Essential vacation planning tips for foodies
Everything you need to know to plan unforgettable food experiences for your next trip
My vacations almost always revolve around food. What we’re going to eat. Where we’re going to eat. When we’re going to eat. And how we’re going to fit in everything I want to try. While my husband focuses on the sightseeing, I’m the one planning where to make lunch or dinner reservations near each stop on our itinerary.
Before any trip, I do a fair bit of research on the local cuisine: must-try dishes and restaurants, regional specialties, what’s grown and produced locally, and any food-related experiences worth checking out. I find that you can learn so much about a place and its culture through the food.
Today I’m sharing some of my favorite food-related vacation activities—plus tips for finding the best ones. Whether you’re a die-hard foodie or just curious to sample the local cuisine, I hope this inspires you to discover new and delicious ways to explore a destination.
Recommended Food-Centric Vacation Activities
1. Food/ culinary production tours
Food or culinary production tours are immersive experiences where you visit places that produce a specific food or drink—like farms, dairies, vineyards, caves, factories, or breweries—to see firsthand how those products are made. You’ll learn a lot about a region and its economy, receive expert insights on the production process (from raw ingredients to finished product), and hear interesting stories and traditions from the producers and artisans themselves. Many tours include delicious tastings—a personal highlight of this experience.
Some fun options:
Champagne vineyards and cellars in the Champagne region of France
Balsamic vinegar aging facilities in Modena, Italy
Prosciutto curing cellars in Parma, Italy
Roquefort cheese caves in southern France
Sake breweries and matcha tea plantations in Japan
Manuka honey farms in New Zealand
Vanilla farms in Veracruz, Mexico
Last summer, I visited a Parmigiano Reggiano cheese factory in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. I observed the entire production process—from feeding and milking the cows, to making and aging the cheese, to packaging and selling it in their retail shop. I sampled several of their cheeses and learned how the aging process impacts flavor.
While in Costa Rica a few years ago, I explored how coffee and chocolate are made—both very fascinating processes. And, of course, there were many tasty samples to enjoy along the way.
2. Food tours (aka guided food tastings)
Food tours are guided experiences—usually led by a local expert or food enthusiast—that take you through a city or neighborhood to sample a variety of local dishes. While many focus on street food or traditional fare, others spotlight markets or specific themes like desserts, wine, or vegan eats.
They’re a delicious way to orient yourself in a new city, discover hidden gems only locals know about, learn the history and culture behind the food, and try a wide range of small bites in one outing.
One of the best food tours I’ve ever experienced was at Borough Market in London. Borough Market can be a huge and overwhelming place, but our tour guide took us to some of the best spots (ranging from dosas to fish and chips)—plus a few local favorites nearby.
Depending on the location, food tours can take place on foot, by bike, scooter, bus, or even boat. Some are designed for larger groups and offer a great way to meet like-minded foodie travelers. Others are private (and often a bit pricier), but provide a more personalized experience tailored to your family or travel group’s preferences. One of the best parts is that the planning’s already done—you just show up and eat!
3. Food crawls
Food crawls, similar to bar crawls, are typically more casual and social than traditional food tours. Often self-guided, they involve hopping from spot to spot to sample different dishes across multiple restaurants, cafés, or food stalls in a single outing.
Some crawls are built around a theme—like pizza, desserts, or tacos—while others focus on exploring a specific neighborhood or regional cuisine.
Planning a food crawl takes a bit more time and effort, but the upside is full control. You get to choose exactly where to go and what to eat. And unlike an organized food tour, you’re not tied to a preset list of stops or dishes you’re less excited about.
Last weekend, my husband, son, and I went on a dumpling crawl in NYC, hitting seven different spots across Chinatown and the Lower East Side (more on that, possibly, in a future post!). It was a fantastic way to spend time together and sample a variety of dumplings, all within a walkable area. It was a fun, memorable outing, and I’m already planning the next one.
A few quick tips for planning the perfect food crawl:
Pick a theme.
Devise a loose map that includes a reasonable amount of walking between stops.
Order small and share plates. We often order only one item per stop and share it. (On our local NYC crawls, we even bring takeout containers to pack up leftovers.)
Start hungry, pace yourself, take breaks, and don’t forget to hydrate!
4. Locally taught cooking classes
Locally taught cooking classes—led by chefs, home cooks, or culinary instructors—let you prepare traditional dishes from the region you’re visiting. Whether making sushi in Tokyo, macarons in Paris, or tagine in Marrakech, these hands-on experiences are a delicious way to connect with a place. Some classes are in groups, while others are private.
Cooking classes are special because you’re not only making and tasting the food, but also learning how it’s made from someone who grew up with it. You leave with new techniques, authentic recipes to recreate at home, and a story behind each dish that makes it even more meaningful. Most classes end with everyone sitting down to enjoy the meal together in a warm, communal setting.
