Vacationers across the globe are constantly looking to experience Native American travel food when visiting the United States or Canada. Native American cuisine is more than food. It represents an edible history of Native American culture, society, and heritage. With over 500 federally recognized Native tribes in the United States, there are dozens of inspiring destinations on your Native American cuisine vacation. If you are interested in the best cultural dishes to help you explore North America’s oldest cultures, there are several destinations on your Native cuisine itinerary to Indian Country.
Indian Country (that’s the name for all of the reservations) is home to the first peoples of this country. There you’ll find a wide range of cultures, activities and magnificent scenery. Indian reservations are not in good economic shape. To make things worse COVID has attacked them more than any other group. There are no poorer, sicker, and at-risk Americans. You can help! Go visit, book a tour, eat at their restaurants, buy jewelry and pottery, play at their casinos, or get a permit for fishing or camping on a Reservation. Tourism dollars are a great way to support them.
This five part series only scratches the surface on where you can visit to see the American Indian experience. I do not even cover Alaska, Hawaii and Canada at all. Since the Indians were the original inhabitants of our country, they have many sights, memorials, and monuments in every state.
Cultural Native American Foods In Washington D.C.
The National Museum of the American Indian has a collection that covers cultures from all of the Americas, displaying more than 800,000 items. A good orientation inside is the 13 minute film, Who We Are, to give you a good visual background for the visit. The Mitsitam Cafe is a great spot for lunch while there and enjoy authentic Native American foods. www.nmai.si.edu
You will learn some important Indian history just by going to see the state statues in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center. Seven in particular are related to Native Americans. Standing Bear for Nebraska, Sarah Winnemucca for Nevada, Po’pay for New Mexico, Sakakawea for North Dakota, Will Rogers and Sequoyah for Oklahoma and Chief Washakie for Wyoming.
Tulalip & Quinault Cuisine In Washington State
Hibulb Cultural Center where you can to experience the history of the Tulalip people. Have dinner at the Tulalip Casino’s restaurant, The Blackfish. You will find a seafood menu specializing in regional ingredients and the Tulalip tradition.
Another great spot is the Quinault Indian Nation, see the Quinault Beach Casino and enjoy the views dining at Emily’s Oceanfront Restaurant.
Native American Fresh-Farmed Goods
When you travel to experience Native American food, you will find plenty of fresh grown produce. If you are a fan of the farm-to-table trend, this is some of the best food in the US….
The White Mountain Apaches in White River, AZ sell a variety of onions. You can get layered onions, fresh garlic and other organic produce at their local farmers market. You can shop on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month.
The Oneida Farmers Market in Green Bay, WI opens for the season on June 20. www.oneida-nsn.gov
Choctaw Indians in Mississippi operate the Choctaw Farmers’ Market. You can find it located on Highway 16 West in the Pearl River Community starting in June. www.facebook.com/choctawfreshproduce
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe has its Native Farmers Market in Michigan. www.facebook.com/pg/nativefarmersmarket
Seneca Nation Gakwiyoh Farms has organically quality food products including fruits and vegetables as well as many other products. You can find herbs, meat, all natural syrup and corn products. www.facebook.com/GakwiyohFarms
Post-Colonial Native American Cuisine Travel In New Mexico
New Mexico is a cultural hub for Native American food travel. Here, you can find dozens of incredible cultural dishes and restaurants prepared using authentic recipes. In New Mexico, one of the most well known restaurants to experience is Pueblo Harvest Café. Opened in Albuquerque in 1976, the Pueblo Harvest Café is a favorite for Native American food travelers all across the globe. The world famous restaurant is located right in the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. Within this cultural center, you can learn about the 19 New Mexican Pueblo tribes that run the restaurant, and many other establishments in the area. Be sure to try signature dishes like Ohkay Owingeh ovenbread pudding, Hazruquive stew, and frybread.
Pima & Maricopa Inspired Native American Fine Dining In Arizona
When visiting Arizona, there are dozens of incredible fine dining establishments for Native American food travel. A must visit on your trip, the world famous restaurant Kai uses ingredients from the Gila River Indian Community. This is a great way to experience cultural dishes of Native American tribes local to Arizona. While many dishes are very pricey, the famous restaurant has been awarded both the Forbes Five Star and AAA Five Diamond recognitions. Great place for a special occasion. Of course, indoor dining restrictions are constantly changing with the current pandemic. Be sure to read about our COVID-19 travel advisory information for tourists in order to learn more.
