The 16 Best Audiobooks for 2021 Road Trips

Have a road trip planned this summer? There’s so much to love about the open road, but there’s no denying that spending hours in the car can get a little tedious. Finding ways to entertain yourself and your passengers is the key to a successful trip. Vistabule is here with some of our favorite audiobooks for road trips. So whether you’re on your own or with the whole family these top audiobook picks should make it just a little easier to pass the time.

Length: 15 hrs and 40 min

Genre: Science Fiction

Audience: Adults and Young Adults

Many know this story from the now-popular movie, but the audiobook brings this futuristic world to life in a new way. Star Trek star Wil Wheaton turns this tale into an engaging treasure hunt where wonder and futuristic thrills await at every turn. It’s an ambitious and genre-busting story that will have you asking the bigger questions in the universe.

Image from audible.com

Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins

Genre: Literary Fiction

Audience: Adults and New Adults

Follow the fictional musical and cultural sensation, Daisy Jones, as she teams up with The Six to create one of the most iconic bands of the time. This full cast, interview style audiobook is sure to keep your attention for your entire road trip and will even leave you wishing you could stream all of the music they reference throughout. Luckily for you, the novel was adapted for an Amazon Prime Original TV show that premieres in March 2023.

Image from audible.com

Length: 13 hrs and 52 mins

Genre: Fiction

Audience: Adults

Spanning 30 years and many locations Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a unique exploration of technological advancements, love and human experience. Follow as two college students create a blockbuster video game and how it affects them and the world they live in. If you love video games, and love stories this is the book for you.

Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins

Genre: Fiction

Audience: Adults and Young Adults

The small North Carolina town of Barkley Cove has been the rumored home of the infamous “Marsh Girl” for years now — and the rumors only heat up after a man is found dead. The so-called “Marsh Girl” is the main suspect, which leads her on a journey to re-invent her life and find a new path for herself. It’s a beautiful and heartbreaking coming-of-age story that reminds us of our past and the secrets we all hold.

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Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Audience: Adults and Young Adults

At the surface, Dante and Aristotle have nothing in common. Dante is an angry teenager with an incarcerated brother, and Aristotle is a bit of a know-it-all who looks at the world in a strange way. However, once they start to spend time together, a true bond is formed, and the two learn more about themselves than they ever thought they would.

Check out the Sequel: Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World

Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins

Genre: Children’s Fantasy

Audience: The Whole Family

You’ve likely read the book or seen the movie, but have you listened to the book? Narrator Jim Dale brings the wizarding world of Harry Potter to life in an exciting new way, making it a great listen for anyone, regardless of how familiar you are with the beloved series. And the best part? If you love it, you’ve got six other audiobooks you can listen to after that!

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Length: 5 hrs and 28 mins

Genre: Memoir

Audience: Adults and Young Adults

Follow Hua Hsu, staff writer of the New Yorker as they share their memoir of grief, friendship and the beauty of art. This coming of age story tells the tale of Hsu’s lost friendship and the solace art provided in the grief. This one is perfect for short trips and is sure to leave you feeling inspired to create.

Length: 11 hrs 5 mins

Genre: Fantasy

Audience: The Whole Family

Follow Bilbo Baggins into the fictional world of Lord of the Rings in this gripping prelude. This adventurous story is perfect for all LOTR lovers or those that haven’t started the series yet. Hang on as this homebody hobbit takes the journey of a lifetime to win a piece of treasure that is heavily guarded. With many books set in this universe this one is sure to keep you busy for many trips to come.

Length: 12 hrs 8 mins

Genre: Fantasy Fiction

Audience: Adults and Young Adults

This adaptation of various Greek myths, mostly the Odyssey, retells the story set in the Greek Heroic Age from the perspective of Circe the witch. This one is perfect for those that are looking for a spruced up version of their favorite classics.

