Podcasts are popular for entertainment, and time passes, and what better time can you get into watching those awesome podcasts than during a road trip. Whether it is a short drive across the weekend or a long drive across the nation, the right podcast can alone make the journey a joyful one. When discussing and learning about places of interest and travel, there is a perfect travel podcast for anyone. If you want to create an informative and fun list of some podcasts that should be included in road trips, then the following list is for you.
Depending on your preferences and the atmosphere you are willing to set, choose your list of road trip podcasts. Whether you are in the mood for a light comedy show, a documentary, an investigative series, or interviews, there is an option here for everyone. Whether you’re traveling alone or taking a family car trip, you will be thrilled to listen to these podcasts, and time will fly by.
19 Best Driving Podcasts for an Enjoyable Road Trip Experience
1. S-Town:
S-Town is a complete piece by Brian Reed on an investigative tale around a murder in St. Clair County, Alabama. Because it has a specific plot and several twists, it is rather good for being the movie that may ‘lock” you during long car drives.
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2. Normal Gossip:
Normal Gossip is a Comedy Podcast that is supposed to gossip about other people we don’t know. It has guests, during which Kelsey McKinney speaks about several peculiar reader’s stories. Being a comedy it is interesting to listen to and should be good for any road trip without needing to worry.
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3. Serial:
Serial is an investigative podcast show by Sarah Koenig. It answers a number of instances in various seasons, from the murder of Hae Min Lee in 1999 to the kidnapping of Bowe Bergdahl; each of the seasons has an involving story. This show has got more than a million downloads and good ratings and thus should be the best podcast for long drives.
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4. You're Wrong About:
This podcast revisits misunderstood events and moments of popular culture. As presented by Sarah Marshall, it examines things like the Challenger Disaster, the O.J. Simpson trial, and people like Tonya Harding and is best for road trip insights.
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5. A Very Fatal Murder:
In the true-crime podcast genre, The Onions has started making a satirical show in its approach. Based on fictional reporter David Pascall, the series narrates the real-life murder mystery of prom queen Hayley Price in Bluff Springs, Nebraska. It’s a great choice for throwing some humor and fun into a long road trip.
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6. Radiolab:
Radiolab is a great radio podcast full of different types of scientific, philosophical, and political programs. Presented by Latif Nasser and Lulu Miller, the show employs fanciful narratives in sound to explore the metamorphosis of a wide range of demographics from the domain of time to the realm of morality. It is also tactical to help keep you engaged during long, boring drives.
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7. Call Her Daddy:
Call Her Daddy is a comedic and advice podcast that began in 2018 by Alexandra Cooper. Popular for the show that takes an unvarnished look at relationships, Cooper went on solo after a conflict of interest with Barstool Sports and then secured a staggering $60 million deal with Spotify. It is an entertaining one of its kind, perfect for your road trip.
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8. How I Built This:
Guye Raz hosts the show that discusses how some of the most established business entities were formed. It had started from the year 2016 and up to now it has assisted millions of listeners. It has won the 2023 version of the Webby Award under the Best Business Podcast category–perfect for business ideas on the road.
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9. Stuff You Should Know (SYSK):
Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant’s latest podcast is called, ‘Stuff You Should Know.’ It covers many things you would like to know. It was launched in 2008 and if one has to follow some of the best podcasts that can be listened to on car trips and come out enlightened, this podcast has the main episodes as well as Short Stuff for brief and easy digestion while on the road.
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10. My Favorite Murder:
Comedy and true crime podcasts are featured in this program that is both written and hosted by Kilgariff and Hardstark. Since the podcast began in early February, 2016, it has been putting forward large popularity and it belongs to the Top 10 Comedy Podcasts. Of course, it has a concept of the story and jokes so if you are a true crime lover, it is perfect for the car ride.
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11. Welcome to Night Vale offers:
Sometimes obscene, mostly ridiculous, and consistently snarky stories containing otherworldly occurrences in a deserted town of Night Vale. New to me is the Internet Radio with Cecil Baldwin which has loads of jokes and odd tales for a car ride. It is perfect for a group of viewers who love a black humor and supernatural suspense.
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12. Smart Less:
A Comedy podcast that stars the players Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett and presents and gives out phone calls with the occasional celebrity. Using questions and answers and most of them plainly invented, this podcast will lighten up the road trip.
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13. NPAD (National Park After Dark):
NPAD mixes myths and legends with a guide, Danielle, who loves both the nature of the United States National Parks and ghost stories. The stories of ghosts and the job of wildlife protection make this podcast an exciting company during a car journey.
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14. No Such Thing as a Fish:
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15. Behind the Bastards:
Mondays to Fridays, Dylan Thuras travels with listeners around the globe, offering a chance to discover the strange and thought-provoking aspects of Atlas Obscura. This is a podcast of ‘stories from strange places. It tells the history and purpose of such places and will provide the spark of wonder you need on your journeys.
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16. Scamanda:
This was the real-life crime of Amanda, one of the women who successfully managed to scam members of society, even the doctors, by faking cancer in order to collect money. Presented by such an experienced and talented host as Charlie Webster, an award-winning journalist, this podcast will positively hook you up with the twists and turns and therefore make it an extremely thrilling and interesting listen on the way.
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17. Atlas Obscura:
A show presented by Dylan Thuras, Atlas Obscura encourages contemplation as it guides the audience through an audio journey of discovery of amazing, unknown places. Travelling around the world without leaving the car: using this podcast, you will learn the stories and history of the discovered place from the corners of the Earth to the neighbouring state, which can open in a ray of sunlight while travelling by car.
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18. Office Ladies:
A television rewatches podcast, especially for lovers of The Office, hosted by two common cast members, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey. They include scene-by-scene, story behind the scenes, and questions and answers to fans of the show. It’s a happy and familiar companion for car rides with special guests from the show’s cast and crew.
19. Crime Junkie:
A weekly true-crime podcast presented by Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat that introduces different crimes every time. Focusing on missing people or certain psychopaths, they engage their listeners with their stories. Crime Junkie has, in fact, garnered over 1.5 billion downloads, which makes it essential for listeners on long drives.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re going for a short trip or a long road trip, having the right podcast can turn your trip into an amazing experience. This is particularly the case given that there is a podcast for everything from true crime stories to comedy for the traveler. Whether you’re traveling solo, with a partner, or as a family, these best road trip podcasts will provide entertainment, keep you interested, and even help to become inspired along the way.