Zero To Travel Podcast

Would you skateboard nearly 1,000 miles across the U.S. with no real plan, just to see what would happen?  Mike Kosciesza did just that with three friends and a dream to make a documentary out of it. Back in 2008, these four 20-year-olds set off from Chicago with their skateboards pointed toward New York City. A decade later, that wild ride became Shred America, a raw, DIY travel film packed with lessons they never saw coming.  We’re digging into Mike’s adventure, the long road to making Shred America, and what it takes to turn a crazy idea into something real, especially when you don’t feel fully prepared.   Mike’s story is a reminder that you don’t always need a perfect plan to start something meaningful. You’ll hear about what it takes to follow through on a wild vision, the lessons that come with looking back on your younger self, and why doing something imperfectly can lead to your most unforgettable adventures. We also get into the unexpected challenges of documenting a trip like this, what it’s like to finish a film a decade after shooting it, and why a little rebellion can take you a long way.  Would you ever go on a trip without much planning, just to see where it leads? Or have you done something similar before? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.  *This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.  Premium Passport: Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now!  Tune In To Learn:  Why Mike and his friends decided to skate from Chicago to NYC in the first place  How picking a departure date changed everything  What went wrong with their original film plan, and how they adapted  How the team pushed through injuries, burnout, and zero navigation skills  Why a random guy in a bathroom helped save their trip  What it’s like editing a film of your 20-year-old self, ten years later  Advice to anyone dreaming up a bold idea but unsure how to start  How filming organically added authenticity (and chaos) to the journey  Why they turned down film festivals and opted for DIY distribution  How rebellion and risk-taking shaped their travel and creative paths  And so much more  Resources:  Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport  Sign up for our FREE newsletter  Watch Shred America  Want More?  900 Miles Biking (With No Clothes, Money or Bike!)  Cross Country Canoeing: 7,500 Miles Into the Soul of America + an Unconventional Life of Travel With Neal Moore  Walking the World with Alexander Campbell and Tom Turcich  Thanks To Our Sponsors  Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today!  Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership.  No Fixed Address - Listen to No Fixed Address, a travel podcast that’s your backstage pass to the world's hidden gems.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes Baltimore, Maryland, one of the best US cities to visit?  Brian Oliver is the founder of BMore See More, a nonprofit organization empowering minority male students in Baltimore City to become local and global leaders through education, mentorship, and travel. A seasoned traveler who’s visited over 60 countries, Brian always finds himself returning to Baltimore and has become a voice for reframing how people see his home city by highlighting the stories, neighborhoods, and experiences that show its full heart and charm.   In this episode, Brian shares his list of seven hidden gems in Baltimore and gives us a local’s perspective on what makes the city so magnetic.   If Baltimore isn’t already on your travel radar, this conversation may change that. Brian gives us a tour of the city’s most vibrant spots, from the best place to watch fireworks to where you can get lost in local food culture. He talks about how neighborhoods shape identity, why steamed crabs are more than a meal, and how seeing the world has deepened his love for home. You’ll leave this episode with a fresh sense of what makes a city truly worth exploring and how travel can spark both global and local change.  What’s one city that surprised you in the best possible way, and what made it so memorable? I’d love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.  Premium Passport:  Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now!  Tune In To Learn:  How a childhood of road trips sparked his lifelong love of travel  What makes Baltimore’s people so memorable to visitors  Why the neighborhoods are the heart of the city, and how to explore them  Advice to get the most out of your first crab feast (and why it’s more than just a meal)  Why Camden Yards changed the game for stadiums across the U.S.  The local museum that tells 400 years of African American history in Maryland  How to use the water taxi like a local and why everything is better from the water  Where to find authentic food, murals, music, and community in Charm City  How travel inspired Brian to launch BMore See More for youth empowerment  And so much more  Resources:  Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport  Sign up for our FREE newsletter  Plan your trip to Baltimore  Visit Brian’s website  Learn about BMore See More  Follow Brian on Instagram  Want More?  Only in Wisconsin  5 Reasons To Visit The Florida Keys  9 Best United States Museums and Advice for Fostering Your Creativity with Bob Eckstein  Thanks To Our Sponsors  Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order.  Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today!  Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership.  No Fixed Address - Listen to No Fixed Address, a travel podcast that’s your backstage pass to the world's hidden gems.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What adventures have you been dreaming up but haven't done yet? Lynne Nieman is the founder of Wander Your Way, a podcast and website dedicated to helping you explore off-the-beaten-path destinations throughout Europe. As a professional travel planner, Lynne combines her passion for Europe and off-the-beaten-path exploration with her expertise in creating personalized travel experiences. In this episode, Lynne shares her experience hiking the West Highland Way in Scotland - what the trail is like, how to prepare for it, and why this iconic hike is well worth adding to your travel list. She walks us through the mental and physical challenges of solo hiking, the beauty of trail life, and how she handled the unexpected. We talk about the deeper lessons that emerged from letting go of perfection to embracing a slower, more personal pace. You'll also hear about Lynne's plans for making a living with travel, how a trip to Europe changed both of our lives, and more. What is in your travel box? What does the experience look like? