Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer

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Tom Wilmer’s Lowell Thomas award-winning NPR podcast, recorded live on-location across America and around the world- showcases the arts, culture, music, nature, history, science, wine and spirits, brewpubs, and the culinary arts. We cover nouns and verbs—people, places, things, and action—everything…

KCBX Central Coast Public Radio


    • May 28, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 23m AVG DURATION
    • 661 EPISODES

    4.9 from 32 ratings Listeners of Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer that love the show mention: tom, places, america, around, great, always, listen.


    Ivy Insights

    The Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer podcast is truly a gem in the world of podcasts. Hosted by Tom Wilmer, this show offers a unique and authentic experience for listeners as he takes on journeys across America and around the world, interviewing fascinating individuals along the way. His genuine approach and ability to make his guests feel comfortable truly shines through in each episode.

    One of the best aspects of The Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer podcast is how genuine and open Tom is as an interviewer. He has a natural ability to get his guests to open up and share their stories, allowing listeners to gain insight into their lives and experiences. Whether he's chatting with a celebrity or an everyday person, Tom creates a comfortable environment that encourages his guests to reveal intimate details about their lives. This level of authenticity is refreshing and makes for incredibly engaging content.

    Another standout feature of this podcast is the variety of topics covered. From interviews with dynamic people from all walks of life to explorations of different cultures and destinations, The Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer podcast offers something for everyone. Whether you're interested in learning about history, travel, or simply hearing incredible stories, this podcast has it all.

    While there are many positives to this podcast, one potential downside is the lack of consistent release schedule. Episodes are released sporadically, which can make it difficult for fans to anticipate when new content will be available. However, this minor inconvenience is easily overshadowed by the quality of each episode when they are released.

    In conclusion, The Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer podcast is a must-listen for any fan of storytelling and exploration. With its genuine approach, diverse range of topics covered, and ability to transport listeners into different worlds, this podcast offers an immersive experience that is both educational and entertaining. Whether you're tuning in for the first time or have been a longtime listener, you're sure to be captivated by each episode.



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    Latest episodes from Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer

    Documentary SPEAK deftly showcases hope for the future

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025 31:44


    Join Correspondent Tom Wilmer as he visits with Guy Mossman, co-director and director of photography for the documentary SPEAK showcased at the SLO FILM FESTIVAL following a rave world-premiere performance at the legendary Sundance Film Festival, February 2025.

    A visit with the National Museum of the Marine Corps' Archivist

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2025 27:47


    Join Correspondent Tom Wilmer for a Memorial Day special, recorded on-location at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, Triangle, Virginia

    Ciggy-butts surfboard documentary stimulates ocean mindfulness and stewardship

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2025 15:45


    Filmmaker Ben Judkins visits with correspondent Tom Wilmer at the Fremont Theater to learn about the award-winning documentary Cigarette Surfboard, showcased at the 2025 San Luis Obispo FILM FEST.

    Palm Theater showcases SLO Film Fest flicks year-round

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2025 7:22


    When the SLO Film Fest ends each year the show goes on with selected flicks offered at the Palm Theater in downtown San Luis Obispo.

    In remembrance—America's deadliest domestic terrorist attack, Oklahoma City April 19, 1995

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2025 9:57


    Executive Director at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum shares chilling recollections of the Oklahoma City bombing of the Murrah Federal Building

    Knoxville's urban wilderness dovetails with live music & trendsetting cuisine

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2025 23:39


    Join correspondent Tom Wilmer for a visit with Kim Bumpas, president of Visit Knoxville and Mark Ezell, the State of Tennessee's Commissioner of Tourist Development.

    Lower Rio Grande Valley's legendary birds, butterflies and dragonflies

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 17:40


    Correspondent Tom Wilmer explores the Lower Rio Grande Valley's wildlife refuges and the Mission, TX Butterfly Center

    Exploring Virginia's Civil War battlefield Manassas/Bull Run

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2025 17:18


    Join National Park Ranger Gregory Wolf at Manannas/Bull Run to discover fascinating insights about the two battles that occurred here.

    Exploring the birthplace of Texas--Washington County's living history

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2025 59:44


    Discover Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic site, an operational historic cotton-gin in Burton, TX; Joe Robertson at the Blue Bell Ice Cream factory; David Thomas the Director at the Brenham Heritage Museum; Heaven on earth—Milk & Honey Ranch; The Antique Rose Emporium; Brenham's Camptown Freedom Colony Cemetery and Ant Street Inn & Main Street House

    Exploring enchanting California Gold Country's Calaveras County

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2025 60:56


    Sierra Gold Country denizens share their stories--Calaveras County commissioner and historian, Martin Huberty; wine pioneer Gay Callan, and award-winning Hinterhaus spirits distiller Bonnie Boglioli

    Captivating Indiana travel destinations

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2025 57:00


    Join the Indiana exploration--Notre Dame University; South Bend's Studebaker Museum; Indiana Dunes National Park; Cedar Lake Museum; Charlestown State Park, and historic French Lick Resort.

