Samantha Brown on Places to Love, Route 66, and the Travel Habits That Save You Money

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways

Episode: Samantha Brown on Places to Love, Route 66, and the Travel Habits That Save You Money
Date: January 7, 2026
Hosts: Sally French & Megan Coyle
Special Guest: Samantha Brown (Travel TV Host)

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Overview:

This episode kicks off the new year with a powerhouse guest—Samantha Brown—renowned travel television personality, best known for hosting “Places to Love” on PBS and formerly “Great Hotels” on Travel Channel. Sally French and Megan Coyle fan-girl over their travel idol while diving into topics ranging from discovering hidden gems, travel on a budget, the magic of Route 66, savvy points and miles usage, and the changing mindset of modern travelers. The conversation is personal, insightful, and packed with practical tips for maximizing your next adventure—whether you're solo, with family, or inspired by nostalgia.

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Episode Structure & Key Segments

1. [01:12] Hosts Catch Up—Personal Travel and Trends

• Megan’s update: Visited East Coast family, relaxed during winter break.
• Sally’s recap: Quick Oceanside getaway (kayaking, biking, Top Gun House turned pie shop—Hi Pie), trend toward nighttime light events at gardens and zoos (San Francisco Botanical Garden, Oakland Zoo’s GloFari).
• Observations: Zoos and gardens increasingly create dynamic, family-friendly winter experiences.

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2. [05:16] Introducing Samantha Brown

• About Samantha: Breakout host of “Great Hotels,” now on Season 9 of “Places to Love.”
• Season Announcement: Places to Love Season 9 premieres January 9, featuring Route 66 during its centennial year.

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3. [06:11] Samantha Joins - Deep Dive into Travel Philosophy and Route 66

3.1 [07:11] Ted Drewes Frozen Custard (St. Louis)

• Sally asks for Samantha’s review:

  “A concrete is just this extra, extra thick ice cream shake...You can tip it upside down and nothing's going to spill out... it was outstanding. And I love the history of the place.” —Samantha Brown [07:11]

3.2 [08:28] Finding Authentic, Affordable Travel Eats

• Samantha’s tip:

  “You go to the main shopping street... and then you just explore the side streets, the peripheral streets, because that's where the locals are...on the parallel streets you’re going to find the more local spots.” [08:28]

• Key takeaway: Travelers should duck off tourist corridors for richer, often cheaper, experiences.

3.3 [09:37] Chasing Hidden Gems—Anecdote of Zurich

• Found a badminton hall with a quirky honky-tonk bar attached, showing “something more unexpected about the local, everyday life” [11:36].

3.4 [12:28] Modern Travel Trends: Post-COVID Shifts

• Samantha observes that travelers are genuinely seeking local connections and supporting small businesses, a sentiment heightened by pandemic experiences.

  “We all tried to do everything we could to make sure that our community came out of it okay.” [13:57]

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4. [14:29] Affordability and Destinations

• Samantha aims to dispel the myth that travel is only for the privileged.
• About budget travel in "A-list" destinations (Vienna, Budapest):

  “We make sure we balance that actual trip, getting there, with what you do while you're there.” [14:55]

• Example: Found a Vienna café pairing retirees with millennials for intergenerational community—a cheaper, authentic alternative to grand cafés.

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5. [17:16] Splurging and Saving—Budget Priorities

• Samantha’s splurge: Hotels in good locations (especially near parks, for families).

• Never flies first class, does “poor man's first class” by booking hotels for early morning arrivals so she can check in straight away.

• Food:

  “I rarely spend a ton of money on food...I don't really value the high end culinary experience anymore.” [18:01]
  Prefers local street food.

• [19:13] Megan suggests using hotel points for early arrival hacks; Samantha loves the idea, but Megan cautions: inform the hotel about late arrivals to avoid no-shows.

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6. [23:41] Points, Miles, and Flexible Strategies

• Samantha: “Sometimes” uses points—main obstacle is job-mandated inflexibility.

  “A lot of my travel is not flexible at all... we're booking travel maybe two weeks before we leave. And within that window, it's just not, not possible.” [23:48]

• Sally shares: Points/miles redemptions best at 11 months or 1-2 weeks out.

  “Still check. Sometimes they open up award seating.” —Sally French [25:18]

• Samantha appreciates tip: Book “protected” flights with miles during uncertain periods, as miles can be easily refunded if you don't fly.

• Caution: Don’t book two overlapping flights on the same airline—airlines may cancel duplicate itineraries. Use different carriers for true backup [27:42].

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7. [27:51] Social Media vs TV—Samantha’s New Era

• Social is for “play,” candid advice, and personal voice, unlike the reverent TV vibe.

• Viral tip: Board last with kids for flights—avoid stress and extended time in seats; sparked heated debate among followers.

  “When you use a pre board with young children, you're actually boarding at the worst time...wait till the very last person...and walk on.” [28:50]

• Packing:

  • Sally is ultra-minimal (“just a backpack”); Samantha checks bags and advises always packing essentials in a carry-on, just in case.

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8. [32:22] Loyalty, Lounge Life, and Airports

• Samantha is loyal to Delta (from JFK), her husband to United (ex-Continental roots); they even travel separately as a safety move.

  “If my husband and I are traveling on business together, we take—I take Delta, he takes United...I don't want to go to Newark, New Jersey...” [32:36]

• Samantha is not a lounge devotee; prefers to stay mobile at airports.

• Admits ongoing travel anxiety:

  “Knowing that everything could go wrong...whether it's traffic...getting through security...I travel with my crew...with 26 cases of professional gear...we get to the airport...five hours before...” [34:49]

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9. [36:22] The Infamous Audition Flight – Memorable Anecdote

• Samantha nearly missed her Travel Channel audition flight at Washington Dulles; emotionally appeals to the pilot to get on board.

  “Get on the plane, Sam...And the pilot gave me a thumbs up...” [38:47]

• Dulles remains her least favorite airport (“Never flown through again”), but her favorite is Tampa, Florida [39:21].

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10. [40:01] Value for Money—When to Splurge, When to Pass

• Most valuable trip: Dream journeys with aging parents—“put it all on a credit card” for lifetime memories.

  “Time is everything...” [40:19]

• Least value: Destinations like Dubai/Abu Dhabi feel over-curated, less authentic (“put into a very certain pathway”), wishes to visit Oman instead [41:05].

