About the Journey – Details, episodes & analysis

Oneika Raymond heads to New Orleans, Louisiana to connect with the people and history of Tremé, one of the oldest Black neighborhoods in the U.S. There, she’ll sit with some of the Tremé culture bearers of music, food and history to build a deeper understanding of the city’s roots. 

Oneika sets off from her hotel, W New Orleans French Quarter. It’s a short commute to her first stop of the day in the Tremé: Kermit’s Tremé Mother in Law Lounge, the last standing jazz lounge in the neighborhood. She meets with Kermit Ruffins, the lounge owner and a beloved musician in his community. He delights Oneika with a song and stories of growing up in the neighborhood where the lively sounds of New Orleans-style jazz were born. 

Next, Oneika heads to the historic Congo Square, once a gathering place for enslaved and free people of color that remains an epicenter of culture within Tremé today. Denise is a seventh generation Creole storyteller and owner of the New Orleans history storytelling company, Our Sacred Stories. Denise gives Oneika a tour of the gathering place nestled in the heart of Louis Armstrong Park to share the customs and traditions born out of Congo Square.

Ready for a meal, Oneika is off to her final stop, the plant-based soul food restaurant, I-tal Garden. There she meets the owner, Chef Joseph “Rah” Robinson for a delicious, home-cooked meal. Chef Rah tells Oneika about his mission to help nourish the bodies within his community by way of his unique, plant-based take on the traditional New Orleans dishes he grew up eating.

Experience the soulful city of New Orleans for yourself. For more about Oneika’s journey — and to get other itinerary ideas — visit Marriott Bonvoy Traveler. To book your stay at W New Orleans, visit the hotel’s website. Book wellness-inspired activities for yourself at Marriott Bonvoy Tours & Activities. Marriott Bonvoy members earn points on every experience booked through the site.

About the Journey is a podcast produced by Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, AT WILL MEDIA, MNTRA, and Oneika Raymond. Listen and follow the show here.

To read full episode transcripts from About the Journey and see photos of each featured destination, head to About the Journey on Marriott Bonvoy Traveler. Starting this season, you can watch full videos of each episode on the Marriott Bonvoy YouTube channel.

Oneika Raymond sits down with solo travel expert Beth Santos, founder of Wanderful, a global travel community for women. Together, they talk about how traveling on your own can be an opportunity for personal growth and share expert tips on how to make the most of your solo travels.

Beth takes a mindset-first approach to traveling solo on your own terms, and recently authored a book that explores her philosophy: Wander Woman: How to Reclaim Your Space, Find Your Voice, and Travel the World, Solo. While traveling solo in São Tomé and Príncipe in 2009, Beth created Wanderful as a travel blog aimed to share the experiences of women traveling the world. Today, it’s a community of over 40,000 travelers.

Oneika learns about how Beth’s first solo trips helped shape her travel philosophy, and how solo travel has made her a more engaged mother and business owner. Beth and Oneika bond over solo travel as a form of self care amidst the many responsibilities of modern life. 

Then, Beth and Oneika dig into their best advice for anyone looking to take a solo trip - from the one item you need to pack, to how to spend your first day on your own, to the questions to ask yourself to figure out where to go on a solo adventure. You’ll also get insider tips on how to meet people on your travels – because solo travel doesn’t have to be lonely.

Ready to book your next solo trip? Find your perfect adventure by checking out Marriott Bonvoy Tours & Activities. Marriott Bonvoy members earn points on every experience booked through the site.

About the Journey is a podcast produced by Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, AT WILL MEDIA, MNTRA, and Oneika Raymond. Listen and follow the show here.

To read full episode transcripts from About the Journey and see photos of each featured destination, head to About the Journey on Marriott Bonvoy Traveler. Starting this season, you can watch full videos of each episode on the Marriott Bonvoy YouTube channel.

What does it mean to truly know a city? About the Journey is a travel show about getting off the beaten path to better understand the places we visit. In Season 3, travel journalist and Marriott Bonvoy member Oneika Raymond visits lesser-known neighborhoods in six iconic cities across the world. With the help of locals who know their neighborhoods best, Oneika learns what makes these destinations one-of-a-kind: from the sights, sounds and flavors, to the hidden gems, and so much more.

About the Journey is a podcast produced by Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, AT WILL MEDIA, and Oneika Raymond. Listen and follow the show here.

About the Journey is a podcast produced by Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, AT WILL MEDIA, MNTRA, and Oneika Raymond. Listen and follow the show here.

To read full episode transcripts from About the Journey and see photos of each featured destination, head to About the Journey on Marriott Bonvoy Traveler. Starting this season, you can watch full videos of each episode on the Marriott Bonvoy YouTube channel.

Oneika Raymond walks Castro Street with filmmaker and drag performer Joshua Grannell (he/him) on their way to opening night of Frameline, the largest and longest running queer film festival in the world.

