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Best Under-the-Radar Art Destinations in the US
Cities like Miami, New York and Los Angeles are go-to destinations for art enthusiasts, however, there are tons of other hidden gem cities around the U.S. that people don’t commonly associate with world-class art. Grand Rapids, MI The Jim Henson Exhibition - Courtesy of the GRAM While Detroit typically gets all the street cred for art in Michigan, Grand Rapids boasts some of the coolest museums for art lovers, including the Grand Rapids Art Museum, with 6,000 permanent objects including work from Andy Warhol and Picasso, and the picturesque Frederik Meier Gardens & Sculpture Park. Plus, the hotels in the city’s Hotel District boast over-the-top collections as well, like the historic Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton, which was named in Historic Hotels of America’s top 25 most magnificent art collections list for 2022 for its “America at Work” collection by artist Paul Collins. The city also hosts the annual ArtPrize, an independent international art competition that celebrates artists working in all mediums from across the world, every fall (the next one is Sept.15-Oct. 2). Fort Worth, TX Cufflink Art Gallery While Fort Worth’s Cultural District is home to world-renowned art museums like The Modern, The Kimbell and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, this Texas city also has a burgeoning underground art scene, with cool new galleries showcasing local artists and powerful street art, like that in the Foundry District's Inspiration Alley. In Polytechnic, a predominately Black and Latinx neighborhood, Sedrick and Letitia Huckaby recently opened Kinfolk House, a collaborative art space that serves to uplift the diverse community’s beauty, talent and culture through collaborative exhibitions, events and educational opportunities. Hotels like Hotel Dryce put guests within walking distance of the Cultural District and boast some local art of their own—Hotel Dryce has a partnership with local art gallery Art Tooth for its art in the rooms and public spaces. The latest newcomer to Fort Worth’s art scene is Cufflink Art, a gallery in the trendy Near Southside that focuses on contemporary artists from the 20th and 21st century. St. Petersburg, FL The dalí museum While Miami is known as Florida’s art-centric city for hosting Art Basel Miami every December, St. Pete has an under-the-radar yet thriving art scene with a vibe much different than Florida’s more frenetic east coast art city, from renowned museums like The Dali and the Chihuly Collection to the walkable galleries and vibrant murals splashed around downtown. For those looking to stay in the heart of it all, The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club is within walking distance to the city’s top art spots, and its Navigator can coordinate the perfect creative itinerary. Plus, the hotel is an artistic masterpiece in itself, with a photogenic pink exterior and Mediterranean Revival design from the 1920s.
Discover USA: Columbus, Ohio
Join Budget Travel as we continue our series Discover USA. Discover USA explores states, counties, cities, and everything in between. We will be exploring US destinations to help you find things to do, itinerary ideas and plan where to go next. This week, we invite you to Discover what Columbus, Ohio has to offer. When people think of Columbus, they think of contributions to history, parks and shopping destinations. It’s also home to The Ohio State Buckeyes, most popular for football and basketball. Columbus is also famous for its food scene. Many popular chains started in Columbus, and the city is often a test hub for new food concepts. Discover what else they are known for. Columbus, Ohio is the 14th largest city in the U.S., one of the fastest growing cities in the Midwest and Ohio’s capital city. Columbus is vibrant and alive, known for its open attitude, smart style and entrepreneurial spirit. Outdoors Metro ParksGreen spaces abound in Columbus. There are 20 Metro Parks in Columbus and Franklin County featuring more than 230 miles of trails and more than 28,400 acres of land in seven Central Ohio counties. Quarry Trails Metro Park is the newest Metro Park that opened in November 2021 and features a 25-foot waterfall. Coming to the park in fall 2022 is the country’s first urban via ferrata. The route will be on a 150-foot-high cliff face in an abandoned limestone quarry and access will be free. The Scioto Mile Scioto Mile Downtown Columbus - Photo by Randall L. Schieber Located in the heart of downtown Columbus with more than 175 acres of lush parkland stretching along the Scioto River, the Scioto Mile is one of the most popular areas to get outdoors and was named one of the 21 Best Urban Parks in the country by Men’s Journal in 2022. Bike TrailsColumbus also has several popular bike trails. The Scioto Greenway Trail is an urban greenway at its best. A segment of the Central Ohio Greenways trail network that covers more than 120 miles throughout the state, the 12.2-mile multi-use trail hugs the banks of the Scioto River, connecting several parks and offering fabulous views of downtown Columbus. Other popular trails include the Olentangy Trail and Alum Creek Trail. Water SportsWith the Scioto River and Olentangy River, water sports are also popular with residents and visitors alike. Windrose Outdoors offers kayak and standup paddleboard rentals downtown. Columbus is also home to unexpected outdoor adventures such as ziplining at Zip Zone Outdoor Adventures and mountain biking at parks like Quarry Trails Metro Park. Arts & Culture Literature Book StoresColumbus boasts 14 independent bookstores, including the iconic Book Loft, one of the nation’s largest independent bookstores with 32 maze-like rooms of bargain books located in historic and picturesque German Village. Other bookstores include Prologue Bookshop, Gramercy Books and Two Dollar Radio Headquarters, a family-run independent