Pop Culture Passport - Exploring Quirky & Cool Travel Destinations in the USA

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Episode 157

How did Halloween go from homemade popcorn balls and apples to Fun Size candy bars and houses famous for handing out full-size Snickers?

In this Snack Society episode of Pop Culture Passport, we're digging into the history of trick-or-treating and the treats that have filled Halloween bags over the years.

We'll discover why early trick-or-treaters might have come home with cookies, nuts, coins, and homemade treats; how candy corn went from “Chicken Feed” to a Halloween icon; and how PEZ transformed from an Austrian peppermint marketed to adults into the character dispensers we know today.

We'll also look at the Halloween candy safety panic of the 1970s, why individually wrapped candy became so reassuring to parents, and the surprisingly contentious history of the words “Fun Size.”

So grab your plastic pumpkin and let's go trick-or-treating through a century of Halloween candy history.

In this episode:

• What trick-or-treaters received before candy took over
• How candy corn became a Halloween staple
• The wonderfully weird Nik-L-Nip
• How PEZ went from anti-smoking peppermint to character candy
• The Halloween candy-tampering panic
• How individually wrapped treats changed Halloween
• The surprisingly complicated history of Fun Size candy bars
• How the full-size candy bar house became neighborhood royalty

You ready? Let’s roam.

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Episode 156

Looking for something a little different than a beer trail or an ice cream trail?

In this episode of Pop Culture Passport, we're taking a spooky road trip across the United States to explore haunted trails, paranormal passports, cryptid museums, UFO hotspots, pirate legends, abandoned amusement parks, and even one motel filled with clown dolls that I'll definitely never spend the night in.

Along the way, we'll visit 

West Virginia's Paranormal Trail
New York's Haunted History Trail
Nevada's Paranormal Passport
Southern Indiana's wonderfully weird Stranger Things in SoIN passport
North Carolina's First in Fright trail.

Whether you're planning a fall getaway or simply looking for your next unforgettable side quest, these destinations prove that some of America's most fascinating travel experiences come with a ghost story... or at least a really good legend.

You ready? Let’s roam.

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Episode 155

What do beer tunnels, a Cold War bunker, a buried city, a salt mine, and an underground citrus garden have in common?

They're all hidden beneath our feet.

This week we're exploring five fascinating underground destinations across America, each with an incredible story to tell.

We'll visit:

• Cincinnati's historic lagering tunnels beneath Over-the-Rhine
• The secret Cold War bunker hidden beneath The Greenbrier Resort
• Strataca, the underground salt mine museum in Kansas
• Seattle's buried original downtown
• The remarkable Forestiere Underground Gardens in Fresno, California

Along the way, we'll discover how these places were created, why they still matter today, and why some of America's most memorable stories aren't only found on the skyline, but beneath it.

Whether you're planning your next road trip or simply love uncovering forgotten history, this episode will have you looking beneath your feet the next time you travel.

You ready? Let’s roam.

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Episode 154

Hollywood has always loved beaches and boardwalks, but sometimes the places you see on screen aren't where you think they are.

This week on Pop Culture Passport, we're visiting some of America's most iconic coastal filming locations, from the vampire-filled Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in The Lost Boys to New York's legendary Coney Island, the storytelling soul of Asbury Park, and the endlessly versatile beaches of Malibu.

Along the way, we'll uncover the surprising story behind Boardwalk Empire and discover why one of television's most famous boardwalks wasn't filmed in Atlantic City at all.

Whether you're a movie buff, a TV fan, or simply love discovering the stories behind iconic places, this episode will have you looking at America's beaches and boardwalks in a whole new way.

You ready? Let’s roam.

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Episode 153

What do Scottish women, rooftop golf courses, fairy-tale castles, and glowing monsters have in common?

They're all part of the surprising history of miniature golf.

This week on Pop Culture Passport, we're tracing the story of one of America's favorite summer traditions, from a quiet act of rebellion at St. Andrews in Scotland to the rooftop mini golf craze of 1920s New York City, through the Great Depression, and into today's elaborate themed and blacklight courses.

Along the way we'll visit:

• Whispering Pines Miniature Golf in Irondequoit, NY — the oldest continuously operating miniature golf course in America
• Tom Thumb Golf and the fairy-tale vision of Garnet and Frieda Carter
• New York City's incredible rooftop mini golf boom
• The rise of Putt-Putt Golf
• Modern Monster Mini Golf

Whether your favorite course has windmills, castles, pirates, or glowing monsters, miniature golf has been bringing generations together for more than 150 years.

The next time you pick up a putter, you'll know the remarkable story behind the game.

You ready? Let’s roam.

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Episode 152

What if the best baseball experience in America isn't at a Major League stadium?

In this episode, we make the case for Minor League Baseball as the ultimate side quest, the affordable, community-driven, glorious alternative to the big leagues that most travelers completely overlook.

We start with a personal story: the night the Rochester Red Wings played as the Rochester Plates, a nod to Rochester's most famous regional dish, the Garbage Plate. From there, we dive into the surprising history of Minor League Baseball, the extraordinary story of the Rochester Red Wings and the 72 Day Miracle that saved the franchise, and the Bull Durham connection you might not know about.

