Baltimore celebrates its African American legends and trailblazers. Baltimore’s jazz history is as old as the genre itself. The city greatly contributed to the development of East Coast ragtime, thanks largely to pianist and composer Eubie Blake, born in Baltimore in 1887. Today the Eubie Blake Cultural Center hosts cultural programmes and exhibitions featuring local and African American artists. Billie Holiday, also spent her early years in Baltimore. A bronze statue, complete with her signature gardenia, stands more than eight feet tall on Pennsylvania Avenue. Murals and portraits of Holiday can be found throughout her childhood neighborhoods of Upper Fell’s Point and at Pennsylvania and North Avenues.
In 1931, sisters Juanita and Virginia Jackson organised the City-Wide Young People’s Forum, which advocated for the end of discriminatory policies. Their mother, Lillie May Carroll Jackson was also a civil rights activist who grew the Baltimore branch of the NAACP into the largest in America. You can learn more about Jackson’s impact at the free Lillie Carroll Jackson Civil Rights Museum.
Also from Baltimore is Elijah E. Cummings, who served in the United States House of Representatives for Maryland’s 7th Congressional district for 23 years. He became an advocate for civil rights at age 11, in 1962, when he helped integrate a swimming pool. For years, Pool No. 2 in Druid Hill Park was the only recreational and competitive swimming facility for Black Baltimoreans. Today, the pool site is a public art installation by Joyce J. Scott.
Lastly, The Maryland Center for History and Culture contains more than 350,000 objects and seven million books and documents, including exhibits that tell the story of African American life in Baltimore. A new long-term exhibition, “Passion and Purpose: Voices of Maryland’s Civil Rights Activists,” invites visitors to listen to interviews from the individuals who have contributed to the continuing fight for civil rights in Maryland, from the Mitchell family to those involved in the 2015 Baltimore Uprising.
This year, the We Gatherin’ 2025 celebration spotlights each parish monthly through themes like Faith, Heritage, Adventure, and The Arts, combining immersive events, genealogy workshops, heritage exhibits, and community storytelling to honor and preserve Barbadian culture.
In other events Crop Over Festival is a 200-year-old tradition reimagined for today’s traveller, delivering a fusion of heritage, creativity, and community pride. It features calypso, costume design, culinary showcases, and the Grand Kadooment parade. The Holetown Festival commemorates the arrival of the first settlers in 1627 and includes a weeklong event of parades, vintage displays, and performances.
Celebrating Bajan heritage, the Historic Bridgetown & Its Garrison, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, blends 17th-century architecture with modern tours and museums that trace Barbados’ colonial, military, and emancipation-era history. Other attractions include the The Barbados Museum & Historical Society, housed in a 19th-century military prison, which traces 4,000 years of history from Indigenous life to post-emancipation Barbados, offering exhibitions and archives that serve scholars and tourists alike. The St. Nicholas Abbey & Heritage Railway is one of the last Jacobean mansions in the Caribbean. This preserved plantation includes a rum distillery, a museum, and a scenic heritage train.
And outdoors, the Arbib Nature & Heritage Trail, in Speightstown, connects lush landscapes with historic ruins and community heritage. It offers guided experiences that tie nature to the narrative. At Golden Square Freedom Park in Bridgetown, visitors learn about the national heroes and independence history with public art, installations, and open-air exhibitions that explore social justice and liberation.
Belize is home to various cultures, where ancient Maya temples, Garifuna rhythms, and Creole traditions weave together to tell a story that spans millennia. EcoMuseum Belize offers insights into Belize’s natural and cultural heritage while the San Antonio’s Women Cooperative teaches about traditional crafts with local artisans.
Culture and history are intertwined at Caracol and Xunantunich, ancient Mayan sites nestled in lush rainforests, offering a glimpse into a remarkable civilization. The Living Maya Experience in the Toledo District invites visitors to participate in traditional cooking, crafting, and storytelling with modern interpretation for tourism. The Belize Museum in Belize City also provides a comprehensive look at the country’s history and culture. At Gulisi Garifuna Museum visitors can explore local history, music, and resistance while the Lebeha Drumming Center invites you to engage in high-energy drumming
Cultural events also mark Belize. Garifuna Settlement Day on November 19 ushers in parades, reenactments of the Garifuna arrival. Incredible visuals and local pride on display. September Celebrations include Independence Day and St. George’s Caye Day with colourful parades, national pride, cultural showcases, and traditional food — Belize at its most festive.