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. *This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen. Premium Passport: Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now! Tune In To Learn: Why giving yourself permission is half the battle to pursuing your passions and creating your future What made Lynne fall in love with Europe and what makes walking one of the best travel experiences Logistics for hiking the West Highland Way, including when to go, how to prepare, and costs Why it's important to tailor the hike to your needs How this experience reshaped her relationship with travel and self-trust Her favorite stories from the trail How creating a "box" for your trip can be a fun and rewarding way to design your travels And so much more Resources: Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport Sign up for our FREE newsletter Find Lynne on her website Listen to Wander Your Way Follow Lynne on Facebook, Instagram Walker Ways West Highland Way website Want More? You're Coming Hitchhiking Around Scotland With Me Hitchhiking Stories From Scotland Ireland: Travel, Music, and History w/ Garvan Rushe Thanks To Our Sponsors: Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order. Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today! Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership. No Fixed Address - Listen to No Fixed Address, a travel podcast that’s your backstage pass to the world's hidden gems. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Almost two decades after The 4-Hour Workweek was published, what does lifestyle design look like now, and where is it headed next? Travis Sherry is a longtime traveler and entrepreneur who’s spent over a decade building a life centered around freedom, travel, and location independence while helping thousands of others do the same. He’s the founder of the Extra Pack of Peanuts blog and podcast, co-founder of the Location Indie community, and co-creator of Camp Indie, an adult summer camp for digital nomads, entrepreneurs, and adventure-seekers. In this episode, Travis and I explore the concept of lifestyle design and how it’s evolved since the early days of digital nomadism. You’ll hear what lifestyle design really looks like in today’s world of remote work, shifting values, and growing responsibilities, and how our own definitions of freedom have changed over the years as dads, business owners, and travelers. We reflect on what still holds true, what no longer fits, and what it takes to stay aligned with what matters most as you design your own version of your “best” life. How has your definition of freedom or success evolved over the years and what does your ideal lifestyle look like now? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now! Tune In To Learn: Why “lifestyle design” in 2025 is more about values than travel hacks or passive income The surprising things we both no longer prioritize when it comes to freedom and success What we’ve learned about redefining productivity, especially after becoming parents What to consider if you’re feeling burnt out, uninspired, or out of sync with your goals Why slow travel still wins out and how technology is sabotaging our freedom How we both think lifestyle design will evolve in the next 5–10 years and where we see the movement going The trade-offs to consider when designing a non-traditional lifestyle Advice for anyone feeling stuck or questioning their current path And so much more Resources: Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport Sign up for our FREE newsletter Visit Travis’ website, Extra Pack of Peanuts Check out Location Indie Come to Camp Indie Tim Ferriss’ Ideal Lifestyle Costing Want More? Jason’s Travel Wish List (Come Along and Dream with Me) with Special Guest Host Travis Sherry from Extra Pack of Peanuts How to Leverage Real Estate to Fuel Your Ideal Travel Lifestyle (5 Expert Strategies) With Travis Sherry From Expat to Digital Nomad: Finding Your Travel Rhythm, Balancing Burnout, and the Digital Nomad Lifestyle with Kristin Wilson Thanks To Our Sponsors Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order. Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today! Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership. No Fixed Address - Listen to No Fixed Address, a travel podcast that’s your backstage pass to the world's hidden gems.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What can thinking about death teach us about living life? Bronnie Ware is an author, songwriter, speaker, and free spirit devoted to helping others find the courage to embrace life on their own terms and live without regrets. Her international bestselling memoir, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, has been translated into 32 languages and has a movie in the pipeline. Bronnie spent much of her life traveling nomadically and now has a home base in rural Australia. In this episode, we talk about what those final life lessons can teach us about living more freely, creatively, and intentionally, especially when it comes to crafting a life filled with meaningful travel. This conversation is a reflection on what it really means to live life on your own terms. Bronnie shares how she embraced her creative self later in life, the lessons she’s learned from the dying, and the surprising relationship between death and joy. If you’ve ever struggled with self-doubt, felt stuck in the “wrong box,” or wondered how to start living more authentically, Bronnie offers wisdom that might just change the way you think. We also talk travel, belonging, and why courage is always rewarded, even when the outcome looks different than you expected. What’s one truth you’ve learned through travel that continues to shape how you live today? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. *This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen. Premium Passport: Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now! Tune In To Learn: How Bronnie went from banking to bestselling author and the process she followed to commit to writing a book What a “gentle rebel” really is, and why it fits Bronnie so well Why growing up on a farm led to her propensity for travel How she launched on a creative journey and embraced her new identity later in life How self-doubt shows up and what to do when it tries to stop you How she reframes challenges through a soul-level lens Why travel will help you get to know yourself in a different way and uncover what really makes you feel at home How courage, even when it’s quiet or imperfect, always pays off And so much more Resources: Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport Sign up for our FREE newsletter Visit Bronnie’s website Get your copy of The Top Five Regrets of the Dying Listen to Bronnie’s albums Songs For The Soul and Sun Showers Want More? What Happens When You Die? (Part One): A Journey to the Other Side with Peter Panagore Lessons From Caring for the Dying and Bike Packing 18 Countries With Jerry Kopack What Is “Happiness”? Discovering Meaning On The Silk Road w/ Will Rickard Thanks To Our Sponsors Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order. Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today! Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What road trip songs get you pumped for your travels? Rob Harvilla has been a professional rock critic for 20+ years whose writing has appeared in Pitchfork, Spin, and Rolling Stone. He is also the host of the hugely popular podcast 60 Songs That Explain the ’90s and author of a book by the same name. In this episode, Rob shares his ultimate 90s road trip playlist along with a fun conversation about the inevitable intersection of music and travel. Rob shares his thoughts on how music embeds itself into our lives, the lost art of mixtapes, and how road trip playlists define our travels. Plus, we swap stories about the bands that made us fall in love with music in the first place. What song would you add to this list? Is there an album that instantly transports you back to a specific time and place? I'd love to hear what it is, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now Tune In To Learn: Why road trips and music are so deeply connected The power of nostalgia and how music imprints on our memories How the shift from physical albums to streaming changed the way we experience music The role of critics in shaping music culture What it was like to live through Brooklyn’s indie rock explosion in the 2000s How Rob picked the songs for 60 Songs That Explain the '90s (and why that number quickly expanded) If he could time travel to one concert in history, which show Rob would pick and why And so much more Resources: Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport Sign up for our FREE newsletter Visit Rob’s website Best Travel Songs of the 90’s Spotify playlist Want More? Top 10 Road Trip Albums With Jason Law from Festy GoNuts America’s Greatest Road Trip! Key West to Deadhorse: 9,000 Miles Across Backroad USA With Tom Cotter Life-Changing Trips, Interviewing Music Legends, Backpacking the World, and Fostering Transformative Connections with Tony Fletcher Thanks To Our Sponsors Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order. Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today! Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership. Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com. Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m bringing you a roundup of the most popular and community-loved highlights from the Zero To Travel newsletter this month, offering practical travel tips, lifestyle insights, and some good old-fashioned wanderlust inspiration. You’ll hear science-backed strategies for boosting happiness, why now might be the time to take action on a second passport, a few under-the-radar travel destinations you’ll want to add to your list, why college towns can make great travel destinations, and more. What’s your takeaway from this episode? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now! Tune In To Learn: How a pine tree sparked two powerful questions for making big decisions Why happiness by subtraction might be more effective than adding more to your plate How dual citizenship pathways are tightening and why you might want to move quickly Advice to find new travel inspiration through "otherworldly" destinations Why this city might just be the ultimate food destination The unexpected perks of visiting college towns (beyond cheap eats and sports games) What countries topped the list for best places to raise a family and why I think they missed a few key ones How to quickly check if you’re owed money when your U.S. flight is delayed or canceled And so much more Resources: Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport Sign up for our FREE newsletter 11 Ways to Be Happier Italian Citizenship Article Best Cities for Food Otherworldly Destinations Best College Towns Countries for Raising a Family Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard Best Travel Cards Want More? Listener Questions: Reverse Engineering a Move Abroad, How to Choose a Location-Independent Business, and Smart Ways to Travel a Continent Hell on Earth: Top 7 Otherworldly Destinations with Erika Engelhaupt Thanks To Our Sponsors Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order. Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today! Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership. Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com. Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason and Kelly Law, co-founders of Festy GoNuts, share their expertise on enhancing the music festival experience. They discuss the critical role of planning for a smooth festival, from creating a cozy campsite to making new friends through fun activities. Their insights highlight the importance of community and connection, encouraging attendees to embrace their 'fest self.' They also delve into ways to leverage volunteering for free tickets and choose festivals that align with personal interests, ensuring an unforgettable adventure.

Jessica Sueiro, a longtime traveler and part of the adventurous WorldTowning family, joins her son Largo, a teenager with a decade of travel under his belt. They dive into their remarkable journey on the Appalachian Trail, sharing the emotional and educational richness of their 2,190-mile hike. From navigating family dynamics to remote learning on the trail, their story is filled with adventure and growth. They reflect on overcoming challenges, the magic of kindness from strangers, and how this experience transformed their understanding of home.

Nate Menninger, a seasoned experience seeker and filmmaker, made headlines by being one of the first foreigners to work as a porter in Nepal. In his captivating stories, he shares the joys and challenges of a 23-day trek alongside local porters. Nate discusses how this immersive experience reshaped his mental health, perspective, and purpose, while also addressing the complexities of ethical travel and cultural connections. He emphasizes the importance of learning local languages and being fully present, offering valuable insights for thoughtful travelers.