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Are you looking for books to listen to while driving? Check out 15 of the best audiobooks for road trips in order to have an amazing start to your vacation.
Guys, imagine having to drive 9 hours in a car with 3 screaming cats and a panda bear (mutt Maine Coon) for our upcoming North Carolina move. Shoot me now.
Are you wondering how I will drown it all out and keep my sanity? Xanax. And wine. Just kidding…
The answer from above: Audiobooks, y’all.
So maybe you don’t have 4 beastly children–or maybe you do–but after a while, tuning the radio station per state becomes tedious AF.
Did my upbeat pop music just go gospel?
Pandora starts playing the same songs over and over again.
You run out of things to talk about.
The scenery is getting on your nerves.
I feel you.
When you are ready to bang your head on the steering wheel, it’s time to turn on an audiobook. Heck, I finished one to two books a week for my last job’s commutes alone. Why not start your vacation off on the right foot?
What books should you listen to on a road trip?
15 Of The Best Audiobooks For Road Trips
I asked my favorite audiobook expert, Eline of Lovely Audiobooks, what she recommends as the best audiobooks for road trips. Check out her tips and favorites. I promise to add a few uncorked extras at the end. Don’t miss them after Eline’s helpful guest piece.
So What Does Eline, The Audible Expert, Recommend You Listen To While Driving?
Guest Submission from Eline of Lovely Audiobooks
Audiobooks and driving go together like PB&J! I never go on vacation without Audible and headphones.
So, when Christine asked me for the best audiobooks for road trips, my first answer was: “The one you’re listening to right now! And then the one you want to listen to next.”
But I’m an audiobook addict. I listen to them all day every day.
If you’re not quite as crazy as me, here are a few tips you might find useful when listening to books while driving.
The Right Gear For Listening To Audiobooks For Road Trips
As a passenger, use noise-canceling headphones. At home, I prefer a small Bluetooth earpiece in one ear. But while they are very comfortable to wear, it’s just too hard to understand the narration on the road.
If you’re the driver, you don’t have the luxury of headphones. But listening to a book with friends and loved ones can turn your road trip into a nice and companionable experience.
How Do You Choose The Best Audiobooks For Driving?
The best audiobooks for road trips are always the one you and everyone in the car likes.
Remember that awkward scene in How I Met Your Mother? On their drive, Lily and Marshall want to listen to “Goodbye Sparky,” but Ted is really not feeling the story and is extremely bored.
Don’t be that person who makes everyone else in the car feel like Ted!
Perfect Length Audiobooks For Road Trips
On Audible, you can choose audiobooks by length. You can pick a story that will end when you arrive at your destination.
For example:
Lucky Suit by Lauren Blakely
Narrated by Zachary Webber and Andi Arndt
Lucky Suit is 2.5 hours long, which makes this audiobook perfect for a shorter drive. And, it’s safe to play on speakers.
This is a light-hearted romantic comedy by romance queen, Lauren Blakely, and is perfectly narrated by two of romance’s most beloved narrators, Zachary Webber and Andi Arndt. These two will draw you in and make you wonder how Kristen and Cameron actually end up together.
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
Narrated by Martin Jarvis
Good Omens is making an incredible comeback. Whether you’ve already seen the Amazon show, read the book, or are yet to experience this awesome story about friendship and the apocalypse, this audiobook is always a good selection for road trips.
This is the abridged version, produced with a full cast of voice actors including Peter Serafinowicz for a BBC radio play.
With a length of 4:20h, it’s a great choice for a long drive. Read More→
Best Audiobooks For Road Trips About Road Trips
As regular TUL readers, I’m sure you already appreciate the connection of reading and traveling. And there are some great audiobooks about road trips that are really fun to listen to on a long drive.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Narrated by George Guidall
Neil Gaiman is everywhere these days. American Gods is my personal favorite. Shadow, this honestly good guy who finds himself utterly out of options after being released from prison, runs into a group of rather odd people. With them, he’s going on a road trip through America.
Ball Peen Hammer by Lauren Rowe
Narrated by Lauren Rowe and John Lane
Ball Peen Hammer is absolutely NOT a speaker-safe audiobook to listen to while driving, unless you are going on a road trip alone.
But, this contemporary romance isn’t only incredibly sexy, it’s also absolutely hilarious and still heart-warming. Keane and Maddy find themselves on the road trip version of a blind date. They talk, get to know each other, and, of course, have to keep their hands off of one another. But that never quite works out, does it?!
