Travel Connections

Today's episode is near and near my heart. It is part two of the highlights of our tour of Patagonia with our friends from Collette. The tour's name is Patagonia: Edge of the World, and trust me, we actually made it to the edge of the world, and it was exhilarating. In this episode, I will interview and talk with my husband, Craig. He was on tour with me, and it's just a perfect addition to the first conversation I had with Sol Maranon, our Collette tour guide in Part One.

If you haven't had a chance to listen to Part One, you should; she's fantastic. She offered her vast knowledge of Patagonia, and I loved talking with her. And now, in this episode, if you have not listened to my husband Craig before, he's been on two other podcast episodes with me. One was about our tour of Southern Africa last year, and then we recorded an episode of our trip to London and Paris this season. I found that it's a great way to tell a story when your travel partner is there, embellishing and helping to fill in the details.

As a way of introduction, Craig is an executive in the tech industry and occasionally gets the chance to travel with me to these extraordinary destinations. He's a really great guy and offers his colorful opinions quite freely. This conversation is a lot of fun and quite lively.

• Craig shared memorable anecdotes and insights from our tour to Patagonia
• Favorite experiences in Buenos Aires
• Glacier sightings and breathtaking landscapes
• Craig's impressions of the visit to the sheep farm
• Why small group tours are an excellent way to travel
• Quote from Craig: "Collette sets you up for a view you would never find on your own."
• Vivid descriptions of life on the ship as we sailed through the tip of South America
• Extraordinary hiking among the 1,000 islands of Chile

An Extraordinary Tour of Patagonia with Collette

London & Paris at the Holidays - 100% Yes!

An African Safari to Remember

Welcome to an exciting new episode filled with information about a place I would describe as other-worldly and epic. My husband Craig and I traveled to South America to explore the region of Patagonia.

Are you intrigued by glaciers, quiet and unspoiled landscapes, warm and welcoming locals, and delicious food? Have you ever wondered what it was like to speed across the ocean in zodiac boats to see penguins living in their natural habitat?- We did it all and so much more.

We were invited to join a Small Group Explorations Tour with Colette. The tour is called Patagonia: Edge of the World. We traveled so far that at one time, we were sailing at the southern tip of South America; we were only 500 miles from Antarctica. This journey was filled with unique experiences that left us feeling like true explorers, just like Magellan.

In this episode, I interview Sol Maranon—an outstanding tourism professional with 36 years of experience. Sol grew up in Chile and knows practically everything you need to know about Patagonia; plus, her knowledge of glaciers is impressive!

• Details of the spectacular itinerary
• Descriptions of the incredible national parks on the tour - Torres del Paine, Tierra del Fuego, plus others
• The grandeur of Perito Moreno Glacier - Ice calving!
• A visit to a sheep ranch, enjoying time with locals, and viewing the extra-special herding skills of Fayo, the sheep herding dog!
• What is a guanaco?
• Details of the unique architecture of the accommodations (Suzanne's favorite)
• Climbing on Magellan's ship
• Riding in zodiac boats to see the penguins in their natural habitat

This is Part One of our two podcast episodes devoted to our tour of Patagonia. There is so much to share that we created TWO! Next up, I interview my tour partner and husband, Craig Stavert. We will dive deeper into what it really feels like to travel to the End of the Earth! This episode will be published on Friday, March 7th. It is EPIC!

Important Links

Tour - Patagonia: Edge of the World

Travel Connections Podcast

Adventures of Empty Nesters

Welcome to another new season of Travel Connections. We are now beginning Season Four, and I'm excited to bring you more travel conversations about intriguing destinations, incredible adventures, and captivating insights with inspiring guests. We will continue to dive beneath the surface of travel, and I can't wait to share it with you!

I planned the perfect eight-night (4+4) trip about a year in advance, and luckily for both of us, it turned out superbly! Who better to talk about this fantastic couple's trip than with the person I traveled with, my husband, Craig Stavert? Craig has been a guest on the podcast once before, early last season, when we talked about our glorious tour with Collette to Southern Africa. Now we are dishing up holiday adventures in London and Paris! Why are we talking about Christmas travel in February? There are several important reasons. Listen for tips!