• Places to Love Season 9 recommendation highlights:

  • Tulsa, Oklahoma: Young, forward-thinking, fantastic local food initiatives (Mother Road food court).
  • Flagstaff, Arizona: Great hiking, cool temps, university vibe.

  “Two great cities, small cities...the people of Tulsa, I just got them right away...Flagstaff is a great city...the hiking was phenomenal...” [42:30]

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11. [45:57] Filming Route 66—Behind the Scenes

• Meticulously pre-planned; crew always scouts and times everything in advance.
• Road trip production allows less spontaneous detouring than viewers might imagine.

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12. [46:21] Hot Takeoffs—Samantha’s Travel Prediction

• Travelers will increasingly seek under-the-radar spots, as over-tourism and crowds become less appealing:

  “We're exhausted by the crowds, the prices, and we're going to be traveling to places that no one really knows about...we want to be in connection with human beings in a way that AI can never give us.” [46:21]

• Sally echoes: “Oman is one of those places.” [47:03]

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Notable Quotes & Highlights

• “Things don’t have to be off the beaten path. They just—you didn’t know to look there, right? You didn’t know to make that turn.” —Samantha Brown [08:28]
• “Affordability is the filter which everything comes through.” —Samantha Brown [14:55]
• “We all tried to do everything we could to make sure that our community came out of it okay.” —Samantha Brown [13:57]
• “I want to see and be a part of a culture.” —Samantha Brown [41:07]
• “We're exhausted by the crowds, the prices, and we're going to be traveling to places no one knows about.” —Samantha Brown [46:21]

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Tips & Tactical Advice Recap

• Explore parallel/side streets for authentic, budget-friendly experiences [08:28].
• Balance splurges (like hotels in good locations) with savings (flights, food) [17:16].
• Use points for “protected” or backup flights, especially when travel disruptions are possible [25:36].
• For early morning flight arrivals, book the hotel for the night before (pro move: use award nights or “fifth night free” benefits) [18:01, 19:13].
• Inform hotels about late arrivals to avoid no-shows when using these hacks [20:03].
• Families with young kids should consider boarding flights last, not first [28:50].
• Always pack essentials in a carry-on, even if you check bags [32:04].
• Consider airline-branded credit cards to save on checked bag fees [32:22].

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Conclusion & Takeaways

This episode distills Samantha Brown’s deep, joyful approach to travel—one that values community, serendipity, affordability, and cultural connection above status or luxury. The conversation sparkles with practical wisdom, memorable stories, and actionable tips, making it an essential listen—or read!—for anyone hoping to travel smarter in 2026 and beyond.

Catch "Places to Love" Season 9 on PBS from January 9, and keep following Smart Travel for more advice.

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Timestamp Index for Key Segments:

• [01:12]—Hosts’ travel updates & trends
• [05:16]—Intro to Samantha Brown
• [06:11]—Samantha joins, Route 66 focus
• [08:28]—Finding authentic, affordable food
• [09:37]—Hidden gems in Zurich story
• [12:28]—Changing travel trends post-COVID
• [14:29]—Affordability and destination selection
• [17:16]—Splurge-vs-save decisions
• [23:41]—Points/miles usage, booking tips
• [27:51]—Social media tips, boarding with kids
• [32:22]—Packing, loyalty, lounge life, airports
• [36:22]—Travel Channel audition airport story
• [40:01]—Value of bucket-list trips, destinations to skip
• [42:30]—Insider recommendations: Tulsa & Flagstaff
• [45:57]—Route 66 behind the scenes
• [46:21]—Hot take: Escape the crowds, seek lesser-known places

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Summary prepared to inform and inspire both veteran travelers and those planning their next getaway!

Transcript

[Sponsor/Announcer]

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[Sally French]

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[Sponsor/Announcer]

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[Sally French]

Megan, who is your number one favorite public figure in travel?

[Megan Coyle]

Sally, you already know the answer. It's Samantha Brown, yo.

[Sally French]

I agree. Many of us know her from her days on the Travel Channel, where she hosted numerous shows. I was a huge fan of Great Hotels. In fact, I was such a huge fan that when I was younger, I actually brought a photo of Samantha Brown into my hairdresser and I was like, please make me look like Samantha Brown.

[Megan Coyle]

No way. That's iconic that you got a Samantha Brown haircut.

[Sally French]

I am a real fan, Sally.

[Megan Coyle]

We get to talk to her for real today on the show.

[Sally French]

We are starting off the year strong with our best guest ever.

[Megan Coyle]

Welcome to Smart Travel, a deep dive into the tips, tools and tactics to maximize your travel dollars. I'm Megan Coyle.

[Sally French]

And I'm Sally French.

[Megan Coyle]

And we're the travel nerds ready to help you plan your next big trip.

[Sally French]

Happy New Year, everyone. And we just came off a nice winter break. So, Megan, I need to know any big trips for you over the past few weeks?

[Megan Coyle]

Not much. I did go home to see my family and my friends and also went to see my boyfriend's family and friends. So, yeah, it was just a lot of hanging out on the East Coast. What did you do?

[Sally French]

Okay, well, you did travel. If you went to the east coast, which is much farther than I went. I went down to Oceanside in Southern California, which I got say is an amazing city. I had never been before. It is a quick train from San Diego. There is even a free shuttle from the San Diego airport to the train station. And I gotta say, I hate driving. And so it was amazing to have this weekend in Oceanside. Everything is walkable. I did kayaking, I did biking. And did you know they had the Top Gun house in Oceanside, which you can see for yourself.

[Megan Coyle]

Oh, my gosh. Is it real? Like, is it where they actually filmed something?

[Sally French]

Yeah, yeah, it's a real house. They actually moved it. There's this whole history, and now there is some Top Gun memorabilia inside. But it is a pie shop. It is called hi Pie. And this is my favorite thing is I feel like in travel there's this trend where everyone wants to get the biggest, the baddest, the best dessert. And then suddenly we have these milkshakes that are like $20 and they're bigger than your whole body. So the hi Pie, they have these little tiny pies. They are only 3.50, so you can get multiple if you want. But I love just a little taster. I was a huge fan of high pie.

[Megan Coyle]

Oh, my gosh. Should we have those pies at Costco? That sounds right up there with a 150 hot dog.

[Sally French]

Ooh, yes.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

I love it.

[Sally French]

This was a little pie. And then I will say the other thing I did close to home is I went to multiple of these nighttime light events. I feel like I see these more and more. They're at zoos and gardens. So I actually went to two. I went to one at the San Francisco Botanical Garden. I gotta say, it was only.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

Okay.

