I travel with my mom every year. We’ve been around the world, but one activity is the glue to our trips.

When I first started traveling with my mom, planning was extremely stressful, especially because we have different energy levels and physical abilities.

I walk for miles whenever I solo travel, but my mom — who’s in her 60s — isn’t always able to. So, I have to factor in accessibility and transportation options while planning, which sometimes limits my options.

Attending food festivals, however, alleviates some of the pressure of planning, as most events present a well-balanced, already-curated itinerary.

For instance, we traveled to Hawaii’s Big Island at the Mauna Lani resort for the annual Culinary Classic, a festival celebrating all things food and drink.

Because it was hosted at the resort, there was no need to walk long distances, rent a car, or rely on GPS directions.

In our downtime, we had access to snorkeling gear, canoes, and thatched-roof palapas to relax under. On a sunrise canoe trip, we observed dolphins swimming and admired the distant silhouette of the Mauna Kea volcano.

My mom and I attended our first food festival in 2019 when I was living in Sicily. We toured the island, trekking along Mount Etna and visiting mosaics in the town of Monreale, but Palermo’s Ballarò Market was by far our favorite activity.

Although not technically a festival, Ballarò — a lively street market — functions similarly. My mom and I spent a day trying panelle sandwiches, granita variations, and a ricotta sandwich that ranked as our favorite food in Italy.

Sicily is known for its street food, and I felt our Ballarò visit encapsulated Palermo’s warm and chaotic spirit, multi-generational traditions, and reverence for food. Not to mention, my mom and I had plenty of time to catch up as we swapped arancine.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, my mom and I embarked on our first real food-festival trip. We visited Asheville, North Carolina, for the Chow Chow Festival, which celebrated Southern Appalachian food and culture.

The festival gave us the opportunity to share experiences we otherwise wouldn’t have. For instance, my mom and I rarely drink together, but we sampled craft beers at a seminar.

After dinner that night, we dared each other to try ant ice cream. It was delicious and also gave us something to brag about to my dad and brother.

As a kid, I saw my mom as just a parent, but our trips have revealed her fun, adventurous side.

Whenever I travel on my own, I try to pack as much as possible into the itinerary. But traveling with my mom has forced me to adjust my expectations, pace, and priorities.

I have my entire life to, say, road-trip around the Big Island, but maybe only one opportunity to hear my mom’s stories while sharing chef Jonathan Waxman’s chicken or a French press of Kona coffee.

I still remember the last night of the Mauna Lani Culinary Classic when my mom and I woke up at 3 a.m. to stargaze on the same beach where chefs Andrew Zimmern and Stephanie Izard had prepared our dinner just hours before.

As we reclined on parallel chairs, the sky created a memory that had nothing to do with the Culinary Classic — but it was the festival that brought us to that beach in the first place.