When it comes to travel, it’s always the people you meet that make the trip. That is especially true in the American South, where the locals are renowned as some of the friendliest and most genuine people in the country.

Today, we’re going to meet three of them who are preserving and conserving the flavours and natural beauty of the South.

• Chef Trevor Stockton is going to take us to the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee for a feast of his favourite dishes.

• Peggy Noe Stevens, the world’s first master bourbon taster, is going to take us on a distillery tour through Kentucky with a stop, of course, at America’s most famous horse race.

• Meg Puckett is taking us to the Barrier Islands of North Carolina in search of one of the last remaining herds of wild horses in the States.

From the mountains to the coast, to the bottom of your glass, this is a journey into the heart of the natural beauty, local people and good ‘ol southern food that makes this region so special.

Highlights include:

• Learning how to taste bourbon like an expert, while driving the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

• Finding out what our local’s three favourite dishes are, and why one of them is served only in petrol stations.

• Discovering why the Kentucky Derby is known as “the most exciting two minutes in sport”.

• Hearing about the history of wild horses in the United States, and why seeing them should be on every wildlife lover’s bucket list.

FIND OUT MORE

Trevor Stockton: rtloge.com, @therestaurantatrtlodge on Instagram

Meg Pucket: carollawildhorses.org, @corollawildhorses on Facebook

Peggy Noe Stevens: peggynoestevens.com, @pegggynoestevens on Instagram and Facebook.

Discover the American South at https://www.wanderlustmagazine.com/inspiration/discover-the-american-south/

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Take the road less travelled with us and subscribe to the show so you never miss an adventure!

WANDERLUST MAGAZINE

Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine which has been taking the road less travelled since 1993. Find out more at wanderlustmagazine.com

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). This will get you six beautiful collectible issues, exclusive member- only competitions and events, access to our entire online archive back to 2010, and heaps of other benefits.

CREDITS

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Lyn Hughes and Laura Field introduce the show. Aaron Millar is the interviewer and script editor. Audio production by Charles Tyrie.

Moab, Utah, is one of America’s best adventure towns. Located on the doorstep of two of the country’s most spectacular national parks, and surrounded by mile-upon-mile of red rock canyons ripe for exploration, Moab is an outdoor lover’s dream. But dig a little deeper and you will find a wonder of science, history and ancient cultures too.

In today’s episode we’re going to reveal a different side to Moab. From dinosaur tracks fossilized in stone to petroglyphs painted on cliff faces, Moab is like a living museum of science and natural history. And we have three local experts to show us their favourite spots.

Tara Beresh, Director of Curation and Exhibits at the Moab Museum

Blaine Reniger, Founder of History Moab and a local guide

Mary Langworthy, Outreach Specialist at Science Moab

Highlights include:

• Learning the indigenous history of the Fremont, Puebloan and Ute people who have lived in this region for thousands of years.

• Hearing the story of Moab’s most famous gunslinger, Billy the Kid and where to find one of his old hideouts.

• Discovering the geology and ancient history of one of America’s geologic wonders.

• Getting insider tips on where to go for the best viewpoints and where to find world-class outdoor activities.

• Finding out about Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, two of America’s best, right on Moab’s doorstep.

FIND OUT MORE

Discover the real Moab! You don’t have to be an outdoor athlete or a national parks roadtripper to visit: come as you are and discover wild wonders at DiscoverMoab.com

MoabMuseum.org

HistoryMoab.org

ScienceMoab.org

Blaine Reniger Tour Guide: @grizzly_adventures

Check out five extraordinary ways to enjoy Moab’s cinematic outdoors at wanderlustmagazine.com

WANDERLUST: OFF THE PAGE

Take the road less travelled with us and subscribe to the show so you never miss an adventure!

WANDERLUST MAGAZINE

Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine which has been taking the road less travelled since 1993. Find out more at wanderlustmagazine.com

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). This will get you six beautiful collectible issues, exclusive member- only competitions and events, access to our entire online archive back to 2010, and heaps of other benefits.

CREDITS

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Lyn Hughes and Laura Field introduce the show. Aaron Millar is the interviewer and script editor. Audio production by Charles Tyrie.

For a small country, Guatemala packs a big punch. With a Maya history that dates back 3,000-years, a strong Indigenous culture, and an abundance of nature experiences, we think Guatemala should be on the list of any serious traveller.

