This week on "Out of Office: A Travel Podcast," Kiernan and his family head to Chicago to explore playgrounds, kid-friendly museums, hot dogs, and Presidential Centers (okay, just one Presidential Center.) Plus, Pope Leo is a looker!

Things We Talked About:

First Trip to Chicago Episode

https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/first-trip-to-chicago/id1438098925?i=1000662387126

Devil Dawgs

https://www.devildawgs.com/

Williams Inn

https://www.williamsinnpizza.com/

Giordano's

https://giordanos.com/

Firecakes Donuts

https://firecakesdonuts.com/

Doughnut Vault

https://www.doughnutvault.com/

Maggie Daley Park

https://www.maggiedaleypark.com/things-to-do-see/play-garden

Lincoln Park Zoo

https://www.lpzoo.org/

Field Museum

https://www.fieldmuseum.org/blog/sue-t-rex

Mold-a-Rama

https://www.mold-a-rama.com/

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

https://www.griffinmsi.org/

The U-Boat

https://www.griffinmsi.org/exhibits/u-505-submarine

Swiss Jollyball

https://www.griffinmsi.org/exhibits/swiss-jolly-ball

606 Trail

https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/606

Bird Eyes Art on The 606

https://www.wpr.org/shows/to-the-best-of-our-knowledge/100-bird-eyes-are-watching-you

Obama Presidential Center

https://obama.org/visit/

Pope Leo's Birthday Statue

https://www.americamagazine.org/news/2026/09/08/tallest-statue-pope-leo-peru/

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

https://lucasmuseum.org/

This week on "Out of Office: A Travel Podcast," Ryan heads to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil! He takes in the city's beaches, mountains, museums, historic sites, restaurants, natural wine bars, and more, with everything you need to know for your first trip to Rio.

Things We Talked About:

History Book

Brazil: A Biography https://www.amazon.com/dp/0374280495

Attractions + Culture

Parque Bondinho Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf) https://bondinho.com.br/

Christ the Redeemer + Corcovado Train https://www.tremdocorcovado.rio/

Cais do Valongo https://www.rio.rj.gov.br/web/muhcab/cais-do-valongo-patrimonio-mundial

Real Gabinete Português de Leitura https://www.realgabinete.com.br/

Paço Imperial http://www.pacoimperial.com.br/

Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro https://www.gov.br/jbrj/pt-br

Museums

MAM Rio https://mam.rio/

Museu da República — Palácio do Catete https://www.gov.br/museus/pt-br/museus-ibram/museu-da-republica

Museu Nacional https://museunacional.ufrj.br/

Restaurants

Talho Café https://talhocapixaba.com.br/

Casa do Chef Jota https://www.casadochefjota.com.br/

Artigiano https://restauranteartigiano.com/

Quinta da Henriqueta https://www.instagram.com/quintadahenriqueta/

Haru Sushi Bar https://haruichiban.com.br/

Mocellin Steak https://www.mocellinsteak.com.br/

OCYÁ Ilha (Taking a Boat!) https://ocya.com.br/

Wine

Virtuoso Vinho https://www.instagram.com/virtuosovinho/

Casa Tão Longe, Tão Perto (Botafogo) https://www.instagram.com/casatltp.botafogo/

Belisco Bar de Vinhos (Botafogo) https://www.instagram.com/belisco.rj/

Cocktails

Babbo Osteria https://www.instagram.com/babboosteria/

ÊTTA Bar https://www.instagram.com/etta_bar/

Coffee

Coffee Five https://coffeefive.com.br/

LAB Café https://www.instagram.com/labcafe.rio/

The Last Stop

Ryan: Dolly Parton + Great Smoky Mountains https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/knoxville-the-great-smoky-mountains/id1438098925?i=1000495407828

Kiernan: Rick Steves Purchases Edmonds Theater https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/movies/rick-steves-purchases-edmonds-theater-moviehouse/

This week on "Out of Office: A Travel Podcast," Kiernan heads back to London for the first time post-COVID—with his mother! The two revisit old standbys, new attractions, and musicals, musicals, musicals!

Things We Talked About:

Harbor Country in Michigan

https://www.bonappetit.com/story/where-to-eat-harbor-country-southwestern-michigan?srsltid=AfmBOopMgZXXv0akMPuyVKPCwWrPAI2f7GlZ6apBb3rrjyT3faojo_j4

Benjamin Pollock's Toy Shop

https://www.pollocks-coventgarden.co.uk/

Oliver

https://oliverthemusical.com/

Six

https://sixthemusical.com/london/

Operation Mincemeat

https://operationmincemeat.com/

Churchill War Rooms

https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/churchill-war-rooms

V&A East Storehouse

https://www.vam.ac.uk/east/storehouse/visit#things-to-see-and-do

LIDAR podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-archeological-tech-is-rewriting-everything-we-know/id1237796990?i=1000784018446

Big Bend Construction

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/us/big-bend-border-wall-texas-construction.html

This week on the pod, the boys talk about New York State's Odyssey, from Troy to Ithaca in about two hours. Also, Ryan interviews historian Daniel Koch about why so many upstate towns have classical names.

Things Talked About on the pod: Land of the Oneidas: Central New York State and the Creation of America, from Prehistory to the Present https://a.co/d/0i15zgNN

Classical Place-Names and the American Frontier

https://antigonejournal.com/2021/10/classical-place-names-america/

"Coming Into the Country" by John McPhee

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0374522871?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback Greek cities of the South https://www.weirdsouth.com/post/greek-cities-of-the-south Mr. Peanut Novel https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307454908?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

This week on the pod, the boys talk The Odyssey, and Ryan speaks with Laura Coffey about her Homeric travels chronicled in her book, Enchanted Islands: Travels Through Myth & Magic, Love & Loss.

