Real Food Traveler REAL Podcast

Attending a culinary festival in a city is a great way to check out its foodie scene when you visit. That's certainly the case with the Denver Food + Wine Festival, happening August. 26-29, 2026 in Colorado. In this episode of the Real Food Traveler Podcast, we talk to a member of the organization team who gives us the inside scoop on which events to attend, why they are such a great window in...

Dining and sipping next to the winemakers themselves; opportunities to get to know new wineries, wines and trends; a new concert and a charming Colorado mountain town. These are the things awaiting guests at the 2026 Breckenridge Wine Classic this August. Get an insider's look behind-the-scenes at what makes this event a great reason to visit Colorado this summer. As a bonus, get our exclusive...

Go behind-the-scenes with us to learn about the 2026 season of the Santa Fe Opera. You'll get a teaser of the storyline of each of the operas plus you'll learn what's so unique about the way the venue is built and how it plays off of the nature all around Santa Fe itself to add to the drama and excitement. You'll also get insider tips for making the most of your visit to the Opera and to visiting...

On a recent trip to Jerez de la Frontera, named the Gastronomic Capital of Spain for 2026, I met Enrique Medina, owner of a company called Bilinguo. Enrique was one of our group's guides and knew so much about everything essential in the city of Jerez, from the food, drink, history, traditions and cultural ways, I knew I had to have him on as a guest on the Real Food Traveler Podcast. Listen and l...

Hear from Kristen Slater, the organizer behind the August. 6-8, 2026 Vail Wine Classic in Vail, Colorado. Get the inside scoop on what to expect when you attend, tips for making the most of it, including avoiding long lines and how to prepare for the high altitude. Find out what goes into planning the event including how the wine + restaurant pairing meals come together. Also, get our exclusive di...

In what is considered Florida's "lake country" is a town called Howey-in-the-Hills (and there's a great story behind that name). And in that town is a beautiful place to stay, Mission Resort + Club (and there's a great story about that too). Join us as we share a his and hers take on ways to enjoy the resort and offerings off-resort too. You can read more about Mission Resort + Club and see images...

The Presidio was a military base but now it's an oasis at the edge of San Francisco, a prime example of reuse and community. Learn about the history and transformation of the Presidio as well as what it's like to stay there as a visitor at either the Lodge or the Inn. My guest for the Real Food Traveler Podcast is Terry Haney, Managing Director of Presidio Lodging. You can see photos, get live lin...

What started out as a movement to promote reducing the consumption of alcohol (while still having something special to drink) has become a way of life. No longer just relegated to "Dry January," alcohol-free drinks are big business and can be found on restaurant menus and on beverage shelves everywhere. In this episode of the Real Food Traveler Podcast, we meet the couple behind Madame Mocktail, m...

Twice a year, wine (and food) lovers get the opportunity to visit a great mountain town destination and experience wine from around the country and local cuisine. The Park City Wine Festival is back with its Spring Edition, April 9-11, 2026. You may have listened to our episode about the Fall Edition last October. But there's plenty that's new and exciting (including our exclusive discount on all...

One of our favorite guests is back on the Real Food Traveler Podcast. Travel writer Abbey Algiers is our resident expert on Spain and has shared her knowledge and experiences in previous episodes. But this time, she's telling us about two weeks she and her husband spent in Spain's neighbor, Portugal. Abbey shares great tips for different styles of hotels, the authentic and local food and drink not...

There are so many reasons why going on a mid-week escape to Colorado's Monarch Casino Resort & Spa is a great idea. In addition to fewer people, there are money-saving deals available too. Listen to our Real Food Traveler Podcast episode with Executive Chef Alex Lopez who tells us about all that Monarch has to offer guests and why each one is better when you're there in the middle of the week...

Meet Susan and Rene Trevino, the owners of Enjoy Corpus Christi Tours, during this informative and fun conversation on the Real Food Traveler Podcast. We learn about how their business got started (it was a total switch from their previous careers), what they offer in terms of tours (new offerings are coming), and some great tips for what to see, do and eat in Corpus Christi, Texas (you don't want...

