Travel with Rick Steves

Writer Porter Fox tells us what he discovered when he followed the US-Canada border from Maine to Washington State. Then, writer and photographer Becky Lomax shares her favorite National Park experiences. And guidebook author Kimberley Lovato recommends day trip options for enjoying beaches, redwood groves, and wineries within easy reach of San Francisco. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Tour guides from Rome and Sorrento help listeners plan Italian adventures and let us in on how some things work — or don't work — in Italy. Then journalist Martin Fletcher tells us about living in Israel as well as the political pressures that will prevent a resolution to Israeli-Palestinian tensions from happening anytime soon. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Get tips from an American-Japanese author for experiencing the rugged allure of Japan's northern island of Hokkaido. Then hear from a nature photographer what it's like to spend a summer boating up Hudson Bay in search of polar bears. And learn all about how Dubliners celebrate Bloomsday — good fun even if you still haven't finished Ulysses. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Author Mark Adams shares what he learned about Incan history while trekking to Machu Picchu, just a century after it was revealed to the outside world. Then author and radio commentator Sarah Vowell explains how Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette helped unify Americans after the contentious presidential election of 1824. And Rick checks in with tour guides from Edinburgh to get tips on visiting Scotland's whisky distilleries. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

The co-founder of Atlas Obscura, the online almanac of unusual places, recommends destinations sure to fascinate curious kids. Then a military historian from Normandy offers insights and advice for visiting the beaches where, 75 years ago this week, D-Day turned the tide of World War II. And tour guides from Lisbon share tips for enjoying Portugal's vibrant capital city. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

The founder of the Monuments Men Foundation joins us to consider what the world would be like had the Mona Lisa or Michelangelo's David been destroyed in World War II, and describes the work of the team who took heroic steps to protect Europe's art treasures from wartime damage and Nazi theft. Then a guidebook author shares tips for enjoying the rainbow of attractions, flavors, and summer festivals that make San Francisco a perpetually exciting place to visit. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

A memoirist describes the challenges and delights of kayaking Norway's spectacular fjords, then tour guides from Madrid share tips for planning a memorable trip to Spain. And author Alan Lightman discusses the value of unplugging as a way of better understanding and appreciating the world around us. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Naturalist Terry Tempest Williams reflects on a mystery left behind by her late mother, and explains her drive to speak out on behalf of the rugged Utah wilderness she calls home. Then a tour guide from Italy describes how he likes to get away from it all: on a motorbike across the vast Sahara desert. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Extend your vicarious travels beyond the solar system by listening in as the head of NASA's New Horizons project describes his mission to explore beyond Pluto. Then learn about the world's craziest tidal action, and the "celestial dance" that causes it, from a marine conservationist. And hear from English tour guides about their favorite experiences in London’s many inviting parks and gardens. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

To celebrate King's Day in the Netherlands, tour guides for Amsterdam join us to recommend strategies for enjoying this scenic city on foot. Then the author of "Explore Europe on Foot" makes the case for exploring Europe via its long-distance hiking trails — at your own pace and away from the crowds. And listeners get Rick's advice on their summer vacation plans. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.