

California Now Podcast
Visit California
The California Now Podcast explores the people and places that make California a unique travel experience. Host Soterios Johnson, veteran radio journalist and former host of NPR’s Morning Edition on WNYC in New York City, has recently moved to California and is using his journalism skills to learn every fascinating thing about his new home state. He interviews travel experts, chefs, local guides and many others on his journey of discovery. For more ideas on California travel, go to www.visitcalifornia.com
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 18, 2018 • 35min
San Francisco Dining, Channel Islands, Luxury Hotels
What happens when an intrepid food critic is asked to consume 13 Michelin stars worth of cuisine in the space of four days in San Francisco? Amanda Frasier pulls back the curtain on Forbes Travel Guide’s influential luxury ratings program and describes California’s three triple Five-Star rated properties. Author Ken McAlpine shares insights on Channel Islands National Park, an archipelago off the Central Coast that’s rich in wilderness and isolation.

Apr 27, 2018 • 27min
Atlas Obscura, Packing Tips, Wine
Episode No. 2 of California Now kicks off with a conversation with Atlas Obscura co-founder Dylan Thuras, a man who specializes in surfacing curious and wondrous travel destinations. Pauline Frommer offers up a few packing tricks she has assembled over a lifetime of travel as co-president of Frommer’s. Acclaimed wine writer Jon Bonné talks about his latest book on wine culture, The New Wine Rules and shares some of his favorite wine destinations in the Golden State.

Apr 27, 2018 • 24min
Big Sur, Waterfalls, Oakland
Samantha Brown, PBS host of Samantha Brown’s Places to Love talks about the gorgeous views along Highway One and raves about the area’s iconic destinations and also celebrates some of the hidden gems in the region and shares her insights about how to experience them. Outdoor expert and author Ann Marie Brown, offers essential advice on chasing waterfalls in the Golden State, including what to wear and where to go. And finally, acclaimed chef Tanya Holland takes listeners on a tour of her restaurant, Brown Sugar Kitchen, and shares her favorite places to see in the vibrant, diverse city of Oakland.