Delightful Destinations

With next year being the 250th anniversary of the founding of this country, I think it’s fitting for us to make a trip back to Virginia.  Our 10th state hosted so many historically important events in the timeline of the United States.  From some of the first colonies to pivotal battles in the Revolutionary and Civil War, Virginia has been front and center for so much of our history.But there’s more than history in Virginia.  There’s theme parks, outdoor recreation, breweries, delicious food and so many opportunities for fun.  This week we are heading to the Williamsburg area.  I say area because my guest today not only represents Williamsburg, which is a pretty popular tourist attraction already, but he also represents some of the surrounding areas.With me this week is Edward Harris.  He’s the President and CEO of Visit Williamsburg

I have a friend that’s made an effort to visit every baseball stadium in the country.  He’s pretty close now. I think he only needs 4 or 5 more and he’ll have it.  One of the reasons he loves this quest is that it gives him an excuse to visit cities  he wouldn’t otherwise go to. I get what he’s saying.  I have this goal in life to run a half marathon in every state of the country.  I’ve checked 7 off so far.  I can’t say I would’ve traveled to Idaho if it weren’t for a race.  Sports tourism is a thing.  People travel all over the place to see landmarks or their favorite teams.  And the areas surrounding these venues get to benefit from all of the visitors.This week’s conversation is taking us to Green Bay Wisconsin.  A city that is best known as the home of the Green Bay Packers.  And while thousands of people travel there during the football season, the area has so much to offer throughout the year.  It’s landscape is beautiful and there is so much natural beauty there.  You’ve got the Bay of Green Bay and the Fox River that provide water adventures and unique opportunities to see the landscape.  There’s family friendly fun in theme parks and a remarkable food scene as well.  I don’t know if you’ve heard, but small towns are in.  People are bypassing major cities for vacations in smaller towns and cities.  Green Bay should be up at the top of your list for your next vacation.  Though, if you hate the cold, you might want to wait until next summer.  With me this week is Nick Meisner.  He’s the VP of Marketing for Discover Green Bay

This podcast has taken me all over the country.  We’ve even had discussions about trips you can take through Europe and other places.  But sometimes the coolest spots to hang are right under your nose.  Truthfully, one of the reasons I wanted to start doing Delightful Destinations was to learn more about some of the areas right near me that I didn’t know much about.  In my time living in the Baltimore area, I’ve spent most of it living in Baltimore County.  For those of you listening that don’t know the area, Baltimore County essentially wraps around Baltimore City and extends up toward Pennsylvania. It’s a massive expanse of land that offers a lot of different resources.  You have the more urban feel that’s adjacent to the city, and you have a lot of rural land filled with farms, horse training facilities and beautiful areas to experience the outdoors.  Not to mention the hundreds of miles of shoreline on the Chesapeake Bay.I think Baltimore County is an untapped resource for a lot of folks in the area.  As I said, when you live somewhere, it’s easy to overlook what you have at your fingertips.  So, I hope today’s conversation will offer some insight into special areas of Baltimore County that people need to check out.  Joining me today is Tom Yorke.  He’s the Chief of Tourism for Baltimore County.

If you’ve been a listener of this program than you may have heard me mention before that I grew up in New England.  I spent the first 18ish years of my life in New Hampshire.  When I got to high school, snowboarding became a huge part of my life and personality.  It was what my friends and I loved to do all winter long.  I was happiest when I was on a mountain.My favorite thing to do was get to the top of the highest peak at any ski resort and just look around at the world.  These are images that, even though I saw them nearly 30 years ago, I still have burned into my memory.  I think snowboarding was what really made me fall in love with nature and the outdoors.When you live in New England you have pretty easy access to some world class ski resorts.  And of course everyone always hears about Colorado and Tahoe.  Basically it was always New England or the Rocky Mountains.  When you talk about the Midwest, it was always about corn fields and how flat it is.  Ski resorts weren’t exactly top of mind.  Let’s change that story today.We’re taking a look primarily at two wonderful resorts in Wisconsin and Michigan.  They are part of the Midwest Family Ski Resorts properties.  They actually have three, but we’re only going to focus on two.  Lutsen Mountains and Snowriver Mountain Resort.  With me to open my eyes about skiing and snowboarding in the midwest are Greg Fisher, the chief marketing officer, and Charlotte Skinner, she’s the chief financial officer and chief operating officer.

