We all go through hard times in our lives. Whether it’s a tough breakup, losing a job, or losing someone you love, these are experiences that change our paths in unexpected ways.
When you pair those changes with a little thirst for adventure, then what we do to mark these changes can become an event in itself.
Pilgrimage offers us a literal path through the hard times. It’s a rare time-out that allows us to take space, process our feelings, and shift into the next phase of who we’re becoming.
Today, Angie Orth welcomes actor, director, and award-winning travel writer Andrew McCarthy.
You might remember him from the “brat pack” hits Pretty in Pink and St. Elmo’s Fire. These days, he’s equally acclaimed for his travel writing in publications like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Atlantic, Time, and Travel+Leisure. He joins us today, live from the Dallas Travel Show, to share his experiences walking the Camino de Santiago, recounted in his most recent book Walking with Sam: A Father, a Son, and Five Hundred Miles Across Spain
You’ll learn what defines a pilgrimage, and what makes these experiences so transformative for people. You’ll hear about McCarthy’s first solo journey on the Camino, and what it was like for him to share the same path with his son decades later. You’ll also learn how to plan and what to pack if you’re ready to embark on your own pilgrimage of self-discovery.
What You’ll Learn:
Resources:
AAA Interview: https://www.ace.aaa.com/publications/travel/international-destinations/andrew-mccarthy-spain.html?zip=90266
Connect with Andrew McCarthy:
Website: https://andrewmccarthy.com/
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/andrewtmccarthy
X: https://twitter.com/andrewtmccarthy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndrewTMcCarthy
Connect with AAA:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aaa-auto-club-enterprises
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Male Room with Dr. Jesse Mills
As Director of The Men’s Clinic at UCLA, Dr. Jesse Mills has spent his career helping men understand their bodies, their hormones, and their health. Now he’s bringing that expertise to The Male Room — a podcast where data-driven medicine meets common sense. Each episode separates fact from hype, science from snake oil, and gives men the tools to live longer, stronger, and happier lives. With candor, humor, and real-world experience from the exam room and the operating room, Dr. Mills breaks down the latest health headlines, dissects trends, and explains what actually works — and what doesn’t. Smart, straightforward, and entertaining, The Male Room is the show that helps men take charge of their health without the jargon.