Join Jackie for this solo episode on a balcony overlooking the sea in Albania as she recaps a week-long road trip full of adventures across Southern Albania. Alongside details that will help you plan a future trip to Albania, she shares her experiences and stories, which include delicious food, wild landscapes, the kindness of strangers, and how she and her friend got through a rather scary mishap on a steep mountain pass. Plus, she shares about what she believes is a currency stronger than money in this corner of the planet. Bring a snack or drink and pull up a chair, take notes for your own future adventure to this beautiful country!

- If you liked this episode, let Jackie know! @travelingjackie

- Please follow the show, leave a 5-star review if you love it, and share with your travel buddies

- Don’t miss Jackie’s behind-the-scenes communications - hop on our email list at TravelingJackie.com

Massive thanks to Osprey.com and ObozFootwear.com for sponsoring and supporting our show!

Produced by NOVA

Jackie sits down with the one and only Samantha Brown as she shares her journey from being an aspiring musical theater actress to becoming a star TV host on the Travel Channel and ultimately going on to create her own show, 'Places to Love,' on PBS. She discusses the importance of grit, persistence and resilience in achieving dreams, recounts a wild story about a pivotal audition experience, and emphasizes the impact of kindness and support from others. Samantha also reflects on her purpose in travel and authentic storytelling through her TV show, focusing on celebrating the stories of people and communities and highlighting the significance and power of connecting with individuals rather than just visiting iconic sites.

Takeaways

- Samantha's audition story illustrates the importance of seizing opportunities and going to great lengths to act on them.

- Travel can be a tool for celebrating the stories of people and communities.

- Samantha believes in the power of travelers to make a positive impact through their choices.

- Authenticity is about being true to oneself, both on and off camera.

- Traveling is not just about the destination, but the experiences and stories we gather along the way.

- Travelers are moving away from superficial experiences.

- Samantha's show focuses on uncovering places through their people.

- Travel can be meaningful without going far from home.

- Your own curiosity is enough to determine the path you take and the stories that await you.

- Find and follow Samantha Brown at Samantha-Brown.com and @samanthabrowntravels

- Please follow the show, leave a 5-star review if you love it, and share with your travel buddies

- Don’t miss Jackie’s behind-the-scenes communications - hop on our email list at TravelingJackie.com

Massive thanks to Osprey.com and ObozFootwear.com for sponsoring and supporting our show!

Produced by NOVA

Rachel Rudwall (aka RachelRoams) shares her story of growing up in the Midwest to becoming a successful travel TV producer and host and adventuring across the globe. Today we explore her journey, including the exact steps she took to create the career in media that would enable her to pursue her dream of exploring the world. In this conversation, Jackie and Rachel discuss navigating career choices, learning from mentors, embracing your authentic self, chasing what scares you, and aligning with your unique dreams and purpose. Rachel’s story is an inspiring example of doing the hard work and taking risks to break the glass ceiling, building the travel career of her dreams and living a wildly full life during this beautiful existence.

Takeaways

- Self-selection can limit potential; it's important to take risks.

- Mentorship plays a crucial role in personal and professional growth.

- Hard work and curiosity are essential for success in any field.

- Investing in yourself is crucial for growth.

- Only you can be the unique version of yourself.

- Every detour teaches valuable lessons.

- Asking questions opens doors to opportunities.

- Aligning with your purpose leads to fulfillment.

- Embrace what scares you as a path to growth.

- Find and follow Rachel at RachelRoams.com and @rachelroams

- Please follow the show, leave a 5-star review if you love it, and share with your travel buddies

- Don’t miss Jackie’s behind-the-scenes communications - hop on our email list at TravelingJackie.com

Big thanks to Osprey.com and ObozFootwear.com for sponsoring and supporting our show!

Produced by NOVA

Chris and Sara bought a 1988 Land Cruiser Camper and set out just over a year ago with plans to drive it from the US all the way down to Argentina, with their dog Kramer in tow. Today they tell all as we find out what kinds of adventures and major misadventures they got into throughout Central America, and why they now have their sights set in an entirely new direction. Our conversation flows from traveling with a dog, to balancing home life and camper travel, to the chaos and beauty of life on the road, vehicle issues, interacting with locals, the importance of slow travel, and how travel affects us all individually and uniquely through different times of our lives. Chris and Sara are podcast hosts of What No One Tells You and YouTubers who share their travel experiences—the beautiful, the not so great, and even the near death—and how they get through the hard things and keep going with smiles on their faces.

