The Travel Guys

Tons of Giveaways and Things to Do Nearby

Ryan Quinn — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:17:02 +0000

The Travel Guys are giving away the farm Sunday. Well, maybe not the farm, but just about everything else. We’ll ask your input on a variety of travel-based questions in exchange for prizes – everything from ice cream to show tickets to gift certificates. Be sure and tune in Sunday at 2pm for your chance to win.

Next, we’ll be joined in studio by Alan Humason, Executive Director of the Yolo County Visitors Bureau. Our neighbors on the west side of the river have a surprising number of neat things to see and do close to home, without spending a lot of money. Alan will update us.

Doug Hosner, from the Gallo Center for the Arts joins us to talk about one of the central valley’s finest entertainment venues. Mark discovered it recently and thinks it’s really a hidden gem in the valley.

Be sure and tune to win Sunday at 2pm with Tom and Mark.

Links from the Show

Bike Tours, Animal Exhibits and Olympic Travel

Ryan Quinn — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:21:59 +0000

Today on The Travel Guys we’re joined by frequent guest Ben Schlappig, our go-to guy for award travel and mileage questions. A listener recently came to us with a few questions regarding getting to the Olympics on points. Ben’s here today to help us out. For more help from Ben, you can visit him at pointspros.com, where he helps his customers make the most of their airline miles.

Next up we’re joined by Bart from the California Academy of Sciences to talk about their newest exhibit – Animal Attraction. The exhibit gives you a unique look at some of the more unusual mating practices in the animal kingdom. The exhibits web page starts with “from mate munching bugs to leaping fish”….well they have OUR attention!

Finally we’ll spend some time introducing you to Blazing Saddles – a great bike tour company offering excellent experiences in the San Francisco area. Check them out online for more information!

Smarter Travel and The Land Down Under

Ryan Quinn — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 19:32:32 +0000

Join Tom and Mark Sunday as they offer a plethora of information to make you a smarter traveler. After the news, we are joined by Consumer Reporter Ed Perkins. Ed has a full plate, as we talk about new travel apps for your smart phones, the latest travel scams to avoid in the New Year and why the possible merger of Delta and American airlines would be terrible news for travelers. Ed’s one of the best in the business and he’ll make you a smarter traveler.

Our call-in segment asks a couple of important travel questions – What’s most important to you when it comes to flying? Good service, the lowest fare, the best seat, a frequent flyer program? We want to hear from you. Two lucky callers with the most to contribute will win $25 gift cards from Chili’s Restaurants. We may even have a guest from the magical world of Disney.

Later, we are joined by Matt Knowles, of Sea Escape Travel stops by to talk about a visit to Australia. Matt has ideas for the regular spots and some terrific “off-the-beaten-track” tidbits that will interest those who have been to Australia previously, or have a trip planned. Explore “The Land Down Under” with us. Sunday, on The Travel Guys.

Wunderland in Five Minutes

Links from the Show

Henry Biernacki Talks Flying Safety and a Special Deal at Local Diners

Ryan Quinn — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 20:08:11 +0000

Sunday’s Travel Guys show has a unique slant. Two years ago, an Air France flight mysteriously disappeared over the Atlantic on its way to Paris. After a lengthy search, the black boxes from the plane were located on the ocean floor.

Now, with the help of Jeff Wise, we have the rest of the story. We are joined in studio Sunday by our friend Henry Biernacki. Henry is a regular guest and also flies for Virgin America Airlines.

One of the topics Henry previously addressed with us was his concern that pilots were being encouraged to use auto pilot frequently in the skies. It appears that approach may have contributed to the Air France disaster. We’ll get Henry’s insight, and also talk about his world travels by backpack.

Many Sacramento restaurants are participating in a special promotion this month. You can get a wonderful dinner at a great price. We’ll have all the details.

Hard news stories, adventure and ideas for local outings – All Sunday with Mark and Tom.

Video of the Week

Links from the Show

Big Toys, Big Plans and a Big Mistake

Ryan Quinn — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 19:47:16 +0000

The New Year’s Day edition of The Travel Guys is a “split program.” In the first half, Mark and Tom take a look back at two of their most interesting interviews of 2011. The first is with the owner of “The Big Digg” in Las Vegas. This is the story of how big boys can rent and play with big toys in the dessert. We thought it worthy of a second play. Our second “best of 2011″ is a story from a delightful couple Mark met on the Lincoln Highway. They made it there mission to plant trees in all 50 states near a place bearing their last name…Jackson. It’s a travel story with a real different angle.

Speaking of different angles, the second half of the show is dedicated to something a little more serious. About two years ago, Air France flight 447 disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean, between South America and Europe. Now, with the help of Jeff Wise, a writer for Popular Mechanics magazine, we have the real story of what happened on that fateful flight. Jeff tells the story of what the black boxes revealed, and it’s a fascinating, although tragic story.

Jeff tells us human error appears to have been one of the reasons for the crash. You’ll want to hear the interview, then join us NEXT Sunday, when Virgin America pilot Henry Biernacke joins us to talk not only about his world travels, but to address the subject Jeff talks about, the potential for pilot human error. Is it something we should be concerned with, or was this just one of those one time events. We take you behind-the-scenes to give you the whole story.

