Traveling historians and casual fans of culture can explore the United States by planning an educational vacation. Visit cities rich with culture like New Orleans, San Antonio and Boston to learn about the communities, history and landscapes of the nation while enjoying a relaxed getaway.
Here are seven cities to plan your next American history vacations while staying at Hilton properties.
1. New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans serves up heaping helpings of history alongside its renowned, diverse cuisine.
Guided tours of the French Quarter and Bourbon Street are engaging ways to get a sense of the city’s colorful spirit while cultural attractions like the New Orleans Jazz Museum, The Sazarac House and Southern Food & Beverage Museum stimulate all five senses. So many aspects of New Orleans history and culture have multiple dedicated museums.
For Mardi Gras history, visit the Mardi Gras World, and theBackstreet Museum of Costumes and Culture. Kids will enjoy visits to the Louisiana Children's Museum and Audubon Zoo, while amateur historians can soak up three centuries of city lore at the Confederate Memorial Hall Museum, Fort Pike and the Cabildo.
Where to stay: Hilton New Orleans Riverside overlooks the Mighty Mississippi. Spacious guest rooms as well as 1-Bedroom and 2-Bedroom Suites offer river or city views, though the charbroiled oysters at Drago’s seafood restaurant near the lobby might steal your gaze away from NOLA’s landscape. This hotel also sits less than one mile from the National WWII Museum.
2. Nashville, Tennessee
Music lovers and amateur historians will have a song in their step after visiting museums in Nashville. When you’re not attending one of the daily Nashville concerts, learn more about music history at the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum, Jefferson Street Sound Museum and Patsy Cline Museum.
If you’re searching for things to do in Nashville that don’t involve the music industry, visit the Lane Motor Museum, the First Art Museum and the Tennessee State Museum. Important chapters in Nashville’s history are also on display at Fort Nashborough, Fort Negley and the Belmont Mansion.
Where to stay: Hilton Nashville Downtown is an all-Suite hotel across the street from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Some spacious 1-Bedroom Suites feature views of the Walk of Fame Park. TheNational Museum of African America Music and The Johnny Cash Museum are one block from this centrally located hotel.
3. San Antonio, Texas
With so many immersive historical sites and family-friendly interactive experiences, you can plan a fulfilling vacation around the museums of San Antonio. The San Antonio Museum of Art, The Witte Museum, the San Antonio Fire Museum and the Buckhorn Saloon and Texas Ranger Museum are among the most popular places to visit in San Antonio.
Go beyond the Alamo and see more of San Antonio’s early history and culture at the Casa Navarro State Historic Site, the Spanish Governor’s Palace and the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. Get a breath of fresh air at the San Antonio Botanical Garden before exploring indoor galleries like the Briscoe Western Art Museum and Hopscotch San Antonio.
Where to stay: The Emily Morgan San Antonio - a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel is directly across the street from The Alamo. This five-star hotel, now listed as a Historic Hotel of America, has gorgeous guest rooms and spacious Suites, some of which have Alamo views.
4. Boston, Massachusetts
History buffs will find plenty of things to do in Boston. Beantown’s history from a small Puritan settlement to an impactful site of the American Revolution makes it one of the most important U.S. colonial cities. From the Old South Meeting House to the Boston Tea Party Museum, you can fill a long weekend focusing only on Boston’s pre-Independence American history.
However, the capital of Massachusetts is more than its colonial roots. Step off of the Freedom Trail and discover other sides to this multicultural city with visits to the French Cultural Center or Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center.
Where to stay: Canopy by Hilton Boston Downtown offers guest rooms and 1-Bedroom Suites less than half a mile from The Paul Revere House, the Boston Massacre Site, the Old State House and Faneuil Hall Marketplace.
5. Asheville, North Carolina
Once part of the Cherokee Nation, Asheville was founded as an outpost that welcomed frontiersmen like Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone. The arrival of the railroad and philanthropist George W. Vanderbilt making his home in the city spurred growth in the city that remains a popular destination for art lovers and outdoor enthusiasts.
When you’re not exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains or The North Carolina Arboretum, discover the cultural and historical hallmarks of the city. The Thomas Wolfe Memorial invites you into the author’s childhood home while the Moogseum tells of how the first commercial synthesizer was created. The Asheville Art Museum, Woolworth Walk and River Arts District showcase local art from the past and present.
Where to stay: The Foundry Hotel Asheville, Curio Collection by Hilton is on the site of a former foundry that forged steel for the historic Biltmore Estate. Spacious guest rooms and Suites are less than a mile from the Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, Asheville Museum of Science, Asheville Pinball Museum and Asheville ghost tours.
6. Santa Fe, New Mexico
As the oldest state capital in the United States, Santa Fe has centuries of history to explore.
Start with visits to the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, the Museum of Indian Arts + Culture or the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian to learn about the first communities that called Santa Fe home.
Move through the decades with stops at the Museum of International Folk Art, the New Mexico Military Museum, the Poeh Cultural Center and the Nuevo Mexicano Heritage Arts Museum to learn about the city’s evolution from a Spanish settlement to a U.S. capital.
Add a unique art gallery to your itinerary with Meow Wolf Santa Fe, an immersive multimedia art installation. If you need a break from indoor exploration, consider hiking or driving through outdoor Sante Fe attractions like the Santa Fe National Forest or Randall Davey Audubon Center and Sanctuary.
Where to stay: Villas de Santa Fe, a Hilton Vacation Club is less than one mile from Santa Fe Plaza in the center of the city, putting you close to the New Mexico Museum of Art on the Plaza, the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum and the New Mexico History Museum. Classic southwestern decor adds local charm to the spacious 1- and 2-Bedroom Suites, many of which feature a fireplace, balcony or patio.
7. Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is the oldest U.S. city in Arizona, though Hohokam Indians called this land home 4,000 years before Spain colonized the area. The Arizona History Museum, the Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum and the Tucson Wagon and History Museum showcase the history of Tucson’s communities from its earliest days.
Hiking is one of the popular things to do in Tucson and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is an interactive way to learn about the landscape while exploring it. Two miles of walking trails span 21 acres which feature an art gallery, aquarium, botanical garden, fusion zoo and natural history museum.
The Old Tucson theme park is approximately 12 miles west of downtown Tucson and hosts seasonal events like ghost tours and holiday shows. Old West activities like a free shooting gallery, a petting zoo and a museum detailing the history of Hollywood at Old Tucson Studios add more interactive items to your Tucson itinerary.
Where to stay: Varsity Club Tucson, a Hilton Vacation Club is a desert paradise close to downtown. Spacious Studios and 1- and 2-Bedroom Suites feature partial or fully equipped kitchens. The game room and outdoor pool offer hours of year-round fun. This Tucson Hilton hotel is no more than five miles from the Children’s Museum of Tucson, Tucson Botanical Gardens and Rillito Riverfront Park.
Read “Summer Education Vacations” for more destination inspiration.