    Exploring Missouri's dynamic rural renaissance

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2025 60:33


    Come along for visits with the denizens of the historic, rural Missouri towns of Hermann; St. Charles; Silver Dollar City; Augusta; Hannibal, and the circa-1856 riverboat Arabia's artifacts on display in Kansas City, MO.

    Engaging community while simultaneously propelling tourism in Cincinnati, Ohio

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2025 60:59


    An exploration of the people and places that makes Cincinnati a vibrant, engaging community.

    Lubbock, TX Silent Wings Museum showcases WWII gliders

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2025 9:30


    Come along and discover the Silent Wings Museum in Lubbock, Texas

    Why Saint Patrick's Day is a national holiday on the Caribbean isle of Montserrat

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2025 22:43


    Join correspondent Tom Wilmer on the Caribbean island of Montserrat as he explores the isle's Incredible Irish connection and how St. Patrick's Day became a national holiday

    U.S. Army Green Beret ramrods regenerative cattle grazing at Camp San Luis Obispo

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2025 41:06


    Eric Czaja, a US Army Special Forces Major leads Monterey, California's Naval Postgraduate School's Regenerative Grazing Open Air Lab on 2,500 acres at Camp San Luis Obispo, CA.

    A visit to China's Yulin region bordering Inner Mongolia

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025 28:00


    Come along correspondent Tom Wilmer for a visit to Yulin in Northern Shaanxi Province with Great Wall sections constructed with rammed earth; Mao's mountain headquarters and a premier relics museum

    Civil War--dress, diet and disease

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2025 14:00


    Chickamauga National Military Park Ranger Lee white shares fascinating insights about the life of Civil War soldiers.

    Talking California Wine and History with Sean Weir, Author of The Mad Crush

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2025 24:28


    Correspondent Tom Wilmer visits with Sean Weir, Cal Poly grad and author of the book, The Mad Crush, detailing his time as a cellar rat at the historic San Luis Obispo County based Sausalito Canyon winery.

    A conversation with award-winning Chinese-American author Yang Huang

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2025 35:31


    Berkeley, California based author Yang Huang shares tales of growing up in China, post cultural revolution. And how, on the heels of the Tiananmen Square protests, she was empowered to write in hopes of propelling a more tolerant and hopeful world through her stories.

    Peeka Ranch, a haven for Alpacas in Burton, Texas

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2025 10:00


    Join Phillip & LaNell McMahon at their alpaca ranch as they share their passion for raising and breeding the exotic animal that kids and adults alike adore

    Discovering Memphis, Tennessee's National Civil Rights Museum

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2025 22:30


    A best-of-the-best Journeys podcast—recorded live in Memphis with Faith Morris at the poignant National Civil Rights Museum

    Unearthing history at Camptown Freedom Colony Cemetery in Brenham, Texas

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2025 14:56


    Join Jennifer Eckermann, Director of Tourism and Marketing for the City of Brenham, Texas at the Camptown Cemetery and the legacy of the Camptown Freedom Colony formed on the heels of the Civil War.

    Blue Bell Ice Cream—iconic Texas treat with a fond following for a century

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2025 10:33


    Correspondent Tom Wilmer reports from Brenham, Texas at the Blue Bell Ice Cream factory for a visit with Joe Robertson, Director of Advertising and Marketing about the company's century long odyssey as a legendary Texas ice cream company

    The Antique Rose Emporium in the heart of Texas, Washington County

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2025 27:00


    A visit with Jim and Kim Keeter, owners of the legendary Independence, Texas based, Antique Rose Emporium followed by a conversation with former owner, Mike Shoup who birthed the business back in 1984.

    BBQ, fine wine, gourmet coffee & homemade pies in Washington County TX

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2024 29:34


    Correspondent Tom Wilmer explores cool destinations in Washington County, Texas—we'll discover a trendsetting winery, Chapelton Vineyards in Washington, the Pioneer Smokehouse and Mercantile in Brenham; Neon Moon Coffee Roasters in Burton; and a visit with Alejandra Ray, the owner and chef at the historic Bevers Kitchen in Chappel Hill.

    Ant Street Inn & Main Street House—raising the hospitality bar in Brenham, TX

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2024 13:59


    The tale of how Artist, Suzy Hankins and her husband Keith radically transformed their lives by deciding to become innkeepers of historic properties in Brenham, Texas.

    Heaven on earth—Milk & Honey Ranch in the heart of Texas

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 19:47


    Brent Phillips, shares the story of creating Milk & Honey Ranch in Burton, Texas, an organic farm that's a popular getaway for couples and families.

    Exploring birthplace of the Republic of Texas and Washington County living history

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2024 38:05


    Discover Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic site, an operational historic cotton-gin in Burton, TX and a visit at the Brenham Heritage Museum in Brenham, TX.

    Visit SLO CAL—promoting San Luis Obispo County's finest attractions to the world

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2024 17:09


    Cathy Cartier, Visit SLO CAL's CEO shares insights about San Luis Obispo County's non-profit tourism promotion organization.