[Sally French]

It was, first off, $38. And it was also so crowded, I almost was like, God, should they charge more? Because it's so crowded? But it was already really expensive. But then the other one I went to was at the Oakland Zoo. It is called Glofari. And they bring in these lanterns. They're made by a Chinese company, so they're kind of like Chinese lanterns. But the zoo people design the style of the lanterns. So there was an area that was, like, bigger than life bugs, and there was coral under the sea. And then the craziest, they had a whole theme of lanterns that looked like Oakland. There was a giant Bart lantern. If you know, you know, so amazing. And I feel like this is a new trend, is all these nighttime light events to give new life to destinations that they're not just a daytime destination, they're a nighttime destination.

[Megan Coyle]

Oh, yeah. I mean, I've been going to the National Zoo Zoo lights in Washington, D.C. for years, and. Sounds very similar.

[Sally French]

Yes.

[Megan Coyle]

You know, actually, my favorite holiday display is at the Botanic garden in Washington, D.C. they make these replicas of all of the monuments in Washington, D.C. out of plants completely.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

Whoa.

[Sally French]

Is it a nighttime thing or daytime thing?

[Megan Coyle]

It's. I think it's mostly daytime.

[Sally French]

Oh, daytime.

[Megan Coyle]

But I love it because it's all lit up and, like, I had no idea that artists could do this with, like, plant material. It's like watching Project Runway but with plants.

[Sally French]

Yeah. Yo. This is a feature is. Is turning botanical gardens and zoos into something more. So I'm so excited for what 2026 has in store.

[Megan Coyle]

And the best thing about 2026 is already happening. Today we got an incredible interview with our idol, Samantha Brown. She's a travel icon. Sally, why don't you tell us a little bit more about her?

[Sally French]

Well, you know, Samantha is one of the most recognizable faces in travel television. If you listen to the show, you probably know her. If you don't know her, that's okay. She got her big break on the Travel Channel. She had multiple shows. As I mentioned, Great Hotels is a classic these days. She's best known for hosting hit PBS series like Places to Love. Over the years, she has helped millions of trav travelers feel more confident exploring the world. I love her vibe. She's so warm, so approachable, and in fact, Places To Love Season 9 premieres on January 9, so you have to tune in to PBS to watch. But for now, tune into our chat, where she gives some surprising takes on airline loyalty. And she has a very intriguing favorite.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

Airport.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah, I think that one's gonna surprise people. Here's our conversation with Samantha.

[Sally French]

Samantha Brown. First off, happy New Year. Thank you so much for joining us.

[Samantha Brown]

Welcome.

[Megan Coyle]

Thank you.

[Samantha Brown]

It is my pleasure. Happy New Year to you as well.

[Sally French]

I think it is safe to say Megan and I have been huge fans of your shows. We started watching Travel channel in the mid-2000s, and you are our number one.

[Samantha Brown]

Thank you very much. Thank you.

[Sally French]

You have not stopped. You are now on season nine of your show Places to Love, which airs on Friday. So congrats on the launch of that.

[Samantha Brown]

Thank you very much. It's like having a child every single year for the last 10 years and I already have twins. So it's just, it's a.

[Sally French]

So this season you journey along historic Route 66 that coincides with the mother road's 100th anniversary. And it looks like you start off in St. Louis. You go to tedrews for their frozen custard concrete. Now, I went to college in Missouri and I have eaten my fair share of tedrews. So I have to start off this interview with the most important question. What is your review?

[Samantha Brown]

I mean, it's delightful, right? A concrete. And everyone's like, what's a concrete? Like, you get it right away. It's an ice cream, you know, it's a milkshake. In the new. In New England we call them fraps. And that throws everybody off too. So I feel like there's some potico in that. But a concrete is just this extra, extra thick ice cream shake that you can tip upside down and nothing's going to spill out. You've got about what, 10 minutes in a hot summer to do that. But I got the graham cracker because I mean, again, it's just this old nostalgic taste of ice cream in this place that's been open as long as the mother road itself. And so I went with an old time taste of graham cracker ice cream. And I think I put a malt in there as well just to seal the deal. But it was outstanding. And I love the history of the place and just the idea that families and baseball teams and football teams and college students and elementary school kids have been going there for generation after generation. These are the, these are the businesses that we want to support and travel. Right.

[Sally French]

I love that. It's a great business and it's a really affordable place. I think so many spots that we see highlighted in travel are these big fancy restaurants, Tedros. Like many of the places you visit, it's just a roadside stand. It's something that viewers can actually afford to go to. How do you find these places?

[Samantha Brown]

You know, it's, it's, it's interesting. I, we have this sort of tactic wherever we travel, whether it's Barcelona, Spain or in, you know, Portland, Maine. And that is you go to the main shopping street where everyone goes and then you just explore the side streets, the peripheral streets, because that's where the locals are. They rarely go to that main street because that rarely really represents that visitor, that tourist. And so the prices are high because real estate is high, but it's on the side. And the parallel streets that you're going to find the more local spots. So wherever we go, we do this walk, just this kind of scout around where everyone tells us to go, and then we get a much more richer local experience. Experience. So I always like to say, you know, things aren't. Things don't have to be off the beaten path. They just. They're just. You didn't know to look there, right? You didn't know to make that turn. And so we try to make that turn for you and shine a light on those businesses.

[Megan Coyle]

What are you looking for when you are on the off the beaten path, per se, and you see a little storefront or you see a little restaurant?

[Sally French]

What.

[Megan Coyle]

What kinds of things are you following to find these hidden gems?

[Samantha Brown]

Megan, that's such a great question, because after 25 years of doing this, it's still just this gut reaction. And so I'm definitely not consulting any guide, even though I love guides and love Instagram influencers and love their. I just, like, I want to feel it. And a really great example of that is where we just did. Zurich is a part of season nine. And this is my husband, by the way, but he was doing a pre pro, but we're in this together, and he does a major pre pro for our show. So if our show has eight segments, he scouts 15 to 20 different places, but he always leaves time to wander. And he was wandering off, you know, just side streets and kind of kept wandering, maybe walking back to the hotel. And he found this business that was just like, oh, my gosh, it was a badminton hall. So it was like, where these, like, really serious badminton people played. But it was attached to a honky tonk bar. And in the honky tonk bar, you know, with pictures of Dolly Parton and, and, and, and. And just all big country stars. There was also a Swiss singer singing, you know, I, I don't ski and I don't, you know, I don't yodel and I don't own skis. And this sort of, like, country west. And we found this, like, niche group of people in Zurich because in Zurich, you only think of, like, banking. It's a little like, it has this boring reputation of just being like a. And yet it has such a great personality. And then that's when we think we nailed it, right? This has to be in the show because it exposes something more unexpected about the local, everyday life lives of the people who live in that place. So that's what we're really looking for, Megan, is what are those businesses that aren't just, oh, like, quirky or different. It's just. This shows us a side of the people and connecting to people in this place.

