Via Podcast

Day of the Dead is a celebration of life, and folklorist Rachel González-Martin knows where the liveliest festivities are—from the world’s largest Dia de los Muertos parade in Mexico City to a dazzling skeleton ball in Austin, Texas.

Pack your curiosity. Atlas Obscura’s cofounder Dylan Thuras takes us on a tour of the West’s quirkiest museums. Together, we’ll encounter zombifying fungi, the world’s largest collection of fossilized poop, and a little cottage where you can sniff ancient tinctures.

Grab your grip tape and get stoked for an intro-to-skateboarding road trip. Learn how the pastime born of teen angst in the ‘60s grew into a respected Olympic event—and visit the West Coast skate spots that shaped its most famous athletes.

Sporting a sparkling sky-blue tail, Rachel Smith goes to work every day as a professional mermaid. It turns out, mermaids like her swim all over the West—if you know where to find them! In this episode, Smith dives into the colorful past and present of a cultural movement that dates back to the early 1900s.

Taste the stories, history, and energy behind modern Native American cuisine with Chef Crystal Wahpepah. Her own journey reveals the complex and emotional connections between Native cultures and foods, which heal communities, preserve ancestral ways, and express a deep love for the land.

Break out your night-vision goggles and join the hunt for Bigfoot, as our hosts explore the history, lore, and cultural impact of the elusive cryptid and its tireless devotees.

Forget the big bad wolf. Wildlife biologist Diane Boyd has spent nearly 50 years matching wits with gray wolves in the Montana wilderness—and she’s here to shift your perspective on these clever canids.

At 100, Route 66 is still one weird and wild ride. Buckle up as we motor to a zoo gone wrong, a town ruled by donkeys, and a 2,000-year-old pueblo with a secret stairwell that thwarted the conquistadors. Turns out, this legendary highway holds more than just vintage kitsch.

Ghost stories aboard the Queen Mary, UFO run-ins near Area 51, owl calls that fool actual birds, and the cheesiest scoundrel. Join hosts Mitti and Michelle as they relive season two’s wildest moments and dream big for season three.

Phantoms, pranks, and plenty of ghostly gossip: The hosts of National Park After Dark take us to the historic hotels where legends, landscapes, and restless spirits meet.

Noah Strycker is the Indiana Jones of birding, willing to brave jungle heat and Arctic cold just to spot that rare bunting, owl, or hawk. In 2015, in a quest that spanned 41 countries and all seven continents, he set a world record by finding more than 6,000 different kinds of birds—more than half the bird species on Earth—in a single year. But, as Noah explains in this episode, searching out our feathered friends doesn’t necessarily require epic treks across the globe. Sometimes birding is as simple as keeping your eye on a backyard feeder or taking a mindful walk in the woods. It can also be a great part of any road trip in the West, from the canyons of Arizona to the Bering Strait. Noah regales aspiring birders Mitti and Michelle with tales of his own greatest birding adventures and offers tips for anyone who wants to embark on one of their own. Destinations we visit: Madera Canyon, Arizona Point Reyes, California Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, California Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon Nome, Alaska St. Lawrence Island, Alaska Colombia Guyana  Birds we observe: American robin Bald eagle Barred owl Choco toucan Great horned owl Harpy eagle Northern pygmy owl Ptarmigan Puffin Red-tailed hawk Ringed kingfisher Sandhill crane Snow goose White-throated sparrow Yellow warbler Guest: Noah Strycker is a writer and photographer based in Eugene, Oregon. He has written several bestselling books, including Birding Without Borders: An Obsession, a Quest, and the Biggest Year in the World and The Thing With Feathers: The Surprising Lives of Birds and What They Reveal About Being Human. He is also the associate editor of Birding magazine. He’s been called a “Travel Pioneer” by the BBC and “Birdman of Razzmatazz” by Newsweek. Noah has an especially soft spot for penguins, which he's observed and researched on nearly 50 expeditions to Antarctica. Via Podcast is a production of AAA Mountain West Group.

