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Are you gearing up for vacation? You’re not alone. Research shows that over 80 percent of Americans are planning to travel this summer. While many will venture abroad, millions are choosing to explore more of their own country. Cities like New York, Las Vegas, and, of course, Hawaii, are always top picks. But if Northern California isn’t on your radar yet, it definitely should be.
If you need convincing, check out Wish You Were Here, a new social media travel series produced by VegNews and hosted by Meg and Komie Vora alongside Harley Quinn Smith. Tune into VegNews’ Instagram Thursdays at 8pm PDT for new episodes. We guarantee they will make you want to pack your bags. Like, immediately.
These three best friends are already well-known in the vegan world. The Vora sisters are the founders of Delikate Rayne—a sustainable, vegan, cruelty-free fashion brand—while Smith is an actress, animal rights advocate, and activist. Smith even helped her dad, actor Kevin Smith, go vegan.
‘Wish You Were Here’
Since Smith and the Vora sisters all love to travel, their latest project naturally centers on discovering the best vegan hotspots and eco-friendly experiences across the globe.
The first season of Wish You Were Here is all about Northern California gems, including Mendocino’s charming MacCallum House, Fort Bragg’s historic Skunk Train, and the luxe Flamingo Resort & Spa in Sonoma Wine Country. But after that? The sky’s the limit for this plant-based power trio.
Keep reading to learn more about the new series, the inspiration behind it, and why the Vora sisters and Smith are so passionate about showing the world how fun—and impactful—vegan, sustainable travel can be.
VegNews: How did the idea come about for Wish You Were Here?
Komie Vora, Meg Vora, and Harley Quinn Smith: We love to travel together. We’re three vegan best friends, so getting to visit new places collectively and being able to experience all the amazing foods of each city is a dream come true. We had already taken trips as a trio before, and were planning to take more, and then we kind of realized, “Wait a second … What if we filmed this and shared it so it could be a resource for others?
VN: What makes Wish You Were Here different from other travel or food content out there?
KV, MV, and HQS: We are offering a new, authentic perspective that goes deeper than what you usually see on social media these days. We aren’t just telling you about it, we are showing you, and you get to experience it firsthand with us. It can be really overwhelming and draining to do the research, to find restaurants and activities, even hotels that you can’t wait to visit. With [Wish You Were Here], we have done it for you so you can just focus on having fun. We also want to show everyone just how many vegan options there really are out there. There are so many hidden gems that deserve a spotlight, and we love getting to uplift those businesses.
‘Wish You Were Here’
VN: Delikate Rayne was built on the idea that ethics and style should never be compromised. How does that same philosophy translate into the travel experiences you feature on Wish You Were Here?
KV and MV: Just like with Delikate Rayne, we believe in travel that doesn’t compromise on ethics, sustainability, or vibes. We are mindful about choosing destinations that honor the environment, the people, and the culture, so you can explore with purpose and peace of mind. It’s about slowing down, infusing what feels authentically luxurious to you (it is a vacation after all!), and traveling in a way that contributes to uplifting the places you go. Good times, great energy, meaningful connections, and a planet that’s better for it—that’s the real flex.
VN: What are some misconceptions about vegan travel that you’d like to debunk?
KV, MV, and HQS: Many think that vegan travel is only for people who are strictly vegan all the time, or who have a deep commitment to veganism. But vegan travel is for anyone who wants to explore plant-based options or reduce their environmental impact, regardless of their typical diet. Many of the places we visited, including the fully vegan establishments, were constantly telling us that a large part of their customer base was actually not vegan but vegan curious. People also often think that to get vegan or plant-based options, they must stick to traveling only to large, cosmopolitan cities. But veganism is growing in popularity worldwide, and many smaller towns and rural areas have also embraced plant-based foods. Local markets and restaurants in many destinations offer delicious, plant-based dishes, sometimes even without advertising them as vegan.
“Vegan travel can be sustainable travel. It’s about embracing a broader mindset for every aspect of your journey, including transportation, waste reduction, and how you interact with local communities.”
VN: What do you think are some of the biggest misconceptions about what it means to travel sustainably?
KV, MV, and HQS: Lots of people have limited their thinking to believe that being a sustainable traveler is mostly about reducing plastic use. While reducing plastic is a significant part of sustainability, it’s just one aspect. Sustainable travel encompasses everything from supporting ethical tourism practices such as supporting local food, shopping, museums, and art, to choosing transportation methods that have a smaller environmental footprint while at your destination, such as trains, buses or even walking, to staying in accommodations that conserve resources like water and energy.
VN: Speaking of transportation, how do you feel about air travel?
KV, MV, and HQS: This one is controversial. It’s often assumed that if you’re truly committed to sustainability, you have to avoid flying altogether. While flying is undeniably carbon-intensive, the truth is that not every trip can be made without flying, especially long-distance ones. Sustainable travel is about making the best choices available—offsetting carbon emissions, choosing direct flights, flying with airlines that prioritize sustainability and carry vegan options, and balancing your travel with other eco-friendly practices.
‘Wish You Were Here’
VN: How do you continue making sustainable choices once you arrive at your destination?
KV, MV, and HQS: When visiting popular yet far locations, make it a point to seek out small businesses that are offering tours, local cuisine, souvenirs, and unique experiences, like a vegan wine tour. It makes more of a green difference than you know. By doing this, money stays within the local economy, encourages low-impact tourism, and helps preserve local culture and traditions. When tourists visit locally owned businesses, they support cultural preservation efforts rather than contributing to the homogenization of a place that larger chains can bring.
VN: If you could take Wish You Were Here anywhere in the world, where would you go next?
HQS: Visiting Japan is such a big dream of mine, and I feel like it would be so helpful to travelers to have a vegan guide because it’s tough to figure out what’s vegan when there’s a language barrier. I’m also just so eager to learn about how the culture in Japan intersects with veganism. I wonder what the go-to dishes are and what a vegan take on traditional meals looks like.
MV: My list is already multiple pages long, but I would love to venture through more parts of India and Europe. Season two brings us to a very unexpected destination, which was cool to venture through. We made some really good discoveries. You will have to wait and see.
KV: There are so many places on my list, but for now, I’ll just say stay tuned for season two!
For more plant-based stories like this, read:
Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
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