Who’s ready for a road trip?!
No matter which season (or seasons) you choose to road trip in this year, you’ll need a way to pass the time! My personal favorite way to pass the time on a lengthy road trip across highways and backroads is listening to podcasts. And I know I’m not alone in this!
Everyone loves a good podcast. Whether you’re in the mood to laugh or cry, or whether you want to be informed, entertained, or covered in goosebumps, there are thousands of podcasts to choose from!
Since this is a travel blog, and you’re most likely on your way to a spectacular destination – possibly the Utah Mighty 5 National Parks, the Smoky Mountains, or the Florida Everglades – I am going to share with you my 12 favorite travel podcasts!
From hiking and kayaking to mountain climbing and van life living, these travel podcasts cover a monumental amount of ground, topics that all circle back to travel and the outdoors.
Hopefully, these travel podcasts will keep you entertained, informed, and inspired while also making you feel compelled to add a few destinations to your never-ending bucket list!
Who knows? Maybe on your road trip, you will hear about a destination along your route and spontaneously make a pitstop! Let the adventures begin!
10 Travel Podcasts For Your Next Adventure
1. Dear Bob and Sue: A National Parks Podcast
Hosts and authors Matt and Karen Smith share stories of their journey to all of the US National Parks and other beautiful public lands.
From wild backpacking adventures and incredible wilderness hikes to lodging mishaps and close encounters with wildlife, their riveting stories will leave you not only hanging on the edge of your seat but roaring with laughter.
Their humor and banter are infectious, and the couple’s storytelling is vivid and relatable. This 60-something husband and wife duo dedicates each episode to a different National Park, US public land, or outdoorsy topic, recounting their personal experiences while simultaneously sharing helpful tips and useful information for their listeners’ future visit and proving each time that age is just a number and that it’s never too late to chase your dreams.
If you love the National Parks, hiking, wild adventures, storytelling, a little history, and a plethora of humor, give this podcast a listen on your next road trip! Maybe you’ll be inspired and discover your next bucket list adventure!
Best Episodes
- #02. North Cascades National Park: Glaciers and Boulders and Scree Oh My!
- #22 and #23. Dories, Ho!: Floating the Colorado River Through the Grand Canyon (Parts 1 and 2)
- #28. Havasu Falls
- #29. Horse Pack Trip into the Wilderness
- #53. Zion’s Epic Subway Hike
2. Unfiltered Adventures
Podcast hosts, adventure travel photographers, and content creators The Lovers Passport share behind-the-scenes moments from their world travels.
From epic stories to hilarious mishaps, this engaged couple portrays what it’s really like to be adventure travel photographers and videographers and social media content creators!
Best Episodes
- 6. Behind the Scenes with Renee Roaming
- 8. Our Worst Travel Mishaps
- 12. Airport Stereotypes
- 18. What it is REALLY like being a Travel Blogger
- 23. Our Icks as a Travel Couple
3. Slomad Stories
Host, digital nomad, and world traveler Bri shares her adventures with her partner Paul and tripod cat Yoda.
Her podcast dives deep into what it’s really like to live a nomadic lifestyle, incorporating topics like slow travel, van life, and travel blogging.
While she just recently started this podcast, it has already resonated with me, and I’m sure it will resonate with many like-minded full-time travelers (and aspiring full-time travelers).
Best Episodes
- 1. My Story of Becoming a Full-Time Slow Traveler, Digital Nomad & Travel Blogger
- 2. What Is Slow Travel? + 7 Reasons Why You Should Start Slow Traveling
- 3. Traveling Nomadically with Our Adventure Cat for 9+ Years
4. Trail Tales
Appalachian thru-hiker and peak-bagger Kyle O’Grady interviews fellow hikers and backpackers on their experiences on the trail.
His colorful language and sarcastic commentary mixed with exciting trail stories from him and his guests keep this podcast interesting and engaging.
Each week he brings a new guest on the show; from thru-hikers and backpackers to weekend warriors and peak-baggers, each guest has a unique narrative and something new to bring to the table. Some climb mountains and have come into close contact with bears and mountain lions while others have completed the Triple Crown by checking the PCT, AT, and CDT off their lists.
These firsthand stories from people who have hiked some of the longest and most thrilling trails located all across the US will have you laughing and paying rapt attention to the firsthand advice and the distinct humor woven into the conversations.
Best Episodes
- #51. All About Thru-Hiking the Taho Rim Trail with Taylor Norton
- #67. A Medical Emergency while in the Backcountry with Appalachian
- #71. Jupiter Hikes Sells Me on the Florida Trail
- #72. A Near Death Experience on Mount Whitney with Philip Carcia
- #91. SUCCESSFULLY Thru Hiking the Northville Placid Trail
5. My Solo Road
Sydney brings you along on her solo journey traveling the world in a 70-square-foot van.
From heartwarming stories courtesy of fellow van lifers, hikers, and world travelers to the nitty-gritty truth of van life and all of its ups and downs, Sydney doesn’t hold back. She shares raw memoirs from her travels, including how she got started, how she affords the lifestyle, and her current struggles with things like safety, finances, and relationships on the road.
Learn everything as minor as how to poop in a van to serious topics like how to survive as a lone female in a male-dominated lifestyle and how to make a living outside of the societal norm.
Best Episodes
- Crazy Stories from the Road
- Full-time Car Camping to Van Life ft. Christian Schaffer
- Evolution to Van #4 & the Road that Lead Here ft. Everchanginghorizon
- Falling in Love on the Road ft. Henry
- Take the Risk & Know Your Worth ft. Renee Roaming
6. Wild Ideas Worth Living
Host and journalist Shelby Stanger interviews entrepreneurs, health experts, scientists, explorers, athletes, and authors about their wild ideas.
Anyone who loves the outdoors will enjoy hearing these untamed stories about everyday people who transformed their crazy ideas into a money-making reality.
After one man survived a shark attack, he decided to dedicate his career to photographing sharks, preserving marine wildlife, and helping fellow amputees get active. One man almost died in a terrifying paragliding crash but ten months later, despite his broken leg and ribs and a punctured lung, determination won and he began to once again showcase his outstanding athletic abilities. One woman biked 1200 miles in search of her father, who was shot down as a fighter pilot in the Vietnam War. Another woman pursued her lifelong dream to live in a sailboat by sailing from Santa Barbara to French Polynesia.
These are just four of the hundreds of memoirs relayed in this groundbreaking podcast about never giving up on your true passions. These stories prove that no matter how absurd these ideas, these dreams, may seem to others, they may just be possible.
Best Episodes
- Pete Kostelnick – Running Across the Country Faster Than Anyone
- Ryan and Nicole Levinson – …Sailing to French Polynesia to Chase their Dreams…
- James Nestor – The Art of Freediving and Writing an Award-Winning Book
- Chris Burkard – Becoming a World-Class Adventure Photographer
- Gretchen Bayless & Taylor Hood – Living the Van Life
7. Between the Mountains
Host Chris interviews fellow hikers, adventurers, and world travelers on their wild expeditions, quizzes them on their unique expertise, and presses them to share their incredible stories.
Listen to one woman’s journey as she paddles through the rapids of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park. Hear stories from BASE jumpers, mountaineers, cyclists, and kayakers, who’ve traveled everywhere from Costa Rica and Vietnam to Canada and the Italian Alps.
You won’t be bored with these captivating stories from people all around the world; in fact, you will surely find yourself adding numerous destinations to your bucket list!
Best Episodes
- Ep. 8 – A Weekend in Lake Tahoe
- Ep. 11 – Hiking Valley of Fire State Park, US
- Ep.17 -#HomeIsWhereYouParkIt – Montana to Tennessee
- Ep.33 – Hikes & Secret Beaches Across the Caribbean
- Ep.40 – Renee Roaming Talks Travel, National Parks & More
8. Out Alive
This riveting podcast by Backpacker magazine reveals all of the dangers that lurk in the woods, under the ocean, and atop the mountains. No matter how prepared you are on your adventure, disaster can strike.
Hear real-life stories from survivors who have endured near-death experiences, such as a polar bear attack, a tumble down a mountain, being buried in an avalanche, and getting trapped in quicksand.
The survivors share raw details from the incidents, decipher where and when everything went wrong, and ponder whether or not they could’ve prepared for such an event or if it was simply the result of pure bad luck.
Listening to how these survivors managed to survive the unsurvivable will have your heart racing and your jaw dropping in awe and disbelief.
Best Episodes
- Buried in an Avalanche
- The Science of Survival
- Trapped in Quicksand
- Mystery on the Mountain
- Tragedy on the Appalachian Trail Parts 1 & 2
9. Outside Podcast
Outside Magazine has a unique way of delving into some of the wildest, untold stories.
Listen to their massive archive of episodes that are each filled to the brim with expert advice, survival stories, and fierce entertainment from a plethora of top-notch athletes, political figures, and world-class adventurers.
My favorite series is the Science of Survival, where the hosts dive into the human response to survival and how our split-second reactions and decisions affect our fate. You’ll get to hear personal narratives from people who survived traumatic experiences such as being frozen alive and struck by lightning, and learn when and where it went wrong and how the outcome is caused by a chain of unfortunate events.
Best Episodes
- Science of Survival: Frozen Alive
- Science of Survival: Struck by Lightning
- Science of Survival: The Devil’s Highway Parts 1 and 2
- Science of Survival: Under Pressure
- Science of Survival: In Too Deep
10. Women + the Wilderness
Hosts and travelers Hannah and Bradee interview women about their personal journeys in the wilderness.
Heartfelt, inspiring stories about climbing mountains, wandering forests, and crossing oceans intermingle with narratives of self-growth, self-doubt, and overcoming fears and obstacles that many women and outdoor enthusiasts will be able to relate to.
The host quit her job in pursuit of her lifelong dream to travel, and her episodes mirror that passionate mindset.
From travel bloggers and photographers to mountain climbers and van lifers, each woman has a unique journey, a unique perspective, and a unique story, but they all have one thing in common: they followed their dreams.
Enjoy this engaging podcast about sustainable wellness, brave entrepreneurship, and world travel, all from the perspective of women.
Best Episodes
- Experiences over possessions with Renee Hahnel
- Selling ‘the dream,’ comparison and passion first with Kylie Rassatt
- Backpacking tips for beginners, full-time van life and maintaining a fitness routine with Bradee
- Challenges, monetizing content and balance with Giselle of Lovers Passport
- Van Life: the good, the bad, the ugly with Bradee
Summary
So as you’re passing by mountains, deserts, rainforests, and coastal beaches with paved, dirt, and gravel roads in your rearview, you might discover your next destination simply by listening to a great travel podcast.
Need some road trip inspiration? Visit this page to find all types of road trip destinations, from the East Coast all the way to the West Coast!