Food lovers will want to schedule their visit around the Chocolate Festival of Belize in late May, an annual event celebrating cacao farmers, local chocolatiers, and Maya heritage. It highlights the Toledo District as the birthplace of cacao in Belize and showcases the importance of cacao farming and the chocolate industry to promote Belize’s economy and culture. Throughout the year, visit Che’il Mayan Chocolate to learn the art of chocolate making from a Maya family using traditional techniques
Cincinnati, Ohio
Get a taste for the U.S. in Cincinnati, a cultural hotspot that surprises Canadian visitors with history unlike any other state. The Cincinnati Museum Center, for example, is housed in a stunning Art Deco train station and features multiple museums including the Cincinnati History Museum and the Museum of Natural History & Science. The Cincinnati Art Museum is a cornerstone of the city’s arts scene, with over 67,000 works spanning 6,000 years and free general admission. It couples well with the Taft Museum of Art, featuring fine art in a historic landmark building, or the Contemporary Arts Center, a modern downtown museum with innovative exhibitions and interactive art experiences.
Learn about the city’s Civil Rights history at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center where you hear powerful stories of the Underground Railroad and ongoing struggles for freedom and human rights. The Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame is an interactive outdoor attraction celebrating the legacy of Black musicians from Cincinnati and beyond.
Cincy offers glimpses of its culture at every corner, In the Over-the-Rhine (OTR) Historic District, one of the largest urban historic districts in the U.S. boasts Italianate architecture, arts venues, theatres, and the iconic Cincinnati Music Hall. Hidden Brewery Caverns Tour offers a guided tour exploring Cincinnati’s historic underground brewery tunnels, paired with beer tasting. And sample local fare at Findlay Market, Ohio’s oldest continuously operated public market.
Cincy is well-known for its plentiful and thriving performing arts vibe. The Aronoff Center for the Arts is a premier downtown venue for ballet, Broadway shows, concerts, and art exhibitions, home to several resident arts companies. The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops are world-class orchestras performing classical and pops concerts at Music Hall.
On stage, the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company brings both old and new stage shows to life, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati produces compelling contemporary theatre in the heart of OTR while the Cincinnati Ballet presents classics and new works, often at Music Hall. And no visit is complete with a show at the Cincinnati Opera, one of the oldest opera companies in the U.S., performing at the historic Music Hall.
Greater Louisville, Kentucky/Indiana
Sip some culture at Kentucky Peerless Distilling Company, where this family-run distillery invites guests to learn about its historic roots and sample its small-batch bourbon and rye through guided tastings and tours. Over at Brough Brothers Distillery, Louisville’s first African American-owned distillery, offers a unique perspective on the bourbon tradition.
Louisville also has a rich history of Black culture across the city. The art installation called “On the Banks of Freedom” is located at the end of Tenth and Main Streets and honors enslaved individuals in Kentucky. Featuring broken chains and symbolic imagery, it marks the Ohio River as the historic dividing line between slavery in Kentucky and freedom in Indiana.
The Frazier Kentucky History Museum offers specialised tours that explore the essential roles that Black Americans played in the development of Kentucky’s bourbon industry. As part of Museum Row, it offers an immersive dive into the state’s cultural heritage. Louisville also celebrates Black heritage at the Muhammad Ali Center, on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, that celebrates the life and legacy of boxing champion and activist Muhammad Ali. Exhibits highlight his influence on sports, justice, and humanitarianism. There’s also SEEK Museum & Louisville Downtown Civil Rights Trail, part of the U.S. Civil Rights Trail that provides deep insights into Kentucky’s role in the national movement. The SEEK Museum in Russellville and the walking trail through Downtown Louisville both commemorate key moments in local civil rights history.
The Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is an iconic stop on Museum Row that highlights the craft of baseball bat making and stories from Black baseball legends who broke barriers and made history on and off the field.
Greater Miami & Miami Beach began as a riverside settlement founded by indigenous people. The destination was built on a confluence of cultures that are still thriving today. Institutions also celebrate Miami’s culture. Miami Carnival returns for its 41st edition in October 2025. The Haitian Heritage Museum is a not-for-profit organization committed to highlighting and preserving Haiti’s rich culture and heritage. The museum is a mecca for Little Haiti, where the community here and abroad can enjoy a collection of beautiful Haitian art, historical artifacts, music, film and literary works.
One of the best ways to explore the cultural districts at once is on a Big Bus Tours Miami is the ultimate hop-on, hop-off, narrated, open-top Miami bus tour with both a day tour (red loop) and night tour (blue loop). The day tour passes through Little Havana, where you can visit the Bay of Pigs Brigade 2506 Museum and Maximo Gomez (Domino) Park and sample the flavours, sights and sounds of Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street).
