons. Food has a unique way of crafting a story about the place you’re visiting, uniting people and sparking their curiosity for knowledge.
A shared meal, a walk in the vineyard with a glass of freshly poured wine, and a cooking lesson that teaches you the basics of Southern cuisine or pastry making are all ways to learn about food in the city you’re visiting. A stay at any of these seven hotels across the country offers everything from mixology lessons and hands-on cooking classes with James Beard award-winning chefs, to wine tastings and cooking camps for the aspiring young chef, giving you a chance to immerse in local culture and simply try something new.