From the volcano lined Lake Atitlán, to the extensive rainforest of the Maya Biosphere Reserve and the vibrant capital, Guatemala City, in today’s episode we are taking the road less travelled into the heart of this Central American beauty.

Highlights include:

• Exploring the world wonder of Tikal and its Maya ruins, listening to Howler Monkeys from the top of 3,000-year-old temples.

• Learn why Guatemala is home to some of one of the best food scenes in Central America, from some of the finest coffee and rum in the world to Indigenous-inspired dishes served in world-class restaurants.

• Climb active volcanoes to watch rivers of lava flow beside your feet. You can even eat lava-fired pizza on the way down!

• Discover the serene beauty of Lake Atitlán, sacred to Maya people.

Joining host Aaron Millar today is former CNN reporter and TV presenter Harris Whitbeck, the current Director of INGUAT (Guatemalan Institute of Tourism).

FIND OUT MORE: visitguatemala.gt/en/

BOOK YOUR TRIP

Let Latin Routes craft your perfect Guatemalan adventure. To find out more

or book your Truly Individual holiday, visit latinroutes.co.uk/destinations/guatemala/

or call 020 8546 6222 to speak to a Latin America Travel Specialist.

RECOMMENDED ITINERARIES

Highlights of Guatemala: 8 nights from £4,399 per person, based on two people sharing (2025

departures). Includes all flights, accommodation, selected meals, guided excursions, and transfers. Fully ATOL protected.

Guatemala Explorer: 11 nights from £6,199 per person, based on two people sharing (2025

departures). Comprehensive of all flights, accommodation, select meals, guided excursions, transfers, and full ATOL protection.

WANDERLUST: OFF THE PAGE

Take the road less travelled with us and subscribe to the show so you never miss an adventure!

WANDERLUST MAGAZINE

Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine which has been taking the road less travelled since 1993. Find out more at wanderlustmagazine.com

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). This will get you six beautiful collectible issues, exclusive member- only competitions and events, access to our entire online archive back to 2010, and heaps of other benefits.

CREDITS

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Lyn Hughes and Laura Field introduce the show. Aaron Millar is the interviewer and script editor. Audio production by Charles Tyrie.

In today’s episode, we’re going to be travelling across South Australia from the stunning turquoise blues of endless coastlines to the dramatic rusty reds of the Flinders Ranges and Outback.

We’ll explore each destination in the company of an expert local guide - including a past winner of Wanderlust’s Guide of the Year award! They’ll take us from the city of Adelaide, and the wine country of the Adelaide Hills, to the wildlife paradise of Kangaroo Island and the rugged adventure of the Eyre Peninsula.

South Australia is a true microcosm of the country as a whole, and this episode will show you it through a local’s eyes.

Highlights include:

• Taking an e-bike tour around the wine country of the Adelaide Hills.

• Seeing koalas, baby ‘Joey’ kangaroos, and a host of other iconic Australian wildlife.

• Going snorkeling with sea lions, the ‘puppies of the sea’.

• Exploring the ‘Seafood Capital of Australia’ and the footprint free beaches that surround it.

Joining host Aaron Millar are:

Daniel Young from Bike About (bikeabout.com.au)

Craig Wickham from Exceptional Kangaroo Island (exceptionalkangarooisland.com)

David ‘Lunch’ Doudle from Australian Coastal Safaris (australiancoastalsafaris.com.au)

SPECIAL OFFER

Qatar Airways offers regular, year-round flights from the UK to South Australia from £982pp return. It serves five UK departure airports – London Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Edinburgh and Birmingham to Adelaide – and its spacious cabins offer an unparalleled travel experience with world-class hospitality, destination-inspired cuisine and STARLINK, the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky. Five-star lounges are offered during a stopover at Doha’s Hamad International Airport. Enjoy up to 10% discount for all Wanderlust readers when you fly to Adelaide with Qatar Airways by using the code: WANDERLUST10. QatarAirways.com

WANDERLUST: OFF THE PAGE

Take the road less travelled with us and subscribe to the show so you never miss an adventure!

WANDERLUST MAGAZINE

Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine which has been taking the road less travelled since 1993. Find out more at wanderlustmagazine.com

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). This will get you six beautiful collectible issues, exclusive member-only competitions and events, access to our entire online archive back to 2010, and heaps of other benefits.

CREDITS

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Lyn Hughes and Laura Field introduce the show. Aaron Millar is the host and producer; audio editing and sound design by Charles Tyrie.

