Marrying Your Passions: The DINK Travel and Adventure Podcast

We're heading south of the border this episode to talk with Melanie Marsell and Kathleen Hall, co-founders of Explore the Americas and Dive the Americas . They run a boutique custom travel design company covering Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. With over 20 years of combined experience and more than 3,000 trips planned, Melanie and Kathleen aren't remote agents working off a gui...

Before marriage, before the 50 state marathon quest, before any of it, there was Montreal. Nathan and Alicia head back to their first trip together as a couple, back in August 2006, a solo planned adventure that turned into a lifelong partnership in adventure. They also revisit their 2023 day trip up from Burlington, Vermont, and reflect on just how much that first trip foreshadowed who they'd bec...

Join us as we kick off fall marathon season with a Labor Day weekend twofer: the Tupelo Marathon in Mississippi and the Heart of America Marathon in Columbia, Missouri. These two races hold a special place in Nathan's 50 state marathon journey, Tupelo was marathon number 3, Heart of America was number 9, and both remain some of our earliest adventures together as a married couple. We'll take you t...

We know timeshares are a hot button topic. There are two camps out there, the owners who've had one for decades and won't hear a word against it, and everyone else convinced it's a scam. We fall firmly into the first camp, and in this episode we're opening up the books on all three of our timeshares to show you exactly why. Married DINK (dual income, no kids) couple, Nathan and Alicia break down t...

San Miguel de Allende is a four hundred and eighty five year old colonial city in central Mexico, and it's been named the number one small city in the world six separate times by Condé Nast Traveler and Travel and Leisure . In this episode we talk with Greg Gunter, an architect, MBA, and founder of the first Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices franchise in Mexico , about why San Miguel de Allende has...

What if the destination where you honeymooned became the place you keep returning to for nearly two decades because it keeps getting better every time? Married DINK couple Nathan and Alicia have been going to Gatlinburg, Tennessee since their honeymoon in 2007, and in this episode they share everything they have learned about one of the most popular travel destinations in the country. From heart-s...

What if one of the best destinations for DINKs (Dual Income, No Kids) in the country was a place that probably never crossed your mind? Join us as we explore Hot Springs National Park and Hot Springs, Arkansas , a city and a national park so intertwined you genuinely cannot tell where one ends and the other begins. We hiked through the Ouachita Mountains in the morning, soaked in a private thermal...

Most performance nutrition products are packed with synthetic ingredients you cannot pronounce. Zac Curhan built TRUWILD to change that, starting with $10,000 and a bad experience on a hiking trail. In this episode he joins married DINK couple (dual income, no kids) Nathan and Alicia to talk clean nutrition for adventure travel, what entrepreneurship really costs, and why you should stop only doin...

Married DINK (Dual Income, No Kids) couple, Nathan and Alicia have made adventure a non-negotiable part of their everyday life. In Episode 20, they take you back to May 2022 and one of the most unforgettable trips of their 50-state marathon journey as Nathan seeks to run a marathon in every state. It started as a straightforward plan: drive from Denver to Keystone, South Dakota to visit Mount Rush...

Think Disney World and SeaWorld are just for families with kids? Think again. In this episode, married DINK couple (Dual Income, No Kids) Nathan and Alicia make the case that family-friendly destinations are some of the best places to be when you are child-free, and share exactly how they experience them differently and completely on their own terms. From spontaneous mid-stay resort switches and l...

What does it take to actually go to the Olympics? Not watch it from your couch, but pack your bags, book your tickets two years in advance, and show up on a mountain in northern Italy with your family ready to experience one of the greatest spectacles on earth? This episode married DINK (Dual Income, No Kids) couple Nathan and Alicia sit down with their good friend Bryan Richards, who writes under...

On April 17, 2021, Nathan crossed the finish line of the Golden Driller Marathon in Tulsa, Oklahoma and finally believed he could qualify for the Bosto. Two years later, on April 17, 2023, exactly to the day, he crossed the finish line on Boylston Street at the Boston Marathon . The Golden Driller Marathon is one of Oklahoma's best kept secrets. A flat, fast, Boston qualifying course along the bea...

What happens when a marathon introduces you to a region so amazing you keep coming back? That's exactly what happened to us in Virginia's Historic Triangle ! Join us as we explore Colonial Williamsburg , Yorktown , and Jamestown , Virginia across two unforgettable trips. With 2026 marking both America's 250th anniversary AND Colonial Williamsburg's 100th anniversary, there has never been a better...

