There is always a proud sense of community that you find in small towns and communities in our country. And in the North Carolina Mountains, you can add to that something downright magical. Great people, incredible food, and Southern Hospitality to make you all feel like you’re home. People here love to roll out the welcome mat. Meet Summer Stipe, Founder and Lead Planner​ of Juniper and Crafted by Juniper. Summer offers customized and personalized itineraries for people traveling to Wes...

Vanessa K. Harper runs Travel Cuba With Us, a tour company specializing in ethical traveler tours and yoga retreats to directly support the Cuban people. Vanessa is also a founder of a nonprofit organization, Support The Cuban People, prioritizing food and medicine aid to individuals in need, apolitical academic engagement, and micro-grant support for independent artists and entrepreneurs.Vanessa has practiced yoga since 1997 and became a certified yoga teacher practicing a variety of s...

Traveling with children is always challenging, but for parents of children on the autism spectrum and/or those who have mood and attention disorders, it can be especially intimidating. Dawn M. Barclay wrote Traveling Different: Vacation Strategies for Parents of the Anxious, the Inflexible, and the Neurodiverse as the essential resource to make the cultural, educational, and bonding benefits of vacations available to all. The multi award-winning parenting and travel guide was recently release...

During a 40-year freelance career, Nan K. Chase has written about French Catalonia, urban wilderness in San Francisco, hunting for gemstones in North Carolina, and dozens of other off-beat topics and destinations. Nan shares how she became a travel writer and what it was like before computers, the Internet, and plastic diapers. And find out how her wanderlust shifted over the years and how she navigates traveling today. Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, New York Times, Southern Li...

Deanna Jannuzzi is an Initiated Priestess in the Lineage of the Alchemical Rose, a Somatic Practitioner, and Soul Awakening Coach. Deana facilitates retreats, rituals, and ceremonies around the world. Weaving in Transcendental Breathwork, Sound Healing, Personal Sovereignty and Empowerment, Shadow Integration, Sexual Reclamation, Consent Culture, and more, Deanna emphasizes the importance of personal sovereignty and self-expression, helping individuals find their voice, align with their ...

Justin Belleme, owner and founder of JB Media Group and publisher of Romantic Asheville, shares how working with local entrepreneurs in the community and supporting organizations he believes in helps them achieve their vision. Justin is a travel industry leader and provides strategic direction and expertise in the travel and tourism industry, and is an advocate for sustainable growth and fairness in all business. JB Media is a B Corp Certified social impact marketing agency dedicated to incr...

Did you know middle school students who explored nature and took part in outdoor activities like climbing, canoeing, skiing and hiking, displayed improvements in social skills, resilience, and creativity?Situated on the banks of the French Broad River in Asheville, NC, is a school that provides middle-schoolers with an educational experience that is academically rigorous, outdoor-centric, and ventures far beyond the classroom.French Broad River Academy (FBRA) is a middle school (6-8 grade), f...

Speaking of Travel continues the LEAF Global Arts Series with LEAF Co-Executive Director Erinn Hartley. Erinn shares how her unique LEAF journey began and how she arrived where she is today within the organization.LEAF Global Arts plays a significant role in fostering a sense of community and cultural identity and Erinn shares how over the years LEAF Global Arts has provided opportunities for people to come together and celebrate their shared customs, beliefs, and values. LEAF Global Arts is ...

Poet Glenis Redmond has learned to receive beauty without hesitation. Being diagnosed with cancer and amid COVID, she came up with the idea to visit South Carolina's State Parks with her grandson as a life-affirming way for them both to share this poetic journey. Her new book, “The Song of Everything: A Poet's Exploration of South Carolina State Parks,” is a pocket-sized collection of poems exploring the enduring connection between the natural world and our internal landscape. In sharing thes...

Afro-Latino Travels with Kim Haas is the groundbreaking television series dedicated to uncovering the vibrant Afro-Latino culture across Latin America. Host, founder, and executive producer, Kim Haas, shares how her series allow viewers to discover a smaller group within the Black community. Kim explains how showcasing Afro-Latino communities throughout Latin America, with their rich and diverse legacy of creating vibrant cultures in the Americas, honors the people and shows their vast ...

The Speaking of Travel And Leave No Trace TV series continues with host Richard Crawford, our ambassador to the bigger world. Ricky shares where to watch Season One of Leave No Trace TV and gives an update on Season Two and when the first episodes will be coming out. Also, Ricky highlights inspiring stories from around the world where good things are happening in and around sustainable and eco-tourism. Richard shares how travel and seeing the world inspires him, what keeps him movin...

Author Charlie Birney, Chief Listening Officer at his company, Podville Media in Washington, DC, wrote his new book The Tao of Podcasting: An Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, as a meditation on the purpose of podcasting. Charlie shares how the book serves as a guide to growth and transformation that can be directly applicable to podcasting. Written in lovely verse and illustrated by Charlie's own delightful sketches, The Tao of Podcasting shows how podcast production creates memorabl...

