American Road Trip Talk

The Total Solar Eclipse of April 8, 2024 is approaching fast and Jamie Jensen, who is celebrating publication of the 10th Edition of his Road Trip USA travel guide, joins us to talk about the best cities and towns to view the celestial event. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Henry Martyn Leland was an American machinist, inventor, engineer, and automotive entrepreneur. He founded the two premier American luxury automotive marques, Cadillac and Lincoln. His motto was, “Craftsmanship a creed, accuracy a law.” In this episode, we hear much about his determination and innovative genius from Karl Petry, a graduate of the Lincoln Technical Institute and admirer of Mr. Lelan...

Erika Nelson joins us to recount a pop-up show at TeePee Junction in Lawrence, Kansas. Erika responded to the “Hillbilly Halfwit”, Armando Minjarez responded to "La Salsa Man", and Mona Cliff responded to the teepees. The purpose was to examine caricatures of people in our roadside attractions and what they might mean to the traveling public. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Cal...

Mark Greene of Cars Yeah says, “For me an adventure drive is when you go off the freeway and onto the back roads, or no roads, out into the wilderness. Away from cities and on roads in unique locations where tourists rarely venture.” Mark is our guest and he has stories of remarkable men and women who have done it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at ht...

Washington State has more than her fair share of small towns with plenty of charm to lure visitors away from the city life of Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma et al as well as from out-of-state to the natural beauty and town culture that offer a unique experience in each locale. Contributor Matt Shea has lots to share about these mellow destinations. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Ca...

Route 66 is a long story that is still being told. The glory of The Mother Road endures with a resilience underscored by her responsiveness to movements of not only the countless people she has carried but also of turbulent American racial history. Joey Madia discusses “Sundown Towns” that once posed a menacing threat to African-Americans who traveled with the burden of bigotry in mind. (Encore Pr...

Seaside Aquarium is one of the oldest aquariums on the West Coast. Founded in 1937, the aquarium is privately owned and the descendants of some of the founders still are active in its operation. Manager Keith Chandler fills us in on the star attractions and many activities awaiting you at a legendary place in Oregon’s oldest resort town.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Califor...

On February 9, 1964, The Beatles made their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show and on that electrifying night, Beatlemania swept across America. Geoffrey Mark is our guest for a discussion of the places where the Fab Four performed, stayed and visited during their initial trip to the USA. Which locations still can be seen today? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California...

Travel author Jessica Dunham has driven from Phoenix to Vermont and back again six times; the people and places she has had the privilege of experiencing are treasured memories. In this interview, we learn about some of them. Get ready to be inspired! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

A road trip from southern Nevada to Arizona (or vice-versa) will bring spectacular desert vistas and stunning historic places into view. Hoover Dam and Laughlin in Nevada; Bullhead City, Arizona and the sprawling glory found in and around Phoenix are some elements of what might turn out to be the trip of a lifetime. Jamie Jensen is with us again; this time to share his boundless enthusiasm for the...

They seemed like a great idea at the time: cars that were produced with big ambitions in mind but that failed to win over the public while others went through various modifications for years until they finally went extinct on the assembly line. Karl Petry brings his automotive expertise (and nostalgia) to this episode. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice a...

Western Washington is home to many vintage venues for dining and socializing that proudly maintain their links to the past. Matt Shea is back with first-hand experiences to share about some of the region’s favorite heritage places for food and fun. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The Muskegon Museum of Art, founded on a tradition of aesthetic excellence, is committed to fostering the life-long study and appreciation of the visual arts. We visit with Art Martin, Director of Collections & Exhibitions/Senior Curator, to learn more about this inspiring destination. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do...

In this episode, Mark Greene joins us to memorialize several highly esteemed gentlemen of the automotive world who passed away in 2023. Each leaves a beautiful legacy and all will be sorely missed. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The Bear Lake Valley is a recreational paradise! Bear Lake on the Idaho-Utah border is often called “Caribbean of the Rockies” for its intense turquoise blue water. Jet ski, go sailing, boating, fish, swim and play on our sandy beaches. Wintertime offers snowmobiling, ice fishing and snow skiing. Enjoy bird watching & wildlife too. Tami Leonhardt joins us to share her expertise. See Privacy Po...

In this episode, we talk with Destiny Egley, an authority on Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. The city has become a popular resort location, noted for its numerous hot springs suitable for bathing and featuring a turbulent inner tube run through part of the town. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Across America, Holiday celebrations are in full swing. Road trip expert Jessica Dunham joins us to talk about notable places where Christmastime is happening spectacularly with unique experiences to offer. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Happy Holidays! The lights burn brightest this time of year in and around Puget Sound in brilliant creative celebration of the Season. Our roving correspondent Matt Shea has the story of some dazzling new displays for 2023. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The holiday feast dates back to November 1621, when the newly arrived Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians gathered at Plymouth for an autumn harvest celebration, an event regarded as America’s “first Thanksgiving.” Text credit to history.com (Encore Presentation) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Amy S. Eckert returns with a survey of her new book, Perfect Day Michigan. She shares highlights of destinations across the state in answer to the question: how should we make the most of 24 hours in the Great Lakes State? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

On Jan. 1, 1942, the government froze the sale of consumer vehicles. Instead of working on luxury designs and automotive innovations, automakers were building tanks, trucks, airplanes, Jeeps, torpedoes, and even helmets. (Thanks to Hertz.com for text). Mark Greene joins us to discuss how automakers helped the Allies win the war. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privac...

Autumn in New England is a fiery presage of Winter, a spectacular display of Mother Nature in all her seasonal glory. Jamie Jensen has driven the two-road path to Northeast paradise and shares the thrill of the journey. (Encore) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Santee Cooper Country and nearby Clarendon County in South Carolina offer all the rich history, natural beauty and outdoor activities anybody could want. Even Hollywood has discovered the region! Local expert Jane Powell has plenty to share in this episode. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The tiny community of Grovers Mill, New Jersey was made famous by Orson Welles’ October 30, 1938 radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds, depicted as the first landing site of a Martian invasion. The Martians never actually showed up but that didn’t stop much of the nation from becoming terrified as the fictional attack was accepted as real by thousands of listeners. Karl Petry knows the spot and...

Leslie Rule for decades has been a chronicler of ghost stories and related phenomena as experienced at American locations from coast to coast. She joins us (on Friday the 13th no less!) to talk about strange things seen and heard by people from various walks of life. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .