Pop Culture Passport - Exploring Quirky & Cool Travel Destinations in the USA

Beth Schillaci - The Roaming Yeti
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Pop Culture Passport is your guide to quirky, cool, and nostalgic travel across the U.S.—from movie filming locations and theme parks to roadside attractions and pop culture museums. If you'd happily add 60 minutes to your trip to visit a filming location, the Jell-O Museum, or a roadside diner from your favorite TV show, this podcast is for you. Every other week, I’ll take you behind the scenes of iconic and offbeat destinations, sharing their history, stories, and the fun details. Along the way, we’ll dive into theme parks, explore quirky museums, and uncover the real places behind your favorite movies and shows. I'm Beth Schillaci—aka the Roaming Yeti. I’m a travel content creator, pop culture nerd, and obsessive road trip planner who somehow turns an 8-hour drive into a 21-stop itinerary (because you never know what you’ll find). I’m also the creator of the Quirky & Cool Travel Guide, a curated directory of unique U.S. destinations, and I share even more travel stories and pop culture finds on The Roaming Yeti Blog. Think of this as traveling with your slightly nerdy, sort-of-cool friend who thrives on deep dives, unique finds, and laughter-filled road trips. Grab your Pop Culture Passport—let’s roam.

  1. From Santa Rosa to St Paul: Peanuts Places You Can Visit

    6D AGO

    From Santa Rosa to St Paul: Peanuts Places You Can Visit

    Send us Fan Mail Episode 142 Did you know there are real places across the United States where the world of Peanuts comes to life? From the California hometown where Charles Schulz created the comic strip to a few surprising side quests across the country, this episode explores destinations where Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and the rest of the Peanuts gang still leave their mark. In this episode of Pop Culture Passport, we’re following the trail of Peanuts through real places you can visit — including the museum dedicated to Schulz’s life and work, the ice rink he built for his community, and even a few unexpected stops tied to Snoopy’s most famous daydreams. In this episode: • Visiting the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, California • Charles Schulz’s early life and inspiration in St. Paul, Minnesota • The surprising connection between Snoopy and NASA Whether you’re a lifelong Peanuts fan or just love discovering quirky pop culture destinations, these stops offer a fun way to connect with one of the most beloved comic strips ever created. You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

    17 min
  2. Snack Files: The Sweet History of Peeps and a Taste Test

    MAR 27

    Snack Files: The Sweet History of Peeps and a Taste Test

    Send us Fan Mail Episode 141 Are Peeps a nostalgic springtime favorite… or just sugary packing peanuts? In this episode of Snack Society Snack Files, we’re diving into the surprisingly strange history of one of Easter’s most divisive treats. From hand-piped marshmallow chicks in Pennsylvania to scientific experiments, pop culture chaos, and our own Spring Break taste test, Peeps have a much bigger story than you might expect. In this episode, we cover: How Peeps began at the Rodda Candy Company before Just Born turned them into a candy powerhouseThe invention that cut production time from 27 hours to just 6 minutesThe bizarre science behind why Peeps are so weirdly durableOur Peep taste test, including favorites, disappointments, and the fresh vs. stale debateWhether you’re Team Fresh, Team Stale, or firmly anti-Peep, this episode is a fun look at how a tiny marshmallow chick became a seasonal icon. You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

    15 min
  3. Beyond the Liberty Bell: Quirky Side Quests Around Philadelphia

    MAR 20

    Beyond the Liberty Bell: Quirky Side Quests Around Philadelphia

    Send us Fan Mail Episode 140 Philadelphia is famous for its rich history, Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and its role as the birthplace of the United States. But the Greater Philadelphia area also tells another story: one about the people who decided that culture, fandom, and everyday memories were worth saving. In this episode of Pop Culture Passport, we explore quirky and fascinating side quests across the Philly region — from a museum dedicated entirely to the Three Stooges to a warehouse packed with vintage Americana, a historic theater where The Blob still comes to life every year, and of course, one of the most iconic movie locations in the country. Along the way, we’ll also talk about the food traditions that Philadelphians fiercely protect — from cheesesteaks to soft pretzels. If you’re visiting Philadelphia for the 2026 World Cup or just planning your own pop culture road trip, these stops show a different side of the city: one built not just on what Philly created first, but on what it cared enough to keep. You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

    15 min
  4. Snack Society Snack Files - The Surprising History of Hard Candy in America

    MAR 13

    Snack Society Snack Files - The Surprising History of Hard Candy in America

    Send us Fan Mail Episode 139 Have you ever unwrapped a piece of hard candy and suddenly felt eight years old again? In this week’s Snack Society: Snack Files episode, we’re diving into the surprisingly deep history of hard candy, from early American port cities to mid-century candy dishes and the iconic sweets that quietly shaped our memories. In this episode, we explore: Gibraltar candy and early American sugar craftRock candy as both a science experiment and a Victorian spectacleThe rise of the mid-century candy bowl eraThe mystery of strawberry candies (you know the ones)Butterscotch discs, Werther’s, and portable nostalgia. Root beer barrels and pharmacy-era soda cultureHard candy isn’t flashy. It doesn’t trend, but it carries centuries of trade, chemistry, hospitality, and memory in one small, dissolving bite. You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