My family and I took an incredible pasta making class at a beautiful home in the hills outside Bologna, Italy. It was taught by a local woman who shared recipes passed down for generations: homemade truffle tagliatelle, lasagne Bolognese, and gnocchi fritti (fried bread stuffed with mortadella). It was easily one of the best food experiences of our trip—better than most restaurant meals.
5. Farmers markets
Farmers markets are community marketplaces—usually outdoors and centrally located—where local farmers, food producers, and artisans sell directly to consumers. In addition to fresh fruits and vegetables, there’s a wide range of perishable and prepared goods, including eggs, meats, seafood, dairy, baked goods, jams, flowers, and more.
Most produce from farmers markets is harvested just a day or two before sale, making it fresher (and often more flavorful) than what you’d find in many grocery stores. Farmers markets also reflect what’s in season and locally grown, offering a delicious way to experience a region’s culture through its food—while supporting small producers and the local economy.
Many markets go beyond food, with live music, kids’ activities, cooking demos, and food trucks, making them fun to visit even if you’re not shopping for groceries.
You’ll find many standout farmers markets around the world: Marché d’Aligre in Paris, La Boqueria in Barcelona, Union Square Greenmarket in NYC, Pike Place Market in Seattle, Mercado de San Juan in Mexico City, Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne, and Nishiki Market in Kyoto, to name just a few.
6. Foraging excursions
Foraging excursions are guided tours that take you through woodlands, coastlines, or even urban areas to discover (and often harvest) wild edible plants and fungi. They’re a unique way to connect with nature and experience highly localized, seasonal foods you won’t typically find in restaurants. Many end with a gourmet meal made from the ingredients you’ve foraged.
I haven’t done a foraging excursion (yet!), but there are some incredible options: truffle hunting in Provence, seaweed foraging along UK’s Cornish coast, wild berry and mushroom foraging in the Pacific Northwest, urban foraging in NYC (think edible plants and herbs growing in parks!), and vegetable foraging in Japan’s mountain regions. Definitely keep an eye out for opportunities like these wherever you travel!
7. Food festivals & street fairs
Lastly, a food festival or street fair is a public, usually outdoor event that celebrates food, community, and local culture. These gatherings typically feature food stalls or trucks run by vendors and artisans offering local products, snacks, and regional specialties. Many also include live music, games, rides, and other family-friendly entertainment.
What makes food festivals and street fairs great is the chance to sample lots of small bites from different vendors all in one place. They highlight local cuisine and culture, showcasing what locals love to eat and celebrate. Many events feature local chefs and restaurants serving samples of their signature dishes.
Street fairs usually don’t require reservations—just show up and eat. But many food festivals do, often charging a flat fee to sample a variety of foods.
Last year, I went to the One Bite Pizza Festival on Roosevelt Island in NYC. I sampled small slices from about 10 of the 50 pizza vendors participating from across the U.S. (with a strong East Coast presence). I finally got to try a few places I’d been curious about for years—like Lucali in Brooklyn. I left stuffed, happy, and eager to return this year to try even more.
Some noteworthy annual festivals:
NYC Wine & Food Festival – A weeklong event. Last year, I went to a tasting at the top of One World Trade Center—pretty cool. Bonus: much of the proceeds support food-related charities.
South Beach Wine & Food Festival – Held in sunny Miami Beach, Florida.
Oktoberfest (Munich, Germany) – Technically a beer fest, but there’s plenty of food too.
Gilroy Garlic Festival (Gilroy, California) – Bring mints.
Alba White Truffle Festival (Alba, Italy) – Sign me up for this one, please.
Tips for finding the best food activities
Here are some tips to help you plan the best foodie experiences for your next vacation:
Do your research. What are the signature dishes of the place(s) you’re visiting? What foods are grown and produced locally? Are there any food markets, festivals, or big culinary events happening during your trip? Are there food tours, cooking classes, or other culinary experiences available—and which companies operate them?
Get recommendations. For me, this is one of the most valuable sources—and it can save a lot of time and effort. Talk to people you trust who have visited recently and can share up-to-date suggestions.
Check ratings and reviews. When an excursion catches your eye, look at its online ratings and read what others say. Firsthand accounts reveal the pros and cons (including feedback on tour guides) and can help you decide.
Plan and book early. Popular food activities often fill up months in advance, so start making reservations as soon as you begin mapping your itinerary.
Arrive hungry. For nearly every activity on this list, it’s best to come hungry since you’ll be sampling lots of different foods.
Have a delicious week!
TOTALLY dig this culinary, food-focused to-do list, and in particular, the opening lines of the first two paragraphs, from both a casual reader who eats and food writing perspective are A++++ btw : )
I am always revolving my trip around the food, not the other way around!!