Fall Travel: Immerse yourself in culture at these 8 festive celebrations

Whitney Plantation, an antebellum indigo plantation in Louisiana where nearly 400 people were enslaved, will open its newest exhibition, “Indigeaux: Yes, Spirit. I’ll go…" by Iya Oriade Queen Leia Lewis on Oct. 17. The exhibit explores the indigo dyeing traditions imported into the New World from West Africa with original artwork and storytelling during workshops and guided tours from Lewis.

Whitney Plantation isn’t an event space and it doesn’t glamorize plantation life. Instead, it focuses on “the brutal labor and stolen freedom of those that created vast economic wealth for the enslaving families,” according to a Facebook post. There are no overnight accommodations so a visit is best done as a side trip from either Baton Rouge or New Orleans. Many tour operators make day excursions such as Gray Line New Orleans ($74 and up, www.graylineneworleans.com) and Cajun Encounters ($80 and up, www.cajunencounters.com). If visiting on your own, plan two hours to fully take in the site.

“Indigeaux: Yes, Spirit. I’ll go…" Oct. 17–Dec. 31. $25 and up. Whitney Plantation, 5099 State Highway 15, Wallace, Louisiana. 225-265-3300, whitneyplantation.org.

Fort Worth embraces its “Cowtown” image at the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic Site, home of the annual Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering in late October. The Stockyards, with its large livestock market, was a major stop for cattle drives headed up the Chisholm Trail during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, it’s a lively shopping, dining and entertainment district themed around the cowboy image and still hosting daily cattle drives.

The gathering celebrates Western heritage and the ranching lifestyle with ranch rodeos (different from traditional rodeo in that it involves teamwork rather than individual competition), a chuck wagon camp and cook-off using techniques from the 1880s, dancehall-style Western swing music and cowboy poetry readings, including from the “Official Cowboy Poet of Texas” himself, Red Steagall. A number of youth-centered events are on the bill, too, such as a cook-off and a fiddle contest. Stay in swanky Western-luxe style accommodations that real-deal cowboys dream about at Hotel Drover ($584 and up, hoteldrover.com) in the heart of the Stockyards district.

Oct. 24–26. $27 and up. 122 E. Exchange Ave., Fort Worth, Texas. 817-222-6423, www.redsteagallcowboygathering.com.

Mexico officially celebrates Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) every Nov. 1-2 to remember deceased loved ones and conjure up their spirits with grand events, parades and ceremonies. Along the coastline of the Riviera Maya on the Yucatán Peninsula in Playa del Carmen, the resort community of Mayakoba throws its own three-day celebration starting on Oct. 31 with experiences that immerse visitors into the richness of Mexican heritage, culture and local traditions.

Take a candle-lit boat tour of Mayakoba’s many canals adorned with decorations that make it seem as if glowing apparitions are appearing from the mangroves. Engage in creative workshops to learn the ancient art of decorating sugar skulls and painting images of La Catrina, a symbol of the holiday. The event concludes with the Day of the Dead Parade and Dinner, a celebratory blend of food, music, artistry and remembrance. There are three hotel resorts within the Mayakoba community — Bayan Tree, Fairmont and Rosewood — with Bayan Tree and Fairmont offering Day of the Dead packages.

Oct. 31–Nov. 2. $1,400 and up for hotel packages. Playa del Carmen. +52 800 365-3365, mayakoba.com/day-of-the-dead.

To celebrate Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary, festivities began last October and have continued throughout the city as a lead-up to the 75-hour grand finale starting Oct. 24. On that date, the Story Festival begins with 750 stories told about the city and paintings representing each one on display, along with a dance program and communal food tables set up at 75 locations. The National Celebration wraps things up with performances by top Dutch musical acts Yves Berendse, Wibi Soerjadi and Karsu in a concert hosted by actors Holly Mae Brood and Daan Schuurmans. Stay in the heart of the city at Conservatorium Hotel ($778 and up, www.mandarinoriental.com). Housed in an ornate historic building that once served as a music school, this landmark hotel bills itself as the “living room of Amsterdam.”

Citywide events through Oct. 27. Amsterdam. No admission charge. 020-251-8164, amsterdam750.

Turks and Caicos Islands of Providenciales is the site of the Caribbean Food and Wine Festival each fall at multiple resorts, restaurants and other venues along Grace Bay Beach, a strand that has garnered many “best beach" awards for its pristine white sand and crystal-clear turquoise waters. The festival will bring together top chefs, winemakers and sommeliers at events such as “The Headliner’s Table: A Debut of World-Class Wine and Dining” hosted by celebrity chef Jeremiah Langhorne.

“Salt, Sand and Fire” boasts the Caribbean’s longest chef’s table set up directly on the beach for a gourmet barbecue dinner by guest chef Justin Fourton. Turk’s Head Jerk Festival at Turk’s Head Brewery spotlights jerk cuisine and local culture with live music and dance performances. A highlight of the festival is the popular Gourmet Safari, an island-themed progressive dinner that moves between venues from course to course. Stay at the luxurious beachfront resort The Palms ($965 and up, thepalmstc.com), a festival site and one of the stops on the Gourmet Safari dinner.

Nov. 5–9. $20 and up. Turks and Caicos Islands. 649-946-5050, caribbeanfoodandwinefestivaltci.com.

In early December, the Miami Beach Convention Center becomes the epicenter of the contemporary art world at Art Basel Miami Beach. This international art fair founded in 1970 in Basel, Switzerland, has expanded to include satellite fairs in Paris, Hong Kong and Miami Beach, where it’s been drawing art lovers annually since 2002. Top art galleries from around the world display major and emerging artists, with the Miami Beach incarnation spotlighting Latin American artists. Among the exhibitors this year, Aninat Galería will showcase Fernando Gutiérrez (Huanchaco) and the Luis De Jesus Los Angeles gallery will feature the works of Hugo Crosthwaite.

Art Basel anchors Miami Art Week (Dec. 1–7, www.miamiartweek.org) with concurrent art fairs and events occurring throughout the city such as the Miami River Art Fair and SCOPE Art Show. Grand Beach Hotel — 2.5 miles away from the convention center — is offering a 20% discount Nov. 26–Dec. 11 when you book with the code “BASEL” ($270 and up, www.grandbeachhotel.com).

Dec. 5–7. $68 and up. 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida. www.artbasel.com/miami-beach.