The Castro is a historic San Francisco neighborhood which first became known as a hub for the Gay Civil Rights Movement of the 1970s. Oneika meets up with Joshua, or Peaches Christ, outside Queer A.F., a queer arts space dedicated to keeping LGBTQ+ artists in the Bay Area. It’s also the site of  Castro Camera, the former headquarters of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California. Joshua takes Oneika on a tour down memory lane as they stroll Castro Street’s Rainbow Honor Walk, pointing out notable figures like disco singer Sylvester along the way. He reflects on how the neighborhood has changed since he moved to the enclave as an aspiring filmmaker in 1996, and points out one institution that continues to be a gathering place for the queer community: the famed Castro Theatre. 

Oneika and Joshua continue their conversation at Orphan Andy’s, a rainbow-themed greasy spoon that has been serving up late night eats since 1977. There, she learns more of the lesser-told history behind the city’s queer neighborhoods, like the newly designated Transgender District in the Tenderloin. Joshua also shares how he got his start as a drag queen, and why the Castro was the perfect neighborhood for him to foster that self-expression and launch his drag show, Midnight Mass. Of course, there are countless drag performances to choose from across the city, be it brunch at El Toro, cabaret at the Oasis, or seasonal shows at W San Francisco. 

They’ll wrap up the day by heading to the red carpet at Castro Theatre for Frameline and witness that cinematic magic come to life in the audience

About the Journey is a podcast produced by Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, AT WILL MEDIA, MNTRA, and Oneika Raymond. Listen and follow the show here.

To read full episode transcripts from About the Journey and see photos of each featured destination, head to About the Journey on Marriott Bonvoy Traveler. Starting this season, you can watch full videos of each episode on the Marriott Bonvoy YouTube channel.

Oneika Raymond dials into Vancouver's historic Chinatown to learn how local entrepreneur Carol Lee has been leading the charge to save the historic neighborhood. Carol is the chair and founder of the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, and is dedicated to revitalizing the neighborhood without losing its invaluable cultural heritage.

Oneika learns about the history of the Chinese community in Vancouver, and how Chinatown became home for many after the Canadian Pacific Railroad was completed in 1885. While Chinatown has experienced a gradual decline in the last 20 years, Vancouver locals have a special place in their hearts for the area and are banding together to help save it. And Carol is leading the charge. Examples of her work include building affordable housing and opening the first museum in Canada that shines a spotlight on the Chinese-Canadian experience. And as you’ll hear, she’s just getting started.

Along the way, Carol takes us on a tour of Chinatown. She points out the beauty of the early 20th century architecture, like the Lim Building, stops by the Chinatown Storytelling Centre, and reflects on the significance of the Millenium Gate. We also hear from the manager of her Hong Kong barbecue style restaurant, Chinatown BBQ, who shares Carol’s vision for harnessing the nostalgia of Chinatown of yesteryear while serving today’s diverse clientele. Carol also shares must-visit sites and eats with Oneika, including the lush Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Gardens, the donuts at Mello, and dim sum at Jade Dynasty.

About the Journey is a podcast produced by Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, AT WILL MEDIA, MNTRA, and Oneika Raymond. Listen and follow the show here.

To read full episode transcripts from About the Journey and see photos of each featured destination, head to About the Journey on Marriott Bonvoy Traveler. Starting this season, you can watch full videos of each episode on the Marriott Bonvoy YouTube channel.

Oneika Raymond makes her way to Dallas, Texas on Juneteenth weekend for the legendary 33rd Annual Texas Black Invitational Rodeo to get to know Black cowboy culture and history, a part of the American story that often goes untold.  

From galloping horses and the hoots and hollers of the more than 300 competing Black cowboys and cowgirls to the reverential sound of the Black National Anthem performed by  Dallas local Angel White, we take you behind the scenes of one of the most popular rodeo events around. We’ll hear from Charles Hearn, the great-grandson of Cleo Hearn, also known as Mr. Black Rodeo, who founded the Cowboys of Color in 1971. He shares how he’s carrying forward his family’s legacy and shaping the new Black West. 

But first, we’ll make a stop at the African American Museum of Dallas to take a look back. Oneika sits down with Dr. Marvin Dulaney, the Deputy Director of the museum to hear the origins of the Black cowboy and understand why this history has largely been erased from popular Western media and public knowledge. Dr. Dulaney will also give us insight into what the rodeo means for the story of Dallas today. 

So dust off your boots and join us for an action-packed evening of barrel racing, bull riding, steer roping and storytelling.

About the Journey is a podcast produced by Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, AT WILL MEDIA, MNTRA, and Oneika Raymond. Listen and follow the show here.

To read full episode transcripts from About the Journey and see photos of each featured destination, head to About the Journey on Marriott Bonvoy Traveler. Starting this season, you can watch full videos of each episode on the Marriott Bonvoy YouTube channel.

Oneika dials into Puerto Rico to talk about regenerative travel with Carmen Portela and Iris Landruá of Local Guest, a tourism agency that connects visitors to sustainable experiences.

