Pop Culture Passport - Exploring Quirky & Cool Travel Destinations in the USA
Pop Culture Passport is your guide to quirky and cool travel destinations across the USA. Every other week, we explore unique things to do, from movie and TV filming locations and theme parks to roadside attractions, quirky museums, regional foods, and the fascinating stories behind the places you visit. If you'd happily add 60 minutes to your trip to visit a filming location, the Jell-O Museum, a legendary roadside attraction, or a local spot with an incredible backstory, this podcast is for you. I'm Beth Schillaci, aka the Roaming Yeti. I'm a travel content creator, pop culture nerd, and firm believer that the best discoveries happen when you layer a little curiosity on top of wherever you're already headed. I call them side quests: the detours, the unexpected stops, the "wait, THAT'S here?" moments that make any trip unforgettable and personal. Whether you're planning a dedicated trip or looking for the perfect thing to add to somewhere you're already going, a work trip, a family visit, or a drive through a new city, there's always something worth the detour. Think of this as traveling with your slightly nerdy, sort-of-cool friend who loves deep dives, unexpected discoveries, and finding the story behind the story. Explore episodes about: Movie & TV filming locations Quirky museums & unique attractions Road trips & roadside attractions Theme parks & themed entertainment Regional foods, candy history & food tourism Day trips & weekend getaways Hidden history, origin stories & local legends Pop culture travel across the USA Grab your Pop Culture Passport — let's roam.
Episodes
Episode 158
Episode Description
What do a Ziegfeld Girl, a 12-year-old named Mary, a projectionist nicknamed Fink, and a man who admits he made up a ghost story have in common?
Apparently, none of them are very good at leaving the theater.
In this episode of Pop Culture Passport, we’re visiting six historic American theaters where the stories happening offstage may be just as interesting as the ones performed onst...
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...
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...
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...
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 bea...
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 Depressi...
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 fa...
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 ...
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...
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...
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, ...
Episode 147
What if the best adventures were hiding within 90 miles of home?
This summer, we're trading airports and hotels for day trips, road snacks, and coming home to our own beds every night. Welcome to Day Trip Palooza — a summer series built around one home base, a 90-mile radius, and a whole lot of curiosity about what's been waiting right in our own backyard.
In this episode, you'll discover:
- What Day...
Episode 146
Did you know there's an entire city humming along beneath the streets of Kansas City?
Kansas City has a well-earned reputation for barbecue, jazz, and the Chiefs. But scratch the surface, and you'll find a city full of stories that don't make the highlight reel. In this episode, we honor the classics and then go exploring, from a steamboat buried under a cornfield for over a hundred years to an underground...
Episode 145
Is Cincinnati chili really chili… or is it something completely different?
In this Snack Society episode, we dive into the history, controversy, and flavor profile of Cincinnati chili, the Greek-inspired meat sauce that divides an entire region. From Skyline to Gold Star to the lesser-known Worthmore, we conduct an official taste test and unpack how this unexpected dish became a city icon.
In This Ep...
Episode 144
What happens when you wander just a little off the main path in Seattle?
Seattle is famous for coffee, the Space Needle, and grunge music, but the real magic of the Emerald City shows up when you lean into curiosity. In this episode, we explore the quirky landmarks, pop culture filming locations, and creative spaces that make Seattle a city that rewards side quests.
In this episode, we’ll cover:
- Ho...
Episode 143
There are many things people prioritize when visiting a new city, such as landmarks, restaurants, and museums. Me? I like to find the grocery store.
And my favorite one so far? Jungle Jim’s International Market in Cincinnati.
What started as a roadside produce stand in the 1970s has grown into a 200,000-square-foot international food playground complete with animatronics, a fire truck in the hot sauce...
Episode 142
Did you know there are real places across the United States where the world of Peanuts comes to life?
From the California hometown where Charles Schulz created the comic strip to a few surprising side quests across the country, this episode explores destinations where Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and the rest of the Peanuts gang still leave their mark.
In this episode of Pop Culture Passport, we’re followin...
Episode 141
Are Peeps a nostalgic springtime favorite… or just sugary packing peanuts? In this episode of Snack Society Snack Files, we’re diving into the surprisingly strange history of one of Easter’s most divisive treats. From hand-piped marshmallow chicks in Pennsylvania to scientific experiments, pop culture chaos, and our own Spring Break taste test, Peeps have a much bigger story than you mi...
Episode 140
Philadelphia is famous for its rich history, Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and its role as the birthplace of the United States.
But the Greater Philadelphia area also tells another story: one about the people who decided that culture, fandom, and everyday memories were worth saving.
In this episode of Pop Culture Passport, we explore quirky and fascinating side quests across the Philly region —...
Episode 139
Have you ever unwrapped a piece of hard candy and suddenly felt eight years old again?
In this week’s Snack Society: Snack Files episode, we’re diving into the surprisingly deep history of hard candy, from early American port cities to mid-century candy dishes and the iconic sweets that quietly shaped our memories.
In this episode, we explore:
- Gibraltar candy and early American sugar craft
- Roc...
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