Then we get into why Minor League Baseball belongs on every traveler's radar: the affordable tickets, the deep community ties, the absolutely unhinged alternate team identities (the Hartford Yard Goats, the Rocket City Trash Pandas, the Jersey Shore pork roll in bowling shoes), the local food experiences, and the promotional nights that prove this league truly understands joy.

In this episode:

• The Rochester Plates and why we chose that night on purpose
• A brief history of Minor League Baseball
• The 72 Day Miracle that saved the Rochester Red Wings
• Why MiLB is the ultimate side quest: affordable, community, food, alternate names, promos, and nostalgia

Wherever you're traveling this summer, check if there's a minor league team in town. You might just find your new favorite side quest.

You ready? Let’s roam.

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A scrap dealer buys a railroad. The engines start to cry. And he makes them a promise he keeps for the rest of his life.

That's just one of the extraordinary stories inside today's episode, and it only scratches the surface of what makes the East Broad Top Railroad one of the most remarkable places in America.

In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Greene, Director of Sales and a qualified brakeman at the East Broad Top Railroad, America's oldest operating narrow-gauge railroad, tucked into the mountains of south-central Pennsylvania. Andrew is also the founder of what the Washington Post called the premier American ragtime ensemble in the country. 

In this episode:

• Why trains feel more alive than any other form of transportation
• The history of the East Broad Top Railroad
• The scrap dealer who bought a railroad and made a promise to a steam engine
• The Smithsonian's extraordinary endorsement
• The belt-driven machine shop, which is the last of its kind in North America
• What to expect on a visit, from plush coaches to the cinder car
• The future of the EBT, including rail bikes, track expansion and a 10-year vision

Plan your visit:

• Website: https://eastbroadtop.com/
• Phone: 814-447-3285
• Location: 20 minutes north of PA Turnpike Exit 180 — Fort Littleton

You ready? Let’s roam.

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Episode 150

While spending two and a half weeks in Western New York, I set out to complete what I called Day Trip Palooza: four day trips within 90 miles of our home base.

Did it go according to plan? Not exactly.

In this episode, I’m sharing what happened when weather, holiday hours, work schedules, and real life got in the way, and why two great day trips turned out to be better than four rushed ones.

Join me as I recap visits to:

• East Aurora, home of the historic Roycroft Campus and the famous Vidler’s 5 & 10
• Buffalo, where we tackled the great wing debate and visited the Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum
• Fairport, a charming Erie Canal town where a last-minute pivot turned into a fun afternoon.

Plus, in this Snack Society Field Report:

• Duff’s vs. Anchor Bar
• The history of Buffalo wings
• Beef on Weck
• Buffalo’s beloved sponge candy

This episode is a reminder that you don’t need a perfect itinerary—or even a full vacation—to discover something new.

You ready? Let’s roam.

In This Episode

• What Day Trip Palooza was and why I created it
• Why some trips happened, and others didn’t
• East Aurora highlights
• Buffalo food and attractions
• Fairport and the Erie Canal
• The value of flexible travel plans
• Why day trips are staying in my travel rotation

Resources

• East Aurora Day Trip Guide
• Buffalo Day Trip Guide
• Fairport Day Trip Guide

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Episode 149

Did you know Atlantic City has over 100 murals telling the stories of its soul, and most visitors walk right past them?

Atlantic City is one of America's most recognized destinations, but for most people, the story begins and ends with the casinos and the boardwalk. In this episode, I sit down with Kiara Davis, Tourism and Community Affairs Manager for Visit Atlantic City and proud Atlantic City native, to uncover the layers of history, culture, art, and community that make this city so much more than its reputation.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The Orange Loop. Three blocks straight off the Monopoly board that have become the most vibrant and authentic neighborhood in Atlantic City right now, home to local restaurants, an independent music venue, community gardens, and the city's thriving arts scene
• The African American Heritage Museum, founded by Mr. Ralph Hunter through his personal collection and passion for preserving Black history and culture, and why Kiara calls it one of the most powerful places in the city
• The foods you absolutely cannot miss, from the legendary White House Subs to saltwater taffy mixing tips that will completely change how you eat it

Atlantic City is layered, resilient, and full of stories waiting to be discovered. After this conversation, you'll never look at it the same way again.

You ready? Let’s roam.

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Episode 148

What if the beach town you thought you knew was actually the birthplace of rock and roll?

The Wildwoods, New Jersey, have been a Jersey Shore staple for generations, but there's so much more to this five-mile island than boardwalk rides and saltwater taffy. In this episode, I sit down with Ben Rose, Director of Marketing and PR for the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Authority, to uncover the layers of history, culture, and architecture that make the Wildwoods truly one of a kind.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why the largest collection of mid-century Doo Wop architecture in the country calls the Wildwoods home, and why even new developers are voluntarily keeping the aesthetic alive
• How the Wildwoods became the birthplace of rock and roll, the Twist, and American Bandstand, and why the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame agrees
• The surprising origin story of those iconic tram cars that have been rolling the boardwalk since 1949

The Wildwoods are more than a beach vacation; they're a living, breathing piece of American pop culture history. After this episode, you'll never look at a neon sign the same way again.

You ready? Let’s roam.

Learn more about what you can see and do in The Wildwoods at https://wildwoodsnj.com/

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