Parks & Travel
A Big Blend Radio Travel Podcast covering Parks and Public Lands, Historic Sites and Landmarks, and their local communities, destinations, and recreational opportunities.
Episodes

Jul 10, 2024
Jul 10, 2024
22 min
Celebrate National Parks & Recreation Month and National Picnic Month with this episode of Big Blend Radio's HEART HEALTHY LIVING WITH DR JACKIE Podcast that's all about how to have a fun and heart-healthy summer!
Dr. Jacqueline Eubany is a board-certified cardiologist and electrophysiologist, and author of the best-selling book, "Women and Heart Disease: The Real Story." More: https://womenandheartdiseasebook.com/
New episodes of "Heart Healthy Living with Dr. Jackie" air every 2nd Wednesday at 12pm PST. Follow the Podcast: https://hearthealthyliving-drjackie.podbean.com/

Jul 9, 2024
Jul 9, 2024
41 min
This episode of Big Blend Radio's "Food, Wine & Travel Show" with the International Food Wine & Travel Association features Ange Chew, Executive Director of Discover Surrey. Hear about Surrey''s vast natural beauty, global dining, affordable accommodations and rich, vibrant culture.
A vibrant mosaic awaits in Surrey, the second largest city in British Columbia by population, next to Vancouver. t’s a diverse, complex and authentic region that’s experiencing change at a rapid pace, but taking it all in stride. Plan your visit to Surrey, B.C, here: https://discoversurreybc.com/
Learn more about the International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association at https://www.ifwtwa.org/
Photos courtesy of Discover Surrey BC.

Jul 5, 2024
Jul 5, 2024
59 min
This episode of Big Blend Radio's "Toast to The Arts & Parks" Show features Arizona writer Leah Newsom, the National Parks Arts Foundation's summer 2024 artist-in-residence at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.
Leah Newsom was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and holds an MFA in creative writing from Arizona State University, where she now teaches creative writing. Her work has previously appeared/is forthcoming in "Conjunctions," "Ninth Letter," "Juked," "Passages North," and more. Her work has been supported by the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing and the National Parks Arts Foundation. More at: http://www.leahnewsom.com/
Learn more about the National Parks Arts Foundation's unique artist residency programs in parks across the country at https://www.nationalparksartsfoundation.org/

Jul 4, 2024
Jul 4, 2024
36 min
Celebrate Parks & Recreation Month in Tulare County! From park adventures to community events, it's all about summer fun on this episode of Big Blend Radio's "California Sequoia Country" Podcast.
Located in Central California, Tulare County is home to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Giant Sequoia National Monument and Sequoia National Forest, and charming art and agricultural communities including Visalia, Tulare, Exeter, Dinuba, Porterville, Three Rivers, Lindsay, and Woodlake.
Featured guests from the Sequoia Tourism Council include Sintia Kawasaki-Yee - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Suzanne Bianco - Visit Visalia, and Alida Verduzco Silva - Tulare County Resource Management Agency.
Plan your visit with these websites mentioned in the podcast:- Sequoia Tourism Council: https://www.discoverthesequoias.com/ - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks: https://www.nps.gov/seki/index.htm - Visit Visalia - https://www.visitvisalia.com/

Jul 3, 2024
Jul 3, 2024
23 min
It's all about beautiful Slovenia on this episode of Big Blend Radio's WANDER THE WORLD WITH SHARON podcast with Sharon K. Kurtz. Located in Central Europe, Slovenia offers breathtaking natural landscapes, a rich history, and a solid commitment to eco-friendly practices.
Over half of Slovenia's terrain is covered in pristine forests, making it a leader in forest conservation and green initiatives. This compact country boasts numerous protected areas, including the majestic Triglav National Park. Read Sharon's article about her experiences here: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/discovering-green-slovenia/
Big Blend Radio's "Wander the World with Sharon" Podcast features award-winning travel writer and photographer Sharon K. Kurtz. New episodes air every first Wednesday at 12pm CST at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzIUCV2e7qm1ALXeV1vR6H10EtkPvgDW5
Sharon Kurtz is an accomplished travel writer and award-winning photographer based in Austin, Texas, dedicated to exploring the world and sharing her adventures through compelling storytelling. Her travels have taken her to more than 50 countries on six continents—her carry-on is always packed, ready for the next adventure. Enjoy Sharon’s writing at https://sharonkkurtz.com/ or follow her on https://www.instagram.com/shar_kurtz/

