Send us a text

Episode 131

Heading to the Finger Lakes, Niagara Falls, or even Buffalo? Don’t skip Rochester — this city’s full of side quests you didn’t know you needed.

In this episode, we’re heading to Western New York for a quirky detour through Rochester — a city that’s quietly cool, full of history, and packed with creative surprises. From legendary guitar stores and speakeasies to living art galleries, this stop proves you don’t need to travel far to find something extraordinary.

In this episode, we’ll cover:

• House of Guitars & Record Archive: Two legendary music stops with stories (and vinyl) for days.
• Marge’s Lakeside Inn & The Blind Pig: Dive bars, speakeasies, and cocktails with a side of local lore.
• Clock of Nations & ArtisanWorks: Nostalgia, reinvention, and immersive creativity in motion.
• Bonus Sip Stops: Favorite breweries and casual hangouts to round out your Rochester road trip.

If you love discovering destinations with heart and history, this episode will have you adding Rochester to your next Western NY adventure.

You ready? Let’s roam.

Get the free Roaming Yeti Bingo Card!

Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram.

Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti

Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next.

Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us a text

Episode 130

What were your favorite travel moments this year — the unexpected discoveries, weird details, or hidden gems that stuck with you?

In this final episode of 2025, I’m taking a look back at some of the quirky and cool destinations that weren’t in Los Angeles (shocking, I know). From ghost stories and blue ice cream to offbeat art museums, these moments stuck with me in the best way.

Plus, I’ll share what’s coming in 2026 — including a big year for the Snack Society, more Pop Culture Passport episodes, and a growing audio tour project that I’m really excited about.

In this episode:

• My Top 5 favorite travel moments outside of LA — including Gettysburg, Rochester, and EPCOT
• A nostalgic trip to Kings Island, complete with Smurf-blue ice cream
• My unofficial Country Bears Easter egg hunt inside a dark ride
• What’s next for the Roaming Yeti Snack Society in 2026

You ready? Let’s roam.

Links & Resources:

• Explore Snack Society blog posts. https://theroamingyeti.com/category/journal/snack-society/
• Sign up for the Roaming Yeti newsletter to get the Snack Society Field Agent Journal in January. https://theroamingyeti.com
• Listen to the Haunted Frederick Ghost Trail podcast. https://theroamingyeti.com/haunted-frederick/

Get the free Roaming Yeti Bingo Card!

Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram.

Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti

Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next.

Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us a text

Episode 129

What was your go-to candy in the 80s — and why do those flavors and wrappers still feel so nostalgic today?

In this episode, Beth sits down with Jason Liebig, one of the country’s top nostalgia experts and the self-described Indiana Jones of snacks. Jason is a brand historian, packaging archivist, and behind-the-scenes consultant for hit shows like Stranger Things, Mad Men, The Goldbergs, and more.

Together, they dig into the sweet, surprising world of 1980s candy — from iconic favorites like Nerds and Fun Dip to long-lost treats and the stories behind the wrappers.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How Jason went from Marvel Comics to building the largest candy-packaging archive in the U.S.
• Why the 1980s were a groundbreaking decade for candy innovation
• How real packaging helps make shows like Stranger Things feel so authentic
• The wild evolution of Fun Dip, Pixy Stix, Big League Chew, and more
• An incredible story about a rare Kit Kat wrapper that survived World War II

Whether you grew up in the 80s or just love a good pop culture deep dive, this episode is packed with nostalgic fun and fascinating behind-the-scenes details.

You ready? Let’s roam.

Follow Jason on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/collectingcandy/

Get the free Roaming Yeti Bingo Card!

Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram.

Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti

Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next.

Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us a text

Episode 128

Did you know there’s an entire trail of Santa-themed parks across the U.S.—some dating back more than 75 years?

In this festive episode, I unwrapped a twinkle-lit road trip through America’s Santa Parks — the vintage theme parks, roadside attractions, and holiday wonderlands that keep the Christmas spirit alive all year long. From the snowy streets of Alaska’s North Pole to the retro reindeer rides of New England, each stop tells a story of nostalgia, creativity, and pure joy.

In this episode, you’ll visit:

• Santa’s Workshop in North Pole, New York — one of the world’s oldest Christmas parks
• Santa’s Village in Jefferson, New Hampshire — a cheerful, old-school family favorite
• North Pole: Santa’s Workshop in Colorado — where Christmas meets the Rockies
• Santa’s Land in Cherokee, North Carolina — part petting zoo, part holiday time capsule
• Santa’s Wonderland in Texas — a modern, Texas-sized celebration
• Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana — America’s very first theme park
• North Pole, Alaska — where Christmas lights meet the northern lights

Whether you’re a theme park enthusiast or just someone who thinks twinkle lights should be a year-round thing, this episode is your invitation to find a little magic off the beaten path.

