A Week in the Country: Try an Agri-Tourism Adventure This Year
A Different Kind of Vacation
Airfares are high. Gas prices are soaring. Many people are cancelling their vacations and making plans to clean out their closets or watch two weeks of daytime TV.
Don't despair! You can still have a memorable vacation without breaking the bank. Consider an exciting new travel option called agri-tourism.
Things to Do in the Country
Agri-tourism opportunities are as varied as tourists. A few of the many activities offered include
- Winery tours and wine tasting parties
- Romantic B and Bs
- bike rides on country roads
- guided hikes on peaceful trails
- horseback rides, hayrides, and carriage rides
- rodeos
- cattle drives
- tours of working farms
- seasonal photography expeditions led by famous pro-shooters
- art studio tours and gallery openings
- music festivals in the fields
- farmers' markets
- county fairs
- agricultural museums and living history projects
- restaurant jaunts featuring fresh local produce
- local harvest festivals
- small-town old-fashioned parades and Fourth of July Celebrations
- folk art workshops
- writing workshops with agricultural themes
- ecology preservation tours
- organic gardening workshops
- regional cooking workshops
- plein air painting by the side of the road
- visiting a pick-it-yourself orchard and coming home with bagsful of fresh summer fruit (warning--unless you pay for this priviledge at a special farm, picking fruit from an orchard is theft, and will be prosecuted.)
Some Useful Links
- Agri-tourism World
This site provides links to information about agri-tourism all over the Web. Use it to find the perfect vacation close to home. - Agri-tourism on Wikipedia
For basic information about the subject, and a few links, try this online encyclopedia entry. - Farms as Attractions and Entertainment
Get more information about this fast-growing industry in this article. - Agri-tourism in Colorado
This site provides links to wineries, farms, and community resources that will help you plan a farm or ranch vacation in Colorful Colorado. - Denver Post Article about Agri-tourism in the State
Agritourism in New York State
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Comments
This looks like a brilliant way to go, Great pictures too. Thanks
Great article, inspiring photos, informative links. Thanks!
jane
Thank you for this informative article. Our family is inspired to go this route with camping in the summer:)
OMG - I love Colorado. We almost moved there from Washington, but picked a closer Central Oregon 2 years ago. Beautiful landscape! I am loving the photos.
Thank you! Your article has given me some new insites about agriculture. Being born and raised to farm life, I had never given any thought to agriculture as being entertaining to anyone outside the industry. Being that I live in an agricultural area(Greeley, CO), I had given some thought to write some articals about the area and local activities concected to agriculture, and your artical has slanted my thoughts to a more beneficial plane. I have been hoping to do some touring over in your neck of the woods sometime soon.
- Author
Yes! Some of our farmers have been having a tough time fighting against residential development. Agri-tourism, especially in Palisade, is growing. We have vineyards and, of course, the best peaches in the entire world! They ripen in late July and August. September is great, too--the aspens on the mesa turn gold!
This is happening in my area too. California, Sierra foothills. Not only is it fun for the tourists, farms, winerys and ranches are finding it a source of income that helps keep the area rural.
My background is from the countryside and now when I am living in the hustle and bustle of a big city, I miss the Fresh air and fresh food of the countryside.
Wonderful pictures and very interesting reading. It made me stop to think how many agri tourism opportunities we have like this in southeastern Pennsylvania. The Agri-tourism World website is especially fascinating with its articles and listings. Thank you!
"Nice!" "I like to get away myself but not just yet!"
"I like the pictures they are realistic!"
"Chow!"
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