[Sally French]

I love when you find those random gems in those places. Something totally unexpected, because you're right. Zurich. I. I've never been to Zurich, but it seems very, very clean and very official. But I love it.

[Samantha Brown]

Very buttoned up, right?

[Sally French]

Yeah, exactly.

[Samantha Brown]

No one has any fun there. No, but they do, and they have a lot of it, so it's great to uncover that.

[Sally French]

Yeah.

[Megan Coyle]

Except when they're playing badminton. You know what I mean? Did you get a game in while you were there?

[Samantha Brown]

I did, and they had me paired up with, like, the Swiss champion. I' what are you doing? So I'm like, I play this in the backyard. You know, I don't. But. But anyone could go, and it's this great business. Anyone could go and walk in and play badminton and then saddle up to the bar, which actually has saddle stools. And it was. It's owned by this guy who just loves America. He loves country music, and he. He's done Route 66 himself. And so it's this great little niche, you know, But. But again, represents something bigger than.

[Sally French]

One of the things that we notice is always this idea of changing travel trends. Right now we see trends like sustainability and wellness. On your end, have you noticed travelers demanding specific things from their trips that are different now versus maybe 10 years ago?

[Samantha Brown]

Yeah, I think we've really leaned into the whole travel, like a local, where that felt like a nice buzzword that everyone kind of liked, but no one really, really wanted to do. And I think Covid changed that completely because we, ourselves, as people, had to become so isolated and really just in our own neighborhood, not even like our own city or town. Right. But you started to become very aware of what you had access to, whether it was a really beautiful hiking trail or this artist who made pottery that lives right down the road, but you didn't know it, and now you're supporting that artist, you. And I think after Covid, everybody got it, like, hey, we could just take what we did, which was so special because we were in a community effort of survivance. Right. Of making sure our businesses survived. We can take that same attitude and go anywhere in the world with that. I think Covid made us a smaller world in that sense. We all went through the same thing at the same time, and we all tried to do everything we could to make sure that our community came out of it okay.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

And.

[Samantha Brown]

And that warrants a lot of respect. And so there's this Common ground that we kind of all have. I certainly had it as I started traveling outside of COVID when it was finally okay to travel, feeling this feeling that, wow, we just all are on the same page right now. That might not be where we are right now, but it got us to a good start of really understanding how important it is not just to say, hey, I want to go where the locals go, but. But why you want to go with the locals. And that is because you want to support local and small businesses.

[Megan Coyle]

One thing you mentioned was accessibility. Like during COVID you're realizing how much you have access to. And part of that is the pricing aspect of it.

[Sally French]

Right.

[Megan Coyle]

Like, do you have enough money to be able to go to some of these far off places and have that local experience? How do you think about the affordability of some of the destinations that you're going to? And what do you look for in terms of making recommendations for people?

[Samantha Brown]

Yeah, we always. Affordability is the filter which everything comes through. I think when I started this, I was in my late 20s and I really thought that travel was for privileged people. People privileged with money, time, but most importantly, confidence. And so in my years of travel, I've tried to take away all three of those to show that everyone can and should travel. And so the way we kind of tackle it is if we are, if we are in sort of what we call an A list destination, whether it's Vienna or Budapest or these places that people dream of going to their entire lives, we make sure we balance that actual trip, getting there with what you do while you're there. So in Vienna, so to say, you know, the joy is going to these big cafes, this cafe culture that was born of an empire right now, these cakes and. And there it's lovely. But we found a cafe that is run by retirees and millennials. And so they got together. It's called Val Pension, which I think is pension. So it's what they get in retirement, what someone gets as their retirement pay. And these millennials were moving to Vienna for the first time and. And they were lonely and they missed their parents and their grandparents. It was a really isolating experience. Experience. So they said, well, the other big generation that feels really isolated are the boomers. So let's do a business model where we put these two together. So the millennials, this cut, these three. This three. Three people started this company and then they have all retirees bake all the baked goods and they get their name on the baked good and then they also wait on tables and they, they, they scold you for being on your phone and we should be talking and all of a sudden this cafe and has this different, different mission altogether which is to bring people together. So we try to find like what, what is that big exalting experience. And so we'll try to have that but then we'll always counterbalance it with just like what normal people do.

[Sally French]

Yeah. Now I, I remember from your great hotels days you did highlight some fabulous hotels that I wish, wish I could stay at. And sometimes splurging is fun. Where are the areas, Samantha, that you do like to splurge when you travel?

[Samantha Brown]

I would say the hotel and its location. And that's where I'm going to spend most. And it might not be necessarily right in the center of it all, but for me it's near a big public park. So if I'm traveling with my family, then we've got a park to go to because I have young kids, a nice easy bar or restaurant to enjoy. We do not spend it on flights. We fly economy.

[Sally French]

I've never flown first class, so I'm pro economy. I know. I support you economy lifestyle.

[Samantha Brown]

It saves you money. And, and then I, we do, I do something called what I call poor man's first class. If we fly economy and we're, you know, arriving at 7am I book a hotel for the night before.

[Sally French]

Yeah.

[Samantha Brown]

So as we get in we can check in so, and then shower and that sort of thing. So we kind of splurge in that area. But it's not nearly as much as, you know, first class would be. But I, I rarely spend a ton of money on food. I don't really value the high end culinary experience anymore.

[Sally French]

I love a good street food that's so much better. Give me a chicken skewer on the street.

[Samantha Brown]

Exactly. That is where we save a lot of money and just feel like you're with the locals. I mean I live in New York City. I don't spend any time in what you call corporate restaurants and we have so many and sure they're amazing, but that's a $500 charge right there. So I don't really value that.

[Sally French]

Just give me a Ted Roos a little, a little cheap ice cream and I'm good. I do love that you value the hotels because I think that also goes into a location. Often the best hotels are in the best location and I often save so much money doing that because I'm now able to walk places. I don't need to mess around with a car and I'm in the center of everything. I'm getting so much more value out of my time when I'm traveling and time is something that you can hardly pay for. So I, I like a fancy hotel for that reason is is really the location that comes.

