Vacation Station

Pittsburgh has long carried a reputation as a gritty steel-mill town with not much to see or do. Travel writer Debbie Stone grew up in Chicago hearing exactly that, but she kept hearing whispers that the city had changed, so she went to see for herself. On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Global Adventures" Podcast, Debbie shares the museums, art and views that changed her mind. Debbie takes us through the Heinz History Center, where six floors cover everything from Pittsburgh's inventions to the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood puppets, the story behind Heinz's 57 varieties and an eleven-foot ketchup bottle. Then it's the seven-story Andy Warhol Museum and his famous silver wig, the Mattress Factory's site-specific installations, and the colorful public art of Randyland. Debbie also explains why Pittsburgh is the city of bridges, shares tips for getting around, and visits the Fort Pitt Museum and Point State Park. She rides the historic Duquesne Incline up Mount Washington, cruises the three rivers with Gateway Clipper, and stays at the Drury Plaza Hotel, a historic Federal Reserve Bank building. RESOURCE LINKS: - Read Debbie's article and see her photos: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/pittsburgh-buzz-worthy-museums-attractions  - Plan your Pittsburgh visit: https://www.visitpittsburgh.com  - More from Debbie Stone: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/debbie-stone-travel-writer  - Global Adventures Podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/global-adventures-debbie-stone  - Global Adventures Digital Podcast Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/global-adventures-travel-magazine  New episodes of Big Blend Radio's Global Adventures Podcast with Debbie Stone air every 4th Tuesday at 7pm ET.

October means one thing on English Connection: it’s time for ghost stories. On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "English Connection" Podcast, Glynn Burrows takes us on a tour of England’s spookiest corners, and England has no shortage of them. Glynn takes us down into the dungeons of Norwich Castle, where prisoners were once held for years. He tells the story of a public hanging in 1849 that drew crowds from all over. He also explains how plaster casts were made of executed murderers’ heads so phrenologists could “read” their bumps, and why those casts are still on display. From there it’s Norfolk’s legendary Black Shuck, the big black dog of East Anglian folklore. We wander through churchyards, battlefields and family vaults. We also get to the story Glynn loves to tell: Anne Boleyn arriving at Blickling Hall in a coach driven by a headless coachman and pulled by headless horses. Along the way: Guernsey, the underground hospital below Dover Castle, and the question of why some old places feel so strange. It’s warm, a little eerie, and full of history. LINKS & RESOURCES: - Glynn's article: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/haunted-england-spooky-tours  - English Connection Podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/english-connection  - English Connection Digital Podcast Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/english-connection-magazine   - Keep up with Glynn and learn more about his custom tour services: https://www.englishconnection.uk/  - Follow the English Connection on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61594366433338 

The Jefferson Highway begins in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and runs all the way to New Orleans. In this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Jefferson Highway" Podcast, producer Lisa D. Smith and Jefferson Highway Association (JHA) president Roger Bell travel north with Lou Erickson of the Morris & District Centennial Museum and JHA Board Member Derek Thille of Winnipeg.  You’ll hear how a 1919 garage photo sparked a whole town’s Jefferson Highway pride, from a parade float to the first official Jefferson Highway Association sign in Manitoba in a hundred years. Derek shares his Emerson-to-Morris road trip, and we cover old cars in snow, the Morris Stampede, Winnipeg’s must-sees, and where to eat. RESOURCE LINKS: - Morris & District Centennial Museum: https://www.morrisdistrictmuseum.ca/  - Morden’s of Winnipeg chocolate: https://www.mordenschocolate.com/  - Jefferson Highway Association: https://jeffersonhighway.org  - Get the guide, listen to more podcast episodes, and subscribe to the Jefferson Highway Dispatch: https://jeffersonhighwaytravelguide.com 

On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Lost Angel Travel Adventures" Podcast, travel writer and author Linda Ballou takes us to Moab, Utah, the red-rock gateway to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. She shares how a chance meeting in an airport led to her first kayak trip down Labyrinth Canyon on the Green River, and how much Moab has changed in the twenty years since her first visit. Along the way, Linda explores Highway 128 along the Colorado River and the film museum at Red Cliffs Lodge. They talk about Thelma & Louise, John Ford, and the outlaws and moonshiners who once hid in Labyrinth Canyon. Then it’s on to the wonders of Arches, from Park Avenue to the Courthouse and the Three Gossips. Hear about Edward Abbey's book "Desert Solitaire," his fight to stop the damming of Glen Canyon, and the toll of the uranium mining days. Then, a reflection on what a river can teach us about going with the flow. Linda offers options for every visitor, from half-day river trips to Jeep and photography tours, and a gentle reminder to tread lightly on the fragile desert. MORE ON MOAB: - Episode page with Linda’s Moab guide & article excerpt: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/moab-utah-rivers-red-rock-abbey-country  - Linda’s full Moab guide on NABBW: https://nabbw.com/expert-columns/searching-for-new-adventures-in-southeast-utah-linda-ballou-recommends-moab-as-your-perfect-springboard/  - Moab Visitor Center: https://www.moabtourismcenter.com/  Linda Ballou: https://www.LindaBallouAuthor.com  FOLLOW LINDA: - Lost Angel Adventures: https://www.LostAngelAdventures.com  - Linda Ballou Author Site: https://www.lindaballouauthor.com/  - Podcast: https://lost-angel-travel-adventures.podbean.com  - Digital Podcast Magazine: https://online.fliphtml5.com/yhwzg/podcast-retrospective/ 

In this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Journey Jukebox" Podcast, travel writer Lisa Evans takes us to Clarksville, Tennessee. It isn’t the Clarksville of the Mississippi Blues Trail. It’s a river city less than an hour from Nashville that deserves a day, or several, all to itself.  Lisa shares the history, the attractions and the public art that made this one of her favorite recent trips. You’ll meet Olympic legends Wilma Rudolph and Pat Head Summitt, and hear how Wilma insisted her hometown welcome be open to everyone. Lisa tours the 1898 Customs House Museum and Cultural Center, explores the Historic Collinsville Pioneer Settlement (and makes her own butter), and heads underground at Dunbar Cave State Park, a rough, unlit cave with Native American art deep inside. She also shares the colorful murals, including Last Train to Clarksville (pictured) and Clarksville Starry Night, and the brand-new Wings of Liberty Museum at Fort Campbell. Next month, Lisa returns with Clarksville’s food, wine and spirits. Don’t forget the Journey Jukebox Spotify playlist, where Jimi Hendrix, who was stationed at Fort Campbell, shares the mix with Roy Acuff. Learn more, see photos & get travel planning resource links:  https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/clarksville-tennessee-history-caves-public-art  LISTEN & CONNECT - Journey Jukebox Podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/journey-jukebox-with-lisa  - Journey Jukebox Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7humUf03LIW04t8LiJSSN9?si=3683d9bcf60649d3  - Lisa Evans Travel Features: https://writerlisa.com/  - Lisa's "All About Travel" Substack: https://substack.com/@allabouttravelwithlisa