Amarillo, Texas
Everything in Texas is bigger, and the same is true of its steaks. Amarillo, Texas, is home to Big Texan Steak Ranch, which offers the famous 72-ounce steak challenge. The brave must eat the steak, as well as a salad, a shrimp cocktail, a baked potato and a dinner roll with butter, in one hour. Adam Richman, host of the Travel Channel’s “Man vs. Food,” took it on and won, but the record holder is Molly Schuyler, who ate not one, but two full meals in 15 minutes.
In 2011, the Big Texan’s on-site brewery started serving suds: Brews include Jack Rabbit Red, Rattlesnake IPA and Whoop Your Donkey double IPA.
The Big Texan is “an experience because it’s been around since 1960,” said Eric Miller, director of communications for the Amarillo Convention and Visitor Council. “You walk in and you feel like you’re in that prototypical Texas steakhouse.”
Visitors should also check out downtown, which is undergoing a restaurant renaissance, he said. Planners can let attendees roam free and choose their own meals, or the CVC can organize a dine-around. Attendees may want to get a glass of wine at Crush Wine Bar and Deli, appetizers at Rain Premier Sushi Bar and Lounge, entrees at OHMS and dessert at Napoli’s.
“[Downtown] restaurants tend to be smaller, but they have varied menus and are locally owned, so they can provide a very intimate experience,” Miller said.
Finger Lakes, New York
“Farming is so huge, it’s amazing what you can get locally here,” said Meg Vanek, Cayuga County Office of Tourism executive director. “It would not be difficult for [a group] to have a meal that’s pretty much completely a menu of local food items.”
And the Finger Lakes region has plenty of ways to show off its homegrown, handmade goods, including the Finger Lakes Sweet Treat Trail, the Finger Lakes Beer Trail, the Finger Lakes Cheese Trail, the Lake Ontario Wine Trail and the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail.
The region is known for its dairy industry, which has churned out many artisanal cheesemakers. The Finger Lakes Cheese Trail features about 30 stops, including several destination farms and creameries where groups can shop and sample at farm stores. There are also non-destination farms — operations only — and restaurants, food shops and wineries. Groups can arrange to visit Finger Lakes Dexter Creamery, where they can taste the dairy’s special kefir cheese, greet the farm collies and see the Irish Dexter cows, which “are right there,” Vanek said.
Strawberry Fields is a pick-your-own hydroponic strawberry farm and country store where the berries are grown in upright stands. That method of growing extends the season from June through October and produces fat, flavorful berries.
Maple syrup production is seasonal, usually in March, but groups can visit local “sugar shacks” year-round. At Smokey Hollow Maple Syrup, guests learn about tapping trees, harvesting the sap and processing the syrup and can enjoy it over a pancake breakfast in the group pavilion.