[Megan Coyle]

I also love the tip about staying the night before. I've started doing that after all the red eye flights. And I figured out a way that you can make points work for you in this situation because some hotel programs let you book a like fifth night free or fourth night free, depending on the program with points. So I will often use that fourth or fifth night free as like my way to get that, you know, the evening before your red eye flight as a free night. So I love doing that, writing that down.

[Samantha Brown]

Megan, what I should do because I listen to Nerd wallet.

[Megan Coyle]

Speaking of that, I've never thought of.

[Samantha Brown]

That, but yeah, that's a great idea.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

Yes.

[Sally French]

Some hotel programs let you do that. Hilton is one of those that offers a fifth night free. Not all of them, but some of them do.

[Megan Coyle]

I just did this in Sydney with Marriott. We booked a hotel. But you do have to be careful, Samantha. Maybe this has happened to you. If you don't tell the hotel that you're coming a little bit later, they might mark you as a no show and then you've lost your room for that night. So that happened to me recently.

[Sally French]

Call in advance and tell them you will be arriving.

[Megan Coyle]

Maybe call them a couple times.

[Samantha Brown]

I was gonna say leave it like if you're able to put a note on your reservation online and then follow up with a call with the front desk desk saying I will be there.

[Megan Coyle]

Exactly.

[Sally French]

We're going to take a quick break. Much more with Samantha Brown in a moment. Stay with us.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

The following is a paid sponsorship, not an endorsement by NerdWallet's editorial team. Today's episode is sponsored by Bilt. It is 2026 and if you are still paying rent without Bilt, it might be time for a change. BILT is a loyalty program for renters.

[Sally French]

That rewards you for what is usually.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

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[Sally French]

Today's episode is sponsored by Quince Sally.

[Megan Coyle]

Every time we hop on the mic lately you are bundled up as if you're podcasting from inside a walk in freezer. Is everything okay up there in San Francisco?

[Sally French]

No Megan, it is not okay. It is so cold here. I think Mark Twain would have to update his line about the coldest winter he ever spent being a summer in San Francisco. Because you know what my dude? This winter beats it. It is so cold.

[Samantha Brown]

Yikes.

[Megan Coyle]

You know what you need Sally? A really warm quince cashmere SWE sweater. I always pack mine when I'm traveling in the winter. It is so soft it elevates every look even if the only clean clothes I have left are my airplane pants. And the best part? My quince cashmere sweater was only $50.

[Sally French]

You know I gotta say I have been eyeing those stylish Mongolian cashmere sweaters. They feel first class but for economy prices. But I will say I'm a fan.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

Of their Italian wool coats.

[Sally French]

I've been wearing my non stop. It is tailored, gorgeous and soft enough that I actually enjoy being outside in 40 degree fog. And because the quality is so good I do not feel guilty buying P that will last longer than my New Year's resolutions.

[Megan Coyle]

Especially nice when we're all trying to pack smarter look put together and not freeze while waiting for public transportation in a foreign country. I was so glad I had my quint sweater when it snowed on my very first day in Korea.

[Samantha Brown]

Ooh.

[Sally French]

Well if you like us are trying to stay warm and cute this winter, Quince is the move.

[Megan Coyle]

Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Don't wait. Go to quince.com smart travel for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns now available in Canada too.

[Sally French]

That's Q U I n c e.com SmartTravel to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com SmartTravel Samantha, you've visited over 65.

[Megan Coyle]

Countries, you've traveled more than 2.5 million miles. Tell us, do you use points and miles at all?

[Samantha Brown]

Do you? Sometimes.

[Sally French]

Terrible.

[Samantha Brown]

I don't, I don't understand your universe. And that's why, Sally and Megan, I listen to nerd wallet and props to you. I actually was looking for a specific, like I need to learn more about this and I did my research and I found you and I love it that you are also women. So I always like to support women in this business, but I'll use them to maybe put myself on an upgrade list to, you know, if I book economy to upgrade, sometimes we can use them when we're booking family travel, my husband and I, but a lot of my travel is not flexible at all. And I am booking it at a time where points and miles are no longer available to me because of that inflexibility. So it's not, not out of like, you know, just total ignorance. It's. It's just the way my job works. We're, we're booking travel maybe two weeks before we leave. And within that window, it's just not, not possible.

[Sally French]

Yeah. We do find with points redemptions, often there will be a lot of availability 11 months out, and then there will be a lot of availability one or two weeks out. But anywhere between the 2 and 11 month window often is really difficult. So there will be people who will be checking really, really far out and then get nothing and then it's such a bummer and then you just gotta hold tight and see if something's available. It's risky, though.

[Samantha Brown]

Okay, so Sally, you're telling me one to two weeks, I should still check?

[Sally French]

Still check. I actually was in Italy and I had a flight canceled on me and so we had to completely book a new flight. And Lufthansa availability was there, even though when we booked the flight initially, maybe two or three months out, there was no Lufthansa availability. So do go back and check. Sometimes they open up award seating.

[Samantha Brown]

Okay.

[Sally French]

But it can be tricky. You're right. You're not alone there in feeling that way.

[Samantha Brown]

And the other tip that you passed on to me that I thought was really, I never even thought of this was during the whole shutdown, which happened at a time where most people were planning their holiday. Holiday trip. So it really, you know, put everybody sort of in a, a really bad position. But just this, because I was traveling during the shutdown and the idea of using your points to book a protected flight. Right. So just like this, this is kind of like Phantom flight that's out there that you are booked on, use miles. So when you don't use it, the miles just go right back into your account and you haven't put down any real money for that flight. I thought that was great. Yeah.

[Sally French]

One of our other favorite tips is that many flights, especially if you book in basic economy, the cancellation policy is so brutal. But many airlines, they are more flexible. If you cancel and you've booked on miles, you can often just cancel those flights, get your miles back. I just booked a United basic economy flight and it said no cancellations. But if you book on miles, that's. That's the secret hack. So it's always nice to have a stash of miles in there so you can have a little more flexibility.

[Samantha Brown]

One thing I was worried about, and maybe you or your listeners can give me advice, I got worried that, hey, if I'm, say, leaving on Monday during the shutdown at 7am and I book like a protected flight for like the Same day at 3pm does the airline, and maybe it's the same airline. Does the airline. Well, it has to be. See that I am actually booked on two flights the same day and cancel one. Like, I got worried about that. Like, I'm still like that. Do Gooder. I'm like, I don't know.