Sustainable Chef William Dissen, owner of The Market Place Restaurant in Asheville, NC, shares how his passion for building sustainable food systems, his love of hospitality, and serving in the American Chef Corps for the US State Department, has taken him around the world to promote American food culture and sustainability practices. The Market Place Restaurant, Asheville’s original farm-to-table fixture since 1979, and widely acclaimed for its Appalachian cuisine and community-driven menus,...

There are many reasons to study abroad. At UNC Asheville, Laura Dobson, Director of the Study Abroad program, along with Study Aboard faculty member Anne Slatton, and Study Abroad students, Emma and Adrien, shares the importance, and benefits, of study abroad opportunities. Discover how UNCA diversifies participation in the Study Abroad program by making sure students realize there is a right study abroad opportunity for their needs and how providing scholarships, careful advising, and other ...

Charlie Thomas is an artist and environmentalist based on Waiheke Island, New Zealand. With a strong connection to the ocean and all its inhabitants, Charlie shares how his passion is creating a life of stewardship, leadership, and traveling. Charlie spent his summer holidays on Great Barrier Island and has worked full-time in wildlife conservation since leaving high school when he was only 16. He has visited, or lived on, some of the most remote (and important) islands in the world,...

Author and travel professional Nina Zapala shares why she is dedicated to helping people create a personalized, transformative roadmap for self-discovery. Her trailblazing personality paradigm encourages self-awareness through spiritually focused typing. Nina's typology is the keystone of her debut book, “Unpack Your Personality: Let Your Inner Guide Be Your Travel Guide.” Andy McNeill, CEO of American Meetings, Inc., shares how hospitality and travel can come together to build lifelong...

Sarah Benoit is a digital marketing strategist, entrepreneur, and educator. She is also the co-founder and acting lead instructor of the JB Media Institute. And she is a passionate traveler. Sarah shares how traveling can be a way to deepen your intimacy, connection, and understanding of the people you love. And she explains why sometimes she travels for adventure, but most of the time she chooses to be close to people and to strengthen relationships. And Sarah shares how she decided to...

Margaret Roach and Ken Druse are gardeners and writers offering up online courses on all things gardening. Margaret and Ken share how The Virtual Garden Club began and how they put together these programs to provide advice, encouragement, and camaraderie, along with answers to your gardening questions!  Margaret is a longtime garden writer and  created a website, podcast, and weekly newsletter called A Way to Garden, the title of her 1989 book that was reissued in 2019 in an all-new...

In 1995, LEAF Global Arts began as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Their mission...  to connect cultures and create community through music, arts education, and experiences, and to cultivate curiosity, preserve cultures and promote global understanding. An organization like LEAF plays a significant role in fostering a sense of community and cultural identity. Over the years, LEAF has become an essential part of this community and provides opportunities for people to come together and...

I recently read a study showing how researchers have found that when we look at maps, our brains are activated in different ways, creating this unique and enjoyable experience. Enter the future. Today, there are ways to look and interact with maps we could never have dreamed of even just a few years back. AJ Brau is CEO of Wandermap, a map solution where you can explore every nook and cranny of your chosen destination before you even set foot there. AJ shares the Wander story and explains...

I’ve had some amazing travel experiences when I was sharing those experiences with others on the trip. Traveling with other people provides opportunities to try new things and even increases courage when there are other people around encouraging you to try something new and jump into that opportunity. Matthew Kent is the founder of Kent World Travel. With his career in professional golf across South Africa, Europe and the USA, and living and playing in over 50 countries worldwide, Matt now...

The Speaking of Travel And Leave No Trace TV series continues with host Richard Crawford. Richard talks to us while in Australia editing the epic Season Two of the popular Leave No Trace TV show with producer and cameraman, Ben Alcott. Ricky and Ben share updates and tell us about their day-to-day progress and how they go about editing the show. And all the places we can watch Leave No Trace TV. And discover how to be more of a savvy traveler and stay safe when traveling. Also, Ricky and...

Liza Rutledge is the owner of Happy Hiking Company, specializing in leading captivating overnight guided backpacking tours across the stunning landscapes of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Liza shares the benefits of a guided trip over a non-guided trip and why these experiences in nature are beneficial to your mental and physical health, builds outdoor skill sets, and is a great means of meeting new people. Also on Speaking of Travel, Tina Kinsey, VP of Marketing, PR, and Air Service...

LoAnn Halden (she/her) is the VP of Communications for the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association, IGLTA. Their mission is to provide information and resources for LGBTQ+ travelers and expand LGBTQ+ tourism globally. IGLTA, the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association, was founded in 1983 and is the world's leading network of LGBTQ+-welcoming tourism businesses. They provide free travel resources and information while continuously working to promote equality and safety within LGBTQ+ tourism...

Ariel Haas and Jason Moon, business partners at Glassy Stays, Asheville, NC's exclusive glass mirror house, share the benefits of staying at an eco-conscious accommodation for a vacation in the heart of the forest. Today, the old-school, off-grid lifestyle is not as attractive as it once was, except maybe for those who like the camping lifestyle. Now it’s more about a luxury off-grid lifestyle as people are becoming more mindful of how they travel and where they stay.  Ariel and Jason...