About 10 years ago I decided that I wanted to run a half marathon in every state.  I had run a race in Nashville and then done another in San Diego.  During my run in Southern California I had this epiphany that running a half marathon was a great way to see a city and the areas around it.  Over the next few years I visited a variety of states from Idaho, Pennsylvania and Wyoming.  They all had a different beauty and charm.  But one of them really stood out, and that was my weekend in Wilmington Delaware.Yeah, I was surprised too.  No shade on Wilmington, or Delaware, but it was always a city that I had driven through to go north or south up the 95 corridor.  I’ve driven through Wilmington countless times and never had the thought to stop.  But when I was running through the streets and trails I realized how incredible Wilmington is.  In this podcast we’ve discussed the history that a traveller can find all along the north east coast or mid-atlantic region.  Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley are no different.  There’s an incredible amount of history there as well as some over the top and ostentatious estates that date back to the 1800’s.  And I say ostentatious with love.  These estates are remarkable and stunning.Today I’m speaking with Jennifer Boes.  She’s the executive director for the Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitors Bureau.  There are so many great options for ways to explore and discover the Wilmington area.  I hope you enjoy our conversation.

One of the things I’ve really loved about doing this podcast is discovering the hidden gems.  Sometimes it’s a particular attraction in a city I’m already familiar with, like a museum or something.  And sometimes it’s a beautiful, and historic resort, that’s tucked away in the mountains of Virginia.On this week’s episode we are heading to let’s say north central Virginia into the Allegheny Mountains to discuss the Omni Homestead Resort.  The Homestead has been getting visitors long before it was ever a thing.  The hot springs in that part of Virginia have been an attraction for locals for probably thousands of years.  The waters were believed to have special powers.  But it was in 1766 when someone finally put a building on it.The Homestead has gone through a lot of changes over the last couple centuries, but that hasn’t taken away from its charm.  The spa is second to none and it’s family friendly atmosphere has brought generations of visitors back for visits over and over again.  There’s an elegance to it that I feel like you only see in movies.  But you could see it in person at the Homestead.  It was a real pleasure to learn more about this legendary destination.With me today is Lynn Swann.  She’s the director of marketing and communications for the Omni Homestead Resort and Spa.  I hope you enjoy our conversation.

I spent a great weekend in Richmond, Virginia.  It was the summer of 2019.  My wife and I went down for a wedding and ended up having a blast.  And we had some random incidents that made the trip one that we will never forget.  I tell the story in my conversation today.  I’m laughing about it right now just thinking about it.Richmond is one of those cities that I think gets overlooked.  It’s a couple hours south of Washington DC and right on interstate 95.  For a lot of folks on the east coast, Richmond is a city they drive through as they’re going down to Florida, or one of the Carolina beaches.  But I’m here to let you know that it’s a region that you need spend some time in.We can start with the history of the region.  Major events in the creation of this country took place in, and around Richmond.  It’s got a vibrant city experience in Richmond, tons of parks and outdoor spaces all around, a world class theme park in Kings Dominion, and an adorable pygmy hippo.  That’s right, Poppy the Pygmy Hippo that took over the world earlier this year lives at the Metro Richmond Zoo.So, let’s make our way to Richmond.  This week I’m speaking with Tom Loftus.  He’s the vice president of marketing for Richmond Region Tourism.

Sports can unite a community.  When a local team is doing well, people are excited.  They’re happy and they want to invest in that team.  But can a sports venue change a community?  Hagerstown, Maryland may be the blueprint for other communities around the country.In this week’s episode we’re heading to Western Maryland to discuss Hagerstown and Washington County. One thing you’ll hear us talk about is the brand new, state of the art, minor league ballpark that opened about a year ago in Hagerstown.  The community has hinged some rebuilding and revitalization hopes around this stadium, and it seems to be working.  People are coming back to Hagerstown.  They’re hanging around, investing in local business and in a lot of cases, even moving there.  Hagerstown, and Washington County, is seeing a boom in new residents.This podcast isn’t all about the growth of communities.  We’re about giving you a reason to go visit a city or area.  And we will give you plenty of reasons why you’re going to want to visit Washington County.  From their national parks, to the ballpark and perfect small town feel, they have plenty for you to see.With me this week is Dan Spedden.  He’s the president of the Hagerstown and Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau.  I hope you enjoy our conversation.