🏃‍♂️ We're returning to what started it all, marathons! After focusing on our epic 2024 road trip and Virgin Voyages series , Episode 15 brings us back to marathon travel. Nathan and Alicia shares his experience running the inaugural 2015 One City Marathon in Newport News, Virginia, his state #17 in the quest to run all 50 states. What You'll Hear: ✨ Power the Hype 2026 - Newport News's year-lon...

Travel & Leisure's Top 50 for 2026: We Pick Our Dream Destinations Ever wondered where a married DINK couple would go if they could travel ANYWHERE in 2026? Nathan and Alicia are tackling Travel & Leisure's The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2026 list by sharing the 11 destinations we've already visited, then each picking our TOP 3 dream destinations from the remaining 39. Where We've Been (1...

Our Virgin Voyages series continues! Join Nathan and Alicia, a married DINK couple, as we share honest reviews of our favorite shore excursions across the Western Caribbean and Bahamas. We dive into scuba experiences with Roatan Dive Center (Leda's Hole and Shark Bait Date) and Neil Watson's Bimini Scuba Center, plus Virgin's healing spa ritual in Costa Maya and relaxing at Bimini Beach Club. Disc...

Welcome back to Part 2 of our Virgin Voyages deep dive! In Episode 11, we covered all the amazing dining options. Now we're exploring everything else you can do on these adult-only ships. In this episode, we cover: Fitness & Wellness: Free fitness classes (yoga, cycling, themed 80s aerobics!) The outdoor running track with ocean views Why Alicia’s Strava thought she ran a 5K in 5 minutes (spoi...

BIG NEWS: We're officially Marrying Your Passions: The DINK Travel and Adventure Podcast! After 10 episodes chronicling our epic cross-country road trips, we're getting crystal clear about who we are and who we serve. We're Nathan and Alicia - a childfree couple proving you don't have to wait for "someday" to live your best life. Whether you're DINKs (Dual Income, No Kids) like us, empty nesters w...

Join Nathan and Alicia, a married DINK couple, as they wrap up their epic 11,775-mile summer camping adventure ! When Alicia had a Chicago conference on the calendar, instead of just flying in for work, they turned it into the anchor point for a two-month cross-country journey. This episode covers their last week on the road - proving that work and travel can mix perfectly when you get creative. W...

In this follow-up to our previous Denver episode where Nathan and Alicia, your married DINK couple hosts, shared their favorite places from living in the Mile High City, we're excited to bring you an interview with Ben and Jess Wiederholt, owners of two unique African-themed Airbnbs in Denver, Colorado - the Matooke House and the African Loft . Our stop in Denver was a highlight of our cross count...

Join Nathan and Alicia, a married DINK couple, as we continue our epic 2024 summer road trip , heading west from Branson to the quirky Wizard of Oz-themed town of Wamego, Kansas, and then on to our former home of Denver, Colorado! Hear about our first camper mishap and our SUV's "turtle mode" incident in 100+ degree heat—and why staying adaptable is key to any adventure! Connect with us: marrinyou...

We're so excited to share this special milestone episode with you—our very first guest on Marrying Your Passions! We sat down with Danielle, owner of Gliding Light Paddle Company , for an insider's guide to one of our favorite destinations: Branson, Missouri. Nathan and Alicia, your married DINK couple hosts, sat down with Danielle to get the full scoop. Danielle shares her inspiring journey from...

Married DINK couple Nathan and Alicia continue to discuss their 2024 cross-country adventure as they visit Lincoln, Nebraska and Branson, Missouri - a destination that's become one of their most beloved repeat visits over five years. Episode Highlights: Table Rock Lake Adventures The "Sail Swim Tour" catamaran with giant slides and water trampolines Sunset paddleboard tours with wine tastings Scub...

Our epic 2024 road trip adventure continues! Join Nathan and Alicia, a married DINK couple, as we explore Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah plus Laramie, Wyoming. We review Edge Steakhouse and Tekila Mexican Grill in Park City, visit the Park City Museum and Utah Olympic Park, and share our hilarious (and fly-filled!) experience at Great Salt Lake State Park. Discover amazing vegetarian spots: Ve...

Our epic 2024 Summer Camping Trip continues! In this episode, married DINK couple Nathan and Alicia share the story of how their decision to skip running a marathon led to an incredible extended adventure near the Grand Tetons and an unexpected visit to Yellowstone National Park. What You'll Hear In This Episode The Marathon Decision: How we chose to extend our trip by skipping a planned marathon...