Welcome to the Living in Salida Podcast – your backstage pass to the charm and reality of living, working, and playing in Colorado’s coolest little mountain town!
Join local Realtor and Salida enthusiast Monica McCarthy as she chats with locals from all walks of life—artists, adventurers, business owners, and everyday characters who make this town tick. From real talk about work and housing to quirky tales of small-town living, it's your insider guide to the heart and soul of Salida, CO.
Whether you live here, want to move here, plan to visit—or just crave a peek into authentic small-town life—this podcast is your guide to the real Salida vibe.
Monica McCarthy is a Realtor with HomeSmart Preferred Realty that specializes in Salida, CO and surrounding areas.
YouTube Channel @LivinginSalidaCO (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPZtwiVtpQu7IIpNO7F8ZtQ (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPZtwiVtpQu7IIpNO7F8ZtQ))
Instagram & Facebook: @MonicaSellsSalida
Email: LivinginSalida@gmail.com (mailto:LivinginSalida@gmail.com) or MonicaSellsSalida@gmail.com (mailto:MonicaSellsSalida@gmail.com)
719-626-1501
S3 EP 13: What It Is Actually Like to Raise Kids in Salida Colorado | A Local Teacher and Parent Shares All
Are you thinking about moving to Salida Colorado with kids and wondering whether this small mountain town can actually offer enough for your family? In this episode we sit down with Andre Wilkins, a longtime Salida resident, high school music teacher, theater director, and dad, for an honest conversation about what it is actually like to raise children here. This is not a highlight reel. It is the kind of conversation you would have with a local friend who has been here long enough to tell you the real story. We talk through the performing arts and music programs at Salida High School, what community supported summer camps and youth programs actually look like, the unique way Salida raises kids together as a community rather than just as individual families, and what Andre would want every relocating family to know before they arrive.
Connect with Monica:
www.MonicaSellsSalida.com (http://www.monicasellssalida.com/)
Instagram & Facebook @MonicaSellsSalida
Email: LivinginSalida@gmail.com (mailto:LivinginSalida@gmail.com) or MonicaSellsSalida@gmail.com (mailto:MonicaSellsSalida@gmail.com)
17 Jul 2026
S3 EP 12: How Two Educators Built Salida Colorado's Most Beloved New Community Space | Salida Book Club
What happens when two full-time middle school teachers look around their mountain town and decide the community needs something that does not exist yet? In this conversation we sit down with Samantha Bahn and Deb Bass O'Brien, the women behind Book Club Salida, a woman owned independent bookstore that opened its brick-and-mortar location in March of 2026 after two summers of farmers market pop ups. This is not just a bookstore story. It is a community story about two educators who saw a gap and decided to fill it while still teaching full time. We talk through their Salida origin stories, how a blizzard road trip to host a school book fair planted the seed, and what they are building beyond just selling books including author events, intimate book clubs, summer camps, and reading retreats. The space also sits in a building with a fascinating history connected to Salida madam Laura Evans and the old downtown speakeasy, and that spirit of female owned community minded business feels very much alive in what they have created.
Connect with Monica:
www.MonicaSellsSalida.com (http://www.monicasellssalida.com/)
Instagram & Facebook @MonicaSellsSalida
Email: LivinginSalida@gmail.com (mailto:LivinginSalida@gmail.com) or MonicaSellsSalida@gmail.com (mailto:MonicaSellsSalida@gmail.com)
2 Jul 2026
S3 EP11: How One Local Organization Is Preserving the Arkansas River Valley for Future Generations
The Arkansas River Valley draws people for its mountain views open spaces and clean water but most residents never think about the work being done to protect all of it from the development pressure transforming other Colorado mountain towns. This video features Suzanne Copping program director at the Central Colorado Conservancy which has spent 25 years protecting lands and waters in Chaffee County through conservation easements that allow landowners to permanently restrict subdivision while continuing to work their properties for generations. The conversation covers why protecting ranch land matters beyond just the views including how open lands filter water into the Arkansas River how wildlife depends on privately owned open spaces and how the balance between growth and conservation determines whether the reasons people move here are still here in twenty years. If you live in or are considering moving to Salida Colorado this is one of the most important conversations about the future of this community right now.
Connect with Monica:
www.MonicaSellsSalida.com (http://www.monicasellssalida.com/)
Instagram & Facebook @MonicaSellsSalida
Email: LivinginSalida@gmail.com (mailto:LivinginSalida@gmail.com) or MonicaSellsSalida@gmail.com (mailto:MonicaSellsSalida@gmail.com)
Who has been a guest on Living in Salida, Colorado
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Marjo Curgus
Jessica Downing
Scott Hughes
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
69,963
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Spotify
3.3 / 5
4 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 52 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
62
Social presence
0
YouTube
76
Engagement
30
Contact Living in Salida, Colorado
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about Living in Salida, Colorado
Who hosts Living in Salida, Colorado?
Monica McCarthy host the show. Published by Monica McCarthy, Local Realtor.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes bi-weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Living in Salida, Colorado take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
Host of Living in Salida, Colorado?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
