Indigenous travel experiences to try close to home

• Across the U.S. many Native tribes have opened their doors to cultural tourism, sharing their heritage while bringing business to their communities.
• Kevin Pi’ilani Hoke proudly shares his traditions with tourists through his company, Hawaiian Outrigger Experience.
• Spa Pechanga in Temecula, California, incorporates Pechanga culture in everything from treatments to decor.
• Owamni by The Sioux Chef in Minneapolis serves modern takes on Native cuisine using traditional ingredients sourced from Indigenous and local food producers.

Travelers will go across the world to immerse themselves in other cultures when there are hundreds to explore right here at home. 

“With the impact of COVID-19 on travel, people have been wanting to get out of the metropolitan cities, away from people, and get to those beautiful outdoor spaces in their own backyard,” said Sherry Rupert, CEO of the nonprofit American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA). “A lot of people don’t realize that in their backyard are these 574 tribes that are so unique and diverse at the same time.”