Best Places to Visit During Hispanic Heritage Month

The United States is an amalgamation of cultures, and the Hispanic culture has played an important role in the creation and success of the country. Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates this vibrant culture from September 15 to October 15 every year. This year, we encourage you to learn more about the Latino experience by visiting some of the most notable Hispanic heritage destinations in the U.S.

Albuquerque is home to the National Hispanic Cultural Center. In addition to being a museum that celebrates and preserves Hispanic heritage and culture, they host 700 events which include performances, workshops and lectures. There is also a library and genealogy center where people of Hispanic ancestry can trace their family lineage.

Set on the border of Texas and Mexico, El Paso has a strong and vibrant Mexican-American heritage. To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in El Paso, explore such places like the Chamizal National Monument, El Paso Museum of Art and the El Paso Museum of History. You can also start at the Mission Trail in El Paso and see how the Spanish missions played a role in Hispanic history in the U.S.

San Antonio is one of the epicenters of Hispanic culture in the U.S. The San Antonio Missions Historical Park features four of the five original Spanish missions and is a good start to a Hispanic cultural visit to the city. From there, make your way to the Mercado to taste local Mexican-American cuisine and shop among Hispanic-owned shops. Be sure to visit the Mexican Cultural Insititute and Aztec Theater and watch a Ballet Folklorico dance, performance or film at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center.

Located in the heart of the Mexican-American community in Chicago, the National Museum of Mexican Art has a 10,000-piece permanent collection that centers on Mexican art in the United States. The museum offers free admission for guests to explore a variety of permanent and temporary exhibits that cover everything from the ancient Mesoamerican cultures to folk art, modern Mexican art and work from the U.S.-Mexican border.

The Freedom Tower in Miami played an important role in Cuban American history. Visibly notable for its octagonal tower, the Freedom Tower was known as the "Ellis Island of the South" because it was used by the U.S. government as a reception center between 1962 to 1974 for Cuban refugees. In 2008, it became a National Historic Landmark, and today it's used as a gallery and small museum showcasing the Cuban cultural experience in the U.S.

Visit Puerto Rico this Hispanic Heritage Month to learn about the history and cultural experience of the Puerto Rican people. We highly suggest you explore museums like the Museo de las Americas, San Juan Museum of the Arts and History and the Museo de Arte de Ponce. Also, take a historic tour through Old San Juan, a Puerto Rican food tour and an Afro-Puerto Rican cultural tour through Loiza Pinones.

If you love outdoor murals, you'll want to head to Chicano Park in San Diego this Hispanic Heritage Month. Located beneath the San Diego-Coronado Bridge, the park covers 32,000-square meters and features murals that primarily focus on the Chicano, Mexican American and Mexican immigrant experience.

Olvera Street is one of the oldest parts of Los Angeles and an important place in U.S. Hispanic history. This Mexican market is sometimes referred to as the "birthplace of Los Angeles." Experience an old fashioned Hispanic market by shopping among Hispanic crafts, enjoying Mexican foods and visiting some of Los Angeles' oldest structures.

While Martin Luther King Jr. led African Americans in the Civil Rights Movement in the South, Cesar E. Chavez was leading Latino Americans and farm workers in the West. He was an influential labor and civil rights leader, and today he is memorialized at the National Chavez Center. This California-based center is home to Chavez's grave, memorial gardens, photo exhibits and Chavez's own office and library. Visit the National Chavez Center and learn about this national hero and the Latino rights movement.

San Francisco's Mission District is more than just a cool and hip spot to visit and enjoy outdoor murals. It has strong Latino roots and played a role among Latino activists in the 1940s, especially on Calle 24. Visit today and explore the botanicas, Galeria de la Raza, churches, art, BRAVA theater and restaurants that encompass the Latino experience in San Francisco.

The Smithsonian Latino Center isn't technically one physical space. It was created in 1997 to celebrate the Latino experience within the Smithsonian, and with that in mind, it promotes exhibits and events at various museums and research centers within the Smithsonian umbrella. Visit the website to see where it is hosting exhibits and events in Washington D.C. and mark your calendars for 2021 when it will open its first physical space at the National Museum of American History.

East Harlem is the epicenter of Puerto Rican culture in New York City. Also known as "El Barrio," East Harlem is home to Hispanic cultural experiences like El Museo del Barrio, a museum with exhibits that highlight the Puerto Rican and Latino experience in the U.S. You can also visit sites associated with famous Puerto Rican singer and songwriter, Tito Puente, in East Harlem. Be sure to also stop by the Grafitti Hall of Fame, eat at La Marqueta or listen to a poetry reading at La Ca Azul Bookstore.

In a time when Latinos were refused entry to theaters in certain parts of the U.S., some theaters were open specifically to accommodate this community, like Cine El Rey. Opened in 1947 in McAllen, Texas, it became a cultural icon among Mexican communities as some of Mexico's best performers appeared on Cine El Rey's stage. Today, the theater is still in use for film screenings, events and concerts.

The Juan Bautista de Anza Trail is a 1,200-mile trail that represents an expedition by Spanish Lt. Colonel Juan Bautista de Anza in 1776. Juan Bautista led 240 men, women and children on this trail that crosses Mexico, Arizona and California, ending in San Francisco. It's important to note this trail is significant to Afro-Latino history in the U.S., as Afro-Latinos from Mexico migrated along the trail until they made up 20 percent of California's population by 1790, gaining social and political influence under Mexican and Spanish governance.