World Footprints

World Footprints travels along one path of the Underground Railroad starting in Norfolk, Virginia and finishing in Buxton, Ontario. We also stop along the way in Gettyburg, Pennsylvania and Lewiston, New York on this road to freedom. We'll share stories about some of the actors involved Underground Railroad movement and a Destination Spotlight will shine on the Faukland Islands and Romania. The Ci...

Birmingham, Alabama is considered ground zero in the civil rights movement. In the 1950s, African-Americans of all ages in Birmingham drew a proverbial line in the sand against racial segregation. Their stories, struggles and ultimate success over Jim Crow laws is on display at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in an effort to keep the stories of this dark chapter in American history alive. Ac...

Enjoy travel melodies with three extraordinary musicians as we hear about their personal and cultural journeys. Also learn what Rio de Janeiro is doing to prepare for the Summer Olympics. First, singer/actress/author Gloria Loring joins World Footprints to talk about her music collaboration with son, R&B artist Robin Thicke, travel and her book, "Coincidence is God's Way of Remaining Anonymous". G...

"Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in." -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (April 18, 1959, Washington, D.C.) Those are some of the quotes that appear on the Inscription Wall at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial...

Explore Kenya, America's History from the Whiskey Trail and Founding Fathers, meet bestselling author James Rollins and learn about Sri Lanka and Belize on today's World Footprints show. Kenya is called the "Heart of Africa" and is considered to be the cradle of civilization. With history that rich and a diverse community of tribes and natural resources, Jacinta Zioka from Kenya Tourism, says that...

Imagine paradise where your senses explode with a banquet of color, or scents and flavors exicte, or where you experience exotic tranquility. That is Martinique and those things, along with the islands rich history, are what makes this French Caribbean island so magical. We enjoyed some planteur punch as we sat on a lovely Martinique beach with Muriel Wiltord from La Martinique Tourism who explain...

'Tis the season with the gift of holiday music. As you enjoy the musical selections from around the world, please accept our gratitude for your support of World Footprints over the years. We appreciate you inviting us into your home and for joining us as we embrace our common humanity. We wish you peace, love and joy (and lots of travel) and we look forward to sharing exciting journeys and inspiri...

With more than 200 songs to his credit and multiple film scores, Frank Stallone has distinguished himself from movie-star brother Sylvester. His road as a musician was difficult despite his brother's fame but he found ways to stay relevant and reinvent himself. Frank says that traveling has played an important role in his development as a person and an artist. Travel Channel's "Bizzare Foods" host...

World Footprints will criss-cross the United States from Las Vegas, and Jacksonville, Florida to Wisconsin and we will put a spotlight on the rich history throughout the Czech Republic. We will also stroll through North Little Rock, Arkansas and journey to Martinique. Veteran travel journalist David Yeskel has seen the evolution of Las Vegas over the decades. From its humble beginnings as "sin cit...

National Geographic International (now FOX) producer, Dawn Drew, has been to India more than 100 times and she recently spent three months filming around the country. Dawn says that each visit to India offers something new and that travelers should go beyond the iconic attractions for an authentic travel experience. We'll also talk about the state of Goa--the popular resort that you may not have h...

It took one trip during college for the travel bug to bite Janna Graber. Her first international trip inspired an award-winning writing career, television appearances and countless travel experiences that she could only dream of. Janna has written for more than 40 publications and she's published three books. Her latest, A Pink Suitcase, offers 22 tales of women's travel and the internal and exter...

The Norfolk Botanical Garden is an oasis that sits on a 155 acre site near the Norfolk International Airport. The garden showcases 52 themed gardens including a butterfly garden, rose garden and other diverse flora. President Michael Desplaines tells us that visitors will soon experience a taste of Asia when the garden hosts Lanterasia. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has launched four tr...

Award-winning travel writer and photographer David Noyes has learned to experience the world through more than his lens and pen. He says that in order to appreciate our world we must investigate a destination as part of the human condition. His new book, The Photographing Tourist, David shows us remote places around the world and he offers tips that well help anyone develop the well-trained eye of...

