Looking for some new songs about adventure to listen to on the road? I hope this list helps!
Some things just go well together, right?
Like salt and pepper. Or peanut butter and jelly.
Each respective element’s amazing in and of itself. But they’re made even better when you combine the two!
I think the same logic applies to music and travel.
Life on the road’s almost always improved when you have travel songs on in the background (or via your headphones)!
Likewise, at home, few things are more effective at inspiring a sense of wanderlust than the best songs about adventure.
…Or, for that matter, at transporting you instantly back in time to past journeys when they play over the radio.
All things considered, it seems to me that music and travel go hand in hand.
And, thankfully, talented musicians of past and present have blessed our ear holes with some epic adventure songs to take with us on our trips!
Want to discover a big long list of the best songs for travel? Keep reading for 120 songs about travel and adventure.
Here we go, then: 120 adventure songs for travellers!
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120 Best Adventure Songs, Travel Songs, and Songs About Journeys
Here we go, then: 120 of the best songs about travel and adventure, divided into sections to make everything a little more manageable!
Classic Songs About Adventure (with Lyrics!)
I decided to start with 20 classic adventure songs that we all know and love! Whether you’re looking for the perfect road trip playlist or a soundtrack for your next adventure, they’re sure to go down a treat.
1. Fly Away – Lenny Kravitz
I wish that I could fly
Into the sky
So very high
Just like a dragonfly
I’d fly above the trees
Over the seas in all degrees
To anywhere I please, oh
I want to get away
I want to fly away
Yeah, yeah, yeah
2. Born to Be Wild – Steppenwolf
Yeah, darlin’
Gonna make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once
And explode into space
Like a true nature child
We were born
Born to be wild
We can climbed so high
I never wanna die
Born to be wild
Born to be wild
3. Send Me On My Way – Rusted Root
Well, I would like to hold my little hand
And we will run, we will, we will crawl, we will
I would like to hold my little hand
And we will run, we will, we will crawl
Send me on my way (on my way)
Send me on my way (on my way)
Send me on my way (on my way)
4. On the Road Again – Willie Nelson
And I can’t wait to get on the road again
On the road again
Goin’ places that I’ve never been
Seein’ things that I may never see again
And I can’t wait to get on the road again
On the road again
Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
We’re the best of friends
Insisting that the world keep turning our way
And our way
Is on the road again
5. Have Love, Will Travel – The Sonics
Have love
Whoa, baby, will travel
I said, yeah, yeah, have love
Woah, baby, will travel
I said, if you need loving then
Mm, hmm, I’ll travel
Woah!
6. Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Big wheels keep on turnin’
Carry me home to see my kin
Singin’ songs about the south-land
I miss Alabamy once again and I think it’s a sin, yes
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home Alabama
Lord I’m comin’ home to you
7. I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) – The Proclaimers
But I would walk five hundred miles
And I would walk five hundred more
Just to be the man who walked a thousand miles
To fall down at your door
8. Fast Car – Tracy Chapman
You got a fast car
I want a ticket to anywhere
Maybe we make a deal
Maybe together we can get somewhere
Any place is better
Starting from zero got nothing to lose
Maybe we’ll make something
Me, myself, I got nothing to prove
9. Free – Donavon Frankenreiter
We could let this love be the fading sky
Or we could drift all night until the new sunrise
Pass me a drink or maybe two
One for me and one for you
And we’ll be free
Free
Free
Free
Some of the best travel songs have been around forever and a day!