[Sally French]

They're probably not going to like that.

[Samantha Brown]

Or does it have to be a separate airline to kind of further protect you against the airline going, wait a minute, like the, the, the computer system saying she's booked on two flights the same day. That's impossible. We're just going to get rid of this one.

[Sally French]

Some airlines will do that because they say it is impossible for you to do both of these flights. It does depend on the airline. But I always book on two different airlines. Once I was impacted by that big Southwest meltdown, so I was like, you know what? I got to. I got a United flight also. So there's one Southwest and one United.

[Megan Coyle]

You can't put all your eggs in one basket. You know what I mean? So it's one doesn't work out, you gotta have a completely different option.

[Samantha Brown]

Got it.

[Megan Coyle]

All right, Samantha, I want to talk to you about your social media presence. Now, I am loving all of the TikToks, the Instagram Reels. How has filming those kinds of videos been different from filming the television you've been doing for years?

[Samantha Brown]

I love it. I feel like it's where I get to play a little bit more. You know, Places to Love is really about reverence and respect and Fun, but still, I really make sure that the person and the experience that I'm with is sort of elevated. And social media is where I can just be me and I can have fun. And so it's. It's just a great outlet and give my great tips that I've sort of acquired through so many, so many years. So it's a nice counterpoint to places to love, that's for sure.

[Megan Coyle]

Have there been any videos that surprised you at how well they did or how much they resonated with people on social media?

[Samantha Brown]

Yeah, there's been a few where, like, whoa, you just. You have no idea. I think I did a quick. I did a quick reel and I looked terrible. I was with my kids and I was just talking about how I use the pre board and that when you use a pre board with young children, you're actually boarding at the worst time. It's kind of the worst tactic to go before everyone else, because the pre board and the boarding process is the most stressful point of any plane trip. And you're sitting on that plane now for 45 minutes more because that's usually the boarding time. Process the time. And so if you wait till the very end and you have to have two parents to do this, or two caregivers and split like, one uses the pre board to load everything in and then the second caregiver waits. And this is what I did when my kids were, you know, two and under. We waited till the very last person of the very last zone was called and we walked on. My husband had the car seats all ready, the kids got in their, you know, their seats, and the plane took off on time and it was within, you know, 10 minutes. So I just think that that's a great. And then, of course, that became controversial and. And there were people who, you know, the, the gate agent wouldn't let them do that, which I just. And then I had gate agents actually said, absolutely, we would let you do that. We know exactly what you're doing. And this is.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

Right.

[Samantha Brown]

And so it just, you know, you love it when, like, people get involved. It becomes this, like, you know, a travel fight club.

[Sally French]

People have the wildest opinions about boarding.

[Samantha Brown]

Yes, exactly.

[Sally French]

I love the tip that you want to board with your kids last. I. I don't have kids, but I. I am a little kid and I need to. I need to be the last person on the plane because I can't sit still either. So, yeah, I'm the one pacing around and I'm like, waiting for them to call Sally French. Sally French. The plane is. The door is closing. And then I'm like, all right, I will get on. Because I don't really understand people who want to be first on the plane. I want to be last because I'm the little kid who can't sit still.

[Samantha Brown]

And you also. But you also have a carry on, Sally. I know. That changed everything. Okay.

[Sally French]

Yes. I only do backpack only. I'm a super light packer. I'm like a deranged packer. Like, wow. If I could have no bag, like, just put my phone in my wallet in my pocket and that's it. That would be ideal.

[Megan Coyle]

Wait. Samantha was so horrified when she thought you were check in only.

[Sally French]

I'm just. No bags.

[Samantha Brown]

I. I was gonna commiserate because I'm. I, I check bags.

[Sally French]

Yes.

[Samantha Brown]

I hate carrying on. Oh, it's lucky, because I. I live in New York City, so I have three airports that will get me direct to anywhere. And if I'm not flying direct is the only time I'm worried about my bags not making it even internationally. I don't worry about. I always bring a carry on because I have my safety, you know, that's why not. You have it. You're allowed it. But I check a bag, and I'm usually gone for two weeks at a time, so I'm never just gone for, like, two or three days.

[Sally French]

Yeah, you need stuff for two weeks. I do think that checking bags is so underrated. The stress of trying to fit your bags in the overhead bin, it is too stressful. And not enough people acknowledge that carry on is, is can be a lot.

[Megan Coyle]

But, you know, you could lose your luggage like I did earlier this summer, and you would really wish you had your carry on.

[Samantha Brown]

Yeah, yeah, it's true. Like, no matter what, have, like, either your backpack or a carry on with those essentials for the next two days. You need, like, at least underwear and a toothbrush, and you're. You're fine. Exactly. Whatever, you know, life throws at you. But. Yeah. So I am not. I'm not a carry on or die person at all.

[Sally French]

Well, we can give you a tip. I don't know if you have an airline credit card, but if you want to save money on your checked bags, many airlines will cover the cost of your checked bag fee if you have an airline branded credit card. So that's one of our favorite ways to save money.

[Samantha Brown]

Nice. Exactly. Great.

[Megan Coyle]

Wait, are you loyal to a certain airline, Samantha, or.

[Samantha Brown]

Yeah, I'm. I'm a Delta girl. Okay. And that, that's Just because I'm mostly out of jfk and that's where I built most of my miles. But my husband's a United. Continental. I should say a house. Yeah. OG and Continental and so then became United. And so we, between the two of us. And we also, if we're with our families or, I'm sorry, if my husband and I are traveling on business together, we take, I take Delta, he takes United. And that's one a safety not to have our kids have both parents on one plane. But I think it's because it's our swole. I'm like, I don't want to go to Newark, New Jersey. I want to stay in, you know, in New York City.

[Sally French]

People think I'm wild because I don't want to sit next to my husband on the plane, but I love that you're just completely on a different plane.

[Samantha Brown]

See you there.

[Sally French]

See you there.

[Megan Coyle]

I do the thing where we sit one aisle and one window and there's someone in between us. And then, like, it takes people like three hours into a five hour flight to realize that we know each other. We're like, this is better that way.

[Sally French]

Yeah, exactly. You're a Delta fan. Megan and I are also Delta fans, and we are in particular Delta airport lounge fans. Have you ever been to a Delta lounge?

[Samantha Brown]

Definitely. Yeah.

[Sally French]

Okay.