To experience more on your Native cuisine travel in Arizona, be sure to check out other staple restaurants like the Fry Bread House, Hopi Cultural Center, and Hogan Family Restaurant. These popular eateries additionally allow you to sample cuisine featured by Navajo, Hopi, American Indian, and White Mountain Apache tribes. While you are in Arizona, be sure to experience some positive spiritual vortexes in Sedona Arizona.
Authentic Cultural Cuisine In Tampa, Florida
Certainly, you can even enjoy some authentic Native American travel dishes in Tampa, Florida. One of the dishes most well-renowned in this area is known as Three Sisters. Simply, it is just a mixture of corn, beans, and squash, which are some of the primary agricultural crops in Native American heritage. There are plenty of incredible restaurants where you can order this dish, however, one of the most popular is Ulele. Here, you can enjoy the vibrant fusion of local ingredients from the Florida waters, which was home to many Native Americans. Of course, one of the most prominent being Princess Ulele. While you are in Florida, be sure to check out our guide on the top things to do Florida Space Coast to see more on your vacation.
Native American Osage Food Travel In Colorado
Visiting famous Colorado cities like Denver, there are dozens of Osage inspired restaurants and dishes for your Native American food travel. Owned by Ben Jacobs of the Osage Nation, famous restaurants like Tocabe are known for their meat pies, corn chowder, and fry bread. In addition to cultural Osage dishes, Tocabe additionally serves food inspired by other tribes like Cherokee and Red Lake Nation. Before you travel to the Rocky Mountain State, be sure to read our complete guide on how to diagnose and prevent high altitude sickness in Colorado. After that, look over the best active outdoor adventures Colorado you need to try to plan a trip that you will truly remember.
Colorado additionally offers the opportunity to learn about the Pueblo Indians. The Pueblo Indians lived at Mesa Verde from 600 to 1300 and left behind some of the best preserved sites in the country. Take a ranger-guided tour of their ancient cliff dwellings to get the most out of this amazing setting. There are a number of tours to choose from. Some of them involve climbing, hiking, and walking. Make your selection based on physical ability. Call 877-444-6777 for options. For other tour options go to www.visitmesaverde.com.
Grab a meal with a view at the lodge’s Metate Room restaurant. It is only open for dinner so try to be seated before sunset for the view. Make reservations at 970-529-4422. Maybe sleep overnight at the Far View Lodge inside the national park with spectacular vistas. It is located 15 miles inside the park and is the only choice inside.
20 miles south of Cortez, you can spend time discovering the history of the Utes tribe in Towaoc. You can find a half day tour for $29 or a full day for $ 48. For more information call 970-565-9653
The American West was changed forever in November 1864 with the Sand Creek Massacre in Eads. The ranger-led program will describe to you what happened there when 230 Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians were killed after a peace treaty was agreed upon months earlier. www.nps.gov/sand
Sioux Cuisine Experiences Is Minnesota
Minnesota, and Minneapolis in particular, is a major hub for Native American food travelers. After all, the word Minnesota is derived from the Native American term for ‘sky-tinted’ or ‘sky-blue’ waters. On your visit, be sure to stop by The Sioux Chef restaurant. This famous restaurant specializes in the cuisines of the indigenous Dakota and Minnesota territories. At the same time, you should consider popular establishments like Gatherings Café & Pow Wow Grounds on your Native American food travel visit to Minneapolis.
There are several Native American food travel destinations to visit on your upcoming vacation. With more vacationers eager to learn about the history, culture, and traditions of North America’s oldest culture this cuisine is becoming more popular in the United States. Several restaurants and cultural centers highlight the diversity of Native American cuisine across the country. If you are looking to learn more about Native American food and culture, consider visiting states like Washington, Arizona, Minnesota, and Colorado. There are even several popular establishments to experience on your New Mexico roadtrip travel itinerary. Read on to learn about the top destinations to experience Native American food travel in the United States.
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