Ribbons of asphalt peeling away beneath four wheels, a far-flung destination punched into your GPS and an estimated time of arrival hours away — few feelings compare to the beginning of a long journey. And whether you’re headed to visit a new national park or en route to a rendezvous with distant relatives, there’s no better way to burn through the highway miles than bingeing a great podcast.
With a million shows to choose from, selecting a favorite isn’t easy. Podcasts seemingly come in all formats, on every topic. To help your search, we’ve narrowed the list down to a dozen favorite travel and outdoors podcasts that are perfect for your next long-haul ride.
1. Aaron Mahnke’s Cabinet of Curiosities
The Cabinet of Curiosities is a fast-paced voyage into a world of fascinating short stories. Each tale focuses on unbelievable, bizarre artifacts or legends that usually come with a twist. Host Aaron Mahnke is an exceptional storyteller whose debut series, Lore, was turned into an Amazon Prime series. However, while Lore focuses on deep dives, the short-story format of the Cabinet of Curiosities makes for perfect casual listening that’s sure to stir conversation in the car.
Where to start: Episode 176, “Treasure Island”
2. She Explores
Host Gale Straub patches together a mosaic of firsthand, woman-powered experiences in the outdoors on She Explores. Topics cover solo hiking, camping, fishing, body image, motherhood, entrepreneurship and diversity. Along the way, listeners visit breathtaking locations like the Superstition Mountains, the Atlantic coast and the Rockies.
Where to start: Episode 194, “Why We Hunt”
3. Astonishing Legends
One of the best podcasts for deep-dive investigations into the paranormal, Astonishing Legends follows hosts Forrest Burgess and Scott Philbrook through detailed explorations of the world’s great mysteries. Inside the archives of Astonishing Legends, you’ll find the usual suspects, like Sasquatch and the Mothman alongside surprisingly insightful digs into the disappearance of Amelia Earhart and the life of oracle Edgar Cayce. This podcast is our go-to for 8- to 10-hour drives.
Where to start: Episode 155, “Abduction at Devil’s Den”
4. The Get Lost Podcast
Have you ever wanted to canoe down the Amazon River with Matthew McConaughey or tunnel beneath the Giza Plateau with an Egyptologist? If so, The Get Lost Podcast is the place for you. This experiential travel show pairs exceptional guests pulled from the world of filmmaking, travel writing and exploration with a theater-of-the-mind effect rack that puts listeners in the heart of the adventure.
Where to start: “Diving the Titanic”
5. Meredith For Real
A perfect travel partner for the easily distracted among us, Meredith For Real is a grab bag of loosely connected topics that range from America’s robotic defense dogs to near-death experiences and lobster fishing. Bingeing Meredith For Real is akin to gorging on a giant bag of trail mix, and we’re absolutely here for it. Host Meredith Edwards is an engaging curiosity-seeker who has a knack for asking the questions on your mind.
Where to start: Episode 39, “The Real Little Mermaid”
6. Luke Dunkin’s Low Budget Live
Low Budget Live is a quick-witted, inside look at the lives of professional bass fishermen that’s both hilarious and highly informative. Host Luke Dunkin is a professional angler, singer-songwriter and all-around bon vivant who excels in the interview realm. Dunkin tackles tough topics with a rogue’s gallery of anglers from the Bassmaster Elite Series field, as well as other pro circuits. As you might expect from a dock-talk show, the stories are often laugh-out-loud funny.
Where to start: Episode 121,
7. The Atlas Obscura Podcast
From the creators of the world’s most prolific collection of curious travel destinations comes The Atlas Obscura Podcast. Hosted by Atlas Obscura co-founder Dylan Thuras — a backpacking global nomad turned father — this short-form show highlights some of the planet’s most unusual roadside attractions and natural wonders. Learn about Big Bertha, a 500-pound drum with a nuclear history; the Shrek donkey of Barron Park; or the Winchester Mystery House.
Where to start: “Sputnik IV Crash Site”
8. America’s National Parks Podcast
Inspire your next outdoor adventure with America’s National Parks Podcast. This story-based show takes listeners on expeditions through the most breathtaking — and perilous — landscapes in the United States. Experience sea turtles at Cape Hatteras, the hidden history of Yosemite or the earliest European accounts of fireflies in the Great Smoky Mountains in a binge-worthy package.
Where to start: “Kalaupapa”
9. Wild Ideas Worth Living
Wild Ideas Worth Living is about the path less traveled and guests who brought their wildest dreams to life. Journalist Shelby Stanger hosts this inspiration-focused show that seeks to place listeners in the hearts of her guests. Visit with a pair of Pacific Coast trail hikers who’ve opened their home to guests from around the world, the founder of Black Birders Week or a skier who journeys to the South Pole.
Where to start: Episode 146, “A Girl and Her Dog”
10. Unfolding Maps
From the Congo to the Canadian Arctic, Unfolding Maps brings thought-provoking interviews to your speakers with an all-star cast of guests, including Dr. Jane Goodall, former Patagonia CEO Kristine Tompkins and explorer Mike Horn. Discussions focus on travel topics impacting the health of the planet as a whole, offering an illuminating insight into the world outside of America’s highways and byways.
Where to start: Episode 17, “The Search for Africa’s Fighting Spirit”
11. Outside Podcast
Outside Magazine has a legendary reputation for storytelling that translates perfectly in the Outside Podcast. Topics dance through a spectrum of gripping survival tales to hitchhiking, dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder and treating snake bites. Host Michael Roberts leans on years of experience at the pinnacle of outdoors storytelling to analyze what went wrong for guests and how listeners could avoid a similar fate.
Where to start: Episode 1, “Frozen Alive”
12. RV Miles Podcast
The RV Miles Podcast is tailor-made for families inching their way across America with a camper in tow. Hosts Jason and Abby Epperson have been RV-ing across the United States since 2016, giving listeners an experienced duo of RV pros with thousands of miles of stories to tell. Episodes explore the RV/MH Hall of Fame Museum, obscure national parks and incredible campgrounds.
Where to start: Episode 195, “Congaree National Park”
