Honoring Heritage: A Native American Heritage Month Travel Guide

Every November, Native American Heritage Month offers an opportunity to honor the cultures, histories, and contributions of Indigenous peoples across the United States. It's also a time for reflection, remembrance, and respectful exploration.

Discover destinations across the U.S. where Native American stories, artistry, and legacies are honored year-round, each experience offering meaningful ways to celebrate this important month.

Wisconsin: Ancestral Land

In Wisconsin, Native American culture isn’t a side note — it’s foundational. Home to eleven sovereign nations, the state invites visitors to explore landscapes shaped by thousands of years of Indigenous stewardship.

• Start your journey at Frog Bay Tribal National Park, the nation’s first Tribal National Park. Located in Red Cliff on the shores of Lake Superior, this protected area showcases the ecological knowledge and cultural history of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Trails and interpretive signs designed by tribal staff invite you into a story of resilience, biodiversity, and place. [Image courtesy of Travel Wisconsin]
• Just down the road in Bayfield, sip sustainably at Copper Crow Distillery, the only Native American-owned distillery in the U.S. This innovative venture transforms whey by-products into award-winning spirits, combining Indigenous values with environmental innovation.

Estes Park, Colorado: First Peoples Festival

Mark your calendars for January 16–18, 2026 — Estes Park’s First Peoples Festival is set to be a stunning Rocky Mountain celebration of Indigenous creativity, resilience, and culture. Anchored by a competition powwow, Indigenous art market, and fashion show, the festival brings together Native voices through storytelling, film, food, and tradition. Events like the Indigenous-Inspired Dinner at Twin Owls and the Indigenous Vendor Market offer immersive opportunities to connect with artists, chefs, and creators whose work tells the story of Indigenous identity and innovation.

Albuquerque: Cultural Traditions

The centrally located Albuquerque area is the perfect starting point from which to explore New Mexico’s Native American heritage — the state is home to 23 Indian tribes. In the city itself, there are an array of experiences for visitors.

• The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque features a museum, restaurant and gift shop, in addition to regular dance performances and exhibits of weaving, pottery, jewelry, clothing and photography.
• Petroglyph National Monument showcases the work of ancestral Puebloans. More than 20,000 human and animal images, effigies and symbols are etched onto the black surface of volcanic rocks along Albuquerque’s West Mesa.
• Discover authentic crafts in Historic Old Town, where you can buy directly from artisans selling silver and turquoise jewelry, pottery, drums, carvings, clothing, and weavings.

Nebraska: Echoes Across the Plains

The Great Plains of Nebraska have long been home to Indigenous peoples whose histories remain etched into the land. From sacred powwows to historic sites and artist collectives, the state offers numerous touchpoints for meaningful engagement.

• Experience the Winnebago Powwow, held the last weekend in July, to witness ceremonial dance, regalia, and the community spirit of the tribe’s annual Homecoming Celebration.
• Visit the Inner Maker Art Village to purchase handmade jewelry and artwork crafted by registered tribal members, with all proceeds supporting Indigenous artists and education.
• At the Genoa Indian School Interpretive Center, learn about the experiences of Native children in federal boarding schools, a difficult but essential part of understanding the full scope of American history.
  
  

Tupelo, Mississippi: Heart of the Chickasaw Homeland

Located along the legendary Natchez Trace Parkway, Tupelo is sacred ground to the Chickasaw people, who thrived here long before their forced removal in the 1830s. Today, their stories are being re-centered and retold in bold new ways.

• Set to open in 2026, the Chickasaw Heritage Center will offer a world-class educational and cultural experience that celebrates the Nation’s deep-rooted connection to the land.
• While you wait for the center’s opening, walk the Chickasaw Heritage Trail, a powerful route that traces the paths of tribal leaders, thriving villages, and the Chickasaw’s enduring contributions to American history.

Tennessee: Legacy of the Land

The name “Tennessee” comes from Tanasi, a former Cherokee village — just one example of how deeply Native culture is embedded in the state’s identity.

• Walk among ancient earthen mounds at Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park, a 1,200-acre complex with over a dozen ceremonial and burial mounds.
• Visit the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum to honor the Cherokee man who invented a writing system that preserved an entire language, an unprecedented achievement in linguistic history.
• At Red Clay State Historic Park and the Cherokee Removal Memorial Park, stand in remembrance of the tragic Trail of Tears and those who endured it. These sacred sites mark the final chapters of the Cherokee Nation's presence in Tennessee and pay homage to their strength and survival.

South Carolina: Preserving the Past

Home to more than a dozen state-recognized tribes and the federally recognized Catawba Nation, South Carolina’s Native heritage is rich and deeply rooted. Many of South Carolina’s rivers and landmarks still bear Indigenous names — from the Pee Dee to the Wateree — reflecting the ancestral ties of tribes who’ve lived here for centuries. Explore the Native American Studies Center in Lancaster, which houses the world’s largest collection of Catawba Indian pottery. This state-of-the-art facility also preserves Native languages, folklore, and oral history through educational programs and rotating exhibits.