Mike Bernhardt

AUTHOR • Poet • TRAVEL WRITER

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Trusting the Smuggler’s Route

May 26, 2026 No Comments

I have a new essay published by Hidden Compass!  Like my award-winning essay The Tides of War, it is drawn from the saga of my wife’s family during World War II.

This story concerns my wife’s mother, who was hidden in southern France with a hundred other Jewish children. In 1943, after her brother was arrested and deported, she embarked on a harrowing escape to Switzerland with the help of women who risked their lives to save her.

Trusting the Smuggler’s Route describes that escape, and it follows Yvonne and me as we retraced her footsteps during a trip to France last year.

Enjoy! And if you feel inclined to contribute to the patronage campaign you find there, I’d really appreciate it! Whatever you give supports both me and Hidden Compass.

 

The Tides of War wins Lowell Thomas Award!

November 13, 2024 No Comments

My story The Tides of War, which was published in Hidden Compass last year, won first place in the the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards Special-Purpose Travel category! Sponsored by the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation, the Lowell Thomas Awards are probably the most prestigious in the field of travel journalism. I feel truly honored. Here is the comment from the judges:

The discovery of a hand-bound book of preserved seaweed launches this journey through history that connects Mike Bernhardt’s family to “The Tides of War.” A question from his wife — “Why do you care so much about what happened to my relatives?” — resonates throughout the story as he peels back the tragedy of her grandmother’s life and losses. His attention to detail transports the reader through this poignant tale. It is an unexpected and moving travel experience.

The Tides of War, tracking WWII refugees and those who honored them

August 14, 2023 No Comments

I am truly thrilled, and honored, to have a story I wrote published in the latest issue of a magazine called Hidden Compass. The Tides of War is about what happened to my wife’s grandparents AFTER they escaped from Nazi Germany and thought they were out of harm’s way, and about our journey to learn more about it, including travel to Ireland and the Isle of Man. It combines two things that are very much a part of my life: travel, and honoring grief. I hope you like it!

The Tides of War

The Tides of War, tracking WWII refugees and those who honored them

August 14, 2023 No Comments

I am truly thrilled, and honored, to have a story I wrote published in the latest issue of a magazine called Hidden Compass. The Tides of War is about what happened to my wife’s grandparents AFTER they escaped from Nazi Germany and thought they were out of harm’s way, and about our journey to learn more about it, including travel to Ireland and the Isle of Man. It combines two things that are very much a part of my life: travel, and honoring grief. I hope you like it!

The Tides of War

Sadie Beyl and I Discuss Grief

March 24, 2023 No Comments

Sadie Beyl, founder of  From Mourning to Light, hosted a Grief Summit in October 2022, and she interviewed me as one of her guest experts. We discussed my book Voices of the Grieving Heart, but we also spoke about something that’s rarely discussed: After our life partner has died, and after all of the time and effort it takes to grieve and keep living, how do we know when it’s the right time to consider a new relationship?

You can learn more about Sadie here.

Blowin’ In the Wind

February 11, 2023 No Comments

When I write about travel, I like to focus on what really hits me. Writing (and hopefully reading) those stories is far more enjoyable than listicles or travelogues.

During our three days in Monteverde, Costa Rica, what hit me—in the face, 24 hours a day—was howling wind and sometimes, eye-stinging rain. I expected some gentle rain, and we had that too; after all, it’s a cloud forest. But the constant, window-rattling, 20-25 mph wind was so loud in our hotel room that we had to visit the farmacia and buy earplugs so we could sleep. …

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Yes, They Wear Underwear

January 28, 2023 No Comments

“Do Amish men wear underwear?”

In my mind, I closed my eyes and slapped my forehead in disbelief at the question. I’m always amazed at what people will ask when they’re learning about other cultures.

Yvonne and I took a guided tour of the Amish Farm and House in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Our guide, who was Mennonite, was knowledgeable about the history of the Amish and Mennonite communities in America and gave solid answers to a wide swath of questions. She stared at the man for only a moment before answering. …

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Expressing the Inexpressible: Writing Poetry for Our Grief

August 8, 2022 No Comments

Come to my workshop with Reimagine on Tuesday, September 6, 2022 from 5:00-6:30 PM Pacific time! Experience creating poetry that gives words to images and experiences that can be so hard to express. Reading and writing poetry has power to heal and transform our grief. This workshop is a place for writers and non-writers to experience creating and sharing the poetry of our loss in a safe space. In this interactive workshop, we’ll use readings and simple exercises to explore your own grief journey through poetry. We’ll create poems and share them with other participants in a safe, non-judgmental space (optional). No writing experience or poetic talent required.

Register here! You can pay $15 to support me, or just come for free, your choice!

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