Pop Culture Passport - Exploring Quirky & Cool Travel Destinations in the USA
Pop Culture Passport is your guide to quirky and cool travel destinations across the USA. Every other week, we explore unique things to do, from movie and TV filming locations and theme parks to roadside attractions, quirky museums, regional foods, and the fascinating stories behind the places you visit.
If you'd happily add 60 minutes to your trip to visit a filming location, the Jell-O Museum, a legendary roadside attraction, or a local spot with an incredible backstory, this podcast is for you.
I'm Beth Schillaci, aka the Roaming Yeti. I'm a travel content creator, pop culture nerd, and firm believer that the best discoveries happen when you layer a little curiosity on top of wherever you're already headed. I call them side quests: the detours, the unexpected stops, the "wait, THAT'S here?" moments that make any trip unforgettable and personal.
Whether you're planning a dedicated trip or looking for the perfect thing to add to somewhere you're already going, a work trip, a family visit, or a drive through a new city, there's always something worth the detour.
Think of this as traveling with your slightly nerdy, sort-of-cool friend who loves deep dives, unexpected discoveries, and finding the story behind the story.
Explore episodes about:
- Movie & TV filming locations
- Quirky museums & unique attractions
- Road trips & roadside attractions
- Theme parks & themed entertainment
- Regional foods, candy history & food tourism
- Day trips & weekend getaways
- Hidden history, origin stories & local legends
- Pop culture travel across the USA
Grab your Pop Culture Passport — let's roam.
Pop Culture Passport - Exploring Quirky & Cool Travel Destinations in the USA
America’s Santa Theme Parks and Other Christmas Destinations
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Episode 128
Did you know there’s an entire trail of Santa-themed parks across the U.S.—some dating back more than 75 years?
In this festive episode, I unwrapped a twinkle-lit road trip through America’s Santa Parks — the vintage theme parks, roadside attractions, and holiday wonderlands that keep the Christmas spirit alive all year long. From the snowy streets of Alaska’s North Pole to the retro reindeer rides of New England, each stop tells a story of nostalgia, creativity, and pure joy.
In this episode, you’ll visit:
- Santa’s Workshop in North Pole, New York — one of the world’s oldest Christmas parks
- Santa’s Village in Jefferson, New Hampshire — a cheerful, old-school family favorite
- North Pole: Santa’s Workshop in Colorado — where Christmas meets the Rockies
- Santa’s Land in Cherokee, North Carolina — part petting zoo, part holiday time capsule
- Santa’s Wonderland in Texas — a modern, Texas-sized celebration
- Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana — America’s very first theme park
- North Pole, Alaska — where Christmas lights meet the northern lights
Whether you’re a theme park enthusiast or just someone who thinks twinkle lights should be a year-round thing, this episode is your invitation to find a little magic off the beaten path.
You ready? Let’s roam.
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