Road Trip Podcasts

[Hornbeliever 712]

We are on massive road trip with a 13 and 7 year old. 

Any recommendations for story-driven family podcasts that are 30 min long to hold attention?  We have covered made it out alive podcasts but at 45-60 minutes long, great for us but 7 year old couldn't hang for that long.

Hell, I'd like to hear other recs for podcasts even if long too now that I'm typing this out.

[Etexhorn13 3,045]

10 minutes ago, Hornbeliever said:

We are on massive road trip with a 13 and 7 year old. 

Any recommendations for story-driven family podcasts that are 30 min long to hold attention?  We have covered made it out alive podcasts but at 45-60 minutes long, great for us but 7 year old couldn't hang for that long.

Hell, I'd like to hear other recs for podcasts even if long too now that I'm typing this out.

Probably not so much for the kids, but business wars holds my attention for pretty good stretches at a time, and they tend to make the stories really interesting. 

[ztejas 43,411]

I mean is your 7 year old really going to hang in there that long for any sort of podcast? 

You could maybe do an audio book of kid's books that don't suck for adults like the Hobbit or Harry Potter? 

[immamac 42,838]

the correct answer is audio books or stories. 

[mdmost 43,000]

Gagree. Great time to introduce your kid to Harry Potter or some of the Rick Riordan audio books like Percy Jackson. Not sure where you're going but maybe an audiobook that's set at the place you're going to?

Edited June 18, 2023 by mdmost

[Mo Horn 8,831]

When our boys were that age we did Hank the Cowdog books. Back then they were on cassette, but I bet you can find then digitally. They loved it. Highly recommend

[RGBIII 22,838]

4 hours ago, Hornbeliever said:

We are on massive road trip with a 13 and 7 year old. 

Any recommendations for story-driven family podcasts that are 30 min long to hold attention?  We have covered made it out alive podcasts but at 45-60 minutes long, great for us but 7 year old couldn't hang for that long.

Hell, I'd like to hear other recs for podcasts even if long too now that I'm typing this out.

Surly horns pod would be age appropriate 

[SydneyCarton 48,063]

1 hour ago, RGBIII said:

Surly horns pod would be age appropriate 

RGB and @TheMailBox357 both exclusively listen to Ketch’s podcast on road trips and when they put their children to sleep at night. Ok, RGB.  Doubt MailKetch has any children. 

[closetojumping 62,565]

If you've never listened to Smartless, you should give it a shot. Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes have a surprise guest on each week and they just bullshit and interview the guest. They can be super hilarious when they're not getting political. The one with George Clooney is pretty fucking hilarious, as was the first one ever with Dax Sheppard. We listened to it on a road trip a few years ago and laughed our asses off. These are not appropriate for children though, as they cuss a lot.

23 hours ago, RGBIII said:

Surly horns pod would be age appropriate 

On a different road trip across the country a few years, I listened to the Surly podcast episode where I was a guest with y'all. My wife thought it was funny and the kids, even with all of the cussing were fascinated to listen to their dad on a media platform. Good times.

[52-80 19,147]

for adults, The Guardian Long Reads is fantastic.  its long-form journalism on a wide variety of subjects, with a single professional narrator, instead of the annoying gimmick of dueling readers mixing interviews with editorialization

https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/the-audio-long-read

****

superficially, 99% invisible sounds like they have interesting topic, but quality of scripting of most of the episode is low and narration sounds like a bunch of NPR dweebs on a camping trip.  you'll find occasional gems though.

https://99percentinvisible.org/about/the-show/

Edited June 19, 2023 by 52-80

[Jerry Callo 8,699]

I used to listen to Stuff You Should Know on trips.  Puts everyone else to sleep and I get peace and quiet.

[RGBIII 22,838]

5 hours ago, closetojumping said:

If you've never listened to Smartless, you should give it a shot. Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes have a surprise guest on each week and they just bullshit and interview the guest. They can be super hilarious when they're not getting political. The one with George Clooney is pretty fucking hilarious, as was the first one ever with Dax Sheppard. We listened to it on a road trip a few years ago and laughed our asses off. These are not appropriate for children though, as they cuss a lot.

On a different road trip across the country a few years, I listened to the Surly podcast episode where I was a guest with y'all. My wife thought it was funny and the kids, even with all of the cussing were fascinated to listen to their dad on a media platform. Good times.

We should probably start podcasting again lol. Also seconded on Smartless

[NoName 16,351]

On 6/18/2023 at 9:47 AM, Hornbeliever said:

Hell, I'd like to hear other recs for podcasts even if long too now that I'm typing this out.

A guy with a long history of writing about crypto and in the space did a truly excellent 8 part podcast about Gerald Cotten and QuadrigaCX's collapse.

