Food, people, and places draw us in and the journeys often stay with us long after they end, which is exactly what makes travel so compelling.

Whether you’re interested in vibrant, sweeping landscapes, savoring local dishes, or learning about the rich traditions of a region, you can find a wide collection of travel shows that explore all corners of the world.

From bustling street corners to quiet family kitchens, who better to guide you through the world’s diverse cultures and cuisines than the legendary globetrotters of PBS? With every journey, these experts go beyond showcasing the destinations, helping us understand why travel matters.

Voyage across cultures together with PBS travel hosts Rick Steves, Samantha Brown, and Pati Jinich, as they bring the world to you in shows that intersect food and travel, local traditions, and outdoor treks. With their unique ways of transporting viewers from one side of the globe to the other, join them on their unforgettable adventures.

Rick Steves

Rick Steves is widely considered America’s leading authority on European travel. He is also an outspoken activist who encourages Americans to broaden their perspectives through mindful exploration. Steves goes beyond sightseeing and delves into the history, politics, and cultural context of a location, all while weaving in lessons on being a global citizen.

Rick took his first trip to Europe at age 14 with his parents, as they toured factories for their business importing and tuning pianos. After turning 18, he returned to Europe by himself, stretching every dollar to see as much of the world as possible. He brought his money-saving travel tips back home and began sharing them in seminars with the 1976 founding of his business, Rick Steves’ Europe, and eventually writing a book, “Europe Through the Back Door,” published in 1980.

Since then, Rick has been introducing meaningful travel in a budget-savvy, accessible way by producing best-selling guidebooks, a popular public television series, weekly public radio shows, a syndicated travel column, and free travel information for millions of fans. In addition, he runs a small-group tour program for people to visit Europe.

Rick lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington, and spends about four months a year in Europe, researching, fine-tuning, filming, and making new discoveries. He’s a longtime supporter of public broadcasting, and “Rick Steves’ Europe” is public television’s most-watched and longest-running travel series.

Rick Steves’ Shows Streaming on PBS

You can find all of the wonderful content from Rick Steves, distributed by American Public Television, here:

• “Rick Steves’ Europe”
• “Rick Steves Art of Europe”

Samantha Brown

Entering the realm of travel happened unexpectedly for Samantha Brown. But after 20-plus years of travel and over 160 hours of programming, she has become a beloved travel expert. Her charming curiosity invites viewers to embrace new experiences and find emotional connections that make the destinations memorable.

Born in Dallas, Texas, and raised in New Hampshire, Samantha pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in fine Arts from Syracuse University. After eight years in New York City performing in theater and waiting tables, Samantha pivoted to television. She began presenting on the Travel Channel, where she became known for her fun-loving, relatable style on shows such as “Great Vacation Homes” and “Passport to Europe.”

In 2019, she began hosting and producing “Samantha Brown’s Places to Love” on PBS, where she has won two Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Host and Outstanding Travel/Adventure Program.

Samantha lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family and continues to travel the world, meeting people and telling stories that highlight local voices and hidden gems in exciting destinations. 

Samantha Brown’s Shows on PBS

Check out the great shows from Samantha Brown you can stream on PBS:

• “Samantha Brown’s Places to Love”
• “Autumnwatch New England”

Pati Jinich

Pati Jinich has turned her love of food into an exploration of flavor in which she shares timeless traditions and iconic dishes with viewers on PBS. A former political analyst in Washington, D.C., Pati decided to change course and follow her passion for culinary discovery, traveling and sharing Mexico’s cuisine and culture with others. You can go on a delicious adventure of your own with a curated collection of Pati Jinich’s recipes.

Born and raised in Mexico City, Pati later relocated to the United States. Feeling homesick, she began cooking and sharing Mexican cuisine with her friends, setting everything in motion. From live cooking demonstrations, to writing cooking content for publications, Pati eventually premiered on public television in 2011. 

Today, Pati brings flavors from Mexico into American homes with her James Beard Award-winning series “Pati’s Mexican Table.” She also shares untold stories from the U.S.-Mexico border in the docuseries “La Frontera with Pati Jinich” and celebrates the many cultures of the Americas in “Pati Jinich Explores PanAmericana.” 

Pati lives in the D.C. area with her family. She is resident chef at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C., and a New York Times bestselling author of three cookbooks, with a fourth book coming in 2026. 

Pati Jinich’s Shows on PBS

Check out the great shows from Pati Jinich you can stream on PBS:

• “La Frontera with Pati Jinich”
• “Pati’s Mexican Table”
• “Pati Jinich Explores PanAmericana”

Pati Jinich Explores PanAmericana

Pati Jinich has been fostering bonds between her homeland of Mexico and her new home in the United States for years, and this docuseries takes that mission even further.

Inspired by the Pan-American Highway, a roughly 19,000 mile network of interconnected highways stretching across two continents and 14 countries through North, Central, and South America, Pati journeys to destinations along the world’s longest road to uncover cultural connections that enrich the Americas.

Crafting a connection that bridges worlds together through her curiosity and authentic storytelling, Pati Jinich immerses viewers into the cultural heritage of each region and reimagines what it means to be American. 

Pati begins her journey in season 1 of “Pati Jinich Explores PanAmericana” at the tip of Alaska, in the northernmost city in North America. From there, she journeys south through Canada and the United States to meet captivating individuals in the multifaceted places they call home. Along the way, Pati absorbs the history, geography, and storied migrations of each destination, sharing meals, celebrating differences, and discovering traditions that create the identities of the people she meets along the way.

As Pati undertakes her immersion into the cultures of America and crosses a multitude of terrains, she finds that the dishes she shares are strongly tied to the identity and community of each destination. In this series, Pati finds that ultimately, the common thread that unites us all is the deep care for the place we call home.

Season 2 of the “Pati Jinich Explores PanAmericana” premieres in the fall of 2026. Stream season 1 of “Pati Jinich Explores PanAmericana” now on PBS.org and the PBS app.