Get Outta Here!

Episode 30: Hidden cultural stories and how to find them when you travel

Episode 29: Skiing for kids and how to start them right

In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” hosted by AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz, we’ll get advice about starting children on skis from Nate Gardner, Ski and Snowboard School Training Manager at Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont. We’ll also get advice on how to plan a ski trip, on renting versus buying gear, and tips for saving money.

Bonus Episode: To upgrade your seat on a plane, must you dress nicely?

In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” hosted by AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz, AirfareWatchdog.com founder George Hobica says that dressing up a bit when you fly could give you an edge when it comes to seat upgrades. We’ll also hear from AP’s former airlines reporter Scott Mayerowitz, who says your outfit is irrelevant and that it’s all about your status with the airline. This episode originally aired Nov. 1, 2017.

Episode 28: Too many tourists? In some places, it’s a problem

Venice, Barcelona, Amsterdam: In many destinations around the world, locals are starting to complain about the impact of too many tourists. The phenomenon is known in the travel industry as “overtourism.” In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz talks to AP business writer Pan Pylas in London about what’s causing overtourism and what some destinations are doing to control it. We’ll also look at the role of social media in the phenomenon of overtourism, and we’ll talk...

Episode 27: Cat on a plane? Meet Oscar

In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” hosted by AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz, we’ll be talking to Tali Arbel, an AP business writer, about what it was like to take Oscar the cat on a plane. We’ll also talk about how to prepare pets for flying, what it costs and what the options are. And we’ll cover a few hot-button issues in the category of flying pets: emotional support animals and what happens when other passengers have animal allergies.

Episode 26: To upgrade your seat on a plane, must you dress nicely?

In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” hosted by AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz, AirfareWatchdog.com founder George Hobica says that dressing up a bit when you fly could give you an edge when it comes to seat upgrades. We’ll also hear from AP’s former airlines reporter Scott Mayerowitz, who says your outfit is irrelevant and that it’s all about your status with the airline.

Episode 25: Holiday airfares and secrets to getting the best deal

In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” hosted by AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz, AirfareWatchdog.com founder George Hobica offers strategies for making sure you get the best price for your flight. Hobica, along with AP’s former airlines reporter Scott Mayerowitz, discuss everything from which websites to use, to how far in advance you should buy tickets. You’ll also learn whether Tuesday’s really a magic day for flight deals or if that’s just a myth.

Episode 24: All 50 states as a travel goal

In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel editor Beth Harpaz talks with Alicia Rovey, founder of the All Fifty Club, about the ways travelers go about achieving the goal of visiting every state in the U.S. Rovey reveals which states are typically the last ones people check off, and offers advice about how to plan your trips. We also hear from a few travelers who checked the states off in unusual ways: by driving a truck around the lower 48, by running marathons in every state, by visitin...

Episode 23: What haunted houses tell us about ourselves

In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel editor Beth Harpaz talks about haunted houses with Colin Dickey, author of “Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places.” Whether or not you believe in ghosts, haunted house tours offer a lot more than entertainment or unexplained phenomena. They reveal unsettling chapters of history, telling stories about people who lived tragic lives or who didn’t quite fit in. They sometimes showcase unusual architecture: a Gothic monstrosity or mansion w...

Episode 22: Timeshares and what it’s like to sit through a pitch

Have you ever been offered a gift - tickets to a theme park or a night in a resort - with just one condition: You’ll have to sit through a timeshare presentation. In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel editor Beth Harpaz finds out what these pitches are really like from AP’s Marjorie Miller, who sat through one in Atlantic City order to get a promised gift. We also look at the pros and cons of timeshares, including why some people love them and why other people have a hard time gettin...

Episode 21: Marijuana tourism: Everything you need to know

Where and how can visitors purchase marijuana in places where it’s legal? And since so many places ban smoking, where and how can they consume it? In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz finds out everything a marijuana tourist needs to know from Kristin Wyatt, who covered the marijuana industry in Colorado for AP before joining the Marijuana Business Daily.

