What do you think about the Travel Channel (on cable TV)?
 

How many of you watch the Travel Channel on TV? I think it has hope but could be much better.<BR><BR>Here are some of things I can not stand about the Travel Channel?<BR><BR>There are to many shows about Las Vegas.<BR><BR>Everything destination is a glamour spot where people stay in 5 star hotels.<BR><BR>Alot of the shows are not about travel, just extra Discovery Channel reruns.<BR><BR>They have the same commericals over and over.<BR><BR>They took off Rick Steves, and Justine Shapiro (my drean girl) Lonley Planet.<BR><BR>They run the same shows over and over.<BR><BR>What is your take on the Travel Channel?

Like I said earlier, too much Las Vegas.

I don't think we get the Travel Channel in Manhattan on Time-Warner. We used to get it but haven't seen it in ages. If anyone knows which channel (if any) broadcasts the Travel Channel in Manhattan, I'd be interested in knowing.

It is a great channel but it does re-run everything ten times over. Also, you would think I would be a first class gambler after all the vegas shows I have seen on there. Aside from those two complaints I still enjoy watching it and at least once a week they have something new/interesting to me.

Frank, the travel channel is ch#88 if you get digital. otherwise, the ch. is not available.<BR><BR>As I have said before on this board, I think the travel ch. could be SO much better. I think the shows the have on the morning when I am at work are better than the junk they offer at night. However, I do think they have been improving slightly.

I thought it was great when it first started but now it seems that there are too many repeats and not enough off the beaten path. Final straw was when they were doing the sports illustrated shoot.

I used to watch it, but then all of my favorite shows got pulled and now they just keep running the same reruns of crappy shows. I did enjoy the top 100 things that you should do before you die. I enjoyed seeing that I had accomplished a lot on the list, and still have a lot to look forward to in my travels.

Can anyone tell me how to find that top 100 list? I'd like to see it here or look it up somewhere.<BR><BR>Thanks

P.S. When I looked it up on their web site, there was an error message saying it wasn't there anymore.

Most of the shows in the morning are pretty good, gets down deep into the culture of the area. Some may be reruns, I don't know. I find the Top whatever shows in the evening hours to be horrible.

Was once my favorite channel but, as you say, too many reruns, too much Las Vegas, too many Austraylians with their charmless accents molesting wildlife in the outback.<BR>Daytime shows are better but still reruns. I like hotels, in-depth visits to cities and countries that I might conceivably visit, used to like lifestyles of the rich and famous,the Travelers, Justine and Ian, and come to think of it have not seen them for awhile.

Here's the link to the "101 things to do before you die". <BR><BR>http://travel.discovery.com/ideas/cu...s/101/102.html

Sightseer, thanks. Don't know how many of those things I want to do, but it's a fun list!

We don't have the Travel Channel on our Brooklyn cable system (Time Warner)<BR><BR>{sniff}

used to think it was great. Now I rarely watch it. Too much bikini blast, etc, etc. What happened to the programs that really talked about travel? I liked the programs with Justine and Ian, too.

All Las Vegas - All the time<BR>every single time I turn the channel on!<BR><BR>I miss Lonely Planet and Rick Steves! I do like the top 10 "fill in the blank" but the channel is getting to lame!

sightseer,<BR>Thanks for the link, sounded good, but the page expired.<BR>I haven't watched enough of the Travel Channel to comment, but my beef with most of the travel magazines out there is that they are designed for the rich -a lot of what I read about is way beyond my budget. Depressing!<BR>

Hell, I'm watching it right now and as soon as this one is over (Sea World) i'm bookin my family for a trip to Sea World! My wife says it is my 2ND favorite channel with my favorite being the Weather Channel of course! Look out Shamu here we come!!

I liked the 10 best water parks in the U.S. Also like seeing the 5 star hotels--who wants to see budget hotels on the Travel Channel? It's fun to dream! Agree that there are too many repeats and what's WITH the Vegas blitz???

FYI... for those that have mentioned that they miss Justin and Ian on Lonely Planet: The producers lost their rights to the Lonely Planet name. But the good news is they are still making NEW shows under the name GLOBE TREKKER.<BR>They still use the same intro and theme song, same hosts, same format etc.... and best of all NEW SHOWS! Their new season began about a month ago and is currently running on PBS as GLOBE TREKKER. Check out globetrekkertv.com for a complete schedule and local programming days and times in your city. It's a good site with program descriptions, host biographies and interviews etc.

Rick Steves is over on PBS as well. Those of you who liked the OLD Travel Channel format may want to migrate over there instead.<BR><BR>Did anyone else used to watch that show "Diceman" about the two English guys who rolled the dice to see where they'd go and what they'd do next? Travel Channel needs more of that stuff and fewer shows about Vegas, beaches, ultimate luxury travel and the other bullcrap that they broadcast relentlessly now.

I loved the Diceman! They have too much of that stupid Alby Mangles (spelling?) and on every espisode, he almost gets himself and everyone around him killed. Ended up in a Guerrilla War, got rushed by a Rhino, got in a bad car crash etc. The Travel Channel has all that stupid crap on Vegas, I miss the show Lauren Hutton used to host "Three Perfect Days", Great Country Inns, and I think it was called Romantic Inns? They also need to bring back "Amazing Destinations". It is such a stupid channel now. They need to get rid of whomever is in charge of programming IF anyone actually is. Also, bring back Justine and Ian. I mean, how can you take such a wonderful idea and screw it up so badly?

damn only did 11 of the 101 things but walked by almost half. any how this chanal was one of the things that made me into a travel freak, the kids know watching it will probably want too be LAS VEGAS gambles.

Ian is back - the show was Ireland. Was this a repeat? He is adorable and just seems to have such a great time. Justine is awful. The show in New Mexico, she was in the worst mood and just plain whiney.

I loved watching the show with Samantha Brown visiting the hotels. Whatever happened to that one??<BR>

Samantha Brown is starting to get annoying because she is on all the time.

It's either Vegas or crocodiles on that Channel and the repeats are ridiculous.<BR>

The best shows are no longer, and I now find the Food Network has more useful travel information. I miss Lonely Planet too. There is too much Haunted this and Ten Best that. Tabloid travel I call it. I don't watch the Travel Channel much anymore.

Here's another person who missing Lonely Planet. I think I've seen them all, but still watch the reruns, especially the ones with Ian and Justine. For the above poster, the Southwest show with Justine was a rare one showing her negative side. She's almost always witty, funny, and having a great time. Ditto about too many shows about Las Vegas, bikini stuff, etc.