Real Food Travelers, like me, will be surprised to know there's a pretty logical connection between the Denver Broncos football team, Nigeria, Colorado, agriculture, honey and whiskey. See how all of those things are combined in this sponsored Real Food Traveler Podcast conversation with Omar Lababidi, of Goldswarm Honey. And find out how you can partake of the honey and the whiskey! Learn mor...

When we were in Scottsdale, Arizona, we kept seeing a striking building that turned out to be a museum perfect for people looking to immerse themselves in the American west. On this Real Food Traveler Podcast, we meet Andrew Patrick Nelson, PhD, the Chief Curator of Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West and find out all the reasons why no visit to the city is complete without some time v...

In Northwestern Arkansas, in a place called "Rogers," is Ozark Beer Company, with a focus on enabling community-making brewed up with beer-making. Meet Marty Shutter from Ozark Beer and learn about the unique approach they have to their beer, cocktails and other drinks plus their efforts that go way beyond just something to drink.

Hot off of a whirlwind visit to Scottsdale, Arizona, listen to this couple's podcast recorded in their airport before returning home. Hear real-person recommendations and tips for places to stay, where (and what) to eat and things to do in Scottsdale, AZ.

We’re back with Part 2 of our Real Food Traveler Podcast about our back-to-back river cruises with Viking in the summer of 2025. In Part 1, we covered the first cruise, the “Rhine Getaway,” which went from Basel to Amsterdam. The second cruise, the “Lyon & Provence” itinerary sailed along the Rhone River. In this episode of the Real Food Traveler Podcast, we, RealFoodTraveler's Courtney Dr...

Listen to our conversation with Irvina Lew, the author of the new book "Forays in France, A Flavorful Memoir." We hear what inspired the book, who it's best for, and what benefits readers will come away with after reading the book. Read our accompanying article on RealFoodTraveler.com where you'll see photos from Irvina's travels to France and some links to our favorite artic...

Learn about the October 2025 event in Park City, Utah PLUS get our exclusive discount promo code.

In the summer of 2025, we had the wonderful opportunity to do back-to-back river cruises with Viking. The first cruise was on the Rhine River. While Viking's cruises sail in both directions, our cruise started in Basel, Switzerland and ended in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. In this episode of the Real Food Traveler Podcast, we, RealFoodTraveler's Courtney Drake-McDonough and Jimmy McDonough, tell yo...

After spending a wonderful evening at a whisky pairing dinner with Craig Engelhorn, co-founder and head distiller at Spirit Hound Distillers in Colorado, I knew he had to be a guest on, not only the Real Food Traveler Podcast but also on our sister podcast, the In Good Taste Denver Podcast. Learn about Craig's interesting path into making spirits and how visits to the source in Scotland made him l...

Aussie Select produces premium deli products responsibly sourced from Australian lamb. The pre-cooked products, available throughout the United States, brings a convenient, creative and delicious protein option to diners. I grew up eating lamb so I was really curious to know what lamb deli products would be like. After having tried several, and hearing the story behind the business, I was excited...

What awaits travelers to Mississippi? We find out on the Real Food Traveler Podcast from my guest, food/travel/lifestyle/wellness writer, Abbey Algiers. She was recently on a golf-music-food tour that started in Biloxi, Mississippi and worked its way north.   We learn about the food, drink, music and culture scene to prepare us to visit on our own. See some photos and get the links to everything A...

Abbey Algiers is back for another Real Food Traveler Podcast episode about Spain. This time, it's Valencia where Abbey recently visited, coming back with a wealth of useful and delicious information to help us plan our visit there. She gives us the ins and outs of the foodie scene, including what time it's appropriate to eat Paella, unique places to get authentic cuisine and much more. You can see...

Imagine the opulence of the Court of King Louis XIV, hosting lavish balls and welcoming dignitaries from around Europe to the Palace of Versailles, France. Among the delicacies that were served were Bissinger's chocolates. The family was granted the title of Confiseur Imperial (Confectioner of the Empire) by Louis. Those scratch-made, hand-crafted chocolate treats are still made today in St. Louis...