Episode 20: Fall foliage, fitness and fun

Combine fall foliage and fitness by getting in your steps while enjoying autumn colors. In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz interviews Bill Kole in AP’s Boston bureau about six great routes to walk or run, one for each New England state. We’ll also hear this year’s foliage forecast and look at a few other ways to enjoy the season. Elktober, anyone?

Episode 19: When hurricanes blow away your vacation

When your vacation plans are disrupted by a hurricane or other natural disaster, what’s a traveler to do? In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz talks to travel expert Pauline Frommer of Frommers.com and the famous Frommers travel guidebook series to learn about everything from travel insurance to refunds.

Episode 18: Hotel tips from “Hotel Impossible” host Anthony Melchiorri

Finding the perfect hotel room can be daunting. How do you make sense of all the reviews online? How do you get the best price? And how do you get the best service? In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz talks with Anthony Melchiorri, the host of “Hotel Impossible”, who shares his tips on how to get the most out of your hotel experience.

Episode 17: Why Frank Lloyd Wright still fascinates, 150 years after his birth

Architects may come and architects may go, but 150 years after the birth of Frank Lloyd Wright, we’re still fascinated by his work. In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz talks with the staff of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy about the best places to experience Wright’s work and what makes it so magical to behold. Tours of his buildings draw crowds all over the country, from the Wisconsin prairie where he was born to suburban Oak Park, Illinois, to Fall...

Episode 16: Advice from Nomadic Matt on turning travel dreams into reality

Matt Kepnes quit his desk job to travel the world and along the way became the travel blogger Nomadic Matt. In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz talks with Nomadic Matt about what it’s like to travel for a living. It’s not all hanging out on beaches and taking road trips: He is running a business, after all. Still, you have to know when to ignore emails and just enjoy that glass of wine in Argentina. Kepnes also offers advice on how to travel on a budget and share...

Episode 15: Lonely Planet CEO Daniel Houghton on new Trips app and more

Lonely Planet has just launched an easy-to-use new app called Trips that lets you turn a few photos, video and text into a gorgeous story about your travels. In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz talks with the company’s CEO Daniel Houghton about the new app and how it works. Houghton also discusses what it was like to take over the brand at the relatively young age of 24 and also shares a little bit of his own story, including his mom’s idea of a great vacation wh...

Bonus Episode: Are you ready for the total eclipse of the sun?

A total solar eclipse will take place Aug. 21, and it will be visible in a 60-mile-wide band across the United States, from Oregon to South Carolina. In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” hosted by AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz, Associated Press science writer Marcia Dunn tells us everything we need to know about destinations, events, eye protection and more to experience “totality,” as that darkness-in-daylight phenomenon is called.(This episode originally aired May 17, 2017, but was republish...

Episode 14: Eclipse-watching will be epic in Oregon

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve surely heard that there’s going to be a total solar eclipse on Aug. 21 visible from coast to coast across the U.S. In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz talks with AP reporter Gillian Flaccus, who covers Oregon for The Associated Press, about why so many eclipse-chasers are heading to Oregon to see it and what events are planned. We’ll also share warnings and tips about everything from cloudy weather to traffic to eye ...

Episode 13: Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmern talks travel and food

Eating at authentic local places and checking out a destination’s best restaurants are a huge part of how we travel these days. But how do you find good restaurants? In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz talks with “Bizarre Foods” host Andrew Zimmern to get his tips on finding great food, whether it’s fine dining or a local hole in the wall. We also learn about ZImmern’s new show, “The Zimmern List,” debuting next year on the Travel Channel.

Episode 12: Pack like a pro with these tips from frequent flyers

Packing your bag can be such a drag: the hassles, the mistakes that get you in trouble with the TSA, the impossibility of ever learning to travel light for a change. In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz talks with two AP journalists who’ve spent a lot of time in the air, Scott Mayerowitz and Lisa Lerer, to get their advice on how to pack the perfect bag. We’ll hear about luggage considerations, tricks like using the space inside your packed shoes to stuff in socks...

