Wanderlust Wisdom: Samantha Brown’s Ultimate Travel Secrets

• Samantha Brown’s travel program, “Samantha Brown’s Places to Love,” is making a comeback for its eighth season, commemorating her 25th year as a travel television host.
• Brown contemplates how the internet has democratized travel, rendering it accessible to a broader audience.
• She highlights the significance of personal bonds during travel, putting more value on engaging with locals than merely visiting attractions.

Travel specialist Samantha Brown’s journey has been a unique adventure.

After attending college for musical performance, Brown relocated to New York City to chase her acting dreams. “This meant I spent a good eight years waiting tables while going on auditions,” she recounted to USA TODAY. One of those auditions was for the Travel Channel series “Great Vacation Homes,” which she landed in 1999.

Brown is celebrating 25 years as a travel television host with the upcoming season of her Emmy-winning show, “Samantha Brown’s Places to Love.” The eighth season premieres Friday on PBS, taking her from German cities like Berlin and Leipzig to Traverse City in Michigan and North Carolina’s Crystal Coast, among other places.

USA TODAY spoke with Brown prior to the debut to discuss how travel has evolved throughout her quarter-century career, the community lessons she has learned, and why travelers should not rush to baggage claim after arriving at an airport.

This discussion has been shortened for brevity and clarity.

Inquiry: Throughout your 25-year journey, in what ways do you perceive the travel field has transformed?

Response: It’s a world apart. When I embarked two and a half decades ago, we, of course, had the internet, but it wasn’t as integrated into our travel experiences. I didn’t even journey with a laptop; instead, I traveled with a thesaurus as I was the show’s writer. I needed alternative words to stimulate my creativity so I wouldn’t repeatedly say “quintessential” or “quaint.”

However, I believe the internet has truly democratized travel in numerous ways, making flights more readily accessible. It empowered individuals with direct access to flights instead of relying solely on travel agents. It seemed that the travel agency sector held a monopoly on available opportunities, but the internet has opened it up to everyone. (That) doesn’t imply that trip planning is any simpler, showcasing the expertise travel agents bring to the table. You can easily get lost in a sea of information nowadays. Nevertheless, anyone can journey.

In the past, I perceived travel as a privilege reserved for those with finances, time, and confidence. With the emergence of the internet, YouTube, and social media, you now observe various types of travelers. There are budget explorers or individuals showcasing a greater diversity than what I represent, and instantly travel feels more achievable, illustrating how dramatically things have changed.

I realize selecting favorite spots is incredibly challenging, but I was curious if you have any particularly memorable journeys?

Even today, I still adore China … I believe I visited in 2007, just before the significant 2008 Olympics. The Great Wall, the Forbidden Palace, and the Summer Palace were absolutely breathtaking. Furthermore, I truly appreciated the people and relished getting to know them and our differences.

Many of us are familiar with Europe. We grow up learning about European history, which is intertwined with American history. … Being in Europe challenged much of what I knew, or in instances where I wasn’t knowledgeable, I felt like an uninformed American. However, China profoundly expanded my perspective. In many ways, I felt like a child discovering the world anew.

and simply relish it, and no individual was going to question, “Why are you unaware of that?” Thus, I cherished that sensation.

And then I would mention in the United States, to bring it home quite intimately, Santa Fe, New Mexico. It’s my absolute favorite city in this country. … It’s such a merger of Native American and Spanish influences and cultures. I’ve completed four distinct series there, shows, episodes, and then I brought my mother and my sister on different trips. So that’s the city I’ve revisited, not solely for professional motives, but for personal ones.

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So much of ‘Places to Love’ centers on the individuals that constitute a location. What insights have you gained about people and communities and their significance in travel through the show?

I have discovered that it revolves entirely around the personal connection. That’s, to me, what travel embodies. I began to care less about the landmarks and the castles, the cathedrals because they always keep you tethered to the past. However, when engaging with individuals, you are more present – and perhaps looking toward the future – as you get to interact with what’s unfolding currently.

When I initially embarked on (the Travel Channel show) “Passport to Europe,” it was more about checking off the list, you know, the monuments, the museums, and the artwork to observe. That actually left me feeling somewhat isolated as a traveler, personally. I didn’t feel consumed by the travel bug when that was the emphasis. But now, with my own show and being in charge, it’s entirely people-driven because they profoundly influence how a place resonates with you.

