Listening to a gripping Audiobook while on a road trip is a fantastic combination, just like books & cafes. However, road trips with friends and family often involve fighting about what to listen to. Everyone’s music taste varies. Hence one person’s playlist won’t make everyone happy.
Best Audiobooks For Road Trips!
The best way to keep everyone satisfied and hooked on a road trip is to play an audiobook and let everyone enjoy the scenery outside while enjoying the story. And if you are a solo traveler, you must listen to an audiobook. You won’t feel lonely, and it will keep you awake, which is essential when you are on the steering wheel. So, here are the best audiobooks for road trips to keep you entertained, whether you are going out with your friends or family. You can sign up for Audible Free Trial 🎧 now and get all the Audible Originals (Audiobooks & Podcasts) for free with full unlimited access.
1. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, Narrated by Elizabeth Gilbert
Eat, Pray, Love is a story about several things, for example, divorce, heartbreak, spirituality, finding yourself, etc. But I picked this audiobook for a different reason. Elizabeth is going through the ‘dark night of the soul.’ She feels lost and devastated and decides to go on a solo trip. Her first destination is Italy, where she nourishes herself with good food and new friends. Her next stop is India, where she nourishes her soul. She lives in an ashram in India and grounds herself.
And finally, she goes to Bali, where she continues to learn more about spirituality and finds love again. The author Elizabeth Gilbert narrated the book herself, which makes the listening experience even more authentic. It’s a refreshing experience to listen to someone’s travel stories that transformed their life while you are on a trip yourself. It fills you with hope. You can get the audiobook here! 🎧
2. Travels With Charley: In Search Of America by John Steinback, Narrated by Gary Sinise
Do you ever feel that you don’t know the place you have lived for such a long time? Well, it was the case for the author John Steinback. As he was nearing his retirement, wanderlust got him. He used to write about America but felt disconnected from it. Writing about a place he knew nothing about felt like a crime.
So, one day he purchased a GMC pickup truck, fixed up a camp shell inside it, and named the truck Rocinante. He took his wife’s dog Charley, a French Poodle, with him on this journey. You must listen to this audiobook to learn more about John and Poodle’s road trip. The narration by Gary Sinise is easy-going, making it a perfect Road trip listen. You can get the audiobook here! 🎧
3. The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary, Narrated by Josh Dylan and Eleanor Tomlinson
Ensure you don’t have your ex in the car while listening to this audiobook because things may get awkward. Why will you go on a road trip with your ex? Well, I had to warn you, so I did. Imagine you are going on a road trip with your sister to a friend’s wedding. Everything is perfect. You have curated a playlist, and the snacks basket is spilling. However, shortly after you start, a car rams into your car from behind, and the driver is your ex.
This is the premise of the audiobook The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary. The protagonist Addie has to give her ex now a lift in her car because his car is finished. And guess what? Her ex is attending the same wedding that Addie and her sister are headed to. Can it get any worse? Well, it does. The Road Trip will be an enjoyable audiobook to listen to, especially with your friends, because you can share anecdotes and gossip about your exes. Or not. *winks* You can get the audiobook here! 🎧
4. A Short History Of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson, Narrated by Richard Matthews
Wow! The variation of my recommendations is quite something. What if you want to avoid listening to a fiction audiobook? Especially if you are going to make a break journey and have multiple stops, a nonfiction audiobook like A Short History Of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson will be perfect because it’s easier to keep up with a book like this.
You can start from any chapter; it will be just as fun. When traveling, I think about things I don’t usually care about. For example, what’s the age of the Earth, who invented Prussian Blue, and many more such eccentric questions. If you can relate, you must listen to this audiobook, which will give you all the answers. The book is written and narrated in a very humorous and conversational manner. You can get the audiobook here! 🎧
5. The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon, Narrated by Bahni Turpin, Raymond Lee, Dominic Hoffman
Young adult novels make life worth living. It’s one of my favorite genres. There is passion, love, agony, and a heart ready to do anything in the YA genre. The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon is a refreshing story. The audiobook follows the story of Natasha and Daniel. Natasha is from Jamaica living in Brooklyn. She is an illegal immigrant who gets to know that her parents are about to be deported.