Other tours like Little Havana Tours take visitors on a deep dive into Cuban culture while Key2MIA is a Black-owned tour and travel company committed to sharing with visitors the perspectives and contributions of Black Miami. Its signature 1.5-hour Melanin Miami tour (a walking tour of Historic Overtown including soul food) is available on most Saturdays, while the two-hour Calle Ocho Experience (a walking tour of Little Havana with lunch, Cuban ice cream and coffee) is offered most Sundays.
Culture is on display at the Wynwood Walls & Wynwood Arts District, an outdoor museum featuring large-scale street art murals, surrounded by galleries and creative spaces showcasing contemporary urban art. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens boasts an Italian Renaissance-style villa with European-inspired gardens and a significant collection of art and antiques, offering insight into Miami’s Gilded Age. At the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), the city’s flagship contemporary art museum houses an impressive collection from the Americas inside its striking waterfront architecture.
The Bass is a contemporary art museum while the HistoryMiami Museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate celebrating Miami’s multicultural history through dynamic exhibitions. At Paradox Museum Miami, interactive exhibits blend science, and illusion with immersive exhibits in a family-friendly, LGBTQ+ inclusive environment.
Old Montreal, or Vieux-Montréal, is the city’s historic heart, with preserved 17th-century architecture, Notre-Dame Basilica, and heritage walking tours. IPop-up art installations, digital light shows (like Aura inside the Basilica), and modern gastronomy in centuries-old buildings give it a modern twist.
Festival Orientalys highlights Arab, North African, and Middle Eastern cultures. Festival Sefarad celebrates Sephardic Jewish culture through music, theater, and cuisine.
A host of museums invites travellers into the many facets of Montreal’s culture. The Musée des hospitalières de l’Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal explores healthcare heritage, religious history, and the development of Mount Royal. The PHI Foundation for Contemporary Art is all about avant-garde exhibitions while Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Archaeology and History Complex features archaeological sites and interactive exhibits. Continue focusing on people and stories at McCord Stewart Museum, and tap into the city’s collective memories MEM – Centre des mémoires montréalaises.
Beaux-Arts heritage is on display at Château Dufresne and the Maison Saint-Gabriel offers insights into Quebecois’ rural heritage in a 17th-century farmhouse. A peculiar look at the city’s industrialization awaits at Écomusée du fier monde, while a darker step into the past continues to educate and fight antisemitism at the Montréal Holocaust Museum. Other historical sites like Château Ramezay – Historic Site and Museum of Montreal and the Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site hold stories to share about the city’s culture.
Plan a trip around events, including YATAI MTL from June 5-8 to celebrate Japanese culture with food. The MURAL Festival in June is a city-wide celebration of public art honoring cultural heritage, immigrant stories, and Indigenous identity. It pairs nicely with a street art walking tour along St-Laurent Boulevard. Festival TransAmériques from May 22–June 5, 2025 is the city’s international contemporary dance and theatre. From August 4-15, Montreal First Peoples’ Festival celebrates Indigenous cultures.
In Orlando, culture emanates from Ivanhoe Village & Mills 50 Districts, which are home to many immigrant-owned shops, vintage stores, and creative co-ops. Visitors can experience live mural painting, Asian-American fusion cuisine, and pop-up artisan markets.
The Audubon Park Garden District is where you’ll find East End Market: a hub of indie artisans, farm-to-table food, and handcrafted goods inspired by Florida’s cultural melting pot. It’s a great place to spotlight modern makers with heritage flair, from Cuban pastries to Southern preserves and eco-conscious textiles.
Other cultural institutions include Harry P. Leu Gardens & Leu House Museum, a 50-acre botanical garden with a historic home showcasing early 20th-century Orlando life. And at Hannibal Square Heritage Center, the museum is dedicated to African American history and heritage in Winter Park.
For experiences, Downtown Orlando Food & Art Tour provides a great overview of the city’s culture in one trip. For art lovers, See Art Orlando is a self-guided walking tour of public sculptures and creative landmarks throughout downtown.
Then there are the museums. There’s history at Orange County Regional History Center, contemporary works at Orlando Museum of Art, and American artists at Mennello Museum of American Art. The free Rollins Museum of Art in Winter Park has a diverse collection of ancient to contemporary art. Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens is a niche museum dedicated to the Czech American sculptor, with beautiful gardens and representational sculptures. Grand Bohemian Gallery displays jewellery and glass while Ocean Blue Galleries is a Winter Park gallery with a wide range of works from local and famous artists.
