In 2005, The New York Times published an article about Muskoka, the well-known region in central Ontario famous for its lakeside homes, outdoor adventures, and, most notably, its bustling summer season that draws thousands of visitors each year. They called it “the Malibu of the North.” But that description only tells part of the story.

Muskokans are a thriving, tight-knit, true-northern community that comes alive when the lake freezes over and the summer cottagers head home. I should know, I’ve been one of those cottagers all my life. Yes, six generations on the same island.

But two years ago, I moved to a little Cape Cod–style home in the heart of Bracebridge, about two hours north of Toronto. And since then, I’ve discovered a small-town winter wonderland off the lakes, one that the “townies” (like me now) absolutely adore.

Today, you’ll get a glimpse of these real Muskokans, what they love about their winters, and one truly audacious way they celebrate Muskoka’s so-called off-season.

Learn more at https://fireandicebracebridge.com/

In this episode of Here & There, host and producer Liz Beatty talks with Robin Esrock, a bestselling author, award-winning journalist and international TV host. Having visited more than 120 countries across all seven continents, Esrock has had his fair share of adventures. From chasing polar bears in Churchill, MB., and ice canoeing in Quebec City, to scuba diving in Papua New Guinea and cruising down Egypt’s Nile River, Esrock has truly done it all.

A Fellow and Ambassador of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Esrock also contributes to the biweekly Bucket Listed column in Canadian Geographic. His work has appeared in publications ranging from The Globe and Mail, MSN and The Vancouver Sun to CBC, The Wall Street Journal and 60 Minutes.

Today, he joins Beatty to discuss how and why parents should bring their kids to places that might not typically be considered “family-friendly.”

Listen in for inspiration, laughter and a reminder that travel, at its best, is a family affair.

Interested in the episode's content? Learn more!

• Read Robin Esrock's Canadian Geographic author profile
• Visit Robin Esrock's website
• Follow Esrock on Instagram: @robinesrock
• Subscribe to Esrock's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/moderngonzo
• Read about The Great Canadian Bucket List 

This past September, the New York Times reported that Come From Away, the Tony Award-winning musical about the aftermath of September 11, 2001, will be the most staged show in the United States this theatre season, according to American Theatre Magazine. 

Let that sink in.  

At a time marked by deep political divides and social unrest, the story Americans most want to tell on stage is one about compassion, community and the kindness of their northern neighbours.

With its record-breaking runs on Broadway, in Toronto, London’s West End, and even in Gander itself now behind it, Come From Away is entering a new era — a grassroots appreciation of what this remarkable little show is all about. From Nashville, TN, to Milwaukee, WI, to Sarasota, FL., at least 23 regional theatres across the U.S. are bringing the people of Gander, Newfoundland, back to life on their stages.

Perhaps now more than ever, the show’s message, that in moments of crisis, we can choose generosity over fear, feels urgently and beautifully relevant.

Special thanks to Jay Kipps Band for our theme song.

Learn more:

• Adventure Canada Newfoundland and Labrador
• Hare Bay Adventures
• Meet the Flynns and more in Newfoundland and Labrador
• The Royal Canadian Legion in Gander
• St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
• The Rocket Bakery and Fresh Food in Newfoundland and Labrador
• Yellowbelly and O'Reilly's in St. John's

Welcome back to Here & There!

In this episode, we highlight The Hawai‘i International Film Festival (HIFF), which is returning this month for its 45th year. And this time, Canadian filmmakers are making a big impression.

From powerful documentaries to innovative narratives, Canada’s creative presence will be felt across the festival’s programming, which spotlights cross-cultural connections across the world.

In this episode, Here & There podcast host Liz Beatty teams up with her longtime colleague and collaborator, award-winning NPR personality and producer Thomas Wilmer, who calls Hawai‘i a second home. From Shōgun to Lost, Wilmer shares how Canadians have become an integral part of HIFF’s international lineup.

Listen in on a captivating story connecting filmmakers and celebrating the shared spirit of storytelling.

Learn more!

• Thomas Wilmer 
• Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer
• When I fell in love with Hawai'i by Tom Wilmer 
• The Hawai'i International Film Festival

Welcome back to Here & There!

In this episode, we highlight The Hawai‘i International Film Festival (HIFF), which is returning this month for its 45th year. And this time, Canadian filmmakers are making a big impression.

