Conversations for Curious Travelers

Looking for the perfect gift for the traveler in your life? In this episode of Conversations for Curious Travelers, I’m sharing meaningful, thoughtful, and practical gift ideas that go far beyond souvenirs. From once-in-a-lifetime experiences to cozy at-home touches, you’ll find inspiration for every budget and every kind of traveler.

I’ll also share a personal story about a powerful travel gift my husband gave me before a trip to F...

Travel with Gratitude · Gratitude Travel Tips · Gratitude and Travel Stories

In this special episode, I explore how gratitude transforms our travel experiences and our lives. I share personal stories from Costa Rica, practical tools , and science-backed benefits of gratitude that can help you navigate both holiday travel stress and life’s bigger challenges.

Episode Highlights:

• How gratitude can reframe even the hardest travel mome...

Movie Inspired Trips · Set Jetting & Movie Tourism · Cinematic Travel Experiences

From set-jetting to magical movie moments, travelers are discovering how films and TV shows can enhance their journeys. In this episode I sit down with Jessica Grace Coleman — author, filmmaker, podcaster, and founder of Movify Your Life — to explore how movie-inspired travel can transform not just your trips, but your  life. Jessica shares how she...

Thoughtful Travel • Sustainable Travel • Meaningful Journeys

What does it really mean to travel thoughtfully—and how can it transform the way you experience the world? In this conversation, I sit down with Amanda Kendle, longtime travel writer, lecturer, and host of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast. Amanda has been exploring and teaching about responsible, mindful journeys for decades, helping travelers discover how curiosity and conne...

Why travel matters • Finding connection and perspective • Resilience and joy

Do you feel overwhelmed by the state of the world? In this episode you’ll discover how travel can give you the tools to meet these challenges with empathy, curiosity, and resilience.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why travel in uncertain times isn’t an escape but a pathway to resilience
• How encounters while traveling reduce prejudice and build shared human...

Travel Coaching • Intentional Travel • Meaningful Journeys

What happens when travel is more than just a vacation? In this conversation, Sahara Rose De Vore, founder and CEO of the Travel Coach Network, shares how her journey from broke college student to visiting 84 countries solo led her to pioneer a new field: travel coaching.

Sahara is a TEDx speaker and global thought leader in the travel industry. She has been featured in over 2...

Family travel • Parenting tips • Roadschooling

Family adventures are filled with possibility—new places, shared discoveries, and chances to grow closer. But they can also test patience and resilience. 

In this heartfelt conversation, I’m joined by my longtime friend Sara Cole, a certified parent coach with over 20 years of experience supporting families. Sara and her family spent 400 days roadschooling across the United States, weavi...

Museums can be awe-inspiring and are often highlights of our travels. But they can also be overwhelming, crowded, and exhausting. In this episode  I’m sharing insider museum tips that will help you make the most of your visit.

You’ll learn lesser-known strategies like skipping the longest lines, finding hidden discounts, avoiding museum fatigue, and deepening your connection with the art, history, and culture around you. 

What You’ll...

Family Travel • Hiking with Kids • Building Connections 

What can hundreds of miles on the trail teach us about family, nature, learning, and ourselves? In this inspiring episode, educator and outdoor adventurer Missy Meskell shares the unforgettable experience of hiking the entire Oregon section of the Pacific Crest Trail with two of her children.

Together, we explore how travel in nature—especially with kids—can stretch our perspec...

Educational Travel • Student Trips • Teaching Through Travel

In this inspiring episode of Conversations for Curious Travelers, Erica connects with longtime friend Scott Rainey. Scott is a two time finalist for Traveling Teacher of the Year and the founder of the nonprofit East County Student Travel. 

He has spent decades helping middle schoolers see the world—and themselves—through travel. Scott shares powerful stories from the annua...

Awe & Wellbeing • Solo Travel • Travel Experiments

In this inspiring episode of Conversations for Curious Travelers, Tracy Smyth, travel coach and founder of Travel Bug Tonic, shares how awe, curiosity, and solo adventures have transformed her travels—and her life. We explore how to approach each trip as a personal experiment, why travel is a profound learning environment, and how moments of wonder (even in your own backyard!) c...

Welcome to Conversations for Curious Travelers Episode 1

Ready to enhance your travels? In this premiere episode of Conversations for Curious Travelers, host Erica Forrest invites you into a new kind of travel podcast—one that helps you learn more about the world and yourself travel. Whether you're a lifelong learner, a parent planning a family trip, or someone craving more connection in your travels, you're in the right p...

Welcome to Conversations for Curious Travelers, the Trip Scholars podcast hosted by certified travel education coach Erica Forrest. This show is for lifelong learners who want to travel with more meaning, connection, and curiosity.

In this short trailer, Erica shares what you can expect from the podcast and invites you into a space where travel becomes a powerful tool for connection, growth, and understanding. Whether you're pl...