10. Island in the Sun – Weezer
When you’re on a holiday
You can’t find the words to say
All the things that come to you
And I wanna feel it too
On an island in the sun
We’ll be playin’ and havin’ fun
And it makes me feel so fine
I can’t control my brain
11. California Dreamin’ – The Mamas & Papas
All the leaves are brown (all the leaves are brown)
And the sky is gray (and the sky is gray)
I’ve been for a walk (I’ve been for a walk)
On a winter’s day (on a winter’s day)
I’d be safe and warm (I’d be safe and warm)
If I was in LA (if I was in LA)
California dreamin’ (California dreamin’)
On such a winter’s day
12. Carry on Wayward Son – Kansas
Carry on, my wayward son
There’ll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don’t you cry no more
Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion
I was soaring ever higher
But I flew too high
13. Somewhere Over the Rainbow – Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole
Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
And the dreams that you dream of
Once in a lullaby, oh
Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
And the dreams that you dream of
Dreams really do come true-ooh-ooh
14. A Horse with No Name – America
I’ve been through the desert
On a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert, you can remember your name
‘Cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain
La, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
15. Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
In the day, we sweat it out on the streets
Of a runaway American dream
At night, we ride through mansions of glory
In suicide machines
Sprung from cages out on Highway 9
Chrome wheeled, fuel injected and steppin’ out over the line
Oh, baby this town rips the bones from your back
It’s a death trap, it’s a suicide rap
We gotta get out while we’re young
`Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run
Yes, girl, we were
16. The Passenger – Iggy Pop
I am the passenger
I stay under glass
I look through my window so bright
I see the stars come out tonight
I see the bright and hollow sky
Over the city’s ripped back sky
And everything looks good tonight
17. Kokomo – The Beach Boys
Aruba, Jamaica, oh I want to take you to
Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego, baby why don’t we go
Oh I want to take you down to
Kokomo, we’ll get there fast and then we’ll take it slow
That’s where we want to go, way down in Kokomo
18. Down Under – Men At Work
Traveling in a fried-out Kombi
On a hippie trail, head full of zombie
I met a strange lady, she made me nervous
She took me in and gave me breakfast
And she said:
Do you come from a land down under?
Where women glow and men plunder
Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover
19. Africa – Toto
I hear the drums echoing tonight
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
She’s coming in, 12:30 flight
The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation
I stopped an old man along the way
Hoping to find some old forgotten words or ancient melodies
He turned to me as if to say, “Hurry boy, it’s waiting there for you”
20. I’ve Been Everywhere – Johnny Cash
I’ve been everywhere, man.
I’ve been everywhere, man.
Crossed the desert’s bare, man.
I’ve breathed the mountain air, man.
Of travel I’ve had my share, man.
I’ve been everywhere.
Some of the best adventure songs I listen to are decades old!
Old-School Adventure songs
Like the classics above, many of my favourite travel songs come from way back in the day! They might be 30, 40, or 50+ years old, but they never fail to spark my wanderlust and get me exciting about travelling! I hope they do the same for you.
21. Beautiful Day – U2
22. Hells Bells – AC/DC
23. Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding
24. Norwegian Wood – The Beatles
25. Leaving On a Jet Plane – Peter, Paul, and Mary
26. Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver
27. Life Is a Highway – Rascal Flatts
28. Crosstown Traffic – Jimi Hendrix
29. Forever Young – Alphaville
30. Eagles – Hotel California
31. Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers
32. Golden Brown – The Stranglers
33. Truckin’ – Grateful Dead
34. Ramblin’ Man – The Allman Brothers Band
35. Back In Black – AC/DC
36. In the Summertime – Mungo Jerry
Click here to listen to it on YouTube!
37. What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
38. Riders on the Storm – The Doors
39. Graceland – Paul Simon
40. Mr. Blue Sky – Electric Light Orchestra
If you’re into rock, indie, metal, or folk music, then make sure you check out the following 20 songs for travel!
Indie, Folk, Rock, & Metal Songs for travellers
If you prefer listening to hard rock, heavy metal, indie tunes, or folky ballads, then this section’s for you! Here’s a selection of epic songs for travel from each of these diverse genres.
41. Seven Nation Army – The White Stripes
42. Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac
43. Time of Your Life – Green Day
44. Wish You Were Here – Incubus
45. Hopeless Wanderer – Mumford & Sons
46. These Days – Foo Fighters
47. Here It Goes Again – OK Go
48. Take Me Out – Franz Ferdinand
49. Drive – Fu Manchu
50. Borders – Feeder
51. No Sleep Till Brooklyn – Beastie Boys
52. Like a Rolling Stone – Bob Dylan
53. Show Me How to Live – Audioslave
54. Wash It All Away – Five Finger Death Punch
55. My Favourite Game – The Cardigans
56. Wayfaring Strangers – Johnny Cash
57. Learn to Fly – Foo Fighters
58. Anywhere – Passenger
59. Shotgun – George Ezra
60. Not Done Yet – Sticky Fingers
After some of the best songs about travelling from recent times? The next section should do the trick!
