Unpacked by Afar
Episodes
This Midwestern City Is One of the Country’s Best-Kept Food Secrets
28 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Hot tip: Don’t listen to this week’s episode of Unpacked hungry. Because we’re traveling to a surprising Midwestern city to explore what makes i...
At This Remote Island Resort, Staff Housing Is (Almost) as Luxurious as the Guest Quarters
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you travel to a remote island resort, where do the people who work there live? Because of course, if we are traveling to a remote location, it’s ...
Why You Have to See the April Solar Eclipse, According to an Airstream-Loving Astronomy Expert
14 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Where will you be on April 8, 2024? In case that date isn’t burned into your brain, it’s the day the sun, Earth, and the moon will completely alig...
Replay: Here's How to Get the Best Sleep While Traveling
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Unpacked, and host Aislyn Greene, are in Toronto this week! So we're resharing one of our most popular episodes from last season, because who doesn't ...
A Professional Decision Coach’s Secrets to Making Better Choices in Travel—and Beyond
29 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever gotten stuck in indecision? Maybe it was around where to travel, or when to book your tickets, or even something as small as where to ea...
How to Budget for Travel, No Matter Your Income
22 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Money is often a taboo subject in our culture, but it has a huge impact on our lives, our futures, and yes, our travels. Danielle Desir Corbett—our ...
Unpacking Albuquerque
15 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In season three of Unpacked, we're introducing "Unpacking," a series that explores some of our favorite destinations around the world. First up: Albuq...
At This London Tour Company, Formerly Unhoused People Are Your Guides
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The issue of homelessness—or being unhoused, or facing housing scarcity—isn’t something we often talk about when it comes to travel, unless it’...
You Can Get Free Flights and Hotel Stays Easier Than You Think. Here’s How.
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The world of travel loyalty programs is . . . complicated. Last year, Delta made waves when it announced that it was making radical changes to its Sky...
Where to Cruise This Year—Even if You Think You're Not a Cruiser
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There’s a special magic to being at sea. Watching a port retreat as a ship begins to sail, the sensation of gently (or not so gently) rocking waves,...
The 25 Most Exciting Places to Travel in 2024
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We're three weeks into the new year. Maybe you're a freshly minted, idealized version of yourself. Or maybe your new year's resolutions are as distant...
Unpacked Returns: A Bigger, Brighter World Awaits
04 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's a fresh new year! And we all know that this also means that there's a fresh year of travel to plan, discoveries to be made, and adventures to be ...
Where to Travel This Winter
28 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Winter is coming. (But not in a threatening, Game of Thrones-y kind of way.) So this week on Unpacked, AFAR’s mighty destination team is helping you...
Being a Person With Dwarfism Has Never Stopped Me From Exploring the World
21 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Christophe Zajac-Denek is an actor, a podcaster, a traveler—and he’s 4 feet 4 inches tall. On this week’s episode of Unpacked, he shares how bei...
How Maps Reveal the Secrets of our World
14 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You may use Google Maps every day, but how often do you think about how that map was made—and more importantly, who made it? In today’s episode of...
Can a Pledge Really Help Cure “Bad Tourists”?
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve been following the news, it’s been a summer of “bad tourists.” There was the woman who carved her initials into the Leaning Tower of...
Think Travel Insurance Is Boring? Prepare to Be Dazzled (or Just Financially Protected).
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Travel insurance: It's not the sexiest subject, is it? And yet, it can play a huge role in saving you money, time, and even sanity. In this episode of...
A Skeptic's Guide to Birdwatching
24 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever considered birdwatching? If the answer is a "heck, no"—or even a "not really"—than this episode is for you. Host Aislyn Greene, also...
National Parks Are America’s Greatest Idea—and Biggest Problem
17 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When you think of America’s national parks, what comes to mind? For many of us—myself included—it’s the sense of openness, freedom, and awe th...
Should I Give Money to Panhandlers When I Travel?
10 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There are few things as challenging as the moment when, while walking along a sidewalk in Paris, San Francisco, or Cartagena, someone in need asks you...
Will the "Real" Waikīkī Please Stand Up?
03 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
AFAR senior deputy editor Jennifer Flowers—who heads up all our hotel content—has a deep familiarity with Waikīkī, the two-mile stretch of sand ...
The Promise and Peril of Digital Nomadism
27 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Digital nomadism has been hailed as a way to save communities—and slammed for raising rents and pricing out locals. In this week’s episode, Chloe ...
How to Get Airport Lounge Access, Even if You Don’t Have Airline Status
20 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Airport lounges can be one of the most complex, mysterious parts of the airport experience. Aside from buying a business- or first-class ticket, how d...
The Secrets to Traveling Well With Children
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Which countries are the most family friendly? How do you help kids deal with jet lag? What about routines, bedtimes, and kids in business class? In th...
Summer Replay! The Best Places to Go in 2023
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s a holiday week, one that (we hope) finds you swimming in a lake, or traveling to a new city, or otherwise enjoying these fleeting summer days. ...
A Flight Attendant's Tips for Flying With Kids—Without Losing Your Mind
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kids and flying can be polarizing—anyone else remember popcorngate? But in this week’s episode, flight attendant (and mother of two) Andrea Davis ...
Inside Rick Steves’s Self-Imposed Carbon Tax
22 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Can $30 per traveler really make a difference when it comes to carbon offsets? For Rick Steves, the answer is “absolutely.” For the past four year...
