Before Instagram hashtags, before glossy RV commercials, there was a group of ordinary people who packed up their cars, strapped tin cans to the front bumpers, and hit the road in search of sunshine. They called themselves the Tin Can Tourists, and they built a movement that reshaped travel in Florida and across America.

In this episode, we trace the unlikely rise of the Tin Can Tourists in the early 20th century, explore how their quirky community grew into one of the first organized RV clubs, and reflect on what their story tells us about travel, freedom, and the American road. From campgrounds outside Tampa to the cultural clashes with locals, this is the story of how a bunch of scrappy road-trippers transformed not just vacations, but the way Americans imagined mobility itself.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why they were called Tin Can Tourists in the first place.
• How Model T–era automobiles and makeshift camping gear kickstarted America’s first RV boom.
• The surprising role Florida played in shaping the culture of long-term camping.
• What tensions brewed between these early nomads and local communities.
• How the Tin Can Tourists paved the way for modern RV parks, camping clubs, and today’s “van life” trend.

Why It Matters:
The Tin Can Tourists weren’t just travelers; they were innovators. They democratized leisure travel, gave birth to America’s love of the open road, and left behind a legacy that still echoes in today’s campgrounds and RV rallies. Their story is one of grit, resourcefulness, and community, a reminder that sometimes, the best adventures begin with little more than a car, a can of beans, and the open highway.

🌎 Keep Gallivanting With Me
If you liked this story, you’ll love what’s waiting on my YouTube channel: youtube.com/@ChadGallivanter
See more photos, behind-the-scenes, and upcoming trips on Instagram: instagram.com/ChadGallivanter
More travel stories, history deep-dives, and extras live at: ChadGallivanter.com

📬 Questions, ideas, or media requests? Email me at [email protected]

Every October, the rumble of engines and the smell of leather and chrome transform Daytona Beach into the epicenter of biker culture. Biketoberfest isn’t just another motorcycle rally - it’s one of the largest gatherings of riders in the country, bringing hundreds of thousands of people to Florida’s Atlantic coast. 

But beyond the roar of Harleys and the rows of custom bikes, there’s a deeper story worth telling. 

In this episode of the Chad Gallivanter podcast, we go beyond the surface to uncover the truth about Biketoberfest - how it began, how it compares to Bike Week, what it means for local businesses, and why the culture behind it is so much more than beer tents and burnouts. 

You’ll hear about Main Street’s iconic hangouts, the traditions that keep riders coming back year after year, and the side of the rally most visitors don’t see. We also dive into the challenges: the safety concerns, the push-and-pull between city officials and the biker community, and the evolving image of what this event represents today. 

Whether you’re a longtime rider, a curious traveler, or just someone who’s heard the thunder from a distance, this episode gives you the full picture of Daytona’s Biketoberfest. 

It’s history, culture, and spectacle all rolled into one, and by the end, you’ll know why this rally continues to define the identity of America’s most famous beach town.

🌎 Keep Gallivanting With Me
If you liked this story, you’ll love what’s waiting on my YouTube channel: youtube.com/@ChadGallivanter
See more photos, behind-the-scenes, and upcoming trips on Instagram: instagram.com/ChadGallivanter
More travel stories, history deep-dives, and extras live at: ChadGallivanter.com

📬 Questions, ideas, or media requests? Email me at [email protected]

Maximize your time in the nation’s capital

If you had only one day in Washington, DC, just 24 hours to take in the monuments, museums, and stories that define America’s capital, where would you go? This episode lays out the definitive plan to see the very best of DC without wasting a minute. From sunrise at the Lincoln Memorial to standing under the dome of the Capitol, we’ll show you how to fit a week’s worth of history and culture into one unforgettable day.

Along the way, we’ll explore the highlights every visitor expects, the White House, the Washington Monument, the Smithsonian museums, but also the details most people miss. Where can you actually eat near the Mall without losing precious time? Which museums are worth stepping into when you’ve only got an hour? And how do you line up your day so you’re walking forward through history, not doubling back and losing daylight?

This is more than just a sightseeing checklist. It’s the story of Washington, DC told through its landmarks, its neighborhoods, and the way these places connect to the country’s past and present. Whether you’re planning your first trip to the capital or just want to understand how the city works as a living stage of American history, this one-day journey will give you a new way to see DC, efficient, thoughtful, and unforgettable.

🌎 Keep Gallivanting With Me
If you liked this story, you’ll love what’s waiting on my YouTube channel: youtube.com/@ChadGallivanter
See more photos, behind-the-scenes, and upcoming trips on Instagram: instagram.com/ChadGallivanter
More travel stories, history deep-dives, and extras live at: ChadGallivanter.com

📬 Questions, ideas, or media requests? Email me at [email protected]

Step into the vineyard and uncover the story of America’s forgotten grape, the muscadine. Native to the Southeast, this tough little fruit has been part of Southern life for centuries, long before European grapes ever took root here.

In this episode, we explore Florida’s muscadine heritage, its surprising history, and why this grape matters more than you think. Along the way, you’ll learn how muscadines shaped agriculture, culture, and even survival in the South. 

From backyard vines to sprawling vineyards, muscadines have a legacy that connects deeply to the land, and to the people who’ve cultivated them for generations. 

If you’ve ever wondered what makes the muscadine different, why it’s been celebrated for centuries, and why you don’t hear about it nearly enough, this podcast-style journey is for you.

🌎 Keep Gallivanting With Me
If you liked this story, you’ll love what’s waiting on my YouTube channel: youtube.com/@ChadGallivanter
See more photos, behind-the-scenes, and upcoming trips on Instagram: instagram.com/ChadGallivanter
More travel stories, history deep-dives, and extras live at: ChadGallivanter.com

📬 Questions, ideas, or media requests? Email me at [email protected]

Clermont, Florida may not be the first town that comes to mind when you think of Central Florida travel. But tucked between Orlando’s theme parks and the rolling hills of Lake County, Clermont is a place with a story to tell.