    Penguins rule at Wonders of Wildlife in Springfield, Missouri

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2024 31:00


    Correspondent Tom Wilmer reports from the Wonders of Wildlife Aquarium in the heart of Springfield, Missouri.

    5th graders' transformative outdoor-curriculum at Springfield, MO's WOLF School

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2024 30:06


    Correspondent Tom Wilmer reports from Springfield, Missouri for a most insightful conversation with Johnny Morris Conservation Foundation's Misty Mitchell at the WOLF School for 5th graders.

    How Dr. Laurie Marker revolutionized cheetah conservation

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2024 8:54


    Correspondent Laurie McAndish King meets Dr. Laurie Marker--the Jane Goodall of Cheetahs--and finds out how Marker revolutionized cheetah conservation.

    Johnny Morris's incredible journey—from bait & tackle stand to Bass Pro empire

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2024 34:15


    Correspondent Tom Wilmer reports from Missouri to explore the world of Johnny Morris—the visionary behind Dogwood Canyon nature park and Top of The Rock adjacent to Big Cedar Lodge.

    Finding paradise-author Robert Kay shares tales of South Pacific paradise--Fiji

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2024 21:00


    Correspondent Tom Wilmer visits with author Robert Kay about his forty year odyssey that led him from the SF Chronicle to Tahiti and onward to the islands of Fiji.

    Waikiki's Retro Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club exemplifies old Hawaii

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2024 32:44


    Correspondent Tom Wilmer visits with the GM and Bar Czar at the legendary, 60s retro Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club in the heart of old Waikiki, Hawaii.

    From Snow White to a Sea of Memories—Hawaii International Film Festival conversations

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2024 30:59


    Join Elizabeth Rain, star of Fair; film producer, Angelique Axerode's parents; filmmakers; Richard Hamasaki and Jody Stillwater and LA based, Luna Zhang, film financier.

    conversations memories snow white hawaii international film festival
    Canada rocks at Hawaii international Film Festival

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2024 24:37


    Canadian connections at Hawaii International Film Festival include SHŌGUN producers and Getting Lost documentary director and producer sharing their insights.

    canada canadian rocks getting lost hawaii international film festival
    The world of film & filmmakers showcased at Hawaii International Film Festival

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2024 31:00


    Correspondent Tom Wilmer visits with Beckie Stocchetti, Hawaii International Film Festival's Executive Director

    executive director filmmakers showcased hawaii international film festival
    Honoring San Luis Obispo County veterans—past and present

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2024 19:22


    San Luis Obispo County Veterans Museum celebrates Veterans Day at the Memorial Museum

    Firsthand tales of the RMS Queen Mary's ghosts

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2024 23:28


    Spine chilling tales of the ghosts who haunt the Queen Mary, the world's most haunted cruise liner.

    Healing Lahaina—documentary chronicles community healing through strength

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2024 21:16


    Correspondent Tom Wilmer visits with Healing Lahaina filmmakers at a community screening of their poignant new documentary, Healing Lahaina in conjunction with the 2024 Hawaiian International Film Festival.

    Baddeck: The Canadian inland town that defines Cape Breton Island

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2024 36:00


    Canadian based Journeys of Discovery associate producer, Liz Beatty says Nova Scotia may have 13,000 kilometres of coastline but this inland town of Baddeck is a destination not to be missed.

    Bison leading the charge with Western Nebraska's sustainable-ag ranchers

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2024 15:00


    Correspondent Tom Wilmer visits with cattle and buffalo ranchers in Western Nebraska

    Exploring a 2,000 year-old “ancient town” in Sichuan Province, China

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2024 9:53


    Join Correspondent Tom Wilmer and his Chinese interpreter friends reporting from historic 2,000 year-old Pingle fondly dubbed “ancient town”.

    From Nanjing to Cal Poly, professor Yan Shan's incredible journey

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2024 36:30


    Correspondent Tom Wilmer visits with Yan Shan, Associate Professor of Journalism at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo about her life journey.

    Austin Hope, raising the bar with sustainably produced Central Coast grapes

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 36:00


    Join correspondent Tom Wilmer in downtown Paso Robles at the new Hope on Park tasting room for a conversation with Second-generation winegrower Austin Hope.

    Fort Hunter Liggett—leading the energy independence charge with micro-grids

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2024 9:15


    Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, energy and Environment; Commissioner California Energy Commission and Col. Trotter offer insights about Fort Hunter Liggett's new micro-grid.

    SLO's Budget Café—a metaphor for the best of Americana

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2024 13:30


    Correspondent Tom Wilmer visits with Rhonda Mayeda at her iconic Budget Café in San Luis Obispo, California

    Changing up the Habit at Merced's Sisters of the Valley

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2024 45:46


    Join correspondent Ruth Carlson for a visit with the nun's crafting and sharing CBD oils at Sisters of the Valley in Merced, California

    Harry S. Truman's Independence, Missouri Library, home and Frontier Trails

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2024 17:00


    Join correspondent Tom Wilmer in Independence, Missouri at Harry S. Truman's home, the Presidential Library, and the National Frontier Trails Museum

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