There’s nothing like listening to a well-made travel podcast to get you hyped for your next big adventure. While travel is still somewhat unpredictable and COVID restrictions are shifting daily (though loosening, in general), the auditory travel landscape is thriving.
Whether you need inspiration for where to book your next trip or just an escapist dose of adventure, the 16 podcasts below will inspire your wanderlust and give you vital skills. Some will get you excited for your future travels, some will motivate you to book a flight (and tell you where to do exactly that), and some will provide detailed guides to the world’s most sought-after (and lesser-known) destinations. Check them all out below and find the one that strikes your fancy.
EDITOR’S PICK:
Wild Times Podcast With Forrest Galante
What It’s About:
Outdoor adventurer, TV personality and conservationist Forrest Galante hosts a travel podcast that’ll get you stoked for your next big trip and make you laugh. Every episode combines the outdoors, wildlife, and wilderness with a heaping helping of comedy to keep listeners engaged and entertained. The Wild Times Podcast is ideal for those who are passionate about living life to the fullest and not taking themselves too seriously.
Where To Start:
Well… I say start with “TWT #91,” in which I join Galante and his cohorts to talk about my time spent communing with Komodo dragons on the Indonesian island of Rinca. What I love about this pod is, first and foremost, all the shit talking. But second of all, I think that the show respects ecosystems and cultures when it talks about travel. I often find myself googling destinations I heard about (or animal encounters at certain destinations) after listening to an episode.
Listen Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify
Globe Thotting with Chelsea Frank
What It’s About:
Hosted by comedian and travel writer Chelsea Frank, Globe Thotting with Chelsea Frank is a comedy and travel podcast that features comedians, travel influencers, and other hilarious guests to talk all things travel, leisure, and thirst traps.
With guests like Taylor Tomlinson (Netflix’s Look At You) and Rachel Evans (Netflix’s The Circle, Travel Channel), Chelsea’s extensive network of top comedians and influencers makes for a dynamic travel podcast that puts comedy and epic diarrhea stories at the forefront.
She tackles the big themes like “how to get a perfect vacay thirst trap” with model/influencer Bree Essrig, and dives deep into how she “saved a bunch of marriages” at a Jamaican sex resort. If laughter is as important as packing tips, this is your new favorite travel pod!
Where To Start:
Globe Thotting just launched this summer, so it’s definitely worth starting with episode one. The show kicks off with comedian Taylor Tomlinson, and it breaks down the shenanigans of the podcast to come. The pair of funny friends talk about the travel industry, adventurous sex-scapades, crazy vacation stories, and more.
Listen Here: Spotify, Apple Podcasts
The Travel Diaries
What It’s About:
The Travel Diaries is an interview series hosted by journalist Holly Rubenstein, in which she chats with guests about their adventures around the world and how travel experiences have shaped their lives. Rubenstein will cover everything from their earliest childhood travel memory and the first place they fell in love with travel to their top bucket list destinations.
Where To Start:
There are six full seasons of The Travel Diaries, so there’s plenty to listen to. If you don’t want to jump all the way back to the beginning, start with season four. Gregory Porter’s episode, specifically, features a conversation about travel intertwined with music, sports, and the many unexpected twists life can throw at you. The multi-Grammy-winning singer, who was traveling 200 days a year before COVID, shares his most far-out travel experiences and how they’ve shaped him as a person.
Listen Here: Apply Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Get Lost Podcast
What It’s About:
Hosted by travel writer Joe Sills, Get Lost Podcast dives into thrilling stories of exploration and adventure, as told by journalists, explorers, and vagabonds. With former guests like Matthew McConaughey, as well as UPROXX’s own Zach Johnston and Steve Bramucci, it’s easy to get pulled into each episode.
Where To Start:
The episode entitled “Giza,” which aired in March 2020, is the best way to immediately pique your interest. Sills interviews Egyptologist and Emmy award-winning filmmaker Ramy Romany about the forgotten tunnels beneath the Giza Plateau and how he discovered the likely tomb of an Egyptian God.
Listen Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Women Who Travel
What It’s About:
On Women Who Travel, Condé Nast Traveler editors Lale Arikoglu and Meredith Carey talk about the realities of traveling as a woman today. They share their own experiences and interview women from around the globe who are trailblazing their way through the food, hospitality, adventure, and travel journalism industries.
