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If you're planning to hit the road soon (or you just spend a lot of time in the car in general) these road trip podcasts will help you pass the time.
UPDATE: This post has been refreshed since its original publish date back in 2017 to provide even more podcasts for your upcoming road trip!
My husband and I just got back from a round trip drive to Miami. That's about 5 hours each way, not including stops.
For as much as we have in common, the one thing that he and I really don't sync up on is taste in music.
I listen to practically everything, from any genre or decade. The few types of music I don't listen to? Those are the ones he does listen to.
There is a cultural and age difference between us, so it's not completely surprising that we don't see eye-to-eye in terms of music.
Still, it makes our time in the car tricky. He'll put up with only so much of my music, and vice versa. On long car trips (we take a couple every year), podcasts are our saving grace.
It took my husband a couple of years to become as obsessed with podcasts as I am, but now he's hooked. Last year, we drove round trip from Tampa, FL to Dallas, TX, and that's when we really solidified our list of agreed upon road trip podcasts.
What makes a great road trip podcast?
- It has entertaining stories and facts (for us, this eliminates chit-chat style shows)
- The topics or stories spark conversation (because you still have a lot of hours left in the car)
- It has episodes that you can listen to out of context/out of order
- The episode description or show notes provide a clear explanation of the show (so you know if it will appeal to your car-mates)
- Episodes aren't too long in length (30-40 minutes is our preference)
I always make sure to download several episodes of our favorite shows before we leave, just so we can have some variety. When I'm in the passenger seat, I like to read off the episode titles only, and then Hubby gets to choose from those.
Note: We do not have children, so this list of road trip podcasts is mostly for adults. Most include some language and/or adult topics, although if you're careful with episode selection (check the description first) you could find some tween/teen-friendly options.
[Related Post: My Favorite Travel Podcasts]
Our Favorite Podcasts for Road Trips
Criminal
My husband isn't really into true crime podcasts as much as I am, but he loves the Criminal podcast. Part of it is the sultry voice of the host Phoebe Judge, but the other part is the awesome stories that Criminal uncovers.
Almost all Criminal episodes are single stories that can be listened to out of context. The crimes and people are not related to any other episode (in a few cases they do release a story in two parts, so I download both parts for the road.)
On the most recent trip to Miami, Hubby and I listened to 4 episodes of Criminal, and each one left both of us full of comments and questions that we couldn't help but talk about (check out the episode titled Baby Snatcher for a sure-fire conversation starter!)
Criminal episodes typically do not include hard, violent crimes; if they do, the host is careful to present the details tastefully. If true crime isn't a genre that you typically listen to, give Criminal a try.
[Related Post: New True Crime Podcasts to Get Hooked On]
22 True Crime Podcasts You've Got to Check Out
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Stuff You Missed in History Class
I usually like to download the most outlandish episodes of Stuff You Missed in History Class (SYMIHC) for a road trip. Thankfully, the show's episode titles and descriptions make it easy for me to see if both my husband and I will find an episode interesting.
Stuff You Missed meets all of the criteria listed above for good road trip podcasts, except that they read listener mail at the end of each episode. These letters from listeners can sometimes includes details (aka spoilers) from previous episodes you haven't listened to yet.
Bonus: Most episodes of Stuff You Missed in History Class are suitable for kids and teens; the hosts will let you know if any not-suitable-for-young-listeners content is in the episode.
Listen to Stuff You Missed in History Class
Sawbones
If you like history, but you're looking for something a little edgier, Sawbones is a great road trip option. It's part comedy, part history, and there are over 250 episodes to choose from.
Hosted by Justin McElroy from My Brother, My Brother and Me, and his wife, Dr. Sydnee McElroy, each Sawbones episode tackles a specific medical concept or condition and looks at how it has been viewed in a historical context.
For example: there's an episode on Hysteria, in which Sydnee explains what doctors and philosophers considered the symptoms of hysteria (ridiculous), the potential causes (hilariously stupid), and the treatments (!!!). Justin is quick to find the absurd in the discussion, cracking jokes and adding his own nonsense.
With so many episodes under their belts, the McElroys have occasion for referencing something from a previous episode, but this isn't a real problem. It only took my husband a couple of episodes to become a fan of Sawbones.
Reply All
Reply All is one of my favorite podcasts. My husband isn't a regular listener of the show, but he does enjoy listening to it on road trips.
Hosts Alex and PJ explore different stories and trends from the internet. Sometimes the stories are very serious (like how the safety of sex workers has been compromised due to internet regulations that shut down a website the workers used).
Other times, an episode starts out with what seems like a silly problem (Snapchat hackers or robo calls), but uncovers much heavier details you don't see coming.
Regardless of the topic, Reply All does extensive research and investigative work to present compelling stories.
Most episodes of Reply All can be listened to out of order, but be sure to read the episode description just to be sure.
[Related Post: Best Podcasts of 2018 – Podcast Maniac’s Picks]
Hey Riddle Riddle
If you're looking for something silly and fun for the car ride, Hey Riddle Riddle is the perfect option.
It's a comedy podcast in which the three co-hosts try to stump one other with riddles and puzzles. As you listen, you'll also be trying to solve the riddles.
This is a great podcast for a road trip with multiple people, because you can pause the episode to let each passenger have their guess at the riddle. You might have to pause it because people will be laughing too loud to hear it!
Sometimes there are references to pop culture that I don't understand, but it doesn't matter; the show is so fast-paced and funny that I still enjoy it.
Side note: I also like to listen to Hey Riddle Riddle at the gym. There's nothing like being the only person busting a gut in a room full of serious-faced people!
[Related Post: 7 Funny Podcasts To Listen To When You’ve Had a Rough Day]
Your Turn to Recommend
What are your go-to podcasts for a road trip? Leave me a comment to share it with other podcast listeners!
And be sure to share the image below to Pinterest!
I’m heading on a 16 road trip next month and cannot wait to check out some of these recommendations! Thanks for sifting through the many options!
Hey Ali! I hope you find something you like! Be sure to prep ahead of time by checking out episodes and downloading them in advance. I also recommend setting up a playlist, or a “play next” to have a few episodes queued up to play continuously. Safe trip!
Imagined Life by Wondery. 30-40 minute episodes that are a concisely delivered biography of a famous person. The fun twist of this podcast is you don’t know who “you” are til the very last line. It’s a mini mystery that keeps your mind occupied while the minutes and the miles fly by!!
YES, Imagined Life is a GREAT podcast for a road trip! I wrote a podcast review about the show, which you can find here: https://podcastmaniac.com/podcast-review-imagined-life/ Great suggestion, Cat!
I really like In the Dark.
YES! In The Dark is a great series to listen to on the road! Great suggestion, Jane.
Thank you for these recommendations! I subscribed to all of them. Tunnel 29 by BBC radio 4 was also great. https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/intrigue/id1205462850
Here I am going to listen to Podcast “Reply All”. This really looks interesting and also others too are good to enjoy while travelling. Thanks for the list of these podcasts. I am going to save this post.