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  • Visiting South County Rhode Island

    Visiting South County Rhode Island
    2025/04/21
    It’s been a few episodes since we’ve made our way into New England on this show, so let’s go back. I spent the first 18 years of my life living in New Hampshire, and I go back up there fairly often to visit my family. But do you want to hear a secret? This is kind of a source of shame for me. I’ve never been to Rhode Island. True story. I’ve been all around New England but have never made it down to Rhode Island. So, let’s head to the smallest state in the country.

    I like to say that even though Rhode Island is small, it packs a punch. There’s a lot of beauty in Rhode Island. It has some of the most beautiful beaches in the country, there’s so much outdoor space to explore, and there’s a lot of art. Especially in South County which is where we are heading in this episode.

    South County Rhode Island isn’t technically the name of the county. It’s really called Washington County. But it’s the southern most county of the state. Hence the nickname. South County sounds wonderful. I had a great conversation with Louise Bishop. She’s the president of the South County Tourism Council. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
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    25 分
  • Visiting South Carolina

    Visiting South Carolina
    2025/04/01
    One of my bosses loves Charleston South Carolina. No joke, the other day she came into my studio and said, “I haven’t been to Charleston in two weeks and I think I’m starting to get hives.” She loves it. And I hear that from a lot of people. In fact, another coworker is going down to Charleston soon to take part in a 10K. South Carolina seems to be one of those places that, at least in my area, people love to visit. But the state is bigger than just Charleston.

    South Carolina has so much to offer. It has a little bit of everything. Beaches, history, golf, mountains, rural escapes and so much more. I would say it’s part of a handful of states that truly offer a little slice of everything that makes this country what it is. You know what I mean? Every state has something special to offer, but a place like South Carolina takes a piece of every state.

    So let’s take a dive into all that South Carolina has to offer. I’m catching up with Devyn Whitmire. She’s the Digital Engagement Manager for Discover South Carolina. This was a great chat. I think South Carolina is on my family’s radar for a little trip this summer.
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    25 分
  • Visiting Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

    Visiting Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
    2025/03/25
    I’ve mentioned before that I live in Baltimore. I’m not a Baltimore native, but I’ve lived here for about 18 years now. One thing I’ve learned in my nearly two decades in Charm City is that people here have no love for Pittsburgh. Really it all stems from the NFL rivalry between the Ravens and Steelers. But I haven’t quite been able to put my finger on why there seems to be so much tension between the two cities. I’ve visited Pittsburgh before and, from what I remember of my short time there, I thought it was a funky city that was a lot like Baltimore.

    There’s the industrial history. Both cities have dozens of unique neighborhoods that each have their own personality. And of course there’s the pride from being a mid-sized city and having to compete with some of the big dogs for attention. As they always say, we are more alike than we are different.
    So today I wanted to head out to the Steel City and learn more about why we should all give it a chance. It’s a close spot to try to run away to for a weekend, and they seem to always have something special going on. Whether it’s a big concert or event at one of their number of stadiums, or a food or beverage festival, Pittsburgh has plenty to do. Oh, and they have the NFL draft coming in 2026, which I know football fans will want to take advantage of.

    Joining me today is Alex Kenzakoski. She’s a senior manager for public relations for Visit Pittsburgh. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
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    25 分
  • Visiting Rochester New York

    Visiting Rochester New York
    2025/03/18
    It feels like we’ve been taking a little trip around New York recently. We’ve discussed a few different areas in the Empire State, and now we’re going back. I’ve said before that it feels like New York is really a few different states all combined into one. Each region seems to have it’s own personality.

    This week we are going to Rochester. I’ve been lucky enough to visit Rochester before. My brother went to RIT for school and I spent a weekend with him bouncing around bars and eating garbage plates. If you don’t know what a garbage plate is, look it up. I promise that it’s not as disgusting as it sounds. Or looks.

    Rochester has so many options. It has sports, both at the professional and collegiate level, lots of nature, history and it even has Tim Horton’s. I mean, Rochester is right near Canada. Joining me today is Don Jeffries. He’s the president and CEO of Visit Rochester. And if this guy can’t convince you to go to Rochester, I’m pretty sure no one can. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
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    19 分
  • Visiting Bucks County Pennsylvania

    Visiting Bucks County Pennsylvania
    2025/03/05
    This was a fun one. I spent about 8 years of my life living just outside Philadelphia. There was a period of time where, on the off chance I’d have some time off on a weekend, my friends and I would take a little drive north into Bucks County. There are some beautiful, and funky, spots that were perfect for a little day away.

