Take part in a culinary boot camp at this world-renowned institute. Taught in the famous Culinary Institute of America kitchens in New York, amateur cooks work alongside chef-instructors while learning to make yummy delights like bread, barbecue and baked goods. CIA offers boot camps in Asian cuisine, pastry and Spanish tapas that last anywhere from a few hours to several days. After class, dine at one of the five award-winning restaurants on campus, tour the school and go shopping for cookbooks and gourmet treats in the onsite boutique.

Holland America Line

Set sail on a culinary adventure. Holland America has state-of-the-art Culinary Arts Centers aboard its 13 premium cruise ships, including several that depart from U.S. ports. Sponsored by Food & Wine magazine, the programs bring top chefs, wine experts and leading cookbook authors onboard to perform culinary demonstrations and teach classes. Instructors have included Top Chef winner Harold Dieterle and master mixologists Christy Pope and Chad Solomon. Several ships also offer market tours in selected ports of call.

Food & Wine Trails

Explore wine country during the Food & Wine Trails' luxe tour of the world-famous Napa Valley, home to some of the hottest chefs and award-winning wineries in the world. The three-day itinerary includes gourmet champagne breakfasts and tastings and tours at six area wineries. Indulge in select vintages and a gourmet brunch while riding the Napa Valley Wine Train. The three-hour trip offers stunning views of the surrounding countryside and is considered one of the highlights of the tour.

Ale Trail

Grab a pint glass and head to Pennsylvania. The Keystone State is home to more than 50 microbreweries and an Ale Trail that invites beer connoisseurs to wet their whistles. The 50-mile trail winds through Pennsylvania Dutch Country and includes stops at four local breweries. Learn more about the beermaking process during a brewery tour and then belly up to the bar and order an Amish Four Grain pale ale at the Lancaster Brewing Company, located in a former tobacco warehouse or sip a stout at Bube’s Brewery, a modern microbrewery housed in a 19th-century icehouse.

Epiculinary

Few cities have the rich culinary traditions found in Santa Fe. Spend the weekend savoring the flavors of the Southwest, from Navajo tacos to chocolate-chile ice cream with Epiculinary cooking journeys. Cooking classes at the Santa Fe School of Cooking provide hands-on instruction in creating New Mexican cuisine. Indulge in one of the best meals in town and leave with recipes for all of the dishes created in class. In the evenings, dine at several gourmet restaurants around the city; it’s a perfect opportunity to sample carne adovada (pork in a red chile sauce) and other dishes favored by local Hispanic and Indian cultures.

Chicago Chocolate Tours

Tortes and truffles are part of the culinary experience during a chocolate tour of Chicago. Learn about chocolate-making and savor the rich delicacies created by local chocolatiers. Enjoy behind-the-scenes tours and tastings during the guided two-hour walking tours, which include stops at well-known chocolate shops and other culinary hidden treasures. Walk off the calories along one of four different tours, each highlighting the best chocolate Chicago has to offer.

Hoosier Pie Trail

Wondering what a shoofly pie really tastes like? Find out along Indiana’s Hoosier Pie Trail. Try a slice of traditional apple pie, dig into a piece of chess pie, and fall in love with Indiana’s famous sugar cream pies. The trail winds past some of the best bakeries and restaurants in the state. You’ll not only taste pies made from recipes passed down for generation, you’ll aslo sample new twists on old favorites.

There are people who eat to live and those who live to eat. If you fall into the latter category, then it’s likely you love to sniff out cuisine that captures the specific flavor of a place when you’re on the road. Following are five shining stars of the culinary travel scene. While we’ve mentioned a few attractions in each destination, true foodies will consider them as mere starting points, and will follow their noses — and stomachs — to even more.

Destinations to Savor

Charleston, South Carolina

Sienna is a short drive from downtown Charleston on Daniel Island, but Ken Vedrinski — feted by both The New York Times and Esquire magazine — learned the fundamentals of Tuscan cooking at his grandmother’s elbow from a very young age. His meals are definitely worth the trip.

Gaulart & Maliclet, aka Fast & French, is a favorite place for locals who prefer to dine communally at one of several long counters and partake of everything from a simple charcuterie plate to escargots. Thursday night is fondue night.

Handcrafted, locally made Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka has taken the city by storm since its launch in spring 2008. Ask for it at any local bar or restaurant.

Chicago

The Drawing Room in Chicago’s famed Gold Coast neighborhood is staffed by master bartenders who prepare and serve drinks tableside while offering up running commentary. Chief mixologist Charles Joly was given Cheers Magazine’s Rising Star Award for 2008.

Green City Market is the premier farmers market for both chefs and amateur cooks, and it’s open year-round — a brave feat in the Windy City. Chef demonstrations and classes are offered regularly.

Belgian Chocolatier Piron makes its nut barks, toffees, and individual chocolates right on the premises. Their confections are widely regarded to be the best in the city and worth the side trip to Evanston.

You’ll know you’re close to Big Ed’s BBQ when you can smell the hickory smoke from a few blocks away. Big Ed himself mans the smoker, and all the food is made from scratch. The restaurant occasionally runs out of ribs and slaw, so it’s best to get there early.

Take a stroll through culinary Chicago with Chicago Food Planet Walking Tours. Featured tours include stops at the city’s oldest hot dog stand and an authentic Ashkenazic Jewish deli. All tours include ample tastings.

New Orleans and Baton Rouge

Brasseries were once the lifeblood of old New Orleans, but were all but extinct until chef John Besh started Luke, which he describes as Alsace meets New Orleans. The Old World menu features German and French classics, house-made pâtés and abundant seafood platters.

For the lowdown on everything from chitlins to po’boys, check out the Southern Food & Beverage Museum, a15,000-square-foot exhibit hall devoted to the best of Southern cuisine.

Indulge in everything from pecan pie to panini at the Main Street Market, Baton Rouge’s enclosed gathering place that cele-brates everything food. On Saturdays, visit the Red Stick Farmer’s Market, where small family farmers and local artisans offer fresh fruits and vegetables, Angus beef, dairy products, and native Louisiana wines.

New York

Chocoholics can indulge their sweet tooth at Divalicious Chocolate, a choc-olate cafe with the largest selection of international chocolates in New York. While you’re there, sample the fondue.

No visit to New York is complete without a trip to Zabar’s, the foodie institution where you can buy everything from lox and caviar to kosher cheese. Wander throughout its landmark Broadway & 80th store and just try, we dare you, to leave without buying anything.

After your futile attempt to resist Zabar’s, cross the street to H&H Bagels, home of the best bagels in NYC. Buy a bagful along with a couple containers of flavored cream cheese, and head a few blocks east to Central Park to watch the crowds while you polish off the bag.

Seattle

Savor Seattle Food Tours gives daily culinary walking tours throughout Seattle's tastiest restaurants, artisan shops, and food vendors. Guides take foodies behind the scenes to meet chefs and farmers.

Salish Lodge & Spa is a romantic mountain retreat and luxury spa 30 minutes east of Seattle. The lodge’s Test Your Palate program combines a blind tasting with a brief educational session where guests learn about the craft of creating artisan wine and cheeses.

Pike Place Market is a culinary must-see. The sprawling market provides visitors and locals alike with more than 200 year-round food vendors and restaurants, along with farmers who set up shop for a day at a time.