From powerful documentaries to innovative narratives, Canada’s creative presence will be felt across the festival’s programming, which spotlights cross-cultural connections across the world.

In this episode, Here & There podcast host Liz Beatty teams up with her longtime colleague and collaborator, award-winning NPR personality and producer Thomas Wilmer, who calls Hawai‘i a second home. From Shōgun to Lost, Wilmer shares how Canadians have become an integral part of HIFF’s international lineup

Listen in on a captivating story connecting filmmakers and celebrating the shared spirit of storytelling.

This episode is from Black Cabin Studio archives, which originally aired on North Americana Podcast.

Sometimes, truth outpaces even the wildest fiction, especially when it comes to family history.

This week on Here & There, host and producer Liz Beatty tugs on a long-lost thread from her own family’s past — one that unravels into a surprising tale involving a British monarch, a U.S. president, a Canadian railway empire, and yes… a hot dog. Together, they played a small but pivotal role in a defining moment of North American, and global, history.

Tune in for a story where lineage meets legend.

From the 1967 Summer of Love in San Francisco to Nelson, British Columbia — today we explore American hippie counterculture north of the 49th parallel.

What if you took this cyclone of hippie spiritual thinkers and draft dodgers, free love and anti-war sentiment out of San Francisco? What if you transplanted a piece of it into an absolutely unpolarized, idyllic British Columbia town? What would all this look like almost six decades later? That’s the question we answer today. San Francisco journalist Breena Kerr went to Nelson to find the story.

In this week’s episode of Here & There, listeners will learn about a remarkable First Nations crossroads in pre-contact North America: Manitoulin Island, in northern Ontario.

Join host and producer Liz Beatty as she journeys through the heart of the Great Lakes region, meeting the First Peoples whose stories and traditions illuminate Manitoulin’s role as an ancient hub. For thousands of years before Columbus, trade, ideas and culture flowed through this land, stretching from the Arctic to the Gulf of Mexico, the Rockies to the Atlantic coast.

Discover the deep connections that shaped a continent, long before colonial borders.

Thank you to Jay Kipps Band for the theme song music. 

This episode originally aired on the North Americana Podcast. 

The 1972 Toronto production of Godspell has taken on legendary status. Tom Hanks and Conan O’Brien have both expressed wistful admiration, wishing they’d seen it live. It wasn’t just a musical—it was a launchpad. A remarkable ensemble of young performers, many of whom would go on to become giants of comedy, first found their footing on that stage. Together, they helped redefine what funny would mean for generations.

In this episode, North Americana producer Lia Grainger speaks with those who were part of that extraordinary production, those lucky enough to witness it, and others who felt its pull from the sidelines. Together, we reconstruct the world of that moment—how a combustible mix of raw comedic talent converged in one place, at one time, nearly 50 years ago.

Thank you to Jay Kipps Band for the theme song music. 

This episode originally aired on the North Americana Podcast. 

The Toronto Theatre District is a part of the Toronto Entertainment District in Downtown Toronto that contains the largest concentration of stage theatres in Canada. It is the third largest English-speaking theatre district in the world, after West End in London and Broadway in New York City. Check out the links below to learn more about the famed 1972 Godspell production or to start planning a Toronto Theatre getaway.

• A great Godspell fan site
• The Theatre Museum of Canada
• Historic Toronto
• Toronto Theatre
• Stars in the House
• The Actors Fund

Nestled in the heart of Montreal, the neighbourhood of Outremont offers a compelling mix of tradition and transformation. Once a quiet residential area, it has been revitalized by gentrification into a vibrant cultural hub, brimming with hip restaurants, cozy cafés, independent galleries, artisanal shops and organic grocers. It’s an ideal place to experience the Montreal's evolving identity.

Outremont is also home to one of North America’s largest Hasidic Jewish communities — a deeply religious group living side by side with a largely secular, progressive urban population. This coexistence raises fascinating questions: How does a devout community preserve its beliefs and customs within such a modern, cosmopolitan environment? And how do its members navigate relationships with neighbours whose worldviews may differ dramatically?

In this episode of Here & There, North Americana producer Lia Grainger explores these questions, bringing us the story of two remarkable women from profoundly different backgrounds, who are working to bridge the cultural divide. It’s a nuanced, deeply Canadian story of identity, coexistence, and connection.

Special thanks to James Gray for our theme song music.