Sips & Trips Radio

Matt Wolfe

Sips & Trips Radio is where luxury travel meets real stories. Join Matt and Carol Wolfe of High Park Travel Agency, a local Asheville/Hendersonville Travel Agency as they share insider tips, destination highlights, and personal experiences from river and ocean cruises across Europe and beyond. Each episode explores new places, people, and ways to travel well — from sipping wine along the Rhine to discovering hidden gems in the Mediterranean. Whether you’re dreaming, planning, or ready to book, we put the fun in travel. Contact Matt & Carol in Asheville, NC, local travel agents near you.

  1. 11/25/2025

    🚴 Palaces, Pedals & Pastries: Biking Vienna and Slovakian Hot Chocolate (Days 5-6)

    https://www.highparktravel.com/ Vienna The AMALea arrived in Vienna early in the morning in the midst of clearing fog on Day 5. With a full day and evening planned in the city of Johan Strauss, known for great composers, beautiful architecture, and museums I was particularly excited for this day.  Once again we had chosen a bike tour to see the city, the most active of all levels offered by AMA. This was a busy bike tour through winding streets, on and off designated bike paths with many stops to allow the group remain together. Our guides were fantastic as AMA provided a lecturer and a rear rider to watch over us while crossing roads. We biked to and past many iconic landmarks of Vienna such as the Opera House, Imperial Palace of the Habsburgs, St. Stephen’s Cathedral just to name a few. A real treat was riding by the Austrian University of Economics to view the unique architecture built around 2010 as part of the college’s expansion. It currently has 200,000 students with the cost for most European students of 44 Euro per year! American’s can attend for just 1750 Euro for an entire year. Vienna The AMALea arrived in Vienna early in the morning in the midst of clearing fog on Day 5. With a full day and evening planned in the city of Johan Strauss, known for great composers, beautiful architecture, and museums I was particularly excited for this day.  Once again we had chosen a bike tour to see the city, the most active of all levels offered by AMA. This was a busy bike tour through winding streets, on and off designated bike paths with many stops to allow the group remain together. Our guides were fantastic as AMA provided a lecturer and a rear rider to watch over us while crossing roads. We biked to and past many iconic landmarks of Vienna such as the Opera House, Imperial Palace of the Habsburgs, St. Stephen’s Cathedral just to name a few. A real treat was riding by the Austrian University of Economics to view the unique architecture built around 2010 as part of the college’s expansion. It currently has 200,000 students with the cost for most European students of 44 Euro per year! American’s can attend for just 1750 Euro for an entire year.  Known as the Coronation City, where 16 kings and queens were crowned in the church of St. Martin’s Cathedral. I must confess that to go from Vienna to Bratislava was anticlimactic which isn’t a fair comparison I know. Few cities in the world compare to the beauty of Vienna. Having not spent time with the other two couples in the group we decided to do the gentle walking tour with them. It lasted about 1.5 hours and was informative but we only went into one church, it was mostly an overview tour. The general consensus in our group was that the walking tours provided a lot of explanation about the exterior of buildings and history, but we would have liked to see more of the interiors. As these are one day stopovers I understand the limited time constraints of the tours. https://www.highparktravel.com/podcast

    10 min
  2. 10/24/2025

    Essential First-Time Cruiser Tips: Everything You Need to Know Before You Set Sail

    https://www.highparktravel.com/ Matt Wolfe, has three degrees. Graduate of St. Pete Junior College, A.A. Mass Communications, B.F.A. University of S. Florida, Art & Photography, Therapist A.S., Walter’s State.Carol Birkner, holds a B.S. East TN State, as an educator, IT technology specialist.We are members of Coastline Travel Group, Virtuoso Consortia, CLIA cruise membership. World Travelers with many countries left to explore with you our clients and future guests.We are Certified Travel Specialist with AMAWaterways, Viking River Cruises & Seabourn Ocean We are here to answer all your cruise questions! If you’re planning your very first cruise, congratulations! Few travel experiences can match the magic of stepping onto a luxurious ship and knowing you’ll wake up in a new destination each day—all while enjoying world-class dining, entertainment, and service. Whether you’re dreaming of the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, or a transatlantic voyage, preparing well for your first cruise can make all the difference. Here are the best tips for first-time cruisers to help you embark with confidence and create unforgettable memories. Plan Ahead Using the Cruise Line’s Portal Long before you step onboard, your cruise experience begins with preparation. Most major cruise lines—including Cunard, Viking, and Princess—offer online planning portals where you can personalize your voyage. Through tools like Cunard’s My Voyage, you can reserve shore excursions, book spa appointments, secure specialty dining reservations, or arrange Wi-Fi packages and wellness classes. Popular excursions and onboard activities often sell out quickly, so booking early ensures you don’t miss out. You’ll also find packing guidelines, dress codes, and helpful travel tips to make embarkation day seamless. https://www.highparktravel.com/cruises

    12 min

About

Sips & Trips Radio is where luxury travel meets real stories. Join Matt and Carol Wolfe of High Park Travel Agency, a local Asheville/Hendersonville Travel Agency as they share insider tips, destination highlights, and personal experiences from river and ocean cruises across Europe and beyond. Each episode explores new places, people, and ways to travel well — from sipping wine along the Rhine to discovering hidden gems in the Mediterranean. Whether you’re dreaming, planning, or ready to book, we put the fun in travel. Contact Matt & Carol in Asheville, NC, local travel agents near you.