Since discovering podcasts in 2012, I have become a huge fan. Not only have they entertained me for hours on end, but they have also enhanced my life.
I can listen to episodes for hours, in various locations, at my own convenience; a few episodes here and there make for a better trip while in the car, on the subway or a plane, cooking a meal or just walking around the city. They motivate me, open my mind, and connect me with my tribe.
If you’re not sure what a podcast is, keep reading, we’ve got you covered! There are thousands of podcasts out there covering every topic and interest you can imagine.
We’ve even got our own She Hit Refresh Podcast! Started in January 2019, our podcast is an extension of our Facebook group for women over 30 who want to change their lives through travel. Come get inspired and hear from other women who have hit refresh. We’ve also got tips and advice on how to finally break free from routine and start a life of travel!
In addition to the She Hit Refresh podcast I have quite a few favorites that are perfect for our community: women-run podcasts that focus on change, travel, and female empowerment. Hit play on any of these female podcasts so that you too can find more travel podcasts for women who love to explore.
What is a podcast?
A podcast is a downloadable audio broadcast that lives on the internet. It’s talk radio you can listen to in episode format whenever you want on almost any topic. A podcast generally has one or more hosts and releases new episodes weekly or biweekly, often featuring a different guest. Some are made by professionals and others by amateurs.
How do I listen to a podcast?
For non-iPhone users, there are plenty of other ways to listen. Many Android users use the app Stitcher. Other popular apps include Overcast or Pocket Casts.
Where are the best travel podcasts for women?
Call me biased, but I think a great place to start is with our very own podcast, She Hit Refresh! Our podcast is for women age 30 an over who want to break free from a life of routine and start a life of travel! If you’ve always wanted to live abroad or quite your job to travel long term this is the podcast for you. You’ll find personal stories of women who have done it as well as discussions on a range of topics: budgeting your trip, mental health, mid-life crisis, how to find remote work, and more!
Listen to the She Hit Refresh podcast on Apple Podcasts, join the Facebook community and follow She Hit Refresh on Instagram.
Workationing
According to podcast hosts Kari and Kelly, workationing is defined as “methodically bouncing around to different locations around the world, working along the way. Ideally, you stay in one place long enough to get a feel for the local flavor, and get a specific work project done.”
Kari is the owner of digital PR agency The Content Factory, and has worked hard to achieve a location independent lifestyle. Kelly, a digital strategist, is her friend and co-worker. In 2017, these hilarious “ladies in their mid-to-late 27s” (aka 30-somethings) decided to pack up their lives and leave the U.S. to hit the road for 12 months. Their podcast documents workationing around the world—the good, the bad, the hilarious, and sometimes dangerous situations they’ve experienced.
You can listen to the Workationing Podcast on iTunes, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
Good episodes to start with: Let’s Become Digital Nomads, Where We Went Wrong (and Right) – Lessons Learned on the Road, and Harsh Truths from Your Gringas.
She Explores Podcast
The She Explores Podcast is “for and about women who are inspired by time spent outside.” Host Gale Straub is the founder of the She Explores blog, dedicated to sharing stories of women on the road who love the outdoors. Two years before starting the podcast in 2016, Gale and her boyfriend set off on their own outdoor adventure van-dwelling across North America.
You can listen to the She Explores Podcast on iTunes, and follow them on Facebook, Instagram.
Good episodes to start with: 50 Plus, No Straight Paths: Erin Outdoors, and A Moment of Growth.
Women on the Road
Women on the Road was inspired by the She Explores blog. After reading a series of more than 75 interviews called Women on the Road, Laura Hughes was inspired to start a podcast as an extension of the interviews. With the full support of She Explores founder Gale Straub, the Women on the Road podcast started in June 2017. Read more about about the show’s concept and origin story.
The podcast in their own words:
“Life on the road from the feminine perspective. In partnership with She Explores, Laura Hughes will bring you closer to some of the honest experiences that life on the road has to offer from the perspective of women who’ve lived it firsthand, all while learning the ropes herself in a Ford Transit Van. Find out what life is like when the road becomes your home.”
Listen to the Women on the Road Podcast on iTunes.
Good episodes to start with: Success, My Son, and Escaping the Boxed Life, Death Dialogue, and Weekend Warrior: An Integrated Life.
The Offbeat Life
The Offbeat Life is a travel podcast run by photo-journalist turned podcaster Debbie Arcangeles. Debbie uses her platform to interview “fearless individuals who ditched the norm in order to live their best life and become location independent.”
Her background in journalism and warm personality allows for fascinating interviews that get to the core of life-changing moments, setbacks, struggles, and how her guests fuse passion and income through remote work. She already has over 40 episodes under her belt including an interview with yours truly where I talk about hitting refresh after 30 to start a life of travel. Be sure to check out the extended interview where I provide tips on how to create a successful Facebook group too.
Listen to The Offbeat Life on iTunes and follow Debbie on Facebook and Instagram.
Good episodes to start with: My Story So Far with Debbie Arcangeles, How to Go from Flat Broke to Financial Badass, and How to Travel the World as a Solo Mom.