Things We Talked About:

Enchanted Islands: Travels Through Myth & Magic, Love & Loss https://a.co/d/0e1iMY8Z

MAP - The Odyssey: A Mythical Journey through The Real World https://a.co/d/0hOUJ8Cf

Laura Coffey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/l_j_coffey/

This week on "Out of Office: A Travel Podcast," Kiernan takes us through the history and artistry of Parkitecture—the architectural design of America's National Parks! Plus, Ryan researches the ideal number of days to go on vacation.

Things We Talked About in This Episode:

Colombia's Literary World Cup shirt

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/magical-realism-colombia-unveil-world-155300778.html

Insight Guides

https://www.insightguides.com/

Parkitecture

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/architecture/parkitecture.htm

President Truman tickling those rustic ivories

https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/photograph-records/63-1333

"Park and Recreation Structures"

https://archive.org/details/parkrecreationst00good/page/n237/mode/2up

Ideal Vacation Length

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10902-012-9345-3

Conor Knighton is a Patriot

https://www.instagram.com/conorknighton/reel/DaYM4m6OtQQ/?hl=en

This week on the pod, the boys talk about their favorite subject: sports. The World Cup is captivating everyone, and the many visitors to the USA are soaking up all the Americana. Ryan chats with NPR's Ava Berger about what's captivating them.

Things We Talked About in This Episode:

https://www.nprillinois.org/2026-06-19/big-dogs-buc-ees-and-the-great-bbq-debate-world-cup-fans-discover-everyday-america

https://www.npr.org/2026/06/13/nx-s1-5856514/the-joys-of-reporting-on-3-teenagers-chasing-glory-in-the-world-series-of-birding

https://x.com/FreddyLA7

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/19/sport/video/merlin-the-duck-is-mexicos-unofficial-mascot-digvid-vrtc

This week on "Out of Office: A Travel Podcast," Kiernan chats with one of our all-time favorite guests—food writer and researcher Anissa Helou. She's just published "Lebanon: Cooking the Foods of My Homeland" and spills the secrets of tabbouleh, falafel, skewered meat, hummus, labneh, and many other Lebanese specialities.

Things We Talk About in This Episode:

Anissa's last interview with us

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/out-of-office-a-travel-podcast/id1438098925

"Lebanon: Cooking the Foods of My Homeland"

https://bookshop.org/p/books/lebanon-cooking-the-foods-of-my-homeland-anissa-helou/77fff24da4bf58f4?ean=9780063334922&next=t

Pope Leo at the Sagrada Familia

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/10/world/europe/pope-leo-sagrada-familia-barcelona-visit.html

This week we take a return trip to episode 122 of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast.

Kiernan talks about Rocky Mountain National Park ahead of the busy summer season. From majestic peaks to glassy lakes, RMNP is one of America's premiere parks with hikes and sights accessible to all age ranges and abilities. Plus, Ryan talks about Peru prep.

Rocky Mountain National Park

https://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm

The Stanley Hotel

https://www.stanleyhotel.com/

Grand Lake Lodge

https://www.grandlakelodge.com/

Allenpark Lodge

https://allensparklodgebnb.com/

Smokin' Dave's BBQ

https://smokindavesbbq.com/

The Donut Haus

http://www.donuthaus-estespark.com/

Falcon Guide

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Hikes-Rocky-Mountain-National/dp/1493046780/ref=sr_1_1?crid=LNBPCIWSMUAE&keywords=rocky+mountain+easy+day+hike&qid=1654717385&s=books&sprefix=rocky+mountain+easy+day+hi%2Cstripbooks%2C74&sr=1-1

"The Motorcycle Diaries"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Motorcycle_Diaries_(film)

The New Yorker's "Flight Attendants Fight Back"

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/05/30/flight-attendants-fighting-back

This week on "Out of Office: A Travel Podcast," 2 of the palest podcast hosts in the business spotlight 6 amazing beaches across the US, Mexico, South America, and Southeast Asia.

Things We Talk About on Today's Episode:

Ocean City, Maryland https://www.ococean.com/

Northern Shore MA Beaches – Crane Beach, Wingaersheek Beach, Plum Island, Coffins Beach https://www.visit-massachusetts.com/northofbostoncapeann/beaches/

Barú, Colombia https://colombia.travel/en/cartagena-de-indias/visit-beach-baru

An Bang Beach, Vietnam https://www.vietnamairlines.com/us/en/plan-book/travel/travel-guide/an-bang-beach-hoi-an

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico https://visitpuertovallarta.com/things-to-do/beaches

Brighton, England https://www.visitbrighton.com/things-to-do/attractions/beachfront

Pope Leo's Peru https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziN1QrXh5vs

Harvard's ties to slavery https://www.harvardmagazine.com/university-news/harvard-enslaved-people-database-descendants

This week on "Out of Office: A Travel Podcast," Kiernan covers the history and highlights of the Bronx Zoo. We also touch on Scientology, Mitt Romney, callings to the priesthood, and Colombia's biodiversity.

Things We Talk About on Today's Episode:

Little Red Lighthouse

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Red_Lighthouse

Bronx Zoo

https://bronxzoo.com/

William Temple Hornaday and the Bison

https://siarchives.si.edu/history/featured-topics/stories/william-temple-hornaday-saving-american-bison

The Atlantic's "Best Free Restaurant Bread in America" by Caity Weaver

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/05/best-free-restaurant-bread-america/686582/

Trump's photo added to US passports

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/exclusive-state-department-introduces-new-us-passports-celebrating-america250