Pro tip: today’s episode pairs well with fish tacos

- Find and follow Chris & Sara at ChrisandSara.com and @chrisandsara_

- Please follow the show, leave a 5-star review if you love it, and share with your travel buddies

- Don’t miss Jackie’s behind-the-scenes communications - hop on our email list at TravelingJackie.com

Massive thanks to Osprey.com and ObozFootwear.com for sponsoring and supporting our show!

Produced by NOVA

Adventure is stepping out into the unknown, whether that takes us deeper into our backyards or across the world, and we have the choice to say yes to it. Saying yes to adventure sets in motion a path toward strength, resourcefulness, education, and ultimately lessons and momentum to carry us forward. Saying yes to adventure has the power to completely alter our paths. Join Jackie and guest Jordan Campbell — journalist, photographer, humanitarian, and documentary filmmaker — as they discuss the idea of the tao of adventure (essentially the natural course of adventure), what adventure means, and what it looks like to live a life of adventure, ultimately creating the full picture of our stories and ourselves as we pursue the adventures that call to us. This episode’s stories and observations are a bit of a treat for the philosophical mind and will leave you with a personal invitation and challenge to say yes to the adventures that call to YOU.

Pro tip: today’s episode pairs well with rakia and freshly-baked, salted bread

- Find and follow Jordan at JordanCampbell.com - the stories he mentioned and wrote for National Geographic can be found on his website!

- Please follow the show, leave a 5-star review if you love it, and share with your travel buddies

- Don’t miss Jackie’s behind-the-scenes communications - hop on our email list at TravelingJackie.com

Produced by NOVA

This episode is one for the books. Eleven years ago this week, Jackie first launched this podcast. Why? Largely because of the advice of Podcast Hall of Fame inductee Lou Mongello, who is here as a guest host today. Listen in as Lou himself picks up the mic and turns it on Jackie, to reflect on and celebrate the past decade-plus of her podcasting journey.

We’re taking a deep dive behind the scenes, starting with how the podcast began, overcoming fears and challenges, building community through travel, finding purpose and fulfillment, balancing passion and business, Jackie’s key to success, and looking ahead to the future.

The timing for this conversation couldn’t be better, as we just won Best Travel Podcast 2025 at the iHeartRadio Podcast Awards. We wouldn’t be here without YOU, so we all have much to revel in today. Thank you for being here.

Pro tip: today’s episode pairs well with something to cheers with!

- Find and follow Lou at @loumongello and loumongello.com

- Please follow the show, leave a 5-star review if you love it, and share with your travel buddies

- Don’t miss Jackie’s behind-the-scenes communications - hop on our email list at TravelingJackie.com

Produced by NOVA

Join Jackie and guest Kellee Edwards, licensed pilot, scuba diver, television host, and “Most Interesting Woman in the World.” Kellee shares her story about how she got started on her path to becoming a pilot and having a show on the Travel Channel, plus what inspires and drives her to keep going, as well as her advice on how to act on big dreams. Today we tackle overcoming fears, embracing adventure, empowering women, the essence of bravery, and breaking barriers. Strap in, because we’re blazing a trail of courage, authenticity, and pursuit of living and doing big things. Pro tip: today’s episode pairs well with champagne.

- Find and follow Kellee at @kelleesetgo (https://www.instagram.com/kelleesetgo/) and kelleesetgo.com

- Please follow the show, leave a 5-star review if you love it, and share with your travel buddies

- Don’t miss Jackie’s behind-the-scenes communications, hop on our email list at JUMPAdventures.com

Massive thanks to Osprey.com and ObozFootwear.com for sponsoring and supporting our show!

Produced by NOVA

It’s one thing to feel a connection to a place beyond what you see and what you might already know about it, but it’s another step entirely to truly get off the beaten path and explore the depths of it. Gabe Erivez from Agave Expeditions has done exactly that with Baja California Sur. Beyond the crowded beaches and surf breaks, Gabe has sought out locals and their stories, bringing the real culture of Baja to life for his guests, whom he leads on 4x4 overlanding trips down the peninsula. Join us today as we learn more about Baja through Gabe’s eyes, and through the eyes of the locals he has come to call friends.

- Find Gabe on IG @baja_agave_expeditions https://www.instagram.com/baja_agave_expeditions/ and agavexpeditions.com

- Please follow the show, leave a 5-star review if you love it, and share with your travel buddies!

- Travel with us IRL - don’t miss our upcoming trips and announcements - hop on our email list at JUMPAdventures.com

Massive thanks to Osprey.com and ObozFootwear.com for sponsoring and supporting our show!

Produced by NOVA