    My personal favorite spot was New Hope. Now, it’s been about 20 years since the last time I was there, but it’s such a funky place. Lots of art, cafes and a relaxed atmosphere. And there was this super cool flea market nearby where we used to find all kinds of great stuff.

    Like I said, it’s been a hot minute since I’ve been to Bucks County. I discovered during this conversation that it’s still very much the same as I remember, but they’ve made some upgrades. And there’s a new spotlight on the area.

    This week I got to speak with Paul Vencivengo, the president and CEO of Visit Bucks County. By the end of this conversation I was ready to pack up the car and make the drive north right up to Bucks County. I’m pretty sure you’ll find my family up there this summer.
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    25 分
  • Visiting Dutchess County New York

    Visiting Dutchess County New York
    2025/02/25
    Let’s go back up to New York. I feel like the state of New York really is like 6 or 7 states combined. There are so many unique areas throughout the state. In this conversation I’m taking a trip up the Hudson River to beautiful Dutchess County.

    You might not be familiar with Dutchess County by name, but you know it’s role in the history of this country. Have you ever heard of a guy by the name of Franklin D Roosevelt? Or maybe the Vanderbilts? Well they all had homes and businesses in Dutchess County.

    This was the area where all of the robber barrons had their summer homes away from the hustle and bustle of New York City. So you can imagine the beauty and nature that fills Dutchess County. Now, these families don’t hold the same kind of power over the world that they did a hundred years ago, but their homes still stand and are incredible historical sites. The FDR Presidential Library and Museum is in Dutchess County, as is the site where Eleanor Roosevelt ran a furniture business.

    And history is just one reason to make a visit there. I caught up with Melaine Rottkamp. She’s the president and CEO of Dutchess Tourism Inc, and she is a fountain of knowledge about her county. If she can’t sell you on making a visit, I don’t think anyone can. Please enjoy my conversation with Melaine Rottkamp.
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    26 分
  • Visiting Montgomery County Maryland

    Visiting Montgomery County Maryland
    2025/02/06
    I’ve had a few different conversations on this podcast with different areas in Maryland. It’s the state where I live and work, so it makes sense. I have my own personal biases about what places are the best to visit in this state, and what locations would make great vacation spots. For me, most of those places are near the beach or somewhere out in the lesser populated areas. Today’s conversation opened my eyes to an area that I used to live in and how many great opportunities it has.

    When I first moved to Maryland, I was living near Washington DC in a city called Rockville. It’s located in Montgomery County. To me, Montgomery was kind of a suburb of DC. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed my time there. But I guess I didn’t look at it as a place I’d vacation. And maybe vacation isn’t the right word. Just because you’re visiting a place doesn’t mean it has to be for vacation. Day trips are amazing. Even just a little drive down for dinner counts as tourism. That’s what I had to wrap my head around for this conversation.

    I spoke with Kelly Groff, the president and CEO of Visit Montgomery. She helped me understand the beauty and options available in Montgomery County. From a wide array of inspiring restaurants and food, to a great craft brewery scene, historical landmarks and outdoor fun, Montgomery County Maryland has it all. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Kelly Groff.
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    24 分
  • Visiting Massachusetts

    Visiting Massachusetts
    2025/01/28
    If you’ve been listening to this show, you probably know that I live in Baltimore. I’ve lived here for the last 17 years. But my first 18 years were spent in Southern New Hampshire, right on the border of Massachusetts. I would always tell people that Boston was my city, and I still might say that when the Red Sox are doing well.

    And while I feel like I have a pretty good understanding of Massachusetts and all it has to offer, there’s so much in that state that I’ve not had a chance to experience. People get an impression that Mass is all about Boston, The Cape or witches. Those certainly are big pieces of the puzzle, but they’re just pieces.

    The history you can find in Massachusetts alone is magical. This country was started right on those streets, and so much of it has been preserved so we can still enjoy it. The sports are great, and no I’m not just talking about their pro teams. Major, and even global, sporting events are held there on an annual basis. Then there’s the landscape of the state as a whole. They have everything from beach to city to small towns in the mountains. My favorite thing about all of that is how close everything is.

    Joining me today is Kate Fox. She’s the executive director at the Massachusetts office of travel and tourism. We’re going to have a good chat about my sort of home state and really dive into all the many reasons you need to make a trip up to New England.
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    26 分