Vacation Station

Big Blend Radio Network

Big Blend Radio travel podcast featuring expert interviews and conversations covering Travel and Leisure, Destinations, and Event News.

  1. 3d ago

    Explore Tualatin Valley, Oregon: Where Wine Country Meets the Great Outdoors

    Just 30 minutes from Portland, Tualatin Valley is Oregon's underrated wine country — home to 40+ wineries, one of the state's most ethnically diverse food scenes, tax-free shopping, and a 21-mile paved trail past a giant wooden troll.  On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Food, Wine & Travel Show," presented in partnership with the International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA), Sylke Neal-Finnegan, VP of Communications and PR at Explore Tualatin Valley, gives us a conversational tour of the Willamette Valley's northwest corner. Beyond the vineyards, Tualatin Valley is shaped by a 50-year-old urban growth boundary that protects farmland and keeps its wine country sustainable including some dry-farming. Sylke also digs into the region's thriving arts scene — from the Broadway Rose Theatre Company to the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts — plus year-round outdoor adventure along the Tualatin River, Hagg Lake, and the fully accessible Banks-Vernonia State Trail. It's proof that this corner of the Willamette Valley offers a lot to experience. Featured image: David Hill Vineyards & Winery, courtesy of Explore Tualatin Valley. RESOURCES LINKS: - Plan your visit: https://tualatinvalley.org/  - Learn more about IFWTWA: https://www.ifwtwa.org/  - Follow the Food, Wine & Travel Podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/food-wine-travel-podcast-ifwtwa  - Check out Big Blend Radio's "Travel Food & Wine: Digital Podcast Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/travel-food-wine-magazine

  2. 3d ago

    Oklahoma City: A Destination for the Whole Family

    Celebrate Intergeneration Month (September) with this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Travel with Terri" Podcast where travel journalist Terri Guthrie shares how Oklahoma City is a destination built for every generation — grandparents, parents, and grandkids alike.  Hear about the whimsical, hands-on art of Factory Obscura, the massive Science Museum Oklahoma, the newly refreshed Frontier City theme park, the canal-side charm of Bricktown, and the high tea tradition at The National Hotel. Terri talks about Riversport Adventures where active families can go rafting, ziplining, and tread an 80-foot Sky Trail. A host to international Olympic Trials athletes, it's on its way to becoming a training hub for Team USA ahead of the next Summer Games. Oklahoma City is proving itself as one of the most underrated multigenerational travel destinations in the country — easy to navigate, packed with hands-on experiences, and offering something for every age and interest. It's also less than 3 hours from the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex, making it an easy road trip for Texas families. PLAN YOUR VISIT with Terri's OKC Family Getaway Travel Guide with links to attractions & activities, plus Part 1& 2 of this OKC podcast series: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/t/terri-guthrie  KEEP UP WITH TERRI'S TRAVELS:  🎙️ Travel with Terri: https://www.travelwithterri.com/   📻 Travel with Terri airs every other Tuesday: https://www.travelwithterri.com/podcast   📰 The Luxe Explorer Magazine: https://www.travelwithterri.com/magazine   🌎 Travel with Terri highlights on Big Blend Media House: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/t/terri-guthrie

  3. Sep 3

    Early Fall in California's Sequoia Country: Dark Skies, Trails & Tulare County Harvest Season

    Fall is teasing us across the country, and California's Sequoia Country — home to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Sequoia National Forest, the Giant Sequoia National Monument, and the welcoming communities of Tulare County — is right on the edge of the season's first cool breeze. In this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "California Sequoia Country" Podcast, Sequoia Tourism Council members Suzanne Bianco (Visit Visalia) and Holly Streit (Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks), talk pumpkins, changing leaves, dark skies, and the harvest season events that make fall one of the best times to visit. Suzanne shares the local countdown to fall starting with Vintage Press's stuffed pumpkin dish in Visalia, and points listeners to cooler-weather hikes at Kaweah Oaks Preserve, Mooney Grove Park, and the Woodlake Botanical Garden loop around Bravo Lake and more. Holly talks changing colors in the giant forest, the importance of dark skies for migrating birds and bats, and previews the Sequoia Parks Conservancy's Dark Sky Festival (September 11–13) which will features a keynote from the scientist behind Wowsabout, the Jim Henson Company's preschool special exploring Sequoia National Park and the science of awe. The conversation covers shuttle schedules (Memorial Day–Labor Day), the foothill hikes at Potwisha and Paradise Creek, and giant forest trails including Congress Trail and the North Grove Loop. Then it's on to fall festivities: the Tulare County Fair, Visalia's Taste of Downtown (October 7) and Taste the Arts Festival, First Friday art walks, mixed-media artist Toni Best's gourd art, and early holiday-shopping tips through the Sequoia Parks Conservancy. 🌲 Plan Your Visit: https://www.discoverthesequoias.com/  🌲 Visit Visalia: https://www.visitvisalia.com/  🌲 NPS Sequoia & Kings Canyon: https://www.nps.gov/seki/index.htm  🌲 Sequoia Parks Conservancy: https://www.sequoiaparksconservancy.org/  New episodes of California Sequoia Country air every first Thursday on Big Blend Radio. 🎧 Follow the Show: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/california-s-sequoia-country-podcast 📖 Explore Big Blend Radio's "California's Sequoia Country" Digital Podcast Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/california-s-sequoia-country-magazine

Ratings & Reviews

3.5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Big Blend Radio travel podcast featuring expert interviews and conversations covering Travel and Leisure, Destinations, and Event News.