San Francisco’s culture comes from its many immigrant communities. The Japantown Cultural District is one of the last in the nation. Here, the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California hosts a variety of cultural events, and the Soto Zen Mission of San Francisco, a Buddhist temple, has monthly services.
In Chinatown, the Chinese Cultural Center’s History and Art Tour is a unique walking tour of San Francisco’s Chinatown that is designed to uplift Chinatown’s unique visual culture, architecture, and the neighborhood’s resiliency. A new wave of Asian-American artists and entrepreneurs are opening art galleries, pop-ups, and concept stores blending tradition and innovation. The brand-new Edge on the Square is the Bay Area’s first Pacific Islander-Asian American contemporary arts and media hub. Edge on the Square hosts a variety of programmes including pop-up events, festivals, and culinary experiences.
The African American Cultural Corridor (Bayview & Fillmore Districts) is home to the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) featuring contemporary art and storytelling. There’s also Bayview Opera House, a historic landmark turned modern performance venue spotlighting Black voices. Containing the entire Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood and centering on Third Street, the African American Arts and Cultural District was founded in 2018. The district acts as an advocate for African American equity, cultural stability, vibrancy, and economic vitality. Besides the annual Kwanzaa celebration, the district also hosts a number of outdoor concerts and community-oriented events throughout the year. The area is also home to some of the city’s best soul food.
The SoMA Pilipinas Cultural District in the heart of downtown San Francisco is home to the city’s Filipino community. The Sentro Filipino, located just a block west of Yerba Buena Gardens and SFMOMA, hosts culturally relevant art exhibits and events like book readings and film screenings on a regular basis. Nearby on Sixth Street, Bindlestiff Studio is the only permanent community-based performing arts venue in the United States dedicated to showcasing emerging Filipino American and Filipino artists.
And the Presidio of San Francisco, once a military outpost, is now a public park with preserved buildings, heritage trails, and new cultural spaces like Presidio Tunnel Tops, designed by James Corner Field Operations and opened in 2022. This 14-acre park reclaims freeway infrastructure and transforms it into vibrant green space — with interactive installations, art, and sweeping Golden Gate Bridge views.
In St Louis, a mix of cultural and heritage attractions make it a dream destination for culture seekers. At Route 66 State Park, the 419-acre establishment offers multi-use trails along the historic Route 66 and features a museum filled with memorabilia from the legendary route. The Neon Museum of Saint Louis Lights Up Route 66 harkens back to the days when the route was lined with neon signs that drew in travellers from across the country. The Neon Museum of Saint Louis is dedicated to preserving these vibrant relics while showcasing contemporary neon art. Looking ahead, the Route 66 100th Anniversary Festival in 2026 will celebrate the centennial of the Mother Road at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. This week-long festival will include concerts, classic car displays, and more.
Beyond Route 66, the National Blues Museum honors the legacy of African American musicians in St. Louis. The Field House Museum is a National Historic Landmark that highlights the early fight for freedom in St. Louis. For a deeper look into the city’s African American heritage, visit Greenwood Cemetery, resting place of over 50,000 African Americans including Lucy Ann Delaney. There’s also Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, where members of the 56th U.S. Colored Infantry are honored. Don’t miss the Delmar Loop, home to the St. Louis Walk of Fame, where stars honor legends like Maya Angelou, Josephine Baker, and Chuck Berry. The Griot Museum of Black History offers a comprehensive look at Black culture and contributions in St. Louis. Don’t miss the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, dedicated to the legacy of the ragtime composer.
For families, The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum offers an interactive environment where children can learn and discover things through play. With a wide range of interactive exhibits and activities, they can pursue their curiosity and unleash their creative imagination. St. Louis Union Station is getting even more exciting with new carnival rides, game booths, and attractions set to open by Memorial Day Weekend 2025.
Other museums like the Missouri Civil War Museum offer insight into Missouri’s role in the Civil War through immersive exhibits. And the Saint Louis Art Museum presents two major exhibitions. First, Roaring: Art, Fashion, and the Automobile in France, 1918–1939 runs through July 27, 2025. Anselm Kiefer: Becoming the Ocean opens this fall.
The U.S. Virgin Islands—St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John—offer more than just breathtaking views and sun-soaked beaches. These islands are a living mosaic of culture and heritage, shaped over centuries by African, European, and Indigenous influences.
Central to this cultural richness are the islands’ festivals—community-wide celebrations that blend music, dance, food, and history. In St. Croix, the Crucian Christmas Festival transforms the winter season with dazzling parades, calypso and soca performances, food fairs, and the towering moko jumbies—traditional stilt walkers. St. Thomas comes alive each April with its own Carnival, highlighted by the street party known as J’ouvert, colourful costume parades, and island rhythms. On St. John, Carnival aligns with July 4th, fusing American Independence Day with deep-rooted Afro-Caribbean traditions.
