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Chris Christensen on Muck Rack

Chris Christensen

Verified
San Jose
As seen in: Amateur Traveler Travel Blog, Hotel Scoop, Travel with Amateur Traveler Podcast (Podcast), Apple Podcasts, Medium, MSN, Journal of Women & Aging, Substack, Taylor & Francis Online, Flipboard, SiriusXM, NorthWest Herald, Bozeman Daily Chronicle and
Covers:  travel & leisure, global travel, luxury travel, destination travel, international travel, domestic travel, family travel
Doesn't Cover: Spa, Wellness
Travel podcaster/blogger/journalist/nerd at AmateurTraveler.com, California.AmateurTraveler.com, BloggerBridge.com ✈️👨‍💻

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Chris Christensen’s Biography

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Chris is the host of the Amateur Traveler. The Amateur Traveler is an award-winning weekly travel podcast that focuses primarily on travel destinations. Amateur Traveler also includes a couple of popular blogs, one of which focuses on California.

Amateur Traveler had over 2 million downloads in 2023. The Amateur Traveler is over 19 years old.

Chris has won 5 NATJA awards, a Lowell Thomas Award, and a SMITTY Award as the "best independent travel journalist".

Chris Christensen’s Journalist Portfolio

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California Gold Country Driving Tour - Calaveras County - California Travel

California Gold Country Driving Tour - Calaveras County - California Travel

A road trip through Calaveras County: Gold Rush history, giant sequoias, underground caverns, boutique wineri…

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The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway: 10 Minutes to an Alpine Escape - California Travel

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway: 10 Minutes to an Alpine Escape - California Travel

From the desert to cool pine forests, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway takes you not just to a great view but …

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Travel to Stuttgart, Germany - Episode 935 - Amateur Traveler

Travel to Stuttgart, Germany - Episode 935 - Amateur Traveler

A one week itinerary in Stuttgart, Germany and Baden-Württemberg with scenic day trips to medieval towns, cas…

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Intrepid Hola Cuba: A Week-Long Cuba Tour for Americans - Amateur Traveler

Intrepid Hola Cuba: A Week-Long Cuba Tour for Americans - Amateur Traveler

A week long tour for Americans in Cuba that takes travelers through Havana, Viñales, the Bay of Pigs, Cienfue…

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Hiking in Europe - More Travel #5 - Amateur Traveler

Hiking in Europe - More Travel #5 - Amateur Traveler

Hear about Hiking in Europe, how and why to see Europe from its trails and paths.

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Travel to Cáceres, Spain - Episode 924 - Amateur Traveler

Travel to Cáceres, Spain - Episode 924 - Amateur Traveler

Discover Cáceres, Spain, with this 9-day itinerary featuring medieval UNESCO sites, stunning landscapes, loca…

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Articles

What Snack to Pack for Long Flights, Road Trips & Adventures

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By Diana Rowe Verified, Chris Christensen Verified
| Amateur Traveler Podcast (2006 archives)
Whether you’re sitting on your carry-on bag to zip it shut or maximizing the limited cooler space in the trunk, travel snacking is a high-stakes and expensive game. Travel has a funny way of turning even the most organized adults into desperate, “hangry” versions of themselves. Knowing what to pack (and what not to pack) for long flights, road trips, and adventures can make or break your vacation. We have all been there.
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Hilton Boston Park Plaza: A Historic Hotel in the Heart of Boston

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By Chris Christensen Verified
| Hotel Scoop
Boston is a city where history rarely stays behind museum glass. It appears in brick sidewalks, churchyards, public squares, brownstones, and hotel lobbies. At the Hilton Boston Park Plaza, history is not simply something nearby. The building opened in 1927 as the Statler Hotel, and nearly a century later, it remains one of Boston’s most recognizable grand hotels.
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California Beach Escapes for Summer: Hidden Towns, Classic Surf, and Family-Friendly Sand

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By Chris Christensen Verified
| Substack
California’s coastline offers more than one kind of beach day. You can chase fog and cliffs in Northern California, pack a family picnic for an easy beach outing, plan a Central Coast escape, or lean into the full Southern California surf-town dream. This week’s roundup follows the coast from quiet NorCal towns to Newport and Huntington Beach.
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Interview

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Have you ever used a typewriter?

yes

How is social media changing news?

Not for the better

What does it mean to be a journalist?

To me being a journalist implies a certain responsibility for professionalism of both your content and behavior.

Awards

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Lowell Thomas Award (Society of American Travel Writers)

2014 - Audio

This is the 30th annual competition sponsored by the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation. Winners of the awards, the most prestigious in the field of travel journalism, were announced Sept. 16 at the SATW convention, held in Iceland. The competition drew 1,177 entries and was judged by members of the faculty at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

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SMITTY (Social Media in Travel and Tourism) from Travel+Leisure

2014 - Best Independent Travel Journalist

The SMITTY Awards recognize the best work done in Social Media in Travel and Tourism.

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Podcast Hall of Fame

2025

"Chris Christensen hosts The Amateur Traveler Podcast, one of the longest-running travel podcasts. Chris has inspired countless travelers and creators by showcasing engaging travel stories, practical tips, and his passion for exploring the world."

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