In the VIP Lounge with Jason Mraz

If you could travel anywhere right now, where would you go?
Grammy Award-winning musician Jason Mraz said he has never “had the privilege” of performing at Tanglewood in the Berkshires — but that is about to change. In a recent phone call from his home in Oceanside, Calif., Mraz said he is “so excited” to play with the Boston Pops at Tanglewood on July 2. “It’s going to be my super bad band and 60 other musicians,” said the singer-songwriter, 47, who is touring with an 11-member ensemble. “I feel like it’s a bigger wave and the stakes are higher. It’s so exciting, and the fact that it’s all coming together . . . and just flowing becomes very emotional. It becomes a moment that I just can’t help but feel grateful to be in the middle of, and I hope that’s the same for the audience.” The summer tour, titled the “Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride” (after his 2023 album of the same name), kicks off in Providence on June 30. Mraz will also perform at the Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston on July 6. Mraz, who has more than two decades in the music business and hit songs that include “Lucky” and “I’m Yours,” said he has several projects in the works, including a country-and-bluegrass-influenced album for which he is targeting a 2025 release. “I’m looking for a new experience,” he said. “This is the music my grandparents would play for me, and the music they wanted me to make. It’s coming together quite nicely.” We caught up with the Richmond, Va., native to talk about all things travel.
I’m traveling all summer by choice from Bangor, Maine, all the way back to San Diego. Being on tour makes me a professional tourist. My work is a vacation. But I understand your question. If I could really go anywhere right now, it would be to a remote beach in Costa Rica. Off the grid. Listening to the waves by day, the howler monkeys by night.
Do you prefer booking trips through a travel agent or on your own?
I love my travel agent.
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Thoughts on an “unplugged” vacation?
If you are a plugged-in person, then yes, I recommend the acoustic experience. A good vacation is about making your personal time and routines a little more special for yourself.
What has been your worst vacation experience?
I’ve never had a bad vacation.
What is your favorite childhood travel memory?
I used to love riding in the back of my dad’s pickup truck. It’s probably illegal now. But it was always short distances. One night we were headed to the beach about two hours away. I begged my dad to let me ride in the back of the truck. He said good luck. As soon as he pulled onto the highway I realized what a mistake I had made. The wind, the noise, the cold … it was too much. I banged on the window to pull over and let me in. He did, of course. But he still makes fun of me for thinking I could handle the elements. We listened to music in the warmth of the truck instead. That was one of my favorite rides to the beach.
Do you vacation to relax, to learn, or for the adventure of it all?
All of the above. If it checks all the boxes, the better.
What book do you plan on bringing with you to read on your next vacation?
“The Facts of Life: And Other Dirty Jokes” by Willie Nelson.
If you could travel with one famous person/celebrity, who would it be?
Willie Nelson. I’ve had a chance to visit with Willie a few times, but never travel with him. I appreciate his individuality, and I can only hope that would rub off on me if we traveled together.
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What is the best gift to give a traveler? Space. When someone is on vacation, give [them] time to get lost in a space and immerse themselves. Don’t blow up their phone with text messages. Give him or her time to travel and to explore. Give them time to miss you.
What is your go-to snack for a flight or a road trip?
I’m nuts for dried fruit. And nuts.
What is the coolest souvenir you’ve picked up on a vacation?
I think a diary is the best souvenir you gift yourself. Take a few minutes a day to chronicle your adventure. Detail your surroundings. Share your emotions on the page. You’ll be able to enjoy who you were on that trip for the rest of your life. And you’ll thank your former self for gifting you so many great memories. You can’t buy that in a gift shop.
What is your favorite app/website for travel?
Travel With Meaning. It’s a podcast page of insightful stories from a variety of travelers to get you inspired about traveling with an intention.
What has travel taught you?
That you don’t need very much. You don’t need a whole closet full of stuff. Just the essentials. You can pack light at home, too.
What is your best travel tip?
Keep a journal and pack light. Save room in your suitcase for surprises that you’re sure to acquire. Your best souvenirs will be the notes, doodles, postcards, and maps all tucked away in the well-traveled pages of your journal.
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Juliet Pennington can be reached at writeonjuliet@comcast.net.