This is my favorite road trip audiobook romance!
Loving this best audiobooks for road trips book list?Looking for another vacation book list? Check out these rather chilling beach reads. Cue scary laugh…
Best Audiobooks For Road Trips To Learn Something New
If you’re not so fond of fiction, you can use your road trip for a fascinating nonfiction listen.
Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstock
Narrated by Karen Kilgariff, Georgia Hardstock, and Paul Giamatti
Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered is the story of the two women behind one of the most successful true-crime podcasts. If you follow My Favorite Murder, this is a must-listen. But if you don’t know the podcast, you can also start with the audiobook and discover My Favorite Murder afterward.
The Science Of Mindfulness by Ronald Siegel
Narrated by Ronal Siegel
Mindfulness is a popular term. But, there’s actual science behind it. This audiobook gives a great overview of why mindfulness practice can improve your quality of life and even help significantly with depression and anxiety.
As someone who tends to overthink things, I found it very helpful to understand what mindfulness changes in the brain before actually starting to practice.
The course is perfectly safe for drivers, but don’t do the guided meditations at the end of the audiobook while you’re still driving.
P.S. If you’re a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, you can also try out the audiobooks that are free with your subscription.
**This excerpt guest post is from one of the best audiobook book bloggers, Eline from LovelyAudiobooks.info. One of her favorite places to listen to books is the passenger seat of her RV, enjoying new places and new stories. Eline loves everything about “aural reading”. Find out the 5 Things you didn’t know about Audiobooks, what you can do when you struggle to focus on an audiobook and check out her favorite short audiobooks.**
Eline clearly knows the best audiobooks for road trips, and I love her eclectic suggestions. She also has a special love for romances that I appreciate when I’m wondering what to read while driving. Let’s just hope the car next to me has the windows closed.
Along with Eline’s suggestions, these are the best books to listen to on a road trip that I (Christine) love. Please note that many of these recommendations are the best audiobooks for longer road trips.
If you love road trips, you will also enjoy this famous travel writers book list to spark your next adventure.
The Best Audiobooks For Long Road Trips (And Even Commutes) From TUL
Best Nonfiction Audiobooks For Road Trips
Quiet by Susan Cain
Narrated by Cathe Mazur
I love listening to nonfiction books in the car since I find myself chugging through them on the couch.
Although I talk a lot and pretend to be an extrovert to survive most days, a large part of me is an introvert. Susan Cain describes exactly this dynamic of an extroverted society and its effects on introverts.
Cain is a champion of the quieter folk and discusses how in a world that cannot stop talking, introverts have merit too. Discover some secretly popular introverts and their societal contributions, too. Read More About Quiet→
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
Narrated by Mindy Kaling, Michael Schur, and B.J. Novak
Mindy Kaling will forever crack me up, and for me, she always touches a heartstring. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? is one of my favorite funny audiobooks for road trips. All of your passengers will laugh along too.
Join Mindy as she hilariously and embarrassingly discusses growing up. She talks about weight, fame, friendship, and romance in the most honest and open way. Read More→
Best Audiobooks For Road Trips: Young Adult & Middle Grade
The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
Narrated by Katt Rudd
Imagine pulling into work and waiting for the building to open. You are sobbing hysterically in your car and your coworkers think you either hit a squirrel or your cat died. Nope. I was just listening to young adult novel, The Fault In Our Stars. The Fault In Our Stars is one of the best audiobooks for long drives that I have listened to ever, hands down.
Cancer is a hard battle, and Hazel and Augustus meet at a cancer support group. Their story focuses on healing, living your life to the fullest, and love. Have the tissues ready. Read More→
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Narrated by Neil Gaiman
Eline inspired me with her love of Neil Gaiman, and it’s part of the reason I adore her book suggestions. One of Gaiman’s most famous novels, The Graveyard Book is a perfect audiobook for family road trips.
A middle grade and YA read, meet Bod. Bod has the only beating heart in his graveyard family, and we watch as he comes of age in the ghoulish world of magic. Read More→
Best Audiobooks To Binge For Road Trips: Famous Fiction
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
Narrated by Lynn Chen
Crazy Rich Asians as a book and then a movie did not disappoint. The first in the series, we enter the lives of the rich and not so famous except in their wealth.