Tourists visiting Hawaii from the mainland might look out from the beach at the surfers riding the waves, and think it’s all just part of the tropical scenery. But to native-born Hawaiians, those surfers signify a whole lot more. They’re living links to the history of the islands. They’re echoes of an era when Hawaiian royalty had their own private breaks off the same beach. They remind them of when Duke Kahanamoku rode a single wave for more than a mile on Oahu’s south shore. And even of a time when Hawaiians first arrived in the islands after sailing from Tahiti. That’s how deep its roots are. Join us as we explore those roots with Mindy Pennybacker, author of Surfing Sisterhood Hawaii: Wahine Reclaiming the Waves. We talk about the history and culture of surfing in Hawaii, but also her own evolution from bookworm to seasoned surfer, the best places for beginners to learn, and why she thinks surfing in California is inferior. (The short version: Cold water, kelp, and great white sharks.)

Join literary powerhouses Tommy Orange and Kaveh Akbar on their West Coast book tour. The two best friends share their favorite indie bookshops, contemporary Western writers, and unconventional creative sanctuaries.

Join us “whey” out West as we cuddle baby goats, sample award-winning Brie, and unwrap Monterey Jack’s unscrupulous origins on the coast’s tastiest route. Whether you’re a casual snacker or a hardcore curd nerd, this one’s worth savoring.

From Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter to rising rodeo stars, Black cowboy culture is having a moment. Saddle up for a ride into the community’s vibrant heart, including L.A.’s star-studded event, a “showdeo” in Portland, and the Compton Cowboys’ ranch.

Get ready to crave truffle garlic noodles, sumac-spiced chicken, and other mouthwatering dishes as Chef Preeti Mistry digs into why the San Francisco Bay Area is the most exciting, flavor-packed, and deliciously diverse food scene in the country.

The truth is out West! Explore Roswell’s infamous crash site, an alien watchtower, and Area 51’s eerie back gate on our latest out-of-this-world road trip.

Forget the Louvre. ​​Buckle up for a rugged ride to see colossal land art—including an installation inside a volcano—with Atlas Obscura’s Dylan Thuras.

Join Michelle and Mitti for one last bonus episode, where they reflect on where they’ve been on this first season’s journey through the American West.

Learn what it’s like to live in a ghost town, and where to find the best preserved mining towns in the West, with guest Brent Underwood.

Find a new spot to view fall foliage, and immerse yourself in the forest with guest Lauren Oakes.

Travel by train and discover the benefits of slow-paced trips with guest Laura Kiniry.

Discover where to find the freshest and tastiest local foods around the West, from crisp apples to salty oysters, with guest Giselle Kennedy Lord.

Explore how Yosemite National Park was created and what continues to sustain it more than a hundred years later as the Washington Post’s Lillian Cunningham takes you behind the scenes.

Experience the authentic American West through the eyes of cowboy storyteller Will Grant as he reveals the places and people at the heart of it.

Uncover amazing formations and natural creations around the West as guest Lulu Miller takes you on a discovery trip from Alaska to Utah to Northern California.

Discover offbeat roadside attractions as you travel the West by car, and rekindle your sense of wonder and adventure. Guest Dylan Thuras shares cool places to uncover as you wander just a bit off the beaten path, and tells the history of these unique spots.

Get up close and personal with the natural world by seeking out wildlife on your next vacation. Whether it’s at a sanctuary or in the wild, you’ll find an abundance of fascinating creatures in the West. Guest Alison Hermance chats with hosts Michelle Donati and Mitti Hicks about how to interact with animals ethically and with their best interest in mind.

Avoid the crowds and visit a state park when the nature urge strikes. Hosts Michelle Donati and Mitti Hicks chat with travel journalist and parks expert Peter Fish to discover the lesser-known state parks throughout the vast West.

Traverse the West’s forests, waters, and even sidewalk cracks in search of edible plants, as hosts Michelle Donati and Mitti Hicks discover just how fruitful our surroundings can be with expert guidance from forager and cookbook author Maria Finn.

There’s so much to discover on a road trip along Nevada’s Highway 50, once dubbed the ”Loneliest Road in America” by Life magazine. Join hosts Michelle Donati and Mitti Hicks as they travel this fascinating stretch of desert highway with the guidance of guest Richard Moreno.

Come explore the West with us! The Via Podcast—brought to you by AAA—will introduce you to new and unique adventures in the Western United States.