Top Podcast and Audiobooks for any Road trip
**UPDATED** - I love a good road trip but let’s be honest, not all of them are great. Most of the time, I’m just doing what I can to stay awake and block out my crazy kids in the backseat. Survival on a road trip includes a big drink full of caffeine, tons of treats and a great podcast or audio book. In fact, I look forward to road trips just so that I can listen to all the podcasts and books on my list! There are so many good ones out there. Here are my top lists for all your listening pleasure!
Top Podcasts
If you have not entered the world of podcasts, welcome! I promise you will be hooked. To start, simply download the “podcast” app if you haven’t already. There are other apps like “stitcher” that you can use too. Podcasts are completely free. You can follow my links to download these in your iTunes library or search for others using the search button. Make sure you subscribe to the ones you want and select the episodes you would like to download.
Start with season 1 and you will be hooked by the first episode. The story develops quickly and it is produced so well. Season 1 is about the disappearance of Tara Grinstead. So good!!! And the second season is another cold case that quickly unfolds as the podcast is produced. I really like this one as well but the Tara Grinstead case is so gripping that nothing can compare!
2) S Town
This podcast started as just an interesting interview and it quickly developed into a crazy suspenseful story that you can not stop listening to. It takes place in rural Alabama and gave me so much insight into that part of the country.
I am a child of the 80’s but I had never heard about the story of the Atlanta Monster. In the early 1980’s, several young boys went missing in the Atlanta area. Most of them were found dead. The story is horrifying and sad. Don’t worry, they don’t go too much in depth about the actual murders. The story is more about solving the crime and the man who was blamed for it all. It is so engrossing!
4) Dirty John
Oh my goodness, this story is so crazy. It is a true story that starts with a man and woman meeting on an internet dating site and quickly takes off from there. The interviews are great and it is really well done.
5) Happy Face
Wow, this story is gripping. Melissa Moore is the subject of this podcast. She is the daughter of a serial killer who was caught in 1995. She shares what life was like growing up and what it was like to find out that her father was a killer. She is so well-spoken and her interviews are wonderful.
6) Dr. Death
I could not stop listening to this story about a Neurosurgeon that destroyed lives. I don’t want to give anything away if you haven’t listened to it yet. Wow, I had no idea things like this happened and it really made me think twice about getting surgery. This story is also very recent which makes it even more shocking.
7) Headlong: Missing Richard Simmons
Richard Simmons is an icon from my childhood and I always found him completely goofy. This story is so interesting as these guys investigate the “disappearance” of Richard. One day he was in the public eye and the next day, he was never seen again. They also give a lot of insight into why he was the way he was. This podcast now has a second season about the hysteria over Y2K and the reality that nothing really happened. I have it on my list to listen to next.
In the 1990’s, I felt you heard more and more about cults. The Heaven’s Gate cult became famous when they all took their lives in a California mansion. This podcast really gives you a lot of insight into how the cult started and what ultimately led up to this mass suicide.
9) Serial
If you haven’t heard about or listened to this podcast, you may be living under a rock. Season 1 is so addictive as it follows a murder and the convicted killer! It has you questioning if he is really guilty. And now there are two more seasons!
10) Broken Harts
This podcast is truly heartbreaking but very well done. Do you remember the story about 2 moms that drove their 6 adopted children off a cliff? Glamour magazine goes in depth to provide detail that weren’t public and gives insight into this family tragedy. It will have you hooked!
11) Criminal
This podcast is different every single episode. It covers a different non-fiction crime story every episode. Most episodes are clean and appropriate for kids if they are into that sort of thing. If it is not appropriate, you will be warned at the very beginning.
Looking for something more inspirational? This is for you. Life coach, Jody Moore has so many great things to say that will leave you uplifted like you can tackle the world all day. Recommended by a Reader!
13) How I Built This
I find it completely fascinating to hear stories about people who have built companies from the ground up. Every episode covers a different entrepreneur and the story behind how they built their mega empires. Recommended by a Reader!