Quote

Host Aaron Lammer (Longform Podcast, CoinTalk) and producer Lane Brown (New York Magazine, Grantland) spent 2 years investigating Gerald Cotten, the founder of Canada’s biggest Bitcoin exchange, who died under mysterious circumstances during a honeymoon trip to India in December 2018.

Customers of Cotten’s exchange Quadriga were told that the $215 million they’d deposited was lost forever — because Gerry had forgotten to leave behind his passwords.

But not everyone believes he’s dead.

it's called Exit Scam: https://www.exitscam.show/ - can't recommend it enough. I am not invested into crypto at all, but am aware of what's going on in that space and remember reading articles about this when it happened. it's pretty incredible and Aaron Lammer knows his stuff. Seriously, don't even have to have an interest or knowledge in how crypto works just an incredible story told buy guys who spent a bunch of time researching and interviewing basically everyone involved with the story. very good listen.

-

non-family podcast recs:

• Dave Chang Show (of Momofuku fame) - if you have any interest in food, food media or Dave Chang this is great. they have some pretty major things going on with media and will have some big name folks in the near future with their studio opening up
• Literally! with Rob Lowe - you have to at least no hate Rob Lowe. Great stories, really interesting guests (punch out if you don't like the guest though) and a huge back catalog
• How Did This Get Made? - movie review show with Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphale and Jaon Mantzoukas who are all funny people. this one is hit and miss for me, if i like or know the movie then it's really good but i usually avoid it otherwise. they did a recent re-watch thing on the Fast & Furious series that's absolutely hilarious. The Rewatchables with Bill Simmons + guest is also in this same category for me - if i like the guest or movie, i will download it
• I discovered The Basement Yard podcast through TikTok snips that made their way into my frame. 2 dudes who are friends and have been forever basically shooting the shit. easily the funniest podcast i listen to.

other podcasts that I check out if i like the guest/topic: 2 Bears, 1 Cave (Tom Segura + Bert Kreischer, you either will like it or hate it), Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, Phil Rosenthal's Naked Lunch, Always Sunny Podcast is great but I don't have enough time for it. How I Built This can be fascinating (how folks built companies/products)

Then a bunch of tech and video game podcasts I can go more into (Jeff Gerstmann Show, Brad and Will Make a Tech Pod, Nextlander, etc) if you are interested. Darknet Diaries has a huge back catalog if you are interested in hacking, data breaches, cyber crime, etc

Personally, I enjoyed the 2nd season of Serial which was about Bowe Bergdahl deserting his post, getting caught by the Taliban and being a POW for 6 years. https://serialpodcast.org/season-two

I listen to a lot of podcasts, but to be fair I haven't listened to the radio since about 05 haha

Edited June 20, 2023 by NoName

[Grumpy 6]

Hardcore History is acknowledged as one of the great pods, suggest you start with Wrath of the Khans (or one of the later multi part shows) as Dan is in full form after a decade+ of early show warm-ups. The early ones are good but are some of the earliest pods ever made, so technically not as good as the later mega-topics.

Could be good for teens, no swearing, but deals with brutal and violent history so likely not age or sex appropriate for a family trip.

Best is to put on pablum for the wife and/or kids and listen to Dan Carlin on ear buds. You will thank me later if you've never heard his stuff. He pretty much invented podcasting, the only downside is having to wait 6-12 months for the next big release...

[TonyTexas 10,508]

I second @Jerry Callo rec of Stuff You Should Know. The regular episodes are a little longer than you asked for, most coming in at 45 minutes to an hour. They do have some episodes called Short Stuff that are 15 minutes long. The  guys don’t get too technical and your kids might learn something. They have done 1000 episodes so you should be able to find some topics that will keep everyone interested. 

[TonyTexas 10,508]

1 hour ago, Grumpy said:

suggest you start with Wrath of the Khans

If you’re into the Mongols, I suggest you check out Conn Iggulden’s Conqueror books. It’s a 5 part historical fiction series that goes from Genghis as a boy through the reign of Kublai. Really good. 

[Hornbeliever 712]

Knocked out three Smartless (headphones) and one family podcasts (Stuff you should know) on our drive from Portsmouth NH to Bar Harbor Maine. 

Great recs so keep them coming for everyone else......plus we have our return trip to Houston.

[Biff Tannen 45,665]

6 hours ago, Grumpy said:

Hardcore History is acknowledged as one of the great pods, suggest you start with Wrath of the Khans (or one of the later multi part shows) as Dan is in full form after a decade+ of early show warm-ups. The early ones are good but are some of the earliest pods ever made, so technically not as good as the later mega-topics.