Where To Start:
Many women dream of traveling the world but are afraid to go at it alone. “Remembering How to Solo Travel Again” is an excellent place to start for any woman who’s ready to take that leap of faith on her own. This episode provides practical solo travel tips, advice on planning your next solo adventure, as well as reflections about the joys of solo travel for women.
Listen Here: Apply Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
The TravelPulse Podcast
What It’s About:
The TravelPulse Podcast dives into everything from travel news updates and adventure tips to insightful interviews with industry experts and other guests. Hosted by TravelPulse’s Executive Editor Eric Bowman, this podcast gives you everything you need to know about travel today.
Where To Start:
“Social Media’s Place in Travel” delivers an interesting take on how to utilize the many social media platforms while traveling today. The episode features Tiffany Dowd, a global luxury hotel expert and the founder of Luxe Social Media. She shares her best social media tips and discusses the latest trending topics in the world of travel.
Listen Here: Apply Podcasts, Spotify
Counting Countries
What It’s About:
Counting Countries is a show for those who are curious about the farthest corners of the planet. Host Ric Gazarian brings listeners the stories from the few adventurers who’ve spent their lives traveling to every country on Earth — something only a couple hundred people have done.
Where To Start:
“Charles Veley … And The Commitment To Travel” is a great place to jump in. It’s a long episode, reaching almost three hours, but it’s worth the listen. Guest Charles Veley, dubbed an “extreme traveler,” gets real about what it takes to travel the globe and shares some of his most exciting adventures. Save it for a long road trip or flight.
Listen Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Travel With Meaning
What It’s About:
Hosted by Mike Schibel, Travel With Meaning tells interesting travel stories that have impacted the lives and careers of everyone from artists, entertainers, and athletes to entrepreneurs, CEOs, and travel experts. It’s a great listen for anyone who’s interested in how intentional travel can make a difference in our everyday lives. Episodes hover around the one-hour mark, making it an excellent commuter podcast.
Where To Start:
We’d be remiss not to suggest episode 43 of Travel With Meaning as an ideal starting point, which features UPROXX Life’s own founding editor, Steve Bramucci. He shares all about his incredible travel background and past adventures, then discusses the future of the travel industry.
Listen Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Travel Tales
What It’s About:
Comedian and TV host Mike Siegel created Travel Tales to highlight the best and worst experiences that travel has to offer, as told by a variety of adventurous guests, including fellow comedians, actors, producers, writers, and travel professionals. This podcast brings a humorous, lighthearted tone to travel that’s sure to get you stoked for your next big trip.
Where To Start:
You gotta love a good music groupie adventure. For Angelyn Rudd, following The Grateful Dead on tour turned into a lifetime of traveling the world. In her Travel Tales episode that aired in August 2021, Rudd dives into the story about how following her favorite band inspired her to visit more than 60 countries (and counting).
Listen Here: Apply Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Wild Ideas Worth Living
What It’s About:
Wild Ideas Worth Living, produced by REI, is made for those who love adventure and the outdoors. The show features conversations with people who, “took the path less traveled and brought their wildest ideas to life.” Host and journalist Shelby Stanger interviews everyone from world-class explorers and athletes to authors, scientists, and entrepreneurs.
Where To Start:
As travelers, it’s important to consider our lasting impact on the planet and the environments we visit. “Preserving Our Parks with Keith Eshelman and Sevag Kazanci” shines a light on conservation. This episode features a conversation with the founders of Parks Project, a brand that donates its proceeds to protecting National Parks and inspires the next generation to take care of our public lands.
Listen Here: Apply Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
This Week In Travel
What It’s About:
Hosted by Gary Arndt and Jen Leo, This Week in Travel delivers weekly roundtable discussions on travel news and the travel industry with leading travel writers, bloggers, and podcasters. In a time when travel guidelines are constantly changing, this podcast provides necessary information about what’s going on in the travel world.
Where To Start:
If you want to be up to date with all the latest travel news, I’d start in March of 2021 with the episode, “Simon Wright – The Future of Travel.” Simon Wright, is the industry editor at The Economist, and this episode dives into a conversation about predicting what travel will look like in the coming years and how the pandemic has affected different aspects of the travel industry.
