Have a long drive ahead of you? We have you covered with a true road trip essential: a list of podcasts that will keep you riveted as you take on the road! From comedy to horror to history, we’ve got the perfect podcast for you.

One word of caution, though—remember that the most important part of a road trip is putting safety first. With roadside assistance from

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This way, you can just focus on the road and lose yourself in true crime, or a fascinating interview, or maybe a story about a creepy archive in London.

No matter what you choose, you’ll have a fantastic companion for the drive ahead! Read on to see our list of the best podcasts for road trips and long drives.

History

You’re Wrong About

Genre: General History Why it’s here: Ever wonder about misconceptions of the past, or if things really were a certain way? Wonder no more with Mike and Sarah, the two journalists who host You’re Wrong About. This podcast goes over misconceptions about just about any person, place, or thing of the past that you can think of, with witty banter to spare.

Our Fake History

Genre: General History, Mythology Why it’s here: Sure, not everything you learn about history is accurate—but where does it all come from? Our Fake History examines the origins of historical myth, and how parts of our history might be rooted in myth. Thought-provoking, interest-piquing, and never boring, Our Fake History covers (as they say in the tagline) "awesome stories that really (maybe) happened!"

Stuff You Missed in History Class

Genre: General History Why it’s here: Not all history makes the books! If it’s weird, curious, or thought-provoking, though, it’ll probably make Stuff You Missed in History Class. This podcast gets into the nitty-gritty of history and looks into the odd occurrences that weren’t quite big enough for the textbooks, but are perfect for a podcast.

Driving the Green Book

Genre: U.S. History, Social Justice Why it’s here: Driving the Green Book is a powerful podcast, narrated by Alvin Hall, an award-winning journalist, and Janée Woods Weber, an activist, as Alvin drives along the route once recommended by the "green book"—a book giving an overview of where it was (and wasn’t) safe for Black drivers to stop or rest in the South.

This podcast brings history to life and serves as a reminder that the past is still present, no matter where we are.

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American Scandal

Genre: U.S. History Why it’s here: From its inception, America has been shaped by scandals, from Hamilton to Nixon. This podcast looks at some of the most famous (and infamous) scandals and takes a deep dive into how shame, deceit, and falsehood have shaped some of the most iconic parts of American history.

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True crime

My Favorite Murder

Genre: True Crime, Comedy Why it’s here: One of the most well-known true crime podcasts, My Favorite Murder, combines serious crime with light-hearted asides for a unique look at some of the most famous murders in history. If you’re interested in true crime, but you like a bit of levity with your grisly murders, this is the show for you.

In the Dark

Genre: True Crime Why it’s here: In the Dark doesn’t just go into the details of famous crimes—it takes a wider angle, looking at how the case was handled by law enforcement, and how a justice system can either reveal the truth or obscure it further. This is a fantastic podcast for anyone who wants to dive a little more deeply into some specific cases and get to the heart of what happened.

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S-Town

Genre: True Crime, Mystery Why it’s here: S-Town, an offshoot of Serial and This American Life, is a podcast that shows how one story can evolve into many. Starting with reporter Brian Reed investigating a man who had been bragging about getting away with murder and exploding into a hunt for hidden treasure, an exposure of long-held secrets, and at least one other murder, S-Town is a wild ride that will not disappoint.

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Criminal

Genre: True Crime Why it’s here: This is a podcast that expands the definition of true crime—they look at all types of crime, whether it be burglary, murder, or tax fraud, and stories of the people who (might have) done it. If you want an interesting trip and a new perspective on the justice system, this is the podcast for you.

Comedy

Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend

Genre: Comedy, Interviews Why it’s here: The title says it all! Conan O’Brien is a famous former late-night host with only one regret—that he never made a best friend as a host. So naturally, his course of action is to start a podcast, interview celebrities, and continue the search for his one true bestie! This show will leave you with splitting sides and absolutely no regrets.

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Wait Wait…. Don’t Tell Me

Genre: Comedy, News Why it’s here: One of the most established comedy-news podcasts, Wait Wait…. Don’t Tell Me, is a podcast by NPR where host Peter Sagal quizzes a mostly-rotating cast of panelists about the week’s news.

The twist? It’s never going to be the news that makes the headlines—it’s always going to be the news with the headline that nearly makes you choke on your coffee in the morning. Spanning 22 years, this is a podcast with history and humor to spare.

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My Brother, My Brother, and Me

Genre: Comedy, Advice Why it’s here: Did someone ask for sibling antics? My Brother, My Brother, and Me (or MBMBAM, as it’s known to fans) will give you terrible advice that you should not follow about unexpected situations.