• Tips for planning holiday travel with miles & points - Get started!
• Flying on Christmas Day - Yes or No? (Spoiler alert: YES!)
• Our perfect 4 + 4 itinerary
• London: Extraordinary Lights, National Portrait Gallery, Fortnum & Mason, Hatchard's (1797), Christmas with the Queen - Suzanne's travel book
• The travel experience from London to Paris on the Eurostar high-speed train
• Why embracing and engaging other travelers is a MUST.
• Paris Highlights - New Year's Day - Views from the Eiffel Tower, Museè D'Orsay, E. Dehillerin, Le Gallerie Dior, Notre Dame

For links to all of the places we visited - Click here!

When I think of a quintessential Pacific Northwest setting, I envision nature in abundance! Walking on the beach and strolling through deeply wooded forests with lovely hiking trails, scenic roads, and peaceful breezes are the perfect combination for every traveler. On Camano Island, in the state of Washington, located just over 60 miles north of Seattle, in Possession Sound, you will find all of this, with just one more thing - buried treasure.

No, I'm not kidding; for the past 16 years, the creative people of Camano Island have celebrated the thrill of the hunt. Northwest Glass Quest is celebrating its 16th year and will be held February 14-23 this year. The Camano Chamber of Commerce organizes the event. And for 10 days, businesses and parks throughout Stanwood & Camano Island hide plastic clue balls. You win a limited edition Hand-Blown Glass Ball when you find a plastic clue ball. These glass ball prizes are one of a kind and so beautiful. It is a fantastic activity for all ages, and there is an excellent website where all your questions and tips for a successful quest can be answered. The website is called NorthwestGlassQuest.com.

In this episode, I invited Amy Bush, a jewelry designer and owner of Loyalsmith Jewelry and the current president of the Camano Arts Association, back to the podcast.

• What is Glass Quest, and how does it add to Camano Island's unique all-season visitor experience?
• The importance of regenerative travel - How to give back while traveling!
• What are "kind" questors?
• Additional super fun things to do while participating in Glass Quest
• Where to eat while on Camano Island
• Suzanne's enthusiasm for the PNW Winter Wonderland of Camano

Important Links:

Northwest Glass Quest

Loyalsmith Jewelry

Camano Arts Association

Tapped Camano

The Baked Cafe

Camano Commons Marketplace

Blue Heron Kitchen & Bar

Short Term Rentals, Inns and Cottages

Suzanne's Favorite Cottage

The Camano Shop

Camano Cookies

Canopy Tours Northwest

Arrowhead Ranch

Camano Island State Park

Cama Beach Cafe

Related Episodes:

A Visit to Camano Island, Washington: An Artists' Studio Tour

An Invitation to Discover Regenerative Travel with Embrace Whidbey & Camano Islands

Kayaking & Island Life on Whidbey Island

Orchard Kitchen: Farm Focused Fine Dining on Whidbey Island, WA

Welcome to a wonderful new episode of Travel Connections. My special guest is a personal travel connection for me. On a sunny summer afternoon, my family and I attended the most spectacular Gathering on a ranch called Rancho San Julian, just north of Santa Barabara. We enjoyed a delicious dinner as we sat at long ranch tables under the shady canopy of 150-year-old vines. It was just dreamy!

Elizabeth Poett is a seventh-generation cattle rancher, author of the bestselling cookbook The Ranch Table, and star-host of the cooking and lifestyle show Ranch to Table, one of the founding shows of the Magnolia Network. Elizabeth was born and raised on Rancho San Julian, her family's historic 14,000-acre cattle ranch on California's Central Coast. In 2007, Elizabeth started Rancho San Julian Beef, a business selling her family's ranch-raised, grass-fed beef directly to chefs and consumers. Her meats quickly became popular with California cooks and local chefs and have been served at restaurants across California. Elizabeth is also the author of the blog The Ranch Table and hosts a number of Ranch Table events, cooking workshops, educational events, and intimate farm-to-table meals throughout the year.

In this episode, you will hear all of the details of The Ranch Table from the lovely Elizabeth Poett.

• What is the origin of The Ranch Table?
• How does Elizabeth inspire people to have fun in the kitchen?
• Why cooking doesn't have to be perfect
• How her cookbook was a year-long journey created right on the ranch
• What happens at a Gathering at Rancho San Julian? Hint: It's fantastic and delicious!
• How farmer's markets influenced Elizabeth's passion for cooking
• How our connection through food brings people together
• The 2025 dates for Gatherings at Rancho San Julian with Elizabeth Poett

Related Episode

A California Road Trip Through the Central Coast - A companion episode to the interview with Elizabeth Poett. In this episode, I share the road trip itinerary that was created around our dinner at The Ranch Table.

