While we’re staying at home and trying to find joy in the small things, there’s nothing wrong with finding healthy distractions while we’re staring at the same four walls! Dreaming of getting away, riding a camel through the desert, and exploring the jungles of Costa Rica is a much more pleasurable way to spend our time than worrying.
While we’ve never been to Costa Rica or ridden a camel through the desert – our secret weapon for expanding our imagination is listening to travel podcasts! (Not to mention we all need healthy distractions during quarantine, that don’t include eating all of your quarantine snacks!)
There are three main kinds of travel podcasts in our opinion:
- The no-nonsense guides to traveling.
- The hilarious podcasts about travel blunders. (These make us feel more human!)
- The ones that make you want to eat alll the food and travel to faraway places!
No Time? Pin for Later
Amateur Traveler Podcast
This is my favorite travel podcast. It’s a straightforward interview-style show by Chris Christenson and guests. With over 700 episodes, I have many a time turned it on in the background. I rewind when I hear something particularly interesting while I’m doing mindless tasks, and I’ve learned so much about so many countries! My favorite episode has been about Namibia! Not even a country I had really heard about before but after listening to this episode, I truly felt that it was a perfect addition to my bucket list!
Armchair Explorer Podcast
Time moves quickly when I’m listening to the Armchair Travel Podcast – not to mention I’m also encouraged to get more in shape! I want to go on all of the adventures Aaron Miller has, I feel like I need to be at a pretty high level of fitness. With water rafting and other serious outdoor activities, some of these adventures sound too amazing to miss out on.
I also love that these adventures are told to cinematic music. As a music lover, the music makes the stories sometimes!
Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet Podcast
I love the concept of this one! It’s basically the same as one of my favorite Instagram accounts @subparparks where they talk about all the horrible reviews national parks get! Have to say it makes me want them more!? This podcast is the first one on my list that falls under my second category of travel podcasts that make you laugh. Truly, hilariously, just a great listen!
Chronicles Abroad Podcast
This newer travel podcast is in a category all on its own! A great practical resource for travelers and travel bloggers alike. I’ve listened to every episode and feel like I’ve gotten so much hopeful information about the future of travel. This episode on muggings while traveling is a must listen!
Extra Pack of Peanuts
Extra Pack of Peanuts is a great addition to your travel podcast list. They interview other travelers like the Amateur Traveler Podcast, but for budget travel ideas. In reading travel blogs over the years, I’ve realized how important it is to get perspectives of people who’ve traveled to an area recently. I can tell you a must-do itinerary for Aruba, but some of the finer points of budget travel for the area are best told by recent travelers,(and travelers who have made mistakes!) The collective experiences they’re drawing from brings us the best travel tips and laughs!
Flight of Fancy
This Australian-based travel podcast is pretty awesome for anyone worried about the future of travel. One of my favorite episodes right now talks about how to not ruin the world after the borders open up again. This is such an important topic overall. Quarantine has brought swans back to Italy, everywhere water is cleaner, and greenhouse gas emissions are super low.. but it’s devastating world economies. This episode explores how to spend our money responsibly when traveling again.
Be The Travel
Out of Nashville, Tennessee is a boutique travel agency called BE The Travel. Bailey and her incredible team help people plan real fulfilling trips all over the world. Their topics range from travel alerts to experiences from people who have had their trip itineraries created by the agency. This down to Earth podcast is a light and friendly listen for when you’re looking to be inspired, informed or laugh a little.
Gravy by the Southern Food Alliance
Ahhh.. this podcast… Causing me to salivate and daydream of great US-based Southern travels all at once. Although not considered a travel podcast, I think it has to be on the best travel podcasts list because it makes you want to travel! Any podcast inspiring us to travel is a travel podcast to me! Here’s a little excerpt of the kinds of foods they cover:
‘Of banh mi and barbecue shrimp…This is the South you know, and the one you have not have tasted before.’
My mouth is seriously watering!?!
Indie Traveler Podcast
The Indie Traveler Podcast hasn’t created any new content since September of 2019 but they still have their library of over 400 episodes available on Itunes and Spotify. Some of my favorite episodes were 10 Things to Do in Scotland and How to Chose Your Travel Destination. Since this one isn’t up to date with current events, I like listening to it when I don’t want to be bombarded with thoughts surrounding quarantine and the coronavirus. There is such a thing as too much news!
