
Out Of Office: A Travel Podcast
Out of Office is a travel podcast hosted by us, Ryan Davis and Kiernan Schmitt. From early childhood, we were each infected with a serious case of wanderlust (among other things.)
We define travel broadly, from local day trips to high-flyin’ overseas adventures. Every episode, we dig into one topic—ranging from the serious to the silly, the practical to the outlandish—and give advice on how to get out there and explore the world.
Latest episodes

Feb 11, 2025 • 48min
NYT Editor Stephen Hiltner on the “52 Places to Go in 2025”
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Kiernan chats with Stephen Hiltner, the New York Times editor in charge of this year’s “52 Places to Go in 2025.” Stephen talks about some highlights from this year’s selections, plus a few spots that didn’t quite make the cut. Here’s what we cover in this episode: “52 Places to Go in 2025” https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/travel/places-to-travel-destinations-2025.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Jan 28, 2025 • 54min
Santiago, Chile
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Ryan takes us south to Santiago, Chile, where he rides up a funicular and down a cable car to see the Virgin Mary. Plus, eating barnacles and flying out of Kafka Airport. The Month In Digital (Ryan’s Marketing Newsletter): https://monthindigital.substack.com/ Kafka Airport: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DC2AdoIM1DD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Restaurants: Peumayén Ancestral Food Sanguchería Ciudad Vieja The Singular Santiago’s Rooftop Bocanáriz Boragó

Jan 14, 2025 • 50min
Skiing for the Skeptical
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, the boys talk about their holiday breaks and discuss why ski trips are well-worth the expense and steep learning curve. Plus, Ryan has a onesie! Here’s what we cover in this episode: NYT on European Skiing https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/19/travel/europe-skiing-budget.html Beaver Creek https://www.beavercreek.com/ Cannon Mountain in New Hampshire https://www.cannonmt.com/tickets

Dec 17, 2024 • 46min
Christmas Spectacular Seven
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, the boys celebrate the season with discussions of the Immaculate Conception (it’s not what Ryan thinks), an idea for holiday film commentaries yet to come, and the LAST Ugly Ornament contest. And another year passes without seeing pictures of the Nativity Ryan’s father painstakingly carved from a single block of wood. Here’s what we cover in this episode: Debora https://www.instagram.com/deborarest/?hl=en LATAM 50 Best Restaurants https://www.theworlds50best.com/latinamerica/en/ “White Christmas” movie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Christmas_(film) Day of the Little Candles https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Little_Candles Reba McEntire “Christmas Guest” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57fS-9kGZqU Jimmy Fallon “Chipmunks and Chestnuts” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CChx2qVNl0 Kiernan’s Ugly Ornament for Ryan https://johnderian.com/products/mushroom-person-ornament?srsltid=AfmBOoqJ58ABMzRZ1iiMibeH0zVvGJn3ZumEEEhUAHIicz2ZfBsFIk4T Ryan’s Ugly Ornament for Kiernan https://www.etsy.com/listing/1814317312/bespoke-funny-prank-xmaschristmas?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=ugly+ornament&ref=sr_gallery-1-9&pro=1&pop=1&content_source=fde4cc23f7c035e7d3ac14a1cd6a7a4bf6a9e3ed%253A1814317312&search_preloaded_img=1&organic_search_click=1

Dec 3, 2024 • 54min
Monterrey, Mexico
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Ryan recaps his recent trip to Monterrey, Mexico, covering highlights from the scenic River Walk to an interactive steel museum. He also shares a wild story about a run-in with a bribery-seeking cop in Puerto Vallarta. Here’s what we cover in this episode: https://www.travelandleisure.com/best-places-to-go-2025-8739580

Nov 19, 2024 • 1h 13min
Star Wars Museum Creator Steve Sansweet
This week on “Out of Office: A Travel Podcast,” Kiernan talks with one of the greatest Star Wars collectors of all time: Steve Sansweet. Steve is the founder of Rancho Obi-Wan, the largest collection of Star Wars memorabilia in the world. Located in Petaluma CA, the museum is open for public tours, but be sure to pre-book. And if it all goes according to plan, soon Rancho Obi-Wan will be joining forces with 3 other top collections to become the brand-new Saga Museum. Things we talk about in this week’s episode: Saga Museum https://ranchoobiwan.org/new-saga-museum-to-celebrate-legacy-of-star-wars-fandom/ Steve Sansweet Bio https://ranchoobiwan.org/board/ Rancho Obi-Wan https://ranchoobiwan.org/ Ralph McQuarrie https://www.iamag.co/star-wars-the-art-of-ralph-angus-mcquarrie-100-concept-art/ Head Man Action Figure https://ranchoobiwan.org/ Lucas Museum of Narrative Art https://lucasmuseum.org/ Last Star Wars episode https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-of-office-a-travel-podcast/id1438098925?i=1000581538592 Britannic Explorer https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/12/travel/brittanic-explorer-belmond-train-luxury/index.html Lidar-delivers again! https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/02/world/americas/maya-city-mexico.html

Nov 5, 2024 • 1h 15min
Being a Woman Airline Pilot in the 1980s with Stephanie Wallach
In this episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Ryan talks with Stephanie Wallach, one of the first women to break into the world of commercial aviation in America. Plus, Kiernan faces an unfortunate bout of gate lice. Follow Along On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ooopodcast/ Things We Talked About In This Week’s Episode: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/23/business/american-airlines-line-cutters.html https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/welcome-aboard

Oct 22, 2024 • 43min
Graveyards
On this episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, the boys embrace Spooktober by sharing their favorite graveyards. Plus, there’s an update on friend of the pod Rick Steves’ health and some Boston travel tips from Kiernan. Things We Talked About In This Week’s Episode: UPDATE RICK STEVES HEALTH https://x.com/ricksteves/status/1843844907833950542?s=46 Our Share Of The Night By Mariana Enriquez https://www.amazon.com/Our-Share-Night-Mariana-Enriquez/dp/0451495144

Oct 8, 2024 • 46min
Secrets of a Modern-Day Travel Agent
In this episode, Ryan chats with Rory, a travel agent, about why people still use agents in 2024 and what it’s like booking tickets for Andrew Scott. Plus, Kiernan talks about his new job as a Boston tour guide. Things We Talked About In This Week’s Episode: Last Stop Ryan: https://www.businessinsider.com/avoid-visa-mistake-no-middle-name-almost-ruined-trip Kiernan: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/27/world/europe/westminster-abbey-bronte-plaque-accent-marks.html

Oct 1, 2024 • 49min
Travelin’ Music
This week on “Out of Office: A Travel Podcast,” Kiernan and Ryan chat about the deep connections between music and travel, including how a well-chosen song can be the ideal souvenir. They also dig into how much Ryan prepares for each episode. Plus, Norwegian Children’s Music! Things we talk about in this week’s episode: Rick Steves endorses Kamala: https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/4878714-rick-steves-endorses-harris/ Travel therapy https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/09/240905121025.htm ”Earth Room’ https://www.diaart.org/visit/visit-our-locations-sites/walter-de-maria-the-new-york-earth-room-new-york-united-states/