Via Podcast

Episodes

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  Ghost Hunting in Haunted Hollywood: Spot the Black Dahlia, Marilyn Monroe, and the Starlet Who Haunts the Hollywood Sign 08.10.2026 44m

  Here’s your star map to haunted Hollywood: On this tour of Tinseltown, you might spy Marilyn Monroe’s ghost in a mirror, sense the Black Dahlia in the Biltmore Hotel elevator, and smell the perfume of the 1930s starlet who still lingers near the Hollywood sign.
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  Where Day of the Dead Truly Comes Alive: From a Candlelit Island in Mexico to a Skeleton Parade in Austin, Texas 24.09.2026 29m

  Day of the Dead is a celebration of life, and folklorist Rachel González-Martin knows where the liveliest festivities are—from the world’s largest Dia de los Muertos parade in Mexico City to a dazzling skeleton ball in Austin, Texas.
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  Weirdly Wonderful Museums: Ancient Computers, Curious Scents, and a Poozeum 11.09.2026 36m

  Pack your curiosity. Atlas Obscura’s cofounder Dylan Thuras takes us on a tour of the West’s quirkiest museums. Together, we’ll encounter zombifying fungi, the world’s largest collection of fossilized poop, and a little cottage where you can sniff ancient tinctures.
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  Coast Through Skate Culture: From Outlaws to the Olympics 19.08.2026 35m

  Grab your grip tape and get stoked for an intro-to-skateboarding road trip. Learn how the pastime born of teen angst in the ‘60s grew into a respected Olympic event—and visit the West Coast skate spots that shaped its most famous athletes.
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  Dive into Mermaid Magic: From Underwater Cancan Shows to Kitschy Tiki Bars 07.08.2026 31m

  Sporting a sparkling sky-blue tail, Rachel Smith goes to work every day as a professional mermaid. It turns out, mermaids like her swim all over the West—if you know where to find them! In this episode, Smith dives into the colorful past and present of a cultural movement that dates back to the early 1900s.
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  The Native Food Revival: Chef Crystal Wahpepah Shares Her Favorite Native Dishes and Where to Try Them 23.07.2026 39m

  Taste the stories, history, and energy behind modern Native American cuisine with Chef Crystal Wahpepah. Her own journey reveals the complex and emotional connections between Native cultures and foods, which heal communities, preserve ancestral ways, and express a deep love for the land.
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  Searching for Sasquatch: History, Hoaxes, and the Hunt for a Camera-Shy Hominid 09.07.2026 39m

  Break out your night-vision goggles and join the hunt for Bigfoot, as our hosts explore the history, lore, and cultural impact of the elusive cryptid and its tireless devotees.
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  The Great Wolf Comeback: The Real Story of Their Remarkable Return 25.06.2026 34m

  Forget the big bad wolf. Wildlife biologist Diane Boyd has spent nearly 50 years matching wits with gray wolves in the Montana wilderness—and she’s here to shift your perspective on these clever canids.
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  Discover the Real Route 66: A Murderous Zookeeper, a Secret Stairwell, and Feral Donkeys Galore 11.06.2026 34m

  At 100, Route 66 is still one weird and wild ride. Buckle up as we motor to a zoo gone wrong, a town ruled by donkeys, and a 2,000-year-old pueblo with a secret stairwell that thwarted the conquistadors. Turns out, this legendary highway holds more than just vintage kitsch.
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  Best of Season 2: Ghosts, UFOs, and Rodeos 30.09.2025 32m

  Ghost stories aboard the Queen Mary, UFO run-ins near Area 51, owl calls that fool actual birds, and the cheesiest scoundrel. Join hosts Mitti and Michelle as they relive season two’s wildest moments and dream big for season three.
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  Haunted Hotels You Can Visit — and the Ghosts Who Never Checked Out 15.09.2025 55m

  Phantoms, pranks, and plenty of ghostly gossip: The hosts of National Park After Dark take us to the historic hotels where legends, landscapes, and restless spirits meet.
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  Adventures with the World’s Best Birder: In Your Backyard and Beyond 21.08.2025 49m