Daniel, on the other hand, is a Korean living in Harlem. He is a poet and wants to pursue it, but his parents want him to become a doctor. Natasha and Daniel meet at a record store and spend the next several hours together, talking about love, life, etc. The book is interesting, but the narration by Bahni Turpin, Raymond Lee, and Dominic Hoffman makes this audiobook stand out. You can get the audiobook here! 🎧
6. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, Narrated by Jeremy Irons
If you believe in destiny and universal energy, this should be your audiobook pick for your road trip. The Alchemist is the story of an Andalusian shepherd boy who gets the dream of a treasure while he is in a ruined church. He sets on a journey to find the treasure. And along the way, he comes across different people who guide him with wisdom.
Paulo Coelho‘s storytelling brings in the magic of medieval mysticism. And the narration by Jeremy Irons breathes life into the book. Listening to this audiobook on your road trip with the windows down will be a dreamy experience. You can get the audiobook here! 🎧
7. A Gentleman’s Guide To Vice & Virtue by Mackenzi Lee, Narrated by Christian Coulson
A Gentleman’s Guide To Vice & Virtue by Mackenzi Lee has to be one of the most humorous books ever. This romantic adventure audiobook is based in the eighteenth century. But the author has written this book for the modern audience; therefore, the language and writing style is contemporary, which makes it unique. The protagonist, Henry Montague, aka Monty, is a bisexual British lord.
Monty decides to go on a grand Europe tour with his best friend and secret crush, Percy. Monty’s father wants him to take over their estate and become a responsible lord, but he has other things on his platter. Monty and Percy get into several questionable situations on this grand tour. This audiobook will give you some severe tickles and keep you entertained. You can get the audiobook here! 🎧
8. American Gods by Neil Gaiman, Narrated by Full Cast
If you are interested in fantasy and mythology, listen to The American Gods by Neil Gaiman. The book follows the story of Shadow, who is an ex-convict. After his release from prison, he is excited about meeting his wife, Laura, only to find later that she was killed in a car accident with his best friend with whom she was having an affair.
Shadow is devasted and angry. He then takes the bodyguard job for a con man named Mr. Wednesday. Shadow and Mr. Wednesday travel across the United States to meet various unique characters. The story entwines several fantastical and mythological characters, all feeling real. This audiobook will keep you hooked till the end. You can get the audiobook here! 🎧
9. The Song Of Achilles by Madeline Miller, Narrated by Frazer Douglas
For those interested in Greek mythology, this one is especially for you. The Song Of Achilles is the story of Patroclus, a young prince exiled and sent to King Peleus’ court. There he meets the King’s perfect son Achilles. Achilles befriends Peleus, and they grow a unique bond. But when news comes that Helen of Sparta is kidnapped, Achilles has to fulfill his destiny by going to war in Troy. Patroclus decides to go with Achilles, and then the story gets intense. The writing is gripping, and Frazer Douglas’ narration makes the listening experience vivid. You can get the audiobook here! 🎧
10. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, Narrated by Carey Mulligan
When on a road trip, I love to pick a book with magical realism in it as it makes the journey feel surreal. So here is a recommendation for you with magical realism in it. A library with an infinite number of books where you will find a book that will tell the story of your life as you have lived it, and the other books tell the story of other reality. A life you could have lived if you made different choices. Sounds interesting? Well, this is the premise of The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. The narration by the English actress Carey Mulligan is expressive, making the story come to life. You can get the audiobook here! 🎧
These are the best audiobook recommendations for your next road trip! There are some experiences that you remember and cherish forever. Road trips are one of the most wholesome experiences. So, let us know your picks from this list for your next road trip.Â