The American Indigenous Tourism Association (formerly the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association or AIANTA) has released its 2026 Top 10 Indigenous Experiences List, pointing travelers toward the best cultural experiences across U.S. Native Nations and communities.
Here’s a look at the list, which spans sacred mineral hot springs, culinary opportunities, living history and art, museums and more recommendations that are ideal for culturally minded clients traveling within the U.S.
1. The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, serves as a gateway to the living cultures of New Mexico’s 19 Pueblos. Traditional dance, Indigenous cuisine and artist demonstrations are just a few of the offerings.
2. Wahpepah’s Kitchen in Oakland, California, serves modern Indigenous cuisine showcasing Native-sourced ingredients and traditional foodways, inspired by culture, sustainability and resilience.
3. The Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza, located in Palm Springs, California, celebrates Cahuilla history and wellness traditions through a cultural museum; gathering spaces; and The Spa at Sec-he, built around sacred mineral hot springs.
4. Kodiak Brown Bear Center & Lodge in Karluk Lake, Alaska, offers Indigenous-led wildlife experiences in a remote wilderness setting. Guests can observe Kodiak brown bears, as well as dive into Alutiiq cultural learning by way of storytelling and connection to the land.
Kodiak Brown Bear Center & Lodge offers Indigenous-led wildlife experiences with Alaska’s Kodiak Brown Bears.
Credit: 2026 American Indigenous Tourism Association/Kodiak Brown Bear Center & Lodge
5. On the Naay Iwaans Guided Tour – Organized Village of Kasaan in Kasaan, Alaska, clients are guided through a forest of carved totem poles, leading to the Chief Son-i-Hat Whale House, the only remaining traditional Haida longhouse in the U.S.
6. Juneau, Alaska’s Sealaska Heritage Institute works to preserve and share the heritages of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people. Museum exhibits, a traditional cedar clan house and the Totem Pole Trail are open to visitors.
7. Iolani Palace in Honolulu is a Hawaii icon, notable as the only royal palace in the United States, and a symbol of the time when Hawaii was an internationally recognized kingdom. Visitors can tour the sacred palace grounds and learn about the legacy of Hawaiian sovereignty.
8. MHA Nation Earthlodge Village in New Town, North Dakota, provides immersive experiences centered around the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara people. Guests have the opportunity to stay in reconstructed earth lodges or tipis, as well as try traditional foods, see cultural performances and enjoy outdoor activities.
Exhibits at Washington’s Tulalip Hibulb Cultural Center teach the living history of the Snohomish people.
Credit: 2026 American Indigenous Tourism Association/Tulalip Hibulb Cultural Center9. At the award-winning Tulalip Hibulb Cultural Center in Tulalip, Washington, interactive exhibits and a collection of traditional canoes and carvings help visitors learn about the living history of the Snohomish people.
10. The Indigenous-owned Kooyooe Pa’a Guides operates transformative fishing trips on Pyramid Lake, Nevada. In addition to seeing the lake through the eyes of the first Numu woman fly-fishing guide, participants will discover the history and ecological restoration of Kooyoo Pa’a, the sacred “Standing Water” of the Paiute people.