This episode takes you from one of Florida’s quirkiest roadside icons, the mid-century Citrus Tower to the unlikely arrival of a White Castle that drew lots of attention when it opened. Along the way, we dive into Clermont’s hidden gems, its historic roots, and the landmarks that shaped its identity as one of Florida’s most surprising destinations.

We’ll explore why the Citrus Tower became a beacon for post-war travelers, how Clermont’s downtown has reinvented itself, and what today’s mix of small-town charm and big-name attractions says about the future of Central Florida.

Whether you’re planning a day trip, curious about Florida’s overlooked towns, or just love discovering the stories behind the places you visit, this episode delivers a mix of history, travel insight, and a few unexpected twists.

So join us as we climb the Citrus Tower, grab a bite at White Castle, and uncover the character of Clermont, a Florida town that deserves more than just a quick glance from the highway.

🌎 Keep Gallivanting With Me
If you liked this story, you’ll love what’s waiting on my YouTube channel: youtube.com/@ChadGallivanter
See more photos, behind-the-scenes, and upcoming trips on Instagram: instagram.com/ChadGallivanter
More travel stories, history deep-dives, and extras live at: ChadGallivanter.com

📬 Questions, ideas, or media requests? Email me at [email protected]

Step back in time inside one of North Georgia’s most fascinating landmarks, the Old Sautee Store. Opened in 1872 and preserved with its original counter, shelves, and artifacts, this country store is both a museum of mountain life and a modern stop for travelers exploring Helen, Georgia. 

In this episode, we dig into the history of the Old Sautee Store, its role in the Sautee Nacoochee Valley community, and why it remains one of the most authentic detours near Helen. 

From the front room with its open hearth to old-fashioned candy in the back room, discover why this 19th-century store still draws visitors more than 150 years later.

🌎 Keep Gallivanting With Me
If you liked this story, you’ll love what’s waiting on my YouTube channel: youtube.com/@ChadGallivanter
See more photos, behind-the-scenes, and upcoming trips on Instagram: instagram.com/ChadGallivanter
More travel stories, history deep-dives, and extras live at: ChadGallivanter.com

📬 Questions, ideas, or media requests? Email me at [email protected]

The Magic Beach Motel in Vilano Beach has been approved for demolition, ending decades of neon-lit history along Florida’s coast. Once made famous by the TV series Safe Harbor and later revived after a devastating fire, the motel has been a beloved landmark since 1951. 

But with state laws overriding local protections, its fate is sealed. 

In this in-depth video podcast, we dive into the motel’s history, the preservation fight that fell short, and what this loss means for Vilano Beach. We also look at Haley’s Court, a sister retro motel that’s been restored and is thriving today, plus the broader story of Vilano, from the fishing pier and local dining to nearby Fort Mose, the first legally sanctioned free Black settlement in America. 

This is the story of Vilano Beach at a crossroads: one motel coming down, another rising again, and a community deciding what’s worth saving.

🌎 Keep Gallivanting With Me
If you liked this story, you’ll love what’s waiting on my YouTube channel: youtube.com/@ChadGallivanter
See more photos, behind-the-scenes, and upcoming trips on Instagram: instagram.com/ChadGallivanter
More travel stories, history deep-dives, and extras live at: ChadGallivanter.com

📬 Questions, ideas, or media requests? Email me at [email protected]

How a fading mountain town reinvented itself as an Alpine village in the Deep South.

Nestled in the North Georgia mountains is a place that looks nothing like the South. Half-timbered chalets. Bavarian beer halls. Gingerbread rooftops. It’s called Helen, Georgia, a town that once teetered on the brink of collapse, until a handful of locals decided to gamble on a wild idea: transforming a former logging town into a Bavarian Alpine village.

In this episode, we dig into the improbable reinvention of Helen, from its boom days of timber, to its desperate pivot to tourism, to the Oktoberfest capital it has become today. Along the way, we’ll look at what worked, what didn’t, and why this “Alpine illusion” continues to draw millions of visitors a year.

Whether you love quirky roadside Americana or just wonder how a place like this even happened, Helen’s story is a reminder that sometimes, the strangest ideas are the ones that stick.

🌎 Keep Gallivanting With Me
If you liked this story, you’ll love what’s waiting on my YouTube channel: youtube.com/@ChadGallivanter
See more photos, behind-the-scenes, and upcoming trips on Instagram: instagram.com/ChadGallivanter
More travel stories, history deep-dives, and extras live at: ChadGallivanter.com

📬 Questions, ideas, or media requests? Email me at [email protected]

In the winter of 1896, something massive and unrecognizable washed ashore in St. Augustine, Florida. It was pale, rubbery, and the size of a whale - but no one could say for sure what it was. Local newspapers called it a sea monster. Scientists debated. Speculation spread far beyond Florida’s coast. More than a century later, the St. Augustine Monster remains one of the most puzzling episodes in maritime history.

In this debut episode of Chad Gallivanter, we dig into the true story: the eyewitness accounts, the photographs, the scientific analyses, and the lasting legacy of one very strange day at the beach. No myths. No exaggerations. Just the facts behind the mystery that captivated a nation.

🌎 Keep Gallivanting With Me
If you liked this story, you’ll love what’s waiting on my YouTube channel: youtube.com/@ChadGallivanter
See more photos, behind-the-scenes, and upcoming trips on Instagram: instagram.com/ChadGallivanter
More travel stories, history deep-dives, and extras live at: ChadGallivanter.com

📬 Questions, ideas, or media requests? Email me at [email protected]