Rachel Chu falls in love with one of the wealthiest families’ offspring, Nick Young, causing a tizzy of gossip and instant jealousy. Is she good enough for this family? In fact, who the hell is she?
Sit back with some popcorn for family scandals, love affairs, and a story about proving love conquers all. Crazy Rich Asians is definitely a top binge-worthy audiobook for road trips. Read More→
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Narrated by Caroline Lee
Big Little Lies remains one of my favorite books, and I equally love the HBO series. Someone is left dead and the suspect list is endless. Behind closed doors, all of the players–especially the women–have deep, dark secrets. No one is as Stepford Wives as they seem.
Watch the drama unfold as friendships are built and marriages crumble. Big Little Lies is the perfect audiobook while driving since it takes your mind off of the traffic and into this mystery. Read More→
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
Narrated by Audra McDonald, Cassandra Campbell, and Ari Flaikos
Small Great Things takes place in my home state of Connecticut where black nurse, Ruth Jefferson, attempts to save a baby’s life. The problem is, the parents are white supremacists and had ordered the hospital to keep Ruth away from their child.
Ruth ultimately finds herself at a trial where no one wants to discuss race. Meanwhile, she is trying to live and now fight for her life while raising her own family. Picoult addresses issues at the core of racist America.
Most of Picoult’s novels make for binge-worthy audiobooks for road trips; Picoult is a storyteller at heart. Read More→
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Narrated by Toni Morrison
I always love listening to Toni Morrison’s poetic and sage voice while driving. Beloved is the world-famous story of Sethe, a slave who escaped slavery. However, Sethe is still enslaved by her past and the haunting death of her nameless child. One word sits on the baby’s grave, Beloved. Read More →
Find Beloved on TUL’s Books That Make You Think Differently About The World book list.
Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Narrated by Cassandra Campbell
Where The Crawdads Sing has to be one of the most popular books of 2019 and has landed on multiple TUL book lists from guest contributors such as Love Stories Around The World. Since I have yet to find a copy available at my library, I am hoping to listen to this one while road tripping to NC.
Set in North Carolina, Kya Clark is suspected of killing Chase Andrews. Learn about love, death, and coming of age in the most tragic of circumstances. According to my fellow book bloggers, Where The Crawdads sing is easily one of the best audiobooks for road trips in 2019 (and top books in general). Read More→
Loving These Best Audiobooks For Road Trips? Pin It For Later:
P.S. I have to thank my blogging bestie, Kathy of Tasty Itinerary for donating two of her sexy red car road tripping pictures from Hawaii for this book list. Kathy is your go-to blogger for foodie tips and cruises. While you are road tripping and stopping along the way, you definitely want to check out Kathy’s Airbnb tips for guests.
What Can You Read Next?
Books About Finding Love That Won’t Make You Gag
Travel Writers That Inspire Real Travel
Literary Home Decor Inspiration
Books For Writers
Books For Father’s Day
Diverse WWII Books
Books That Make You Think Outside The Box
I’ll bet Mindy Kaling is wonderful to listen to on audio! I read her books, but I’m sure they’d be even better listening to her. I just finished Coraline by Neil Gaiman on audio so I’d love to get into his others at some point!
Mindy Kaling always cracks me up, and she has such a unique and relatable voice. I love her even more after A Wrinkle in Time. I enjoy listening to Gaiman and Levithan as audiobooks too.
This is a great list! Maybe my family and I should give some a try. We’ll be on the road together a lot in August. My brother usually plays nonstop podcasts and i don’t know, that gets a little old after awhile.
I like these book suggestions! If it were up to me I’d go for the romantic ones.? But I’ve also read Big Little Lies and Mindy’s book! Loved them both. Where the Crawdads sing is on my list. I already put that one on my kindle.
Thanks for another great post!
Thank you so much! It’s funny that you mention podcasts because I was thinking that I need to listen to more podcasts. What ones do you like and recommend? I think I need more inspirational ones, and I am eyeing Don’t Keep Your Day Job since I am reading the book.
We have 8 hours in the car with the howling cats so I am definitely hoping to get through an audiobook or two for that little road trip from heck.
Kaling cracks me up.
Amazing list!
Thank you!
Oh, a nice mix of genres in this list. I haven’t listened to any of these, though I do have Quiet in my queue on Audible. I may not have any road trips planned, but these sound like they would be great for listening to while doing jobs around the house.
