I've never understood people who eat at chain restaurants on vacation. You flew across the country, you're in a city with incredible food, and you're sitting at an Applebee's ordering the same riblets you eat at home? That's not a vacation, that's a geographical relocation of your regular Tuesday. Food is the fastest, most immersive way to experience a new place, and these destinations have turned dining from necessity into art form.
The beauty of food and wine vacations is that the "activities" are meals — which means your entertainment budget IS your food budget. No separate tickets required. Just show up hungry and curious. These resort deals keep your lodging affordable so you can spend more where it matters: at the table. Check our destination deals for foodie-focused locations.
1. New Orleans — From $89/Night
New Orleans is the undisputed food capital of America. Not New York, not San Francisco, not Portland — New Orleans. The Creole and Cajun culinary traditions run so deep here that even the gas stations sell better food than most restaurants in other cities. I'm not exaggerating. I once had a life-changing boudin ball at a Shell station outside Metairie.
Resort-style packages start at $89/night, freeing up serious budget for the food that is literally the point of this trip. Commander's Palace (the fine dining institution where Emeril and Paul Prudhomme both trained), Dooky Chase (where Leah Chase fed Civil Rights leaders and inspired Princess Tiana), and Cochon (modern Cajun that'll blow your mind) are all essential reservations.
But the casual food is equally important. A shrimp po'boy at Parkway Bakery ($13), beignets at Café du Monde ($4), red beans and rice at any Monday lunch spot ($8), and a muffuletta from Central Grocery ($15 for a half that feeds two) — these are the meals that make you understand why New Orleanians never want to leave. The French Market has food vendors serving everything from gator sausage to Vietnamese banh mi, reflecting the city's incredible culinary diversity.
2. Napa Valley / Sonoma — From $119/Night
Napa Valley has more Michelin stars per capita than any region in America, and the combination of world-class wine with world-class cuisine creates a sensory experience that justifies every mile of the trip. The farm-to-table movement isn't a trend here — it's been the default for decades. When your restaurant is surrounded by the actual farms that grew your food, "farm-to-table" is just "table."
Resort packages at the Worldmark Napa Valley and Vino Bello Resort start at $119/night with wine tasting vouchers included. Sonoma (30 minutes west) offers equally excellent wine at lower prices and with fewer crowds. Many Sonoma tasting rooms are free or $15-20, compared to $50-75 at famous Napa estates.
The Oxbow Public Market in downtown Napa is a food hall featuring local artisans — cheese, charcuterie, oysters, olive oil, spices, and of course wine. You could spend an entire afternoon tasting your way through the market for $50-75 per person and leave completely satisfied. For a splurge meal, the French Laundry (if you can get a reservation, which requires luck and planning) is $350+ per person, but Bistro Jeanty and Bouchon (both Thomas Keller restaurants) offer exceptional French cuisine for $50-75 per person.
3. Charleston, South Carolina — From $89/Night
Charleston's food scene has exploded in the last decade, earning the city "Best Food City in America" awards from basically every publication that gives such awards. The Low Country cuisine — shrimp and grits, she-crab soup, Frogmore stew, and pimento cheese that's treated with the reverence other cities reserve for foie gras — is the foundation, but the city's chefs have built an innovative, globally-influenced scene on top of it.
Resort and inn packages start at $89/night. The Historic District is walkable and packed with restaurants ranging from white-tablecloth fine dining to cash-only oyster bars. Husk (Sean Brock's temple of Southern cooking) sources every ingredient from below the Mason-Dixon line and changes its menu daily based on what's available. It's the restaurant that put Charleston on the national food map, and it lives up to the hype.
For budget-friendly Charleston eating, the Upper King Street area has excellent taquerias, noodle shops, and the legendary Butcher & Bee for creative small plates. The city's food tours (walking tours through historic neighborhoods with tastings at 6-8 restaurants) run $65-85 per person and are the best way to experience the breadth of the scene. Browse our deals page for Charleston packages.
4. Asheville, North Carolina — From $79/Night
Asheville has more restaurants per capita than San Francisco, and the food here is rooted in Appalachian tradition but refined with modern technique and global influence. The "farm to table" ethos is genuine — many restaurants have their own farms or source from the dozens of small farms in the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. The craft beer scene (40+ breweries) pairs perfectly with the food.
Resort packages start at $79/night, making Asheville the best-value food destination on this list. Cúrate (Spanish tapas by Katie Button, a former El Bulli trainee) is outstanding, Chai Pani (Indian street food) is a revelation, and the Biltmore's restaurants offer fine dining in a 250-room château setting that makes every meal feel like an event.
The South Slope brewing district has 10+ breweries within walking distance, and most allow (or encourage) you to bring food from nearby restaurants. This creates a fantastic DIY food-and-beer crawl: grab tacos from White Duck Taco Shop, carry them to Burial Beer, and pair craft IPAs with locally-sourced carnitas. It's informal, affordable, and absolutely delightful.
5. San Antonio, Texas — From $79/Night
San Antonio's food scene is anchored by Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisine so authentic that it blurs the line between Texas cooking and the real thing. The city's proximity to Mexico and its deep Mexican-American cultural roots mean that the tacos, enchiladas, and mole here aren't interpretations — they're the genuine article, perfected over generations.
Resort packages from $79/night leave plenty of budget for eating your way through the city. The Pearl District (a renovated 1800s brewery) houses some of the city's best restaurants: Southerleigh, Botika, and the weekend farmer's market where local producers sell everything from grass-fed beef to small-batch hot sauce.