    16 min
  5. From Salem to Hershey: Candy Stores That Feel Like Time Capsules

    MAR 6

    From Salem to Hershey: Candy Stores That Feel Like Time Capsules

    Send us Fan Mail Episode 138 Candy stores aren’t just about sugar. They’re about memory, place, and tradition. In this episode of Pop Culture Passport, we’re traveling across the country to explore some of America’s most iconic candy stores, from one of the oldest candy companies in the country to neighborhood nostalgia archives and full-scale candy destinations. In this episode, we explore: The maritime roots of American candy at Ye Olde Pepper Candy Companie in Salem, MAHow Economy Candy in NYC became a living archive of American sweetsThe longest candy counter in the world at Chutters in Littleton, NHA full-scale candy destination at b.a. Sweetie Candy Company in Cleveland, OHHow Hershey, PA, built an entire town, and tourism industry, around chocolateThese destinations remind us that candy has always been about more than sugar. It’s been about community, ritual, celebration, and the feeling of finding a tiny piece of your childhood in a glass jar. You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

    17 min
  6. Snack Society Report: Hanover, PA — Snack Food Capital of the World

    FEB 27

    Snack Society Report: Hanover, PA — Snack Food Capital of the World

    Send us Fan Mail Episode 137 What happens when a small Pennsylvania town becomes one of the biggest snack producers in America? In this Snack Society Report, we head to Hanover, Pennsylvania — a place where pretzels and potato chips aren’t just snacks… they’re part of the town’s identity. In This Episode How Hanover became the Snack Food Capital of the WorldThe history of Utz Quality Foods and Snyder’s of HanoverThe confusing (and fascinating) story of Snyder’s of BerlinWhat it’s like shopping at the Utz Outlet StoreFrom legacy snack giants like Utz and Snyder’s of Hanover to old-school pretzel bakeries and outlet stores packed with snack seconds and cult favorites, this is a salty, crunchy side quest worth taking. You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

    17 min
  7. Atlanta Side Quests: Quirky, Pop Culture & Hidden Gems Beyond the World Cup

    FEB 20

    Atlanta Side Quests: Quirky, Pop Culture & Hidden Gems Beyond the World Cup

    Send us Fan Mail Episode 136 If you’re traveling to Atlanta for the World Cup… will you only see the stadium version of the city, or will you side quest into the places locals actually love? Atlanta is getting ready to welcome the world, and yes, the stadium energy is going to be incredible. But some of the most memorable parts of this city live outside the official fan zones. While researching this episode, I kept coming back to one idea: many of Atlanta’s most beloved places exist because someone cared deeply about one specific thing, puppets, folk art, public art, secret cocktail culture, or even a giant roadside chicken, and decided to build something around it. This episode is all about Atlanta side quests, the stops that make a trip feel personal, memorable, and very you. In This Episode, We Cover: • The Center for Puppetry Arts and why Atlanta became home to the Jim Henson Collection • Doll’s Head Trail and how one person turned a dumping ground into powerful folk art • Hidden and personality-driven stops like Tiny Doors ATL, Swan House, and the Red Phone Booth • Atlanta filming locations (Marvel, Black Panther, Stranger Things, and more) • Two iconic Atlanta food landmarks you can’t miss: The Dwarf House and The Big Chicken Atlanta isn’t just a host city. It’s a city full of creativity, obsession, and personality, and those are usually the places that make the best travel stories. If this episode inspires you to add a side quest to your next trip, even if it’s close to home, then it’s done its job. You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

    17 min
  8. Snack Society: King Cake, Fat Tuesday & The Foods That Connect Us

    FEB 13

    Snack Society: King Cake, Fat Tuesday & The Foods That Connect Us

    Send us Fan Mail Episode 135 Did you grow up with King Cake… or was Fat Tuesday pancakes-for-dinner night? In this Snack Society episode, we’re opening both the Snack Files and the Test Kitchen to explore the foods Americans eat on the day before Lent — whether you call it Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, or Shrove Tuesday. From Louisiana bakery culture to Pennsylvania Dutch kitchen traditions, this episode looks at how food helps us mark time, build community, and share one last moment of indulgence together. In This Episode, We Cover: The history and symbolism of King CakeRegional Fat Tuesday foods across the U.S.My real-life King Cake Test Kitchen experience (including braid struggles and cinnamon sugar chaos)Fat Tuesday foods may look different across the country — but the story is the same: Food helps people gather, celebrate, and transition seasons together. You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

    13 min
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About

Pop Culture Passport is your guide to quirky, cool, and nostalgic travel across the U.S.—from movie filming locations and theme parks to roadside attractions and pop culture museums. If you'd happily add 60 minutes to your trip to visit a filming location, the Jell-O Museum, or a roadside diner from your favorite TV show, this podcast is for you. Every other week, I’ll take you behind the scenes of iconic and offbeat destinations, sharing their history, stories, and the fun details. Along the way, we’ll dive into theme parks, explore quirky museums, and uncover the real places behind your favorite movies and shows. I'm Beth Schillaci—aka the Roaming Yeti. I’m a travel content creator, pop culture nerd, and obsessive road trip planner who somehow turns an 8-hour drive into a 21-stop itinerary (because you never know what you’ll find). I’m also the creator of the Quirky & Cool Travel Guide, a curated directory of unique U.S. destinations, and I share even more travel stories and pop culture finds on The Roaming Yeti Blog. Think of this as traveling with your slightly nerdy, sort-of-cool friend who thrives on deep dives, unique finds, and laughter-filled road trips. Grab your Pop Culture Passport—let’s roam.

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