Listen Here: Apply Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Travel With Rick Steves
What It’s About:
Travel With Rick Steves, who’s a host and writer of over 100 public travel shows and the author of 30 best-selling travel guidebooks, is a weekly one-hour conversation with guest experts and callers, about travel, cultures, people, and the many awe-inspiring things we find around the world. Steves’ immense travel background and industry experience, along with his selection of enticing guests, provides insight into destinations all around the globe.
Where To Start:
There are 11 seasons full of episodes to choose from and you really can’t go wrong with any of them. But I especially love the, “648 Becoming a Digital Nomad; Window Seat; Spirit of the Grand Canyon,” which aired in August of last year. More than ever, the digital nomad life is widely accepted and becoming more common as most people continue to work from home. This episode provides tips on becoming a digital nomad for anyone who’s looking to work off the grid, as well as how to get the best view on your next flight.
Listen Here: Apply Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Like a Local Podcast
What It’s About:
On Like a Local Podcast, the co-hosts Katie Hylton and Stephanie Girard interview travelers about the places they live. The goal is to create a resource that gives listeners a local’s point of view on their next destination, so they can get the inside scoop on all the best places to eat, explore, drink, and stay.
Where To Start:
There are less than 50 episodes since the show just launched at the end of 2020 (with more episodes to come in 2022), so you might as well start from the very beginning. The hosts kick off the show by interviewing Sarah Tahami about her home city of Savannah, Georgia. Throughout the episode, Tahami, a travel influencer who focuses on food and drinks, shares everywhere you need to eat and sip in Lowcountry, Savannah.
Listen Here: Apply Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Armchair Explorer
What It’s About:
This documentary-style podcast, Armchair Explorer, immerses you straight into the travel experiences discussed on the show using music and cinematic effects, for the ultimate storytelling entertainment fix.
Where To Start:
I’m a sucker for anything that has to do with the Titanic, mostly because it reminds me of a young Leonardo DiCaprio. I say start with “Diving the Titanic with Deep Sea Explorer Rory Golden.” The episode follows deep-sea explorer Rory Golden’s fascinating, once-in-a-lifetime journey to see the Titanic up close, 12,600-feet below sea level.
Listen Here: Apply Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
The Offbeat Life
What It’s About:
If your dream is to make a living as a full-time traveler, The Offbeat Life podcast is for you. Host Debbie Arcangeles interviews travelers from around the world about how they left their conventional lives to live a nomadic lifestyle.
Where To Start:
“How to Travel for Free Using Miles and Points” is a practical place to start listening. While we’d all love to work as full-time travelers, this isn’t always possible. This episode teaches you how to make use of your airline miles and credit card points so you can travel the world on a budget.
Listen Here: Apply Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
JUMP With Traveling Jackie
What It’s About:
JUMP With Traveling Jackie delivers a collection of guest stories, solo episodes, and often raw and personal accounts from host Jackie Nourse. Throughout the show, she discusses travel and adventure in conversations that are meant to motivate her audience to get out and see the world for themselves. This podcast is ideal for anyone seeking travel advice and inspiration.
Where To Start:
If you’re interested in the details behind planning a big trip, listen to “How to Plan a Long Distance Backpacking Trip, Featuring the Tahoe Rim Trail.” In this episode, avid adventurer Dawn Swinney shares her guide to the iconic Tahoe Rim Trail, while providing useful tips for listeners to plan an epic backpacking adventure of their own.
Listen Here: Apply Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
On She Goes
What It’s About:
On She Goes is a travel and lifestyle podcast that’s dedicated to inspiring women of color to travel confidently, adventurously, and more often.You’ll hear a range of topics covering what it’s like to travel while Black, travel tips, representation in travel media, diversity in the outdoors, and getting paid to travel.
Where To Start:
On She Goes ran from 2017 to 2020, but it’s still relevant and worth listening to in 2022. I’d even recommend starting from the most recent episode and working your way backward. Season 5, Episode 11, “How NOT to Travel Like a Basic Bitch in the Time of COVID” talks about the importance of giving back, supporting locals, educational travel, and post-pandemic travel predictions (listen to see if they came true!).
Listen Here: Apply Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
