Best Travel Shows to Watch in 2026 (25 Picks, Organized by Style and Platform)

Most “best travel shows” roundups fall into one of two traps: they’re either a huge, uncurated wall of 50+ titles with no guidance on which one actually fits you, or a short, dated top-10 that hasn’t been touched since a show got cancelled two years ago. This guide tries to split the difference — 25 shows, grouped by what kind of trip or mood you’re in, with current status noted for each, plus a section on how to actually watch them while you’re abroad.

Quick Answer

For food-first inspiration, start with Somebody Feed Phil or Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown. For comedy with real travel value, The Reluctant Traveler (Apple TV+) is currently the most consistently praised show in the genre — it’s Emmy-nominated and just returned for a third season. For pure adventure, Long Way Round/Up remains the standard. For free viewing, Rick Steves’ Europe and PBS’s YouTube library cost nothing.

Key Takeaways

• The single most currently relevant show in this genre is The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy — it’s Apple TV+’s flagship travel series, was renewed for a third season, and picked up Emmy nominations for writing and outstanding hosted nonfiction series.
• Several shows other lists still recommend have quietly ended: Down to Earth with Zac Efron was cancelled after its second season and isn’t returning.
• No single streaming service has “all the good travel shows” — the strongest picks are split across Netflix, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime, Max, and free YouTube.
• Comedy-format travel shows (Reluctant Traveler, An Idiot Abroad, Travel Man, Romesh Ranganathan’s shows) have become just as critically respected as straight documentary formats.
• Free, fully legal options on YouTube (Rick Steves, PBS) go head-to-head with anything on a paid subscription for actual trip-planning usefulness.

How We Picked These Shows

Selection criteria: consistent critical/audience reception, genuine trip-planning usefulness (not just background noise), confirmed current status as of September 2026, and enough variety across format (documentary, comedy, competition, scripted) and platform that this list works regardless of what you already subscribe to.

Best Food-and-Travel Shows

Somebody Feed Phil (Netflix) — Phil Rosenthal’s warm, food-first city-by-city series ran eight seasons on Netflix (2018–2025). It’s since wrapped its Netflix run, with Rosenthal and Banijay Entertainment planning to continue it on YouTube starting in 2027. Best for first-time international travelers wanting a low-anxiety food intro to a destination.

Anthony Bourdain — Parts Unknown & No Reservations — The genre-defining template: genuine, unpolished conversation over food, often in places outside the typical tourist circuit. No Reservations ran 15 seasons on the Travel Channel. Full Parts Unknown seasons and No Reservations clips circulate on official YouTube channels.

Ugly Delicious (Netflix) — Chef David Chang travels globally comparing how different cultures approach the same dish (pizza, tacos, fried rice). Less a travel show, more a food-anthropology show, but genuinely useful for understanding a cuisine before visiting a country tied to it.

Down to Earth with Zac Efron (Netflix, cancelled) — Efron and wellness expert Darin Olien explored sustainable living around the world. Worth knowing: it was cancelled after two seasons (season 2 aired in 2022), so don’t build a long watch-list around it expecting more.

Jack Whitehall: Travels With My Father (Netflix) — Comedian Jack Whitehall drags his stuffy, reluctant father across five seasons of destinations. Genuinely funny, and grounded in a travel dynamic — traveling with a difficult family member — a lot of viewers recognize.

Waffles + Mochi (Netflix) — A kids’ show (executive-produced by Michelle Obama) that’s unexpectedly solid food-and-culture content for family travelers planning a trip with children.

Best Adventure, Road-Trip, and Motorcycle Shows

Long Way Round / Long Way Up — Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s motorcycle odysseys (London to New York the long way, then South America to LA on electric bikes) are still the reference point for overland travel TV — visas, breakdowns, and border crossings included, not glossed over.

The Grand Tour (Amazon Prime Video) — Clarkson, Hammond, and May take the car-review format global, often filming in remote locations specifically because of the terrain.

Expedition Unknown (Discovery/Travel Channel) — Josh Gates investigates historical mysteries and legends on location around the world — part travel show, part adventure-history documentary, long-running and still a Travel Channel staple.

World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals (Netflix) — Essentially an extended Airbnb showcase, but a genuinely useful one for browsing unusual stays (an igloo in Finland, a private island in the Caribbean) if you’re trip-planning around accommodation itself.

Best Comedy Travel Shows

The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy (Apple TV+) — Levy visits luxury hotels and destinations he’d never choose on his own, turning his own discomfort into the show’s humor. Season 3 (eight episodes, released September 2025) took him to Austria, Canada, England, India, Ireland, Mexico, South Korea, and the U.S., and the show has earned Emmy nominations for writing and outstanding hosted nonfiction series.

An Idiot Abroad — Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant send Karl Pilkington to the Seven Wonders of the World without the comfort of a typical travel host. A reminder that first-trip discomfort is normal, wrapped in comedy.

Travel Man (Channel 4) — Richard Ayoade visits a different city in a strict 48-hour window with a rotating celebrity co-host, aimed squarely at viewers planning efficient weekend city breaks.

Romesh Ranganathan: Misadventures (BBC) — Self-described coward Romesh Ranganathan travels to places with reputations for danger to test whether the stereotypes hold up — useful, if nothing else, as a gut-check on destinations people assume are riskier than they are.

Jack Whitehall: Travels With My Father (also listed under Food — see above; included here for its comedy-first tone).