Hey Sarah! I love having guest contributors to mix up the genres. I knew Eline would have a few romance authors to sneak in there for me since I don’t read a lot of love stories (but should).
I definitely find, especially as a blogger now, that I love inspirational audiobooks and podcasts. Quiet is one of them. You are right: they are perfect to listen to while doing chores.
Have a great week, and thanks for checking out our list.
I didn’t know you could pick a book that lasts the length of your trip!! That’s such a cool feature. My go-to for long road trips is a mix of music, podcasts, audio dramas, and physically reading books. I don’t have any audiobooks myself, and I’m not sure if I’d get into them as much as other people do, but I’d like to try them out sometime.
Hey Macey! Yea, you just need to check the audiobook time listed in the description and kind of compare it to your road trip. You can find audiobooks for free from your library; if you use the free apps that pair with library audiobooks like Hoopla or Overdrive, you can actually bookmark where you left off–which is an extra nice feature. They sync across devices too.
Like you, I am definitely a music kinda girl, and the more upbeat, the better to keep me alert. Do you use Pandora or some other internet radio?
I love this post! I recently downloaded Audible to listen to a 2nd self-help book from an author I love because the first book took me months to read and I am for sure going to be downloading the first book too to relisten.
In the past, I tried listening to fiction and I could not get on board. For me, reading is about escaping into another world and listening without any visuals was not helping me to do that. However, reading it with my eyes and not having to worry about anything else around me, I can enjoy a fiction book and escape and read the book within a few days if I love it so much. When it comes to nonfiction, it takes me longer to read and absorb if I’m reading. Recently, listening to many podcasts, I learned audiobooks may be the way to go for me and so far I’m really enjoying my first nonfiction audiobook.
While I may not download some of the fictional books on Audible, they sound great as a regular read and will add them to my kindle list. I’m a sucker for romantic comedies too. 100% will be listening to Quiet. As an introvert, it sounds like a great book for me to listen to on my long rides to and from work.
I had no idea you can search books by the length on Audible so that is a great tip.
P.S. I cried like a baby too after reading The Fault In Our Stars.
I completely agree with you on loving nonfiction audiobooks. Sometimes I can read a nonfiction title just fine. However, especially as a blogger and with my mind all over the place these days, I find it much easier to listen to than physically read nonfiction.
Same with why I like podcasts: I love inspirational and information-filled ideas that I can listen too. That’s probably all a part of how I learn and take in knowledge too. I find fiction much easier to read in a physical book and can get through fiction much faster. Of course, fiction tends to be a lot less dense too.
Susan Cain’s Quiet really blew me away. In my last job, I think people strongly thought that I was more extroverted than I was…but I was truly almost putting on a show so that I wouldn’t get eaten alive… In order to succeed there, you had to have a strong voice. As a YS librarian, they wanted you to be TV show-worthy. Basically, they wanted storytellers who would go all out and ham things up, screaming and yelling and exaggerating and UGH: not me, how I teach, or how I like to read stories to kids, at all.
I kind of hated that mentality because 1. it wasn’t who I was and 2. that loud, extroverted storytime is fun but not necessary. What about the quiet or shy kids or the kids with disabilities? Why couldn’t we have different types of storytellers? Why do we all have to be so loud and expressive?
Susan Cain really brings home the idea that introverted people make all of these amazing contributions, and how society condemns the quiet when they shouldn’t. We don’t all need to talk 24/7 or walk into a room and command its attention by being the one to talk the most.
Don’t get me wrong: I can be loud and friendly…and bubbly AF, but that’s not always in me. I was a dead silent child and all of my report cards note that I did well academically but never spoke. Cain would be like: She is fine…
You can also get free audiobooks for your road trips and crazy CA commutes from the library! Check out Hoopla and Overdrive. I actually wrote a piece for Eline @ Lovely Audiobooks about how to access them if you get stuck. LOVE THAT FREE FEATURE and it’s so easy. Plus, no late fees.
I had such a great time making this post with you, Christine! And I love your audiobook selection. I just bought Crazy Rich Asians. And I also really want to listen to a Neil Gaiman narrated audio. But I always end up getting the BBC plays for his books, they’re so epic.
Thanks so much for collaborating with me. I love this road trip audiobooks book list so much since it’s my first audiobook list on TUL. We might have to do one together every year. I just realized that I should link our Hoopla and Overdrive article to it, too! Maybe I will add in a sentence or two about that.
