Top 9 Travel Podcasts to Spark Your Wanderlust

Brendan Francis Newnam, known for his former podcast The Dinner Party Download with Rico Gagliano, returns with Not Lost. This travel series has a unique twist: Brendan explores new cities, aiming to secure dinner party invitations from locals. Accompanied by a friend, he ventures through Montreal, Vegas, and Mexico City, visiting cafes, nightclubs, and museums to connect with residents. The show captures the essence of each location through its sounds and people, offering a fresh perspective. As Brendan discovers these places, he also reflects on his growth as a traveler, blending personal insights with a game-show vibe and cultural exploration.

Rough Translation, NPR's international podcast, uncovers fascinating global stories to explore culture and history through engaging narratives. Experience a dance camp in Sweden where Black dancers are reviving the Lindy Hop, journey to Ukraine to see how comedy influenced Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s political style, or meet COVID patients in a Jerusalem hotel who formed unlikely bonds. The latest season, @Work, examines workplace evolution worldwide, like France’s ban on eating lunch at your desk—making you rethink your midday meal habits.

Saleem Reshamwala travels the globe to uncover groundbreaking ideas that have transformed societies and shaped their origins. Far Flung takes you to Caracas, where journalists deliver news through bus stand-up comedy; a small German town that has staged an annual play for 400 years to honor a promise to God; and Mexico City, where a luchador-masked hero battles speeding cars to protect pedestrians. More than a travel show, it’s an exploration of innovation, with immersive storytelling that transports you to global hotspots where creative solutions tackle local and universal challenges.

In its first season, Vanishing Postcards followed Even Stern as he explored hidden Texas locales absent from GPS maps, uncovering unrecorded spots at risk of fading away. The series acts as a time capsule, preserving the stories of those who’ve sustained these places for decades. The immersive audio makes you feel like you’re right beside Evan as he visits speakeasies, eerie mansions, and rural stores, chatting with musicians, chefs, and cowboys. Season two takes Evan on a 6,845-mile trek along Route 66, delving into its history and the individuals who’ve shaped it. Each episode feels like a personal snapshot from a destination you might never see.

In Greetings from Somewhere, Zach Mack takes listeners on a journey across America, exploring how travel shapes our perspectives and how we, in turn, influence the places we visit. This unique take on the travel documentary highlights the mutual exchange between travelers and destinations. Through conversations with a man who walked 4,000 miles across the country, a wheelchair-bound adventurer, and a Disney World enthusiast, Mack uncovers the essence of each location by understanding the people who define them.

Travel reporter Carlye Wisel brings her vibrant energy to Very Amusing, a podcast dedicated to her passion for theme parks. Carlye gets exclusive access to park openings, new attractions, and restaurants worldwide before they open to the public. From the Magic Kingdom to Universal Studios, DreamWorks Water Park, and Tokyo’s Toy Story Hotel, she shares insider tips on ticket deals, secret menus, must-have merchandise, and behind-the-scenes secrets—some the parks might prefer to keep hidden. Whether you’re planning a theme park visit or enjoying from home, Carlye’s expertise will make you feel like you’re there, savoring popcorn, marveling at fireworks, and riding rollercoasters.

Being a National Geographic photojournalist is one of the most thrilling jobs, and the Ambie-winning Overheard at National Geographic lets you eavesdrop on their world. Hosts Peter Gwin and Amy Briggs chat with explorers, photographers, and scientists, sharing tales of pirates in the Malacca Straits, lost manuscripts in Timbuktu, and ship-breakers in Bangladesh—stories that feel straight out of an adventure novel. The podcast delves into environmental issues, anthropology, and the science of remote places and creatures rarely explored. If you’ve ever been captivated by National Geographic magazine, this audio experience will fuel your global curiosity and deepen your understanding of the world.

Passport takes listeners on an audio journey, spotlighting one destination per episode and diving into its history, cuisine, and culture to offer a deeper understanding of its people. Hosts Neil Innes and Andrés Bartos blend education with camaraderie, making you feel like part of their adventures. With a mix of humor and insight, Passport explores friendship, the world, and the extraordinary stories waiting to be uncovered in every corner of the globe.

Hosted by Jonathan Green, Return Ticket takes listeners on an auditory journey to familiar destinations, uncovering hidden stories beyond tourist hotspots. Instead of landmarks, the podcast focuses on the people and unique quirks that define a place. To truly understand a location, you need to explore its tunnels, waste management systems, and even its bicycle culture—topics Jonathan delves into. While he stays in his Melbourne studio, the show immerses you in city sounds, conversations, and scripted interactions with “guides” who bring streets to life. This imaginative approach transports you from Melbourne to Bali and beyond, all from the comfort of your headphones.