Rolling With the Changes: Mike O’Brian’s Second Act
‘The Getaway Guy’ hasn’t been on TV since 2018 but he continues to do his show, now on social media
By Elise Williams
For nearly 24 years, Rochester viewers welcomed Mike O’Brian — better known as ‘The Getaway Guy’ — into their homes as he explored destinations across New York state and beyond through his longtime travel segments on R News.
But after stepping away from television in 2018, the 73-year-old found himself facing a question familiar to many later in life: what comes next?
Rather than leaving storytelling behind, he embraced a new chapter through social media, online travel content, voice-over work and speaking engagements, continuing to connect with audiences in a whole new way.
We spoke with him about his broadcasting career, the evolution of media and what this unexpected “second act” has meant to him.
Q: Can you walk us through your early career in television and how you became known as “The Getaway Guy”?
A: I actually started my broadcasting career here in Rochester in radio. Eventually, I got into television in 1995, the same year that Rochester’s new 24-hour News Channel, R News, was born. They were looking for an entertainment reporter, so I decided to audition and got the job! I left radio for television and never looked back!
My new TV job had me on a Monday through Friday shift, which was something I never had in my 23 years in radio! I couldn’t believe I had weekends and holidays off! I was in heaven! After a year, I developed a travel segment on R News that eventually became a regular weekly feature and we came up with the name ‘The Getaway Guy.’ I recall that my first getaway was to Corning, my hometown!
Q: What did your day-to-day work in TV look like at its peak?
A: It took four to five days to develop and get a two-minute travel segment on the air. I would begin by scouting out a destination to go to. Doing my travels in New York state was a huge plus as we have endless destination possibilities. After finding where I wanted to go, I would make my usual calls to contacts and set up my visit, arrange for interviews and plan for upcoming weather if it was an outdoor location.
After traveling there, the real work began. I got to know the place and the people and started developing a story — both mentally and on paper — as to how this two-minute segment would unfold. On many of my road trips, I would usually stop for breakfast about halfway there and literally sketch out my storyboard — my plan for how the segment would look and be presented to viewers. That process was extremely helpful because what most viewers didn’t realize was that I was also the photographer! In fact, I was the first VJ (video journalist) not only at R News, but across all their news stations statewide. I loved it. As both host and producer of The Getaway Guy, I had complete control over every aspect of the story from start to finish.
And when I say “story,” that’s exactly how I approached every travel segment: by telling one. That’s what draws viewers in.
Typically, a shoot took an entire day. Then I’d head back to Rochester, usually getting home around 6 or 7 p.m. The next two to three days would be spent editing everything down to fit the mandatory two-minute time slot.
A lot of work for two minutes!
Q: What motivated you to transition from television into podcasting and digital storytelling?
A: In 2018, after almost 24 years as The Getaway Guy on R News, I chose not to renew my contract and decided to retire from the TV station. There were personal reasons involved and the station was also gradually moving more toward an “all news” format with fewer lifestyle features like The Getaway Guy, as well as food segments.
I still felt like I wanted to continue to produce some sort of travel show. It’s funny how much you actually miss something that you just left. So, I took my filming, editing and story-telling skills on the road and began producing Getaways again for social media, Facebook and YouTube. Transitioning from TV production to social media was easy and I also had more flexibility! No more two-minute shows. I could do what I wanted now!
Q: When you decided not to renew your contract and leave your long-running TV role, what did that transition feel like personally? Was there any uncertainty or adjustment period?
A: Leaving my TV home after almost 24 years and walking out of the station was an out-of-body experience, to say the least. I was leaving a family — people I had worked with through thick and thin every single day. It was very surreal and emotional. You literally say goodbye to a part of your life like that, and I definitely felt a sense of loneliness in that transition.
The shift from being part of a daily workforce for so many years to suddenly not having to get up early every morning was also an adjustment. In fact, I still wake up at 4:30 a.m. most days! It drives me crazy — but now I can roll over and go back to sleep. The old cliché is true: you don’t really know how good you have it until it’s gone.
For about a year, I kept busy — especially with a big backyard to maintain and two very energetic grandsons. But after a while, I realized I still wanted more. I wanted to keep traveling and producing a show like I always had.
At one point, I was approached about bringing The Getaway Guy back to Rochester television, but ultimately it didn’t move forward. Still wanting to create, I connected with my current producer and we launched a weekly travel podcast that eventually evolved into a full social media travel show on Facebook and YouTube.
Just like I did in television, I still film everything myself, handle the editing and host the show from start to finish. All the parts I loved about producing travel stories are still there — just in a different format. And I love it. The Getaway Guy lives on!
Q: How has your relationship with your audience changed now that you’re connecting with them through social media and in-person events?
A: I really feel that my relationship with the audience hasn’t changed much at all. Even though most people are now watching the show in a different way through social media, they still want the travel information and still enjoy the journey I take them on, just like I did on TV. When people come up to me — usually in the grocery store — they almost always say they miss the show. And for me, that actually feels good. That’s the reward. It truly is a compliment!
And that’s usually when I get to tell them I’m not gone — they can still find the show on social media. The people who attend my travel presentations around the area are often there because they remember me from television and that gives me another great opportunity to show them all the different ways they can still follow The Getaway Guy now.
Q: How do you define this chapter of your life—as a continuation of your career or something entirely new?
A: I would say it is a combination of both.Clearly, I continue to do what I love, which is bringing travel destinations to viewers. It’s hard to get that out of your system after you’ve done it for so long. In some ways, it’s new in that the show is now seen on different devices outside of traditional television. I look at putting my work on social media as an extension of what I’ve always done, just on a different medium. People who followed me from TV still need travel ideas around the state — they’re just receiving them in a more modern, online format.
Plus, I now have more time to continue doing voice-over work and I’ve also taken on more speaking engagements. I get a lot of requests for my “Getaway Guy Travel Presentation” around the area — community groups, libraries and various organizations. It’s a lot of fun meeting the people who have followed my Getaways for all these years.
Q: Looking back on your career, is there a moment or realization that really captures what this second act has meant to you?
A: I didn’t even know there was ever going to be a second act! I never saw this coming! I realized that I wasn’t done with travel storytelling and that TV didn’t have to be the end of my journey. And honestly, staying active with what I know and love gives me purpose and a routine that I never thought I’d miss. I’m a morning person, and still hitting the road when the birds are chirping still gives me a thrill. This isn’t work for me. I’m having fun… on my schedule. I still love taking viewers to places they’ve never been before. That has always been the purpose. That’s a true getaway!
Q: What advice would you give to others who are navigating major changes later in their careers?
A: I would say go after it with all you’ve got! Take your expertise and adjust to fit today’s world. You have a lot of experience to share with others even though your current situation may have changed. Adjust and think outside of the box. If you’ve retired, the chains that held you back before are now gone! You have a new-found freedom! Take what you’re good at… and make it bigger and better!
To follow Mike O’Brian and “The Getaway Guy,” visit his travel content on Facebook and YouTube by searching “The Getaway Guy.” O’Brian also continues to appear at community presentations and speaking events throughout the Rochester area.