14) How to Raise Confident Kids by Marilyn Faulkner
This is a quick listen recommended by a friend. Really good listen and gave me the boost I needed to help with parenting.
15) Cold
This is a brand new podcast that I am really exited for! It is starting this month and covers the case of Susan Powell. She went missing in Utah several years ago under very suspicious circumstances. I think everyone was pretty certain that her husband murdered her. Unfortunately, he killed himself, his children and a social worker in home explosion so it was even harder to get answers. This podcast promises to uncover new information!
Wow, if you don’t love Alison Faulkner after listening to one episode of this podcast, you are crazy. Alison’s main goal is to help you feel better than you did before you started listening to her. She has great motivational topics and amazing words of wisdom through her own life experience. If you are feeling down, give her a listen and I promise you will feel a little boost!
I could not stop listening to this! It is about a missing person’s case that is fast paced and so interested. It is really well produced and I promise you will be satisfied with the ending. I learned a lot about tracking someone via their google data. Crazy!
18) Bear Brook
This story starts out with a crazy cold case from the 80’s that has unexpected twists and turns. I learned a lot of DNA genealogy and how it is used to solve cases. It is so well produced and presented. So, so good!
This is actually next on my list and I can’t wait to start it on my next trip. It is about the most deadly serial killer in California and the new details that this reporter was able to uncover.
Wow. If you were curious about the details of the current tuition scandal, listen to this. I was blown away and my eyes were opened to a whole new level society that I knew nothing about. And it made me very angry. This one doesn’t have many episodes, so it’s a quick listen.
Top Audio Books
Let me first day, that I love Audible! I have had a membership for several years and I definitely get my use out of it! You can also rent audio books from the library if you don’t have an Audible account. These are best books I have listened to in the past 2 years
1) What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
In my opinion, this is Liane Moriarty’s best book. So relatable with a big dose of suspense.
2) Girl, Wash your Face by Rachel Hollis
This is a fantastic self-improvement book. It is read by Rachel and I really loved that.
3) Grit by Angela Duckworth
This book was fascinating. It is non-fiction and about all the many facets of grit. She includes a lot of interesting studies and examples of highly successful people. It made me want to have a lot more grit.
4) Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
I read this after the HBO series came out and still loved it. It is slightly different from the series but just as suspenseful.
5) You are a Badass by Jen Sincero
Wow, everyone should read this book. It is a quick listen and read by the author. She is super insightful and really inspired me figure out how to do what I love.
6) The Couple Next door by Shari Lapena
Another suspense that will keep you listening for longer than you planned.
7) The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
This is a great throwback to all the great Hitchcock movies that I love. Really great thriller!
8) Rising Strong by Brene Brown
I love Brene Brown. She has such incredible insight to the human soul. She has said so many things that ring true in my life and stick with me for long periods of time. She has so many great books that she narrates herself. This is just one of them!
9) The Body Book by Cameron Diaz
If you have any desire to understand your body, keep it healthy and age gracefully. This is a great listen. Narrated by Cameron, she gives a lot of great health tips. And I just really love her.
10) The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
I actually did read this years ago but I wanted to mention it because it is one of my all time favorites. Of course, the book was better than the movie. Such a great thriller that keeps you guessing till the very end.
11) Whoever Fights Monsters by Robert K. Ressler
This book is not for the faint of heart. It is written by a retired FBI agent that actually coined the term “Serial Killer”. I found it very fascinating as he goes into detail about cases he studied and help solve. He was the very first profiler. I could not stop listening!
12) Sometimes I lie by Alice Feeney
This is a nail biter thriller! I don’t want to give anything away but it is about a woman in a coma. I love the way that is written in three different sections of time. It is really good. Warning, there is some language and one part of sexual assault.
What do you listen to on a road trip? Do you have any favorites that I haven’t listed here? I would love to know! Please leaver your suggestions in the comments!