Could be good for teens, no swearing, but deals with brutal and violent history so likely not age or sex appropriate for a family trip.

Best is to put on pablum for the wife and/or kids and listen to Dan Carlin on ear buds. You will thank me later if you've never heard his stuff. He pretty much invented podcasting, the only downside is having to wait 6-12 months for the next big release...

When I go to spotify and look up Hardcore History, I can only get like 10-20 of the most recent episodes.  What am I doing wrong?

[Biff Tannen 45,665]

For a 1-2 day road trip (8 hours or so), Crooked Media had an awesome one about the theory that The Scorpions' "Winds of Change" may have been written by the CIA to help end the Cold War.  It was fascinating, entertaining, and just really well done.  

https://crooked.com/podcast-series/wind-of-change/

[3shot 139]

I listen to Business Wars with my 9 year old…he loves it.  Not sure if 7 is too young, but it might be worth a shot, as your 13 year old is definitely old enough to enjoy it.  The Nike Vs. Adidas season is a good one to start with.  There is a podcast called Legends of the Old West that my 9 year old has enjoyed.  It covers all the good stuff like Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, etc.  Greeking Out is another good one; it’s produced by National Geographic Kids. The Explorers podcast also has some great seasons.  My son particularly liked the Earnest Shackleton episodes.

I also second the above-mentioned audio book suggestions of the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson series.  Those are both great, although Harry Potter is significantly better, imo.

We spend a lot of time in cars.  Podcasts and audiobooks really seem to help reduce the bickering in the backseat. 

[Grumpy 6]

3 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

When I go to spotify and look up Hardcore History, I can only get like 10-20 of the most recent episodes.  What am I doing wrong?

Go to his website. A buck a show, is all they ask...

[NoName 16,351]

12 hours ago, Grumpy said:

Best is to put on pablum for the wife and/or kids and listen to Dan Carlin on ear buds.

this is the very real pro move. 1 ear bud in and whatever else the fam wants to listen to they can that way. did that for the first time recently and it's great.

[Hornbeliever 712]

6 minutes ago, NoName said:

this is the very real pro move. 1 ear bud in and whatever else the fam wants to listen to they can that way. did that for the first time recently and it's great.

Why fake the funk?  I go two ear buds in and let them go all they can eat Taylor Swift.  

Ps I’ve heard her so much since her concert in Houston that I’m a Swiftie now, don’t hate as it’s called Stockholm Syndrome.  Help me.

[NoName 16,351]

15 minutes ago, Hornbeliever said:

Why fake the funk?  I go two ear buds in and let them go all they can eat Taylor Swift.  

Ps I’ve heard her so much since her concert in Houston that I’m a Swiftie now, don’t hate as it’s called Stockholm Syndrome.  Help me.

i'm worried about missing something on the road/car and having an issue - but that's me, you do you!

[fluff 87]

On 6/21/2023 at 7:19 AM, NoName said:

this is the very real pro move. 1 ear bud in and whatever else the fam wants to listen to they can that way. did that for the first time recently and it's great.

Agree with this.  Just got back from 18 hr Colorado road trip and knocked out some great podcasts while the kids watched movies in the back. 

Can still answer non stop questions from my son

[CooterBrown 18,004]

Just give them their iPad loaded with shit they like. A road trip isn't the time to experiment with introducing new shit to a kid if you value your sanity.

[Grumpy 6]

As a final thought, after too many ear infections from having buds in in the tropics, I moved to the below bone conductor set and love it. 

Keeps your ears open so wife, driving, work, etc all still fully heard, but still get to listen to my research pods all day long. Only drawback, if there is a lot of ambient noise you find the audio gets drowned out easier then buds. No probs, they have easy pause and then when it gets quieter, start it back up. 

Really great product for me, I spend up to 6 hrs a day listening to non musical stuff. Battery holds up well but I'm diligent on charging whenever they are off my head. 

[HornOnTheBayou 8,919]

On 6/28/2023 at 7:09 PM, Grumpy said:

Keeps your ears open so wife, driving, work, etc all still fully heard, but still get to listen to my research pods all day long.

 

That is not a selling point.

[MalibuSheriff 1,090]

On 6/30/2023 at 10:07 PM, HornOnTheBayou said:

That is not a selling point.

Great minds think alike. 

[52-80 19,147]

if you want to hear how deranged some hyperonline people are, these 2 folks shine a UV light on some weird niches of the internet (but also real life too):

https://www.blockedandreported.org/podcast

 

[billfromlaketravis 11,448]

Fall of Civilizations is a very solid way to spend 3 hours. 
 

Legend of the Old West is also really good. Tons of episodes about lawmen, outlaws, ranchers, feuds, and Indian Wars.