Breakfast tacos are a San Antonio religion. Mi Tierra (open 24 hours since 1941) serves them at 3 AM to the after-party crowd with the same devotion as the 7 AM breakfast rush. The puffy taco (a uniquely San Antonio creation — the tortilla is fried until it puffs into a crispy shell) is available at Ray's Drive Inn and several other spots. Try one. Then try three more. There's no judgement here.
6. Portland, Oregon — From $89/Night
Portland's food cart culture created a dining revolution. Over 500 food carts operate across the city in organized "pods" — clusters of carts serving everything from Thai to Ethiopian to Korean-Mexican fusion. These aren't sad hot dog carts; they're legitimate restaurants that happen to be in a cart, often run by immigrant chefs cooking their homeland's cuisine with total authenticity.
Resort-style packages in the Portland metro area start at $89/night. The city's dining scene beyond food carts is equally impressive — Canard, Hat Yai, Langbaan, and Pok Pok (if it's reopened by your visit) represent a city that takes food as seriously as it takes keeping Portland weird.
The wine scene in the Willamette Valley (45 minutes south) produces some of the best Pinot Noir in the world. The tasting rooms are more casual and affordable than Napa ($15-25 per tasting), and many offer walk-in service without appointments. Pair a morning of wine tasting with an afternoon of food cart hopping, and you've just had the most Portland day possible. Visit our resort brand info for Portland-area properties.
7. Savannah, Georgia — From $79/Night
Savannah's food is Southern comfort raised to an art form. Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room serves family-style meals (fried chicken, collard greens, mac and cheese, cornbread, and about 12 other dishes) at communal tables where strangers become friends over shared platters. The line forms early. The food is worth every minute of waiting.
Resort packages from $79/night make Savannah one of the cheapest food destinations worth visiting. The restaurant scene spans from historic institutions (The Olde Pink House, serving since 1771) to modern innovators (The Grey, a James Beard-nominated restaurant in a converted Greyhound bus station). The city's small size means everything is walkable.
Leopold's Ice Cream has been making small-batch ice cream since 1919, and the tutti-frutti flavor is legendary. Pralines from River Street Sweets are the edible souvenir you'll actually be glad you bought. And the craft cocktail scene at Alley Cat Lounge and Artillery Bar is sophisticated without being pretentious — the bartenders here could work anywhere but choose Savannah because it's that kind of city.
8. Austin, Texas — From $89/Night
Austin's food scene is built on two pillars: BBQ and tacos. Franklin Barbecue is consistently ranked the best BBQ restaurant in America, and the line starts at 7 AM for an 11 AM opening. Is it worth a four-hour wait for brisket? I've done it twice. The answer is yes. The brisket has a bark so perfect it should be in a museum, and the fatty cuts melt in your mouth like butter that went to flavor school.
Resort packages from $89/night keep lodging affordable. Beyond Franklin, la Barbecue, Micklethwait, and LeRoy & Lewis are all excellent BBQ options with shorter waits. The taco scene is equally competitive — Veracruz All Natural, Valentina's Tex-Mex BBQ, and Tyson's Tacos represent three completely different approaches to the taco, all of them correct.
South Congress ("SoCo") has food trailers, boutiques, and restaurants with an indie vibe that's uniquely Austin. The food truck parks on East Sixth and Rainey Street serve everything from Japanese curry to Jamaican jerk to gourmet grilled cheese. The diversity of cuisine packed into this mid-sized Texas city is remarkable — you could eat a different cuisine every meal for two weeks and never repeat.
9. Fredericksburg, Texas (Wine Country) — From $89/Night
Texas has the fifth-largest wine industry in the United States, and Fredericksburg is its capital. The Texas Hill Country around this German-heritage town has over 50 wineries and tasting rooms within 30 minutes of the main street. The wines are surprisingly good — the Tempranillo and Viognier varietals thrive in the Texas heat, and the tasting rooms are friendly, casual, and affordable ($10-20 per tasting).
Resort and B&B packages start at $89/night. The German heritage of Fredericksburg means excellent German restaurants alongside the wine: Auslander Biergarten, Otto's German Bistro, and Der Lindenbaum serve schnitzel, spaetzle, and strudel in cozy, authentic settings. The town's main street has fudge shops, cheese stores, and a peach stand (during summer) that sells Hill Country peaches so sweet they should be classified as dessert.
The 290 Wine Trail is the primary route connecting the wineries, and most tasting rooms offer shaded outdoor areas with Hill Country views. Rent a limo or shuttle van ($150-200 for the group) to visit 4-5 wineries without worrying about driving. The combination of affordable wine, German food, and small-town Texas charm makes Fredericksburg a food and wine destination that flies under the national radar but shouldn't.
| Destination | Starting Price | Signature Dish | Wine Scene? | Budget Meal Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans | $89/night | Shrimp po'boy, gumbo | No (cocktails) | $10-15 |
| Napa/Sonoma | $119/night | Farm-to-table everything | World-class | $20-30 |
| Charleston | $89/night | Shrimp & grits | Growing | $12-18 |
| Asheville | $79/night | Appalachian-modern | Growing (beer) | $10-15 |
| San Antonio | $79/night | Puffy tacos, Tex-Mex | No | $6-12 |
| Portland | $89/night | Food cart diversity | Willamette Pinot | $8-14 |
| Savannah | $79/night | Southern comfort | No | $12-18 |
| Austin | $89/night | BBQ brisket, tacos | Hill Country | $8-15 |
| Fredericksburg | $89/night | German + peaches | TX Hill Country | $12-20 |
Food is the one vacation expense that never feels wasted. You won't regret skipping a mediocre attraction, but you'll remember a transcendent meal for the rest of your life. These nine destinations deliver cuisines so good that the food IS the destination — everything else is just a very pleasant bonus. Book one of these resort deals, bring stretchy pants, and go eat something that changes how you think about food. Your taste buds are begging you.