From paddling a canoe down some of the most beautiful stretches of water in the USA, to road tripping beside the largest freshwater lake in the country, the midwestern US state of Minnesota is a land of epic landscapes and unique experiences.

In today’s episode we’re taking a road trip from the culturally rich Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, to the North Shore of Lake Superior, the paddling paradise of Boundary Waters and houseboat heaven in Voyageurs National Park.

Minnesota may not have an ocean in sight, but this “Land of 10,000 Lakes” (or 11,842 to be exact) has no end of outdoor adventures to enjoy.

Highlights include:

• Exploring the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St Paul, including a visit to Paisley Park, former Minneapolis local Prince’s extravagant mansion.

• Watching the Northern Lights from the edge of Boundary Waters and the Milky Way from the North Shore of Lake Superior.

• Visiting Split Rock Lighthouse, one of the most photographed and visited spots in the state, with a drama-filled history and breathtaking views.

• Finding out what it’s like to meet a wolf, a bear, and a moose in the wild – and survive to tell the tale!

• Paddling some of the best canoe routes in the US through one of its most unspoiled wilderness parks.

• Taking a houseboat out into Voyageurs National Park, for the ultimate Minnesotan water-glamping experience.

Joining host Aaron Millar are:

Hayes Scriven, the site manager at Split Rock Lighthouse

Lacey Squire, the manager at Boundary Waters Connect in Ely, and host of the What’s Up Ely podcast

And Minneapolis local Jennifer Schak from Explore Minnesota

FIND OUT MORE

Plan your road trip around Minnesota at ExploreMinnesota.com

WANDERLUST: OFF THE PAGE

Take the road less travelled with us and subscribe to the show so you never miss an adventure!

WANDERLUST MAGAZINE

Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine which has been taking the road less travelled since 1993. Find out more at wanderlustmagazine.com

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). This will get you six beautiful collectible issues, exclusive member-only competitions and events, access to our entire online archive back to 2010, and heaps of other benefits.

CREDITS

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Lyn Hughes and Laura Field introduce the show. Aaron Millar is the host and producer; audio editing and sound design by Charles Tyrie.

When people think of New York, they often just think of New York City. But escape the hustle and bustle of the city and you will find mountains, waterfalls, wineries and more than a thousand islands to explore.

In today’s episode, we’re going beyond the famous icons of the city and taking you into the heart of New York State.

Highlights include:

• Discovering the 6 million acre Adirondack Park, which is larger than Yellowstone, Everglades, Glacier and Grand Canyon National Parks combined!

• Finding out why Thomas Jefferson described Lake George as: “without comparison, the most beautiful water I ever saw.”

• Exploring the Thousand Island Seaway region where we’ll stay in a castle, camp on the St Lawrence River and cruise hundreds of miles of pristine coastline.

• Taking a bike ride along the historic 480km Erie Canalway Trail, and discovering the best towns to stay in along the way.

• Having a giggle at the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, a one-of-a-kind museum devoted to the art of making people laugh.

• Finding out about the 1,200km Empire State Trail, one of the best long-distance bike rides in the country.

Joining host Aaron Millar are:

Corey Fram, Director of Tourism for the 1000 Islands International Tourism Council visit1000islands.com

Lukas Berbert a bike-touring expert based in Central New York gothambiketours.com

Gary Hahn the Chief Marketing Officer for the National Comedy Center comedycenter.org

FIND OUT MORE

Plan your road trip around New York State at iloveny.com

WANDERLUST: OFF THE PAGE

Take the road less travelled with us and subscribe to the show so you never miss an adventure!

WANDERLUST MAGAZINE

Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine which has been taking the road less travelled since 1993. Find out more at wanderlustmagazine.com

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). This will get you six beautiful collectible issues, exclusive member-only competitions and events, access to our entire online archive back to 2010, and heaps of other benefits.

CREDITS

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Lyn Hughes and Laura Field introduce the show. Aaron Millar is the host and producer; audio editing and sound design by Charles Tyrie.

The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway is more than just a scenic ride. It’s a journey back in time. Founded in 1880, this mountain railroad was first set up to ferry workers from the wild west town of Durango to the mines of the San Juan Mountains, and has been in continuous operation since then.

In today’s episode, travel writer James Ruddy is going to take us on a journey, riding the steam locomotive from the old mining town of Silverton, 914 metres back down to the high desert plains of the Four Corners region.