Eat a little too much pizza at a local joint? See a classmate pull a lemon out of their bag and bite into it? These are the guys to ask! Don’t expect any real help, but do expect a lot of sibling antics and bantering digressions.

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You’re Dead to Me

Genre: Comedy, History Why it’s here: If you prefer your history with a side of humor, this is the podcast for you. You’re Dead to Me brings people together to laugh about history and learn about the parts that are often unsaid. If you’ve got a history buff in the car, they’ll love it—but so will everyone else!

Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet

Genre: Comedy Why it’s here: Ever read an online review that had you howling with laughter? Ever wonder if anyone ever collected all of them? Wonder no more—the hosts of this podcast did! Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet looks at the wild world of online reviews and reads them aloud for your amusement.

This is the podcast to keep you awake and engaged when you’ve just hit the next stretch of endless road and need something to keep your spirits up.

Family-friendly

The Two Princes

Genre: Middle School Fiction Why it’s here: The story of Prince Rupert and Prince Amir, royal rivals who team up out of necessity to break a curse, and who end up falling for each other, isn’t just a good story for kids—the adults in the car will be hooked!

Becoming Mother Nature

Genre: Middle School Fiction Why it’s here: When 13-year-old Cassandra Lovejoy goes to live with her grandmother, Ivy, in California, she realizes that Ivy isn’t just her grandmother—she’s Mother Nature herself! In this 10-part season, Cassandra learns about her heritage, and what it means for her responsibility to the environment.

It’s a gripping listen for anyone middle-school-age or older, and a great way to start thinking about the duties we all have to the environment.

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Six Minutes

Genre: Elementary Fiction Why it’s here: When the Anders family finds 11-year-old Holiday floating in icy waters on their Alaskan cruise, without any memory of how she got there, things start getting a little wild. Get ready for superheroes, robots, and lots of action—all in six-minute-long episodes, so folks with shorter attention spans won’t miss anything.

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls

Genre: General History Why it’s here: This is a great podcast about women through history—but it’s not just for girls! Kids of any gender will love listening to stories about famous (and not-so-famous, but very impressive) women throughout history. It’s a great way to learn more about women’s contributions to the world we live in today, for both you and your kid!

Mic Drop

Genre: Interviews Why it’s here: Do you have young teens or tweens in the car saying they will literally jump out of the car if they have to listen to This American Life for one more minute? This is the podcast to play. No adults are allowed in this podcast—instead, teens from all over the country talk about their different lives and experiences.

The stories are thoughtful and true, and tween listeners will be hooked.

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Mystery and the supernatural

Alice Isn’t Dead

Genre: Mystery, Supernatural Why it’s here: A truck driver knows that her wife, Alice, isn’t dead. But she doesn’t know where she is—and so she goes looking across America for her. Be ready for serial killers that aren’t quite human, towns that are stuck in time, and a conspiracy bigger than a truck driver or her wife.

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Welcome to Night Vale

Genre: Slice of Life, Supernatural Why it’s here: Feeling a little tired of safety and normality? Come tune in to Night Vale’s local radio, where the host brings you live updates on the underground city beneath the bowling alley, or Old Woman Josie’s conversations with angels, or why you should never, ever go into the dog park. (No dogs allowed there, either.)

If you’re looking for a spooky slice of life, this is the perfect podcast for you.

The Bright Sessions

Genre: Action, Mystery Why it’s here: Superheroes have problems, too. That’s why Dr. Bright, a therapist who specializes in helping people with especially impressive abilities, is here. These episodes detail her sessions with a young woman who can time travel, a high schooler who can read people’s feelings, and a college student who can read people’s minds.

But there’s something else going on underneath the surface—something that involves the organization Dr. Bright works for—and her patients aren’t going to stop until they understand what it is.

The Magnus Archives

Genre: Horror, Mystery Why it’s here: If you want a ghost story that’ll make the hairs on your head stand up as you drive, this is the perfect podcast for you. Jonathan Simms is the Head Archivist of the Magnus Archives, a place dedicated to the study of the paranormal.

Privately, he is unconvinced—but as he records more and more incidents, the pieces of a truly horrifying puzzle start to come together. This is a great podcast for those who like the horror genre—but for anyone else, it’s best listened to with the lights on.

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News

This American Life

Genre: News, Interviews Why it’s here: This American Life is one of the most prolific and long-standing podcasts out there! With different stories and angles in every episode, the crew looks to examine what it truly means to be American, and what it means to live in America today.

Code Switch

Genre: Interviews, Social Justice Why it’s here: Code Switch is a podcast by a group of multiracial and multigenerational journalists who are all looking to understand how race influences our choices—from what we eat, to where we live, to how we dress, to how we vote, they examine it all.

