Do you like Podcasts? I used to think they weren’t my thing until Serial took over the country. Now I’m obsessed. If you haven’t jumped on the Serial bandwagon, download it now and thank me later!;).

Podcasts are perfect for a road trip, long flight, or even your daily commute. For those of you that get car sick, or easily distracted listening to an audio book (guilty!), a podcast can help make your trip fly by!

I’ve included a few podcasts I’ve enjoyed recently below, but I’m always on the look out for a new podcast to listen to so let me know what your favorites are!

S-Town

This is technically a true crime podcast, similar to Serial, but it goes in quite a different direction than you first expect it will. It’s journalism at its finest and I felt almost guilty listening, like I was eavesdropping on things I wasn’t supposed to hear. If you’re looking for something binge-worthy, give this one a go.

S-Town… “is a new podcast from Serial and This American Life, hosted by Brian Reed, about a man named John who despises his Alabama town and decides to do something about it. He asks Brian to investigate the son of a wealthy family who’s allegedly been bragging that he got away with murder. But then someone else ends up dead, and the search for the truth leads to a nasty feud, a hunt for hidden treasure, and an unearthing of the mysteries of one man’s life.”

Katie Couric – At Home with the Barefoot Contessa

I’ve mourned the loss of Katie on the Today Show for the last ten years, so I knew I was going to love the interviews on her new podcast. The first one I listened to was with Ina Garten. If you like Katie, cooking, and the Barefoot Contessa then you’ll enjoy this one!

Katie… “went to Ina Garten’s home on Easter morning for a lesson on slow-cooked scrambled eggs (with truffles!) and a wide-ranging conversation at her kitchen table. Between bites of breakfast, we discussed Ina’s views on feminism, other celebrity chefs, and her unlikely path from White House nuclear energy expert to Food Network star. Plus, an unexpected cameo from Jeffrey, Ina’s husband of 48 years.”

The Shauna Niequist Podcast – Tsh Oxenreider

If you’ve ever dreamed of taking your kids on an around the world trip, then you’ll be intrigued by this interview on how she made it happen and what she learned from the experience.

“Shauna talks with writer and podcaster Tsh Oxenreider. For her latest book, At Home in the World, Tsh traveled the globe with her husband and three young children, experiencing new cultures, foods and other unforgettable moments with her family.”

Rick Steves – Amore in Italia

Moving to Italy for love has to be the ultimate fantasy for any travel-lover. This interview is quintessential Rick Steves (a little nerdy, but oh-so-informative) and interesting to hear what life is like for two Americans that moved abroad for love.

“It’s hard to beat Italy as a romantic destination, unless you actually fall in love and make it your home. Rick chats with two American women who have married Italian men and settled in Italy. Former Seattleite Lisa Anderson describes her experience moving to Italy and eventually starting a family in a small town in the Piedmont region. And former Washington D.C. resident Annie Adair also met her spouse in Italy and now runs a wedding planning and tour guide company from Volterra in Tuscany.”

How I Built This – Lonely Planet: Maureen & Tony Wheeler

I’m a big fan of How I Built this. Guy Raz not only has a fabulous name, but is a fabulous interviewer. He recently spoke with the founders of the Lonely Planet travel guidebooks and it was so good!

“In 1972, Maureen and Tony Wheeler bought a beat-up car and drove from London “as far east as we could go.” They wound up in Australia, by way of Afghanistan, India and Thailand. Their notes on how to travel on a shoestring became a book, which grew into Lonely Planet — the largest travel guide publisher in the world. PLUS in our postscript “How You Built That,” how 15-year-old Michael Mendicino, with help from his mom, took a teenage trend and turned it into a board game called Bottle Flip.”

Criminal – Eight Years

The Criminal podcast has quick episodes (20ish minutes) that keep me on the edge of my seat and oftentimes really weird me out (mostly in a good way!). I could listen to the host’s voice, Phoebe Judge, all day by the way. Episode 48 is a good first listen for this series.

“2008 was an exciting time to be a Harry Potter fan. The final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, had been released. Movies were on the way. And author Melissa Anelli was at the center of it all, running a popular fan site called The Leaky Caldron and working on a book, Harry, a History. Just as things couldn’t get better, Melissa received her first death threat.”

What are you listening to? I’d love some new recommendations!

Happy Travels!

Jenny