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Bay Curious

KQED
San Francisco
California
KQED
Bay Area
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay Area
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Climate Change
World War II
Oakland
BART
Proposition 2
Alameda
Presidio
Sex Work
Gold Rush
Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs
Housing Crisis
Proposition 5
Port Costa

Bay Curious is a show about your questions – and the adventures you find when you go looking for the answers. Join host Olivia Allen-Price to explore all aspects of the San Francisco Bay Area – from the debate over "Frisco", to the dinosaurs that once roamed California, to the causes of homelessness. Whether you lived here your whole life, or just arrived, Bay Curious will deepen your understandin... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes516Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Places & TravelHistorySociety & Culture

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Latest Episodes

Jack O'Neill is often credited with inventing the first wetsuit and selling it out of one of the nation's first surf shops near San Francisco's Ocean Beach. But many people don't know that a UC Berkeley physicist had a big role in the wetsuit's early... more

Since it was first unveiled in 1971, the 710-ton brutalist-style Vaillancourt Fountain has been a divisive piece of public art. The tangle of concrete square tubes once fit in seamlessly with the Embarcadero Freeway, a double-decker road which once r... more

Jess Garcia loves perusing San Francisco thrift stores for treasures. One day, she came across a vinyl record titled "In Baghdad By the Bay: Cora and Santos Beloy," which piqued her curiosity. She rushed home to listen and was amazed at the sweet nos... more

Sarah Reid noticed a control booth attached to one of Alameda's many drawbridges, and wondered if people are inside, working the bridge. Turns out they are, and it's a round-the-clock job. This week, Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman takes us into the life of a ... more

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Recent Guests

Katie DeBenedetti
Covers daily news for KQED's Express Desk
KQED
Episode: The Brutalist Embarcadero Fountain Some Love, Many Hate
Jess Garcia
Question asker who found the thrift-store album
Bay Curious listener
Episode: The Delightful Story Behind A Thrift Store Vinyl Find
Sissy Beloy-Sher
Daughter of Cora and Santos Beloy
Family of Cora and Santos
Episode: The Delightful Story Behind A Thrift Store Vinyl Find
Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman
KQED reporter who covers Alameda and Bay Curious stories
KQED
Episode: The 24 Hour Job of Running Alameda's Bridges
Pauline Bartolone
KQED reporter who scouted the Concord Mounds area
KQED
Episode: Concord's Long Road from Navy Weapons Station to Walkable Neighborhood
Deb Wong
Local historian
Pacifica history
Episode: The Most Beautiful Taco Bell in the World
Nancy Cook Long
Pacifica local with memories of the area
Local resident
Episode: The Most Beautiful Taco Bell in the World
Charles Lester
California Coastal Commission official
California Coastal Commission
Episode: The Most Beautiful Taco Bell in the World
Katie Barrow
A woman in San Jose who is trying to make friends
Private individual in Bay Area
Episode: How to Make Friends in the Bay Area

Hosts

Olivia Allen-Price
Host of Bay Curious, focused on Bay Area questions and storytelling.
Katrina Schwartz
Editor and Producer contributing to Bay Curious content.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.3k ratings
  • Drawbridges of Alameda

    I’m a huge fan of Bay Curious for several years now. The episode on the drawbridges of Alameda was unexpectedly… lovely.

    Thank you !

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MessyEm
    United States22 days ago
  • A gem!

    I love this gem of a podcast! It is charming and interesting and a perfect little snack.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DrayaCarp
    United Statesa month ago
  • Vocal Fry Experiment?

    Good topics presented by a collection of people experimenting with vocal fry. It's like being in a classroom for a compelling topic with a professor scratching her nails on a chalkboard.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Stay Fat
    United States2 months ago
  • Great show

    Always love listening to this show, keep up the good work!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    sicEm2
    United States2 months ago
  • Always engaging

    Not only is it wonderful to hear about the Bay Area’s secrets and lost stories, but I’m always charmed by the experts and knowledgeable people you track down to fill in the missing pieces.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BrendaMorg
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners find the show consistently informative and family-friendly.
Many appreciate in-depth, nuanced storytelling and archival context.
Fans value accessibility and the spot-on exploration of neighborhood histories.
Listeners praise the local focus and engaging guests, with a strong sense of Bay Area culture.
A few reviews note occasional stylistic critiques or political bias in some series.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Broken Alphabet of SF's Westside Streets
Q: So, start us at the beginning. When did San Francisco even start naming its streets?
The city began naming streets around the Gold Rush era as it aimed to become a regional capital, but early practice included duplicates and ad hoc naming, which caused widespread confusion before formal renaming efforts in the post‑earthquake rebuilding period.
Why So Many Legal Courts in S.F.?
Q: Why are there so many courts in San Francisco, rather than in other cities like Sacramento or Los Angeles?
California's early statehood created a split into Northern and Southern Districts with San Francisco as a natural hub due to population, economy, and maritime strength; the federal and state court systems expanded around this central, accessible downtown area over time. The Ninth Circuit was formed when the region was developing, and San Francisco's role as an economic and legal center helped cement these courts here.
The Eccentric Personalities Behind Sunnyside Conservatory
Q: Could you start by painting a picture of the conservatory and how it looks now?
Katrina Schwartz describes it as a redwood, two-story octagonal building set back in a lush garden, with light-filled spaces and a modern recreation of the original spire, which has been carefully maintained to honor the past while serving as an event space today.
How Italian Is North Beach? The Surprising Stats
Q: Do Italian people still live in North Beach, or is it all just a tourist trap?
While the number of Italian residents has greatly decreased, many still visit for community gatherings and dining experiences that reflect their heritage.
Are We Having a 'Crow-maggedon'?
Q: Is there a plan to reduce their populations?
Experts suggest coexistence and better urban management rather than extermination.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Bay Curious

What is Bay Curious about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A Bay Area–focused exploration that covers a wide range of local questions, from public art and historic landmarks to infrastructure, urban planning, and neighborhood memories. Episodes frequently blend reporting, archival material, and expert or community voices to illuminate how place, policy, and people shape the region. Noteworthy is the show's knack for turning everyday Bay Area curiosities into nuanced, neighborly storytelling—often featuring local historians, reporters, and residents who add texture to familiar places. Potential listeners can expect approachable, deeply local content with a mix of history, culture, and current affairs, served through engaging interviews and listener-driven investigations.

Where can I find podcast stats for Bay Curious?

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How many listeners does Bay Curious get?

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What are the audience demographics for Bay Curious?

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How many subscribers and views does Bay Curious have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Bay Curious has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Bay Curious?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Bay Curious:

1. The Bay
2. East Bay Yesterday
3. KQED's The California Report
4. KQED's Forum
5. Political Breakdown

How many episodes of Bay Curious are there?

Bay Curious launched 10 years ago and published 516 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Bay Curious?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Bay Curious?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Bay Curious from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Bay Curious?

Recent guests on Bay Curious include:

1. Katie DeBenedetti
2. Jess Garcia
3. Sissy Beloy-Sher
4. Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman
5. Pauline Bartolone
6. Deb Wong
7. Nancy Cook Long
8. Charles Lester

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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