Listen Now

They say that when one door closes, another one opens. And in our case, we are swinging our RV door open to a new adventure with a new podcast and a whole new way to celebrate the National Parks community we've come to know and love. We're drawing Parklandia to a close and launching Hello Ranger, an independent podcast designed to showcase and celebrate communities within the national parks, and how these places unite us together. Find us at the Hello Ranger website and on Facebook, and be sure to join our Facebook group community page, because together we are “United by Nature.” Thank you so much for coming along on our journeys for two seasons! We love you and hope you'll follow us into our next chapter. Goodbye Parklandia, and Hello Ranger! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our final installment of Traveling Eats, we visit the Alpine wonderland of Veil, Colorado, take in the German-inspired architecture and more importantly, the food and drink, both traditional and modern. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod, join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maybe the most basic task of the full-time RV life is...living in the RV. And in order to make that transition from our Chicago loft to our new home, we had to do a lot of downsizing. It was not easy and involved a lot of difficult decisions and we had to leave a lot of things we love behind and in storage. In this last installment of Boondocking With Brad, we'll discuss what that process was like and the trade-off between our old brick-and-mortar home and life on the road. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod, join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before the pandemic changed literally everything about our day-to-day life, we recorded a series of episodes focusing on the food and drink scenes in a number of cities that we really love. This week, we're talking about Portland, Maine and all of the deliciousness we hope to return to when life returns to normal. Thank you for listening, take care, and wash your hands. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod, join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world is made up of living and nonliving things that are all hanging out together in different configurations. The stuff that's hanging out together in Yellowstone — wolves and porcupines and Douglas firs and mayflies and geysers and snowstorms — are different than what you'd find in the Everglades between alligators and turkey vultures and sawgrass marsh and microorganisms. And just like with sports or the stock market or your family at Thanksgiving, there are rules of engagement between the stuff in the natural world — no matter what these elements are —  and the study of these rules of engagement is called ECOLOGY. And in this bonus episode, we sit down with our show's researcher Jesslyn Shields to get a crash course in this field of study that literally encompasses the entire world (and beyond). Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod, join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a lot to see and do in Florida. It’s got Mickey Mouse, South Beach, Harry Potter, Key West, orange juice, and… two of the most terrifying animals, together at last. That’s right, Everglades National Park is the only place on Earth where alligators and crocodiles coexist, and it’s just one of many fascinating facts about this epic national park.   Yet as scary as that may seem, it pales in comparison to the horrors of having no WiFi. Everglades is really just a place of pure wonder, excitement, and inspiration, and the fact that gators and crocs happen to both live here is just one of the many unique aspects that make it destination-worthy. We'll climb into a kayak and explore the history and the ecology of this gem of park in our season 2 finale. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod, join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, disrupts life across America, one of the many unexpected consequences of much of public life shutting down is the closure of campgrounds and the displacement of full-time RVers and van-lifers. We heard from many listeners living out on the road that they were scrambling to find new sites to go to and we thought we could help guide listeners toward some of the resources in place, speak with some of those being affected, and with others who are trying to help. Displaced Nomads and Full-Time RVers Relocation Resource Facebook group Campendium Rootless Living RV Miles And of course, we're always happy to talk at the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever since I was a kid, when I would rent Jaws from the local video store on a weekly basis, the ocean has simultaneously been the most captivating place for me, and also my worst fear. It’s a testament to the ocean, and the mystery of that watery wilderness that kept me coming back for more. This is a park where getting into the water is paramount. You can’t come here and not doing something at least on top of the water, if not under it. After all, 95% of this 172,000-acre park is water. We're excited to dive in, literally! This episode, we'll also talk to Sandra Ramos, also known as the National Park Patch Lady, about leaving politics and finding a renewed sense of self in photography and the National Parks. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod, join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this bonus episode of Boondocking with Brad, we answer perhaps the most basic question: what is "boondocking?" Basically, it's staying in your RV without hooking up to outside power, and we'll talk you through some of the dos, don'ts, concerns, and things to keep in mind while on... and off... the road. Got more questions? We'd love to talk! Join the conversation in the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page! Also be sure to follow Parklandia on Instagram @parklandiapod. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We compare national parks to movies a lot on this podcast, and that’s mostly because these places have a larger-than-life vibe and atmosphere that truly looks like something out of a film. But no park is as much of a cinematic star as the one we’re talking about today, which is Redwood National Park in California. These soaring forests have totally soared to movie stardom over the years, appearing as the backdrop for some pretty serious blockbusters. And it makes sense; these trees are truly other-worldly, what with its sky-scraping trees, misty beaches, and fern canyons, so we get why the redwood forests are like catnip for movie directors. That’s also what made this park such a fun place to visit, and even better to experience as part of a family vacation. Redwood National and State Parks may not have dinosaurs and Ewoks, like the movies would have you believe, but it’s still an out-of-this-world place to visit. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod, join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you think about the Grand Tetons, what comes to mind? Is it iconic, snowy mountains, pristine lakes, and grizzly bears? But how about White Russians, white water rafting, and hootenannies? All of those things take place here at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, and clearly, there’s a lot to love about this epic park. We'll discuss the magnificent vistas, the food, the need for proper footwear, and the ubiquity of bear spray. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod, join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Mexico has some of the best regional foods and ingredients in the whole country and we are obsessed. Green chilies, blue corn, piñon nuts, and the list goes on. So many amazing flavors—too many to fit into one episode, so we're focusing on just two areas we've spent time in: Albuquerque and Santa Fe. In this bonus episode, we'll cover some of our favorite local dishes, restaurants, brews and spirits. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod, join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

American history is fraught with contradictions and incomplete—or sometimes outright wrong—interpretations. We were confronted with this head-on at Little Bighorn National Monument in southern Montana. The place serves as a monument to the Battle of Little Bighorn, which took place in June of 1876 between new settlers and the Lakota-Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples. Until 1991, this site was named in honor of General George Armstrong Custer. In this episode we'll talk about what we learned (and what we had to un-learn) about the tragic history of the battle that gave this monument its name. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod, join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On our Yellowstone first-parter, we talked about both of our individual first trips to America’s O.G. national park, along with info on thermal features and a supervolcano that you don’t really need to worry about. Now it’s time for the sequel episode, Yellowstone: Full Throttle. Because just like that insane sequel to Charlie's Angels, our part 2 episode of Yellowstone is filled with stunts and sights that defy logic and possibility. And subbing in for Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu, we have the two of us and Finn. And grizzly bears instead of an evil Demi Moore. Plus, we'll sit down with Parklandia's researcher, Jesslyn Shields, to talk about biodiversity! There’s a lot of ground for us to cover. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod, join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So you've got your brand new RV and you're ready to take in on your first journey and you pull into your campsite and... now what? In this bonus Boondocking with Brad episode, we'll talk about the basics of hooking up and turning on... your lights and water! Plus, Brad finally spills the story about The Incident in Santa Fe that we've been hinting at all season. Spoiler: It is gross! Got more questions? We'd love to talk! Join the conversation in the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page! Also be sure to follow Parklandia on Instagram @parklandiapod. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With over 200 miles of mapped passageways (and a mind-boggling amount yet to be discovered), Jewel Cave National Monument is the third longest cave in the world. And all of that lies in just four square miles beneath South Dakota. The folks who named the cave did so appropriately (and not after the singer), because inside lies a dark, ominous cavern lined with shimmering crystals. This episode, we recount our visit and about sharing our RV with our first on-the-road guest, plus, we'll talk with our first honest-to-goodness park ranger, Michael Wiles, Jewel Cave's Chief of Resource Management. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod, join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For season 2 of Parklandia, there are a lot of firsts we were excited about, and new chapters to begin. From the first guest interviews to the first time we called 911 from a national park. And today is another first: it’s our first time covering an urban park! Washington D.C. is just so rich with history and culture. And the omnipresence of memorials and historic sites is inescapable. And while the classical white marble buildings of the National Mall and the memorial parks are a far cry from Yosemite, the city is filled with more national park sites than most states have. In this episode, we'll walk in Nicholas Cage's footsteps, find out what we didn't know about D.C., and indulge in some of our favorite cookies on the planet. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod, join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this past week's episode, we covered Matt's family trip to Yellowstone. Brad visited Yellowstone while on the "maple trail," selling barrel-aged maple syrup for Burton's Maplewood Farm across the country. In this special bonus episode, we sit down with Tim Burton (not the director, the producer...of maple syrup!) in-studio to talk about the journey on the maple trail, camping in the world's first national park inside of a box truck, and the very special people we were traveling with. Tim is a very special person in our lives, as you'll hear, and we're so happy to introduce him to you! Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod, join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We think it’s safe to say that Yellowstone is the most iconic national park in the country. It’s the first example people think of when they think of national parks, and its most notable features, like geysers and bison and grizzly bears, have come to be synonymous with the National Park Service. Not only is it an American icon, but it’s the second largest national park in the contiguous U.S., it’s one of the most visited parks in the country with more than 4 million annual visitors, and most impressively of all, it’s the oldest national park in the entire world.  For this first-part episode, we’re gonna dive into some Yellowstone history, talk about Matt's first visit, and discuss some of the controversial ecological issues that have played out there. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod, join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We love our life on the road, but it's hard not to long for some of the familiar sights...and tastes...of our old home in Chicago. In this episode of Traveling Eats with Matt, we'll start in our old neighborhood of Ukrainian Village and go over our favorite places to grab a bite and a drink. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod, join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.