Last Updated on
This post contains affiliate and referral links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my disclosure policy for more information.
This is a podcast review of the Women Who Travel podcast, my favorite travel podcasts for women with all types of travel desires.
I’m writing this in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ve been isolated in my home in Florida with my husband for 4 weeks.
We had actually planned to be in Spain right now. Our flight to Madrid was scheduled for April 1st, and our Airbnb was lined up for 8 weeks, allowing us to maintain our work-from-home lifestyle while enjoying one of the world's most amazing cities.
Traveling is one of me and my husband’s favorite things to do together, which means that I used to listen to a lot of travel podcasts featuring couples.
But prior to our latest trip (and the cancellation of it), I was listening to episodes of the Women Who Travel Podcast from Conde Nast Traveler, and it’s become my favorite travel podcast.
I took a break from the show for a few weeks (to grieve my cancelled trip), but now I’m thrilled to share more about this show with you.
It feels strange to write a review of a travel podcast at a time when practically no one is traveling (at least not for pleasure). But at the same time, it's nice to escape and day dream a little.
I know that we'll all get back to traveling again eventually. Maybe more locally at first, then slowly back to international adventures. And when that time comes, I'm going to be full of fun travel ideas thanks to listening to travel podcasts!
Women Who Travel Podcast Review
I gotta start out honestly here: I have always thought of the Conde Nast Traveler magazine as being too highfalutin'.
In the past, when I picked it up at airports, I always found it way too manicured and concerned with the best high-priced hotels and trendy restaurants.
Is that because I'm "basic"? I don't think so. I mean, I like to be pampered and eat well as much as the next girl, and I can (usually) afford to be fancy if I want to be. But still…I never felt like I “fit in” with Conde Nast Traveler.
So, in January, when I stumbled upon an article promoting the Women Who Travel podcast’s episode about their favorite books of 2019, I didn’t expect to like the podcast. I listened because I can't pass up book recommendations.
To my great surprised, I quickly fell into like with the group of women on that episode. They were funny and relatable, so I downloaded another episode.
It didn't take me long to realize that the women on WWT weren’t all about finding the chicest hotels in each city or talking in great depth about the frescoes in Italy.
Although they’re well-traveled and professional, they're also the type of women I’d want to chat with for hours over drinks.
Perfect Travel Recommendation Podcast
The Women Who Travel podcast is co-hosted by Traveler editors Meredith Carey and Lale Arikoglu. A frequent guest is another editor, Megan Spurrell. Other editors and writers for the magazine regularly guest on the show, as do book authors and folks from the travel industry.
Because each episode of the podcast features two to four women, there is never a lack of advice or interesting stories.
My favorite episodes are the quarterly “mailbag” episodes, in which the group answers questions from listeners and members of the Women Who Travel Facebook group (an online community run by these same ladies).
In those episodes, topics can be all over the board, like:
- tips for budgeting vacation days for travel (pretty specific to US-based listeners who have limited vacation days!)
- recommendations for a mom to take her 13 year old son on his first international trip
- how to travel solo as a women in the middle east
As the women answer the questions in a panel-style format, they bounce ideas off of one another, and truly provide unique travel recommendations.
Other episodes have more targeted topics:
- how to save money to travel
- tips for planning a last-minute trip
- how and where to travel while pregnant (you probably aren't getting this on your standard "all genders welcome" podcast)
Not The Same Ol' Interviews
Once I finally realized that this was a podcast I wanted to hear more of, I started jumping around through the archive of episodes (there are over 100). I randomly selected topics by titles that sounded interesting to me.
I think the episode that made me fall in love with the podcast was the interview with author Elizabeth Gilbert. You know her from her books Eat, Pray, Love; Big Magic; and City of Girls.
Elizabeth Gilbert has been interviewed by practically everyone and their mama, including Oprah, and she's always asked a lot of the same questions. Still (for reasons I haven't identified), I decided to listen to this episode.
To my pleasant surprise, the interview was full of original, travel-related questions, some of which Gilbert admitted to never being asked before! Meredith and Lala didn't fan girl, instead using their time to ask thoughtful questions that allowed Gilbert to answer in a natural and spontaneous way.
And it's not just that one interview. I've really enjoyed the other interview-style episodes of Women Who Travel (which is saying a lot, because I've generally grown tired of interview-format podcasts).
Conclusion
Listening to this podcast makes me feel like I’m part of a small group of women who love to just sit around and gab about travel—something I’m missing (and sorely want!) in my real life.
Whether you’re into relaxing vacations, road tripping, far-flung destinations, or traveling for the love of food, the Women Who Travel podcast has something that will appeal to your travel style.