9 of the Best Travel Podcasts of 2017

2. The Amateur Traveler

The Amateur Traveler has over 500 destination-focused podcast episodes. Each details a new place including interviews with area experts as they highlight some of their favorite spots. The host, Chris Christensen, packs a ton of information into a short amount of time. And he’s covered a lot of places. It’s a great podcast if you’re looking for a Wikipedia-style introduction to a place before a visit. In particular, the episode on Oklahoma City was super helpful before my recent trip there.

3. Zero to Travel

The Zero to Travel podcast helps people break from the 9-5 and travel the world on their own terms. Jason talks about finding jobs abroad, traveling on a budget, and other advice and resources for new travelers. The show is practical, yet also inspiring as Jason shares his travel wisdom in an enthusiastic way. He has a large following which allows him to take a massive number of listener questions. It’s the best part of the show with Jason providing well-thought out answers to burning questions from new travelers.

4. Travelogue

Travelogue from Conde Nast Travel is a go-to for learning about new and interesting destinations around the US and worldwide. They have 3-4 writers on at one time, who keep the conversation moving, while batting around location-specific recommendations and travel tips. New episodes come out weekly, covering topics like how to score cheap fares or larger location overviews on places like Miami. Their seasonal guides are fantastic at providing high-level ideas for upcoming trips.

5. Abroaders Podcast

Abroaders Podcast covers travel tips, maximizing rewards travel, and starting a business abroad. It’s almost as if The Points Guy had a podcast. The beginning of each episode starts by providing relevant hotel, flight, and credit card promotions springing up over the last week. After catching up on the latest points news up front, they go in-depth on a specific travel topic, like whether rewards points expire. For the business-minded traveler looking to live and work abroad, check out episode 138. It goes into the Abroaders’ business model and how they navigate bringing their product to more people.

6. Tropical MBA Podcast

The Tropical MBA Podcast is a blend of travel stories and entrepreneurial tips for starting a business abroad. It’s definitely catered to those individuals looking to become digital nomads. The show began in 2007 as a way to chronicle Dan and Ian’s struggles starting a business abroad. As they’ve had success with their company, the show evolved to cover a wider variety of topics. The show has a fanatical following, with Dan and Ian often answering questions from their listener mailbag. ‘An Episode for Those Who Need a Business Idea’ is a great introduction to their show.

7. The Travelers

The Travelers is a weekly show that takes an introspective look into another traveler’s stories and experiences. Nathan sheds light on the realities of long-term travel, often highlighting the hardships and struggles of consistently being on the road. Episodes explore the intersection between travel and topics like curiosity, wonder, and possibility. It’s a bit more wanderlust-filled than other shows but also includes plenty of tangible information. The episode with Rolf Potts, the writer of Vagabonding, is an awesome episode. And if you haven’t read Vagabonding, you should check that out too.

8. Andy Steves’ Podcast

Andy Steves, son of Rick Steves, is travel royalty. And his new podcast caters to a younger audience with a focus on student travelers. Season 1 featured top weekend destinations, tips and tricks for students, and interviews with local experts. His episodes on budget-friendly cities in Europe or best party hostels are good places to start.

9. Travel Tales

Comedian Mike Siegel created the Travel Tales Podcast to highlight the best and worst experiences that travel has to offer. Mike is hilarious. He used to host shows on TBS and HGTV and continues to do stand-up comedy on the side. Mike brings on fellow travelers as they share some of their top travel stories. Most are horrific yet wildly funny and entertaining. His recent interview with Lee Abbamonte, the youngest American to travel to every country in the world, was solid.