Important Links:

The Ranch Table

Travel Connections Podcast

Adventures of Empty Nesters

Instagram:

Elizabeth Poett

Suzanne Stavert

Adventures of Empty Nesters

Facebook:

Adventures of Empty Nesters

Suzanne's Amazon Shop

Is a California road trip on your bucket list? Have you been? Have you traveled through the Central Coast of California? This episode focuses on a small area of California just north of Santa Barbara. What a place!

In this episode, I share what we did, where we ate, and what we sipped. It was a glorious road trip curated by my daughter-in-law, Kylie. However, I had a BIG reason for creating this adventure! I discovered Elizabeth Poett through her television show called Ranch to Table. Once I learned more about her unique Gatherings at their 14,000-acre ranch, Rancho San Julian, I knew I had to go!

We created a California road trip to the Central Coast all around this special dinner at Rancho San Julian, which is about an hour north of Santa Barbara.

I share the details of this exceptional dinner, highlights of our meals along the way, and excellent wineries you need to visit! I love that this itinerary was specially curated for our taste, but once we went, I knew that you needed to hear all about it. Thank you, Kylie, for your incredible eye for detail and for creating such a fantastic itinerary. Here we go!

• Our exceptional experience at a delicious Ranch Table Event at Rancho San Julian with host Elizabeth Poett
• Fly into Santa Barbara Airport - It's fantastic!
• Travel for a reason
• Plan in advance
• The benefits of reserving an Airbnb with a small group
• Leave room for spontaneity and serendipity in your travels
• The unique details of our winery tours and dining experiences in the area are incredible! See the links below!

Next on Travel Connections!

A special interview with Elizabeth Poett from Ranch to Table - Publishing November 1, 2024

Suzanne's Next BIG Trip: South America with Collette! Stay Tuned - There are a few introductory details in this episode! Check out our social media channels to follow along: @suzannestavert on Instagram and @AdventuresofEmptyNesters on Facebook.

Dining on this California Central Coast Road Trip

The Ranch Table

Bar Le Cote

Bell's

Bob's Well Bread Bakery

Little King

Peasants Deli

The Hitching Post II

Wineries:

Future Perfect

Liquid Farm

Brave and Maiden

Spear

The Hilt Estate

Sea Creatures

Other Road Trip Episodes Mentioned in this Episode:

Kentucky:

A Conversation About Bourbon with The Experts at Woodford Reserve

Delicious Southern Food & The Kentucky Bourbon Trail - Ouita Michel

Angela Correll: Kentucky Writer, Traveler & Hospitality Innovator

Hidden Gems in Kentucky and Other Compelling Stories

From Montana to Calgary

Best of: Our Road Trip to Banff, Lake Louise & Calgary, Canada

Welcome to another of my Best of Series of episodes. This is where I talk about the highlights of a fantastic travel itinerary. In this episode, I describe our tremendously successful road trip from Whitefish, Montana, to Calgary, Canada, which includes the most picturesque destinations of Banff, Lake Louise, and Moraine Lake.

It was really well planned, not too hard to execute and I did learn some tips along the way that I do think will help you a great deal. You can take what I've done and mold it to what you like to do, and hopefully, this gives you a framework for how to build your road trip through such a remarkably beautiful landscape.

• What makes a trip successful?
• How to use this episode as an inspiration for your next road trip to Banff and beyond
• Don't miss Glacier National Park in Montana!
• The beauty of Lake Louise and Moraine Lake
• How tourist crowds can affect your trip
• Why stepping out of your comfort zone can enhance your travel experience
• What is the Calgary Stampede, and why should you go?

Glacier National Park

• Lake McDonald Lodge
• Russel's Fireside Dining

Banff, Canada - Favorite Dining/Bar Experiences

• Lupo
• The Bison
• Banff Springs Fairmont Hotel - Rundle Bar

Calgary, Canada

• Calgary Stampede
• Hyatt Regency Calgary

Are you familiar with the Italian phrase "La Dolce Vita"? It means "enjoying life's pleasures, indulging, and cultivating joy."

In this episode, I am thrilled to share our adventures in Italy with you. We just returned from a jam-packed adventure that lasted 12 days. The good news is that we traveled through Italy for 12 days! The bad news is that I covered a lot of ground—maybe too much.