Pop & Hip-Hop Songs about Travel and Adventure
Heads up, this section has a definite emphasis on recent pop music, but I threw in a couple of hip-hop tracks for good measure! With positive vibes and lyrics about making the most of life, these adventure songs should go well on any travel playlist you’re trying to put together.
61. What We Live For – American Authors
62. One Day/Reckoning Song – Asaf Avidan
63. Budapest – George Ezra
64. On Top of the World – Imagine Dragons
65. Malibu – Miley Cyrus
66. Summertime – Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff
67. I Woke Up In a Car – Something Corporate
68. Drops of Jupiter – Train
69. New York – Alicia Keys
70. Midnight City – M83
71. Adventure of a Lifetime – Coldplay
72. Around the World – Daft Punk
73. Oceans Away – Arizona
74. Get Out – CHVRCHES
75. Thunder – Imagine Dragons
76. The Adventure – Angels & Airwaves
77. Live Before I Die – Mike Posner
78. Best Day Ever – Mac Miller
79. Rather Be – Clean Bandit
80. I’m Leaving – Mos Def
Chill songs about travel always do down a treat…
Chill Songs about Travel
I had two playlists on the old iPod I used to take travelling: “Chilled” and “Less Chilled”! If you’re looking for a laid-back song about travel, then this section should do the trick.
81. Follow the Sun – Xavier Rudd
82. Old Man – Neil Young
83. Kongos – Traveling On
84. Society – Eddie Vedder
85. Motoring Home – Sweet Baboo
86. Fly Away With Me – Tom Walker
87. Renegades – X Ambassadors
88. Porcelain – Moby
89. Sleep On the Floor – Lumineers
90. I Follow Rivers – Lykke Li
91. Safe Travels – Lisa Hannigan
92. Wild World – Cat Stevens
93. Wandering Eye – Fat Freddy’s Drop
94. Cycling Trivialities – Jose Gonzalez
95. Promise – Ben Howard
96. A Walk – Tycho
97. Pepita – Calexico
98. Nantes – Beirut
99. Wild Horses – The Rolling Stones
100. Sailing – Christopher Cross
Here are some of my personal favourite songs about travel and adventure to finish!
Best Songs for Travelling (My Personal Favourites!)
Last but not least, I thought I’d assemble 20 of my favourite songs for travelling. The coming tracks are a mix of different genres, styles, and vibes. For whatever reason, though, each one gets me raring to hit the road. I hope you like them!
101. Electric Feel – MGMT
102. Sweet Disposition – Temper Trap
103. Road Trippin’ – Red Hot Chili Peppers
104. Step Out – Jose Gonzalez
105. Travelling – Paper Lions
106. We Are the People – Empire of the Sun
107. Dirty Paws – Of Monsters and Men
108. Big Jet Plane – Angus and Julia Stone
109. You Only Live Once – The Strokes
110. Jungle – Tash Sultana
111. Home – Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
112. Ocean – John Butler
113. Drive – Oh Wonder
114. Welcome Home – Radical Face
115. Traveller – Mungo’s Hi Fi
116. Chapinero – Thornato
117. Riptide – Vance Joy
118. Me Gustas Tu – Manu Chao
119. California – Phantom Planet
120. Permanent Holiday – Mike Love
Listen to These Songs about Adventure
I love listening to music when I travel.
It doesn’t matter whether I’m on an epic road trip with friends, waiting around in an airport, on a long bus journey, or whatever. I’ll turn on the radio, switch on the speakers, or put my headphones on to lose myself in a travel song or two.
However, there’s no denying that listening to music on the road (or at home, for that matter) is ten times better when you’re playing particular travel songs!
Some tracks just seem purpose-written to complement the travelling experience, evoke a pulsating sense of wanderlust, or make you nostalgic for bygone trips.
Have you been searching for the best songs about adventure that tick these types of boxes? Well, I hope this list of 120 adventure songs has helped!
Keep them in mind, download them to your phone, and enjoy these songs for travellers whenever you’re next away.
Do you have any other suggestions that you think should be on this list? Drop a comment below and I’ll be sure to add it in.