When David and his wife, Heather Pyle-Lucas started their commercial Lucas Winery 38 years ago Lodi’s Zins were known as high-alcohol rocket-fuel concoctions. That’s all history today and David and Heather were pioneers in the evolution of Lodi , California wines by crafting extraordinarily well-balanced and complex estate-grown Zinfandel and locally sourced Chardonnay. Come along and join the conversation as Heather and David share their incredible journey as Lodi growers and producers.

Saint Mark Baptist Church in Little Rock , Arkansas raised the roof when their gospel choir recently performed at Little Rock's Wildwood Park . Join correspondent Tom Wilmer for a visit with Darius Nelson, Pastor of Music and Arts, followed by 20 minutes of some powerfully awesome gospel singing. Saint Mark's choir has performed at the White House as well as around Arkansas. You are invited to subscribe to the Lowell Thomas award-winning NPR Podcast travel show Journeys of Discovery with Tom

The wine label, Seven Deadly Zins, produced by Michael David Winery was instrumental in putting Lodi , California on the map as a world-class producer of fine wines. Join Mike Phillips and daughter Melissa at their Lodi winery for a fascinating conversation with Tom Wilmer that proves that a catchy label is just as important as the wine inside the bottle. You are invited to subscribe to the Lowell Thomas award-winning NPR Podcast travel show Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer via: iTunes NPR

Fort Smith , Arkansas , the state’s second largest city, started as a military outpost on the western frontier back in 1817. Join National Park Ranger Cody Faber at Fort Smith National Historic Site and Julie Woods Moncrief at the historic Clayton House .

Robert Luke, assigned prisoner number 1118AZ , arrived at Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary on April 14th 1954 and was paroled on April 29th 1959. It was the smell of fresh mown grass wafting across the island from somewhere in San Francisco that spurred him to go the straight and narrow path.

Situated bluff top, the Lookout Point Lakeside Inn is worth the stay just for the pleasure of strolling the sprawling lush garden grounds overlooking Lake Hamilton. But the rooms and the gourmet meals would be tempting enough without the vistas or gardens. Come along and join innkeeper, Kristie Rosset, who came to the hospitality industry from her previous life as a Methodist minister in Dallas.

Lodi is America’s largest grape growing region, along with approximately 91 family owned boutique wineries. The town of 60,000 residents offers a small town feel. Join Craig for a local’s insight about Lodi attractions, including upscale dining.

There are 29 National Recreation Areas across America. One of the most distinctive is the Golden Gate National Recreation Area that includes 80,000 acres of ecologically and historically significant destinations around the San Francisco Bay Area.

Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary opened in 1934 and when it closed its cell doors for the last time in 1963 more than fifteen hundred prisoners had served time on the Rock.

Retired Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary guard, George DeVincenzi served on “The Rock” from 1950 to 1958, departing just five years before the infamous island prison closed forever in 1963.