After one night in Rome, we took a high-speed train to Bari, rented a car, and drove south through Puglia. In Puglia, you are literally in the heel of Italy's boot, and our itinerary was ambitious. We stopped in Lecce, Alberobello, Polignano a mare, Monopoli and Matera.

Truthfully, if you have yet to research or plan to go to this region of Italy, these names will sound like any other Italian village. However, once you hear me describe them, you should be ready to decide whether you want to see them too! Let's look at this as an introduction. I wish I had access to a podcast episode like this one when planning my trip!

• Where is the region of Puglia, and why should I go there? (Hint: It's spectacular!)
• Tips to create your own itinerary
• Hot tip about Rome
• The most amazing hotel we have ever stayed!
• Craig's "Best Breakfast of his life"
• What are trulli?
• How to enjoy La Dolce Vita!

This episode is meant as an introduction to another wonderful region of Italy. Each region offers its own kind of magic, culinary focus, and traditions. You will find that each region is so special, as are the people who live there!

Which regions of Italy have you been to?

Important Links:

Travel Connections Podcast

Adventures of Empty Nesters

Instagram:

Suzanne Stavert

Adventures of Empty Nesters

Facebook:

Adventures of Empty Nesters

Suzanne's Amazon Shop

Rome

The Tribune Hotel

Lecce

Palazzo Maresgallo

Matera

Sexitantio

Montefollonico

iCastagni

Welcome to a special episode of Travel Connections. The original subject of this episode was initially scheduled to focus on our fantastic trip to Puglia, Italy. However, something incredible and unexpected happened to me, and I thought it would be fun to share a little behind the scenes! I decided it was a good time to change direction and report this exciting news!

Good Morning America reached out to me and asked if I would do an interview focusing on Empty Nesters. What? Let me think about this! I started my website, Adventures of Empty Nesters, ten years ago. So, obviously, empty nesters are a favorite subject of mine! From start to finish, the entire experience with GMA was uplifting and validating. I thought it would be fun to share how it all happened. The producer also asked for family and travel photos and videos to include in the piece.

In this short but fun episode, I share how this all came about and how it all connected to my life as an Empty Nester. What a thrill!

• How did the GMA episode come about?
• Why are empty nesters so important?
• Tips to Succeed in the Empty Nest
• The Best of Adventures of Empty Nesters
• Future possibilities with Good Morning America

You can find the GMA episode in several locations:

AdventuresofEmptyNesters.com - (Just scroll down a little)

YouTube

Suzanne's YouTube Channel

Good Morning America

Today's episode is an important topic near and dear to my travel heart. Are you an intentional traveler? Have you given this idea any thought? I have connected with Susie Chau, a creative go-getter in the travel world. She helps Entrepreneur Moms take month-long summer sabbaticals and consistent vacations to strengthen family bonds through travel. Susie and I met over eight years ago at a conference, but I saw a recent video of hers on Instagram. I loved what she was saying and knew I had to ask her to come on Travel Connections!

As a travel expert, Susie Chau's perspective on intentional travel is unique and inspiring. A Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist since 2021 and a Certified Travel Designer by the Transformational Travel Council, she brings a wealth of experience to the table. Her journey began in 2016 when she founded Carpe Diem Traveler after a year-long sabbatical to all seven continents with her husband.

As Susie and I both believe, travel can be so much more than just an escape. It's about relaxation, exploration, and, most importantly, personal growth. When done with intention, travel can have many layers, each offering a unique experience.

We talk at length about what makes a travel experience go even deeper. And also, how can your travel be a positive experience for the places you go and the people you meet? Does every traveler realize how they contribute to a destination? These ideas about travel are so exciting and can bring a travel experience to an even higher level of enjoyment!

Come join in the conversation!

• Why travel can be so much more than a means to escape
• What is transformational travel and the Transformational Travel Council?
• How Susie created a course for entrepreneurial Moms
• Why should we travel with intention?
• What does the acronym S.O.U.L stand for? (Hint: It's brilliant!)

Important links:

Carpe Diem Traveler

Instagram

Linked In

Travel Connections Podcast

Adventures of Empty Nesters

Suzanne's Amazon Shop

Instagram:

Suzanne Stavert

Adventures of Empty Nesters

Facebook:

Adventures of Empty Nesters