There’s a phrase that I’ve used during my previous interviews that sometimes sets my guests off.  I guess I can understand.  It could come across as being insulting, but I never mean it that way.  That phrase is ‘Middle of Nowhere.’  Or sometimes I’ll say ‘Off The Beaten Path.’  Some guests take that as my way of saying it’s boring or slow.But today’s guest gets it and they even pride themselves on that label.  We’re heading out to Western Pennsylvania to visit Indiana County.  They hang their hat on being in the middle of nowhere.  In fact, they say that’s a big reason why people come to visit them.  People want to disconnect, unplug and touch grass.  But don’t start thinking that there isn’t anything to do in Indiana County.  It’s quite the opposite.  There’s a lot happening there from music festivals, performance art and plenty of Christmas celebrations.  Joining me today is Laura Herrington.  She’s the Executive Director of the Indiana County tourist bureau.  We had a great conversation about all the things someone can do while visiting the Christmas Tree capital of the world.

Most of the conversations I’ve had for this podcast have been with representatives from counties, states or major cities.  But I think it’s time we swing through a small town near my home.  I live in Baltimore Maryland.  I always say Baltimore is a major city but it kind of feels like a small town since it’s sandwiched between Philadelphia and Washington DC. We are part of an area called the 95 Corridor since the highway Interstate 95 runs right through the center of the major cities on the east coast.  There are a lot of great small towns scattered along that route in between the major cities.  If you’re driving from Baltimore north to Philly, you could easily stop off in Perryville, MD.  Perryville is a town just south of Delaware.  It has a couple of big destinations: The Hollywood Casino and Great Wolf Lodge.  I think most people know Perryville because of those spots.  But Perryville has a lot to offer besides that.  There’s lots of nature, some great food and a lot of Maryland history to check out.Joining me for this week’s episode of Delightful Destinations is Ashley Hennessy.  She’s the community development coordinator for the town of Perryville.  I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Something I’ve loved about doing this podcast is having the ability to learn more about places that I’ve heard a lot about but have never visited.  Places like South County in Rhode Island, South Carolina, Dutchess County New York to name a few.  But sometimes I get to speak with someone from a place I’ve literally never heard of.  Today’s conversation takes us on a trip to the mountains of south eastern West Virginia.  We’re going to The Greenbrier.  AFter doing some research, and having this chat, I find it so hard to believe that I’ve never heard of the Greenbrier before.  This five star hotel has hosted major sporting events, hosted pre-season practices for NFL teams and has hosted families for centuries.  This episode was also a demonstration of how my phone is listening to me because right after I recorded this interview I started getting all kinds of ads for The Greenbrier in my social media.  I’m not mad about it though.  I think my family needs to make a trip west to check it out.  It’s only about a 5 hour drive from my house.With me today is Cam Huffman.  He’s the director of public relations at The Greenbrier.  Cam grew up around the Greenbrier so he holds a special sense of pride for this American treasure.  Hearing him describe the beauty and history of the hotel really stuck with me.  I hope you enjoy our conversation.

One of my favorite memories of my life happened in Portland Maine. I won’t go into too many details because it’s not relevant, but it involved a concert at the historic State Theater in Portland.  I have always had a fondness for Portland.  It goes all the way back to my younger years going camping with my Grandfather.  We’d swing through Portland from time to time.  It’s such a cool city that probably doesn’t get enough love because, well, it’s in Maine.  People think Maine is so far north it’s practically in the North Pole.  But actually it’s very accessible.  It’s only about 90 minutes north of Boston.  That’s really not bad.Portland has some amazing coastline, incredible artwork and an arts scene, and some wonderful seafood as well as some of the best restaurants in all of New England.  Ever since I was a kid I remember Portland being big in the food and arts scenes.  And don’t let me forget sports.  There’s a lot of minor league sports in Portland that bring in fans from all over to check it out.  I had a chance to talk all about Portland Maine with the president and CEO of Visit Portland, Lynn Tillotson.  I even got a little history lesson in the process.  I hope you enjoy our conversation.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.