Following the course of the Animas River, the tracks wind through thick pine forests, teetering on the edge of razor-thin cliffs beneath towering 4,267-metre peaks. Widely recognised as one of the most scenic train rides in America, and powered entirely by steam, its story mirrors the story of the West, and for those who want to catch a glimpse of what life was like back then there are few pieces of living history more authentic than this.

Afterwards, Jeff Johnson, the General Manager of the railroad, will fill us in on its history, and the local secrets of what to do in the town of Durango at the end of the line. We’ll even grab a bite in the Diamond Belle Saloon where you can eat next to a 100-year-old bullet hole in the bar.

But that’s not all, round the corner from Durango is one of America’s most fascinating national parks: Mesa Verde. Home of the ancestral pueblo people between 600 and 1300 CE, we’ll visit the spectacular cliff dwellings where they lived in villages hewn from the rock face.

All aboard for a journey back in time on the most beautiful train ride in America.

FIND OUT MORE

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: DurangoTrain.com

Visit Durango: Durango.org

BOOK YOUR ADVENTURE TODAY

Ready to experience the heart of the American West? Start planning your journey by booking a ride on the iconic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Visit durangotrain.com to secure your seat on this historic train and create memories that will last a lifetime.

WANDERLUST: OFF THE PAGE

Take the road less travelled with us and subscribe to the show so you never miss an adventure!

WANDERLUST MAGAZINE

Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine which has been taking the road less travelled since 1993. Find out more at wanderlustmagazine.com

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). This will get you six beautiful collectible issues, exclusive member-only competitions and events, access to our entire online archive back to 2010, and heaps of other benefits.

CREDITS

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Lyn Hughes and Laura Field introduce the show. Aaron Millar is the host and producer; audio editing and sound design by Charles Tyrie.

With its leafy parks, cobbled streets and a packed calendar of events, Boston is a city that can be explored year round. From autumn colours and ice-skating in winter to spring hikes and summer beaches, this episode will whisk you away to one of North America’s most vibrant cities to discover Boston through the seasons.

But we’ll also explore its past, present and future. Boston’s role in the American Revolution is well known, and with the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States in 2026, it’s the perfect time to explore one of the USA’s most historic cities.

But it’s not stuck in the past. Boasting 23 individual neighborhoods, each with its own unique identity, we’ll discover the stories, food, and communities that help to define this culturally rich and diverse city, from the best place to shuck oysters to the art and festivals that make its ‘Emerald Necklace’ of green spaces come alive.

Highlights include:

• Joining a local guide to walk the Freedom Trail, Boston’s iconic 2.5-mile red brick path that weaves between its most historic sights.

• Exploring the ‘Emerald Necklace’ of parks and outdoor spaces that offer everything from ice-skating in winter to outdoor art in spring.

• Finding out about the outdoor art exhibitions and year-long festivals and events at the Rose Kennedy Greenway, one of Boston’s most iconic city parks.

• Discovering Boston’s best beaches, and how to combine sand and city into the perfect summer break.

• Getting the lowdown on the perfect autumn day trip: autumn colours, picking your own apples and swimming in Thoreau’s Walden Pond – all less than an hour from downtown!

• Hearing about travel writer Portia Jones’ latest trip from whale watching and lobster roll addictions to cheering on the Bruins, Boston’s ice hockey team.

• Walking the Innovation Trail and hearing about Boston’s four centuries of world-changing ideas and scientific breakthroughs.

FIND OUT MORE

Daniel Berger Jones from Cambridge Historical Tours - BosHis.org

Chris Cook Executive Director of the Rose Kennedy Greenway - RoseKennedyGreenway.org

Portia Jones, Journalist and Host of the Travel Goals Podcast PipAndTheCity.com

Discover Boston through all seasons at meetboston.com

WANDERLUST: OFF THE PAGE

Take the road less travelled with us and subscribe to the show so you never miss an adventure!

WANDERLUST MAGAZINE

Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine which has been taking the road less travelled since 1993. Find out more at wanderlustmagazine.com

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). This will get you six beautiful collectible issues, exclusive member-only competitions and events, access to our entire online archive back to 2010, and heaps of other benefits.

CREDITS

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Lyn Hughes and Laura Field introduce the show. Aaron Millar is the host and producer; audio editing and sound design by Charles Tyrie.