Dig deeper into the islands’ roots, and you’ll find traces of their earliest inhabitants—the Taino people, whose legacy endures through mystical petroglyphs carved into the stone walls near St. John’s hidden waterfalls and freshwater pools. Layered over that Indigenous heritage is a colonial past that shaped much of the islands’ built environment and social fabric. The imprint of Danish and Dutch rule is evident in the well-preserved forts, sugar plantation ruins like Annaberg, and red-roofed towns like Christiansted and Charlotte Amalie, where Caribbean flair blends with European architecture.
Today, that African heritage is celebrated and expressed through the arts, music, storytelling, and cuisine of the Virgin Islands. The official music, quelbe, along with genres like calypso, reggae, and steel pan, provides a soundtrack to both everyday life and major celebrations. The islands’ cuisine is equally rich and rooted in tradition, with beloved dishes such as saltfish, roast pork, and fresh johnny cakes reflecting the islands’ cultural fusion of African, Caribbean, and European flavors.
Hofburg Palace is at the heart of Vienna’s imperial past. This sprawling complex once housed the Habsburg dynasty, and today, visitors can explore the Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum for a deeper understanding of Austria’s royal heritage. The Kunsthistorisches Museum and Belvedere Museum are two bastions of Viennese culture. The Kunsthistorisches Museum offers one of the world’s finest collections of classical and Renaissance art. Nearby, the Belvedere Museum showcases Gustav Klimt’s iconic The Kiss alongside Baroque and modern works.
Another more leisurely way to experience Vienna’s culture is through its historic cafés, such as Café Central. These elegant spaces have long been gathering places for artists, intellectuals, and writers.
In 2025, culture seekers can celebrate the 200th birthday of Johann Strauss II, the Waltz King/ Vienna is celebrating his bicentennial with concerts, exhibitions, and tributes across ballrooms, museums, and public venues. That’s on top of Vienna Ball Season, when more than 2,000 hours of dancing highlight Vienna’s musical heritage. Many balls in 2025 will honor Johann Strauss, with live orchestras and formal waltzing in grand venues like the Vienna Opera Ball.
Because Vienna is all about music, travellers can also attend the Mozart Ensemble Concert Series, held in the historic Sala Terrena, Vienna’s oldest concert hall. This chamber music series features compositions from the Viennese Classical period in an intimate, authentic setting.
The dotdotdot Short Film Festival from July 27 to August 26, 2025 will showcase international short films held in Vienna’s 8th district. This open-air, pay-as-you-can festival combines cinema with cultural dialogue, featuring post-screening discussions with filmmakers.
The U.S. capital city is rife with cultural experiences that delve into the nation’s history and stories of the people who made it great. Its historic buildings like the Library of Congress offer guided and self-guided tours. The library’s exhibits like ‘Collecting Memories’ highlight rare artifacts and cultural preservation.
The 21 Smithsonian collections are the most famous in DC. Among them, the National Gallery of Art is celebrated for its vast collection from the Middle Ages to the present, with major exhibitions such as ‘Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955-1985’. And the National Portrait Gallery houses compelling portraiture and special exhibitions, including the 2025–2026 ‘Amy Sherald: American Sublime’ showcase. The Smithsonian American Art Museum & Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center welcomes collaborative exhibits like ‘Sightlines: Chinatown and Beyond,’ exploring Asian American heritage and innovative installations blending history and art. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History is one of the best known collections on the National Mall with interactive exhibits on natural history, including dinosaur fossils and the Hope Diamond. The National Air and Space Museum showcases legendary aircraft and spacecraft, with new 2025 exhibits highlighting milestones in aviation and space exploration.
But wait—of course—there’s more. The African American Civil War Memorial is a monument and museum honoring the contributions of African American soldiers during the Civil War. The Renwick Gallery focuses on contemporary craft and decorative arts, with 2025’s ‘We Gather at the Edge’ highlighting Black women quilt artists. Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens features Russian imperial art and beautifully landscaped gardens in a historic mansion setting. And the Kreeger Museum houses a collection of Impressionist and modern art in a unique residential environment.
Walking around DC, visitors can immerse in districts like U Street Corridor, a historic neighborhood known for vibrant murals, jazz history, and nightlife. Union Market is a trendy district offering local food, artisan shops, and pop-up art installations. And don’t forget about music. The DC JazzFest takes over in late summer, featuring world-class performances on stages across the city, celebrating DC’s musical heritage.