She’ll learn about the rich natural beauty of the Caribbean island and hear how Local Guest is partnering with locals to share their knowledge of the island with visitors looking to travel more consciously. Carmen and Iris give us insight into how nature and city life collide in San Juan, something they felt acutely when hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated their home island only a month after launching the business. We hear how Local Guest went from travel agency to relief organization, and how that spirit of rebuilding community lives on in everything they do.

Then, we’ll wade into the red mangrove forests that line Laguna del Condado for a reforestation tour with Coalición Restauración Ecosistemas Santurcinos, or CRES. Yvette Núñez, executive director of CRES, will share why these coastal trees are so vital to protecting Puerto Rico’s coastline and help visitors take part in planting new seeds. 

Along the way, we’ll also get turned on to lesser-visited parts of Puerto Rico, like the mountains in Utuado and Adjuntas in the center of Puerto Rico, or the great views from Pico Rodadero and the striking landscape of the Guánica dry forest in the southwest.

About the Journey is a podcast produced by Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, AT WILL MEDIA, MNTRA, and Oneika Raymond. Listen and follow the show here.

To read full episode transcripts from About the Journey and see photos of each featured destination, head to About the Journey on Marriott Bonvoy Traveler. Starting this season, you can watch full videos of each episode on the Marriott Bonvoy YouTube channel.

Oneika Raymond travels to the Mile High City and hits the trail at Denver’s Genesee Mountain Park to learn more about how we can make the outdoors a more welcoming place for all.

She’ll lace up her hiking boots to join Denverite Beth Bradley for a short trek along the Genesee Summit Trail, a short drive from downtown Denver. Beth is a plus-sized hiker whose relationship with her body and her hometown were transformed forever when she went for her first hike. We’ll hear how Beth didn’t always feel included in Denver’s vibrant outdoor scene, but how claiming time on the trail for herself helped her tap into the community and motivated her to want to share the benefits of nature with more people.

Using the Denver Sheraton Downtown as basecamp, Beth shared her recommendations for best day hikes along with other outdoor adventures to consider like kayaking the rapids at Confluence Park or cycling the Cherry Creek Regional Trail, but at over 8,000 feet elevation and with views of 14,000 foot Mount Evans, Genesee Park was the perfect place to spend a breezy afternoon.

Since Beth was born and raised in Denver, she gave Oneika lots of insider insights about her city, including why it’s worth standing in line at Little Man Ice Cream for a post-hike treat and why any food slathered with green chiles is quintessentially Colorado.

About the Journey is a podcast produced by Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, AT WILL MEDIA, MNTRA, and Oneika Raymond. Listen and follow the show here.

To read full episode transcripts from About the Journey and see photos of each featured destination, head to About the Journey on Marriott Bonvoy Traveler. Starting this season, you can watch full videos of each episode on the Marriott Bonvoy YouTube channel.

Oneika Raymond heads to Anacostia, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Washington D.C., to visit Mahogany Books, the community's first Black-owned bookstore in over two decades selling works by Black authors. 

She'll meet with co-founders Derrick and Ramunda Young – partners in business and life – to discuss the impact of selling Black literature in a predominantly Black neighborhood, their own ties to Southeast D.C. and how their community has warmly embraced their shop tucked inside the Anacostia Arts Center. Here, we'll get a more holistic view of our nation's capital by leaving the typical circuit of museums and monuments to dive into Black stories in this historic area and on Mahogany’s bookshelves.

While in Anacostia, we'll also take a look at the CROWN Act mural by Candice S. Taylor, depicting four Black women with different natural hairstyles to symbolize the ongoing campaign to prevent discrimination based upon hairstyle and hair texture. And Oneika will bookend her day at Black Lives Matter Plaza near the St. Regis Washington, D.C. and the historic site of Fredrick Douglas's final home at Cedar Hill.

About the Journey is a podcast produced by Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, AT WILL MEDIA, MNTRA, and Oneika Raymond. Listen and follow the show here.

To read full episode transcripts from About the Journey and see photos of each featured destination, head to About the Journey on Marriott Bonvoy Traveler. Starting this season, you can watch full videos of each episode on the Marriott Bonvoy YouTube channel.

About the Journey is back! This season, host and travel journalist Oneika Raymond takes us on a six-city journey around North America to chat with locals and ask them what it means to travel better. Join us every Friday through September 30th as we see the world in more meaningful ways.  

About the Journey is a podcast produced by Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, AT WILL MEDIA, and Oneika Raymond. Listen and follow the show here. 

About the Journey is a podcast produced by Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, AT WILL MEDIA, MNTRA, and Oneika Raymond. Listen and follow the show here.

To read full episode transcripts from About the Journey and see photos of each featured destination, head to About the Journey on Marriott Bonvoy Traveler. Starting this season, you can watch full videos of each episode on the Marriott Bonvoy YouTube channel.