I loved Crazy Rich Asians before the series really took off or became a movie. I’m so glad it did gain interest, though, because the stories are SO well written and get even better and better as the trilogy progresses.
Gaiman and Levithan both usually narrate their work, which I LOVE.
Well, I’m sick and bedridden, so it seemed like a good time to FINALLY get around to reading this post and perhaps getting some inspiration for my next audiobook. There’s an excellent selection here, though sadly I’ve already heard (or read) most of the ones I’m interested in… does that mean I have a problem, or that I’m killing it?
However! Quiet has been on both our lists for ages, so might need to finally get to it. I kind of find it ironic to listen to a book about silence on audio… but sometimes weird things are brilliant! This SOUNDS (see what I did there?) like one of those times.
Love Mindy Kaling’s books! She’s hilarious. In general, I actually really enjoy listening to entertainer’s audiobooks (if read by them). They just tend to be, well… entertaining (me so good with words today). So much Neil Gaiman and no Neverwhere! By far my fave! If you haven’t read it, I thoroughly recommend!
Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered of course sounds right up my alley, but I tried listening to their podcast once and just didn’t engage with their voices, so should probably pass on their audiobook, right?
I hope that you are feeling much better today!
I think that since you have read or listened to all of these audiobooks that you are killing it. But I have to say that as well because besides some of Eline’s suggestions, you know I’ve read, listened, watched, etc all of them too.
Quiet is definitely one that I think you will enjoy. I almost want to listen (or read it this time) again to see how I can apply Cain’s theories to the world of blogging. I feel like even in writing, introverted and extroverted blogging is totally a thing. Take for example those damn Facebook groups too. Cough, Cough. You are right: I never thought about listening to an audiobook about introverts (and quiet). GAHAHAHAHA. I love listening to nonfiction. It just sinks in better. I am too crazed to focus these days.
Mindy Kaling is hilarious. I just saw somewhere that she is doing a motivational speech for bloggers. I think it’s about content creation. Wish I remembered where I saw it…might have to google it. I always love with actors and actresses read audiobooks–they are great.
I haven’t read Neverwhere by Gaiman. I’ll check it out! Thanks.
Stay Sexy and Don’t Get Murdered is on my list and one of Eline’s choices that I am dying to listen to or read. I’ve heard so much about it. Voices is a hard one… I took this brilliant SEO course but the instructor’s voice just drove me insane. I guess that might be mean…but even her emphasis, pauses, and tone just UGHHH!! BUT HER CONTENT WAS SO GOOD. I feel you.
I think I definitely need the Science of Mindfulness audiobook! And I didn’t even know that “Big Little Lies” was in audiobook format. Love it!
Great list.
Have you seen the HBO series for Big Little Lies? I only watched the first season, but I was SO excited when I heard the book was becoming a TV show. I thought that the producers did a great job and really stuck to the original storyline. Can’t imagine what Season 2 is like since there wasn’t a second book. Not that I am complaining. I will take it all.
Thank you.
Definitely bookmarking some of these! We’re off on a big Scottish road trip next week and some of these will be perfect! Now I just have to persuade Dom to listen to the sexy smutty books?
I cannot wait to hear more about this road trip. As you know, I’ve never been to Scotland so I cannot wait to see castles and history. AND BOOZE!!! Have a great trip!
Thank you for sharing amazing audiobooks for a road trip. I find some useful audiobooks in your books i which I prefer in my travel. Thank you so much for sharing this audiobooks for the road trip.
Thank you! I am so glad that you found a few new great audiobook titles to check out.
I’ll definitely have to add Good Omens to my list! I’ve seen the show but have yet to read the book. And, being a major fan of audiobooks, I think that’s probably how I’ll be “reading” it 🙂 Thanks for sharing a fantastic list of goodies!
My husband is currently reading Good Omens as we speak. Gaiman is always amazing. I’m glad you enjoyed this list. Thank you!
I think “Small Great Things” is an important book that should be read by everyone. I also loved listening to “Circe”, “A Gentleman in Moscow”, and “The Good Lord Bird” (this last one, about slavery and John Brown, uses the “n-word” liberally, but it’s beautifully read by Michael Boatman).
Yes, I agree about Small Great Things. I want to read A Gentleman in Moscow. I’ve heard great things. Thank you for the recs!