Best Nature and Wildlife-Focused Shows

Our Planet (Netflix) — David Attenborough-narrated, award-winning cinematography. Not a traditional “travel show,” but one of the most effective at making a specific ecosystem (Arctic, Serengeti, deep ocean) feel worth building a trip around.

Tales by Light (Netflix) — Follows professional photographers shooting in locations from the Raja Ampat Islands to the Himalayas — a strong pick specifically for travelers planning a photography-focused trip.

Best Shows for Solo and Budget Travelers

Rick Steves’ Europe — The most practically useful show on this list, full stop. Decades of free episodes on Rick Steves’ official YouTube channel, built explicitly around walking routes, neighborhood breakdowns, and budget-conscious planning rather than pure entertainment.

An Idiot Abroad (also listed under Comedy) — included here again because it’s genuinely one of the better watches for a nervous first-time solo traveler.

Best Reality and Survival-Style Travel Shows

Survivorman — Les Stroud strands himself in remote wilderness for 7–10 days with minimal gear. Not aspirational travel content, but a strong pick for nature-focused viewers who want the “why you should respect a destination” angle.

World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals (also listed under Adventure) — included again as it straddles both categories.

The Amazing Race — The long-running reality competition sends paired travelers racing through cities and countries worldwide; still airing, with wide availability across Paramount+, Hulu, CBS, and other services.

Best Scripted, Travel-Adjacent Shows

The White Lotus (Max) — Scripted, not documentary, but each season is built around a real resort region (Hawaii, Sicily, Thailand) and has become a genuine driver of destination interest.

Where to Watch Travel Shows for Free

This remains the biggest gap in every competing list, including the largest ones:

• Rick Steves’ official YouTube channel — one of the largest free libraries of destination-specific guidance available anywhere, paid or free.
• PBS’s YouTube channel — full episodes of travel and culture programming at broadcast production quality, no subscription required.
• Official network playlists — Parts Unknown and other legacy shows are increasingly available in full, officially uploaded seasons on YouTube rather than gated behind a cable login.

Full Comparison Table

Streaming availability and renewal status change often — always confirm directly on the platform before building a watch list.

How to Watch Travel Shows While You’re Actually Traveling

U.S. subscriptions abroad: Most services restrict libraries by region, so a subscription that works at home may show less (or nothing) once you’re outside the U.S. A VPN can route around this, but it’s an added monthly cost on top of what you’re already paying.

The reliable free option: YouTube’s officially uploaded travel content (Rick Steves, PBS, network playlists) isn’t tied to a home-country library the way subscription platforms are, which makes it the more dependable choice specifically while traveling.

Shared or hotel Wi-Fi: Download episodes in advance where offline viewing is supported, rather than relying on unpredictable hotel bandwidth.

Common Mistakes When Choosing Travel Shows for Trip Research

• Assuming a show is still airing. Down to Earth with Zac Efron is a clear example — cancelled, not “on hiatus.”
• Treating scripted shows as research. The White Lotus is atmosphere, not logistics.
• Defaulting to a paid subscription when a free equivalent exists. Rick Steves’ YouTube library covers a huge amount of the same ground as paid destination content.
• Only watching polished, highlight-reel shows before a budget trip. An Idiot Abroad or Long Way Round give a more realistic sense of travel friction.
• Assuming U.S. streaming access carries over abroad. Confirm what your subscription actually offers in your destination country.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the single best travel show to watch right now?

There isn’t one universal answer, but The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy is currently the most consistently recognized — Emmy-nominated, actively producing new seasons, and broadly praised.

Is Down to Earth with Zac Efron getting a season 3?

No — it was cancelled after season 2.

Is Somebody Feed Phil over?

It completed its Netflix run after eight seasons; Rosenthal has announced plans to continue it on YouTube starting in 2027.

What’s the best free travel show to watch?

Rick Steves’ Europe, in full, for free, on his official YouTube channel.

What’s the best travel show for a first-time solo traveler?

Rick Steves’ Europe for practical planning, or An Idiot Abroad for an honest, funny gut-check on how disorienting travel can feel.

Are comedy travel shows as good as documentary ones for trip research?

For atmosphere and realistic expectations, often yes — The Reluctant Traveler and Travel Man in particular are built around real destinations and real logistics, just with a lighter tone.

Is The White Lotus based on real places?

Yes — each season films at and is set around a real resort region (Hawaii, Sicily, Thailand), even though the plot is fiction.

Can I watch these shows while traveling abroad?

It depends on the platform — subscription services often restrict by region, while YouTube’s free travel content generally doesn’t have that limitation.

What are the best travel shows about food specifically?

Somebody Feed Phil, Bourdain’s catalog, and Ugly Delicious are the three most consistently recommended food-focused picks.

Where can I find travel shows about road trips or overland travel?

Long Way Round/Up (motorcycle) and The Grand Tour (car) are the standard picks.

Is Anthony Bourdain’s show still available to watch?

Yes — no new episodes are being made, but full Parts Unknown seasons and No Reservations clips are available via official YouTube channels.

What’s a good travel show for kids or family trip planning?

Waffles + Mochi is genuinely useful for introducing kids to food and culture from different countries before a family trip.

Final Takeaway

The “best” travel show depends on the kind of trip you’re planning and what you already pay for. Right now, The Reluctant Traveler is the most currently relevant pick across critics and awards attention; Somebody Feed Phil and Bourdain’s catalog remain the top food-first picks; Long Way Round is still the benchmark for overland adventure; and Rick Steves’ free YouTube library beats most paid options on pure trip-planning value. Whatever you pick, check its current status first — several shows other lists still recommend, like Down to Earth with Zac Efron, have already ended.

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