[Samantha Brown]

Of course. Yeah. Do you have a top opened up? Yeah, I think I, you know, I spend most of my time at the LaGuardia Airport lounge because that was a new one and it's really nice. I will put like a little bit of a, like, just throw things out. I'm not really a club person, and I know that surprises me. I don't like to be locked in a space. Space. I, I'll head in, maybe get a cup of coffee, something free, head out. And I like to wander. I, I don't like to be too far from my gate. I still like to be close to my gate. I'm still a bit anxious when I travel, and I feel like the club will just give me the same experience on the plane of sitting down. So I, I, I move. I like to move.

[Sally French]

You sound like you'd like to get your steps in, which we here at this show really appreciate.

[Samantha Brown]

Yeah, yeah.

[Megan Coyle]

Wade, I want to ask more about. You travel so much and you still feel a little bit of anxiousness when you're at the airport. Where do you think that comes from or why?

[Samantha Brown]

From pure experience, just knowing that everything could go wrong. Everything, everything could go wrong. And, you know, whether it's traffic In New York City, getting to the airport, whether it's getting through security, just anything at any time can go wrong. Also, when I travel with my crew, I'm with eight other seven other people, and we have, wait for it, 26 cases of professional gear. That is just the cases. And then we have our luggage on top of that. And so when we are traveling together, which is rare because we're all coming from different parts of the United States, we get to the airport because they have to go through customs and they have to. They have a carnet that has all of their. And it's this whole. And that could be our stuff. So we get to the airport, because we're a team, a good five hours before the boarding time or the flight. And let me tell you how many times we cut it close even there. And obviously, there's other things at. But my main lesson from that is that even when I've gotten to the airport that early, there's always things to do, there's always work to get done. Or I could go for a walk. I could go shopping. I could choose new perfume at duty free. You can always. You can always use that time. Being late to a flight is one of the worst experiences in the world.

[Sally French]

Have you ever missed a flight?

[Megan Coyle]

Wait, no. We need to hear how you almost missed your flight for your auditions. Tell us the story.

[Samantha Brown]

The. It was Washington Dulles. I don't know if you've ever flown through Washington.

[Megan Coyle]

That is one of my home airports. I'm from Washington. Yep, Yep. Looks like it's from Star wars, but it's also from, like the 50s. I don't know.

[Samantha Brown]

It's crazy. It's this moving lounge on wheels that take you from. Is the only way to get from one terminal to the next. And so that almost. I missed my flight. So I was coming late in from LaGuardia, and I had five minutes to make my flight, and I got onto one of those people movers, which literally goes this slow. Sweating buckets, Sweating buckets. And so that people mover got to the next terminal, and I'm running, and I am running so fast that I just think I'm going to throw up. But I get to the gate and I'm like, is that the flight to Jacksonville? And there's no one there but one gate agent. And they're like. She's like, yeah, but they called, you know, final boarding, like five minutes ago. But go down. Go down the Jetway, see if they'll take you. And so it was actually one of those flights where you kind of walk out onto a tarmac. It was a jet.

[Sally French]

Oh, yeah.

[Samantha Brown]

You know, it doesn't lead you right to the door. And so now I'm just like out on the tarmac. I mean, you know, in that area. And I see. I see a plane. So I walk towards it and. And this man's like, whoa, whoa, whoa. Where do you think you're going? And I was like, is that flight to Jacksonville? I'm supposed to be on that flight. And he's like, no, you're not. And he points to his, you know, his clipboard. He says, I just called it. No one gets on the flight. And I just lost it. And I just started bawling and, you know, just like hyperventilating. I'm just like, you don't understand. Like, I've been waiting on tables for eight years and I really think I could get this job, but I need to get on that flight. And he kind of like, he's like, hold on. The pilot is the only other person who can let you on. I will ask him, wait here. And he looked at me, he's like, don't move. Like, yeah, yeah, yeah. And so I see him, and it's about a hundred feet away. And he walks up at this stairway and I see him come into the cockpit. And just like a voice in my head, and I've never heard that voice again because again, I'm a do gooder. I follow the rules. But this voice just said, get on the plane, Sam. Get on the plane. And I picked my bag up and I ran and I put myself under the nose of the plane and I just went, please. And the pilot and both men are just like, staring. And the pilot gave me a thumbs up.

[Sally French]

Amazing.

[Samantha Brown]

Let me on the flight. And. And literally I was like, I got the job.

[Sally French]

You gotta ask. You always gotta try. Shoot your shot.

[Samantha Brown]

You've gotta do it. You gotta do it. So, yeah.

[Megan Coyle]

And that was for your Travel Channel auditions?

[Samantha Brown]

Yes, yes. That was 26 years ago. 27 years ago. It was the. The audition was down in Jacksonville, Florida, and it was for the show called Great Ho, Great vacation Homes, which was before Great Hotels.

[Sally French]

I love that. So do you now have a top and worst airport?

[Samantha Brown]

Washington Dulles. I've never flown through again.

[Sally French]

Oh, ouch.

[Samantha Brown]

Never.

[Sally French]

Never.

[Megan Coyle]

Samantha, I will tell you that there's not a ton of people move action there anymore. They built a train. It's a lot smoother.

[Sally French]

I don't know.

[Samantha Brown]

I don't know.

[Sally French]

Maybe we go check it out. Megan will give you A tour.

[Samantha Brown]

I feel like they should welcome me. Maybe they could take me around or something like that. Like, things have changed, Sam. And then my favorite airport is Tampa, Florida. Tampa is a great airport. And Tampa's a great city. I've been going there for, like, 15 years. The airport is outstanding. So really love that airport. Shout out to Tampa.

[Sally French]

Shout out Tampa. I've never been. We'll have to go check EPA.

[Samantha Brown]

Yeah.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

Yeah.

[Sally French]

So here at NerdWallet, we love to talk about money. What trips do you think are really worth every penny? Have there been trips that you've been on where you said, I should have saved some money or my time, which is also a currency?

[Samantha Brown]

Yeah, I think. I think the. The trip that is worth it is the trip that you have always wanted to take, especially with your parents, who maybe are aging. Maybe it's their trip that they've always wanted to take. And time is everything, like you said, Sally. And so that is the only type of trip that I would say put everything on a credit card. Even if I couldn't afford it, I would want to make sure someone I loved, my parents, were able to go to a place that they've always wanted to go. So I think no matter what, that type of trip is always worth it. Then there are other trips I don't. You know, I've been to, like, Abu Dhabi, and I know that's the new big thing.

