Travelogue

Kickstarter has become the go-to space for travel gear innovation, hosting crowdfunded campaigns for inflatable hoodies, bags that actually keep you organized, and a travel jacket that'll hold everything from your iPad to your in-flight cocktail. This week we’re joined by Johnathan Webster, whose uber-successful Kickstarter campaign raised more than half a million dollars to fund a suitcase/duffle hybrid that we can't wait to get our hands on. Johnathan shared his thoughts on the Kickstarter model, his design process, and why he thinks crowdfunding is the future of travel gear.

Picture it: Windows down, a full tank of gas, and an endless expanse of highway in front of you—the road trip has remained a constant in the American psyche, and for some very good reasons. We talk about them with National Geographic photographer Jonathan Irish, who took a break from visiting all 59 American National Parks in 52 weeks to chat with us about what’s it’s like to be on the road (with an Airstream in tow) for a year, and which parks absolutely cannot be missed.

A few upstart European airlines have begun to offer mind-bogglingly cheap flights to Europe, cutting in on the big players' mindshare and making a play for younger travelers. Can it last? Will it change the transatlantic game? Air travel expert Barbara Peterson joins our panel to discuss. Plus, an exclusive on Richard Branson's reaction to this week's Virgin America sale.

This week, we hack travel for you. From booking to packing, points to luggage, curing jet lag to sleeping on planes — here are our secrets to lessening the pain of being on the road and getting more from your journey. Bonus: we take questions from our Facebook and Twitter fans and answer them during the podcast. It's almost like being there!

This week, we talk with special guest "Lauren B" (Lauren Bushnell), winner of the just-concluded 20th season of "The Bachelor" and, as it happens, a professional flight attendant. Lauren gives us the inside scoop on what it's like to fly for a living, the secret signals of crew members, how to make a flight attendant your best friend, and where she and Ben will be headed next.

Prices have dropped; air travel's been democratized; the number of people flying's more than tripled in the last 30 years. Also, seats are smaller seats and lines are longer. MUCH longer. We spend more time than ever in tight spaces with our fellow humans. The results can be grim - anything from shouting matches to outright brawls. Whose job is it to preserve civility in the skies, and why does it seem so hard?

This week the tech, film, and music worlds converge on Austin, Texas for the annual SxSW blowout. Between the talks, screenings, and stagecraft, though, attendees will have a chance to sample one of the most distinctive and fastest-growing cities in the U.S. We sit down with a couple of Texas natives to explore the secrets of this Lone Star state gem — sans sauce, of course.

It's March, and Spring is just around the corner. Thoughts turn to warmer climes — like Miami! We'll talk about why Florida's southernmost gem is resurgent, and what you should do when you go there this season. Plus, what travelers should be thinking of and planning for now that March has arrived, and what to look forward to in travel to Cuba this year.

New York Fashion Week: the shows, the street style, the snapchats! The chicest week of the year has just concluded, so for this episode, we decided to offer a glimpse into what it's like to attend. From our favorite runway shows to the best backstage moments, this week we talk all things style—and offer our theories on what the future of NYFW might be—with special guest Kristie Dash from Allure magazine.

Food is one of the main reasons we hit the road, so we wanted to know what the future of global cuisine might look like. We found 10 culinary talents making outsized impressions all around the world. This week, we talk about the list with some very special guests, including chef Elise Kornack of Brooklyn's Take Root, food writer Julia Bainbridge, and Matt Duckor of Epicurious.

Here it comes again: Valentine's Day, that most cliché-ridden, overmerchandised of holidays. The conventions of the "romantic getaway" are mostly stress-inducing buzzkills that don't deliver on either "romance" or "getting away." How can we get it right? For starters, how about not calling it a "romantic getaway" at all? This week, we talk about this and 26 other tips for hitting the reset button with your sweetie.

We take a deep dive on the story of the week, which could become the story of the year: Zika virus. The W.H.O. just sounded the alarm, travel advisories are in effect, and an action plan could come as early as next week. But what exactly *is* Zika virus, and how will it affect your travels this year? Plus, we look at the passport renewal crunch, the worst TSA checkpoints, and the psychological strain of overhead bins.

It's been a busy season for travel in the U.S., with low gas prices and competitive airfares getting travelers out and about. Our editors are no exceptions. This week, we get their reports from recent journeys to Baltimore, San Francisco, Charleston, Palm Springs, and Pittsburgh.

What's it like to travel with kids? Digital Executive Editor Maura Walters, our most imminent parent, sits down with some seasoned veterans for a glimpse of what's to come, from the practical to the existential, the spiritual to the mechanical, babyhood to teenagerdom and maybe beyond. Why do we do it? Has it changed the way we travel? Has it changed the role of travel in our lives? And what are the secrets to navigating travel with kids as your companions?

The first week of 2016 has delivered a full slate of travel news: new TSA regulations on the IDs you can use to fly; bans on checked bags; haute couture monument restoration; Brazilian visa suspensions; the differences between men and women during turbulence; and historic Scottish castles falling victim to weather. We talk about all this and oh so much more.