Extra Pack of Peanuts Travel Podcast

Despite traveling less than past years, our top experiences still brought the heat and include lots of concerts, retreats, dolphins, water, dolphins jumping in water, us jumping in water, hanging with "the band", and singing Estonian love ballads in a tiny town in New York.

A local favorite finally cracks the top desserts list, Heather's obsession with a certain type of pastry, and the pie that Trav thinks is the world's most underrated - plus a (unexpectedly) lengthy discussion about a specific candy bar that Heather loves and Trav thinks is "all marketing hype."

Coffees in rural Vermont. Cocktails in Mexico City. Eastern European liqueur. And tea from...Jamaica??? An eclectic mix makes up our best drinks of 2025 - listen to see what comes out on top.

Just because we didn't travel as much in 2025 doesn't mean we didn't have some incredible meals. From sushi trains to eating cheesesteaks in a car in South Philly - with lots (and lots) of Mexican food in between - these are our best meals of 2025.

What was our best accommodation? How about our worst? What was the most unexpected thing that happened in 2025...and who was the neatest people we met? All that, and more, in this episode.

For the 10th year, we are back with our six part Year in Review, starting with 2025 travel stats. How many places did we sleep last year? Did we spend multiple nights on an airplane (unfortunately for one of us, yes). What new places did we visit (hint: not many)? And how many total miles did we travel in 2025? All these answers, and more, in this jam packed episode.

240 acres. Sweeping mountain views. 10,000 square foot event barn. 1803 stone farm house. A mile from the base of a ski mountain. Unlimited potential. Find out how a Louisiana boy found the deal of a lifetime in the Catskills, and what they Trav and Jonas (with their partner Zack) plan on creating on this mountain paradise.

7 months. Over $20k of our own money. Thousands of hours of work. And we decided to bail on a $5,000,000 resort - what would have been the biggest real estate deal we’ve done so far. And while it was crushing in the moment, that changed quickly. Here’s the whole story - and why I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. Want to be the first to know about our newest projects - and even get first crack at being an investor? Sign up for our EPOP Real Estate Newsletter here: http://www.extrapackofpeanuts.com/realestate

What does pickleball, an Eagles Super Bowl win, upstate NY, and the world's largest furniture markets all have in common? Those, plus 16 other things, are all things we were unexpectedly thankful for in 2025. Have a listen - and let us know on instagram @extrapackofpeanuts what you're thankful for in 2025.

Over the last 5 months, since I announced my "retirement", a lot has happened. And I mean...A LOT! Stuff like: losing a $5 million deal pivoting to an oceanfront resort being very close to acquiring a 240 acre farm Retirement life - I've never been busier! Want to be the first to know about our newest projects - and even get first crack at being an investor? Sign up for our EPOP Real Estate Newsletter here: http://www.extrapackofpeanuts.com/realestate

Wilmington, NC is an awesome city. Heck, that's why I moved here 5 years ago and was able to convince Jonas to move here a few weeks ago. It's also a market I know very, very well - and one that I am very excited about doing a micro resort in. Today, we pull back the curtain and deep dive into a potential deal that we are looking at so that you can see the thought process and framework we walkthrough on each deal we analyze - and how we come up with either "heck yes" or "no". Want to be the first to know about our newest projects - and even get first crack at being an investor? Sign up for our EPOP Real Estate Newsletter here: http://www.extrapackofpeanuts.com/realestate

The site of our first international micro resort is: A country that neither Jonas or Trav has stepped foot on. Small, tropical, and not known by many people. Home to incredible scuba diving. So how did this become the first place we decided to do an international micro resort? And where is it? To get those answers, you've got to listen to the show! Want to be the first to know about our newest projects - and even get first crack at being an investor? Sign up for our EPOP Real Estate Newsletter here: http://www.extrapackofpeanuts.com/realestate

Short answer: VERY! But for some people, the design process can be very overwhelming. Today, Heather shares why design is the one of the most importance parts of any hospitality project (especially a boutique one) and why it's not JUST "oh, that's visually appealing" but that it goes much deeper. Plus, she also gives some of her top design tips that anyone can implement, even if they aren't a designer, and the one thing she will NEVER allow in one of her properties? Want to be the first to know about our newest projects - and even get first crack at being an investor? Sign up for our EPOP Real Estate Newsletter here: http://www.extrapackofpeanuts.com/realestate

Experiential micro-resorts around the world? Yes please! Today, we dive into our the top 15 international destinations that we are dreaming (scheming?) of opening up micro-resorts. 3 people. 5 places each. And some very surprising answers. Want to be the first to know about our newest projects - and even get first crack at being an investor? Sign up for our EPOP Real Estate Newsletter here: http://www.extrapackofpeanuts.com/realestate

Max Lee is not your typical gym owner. In fact, he was never even planning on going to the gym, yet alone opening up 20+ gyms across Taiwan. Heck, he didn't even live in Taiwan 4 years ago - and he wasn't planning on staying that long. But Max is always open to opportunities, and that's what has lead him and his family to leading such interesting lives. You'll hear all about it in today's show, including their year of full-time worldschooling, what life is really like in Taipei and how they decided on it, and how Max and his wife found themselves opening 20+ gyms in Taiwan.