Auld Lang Syne

We’ve all heard it, we all pretend to know how to sing it…but what does it even mean? Watch the video below to find out!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Links From the Show

United Airlines Captain Denny Flanagan, Memorable Holidays Past and a Chance at $50

Ryan Quinn — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 19:40:36 +0000

Captain Denny Flanagan of United Airlines is a somewhat legendary figure among many frequent flyers. His approach to his job and the customer service aspect of it are refreshing and not as unique as you might think. Captain Denny joins us for this special holiday edition of the show. Denny gave us permission to post his personal email address, so if you have a question, comment or story for him, just send it on over to CaptDennyFlanagan at gmail dot com. (sorry for the hassle folks, trying to save Denny from the spam…).

Live with us in studio is Road Reporter Clayton Whitehead, as Mark, Tom and Clayton share personal stories of holidays on the road or family gatherings that didn’t work out quite the way they were planned. Plus, Mark has a list (as usual), and this time it’s of the Happiest and Saddest cities in the US. Did Sacramento make either? Both?

We’ll give you a chance to join in the conversation with our Up in The Air Question: Who gets the armrest(s) on the plane? Four armrest, three seats. Should the guy (or gal) in the middle get two? How do you handle this difficult situation on the plane? Call us, and you might win a $50 gift card from Rudy’s Hideaway, a landmark Sacramento restaurant. It’s an important, perplexing question, and by the end of the hour, we’ll have the answer, and someone will have dinner for two.

Video of the Week

Links From the Show

Las Vegas, A Chocolate Festival and International Credit Cards

Ryan Quinn — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:41:59 +0000

This week’s edition of the travel guys features both information for the veteran and the casual traveler. Plus, Mark has the “rest of the Alec Baldwin story” in the Travel News, including details you may not have heard anywhere else.

Last week Mark attended the National Tour Association Convention in Las Vegas. He came away with some interesting opinions. You won’t want to miss his “rant” on pros and cons of a Las Vegas getaway.

Next, Ed Perkins joins us to report on a story we first mentioned over a year ago. It involves computer chips in credit cards, part of a new system overseas. Now, for the first time, a U.S. card company is getting with the program. Ed tells us who and how important this issue is to the international traveler using credit cards.

Finally, we take you on a “stayacation,” less than a day’s drive from Sacramento. The Chocolate Festival in March in Ashland, Oregon, is entering its eighth year. It’s growing in popularity and is a great early spring season getaway. We have all the details on the festival, with Karolina Wyszynska of the Ashland Springs Hotel (the festival’s creator) on hand to tell us all about how you can be a part of it.

Links From the Show

Visiting Grandma with Points, Bingo Live in Studio and an Update from Ed Perkins

Ryan Quinn — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 19:58:21 +0000

We’ve got a great show in store for you today, so be sure to tune in! First up is Mommy Points, a blog dedicated to collecting points and family travel for free. We’ve all heard about business travel and vacations on points, but what about gaming the system to visit Grandma? Summer joins us to show the ins and outs, ups and downs of mileage points for families. It’s a unique point of view that we’re really excited to share with you!

Next up, we have the cast of “Bingo” live in studio to tell us about the show and regale us with a little entertainment. They put on a spectacular show and we highly recommend you check it out. ”Bingo” plays at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret and can be seen anytime up until January 8th. Don’t wait too long though, you don’t want to miss it!

Finally, we’ll be joined once again by Ed Perkins from Smarter Travel to talk about the first US credit card company to embed the chips necessary for using cards overseas. Ed always has a wealth of information to share, so make sure you listen in.

Straight No Chaser 12 Days of Christmas

Links from the Show

Jimmy Stewart, Hotel Ratings and the Sacramento Capitolaires

Ryan Quinn — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 20:49:17 +0000

Yes, that’s right folks, it’s time for yet another fantastic blend of travel, news and entertainment here on KFBK with the Travel Guys. Today, we’ll be adding a little dash of holiday fun as Mark tells us about his recent trip to Indiana, Pennsylvania – hometown of Jimmy Stewart. Aside from the amazing hospitality and great feel, the town puts on quite a Christmas show. We’ve been exploring holiday destinations for over 30 years now, and this one is truly a treat!

Our special guest this week is Christopher Elliott, consumer advocate for all you travelers out there. Christopher joins us today to talk about hotel ratings and whether or not you should take them at face value. In truth, ratings often aren’t what they seem, so be sure to tune in before booking that hotel this season!

Finally, we’ll be joined in studio yet again this year by the Sacramento Capitolaires – the barber shop chorus sensation. The Capitolaires put on a great holiday show that we highly recommend you check out this year. They’ll be entertaining us with a short sample on-air. We can’t wait!

Links from the Show

Scoring that First Frequent Flyer Ticket and Exploring the Queen Mary

Ryan Quinn — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 21:13:38 +0000

Long time friend of the show Ben Schlappig joins us today to talk about getting the 25,000 points for your first free frequent flyer ticket. One of the most frequent comments we hear from our listeners about frequent flyer programs and gaming the system is how hard it is to get started with that first ticket. We can’t wait to share Ben’s insights with you!

Next, we’ll be joined by Will Kayne, captain and historian of the Queen Mary. Will quite possibly knows more about the retired luxury cruise liner than anyone on the planet, and we can’t wait to pick his brain. For those of you that don’t know, the Queen Mary currently serves as a hotel and restaurant in Long Beach. Staying in the hotel is a truly remarkable experience, so we recommend you check it out!