If you want to get a little more into America’s socio-political landscape and understand how it affects the world around us, this is the perfect podcast for you.

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It’s Been a Minute

Genre: Interviews, News Why it’s here: Sam Sanders making sense of the world through laid-back, interesting conversation is the type of news we all need in our lives. With this podcast, you’ll learn more about culture than you ever thought possible, and you might end up learning to understand the world around you a little better, too.

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Solvable

Genre: News Why it’s here: Ever get caught up thinking about a problem that just doesn’t seem to have a solution? Feel like you’re struggling to understand how the world can get better? That’s what this podcast is here for. #Solvable looks to possible solutions for homelessness, the gender gap in tech, and more! More importantly, listening provides a sense of hope that maybe things are actually #Solvable.

Reply All

Genre: News, Technology Why it’s here: Want to know the latest, best stories on the Internet? Reply All has you covered. From stories about millions of dollars in Bitcoin lost and found to robot snipers to questions about the TikTok algorithm, Reply All gets you the best stories on—and about–the Internet!

Fantasy and role-playing

The Adventure Zone

Genre: Fantasy, Role-Playing Why it’s here: From the brothers that brought you MBMBAM, here’s a new Dungeons and Dragons podcast! Three brothers play D&D with their father, trying to survive goblins and bugbears, and slowly unraveling a mystery that has plagued their world for centuries. If you want to banter with your good old-fashioned monster-stabbing, this is the perfect podcast for you.

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Critical Role

Genre: Fantasy, Role-Playing Why it’s here: Did you like The Adventure Zone, but want something a little more advanced? Critical Role is perfect for you. Played by established voice actors and led by esteemed Dungeon Master Matt Mercer, this is the podcast that will get you so caught up in the plot that the hours will just fly by!

Not Another D and D Podcast

Genre: Fantasy, Role-Playing Why it’s here: What do you get when you combine the humor and antics of The Adventure Zone with the tight focus and plot of Critical Role? A truly amazing D&D podcast that has some of the best roleplaying you’ll ever enjoy! After a group of legendary heroes defeats the ruler of the Nine Hells, everything is supposed to get a lot better...except it starts kinda sucking again.

Will the three doofuses in this podcast be able to make things suck less? Find out on your next road trip!

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bomBARDed

Genre: Musical, Role-Playing Why it’s here: Do you like musicals, but also slaying dragons? Look no further for the perfect podcast! bomBARDed is a D&D podcast following the adventures of three bards, who often sing in D&D campaigns.

Here, the players do too, and the songs are made up and sung with instrumental accompaniment at the table! If you want an amazing crossover of music and adventure, this is the perfect podcast for you.

Advice

Dear Sugars

Genre: Advice, Relationships Why it’s here: With advice from Cheryl Strayed and Steve Almond, Dear Sugars is probably one of the most famous advice podcasts out there. Whether you want advice or just want to listen to others get it, this is a podcast full of thoughtfulness, tough questions, and radical empathy all the way through.

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Car Talk

Genre: Advice, Cars Why it’s here: So maybe you wanted a specific type of advice. While we at

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are always happy to help with any advice, we don’t have a podcast (yet)! In the meantime, try Car Talk—an NPR podcast with a long history of helping listeners with any weird noises, smells, or sights their car might have.

Car Talk is also hilarious, and can make for great entertainment while you’re on the road.

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The Best Advice Show

Genre: Advice, Relationships Why it’s here: Ever wondered what someone’s secret to a good life was? This show looks at several different secrets from dozens of different guests. Each episode interviews one person to ask them what their secret to a good life is, and how they thrive in such a wild and unpredictable world.

Epic Gardening

Genre: Advice, Gardening Why it’s here: This is the podcast for plant-lovers! If you want to get your daily fix of green while driving down a road that might be all city from end to end, this podcast will give you great gardening advice and answer all your questions in under ten minutes.

Love Letters

Genre: Advice, Relationships Why it’s here: This is the perfect podcast for a deep dive into what makes relationships tick—and what doesn’t. Boston Globe advice columnist Meredith Goldstein explores one big relationship theme every season while answering questions, holding intimate interviews, and giving thoughtful and empathetic advice, every time.

Why you need roadside assistance

Now you’ll never lack entertainment on the road! However, safety is always your number one priority—and a podcast becomes a lot less fun if you’re stuck listening to it while you try to find a nearby place that will tow your stalled-out car.

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, though, you never have to worry—we cover towing, emergency roadside assistance, lockouts, and even Uber credits. (The best part? Insuring one vehicle is only $6.99!)

That way, you can drive safely and comfortably, and lose yourself in a spooky story or a strange-but-true tale as you head down the road.

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