Jun 28, 2024
Jun 28, 2024
57 min
In honor of Great Outdoors Month, this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Show features legal and environmental historian, author, and attorney Lowell E. Baier. Hear about his latest book, "Earth’s Emergency Room: Saving Species as the Planet and Politics Get Hotter."
"Earth's Emergency Room" is a celebration of 50 years of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). In the book, Baier provides an insightful and entertaining history of the ESA’s dramatic highs and lows. He profiles his work with the ESA from its inception to the present, and with the key figures who shaped its history, from field biologists to Presidents of the United States. Baier ultimately calls on all Americans to embrace a spirit of bipartisanship and conservation to strengthen the law that has been the Earth’s emergency room for half a century. More at https://lowellebaier.com/ and https://esaat50.com/
You can also listen to his earlier Big Blend Radio interview about the history and importance of the Endangered Species Act as well as his two related books The Codex of the "Endangered Species Act: Volume 1, The First Fifty Years", and "Endangered Species Act: Volume 2, The NextFifty Years." Listen: https://youtu.be/HPo-Mfb5i3c?feature=shared
Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Podcast airs every 4th Friday in collaboration with Margot Carrera, a fine art nature photographer who is passionate about the environment. More: http://margotcarrera.etsy.com/

Jun 27, 2024
Jun 27, 2024
57 min
Celebrate Great Outdoors Month and National Rivers Month with this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Historic Jefferson Highway" Show that focuses on Itasca State Park in Minnesota and the Empress Boat Club in Iowa Falls.
FEATURED GUESTS:- ROGER BELL, President of the Jefferson Highway Association. Info: https://jeffersonhighway.org/ - CONNIE COX - Lead Interpretive Naturalist at Itasca State Park in Minnesota. More: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/park.html?id=spk00181#homepage - JESSICA TJARKS - Empress Boat Club in Iowa Falls, Iowa. More: http://www.empressboatclub.org/
The Jefferson Highway Association originally founded the Jefferson Highway in 1915. This international highway is also known as "The Pines to the Palms Highway," that runs from Winnipeg, Canada to New Orleans, Louisiana. This Big Blend Radio "Historic Jefferson Highway" Podcast airs every 4th Thursday at 6pm CST. Follow the show here: https://jefferson-highway.podbean.com/
Featured photo of Mississippi Headwaters with People, Copyright (2024), State of Minnesota, Department of Natural Resources. Reprinted with Permission courtesy of MN DNR. Photo of Empress Boat, courtesy Empress Boat Club.

Jun 25, 2024
Jun 25, 2024
31 min
In celebration of Great Outdoors Month and Oceans Month, this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Global Adventures with Debbie Stone" Podcast, is all about the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina.
The Outer Banks is a chain of barrier islands along the coastline of North Carolina. It boasts 100-plus miles of wide-open shoreline, charming villages and towns, and plenty of historical attractions. From the history of flight to lighthouses, wild horses, beaches, shopping and dining, there’s something for everyone. Check out Debbie's article and video feature, here: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/lots-to-love-about-the-outer-banks/ Big Blend Radio's "Global Adventures with Debbie Stone" podcast airs every 4th Tuesday. Follow the podcast here: https://global-adventures-debbie-stone.podbean.com/

BIG BLEND RADIO'S PARKS & TRAVEL PODCAST
Big Blend Radio’s "Parks & Travel” Channel features podcasts, interviews, and expert panel discussions covering travel advice and stories about parks, public lands, historic sites, and destinations across the country and around the world. We also cover conservation and preservation issues. Follow the Podcast on Podbean, Apple, Spotify, YouTube, ListenNotes, iHeartRadio, and more.
Big Blend Radio podcasts are hosted and produced by Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith, the mother-daughter publishing team behind Big Blend Magazines, and full-time travelers on the Love Your Parks Tour.
Subscribe to the Big Weekly Blend e-Newsletter to get the latest articles, podcasts and magazines, and visit NationalParkTraveling.com.
Join the conversation on our Park Travel Social Media including Twitter (X), Instagram, Park Travel Facebook Group, One Hour Walk Facebook Group, and Pinterest.