Dreaming about where to do our next project is one of the most fun parts of the whole process - and there are no shortage of epic places to pick from. Today, we narrow down the list to our top 15 places in the US where we'd like to open a micro-resort. 3 people. 5 places each. Including a special guest - someone who EPOP listeners will recognize. Want to be the first to know about our newest projects - and even get first crack at being an investor? Sign up for our EPOP Real Estate Newsletter here: http://www.extrapackofpeanuts.com/realestate

Kevin was a burnt out Wall Street lawyer who left that life behind to "buy a drug motel at the Jersey Shore with no money." Oh...and he had no previous hospitality experience. What he did have was a vision - both for what a new version of hospitality could look like and for what he wanted his life to look like. It didn't involve going back to Wall Street...and did it did involve a lifestyle of freedom. Over the past 7 years, he turned that first motel into a thriving hospitality brand, The Shore House, transformed an entire area, and also pulled of a multi-million dollar exit. In his new book, The Boutique Hotel Blueprint, he documents the entire journey, and here's the cool part: In the process, he realized that he wasn't a hotel operator, but instead, a brand creator. So if you're into real estate and hospitality, then in this episode you'll get a masterclass from Kevin. And if you aren't into real estate and hospitality, the major lessons Kevin learned are applicable to any facet of life where building a brand is vital (and to be honest, when ISN'T that the case anymore)? If you like this episode with Kevin, then go grab his brand new, hot off the presses book The Boutique Hotel Blueprint on Amazon - it's worth it's weight in gold (and fortunately, only costs $30). Buy The Boutique Hotel Blueprint here 00:00 From Wall Street to Boutique Hotels 12:12 The Journey of Transformation 26:30 Building a Brand in Hospitality 37:16 Scaling Success and Lessons Learned 37:32 Market Timing and Investor Exit Strategies 40:03 Real Numbers and Authenticity in Real Estate 45:00 Transitioning from Owner Operator to Asset Manager 50:42 Leveraging Technology for Revenue Growth 55:19 The Importance of Direct Bookings and Guest Relationships 01:04:48 Lifestyle Choices in Hospitality Entrepreneurship 01:11:29 Democratization of Technology in the Hotel Industry

Two sets of bungalows. Both on the same island. Both owned by a one family for the last 50 years. Both historical and charming. And that's where the similarities end. In this episode, Trav walks through the lessons he learned from the first set of bungalows (and there are A LOT), how he made sure he didn't make the same mistake twice...and also why, despite the setbacks, the first set of bungalows might actually end up being a better deal (which is truly a shocker). Despite all the similarities, no two deals are the same - and this episode proves it. Want to be the first to know about our newest projects - and even get first crack at being an investor? Sign up for our EPOP Real Estate Newsletter here: http://www.extrapackofpeanuts.com/realestate

You've thought of it. Probably even dreamed of it. Leaving your regular life - the job, the car, the house, and the rat race - to move to a tropical location, renovate, and run a hotel. No worries, no stress. All sunshine, surf, fresh coconuts. Pure bliss. Well...you've dreamed of doing it, but Steph and Luke have actually done it. In 2020, they "bet it all" to move to Costa Rica and open up a hotel with two young daughters in tow. Heck, they even got a tv show out of it - HGTV's "Betting on Paradise." They were living the dream. What could possibly go wrong? Turns out...A LOT. Here's the full, behind the scenes story of that journey, told by two people who have some of best energy you could possibly have - and still were almost broken by it!

Jonas has two development projects currently going - one in New York, one in Tennessee. One's going very well, one's going not so well (or in his words - not at all). So how do two projects, both with the same owner, take two drastically different paths? Find out the biggest lessons Jonas has learned from his Tennessee project, the things he would do differently, and how, despite the development taking years longer than expected, he's still making sure that project doesn't destroy him (financially and emotionally)! Want to be the first to know about our newest projects - and even get first crack at being an investor? Sign up for our EPOP Real Estate Newsletter here: http://www.extrapackofpeanuts.com/realestate