Jump with Traveling Jackie
Jump With Traveling Jackie is such an interesting travel podcast because she covers topics I’ve never thought of. Her podcast on becoming a digital nomad through stock market trading as a means to support yourself? AWESOME. It really gave Ev and I some food for thought as to diversifying revenue streams while bringing in money online. See Episode 121 for more info!
Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio
With over 400 episodes, the Milk Street Radio podcast is the best podcast for foodies I’ve ever found. Since their content covers specifically food, you might be wondering why it’s on this list for the best 18 travel podcasts? The truth is that this podcast makes me want to travel more than most podcasts. Many times when Ev and I are deciding where we want to travel – food plays such an important role. We truly believe that the more flavorful the food the more colorful the culture, so when we’re presented with the most delicious cuisines throughout the world – we add them to the bucket list!
Practical Wanderlust
The only thing I need to say about this travel podcast is that it’s hilarious and you should listen. The very first episode I’ve ever listed to, caught me so of guard because it was so funny! Lia & Jeremy talked about their first time attempting to surf together and Lia describes trying to get into her wet suit as ‘trying to squeeze her leg into a garden hose’. I will never think of wetsuits the same. Enough said.
REI’s Wild Ideas Worth Living Podcast
REI has long been one of the best places to find hiking and adventure gear. REI’s podcast calling ‘Wild Ideas Worth Living’ explores all the outdoor topics you could ever want. From endurance athletes to creating community with your fellow outdoorsman, this podcast is an awesome resource for any outdoorsman.
Although it’s centered around the outdoors in general, it’s on the travel podcasts list because it encourages us to explore – even if it’s in your own state or the closest park. I’m a big believer in not viewing travel as having to be an out-of-the-country grandiose adventure!
The Thoughtful Travel Podcast
Hosted by Amanda Kemble, the Thoughtful Travel Podcast is a great travel podcast to cure wanderlust. The main part of why I love this podcast is that it focuses on travelers’ experiences with local people. In my opinion, the local people are the best ones to show you around, tell you where the good food is and make you feel welcome.
When we were in Aruba, our Airbnb host went out of her way to make us feel welcome! She brought us empanadas for breakfast and helped us map out our entire day taking an ATV around the tiny island. We couldn’t have asked for a better host. For this reason alone – this podcast is an awesome addition because it makes you understand and respect local cultures more when you travel. Listen to a few episodes here!
The Travel Diaries
The top podcast in the UK, The Travel Diaries interviews a lot of random famous guests and gets their take on how travel has affected their lives. Hosted by Holly Rubenstein, the podcast has even hosted Poppy Delevingne, a British model, and the older sister of Cara Delevingne.
The podcast is also in a British accent which makes everything better to listen to! (Even my Siri is in a British accent!)
Let’s Go Together
Travel + Leisure is such an awesome travel resource for anyone looking to travel. The reason I love their travel podcast, ‘Let’s Go Together’ so much is that their stories of traveling are so inspiring and focusing on diversity. One of their latest episodes guest stars Jesse Billauer, who climbed Machu Picchu in a wheelchair. You read that right – in a wheelchair. If that doesn’t inspire you to be grateful and so appreciative of the life you get to live – I don’t know what will!
Women Who Travel
Hosted by editors from Conde Nast Traveler, (an awesome travel magazine + blog), this travel podcast focuses on, you guessed it: women’s travel experiences. Women traveling solo is a craze sweeping the world. As a woman myself, I remember being told when I was younger that it was too dangerous for me to travel the world by myself. Obviously, that advice was well-meaning – but limiting.
As I’ve gotten older, more and more women are starting to break free from traditional ideas and having kids later while focusing on their dreams in the travel industry. ‘Women Who Travel’ highlights female-owned businesses and the nitty-gritty things female travelers experience!
You Should’ve Been There
This one has to be good because it’s from an ex BBC producer, Simon Calder, and everything the BBC Does is good! One of the best parts of this podcast is that they’re discussing all things Coronavirus-related travel. For anyone looking to travel right now, this is your go-to travel podcast.
Zero To Travel
This travel podcast is hosted by a fellow traveler named Jason! This travel podcast’s goal is to teach people how to live the digital nomad lifestyle and how to save money for travel! While having this blog is our way of starting to create the digital nomad lifestyle, it’s not the ONLY way to do it? For more ideas, head over to Zero to Travel.
Other travel podcasts
These are just a few of my favorite podcasts overall! For more travel podcasts from Europe and around the globe, see here!
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Until next time friends,
