Gullible's Travels: Travel writing of Gary A. Warner

Gary A. Warner

How the hell did I end up with this great
gig? I was named travel editor of The Orange
County Register in 1994. I had joined the paper
in 1987 and covered the usual suspects in
Southern California newspaper journalism:
land use, crime, and politics. My last news side
job was covering the military. I reported from
Korea, both Germanys, Hawaii and across
the U.S., often writing offbeat travel stories
for then-travel editor Laura Bly (now with USA
Today). Laura left. The local military bases
were closing. I was named travel editor. My
private post-Cold War "peace dividend."
Prior to the Register, I was state capital
bureau chief for The Pittsburgh Press
in Harrisburg, Pa. For a brief, misguided
period I was press aide to the California
State Senate Judiciary Committee
in 1982-83. I twice was a drama major in
college, but did not join half the Southern
California population in trying
to become an actor.
I was born in San Bernardino, lived in Rialto,
and grew up in Long Beach. I have a B.A.
in History from U.C. Berkeley,
a B.S. in Psychology from Cal State
Long Beach and a M.S. in Journalism
from Columbia University in New York City.

The Register has been named best travel section of a medium metro newspaper five
times since I became editor. I've also won several other Lowell Thomas travel writing
awards. My articles have appeared in "Travelers Tales: Australia," "Not So Funny When It
Happened" and "The Traveling Curmudgeon." I was a lead lecturer at the West Coast
National Writers Workshop, sponsored by the Poynter Institute.

In 2000, I was chief writer for "On the Bubble," a series that followed surfer Pat
O'Connell around the world as he struggled to remain in the sports' top tier. The
series was named best newspaper coverage of surfing by the Association of Surfing
Professionals. I don't surf, but in that great journalistic voyeuristic tradition, I like to watch.

Since I was named Travel Editor in 1994, the Register has been named the best travel
section in its circulation category five times - most recently in 2007. The section has won
several other awards for writing, photography and design.

I'm married with two children. My wife, Debra, is a freelance writer and
former Register reporter once nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in beat
coverage. My family frequently accompany me on trips.

I've been to over 40 countries and all 50 United States.

For a profile, go to Rolf Potts interview with Gary Warner