Women Who Travel
Women Who Travel began as a Facebook group run by Conde Nast Traveler. After growing to more than 30,000 members, magazine staff debuted a podcast of the same name. The hosts of the show are editors Lale Arikoglu and Meredith Carey, well-traveled, curious women, who often get episode ideas from popular posts in the group.
The podcast in their own words:
“Over the course of eight episodes, we’ll dissect the realities of traveling as a woman today (including the elephant in the room: where is it safe to travel?); high-five all the women shaking up the travel industry; and celebrate all the reasons why we refuse to stay home.”
Listen to Women Who Travel Podcast on iTunes.
Good episodes to start with: Why Travel Only Gets Better as We Get Older, What We’ve Learned by Traveling as Mothers, A Guide to Planning Your First Trip Abroad.
The Budget Minded Traveler
The Budget Minded Traveler is a travel blog, podcast, and online community founded by Jackie Nourse. Jackie is from the U.S. and started traveling the world in 2003. In 2015, she decided to go fully nomadic and has been on the road ever since.
Her travels have led her to “roast marshmallows in the lava of a volcano in Guatemala, study Portuguese in Brazil, hike and live in the mountains of Patagonia, sail with dolphins in Nicaragua, swim with sharks in Mexico, cave kayak in Thailand, and ski the Swiss Alps, among many, many other adventures.” She is the self-proclaimed master of living and traveling on a budget.
The podcast in her own words:
“The Budget-Minded Traveler podcast is your source for the everyday inspiration and practical tips that make international travel accessible to everyone. If you want to see the world, you can make it happen, and Traveling Jackie and her world-wandering guests will help you get there.”
Listen to The Budget Minded Traveler on iTunes and follow Jackie on Facebook and Instagram.
Good episodes to start with: Ask Jackie Session 6 – Apartments, Insurance, Transportation, Beer, and More, Getting into Travel Blogging with Jackie, and Sell Everything, KEEP Your Job, and Move Overseas with Surviving Europe.
Chronicles Abroad
Another duo podcast that I adore is the Chronicles Abroad. Hosted by Nubia and Frantzces, two women from Boston who met a few years ago in Washington, D.C. They both recently decided to move to Asia, separately, for their own unique adventure! Their podcast was inspired by the many people in their lives who reached out to them with questions regarding travel tips and how to live and work abroad.
Annette and I came across Nubia and Frantzces through our online community She Hit Refresh. We had the pleasure of being guests on their podcast and had a blast; check out our episode here. What we admire about these two intelligent, courageous, and funny women is that they are mothers; mothers who decided to chase their dreams!
You can listen to the Chronicles Abroad Podcast on iTunes, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
Good episodes to start with: Nubia Finally Takes the Fearless Leap Abroad, Frantzces Reflects on Being Abroad for Over a Year, and Thalassa Van Beek Quits her 9-5 Now a Full-Time Freelancer.
Thelma & Louise
Thelma & Louise is both a podcast and an online community that has been going strong since 2006. Friends for 20 years, Grace and Christine founded the inclusive travel group. They are “a community for all women, no matter what age, interests, travel experience, online knowledge, personal goals or life situation.” Both women are from the U.K. and have decades of experience in travel.
The podcast in their own words:
“Each week we are bringing you a subject or an interview with a person who we think you would like to hear about, from amongst the inspirational women we meet. Tune in each week and channel some of that Thelma & Louise spirit!”
Listen to the Thelma & Louise Podcast on iTunes and follow them on Facebook.
Good episodes to start with: Lesley on Taking a Gap Year in her 50s and building a school in Nepal, How I gave up my office job to live and teach English in South East Asia, The Thelma & Louise Manifesto!
The Globetrotter Lounge
The Globetrotter Lounge is hosted by “travel hacker” Lisette Austin of Jet Set Lisette. She’s learned how to earn millions of airline miles and hotel points and has saved over $90k in travel costs while seeing the world! I stumbled up on Lisette’s relatively new podcast and was instantly captivated by her caliber of content and guests. I feel so fortunate to have also been a guest and have the opportunity to share my own travel story on Episode 14: Cepee Tabibian: Helping Women Over 30 Hit Refresh & Start a Life of Travel.
The podcast in her own words:
“Whether you are a seasoned traveler or just starting out, this podcast will inspire and motivate you – while providing helpful travel tips and resources. Join travel coach Jet Set Lisette as she has conversations with women who have found creative ways to travel more. Their stories offer insight and practical advice on how to make dream travel a reality.”
Listen to The Globetrotter Lounge podcast on iTunes.
Good episodes to start with: Rita Golden Gelman: Travel Lessons from a Nomadic Life, Beth Santos: Creating a Wanderful Community for Women Travelers, Iliah Grant-Altoro: Traveling Mama Redefines Motherhood.
4 thoughts on “Best Travel Podcasts for Women Who Love to Explore”
Great recommendations! At the moment I’m only listening to the Women Who Travel podcast (mine was one of the questions they answered during the first season!). Lots of great ideas here to add to my podcast app.
Hi Helen, thanks for stopping by! That is so cool that they answered one of your questions. What did you ask? Hope you enjoy some of the other suggestions we have!
Great list! Would love to see The Thought Card Podcast included!
Thanks for the suggestion, Danielle. Will have to check it out!