  Noah Strycker is the Indiana Jones of birding, willing to brave jungle heat and Arctic cold just to spot that rare bunting, owl, or hawk. In 2015, in a quest that spanned 41 countries and all seven continents, he set a world record by finding more than 6,000 different kinds of birds—more than half the bird species on Earth—in a single year. But, as Noah explains in this episode, searching out our feathered friends doesn’t necessarily require epic treks across the globe. Sometimes birding is as simple as keeping your eye on a backyard feeder or taking a mindful walk in the woods. It can also be a great part of any road trip in the West, from the canyons of Arizona to the Bering Strait. Noah regales aspiring birders Mitti and Michelle with tales of his own greatest birding adventures and offers tips for anyone who wants to embark on one of their own. Destinations we visit: Madera Canyon, Arizona Point Reyes, California Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, California Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon Nome, Alaska St. Lawrence Island, Alaska Colombia Guyana  Birds we observe: American robin Bald eagle Barred owl Choco toucan Great horned owl Harpy eagle Northern pygmy owl Ptarmigan Puffin Red-tailed hawk Ringed kingfisher Sandhill crane Snow goose White-throated sparrow Yellow warbler Guest: Noah Strycker is a writer and photographer based in Eugene, Oregon. He has written several bestselling books, including Birding Without Borders: An Obsession, a Quest, and the Biggest Year in the World and The Thing With Feathers: The Surprising Lives of Birds and What They Reveal About Being Human. He is also the associate editor of Birding magazine. He’s been called a “Travel Pioneer” by the BBC and “Birdman of Razzmatazz” by Newsweek. Noah has an especially soft spot for penguins, which he's observed and researched on nearly 50 expeditions to Antarctica. Via Podcast is a production of AAA Mountain West Group.
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  Dive Into Hawaii Surf Culture: Catch a Wave Where Legends Roamed 07.08.2025 35m

  Tourists visiting Hawaii from the mainland might look out from the beach at the surfers riding the waves, and think it’s all just part of the tropical scenery. But to native-born Hawaiians, those surfers signify a whole lot more. They’re living links to the history of the islands. They’re echoes of an era when Hawaiian royalty had their own private breaks off the same beach. They remind them of when Duke Kahanamoku rode a single wave for more than a mile on Oahu’s south shore. And even of a time when Hawaiians first arrived in the islands after sailing from Tahiti. That’s how deep its roots are. Join us as we explore those roots with Mindy Pennybacker, author of Surfing Sisterhood Hawaii: Wahine Reclaiming the Waves. We talk about the history and culture of surfing in Hawaii, but also her own evolution from bookworm to seasoned surfer, the best places for beginners to learn, and why she thinks surfing in California is inferior. (The short version: Cold water, kelp, and great white sharks.)
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  Join a Literary Joyride: 2 Writers, Beloved Bookstores, and Jack London’s Ghost 24.07.2025 38m

  Join literary powerhouses Tommy Orange and Kaveh Akbar on their West Coast book tour. The two best friends share their favorite indie bookshops, contemporary Western writers, and unconventional creative sanctuaries.
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  Hop on the Cheese Trail: Views, Moos, and One Cheesy Scandal 02.07.2025 36m

  Join us “whey” out West as we cuddle baby goats, sample award-winning Brie, and unwrap Monterey Jack’s unscrupulous origins on the coast’s tastiest route. Whether you’re a casual snacker or a hardcore curd nerd, this one’s worth savoring.
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  The Black Rodeo Boom: Beyoncé’s "Cowboy Carter" Was Just the Spark 12.06.2025 40m

  From Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter to rising rodeo stars, Black cowboy culture is having a moment. Saddle up for a ride into the community’s vibrant heart, including L.A.’s star-studded event, a “showdeo” in Portland, and the Compton Cowboys’ ranch.
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  Where to Savor the West’s True Flavor: From the Best Al Pastor Tacos to Truffle Garlic Noodles 05.06.2025 37m

  Get ready to crave truffle garlic noodles, sumac-spiced chicken, and other mouthwatering dishes as Chef Preeti Mistry digs into why the San Francisco Bay Area is the most exciting, flavor-packed, and deliciously diverse food scene in the country.
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  Close Encounters with UFO Hot Spots: Area 51, Roswell, and the Great ET Road Trip 19.05.2025 39m

  The truth is out West! Explore Roswell’s infamous crash site, an alien watchtower, and Area 51’s eerie back gate on our latest out-of-this-world road trip.
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  The Southwest’s Wildest Outdoor Art: From Lightning Fields to Sun Tunnels 02.05.2025 30m

  Forget the Louvre. ​​Buckle up for a rugged ride to see colossal land art—including an installation inside a volcano—with Atlas Obscura’s Dylan Thuras.
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  Via Podcast: Bonus Episode 11.10.2024 19m

  Join Michelle and Mitti for one last bonus episode, where they reflect on where they’ve been on this first season’s journey through the American West.