See America

Evel Knievel

Evel Knievel made the leap from rural county fairs to sold-out stadiums through a unique combination of bravado, determination, and promotional genius. He invented himself and his business, jumping, crashing, and miraculously recovering to promise even more outrageous stunts to come.

Alaska and the Aurora Borealis

Each winter, thousands of people descend upon Alaska in hopes of catching one of the most spectacular light shows on earth. Steeped in legends and myths that can be found in cultures throughout the world, these brilliant lights are one of our most majestic natural wonders, and certainly, one of the most highly photographed. Their presence gives a sense of the otherwordly to a state that already feels far removed from its 49 other brothers and sisters.

This week, Alaska and The Aurora Borealis: the Northern Lights.

The West Baden Springs Hotel

It's surely not a stretch for me to say that most people imagine that all the stunning major hotels in the US are in popular tourist destinations. But what if we told you one that has been called the 8th wonder of the world—an architectural marvel with nearly 250 exquisitely appointed suites, a world-class spa, 45 holes of championship golf, and an atrium dome that was once the largest in the world—is in a town called French Lick, Indiana?

America's Strangest Graves

Normally on this show, we take you to a single destination, but this week we're changing it up a bit. We're going to take a journey across the country to the final resting places of —some famous, some infamous, some completely unknown. These people all left their mark at the last possible moment, with some of the strangest tombs you'll find on earth.

Mark Twain's Hannibal

The Great River Road follows the Mississippi River’s length, on both sides, providing access to much of this beauty, mixed with the industrial history of America. We’ve covered several Mississippi river towns on this show - Minneapolis, Rock Island, St. Louis, Memphis, New Orleans - but there’s one town where you can get the quintessential Mississippi river experience. A town where much of the popular image of the Mighty Miss’ was born, home to Samuel Clemons, who would use a Mississippi River term to craft his pseudonym: the second mark on the line that measured depth signified two fathoms, or twelve feet—safe depth for the steamboat—Mark Twain.

 

Jack Daniel's Distillery

Jack Daniel’s may sound like a ubiquitous, mass-produced brand, but it’s always been made the same way, in the same place, the same way it was made by the man whose name is on the label.

America's First Bank Robbery

Many historians cite the first bank robbery in the United States as February 13, 1866 when associates of Jesse and Frank James robbed the Clay County Savings Association in Liberty, Missouri. If that date sounds way to modern, your history senses are keen. To find out more about the real first U.S. bank robbery you’d have to travel back to 1798, 68 years before Jesse and Frank James, and 1,127 miles northeast to the city of brotherly love.

This week, Carpenters’ Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Lizzie Borden

Lizzie Borden took an axe,

And gave her mother forty whacks; 

When she saw what she had done,

She gave her father forty-one.

Actually, the bordens received only 29 whacks, not the 81 suggested by the famous ditty, but regardless, Lizzie Borden’s alleged murder of her parents is one of the most famous murder trials in history. 

This week, on our special Halloween edition of the podcast, the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast / Museum, where you too can sleep if you dare, as the specters of Andrew and Abby Borden haunt the house.

Radio City Music Hall

New York City. The bright lights of Broadway shine on no less than 40 of the greatest stages on earth, and yet, one venue in the Big Apple outshines all others. This week, Radio City Musical Hall.

The Mall of America

Up until about 30 years ago, there wasn’t much that made the North Star State  — Minnesota — a destination for international tourists. It’s 10,000 lakes included. That all changed on August 11, 1992, when 10,000 people all had their first day of work in Bloomington, a suburb of the twin cities, at what would become one of the most popular tourist destinations in America, second only to Times Square. 

This week, the Mall of America.