publisher. . Library Courtesy of Columbus Metropolitan Library Columbus boasts one of the country’s most beautiful libraries. This library features original Beaux-Arts-style architecture and Vermont marble dating back to 1907. This spot was once the official residence for several Ohio governors, including former president Rutherford B. Hayes. AuthorsColumbus is also home to numerous authors like 2021 National Book Award nominee and MacArthur 'Genius' Hanif Abdurraqib, author Saeed Jones, who has written perhaps the most widely read love letter to the city, and bestselling poet Maggie Smith. Columbus has a history of producing writers too. Famed New Yorker writer and humorist James Thurber was born here, and is memorialized in the Thurber House museum. Visual Arts Short North Arts District 2 - Courtesy Experience Columbus /photo by Levi Ely MuseumsColumbus Museum of Art - holds one of the country’s best impressionist and contemporary art collections, and frequently hosts traveling exhibitions that earn national acclaim, such as a recent one focused on Van Gogh, and another on the ancient Dresden Tapestries. The Wex - The Ohio State University's contemporary art center was named by The Washington Post as having “one of the most dynamic contemporary programs in the country.” Columbus is also a cartoon capital, being home to the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, which houses the world’s largest collection of materials related to cartoons and comics, including original art, books, magazines, journals, comic books, archival materials, and newspaper comic strip pages and clippings. Arts Districts Columbus is home to two thriving arts districts. The Short North Arts District features art galleries alongside independent boutiques and some of the city’s best restaurants. For nearly 40 years they have hosted Gallery Hop on the first Saturday of every month. Just a few miles away, the Franklinton Arts District is an emerging arts district where you can find art galleries like ROY G BIV, The Vanderelli Room, Wild Goose Creative and more. Many artists have studios at 400 West Rich, a collaborative community housed in a 100-year-old warehouse. Top events include the monthly Franklinton Fridays, a neighborhood-wide celebration of art, performance, and community, and Scrawl, an annual event where dozens of artists create 50 mobile murals over the course of two days. Public ArtColorful and elaborate murals are on display throughout the city, including the massive 11-story mural, “The Journey.” in the Short North.. Located on the side of the Graduate Columbus, the mural was painted by artists Ryan Sarfati and Eric Skotnes and incorporates virtual reality. Otherworld is another must-see art experience. In fact, it was just named one of the country’s 10 best immersive art experiences by USA Today 10 Best. Music Columbus Record Stores - Courtesy Experience Columbus Twenty One Pilots, Caamp, O.A.R., Rascal Flatts, Willie Phoenix, Dwight Yoakam and Bobby Floyd are just some of the musicians who got their start in Columbus. Before they were household names, they played on stages in Columbus, from outdoor venues to dive bars and from sold-out arenas to indie record stores. With a reputation as one of the country’s best undiscovered music cities, visitors and residents can experience Columbus’ thriving music scene with the Columbus Live Music Trail that is a guide to more than 40 venues devoted to live music, including Newport Music Hall, America’s longest continually running rock club and other venues like Dick's Den, a famous jazz venue, and KEMBA Live!, a large outdoor/indoor venue featuring national acts. Columbus Symphony is the city’s flagship musical performance organization and is known for bringing international stars such as Yo-Yo Ma and Renee Fleming to perform with the orchestra. Performing Arts Shadowbox Live - is a groundbreaking and inventive theater troupe performing original rock operas, sketch collections and seasonal stage performances. Columbus Association for Performing Arts (CAPA) - keeps Columbus’ three historic downtown theaters booked with touring Broadway productions and other stage shows of all kinds. As the city’s leader in theatre rehabilitation and redevelopment, CAPA is responsible for maintaining the Ohio Theatre, the Palace Theater and the Southern Theatre, and promotes performances in all of them. BalletMet - is Columbus’ premier dance performance organizations, producing the annual Nutrcracker performance as well as a season of other classical and contemporary ballets, in addition to running an academy for ballet students of all ages. Culinary Budd Dairy Food Hall rooftop - Courtesy Experience Columbus Columbus’ food scene has been drawing the attention of top national outlets. Chapman’s Eat Market in German Village one of the 50 best restaurants in the country in 2021 (New York Times) Lox Bagel Shop in the Short North Arts District - one of the best bagels in America in 2021 (Food & Wine) Budd Dairy Food Hall - by celebrated Columbus restaurateur Cameron Mitchell is one of the 10 best new food halls in the U.S. in 2021 (Fodors) Food Halls Columbus has seen several new food halls open recently, all with their own unique mix of restaurants. East Market opened in April 2022 in Columbus’ new Trolley District and is housed in a historic trolley servicing station. The market features nine vendors currently with three more coming soon. Visitors can also enjoy their bar, Railhouse, and speakeasy, Switch, as well as expansive outdoor seating. Budd Dairy Food Hall in Italian Village opened April 2021 and features eight unique kitchens plus a revolving pop up and a buzzing rooftop patio. North Market - the 145-year-old public market , where numerous successful restaurateurs have launched from a humble stall to local and even national stardom. Some of North Market’s most prominent vendors include Hoyo’s Kitchen, Momo Ghar and Hot Chicken Takeover. CARD WIDGET HERE
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