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Length: 6 hrs and 42 mins

Genre: Memoir

Audience: Adults and Young Adults

You would be hard-pressed to find a more interesting man alive today than actor Matthew McConaughey. In his memoir, he takes listeners through all the trials and tribulations of his life while he shares the lessons he’s learned along the way. His narration is dripping with his typical Texas charm, and you’ll find yourself laughing, cringing, and learning the whole time.

Image from audible.com

Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins

Genre: Suspense

Audience: Adults and Young Adults

This suspenseful tale of a young girl is interestingly told in podcast format! Following along as a radio personal, West McCray starts a podcast to search for the missing teen, Sadie as Sadie searches for the answers of her sister’s murder. This is a novel best enjoyed on audio because of its unique format and full cast of narrators.

Image from audible.com

Length: 30 hours and 40 minutes

Genre: Suspense/Thriller

Audience: Adults

November 22nd, 1963 is a day that will live in infamy as the day where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Author Stephen King is no stranger to the strange, so in this book, he poses the question “But what if he wasn’t?” This tale features a time traveler who goes back in time to prevent the assassination attempt. It’s one of King’s most popular works, and it’s one you won’t want to miss out on.

Image from audible.com

Length: 1 hr and 43 mins

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Audience: Young Adults, Adults

This gripping story of gun violence told from the perspective of a troubled teen is told in verse. It is award winning for a reason but be sure to be prepared for the heavy content and be ready to talk about it for the rest of the trip because this is one that will stick with you for years to come.

Image from audible.com

Length: 5 hrs 6 mins

Genre: Personal Development

Audience: Young Adult-Adult

Follow best seller author Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love and City of Girls) as she narrates her personal journey with creativity and productivity. Learn to embrace curiosity, face fears and adapt habits that can help you reach your creative goals. If you are looking to embrace a more creative lifestyle but are stuck on the expectations set by societal norms, this might be just the book you need.

Image from audible.com

Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins

Genre: Memoir

Audience: Adults

This memoir written and narrated by award winning actress Viola Davis takes you on the journey of her life. From girlhood to her eventual success readers will see a glimpse of her struggles, setbacks and success in radically honest story telling.

Now that you have your reading (or should we say listening?) list picked out, it’s time to download those reads! There are a few different ways that you can find audiobooks:

Did you know that most local libraries have an online database filled with audiobooks that you can rent? Many libraries use apps like Overdrive, Libby, or cloudLibrary for all of their digital content, so check them out! If that doesn’t work for you, you can also venture into your local library and find CDs and cassettes that work as well.

Seeing that Vistabule is a small, local business, we always lean towards supporting other local businesses, and with a site like Libro.fm, you can actually purchase and download digital audiobooks through your local bookstore. If there’s a local bookstore in your area that you want to support, this is the best way to do so.

SCRIBD is an online resource and app that allows you to download a variety of books, magazines, audiobooks, podcasts, academic papers and more. For a monthly subscription of $11.99 you would have unlimited access to the SCRIBD library and be able to download unlimited titles to avoid using data.

Of all the different audiobook options, a subscription to Audible is one of the easiest, especially if you are already an Amazon Prime member. Audible provides access to nearly any audiobook imaginable — all you have to do is subscribe to their service. Plus, if you’re an Amazon Prime member, you’ll get any two titles for free with an Audible Premium Plus trial!

If you have an iPhone or any other Apple product, then you have access to thousands of audiobook titles on Apple’s iTunes store. This is a great way to download audiobooks straight to the devices that you use the most, which can be helpful to those who are looking to keep things simple.

If you have access to WiFi or plenty of data, you can find some free audiobooks on YouTube! The downside of this is that unless you have YouTube Premium, you’ll have to keep your phone open and active while listening, which can be a bit tedious.

Now that you are ready to be a road trip warrior, it’s time to plan your next trip! If you’re looking to level up your tent camping while keeping things simplistic check out Vistabule’s luxury teardrop trailers!

These trailers are perfectly optimized to make your travels a breeze. With amenities like charging stations, so you can juice up your phone for the next leg of the trip, and chapter of your book! Learn more about Vistabule trailers today!