Latest news with #TasteofThomasville
Fox News
03-05-2025
- Fox News
One of America's best food tours is held in this surprising southern town
Looking for a weekend getaway? One of America's best food tours is just a few hours by car from some of Florida's largest cities, about 30 miles northeast of the state capital on the other side of the border. Recently named the No. 2 food tour in America by readers of USA Today, the Taste of Thomasville Food Tour, a guided walking tour, has been operating since 2013. Debra Smith told Fox News Digital that she decided to start a food tour in the southern Georgia town after she retired from teaching and was looking for something to do. "So, I thought, why can't a food tour in Thomasville work?" Smith said. Almost 16,000 people later, Smith said she considers it a success. "Very much so – more so than I ever believed it would be," she said. Most of Thomasville's food tour visitors come from Florida, mainly from nearby Tallahassee. Smith said she also gets visitors from the Jacksonville, Tampa and Orlando areas. "They're looking for that getaway for the weekend that they don't have to drive hours and hours and hours to get to," she said. "A lot of them want to get away from the big town," she added. "And they find Thomasville is what they're looking for." So what makes Thomasville a destination spot for people who love food and travel? Smith said she believes it comes down to the town's history, architecture, culture and food options. "No two restaurants are alike," Smith said. The Taste of Thomasville offers four walking tours: a daytime stroll through downtown (which includes a visit to the "Big Oak," one of the largest oak trees east of the Mississippi River), an after-hours tour for adults only, a children's tour and a seasonal Victorian-era tour featuring a sampling of sweet treats and desserts during the holidays. "I think my pricing makes it affordable for everyone." Tuesday was notable for the Taste of Thomasville, which organized its first-ever bus tour, Smith said. Another reason Smith believes Thomasville is a desirable food tour destination is its affordability. "I think my pricing makes it affordable for everyone," she told Fox News Digital. All tours are priced at $70 or less – a far cry from the No. 1-ranked Gourmet Food & Wine Tours in Sonoma, California. For more Lifestyle articles, visit The Sonoma tour – one of several offerings throughout Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley – costs $255, by comparison. America's other top food tours are said to be in Las Vegas; West Palm Beach, Florida; Los Angeles; Mobile, Alabama; Columbus, Ohio; Pittsburgh; Seattle; and Detroit.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
Alabama is home to one of the best food tours in the country. See what USA Today says is best
The best way to explore the city of Mobile is one delicious bite at a time. Rich flavors and coastal charm come to life on guided food tours where every stop tells a story. Thanks to rave reviews from USA Today readers, this Mobile tour tops Alabama's list as it has landed on the 2025 USA Today 10BEST Food Tours list. What Mobile food tour is a must-taste experience? Here's what we know. The USA Today 10BEST Readers' Choice Awards highlight the very best in travel, food + drink, and lifestyle. Every week, USA Today 10BEST invites a panel of industry experts to nominate their favorite points of interest and attractions across a wide range of categories. 10BEST editors then vet these nominations and select a final set of nominees to be presented to the voting public for a period of four weeks. Founded in 2017 by Chris and Laney Andrews, Bienville Bites Food Tour was born from their shared love of food, history and Southern hospitality, launching Mobile's first and only food tour. In 2020, they expanded across the bay with Taste of Fairhope, bringing their flavorful experiences to even more guests. These tours offer more than just a meal, you'll visit multiple restaurants in one outing, sampling local favorites while soaking in the stories behind them. From a stroll through downtown Mobile's top dining spots with 300+ years of history to a tour of old Mobile featuring classic coastal cuisine, rooftop views and a speakeasy vault, there's a tour for every craving and curiosity. Visit their website to book a tour. Here are food tours that earned top nods from USA Today 10BEST readers: Gourmet Food & Wine Tours (Sonoma, Calif.) Taste of Thomasville Food Tour (Thomasville, Ga.) Taste Buzz Food Tours (Las Vegas, Nev.) West Palm Beach Food Tours (West Palm Beach, Fla.) Taste Six (Los Angeles, Calif.) Bienville Bites Food Tour (Mobile, Ala.) Columbus Food Adentures (Columbus, Ohio) 'Burgh Bits & Bites Food Tours (Pittsburgh, Pa.) Savor Seattle Food Tours (Seattle, Wash.) Feet on the Street Tours (Detroit, Mich.) Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at jlindahl@ This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Bienville Food Tour is top food tour in alabama according to USA Today