Rick Steves Wants to Save the World, One Trip at a Time
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the world of travel legends, Rick Steves is right up there at the top. Since he launched his company in 1976, he has sent millions of Americans abr...
It's Not Too Late to Plan Your Summer Travels—Here's How
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode starts with a sunburn. That’s how on-topic it is. Because yes, it’s summer! And wow, do we have a lot of tips for you this year. To g...
Are You Ready to Hand Over Your Travel Planning to the ChatGPT and AI Bots?
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Would you let ChatGPT plan your trip? Chris Dong, the host of this week’s episode, isn’t sure. As a travel writer, he knows his way around the wor...
The Making of a Patagonian National Park
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When Kris Tompkins, former Patagonia CEO, moved to Chile in the ’90s, she and her late husband, Doug Tompkins, began a decades-long conservation pro...
How to Make Hard Travel Funny, According to a Comedian
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week we’re chatting with comedian, activist, and podcast host Youngmi Mayer, who’s based in New York City’s Chinatown. Host Mae Hamilton, A...
Would You Hike 500 Miles With Your Teenager? Andrew McCarthy Said Yes.
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hiking Spain’s Camino de Santiago trail is one of the world’s great pilgrimages. And actor, writer, and director Andrew McCarthy has walked the 50...
Why Do I Want to Stay for Another Drink? The Subconscious Power of Music in Hotels
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Think back to the last time you stayed at a hotel: Did you notice the music playing? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, that music was likely highly curate...
Ghosts, Celebs, and Rock ’n’ Roll: A History of NYC’s Hotel Chelsea
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How does the hotel that attracted luminaries like Andy Warhol, Janis Joplin, and Sid Vicious undergo a renovation without losing its gritty, celeb-pac...
How the Host of a Must-Watch Nature Show Deals With Climate Change
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What will the Earth look like in seven years, as climate change progresses, and what we can do about it? That’s the premise of the PBS show Changing...
How to Sleep Better While Traveling
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all been there: Tossing and turning on a long-haul flight, or in an unfamiliar hotel bed. But it doesn’t have to be this way! Enter Anne Ba...
Into the Heart of North America's Iceland
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we’re heading to Iceland—well, kinda. We’re actually exploring the Viking hearts of New Icelanders, from Gimli, Manitoba to Mountain,...
A National Parks Road Trip for the Ages
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In early 2020, journalist Emily Pennington set out on a year-long road trip to visit all 62 national parks in the United States. A few months into her...
Tourism Was Destroying Kerala. So Kerala Fought Back.
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kerala is one of the most striking states in southern India, with sandy beaches, lagoons, and cultural traditions that are magnets for travelers. But ...
Part II: A Man, a Dog, a Walk Around the World
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 2015, Tom Turcich—and his dog, Savannah—left his home to begin a walk around the world that would span 7 years, 28,000 miles, 38 countries, and...
Part I: A Man, a Dog, a Walk Around the World
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 2015, Tom Turcich—and his dog, Savannah—left his home to begin a walk around the world that would span 7 years, 28,000 miles, 38 countries, and...
How Travel Can Help Us Grieve
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We turn to travel for a thousand different things: Connection, adventure, vacation, learning, family, the list goes on. One element of life and travel...
How to Travel, and Soothe Your Anxiety, in a Climate-Changing World
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s no secret that our climate is changing fast. From hurricanes to wildfires, those changes are impacting us more and more each year. How do we de...
Happy New(ish) Year! Now, Go Hug a Tree
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hey, listeners! Have you ever hugged a tree? If not, today's episode might inspire you to. AFAR editor Aislyn Greene talks with forest-bathing guide, ...
The Best Places to Travel in 2023
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Where should I go this year? It's our favorite question—and (we hope) yours! For our annual where to go list, we handpicked 12 unique destinations, ...
Unpacked Is Back! (And a Little Different)
27 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's a bright, shiny new year, which means a bright, shiny new year of travel. Here at AFAR, we're bursting with ideas and enthusiasm—and we want to...
Is This Appropriate? How to (and How Not to) Engage With Cultural Tourism
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wanted to take a picture during your travels, but you weren’t sure if it was OK? Or have you come across a traditional performance and...
The Truth About Accessibility and Travel
11 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to travel, accessibility is often an afterthought. But it shouldn't be. Qudsiya Naqui, host of the Down to the Struts podcast, takes on ...
What in the World Is 'Regenerative Travel'?
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What in the world is regenerative travel? Kristy Drutman, host of the Brown Girl Green podcast, takes us deep in the world of green travel, where sust...
Is It Really Possible to Travel Like a Local?
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean when we say we want to "travel like a local?" It's a well-intentioned phrase, but also, well, impossible. In this episode, we'll unp...
How to Navigate the Wild World of Animal Tourism
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There's nothing quite like a magical, transportive animal encounter—but how do we ensure those encounters are good for the animals (and good for the...
Let's Scale Back That Revenge Travel, Shall We?
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we're talking about revenge. Well, sort of. In this episode, writer Paige McClanahan—host of the Better Travel Podcast—explores the concept...
Introducing: Unpacked by AFAR
19 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever been traveling and encountered a situation where you felt a little . . . uncomfortable? Yeah, us too. Each week on Unpacked by AFAR, we'...