[Sally French]

They're building a Disney park there. Great.

[Samantha Brown]

Good for them. Good for them. But I. And I love. And the only reason, like, Abu Dhabi and then what's Dubai? And these places that are just sort of like, putting out there, this kind of theme park. Like, why build a Disney World when it already is its own theme park? And I feel like you're one. You're traveling super far. And I don't know if I'm really getting a real culture. I feel like I'm being put into a very certain pathway, and this trail I cannot deviate from. And I have been to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and I've enjoyed it. I don't know if it's worth it. I don't know if it's worth just being in awe of what engineering can do. I really want to see and be a part of a culture. So I've, like. I've always wanted to go to Oman, because that just sounds really lovely, and it's so boring.

[Sally French]

Oman is my favorite country. You have to go to Oman.

[Samantha Brown]

So you've been Sally.

[Sally French]

I have. And I was gonna say I had to do a stopover in Dubai for one day. And I was like, oh, no, there's a Cheesecake Factory and a Shake Shack.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

That's all.

[Sally French]

I was like, I did not fly 36 hours to go to Shake Shack. Yes. But I did fly 36 hours to go to Oman. It is beautiful. You have to go. Circling back to places to love. Your new season is coming out on Friday. Is there a destination on this particular season where you left thinking, everyone needs to know about this and go here?

[Samantha Brown]

Tulsa, Oklahoma. Oh, I loved it. And I'm gonna throw in another one. Flagstaff, Arizona. Two great cities, small cities. And I'm a big fan of the smaller city. I call them B sides. Like records. You're too young for records. But when A45 came out, like, the A side was the hit and then the B side was this lesser known song, but still a great song. And I just thought, the people of Tulsa, I just got them right away. They just are. It's a young city. It understands its history, it's remembering it, and it's kind of going on to being who it wants to be, which is a more youth driven, sort of forward thinking city. And there's just great things we did there. And there was a great food court called the Mother Road food court, which is all about, like, bringing people in who don't have access to creating restaurants and getting them money and incubators to create more. And there was just a lot happening. And then Flagstaff is a great city. There's a. I believe there's a university there. And that always makes a really good city because there's a lot going on. There's a youthful energy as well. But the hiking was phenomenal. And it's not hot. You are. I forget what the elevation is, but you're high up. So where. Arizona has this reputation of being sort of unbearably hot during certain times of the year. It's like 10 to 20 degrees cooler there. So just really lovely for that outdoorsy person who still wants that city fix. That's a great destination. So those are the two that I really was like, wow, I'm coming back. And we're just doing an episode here because being there for one to two days was not enough.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

Wow.

[Megan Coyle]

Shout out.

[Sally French]

Tulsa and Flagstaff. And Tampa, of course.

[Samantha Brown]

And Tampa, exactly.

[Megan Coyle]

And just to give us, like an idea of you and your team filming this season, this season is all about Route 66. So. So do you guys have like a caravan of cars and vans? And then like you said, you like to wander. Are you just like, oh, I'm gonna make a right turn here and everyone else is just gonna follow me. How does that work?

[Samantha Brown]

Yeah, with, with Route 66. And I love it. I can tell you're from that area because it's route there. And I was like, oh my gosh, am I spelled? Am I pronouncing it wrong the entire time? No, we say route. You can say. We say route, you can say root. But no, with, with. It actually made it a little easier to create because we are only staying on Route 66. And so that is the through line. That is physically the through line, mentally, emotionally the through line of the show. And. And I don't think we veered off at all. If not, you know, if you're in the city, you're kind of going, you're exploring the city, you don't have to be right on Route 66. But it has to be so unbelievably planned, especially a road trip filming one, because you are checking in and out of hotels every single day. And it's just, you have to meet your, you know, meet the timings there. There isn't a lot of wiggle room through that. But we always do a pre pro. So my husband, who's the executive producer of the show, or my director, director Sylvia Kaminer, they went out and they do it like two months before we arrive with cameras and they do the entire route and meet the people who we may or may not meet, but make sure that the show is really buttoned up. So it's a very, very professionally implemented schedule that especially with the road trip, we can't veer off of just because of timing.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah. I think viewers would have no idea how much work goes into all of the production and filming for these shows. It's incredible. Okay. At the end of every interview, we ask our guests for a hot take based on travel. It's a special segment we have called Hot Takeoffs. Samantha, do you have any hot takes on travel?

[Samantha Brown]

Hot takes on travel? I think people are going to be much more interested in where no one else is going. I think we are done with the over touristed, look at me, pick me destinations. We're exhausted by the crowds, the prices, and we're going to be traveling to places that no one really knows about that are unheralded, but they're going to get even more attention than say, Brooklyn, New York, because that is where people's attention and mindset of travel is going towards. We want to be in connection with human beings in a way that AI can never give us. And we know that the places that we want to go to are not the places we've necessarily have heard about.

[Sally French]

I'm telling you, Oman is one of those places. So yeah, exactly. We'll make it happen.

[Samantha Brown]

I'm putting it on the list. Season 10.

[Sally French]

Thank you so much for joining us here on the Smart Travel Podcast Listeners watchers, you can check out season nine of Places to Love. It airs on Friday, January 9th. Check out that episode one with Ted Drews. I'm excited to see you eating that custard.

[Samantha Brown]

It has been such a pleasure. It's great meeting you. I've been listening to you for a long time. Keep up the great work.

[Sally French]

Thank you so much.

[Megan Coyle]

Thanks Sam.

[Sally French]

And there you have it. Thank you again to Samantha Brown for being so generous with her time joining our show. Make sure you tune into her show that is season nine of Places to Love. It airs on PBS on January 9th. And make sure to follow our show if you don't already.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

That's Smart Travel.

[Sally French]

You can hear it on your favorite podcast app, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeartRadio. That way you can automatically download new episodes episodes. And if you are listening on Spotify or watching on YouTube, you can drop a comment on this specific episode right there.

[Megan Coyle]

This episode was produced by Tess Viglin and edited by Nick Karisimi. Claire Sosi and Hilary. Georgie helped with fact checking and we.

[Sally French]

Got to do that brief disclaimer. We are not financial or investment advisors. This info is provided for general educational and entertainment purposes. It may not apply to your specific circumstances.

[Megan Coyle]

We hope that you're inspired to keep your passport full and your wallet even fuller. Thanks everyone. Happy New Year.

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