You’ve mentioned that you prefer to feature locations that aren’t necessarily the major, prominent travel spots. What constitutes a suitable setting for an episode of ‘Places to Love’?

Certainly, there needs to be activities occurring. We avoid remote areas where nothing is taking place. Thus, we explore smaller cities.

They have additional elements that perhaps people aren’t immediately aware of. For instance, in Huntsville, Alabama, it’s NASA and this remarkable hub of science and space exploration. Yet, it’s also an economical place to reside, which attracts artists as well. … So there must be affordability (and) I would speculate a high quality of life for the residents who currently inhabit that area. That instantly transforms it into an excellent travel destination because they foster that.

I always suggest if you’re merely searching for yourself, something quick within a two-hour radius of travel, seek out independent bookstores. That will serve as a beacon for other wonderful shops, cafes, and restaurants. If that town or small city supports an independent bookstore, it should be on your itinerary.

Over these 25 years, I presume you’ve gathered some wisdom from your own journeys. If you have any top travel advice, what would they entail?

I believe individuals often seek advice regarding the airport, as it remains a remarkably daunting experience for many.

Firstly, to diminish 90% of the anguish, arrive early. To me, that means I base my arrival at the airport on the boarding time of a flight, not on the departure time. … If I time it such that I’m entering the airport, regardless of whether I need to check in or proceed directly through security, a good two hours prior to the boarding time, I’ve already integrated that buffer and I know I won’t have to fret. I extend that time depending on the season. Therefore, during summer travel, I will increase it to three hours.

Another valuable piece of advice I possess, which often goes unnoticed at the airport, is that upon arriving at the airport and disembarking from your flight, the first instinct is to seek the baggage claim and exit signs. Take a moment to pause and survey your surroundings – plan your return. Airports have become quite fascinating places nowadays. So, is there a trendy local eatery that catches your eye, like, “Oh, I’d like to dine there,” or is there a spot for a quick massage? … Always observe the security line, which you typically can view as you’re exiting. Is it chaotic? How are they managing the situation? All of this information assists in strategizing your return.

When traveling with kids – I have twins, who are now 11, but we have been traveling extensively since they were two months old. It was a transformative experience for my husband and me: We never utilized the pre-boarding option to get our children on board. Instead, we stayed at the gate, and parent number one or caregiver number one would use the pre-board to load all the gear. … They would load everything up, and then I would wait with the kids until the very last individual of the final zone was called. We would stroll on, settle the kids, and hopefully depart within 10 minutes.

People often overlook the fact that boarding the flight is undeniably the most stressful phase of the trip, even for adults. We are so anxious, stuffing our bags in the overhead compartment. You can sense the tension in that cabin, which children absorb. And then, once they reach cruising altitude of 30,000 feet, they finally release it.

Is there anything in particular you’re eager for audiences to witness in the forthcoming season of ‘Places to Love’?

Like all of our seasons, we truly offer a broad range of travel choices. We visited Costa Rica, but we traveled in July during the rainy season, and everyone asks, “Why would you go in July?” Yet it’s actually a remarkable period. … Costs are reduced, and it does rain, but who cares? It’s 85 degrees outside. It doesn’t bother you at all. In fact, it feels quite invigorating.

The one I’m particularly enthusiastic about is that we are finalizing Route 66, and we’re currently in the midst of it. Route 66 celebrates its centennial in 2026, so we began in Illinois last year, and we thought, Oh, we should undertake the entire journey. This year, we have progressed from St. Louis, the (Gateway Arch), all the way to Santa Fe. And now, this year – we haven’t filmed it yet – we’ll continue from Albuquerque, New Mexico to reach California.

So, we’re in the intermediate stage. What I appreciate about the midpoint is it encompasses Oklahoma, Kansas, and the Texas panhandle. These are regions that few individuals visit, yet the history and the residents there are captivating. … And you truly emerge from it thinking, Wow, what an incredible nation we inhabit.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel journalist for USA TODAY located in Nashville. You can contact him at ndiller@usatoday.com.