Episode 11: Water, woods and lobster dinner on a Maine vacation

There’s a reason the great state of Maine is nicknamed Vacationland. In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz and Patrick Whittle, who covers Maine for The Associated Press, share their favorite Maine destinations, from Acadia National Park to Old Orchard Beach, from whitewater rafting to shopping, the arts, and of course, where to get a seafood dinner. We’ll also talk about Maine’s new national monument, Katahdin Woods and Waters - why it’s controversial and how to e...

Episode 10: 50 years after the riots, Newark says it’s ready for tourists

It was July 12, 1967, when riots erupted in Newark, New Jersey, scarring that city for decades. But the city says it’s coming back, and it’s even launched a tourism campaign. In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz talks with Lauren Craig, the “glambassador” of Newark, about the guidebook she’s written for Newark visitors called “100 Things to Do in Newark Before You Die.” We’ll hear about some of her favorite things to do, including the arts, dining and shopping. We...

Episode 9: Elite travel; Is it worth the money to skip the line?

Two Associated Press reporters took the same trip from New York to an Orlando theme park. One traveled with elite status, one did not. One got a front-of-the-line pass, one did not. In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz talks to Scott Mayerowitz and Candice Choi about their very different experiences, comparing the frequent flier with the last to board, the points-and-club membership with waiting your turn, and the endless line for a roller coaster in the Florida h...

Episode 8: Summer travel tips from Rick Steves

Summer is the most popular time to travel, but it’s also hot, crowded and expensive. In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz talks with travel expert Rick Steves, the guidebook author and host of public radio and TV shows, about strategies for handling the challenges of summer travel.

Episode 7: Summer vacation - Never mind the hike. Where’s the hammock?

The results of a new poll on summer travel may surprise you. The survey found that the thing most people want to do on vacation is… nothing. Rest and relaxation were ranked high by more people than any other vacation activity. In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel editor Beth Harpaz talks with Associated Press polling editor Emily Swanson about that and other findings from the survey.

Episode 6: The best beach in the U.S.?

AP’s Tamara Lush shares the details about an annual list of America’s best beaches. (This episode originally aired on June 14, 2017 but was republished on June 16, 2017 to reflect the new podcast title.)

Episode 5: The new American Writers Museum in Chicago

Chicago is home to a major new museum celebrating writers. But the new American Writers Museum isn’t just about poets and novelists. You’ll find everyone there from Thomas Jefferson to Tupac Shakur. In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP travel editor Beth Harpaz speaks with Associated Press writer Hillel Italie, who covers the book industry, about this new museum. How did the museum decide who to include and who to leave out, and how do you create compelling visuals when your subject matter...

Episode 4: Disney’s new ride, Pandora-World of Avatar

One of the biggest theme park openings this year is at Disney World outside Orlando, Florida, where the lush alien jungle world of the movie “Avatar” has been brought to life with two rides, plants that glow at night and sounds of the jungle. In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz talks with Associated Press reporter Michael Schneider in Orlando describes what it’s like. (This episode originally aired June 1, 2017, but was republished June 22, 2017 to reflect the ne...

Episode 3: Are you ready for the total eclipse of the sun?

A total solar eclipse will take place Aug. 21, and it will be visible in a 60-mile-wide band across the United States, from Oregon to South Carolina. In this episode of “Get Outta Here,” hosted by AP Travel Editor Beth Harpaz, Associated Press science writer Marcia Dunn tells us everything we need to know about destinations, events, eye protection and more to experience “totality,” as that darkness-in-daylight phenomenon is called.(This episode originally aired May 17, 2017, but was republish...

Episode 2: Don’t forget the Motor City - Destination Detroit?

Detroit has made headlines in recent years with its bankruptcy and blocks of abandoned homes. But while the city is still a gritty place, it offers a surprisingly rich array of options for tourists. Tops on any visitor’s list should be the Motown Museum, where you can dance to “My Girl” in the studio where it was recorded. Don’t forget coney dogs and a stop at the museum to see the art that was nearly sold to save the city from bankruptcy. Associated Press travel editor Beth Harpaz interviews...