SAMANTHA BROWN'S PLACES TO LOVE Season 8
#801 - Northern Costa Rica
Samantha explores Costa Rica's beauty, starting at Mistico Park with its hanging bridges and wildlife. At Vida Campesina, she learns about organic farming before taking a safari cruise on the Rio Sarapiqui, spotting exotic birds and crocodiles. She visits the Organization for Tropical Studies and an organic pineapple farm. Meeting the indigenous Maleku people, she witnesses their cultural preservation. At the luxurious Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel, she relaxes under a tree sloth. At night, she explores the rainforest and concludes her trip with exhilarating whitewater tubing in the Rio Celeste.
#802 - New Orleans, Louisiana
Samantha begins her New Orleans trip at City Park, enjoying chicory coffee and beignets from Cafe Du Monde. She then visits the National WWII Museum, home to a vast collection of war artifacts. Next, she explores Hansen's Sno-Bliz for snow cones and learns about Cafe Reconcile’s workforce program. In Covington, she meets artist Marianne Angeli Rodriguez and visits the historic Southern Hotel. Biking down the Tammany Trace Rail Trail leads her to Abita Springs, where New Orleans’ famous beer is brewed. Back in NOLA, she enjoys a Poor Boy sandwich at Parkway Bakery and Tavern before catching hot jazz at the Dew Drop Inn.
#803 - Samantha’s 25th Anniversary Special
Description TBD
#804 - Berlin, Leipzig and Meissen, Germany
Inside St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, Samantha enjoys a concert on the pipe organ, celebrating composer Johann Sebastian Bach. She then visits Meissen to tour its famous porcelain factory, witnessing the artistry behind their wares. Back in Leipzig, she explores the Forum of Contemporary History, learning about its role in the fall of communism. Samantha travels to Berlin, where a bike tour takes her to iconic landmarks like the Berlin Wall Memorial and Brandenburg Gate. In a Turkish neighborhood, she discovers the doner kebab. At the Otto Weidt Museum, she learns how Weidt saved blind and disabled Jews during WWII. Finally, she explores the vibrant Hackescher Markt and tours the Feuerle Collection of Asian art in a former communications bunker.
#805 - The Crystal Coast of North Carolina
Samantha embarks on a boat ride to Shackelford Banks, where Wildlife Biologist Dr. Sue Stuska introduces her to the wild horse herd. She enjoys an afternoon in Beaufort, North Carolina, listening to musician Barefoot Wade. At the Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center, she helps build a boat. On Harkers Island, they sample oysters and learn about their unique “merroir.” In Cape Lookout, she meets NASA Ambassador Brandon Porter and discovers the dark sky park designation before wrapping up her trip with a gourmet seafood dinner by Chef Kevin Davis on the Oceanana Pier.
#806 - Traverse City. Michigan
Samantha begins her trip at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, known for its scenic views and challenging sand cliffs. In Michigan, she explores The Cherry Republic, filled with cherry products, and dines with new friends at the Farm Club on the Leelanau Peninsula. She visits a repurposed mental hospital in Traverse City and learns cheese-making at Leelanau Cheese. On Lake Michigan, she sails the schooner Wind Dancer, discovering its history as a water stagecoach. Her trip concludes at Bonobo Winery, where she enjoys wine with owners Todd and Carter Oosterhouse and actress Amy Smart.
#807 - Mainz, Wiesbaden and Rothenburg, Germany
In Germany's largest wine region, Mainz unfolds like a delightful Riesling. Samantha explores the ruins of a Roman amphitheater near a main train station and visits Eva Vollmer Winery, learning about the “future wine” movement. She enjoys German wine at Weinhaus Loesch, then travels to Wiesbaden to taste hot chocolate at Kunder Chocolateria, a family-owned shop. At the Wiesbaden Museum, she admires the largest Art Nouveau collection. Finally, she tours the fairy-tale town of Rothenburg, experiencing its medieval charm and visiting the Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas Shop, home to an impressive collection of authentic German Christmas decor.
#808 - The Black Hills of South Dakota
Samantha begins her adventure at Custer State Park, riding to meet the bison herd before driving the scenic Needles Highway. She arrives at Sylvan Lake, popular for water sports and stunning views. In Deadwood, she explores a historic landmark, then discovers Cold War history at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. Nearby, Wall Drug offers coffee and homemade donuts. At Badlands National Park, she marvels at the unique landscape. Back in the Black Hills, she learns about Lakota warrior Crazy Horse at the monument site. To end her trip, Sam enjoys campfire cooking and fellowship in a mountain meadow.
#809 - Route 66 – Missouri to Oklahoma
Samantha starts her trip with a view of the St. Louis Arch and visits Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, famous for its thick desserts. She meets author Michael Wallis, who shares insights on Route 66. Exploring Cuba, Missouri, she admires colorful murals and the Osage Trail Legacy monument. Crossing the Arkansas River, she stops at the Uranus Fudge Factory. In Carthage, she learns about a little-known Civil War battle before heading to Springfield, the official birthplace of Route 66. In Kansas, she visits Gearhead Curios, a unique pit-stop, then meets a joyful business owner at Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios in Tulsa. Finally, she reflects on the Tulsa massacre at a memorial before learning why Tulsa is known as the Route 66 capital.
#810 - Route 66 - Oklahoma City to Texas
Samantha returns to Route 66 in Luther, Oklahoma, visiting the Threatt Filling Station, a historical safe haven for Black motorists. In Oklahoma City, she meets "neon Queen" Kathy Reynolds and explores the First Americans Museum, the largest Indigenous cultural center. At Sid’s Diner in El Reno, she enjoys Oklahoma’s onion burger. Crossing into Texas, she visits the Devil’s Rope Museum in McLean, learning how barbed wire tamed the West. In Amarillo, she admires jewelry from Cadillac Ranch and sees the buried vintage caddies. In Adrian, Texas, the halfway point, she discovers the best pies. In New Mexico, she finds a vintage, unpaved stretch of Route 66, promising more adventures ahead.