You ready? Let’s roam.

Get the free Roaming Yeti Bingo Card!

Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram.

Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti

Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next.

Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us a text

Episode 127

What happens when Disney builds a brand-new park… and it flops?

When Disney California Adventure opened in 2001, critics called it everything from “underwhelming” to “a state fair with better landscaping.” But two decades later, it’s one of Disney’s most beloved parks — home to Cars Land, World of Color, and Avengers Campus.

In this episode, I’m tracing the park’s incredible transformation — from a cost-cutting experiment to a storytelling triumph.

We’ll explore:

• The unbuilt dream of WestCOT, the futuristic EPCOT-style park that never was
• How Superstar Limo became Disney legend (for all the wrong reasons)
• The billion-dollar rebuild that gave us Buena Vista Street, World of Color, and Cars Land
• And what’s next for the park as DisneylandForward brings new worlds like Avatar and Coco to life

Disney California Adventure is a story of second chances — proof that sometimes, the best magic comes from a creative do-over.

You ready? Let’s roam.

Get the free Roaming Yeti Bingo Card!

Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram.

Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti

Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next.

Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us a text

Episode 126

Ever walked into a hotel lobby and felt a strange sense of déjà vu?
Maybe it’s the chandeliers, the marble floors… or the feeling you’ve seen this place before, like in a movie, a show, or even a Taylor Swift video. In Los Angeles, some hotels don’t just host guests, they host entire worlds.

In this week’s episode, we check into some of LA’s most cinematic hotels to uncover how these iconic spaces became part of Hollywood’s story — from early Academy Awards banquets to modern music videos and everything in between.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• The Hollywood Roosevelt, where the first Oscars were held, and Marilyn Monroe found her first modeling job.
• The Chateau Marmont is Hollywood’s most secretive hideaway and the setting for countless whispered legends.
• The Hotel Figueroa, built by women, for women — now a showcase for LA’s artistic reinvention.
• The Langham Huntington, Pasadena’s elegant chameleon, transforms into locations around the world on screen.
• The Millennium Biltmore, a cinematic icon that’s hosted Ghostbusters, Pretty in Pink, The Dark Knight Rises, and Taylor Swift’s “Delicate.”

From golden-age glamour to modern pop culture, these hotels reveal how Los Angeles continues to reinvent itself — one film, one guest, and one unforgettable stay at a time.

You ready? Let’s roam.

Get the free Roaming Yeti Bingo Card!

Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram.

Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti

Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next.

Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us a text

Episode 125

Would you explore a town where the residents left long ago — but the spirits never did?

This week on Pop Culture Passport, we're taking a road trip through America’s eeriest and most intriguing ghost towns. These aren’t just abandoned buildings and dusty streets — they’re places where legends still echo, and the past feels just a little too close.

In this episode, I’ll take you to 8 ghost towns with fascinating backstories, haunted legends, and quirky revivals. From forgotten mining camps to fully restored roadside attractions, each stop offers a different kind of spooky magic.

If you're a fan of the eerie, the historical, or the just plain weird — this one's for you.

You ready? Let’s roam.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Bodie, CA
• Rhyolite, NV
• Centralia, PA
• Jerome, AZ
• Bannack, MT
• St. Elmo, CO
• Terlingua, TX
• Calico, CA

Get the free Roaming Yeti Bingo Card!

Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram.

Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti

Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next.

Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us a text

Episode 124

What if you could walk into a room filled with real props, costumes, and behind-the-scenes treasures from The X-Files?

In this episode, I interview Kelly and Jim, the dedicated collectors and co-founders of the X-Files Preservation Collection in Saratoga Springs, NY, the only museum in the world solely focused on the groundbreaking series.

This episode dives deep into fandom, preservation, and the personal stories behind one of TV’s most iconic shows.In this episode, you'll hear:

• How a binder of trading cards launched a lifelong mission to preserve The X-Files
• The museum’s journey from private collection to public space
• What it takes to verify and acquire authentic, screen-used items
• The emotional connection fans have when they step inside
• Kelly and Jim’s favorite finds and holy grail dream pieces

If you’re a believer, you don’t want to miss this behind-the-scenes look at how two fans built a world-class tribute to The X-Files legacy.

You ready? Let’s roam.

More info on the blog.

Visit the museum or take a virtual tour: https://xfilespreservationcollection.com/

Watch interviews with cast and crew on their YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@XFilesMuseum

Follow them on social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xfiles_museum/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/XFP1013

Get the free Roaming Yeti Bingo Card!

Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram.

Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti

Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next.

Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.