The 15 Best Audiobooks for Road Trips and Long Drives
· 10 min read
Planning a road trip? These 15 audiobooks are perfectly paced for long drives — from gripping thrillers to hilarious memoirs that make the miles disappear.
A great road trip audiobook needs to do two things: keep the driver alert and make everyone in the car happy. That means gripping stories that don't require intense concentration, narrators who are easy to listen to for hours, and pacing that keeps things moving through flat stretches of highway.
We've assembled 15 audiobooks that are road-trip tested and approved — from thrillers that make you drive past your exit to comedies that have the whole car laughing.
Page-Turning Thrillers
Nothing eats miles like a thriller you can't turn off.
- The Martian by Andy Weir, narrated by R.C. Bray — A stranded astronaut problem-solves his way off Mars. Funny, tense, and endlessly engaging. The 11-hour runtime is perfect for a day-long drive.
- Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, narrated by Ray Porter — If you liked The Martian, this is even better on audio. Ray Porter's narration elevates an already brilliant story. 16 hours of pure driving gold.
- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson, narrated by Simon Vance — A slow-build mystery that becomes absolutely unputdownable. At 16 hours, it'll carry you across several states.
- Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, narrated by Jon Lindstrom — A mind-bending sci-fi thriller about parallel universes. So fast-paced you'll forget you're driving. 10 hours — perfect for a long day.
Laugh-Out-Loud Listens
Sometimes you want the car filled with laughter instead of tension. These deliver.
- Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, narrated by the author — Noah's memoir of growing up in apartheid South Africa is simultaneously hilarious and deeply moving. His character voices and language switching are a performance you can only get on audio. 8.5 hours.
- A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, narrated by Rob McQuay — Bryson attempts to hike the Appalachian Trail with predictably disastrous and hilarious results. Perfect road trip energy. 9.5 hours.
- Yes Please by Amy Poehler, narrated by the author (with guests) — Poehler recruited famous friends to help narrate sections. It feels like riding in the car with the funniest person you know. 7.5 hours.
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, narrated by Stephen Fry — The definitive absurdist sci-fi comedy, read by the definitive narrator. 5.5 hours — pair it with the sequels for a full road trip.
Epic Adventures
For multi-day road trips, you want something with the scope to match the journey.
- The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, narrated by Andy Serkis — Yes, Gollum himself narrates the entire trilogy, and it's extraordinary. He voices every character distinctly. At 54 hours total, this will carry you across the country and back.
- 11/22/63 by Stephen King, narrated by Craig Wasson — A time traveler tries to prevent the JFK assassination. King at his best: sprawling, atmospheric, and deeply human. 30 hours of road trip perfection.
- Shogun by James Clavell, narrated by Ralph Lister — An English sailor shipwrecked in feudal Japan. Sweeping historical fiction that rewards long, uninterrupted listening sessions. 53 hours.
Fascinating Non-Fiction
For the road trip where everyone in the car wants to learn something.
- Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari, narrated by Derek Perkins — The entire history of humanity in 15 hours. Provocative, surprising, and endlessly discussable — which is exactly what you want in a car full of people.
- In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, narrated by Scott Brick — The original true-crime masterpiece. Atmospheric and haunting, best listened to on empty stretches of Kansas highway. 14 hours.
- Educated by Tara Westover, narrated by Julia Whelan — A memoir of growing up in a survivalist family in Idaho and eventually earning a PhD from Cambridge. Astonishing and beautifully narrated. 12 hours.
Road Trip Listening Tips
- Download before you go: Don't rely on cell coverage in rural areas. Download your audiobooks for offline listening before hitting the road.
- Pick something the whole car can enjoy: If you're driving with family, choose books that work for the group. Avoid anything too dark or explicit unless it's just adults.
- Use your car's Bluetooth: Playing through the car speakers is always better than earbuds when driving. Connect via Bluetooth or AUX for the best experience.
- Set a comfortable speed: 1x playback speed is usually best in the car, especially with road noise. Save the 1.5x for quiet listening at home.
- Take breaks with the book: When you stop for gas or food, pause the book. Resuming when you get back on the road gives the drive a chapter-by-chapter structure.
Every title on this list is available on Anyplay. Download a few before your next trip, and you'll never stare at a flat highway the same way again.