World Footprints will cross the border into the country of Jordan, uncover Dr. Seuss's social and artistic legacies and share one of our "Best Of" features with filmmaker Ken Burns. Although the country of Jordan is surrounded by "noisey neighbors" it is the safest country in the Middle East because of the Swiss-like neutrality it has maintained. The spirit of hospitality that is ingrained in the...

The best way to experience a city is through the eyes of a local. We'll travel to New Orleans and walk along Paris’s rue des Martyrs with the people who know them best. Democratic consultant James Carville says that New Orleans is defined by its culture and way of life and that distinguishes the city from other places. We'll talk to him to learn what he means by this. The beheading of Saint Denis,...

Enjoy a transformative travel experience as we travel to North Korea, Malta, Mexico and Barbados. Wendy Simmons is an intrepid traveler whose solo adventures have taken her from Ethiopia to North Korea and beyond. She joins World Footprints radio to share her wealth of travel advice and gives us a preview of her book about her trip to North Korea. She'll also share the outcome of a battle between...

The famous biographer, James Parton, once referred to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as "Hell with the lid off", but today the city is vibrant, colorful and celebrated. The Senator John Heinz History Center traces its roots back to 1879, making it the oldest cultural institution in Western Pennsylvania. The museum and research facility presents over 250 years of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania life...

Prepare for a trans-continental bike ride to the South Pole and experience island paradise – USA style - in Georgia, Massachusetts, and California. If someone told you they were going to ride their bicylcle across Africa from Cairo to Cape Town, what would you think? Would you believe them? You would if you were talking to Henry Gold of TDA Global Cycling. Henry’s trans-continental cycling journey...

Today, World Footprints will explore element of American history from small towns and historic hotels to Fort Monroe. We'll also visit the shanty town of Mondesa which sits just outside of Swakopmund, Namibia. There we will mingle with the locals and witness how black Namibians are preserving their history and traditions. Fort Monroe in Virginia has been defending America since 1607 and today it r...

World Footprints will explore Biblical history at the City of David, Namibia's political, economic and natural landscape and small town treasures that offer a taste of Sicily and more. According to Hebrew tradition, the area outside of the Old City Walls of Jerusalem is considered to be the center of the world. World Footprints will explore that theory and Biblical history with Zev Orenstein at th...

World Footprints will introduce the African country of Kenya--considered to be the Cradle of Civilization because its history can be traced back six million years ago. Kenya is also considered the heart of Africa and the safari epicenter of the world. We'll learn more about this ancient country from Jacinta Nzioka with the Kenyan Tourism Board. During the latest Caribbean Tourism Organization conf...

World Footprints travels to Jalisco, Mexico where we'll be met by dolphins, pirates and Jose Cuervo. Jalisco is the seventh largest state of the 32 states in Mexico. It is rich in history and considered to be Mexico since many of the cultural characteristics of the country (Mariachis, the sombrero, Mexican Hat Dance, tequila) originated in Jalisco. While touring the state we enjoyed a playful swin...

Travel is one of the most transformative life experiences anyone can have. It can renew one’s energy, bring immeasurable joy, even inspire a life’s direction and encourage hope. The Make A Wish foundation understands the power of travel. Since 1980 the organization has granted over a quarter of million wishes for children with life-threatening diseases. 75% of the wishes involved travel. Josh deBe...

Mackinac Island, named by Native Americans for its shape as a turtle, is a northern Michigan island made famous by the Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour movie, "Somewhere in Time". Just as the Victorian-period movie reflected, Mackinac Island has maintained its old world charm. Many of the buildings reflect Victorian architecture and there are only two ways to travel around the 9 mile island--by...

What does great fudge, the world’s longest porch, U.S. presidents and Hollywood have in common? Mackinac Island. World Footprints will take you on a journey to a little known crown jewel that sits in Lake Huron between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas –Mackinac Island (pronounced “Mack –in-aw”). The island was named by Native Americans in the Straits of Mackinac region who said that the islan...