Travel videos are one of the most competitive formats on YouTube – and the music is often what separates footage that feels like a home movie from a video worth watching twice. The right track matches the energy of what’s on screen: upbeat and forward-moving for a destination reveal or highlight reel, soft and unhurried for a slow morning in a new city.
Finding music that’s also legally cleared for YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram is the harder part. Thematic offers a copyright-safe catalog of tracks from independent artists, cleared for monetized use across platforms. Two playlists are built specifically for travel creators: Upbeat Travel for high-energy content and Mile High Aesthetic for cinematic, paced moments.
Below are standout songs from both playlists, curated for travel content.
Upbeat Music for Travel Videos
These tracks from the Upbeat Travel playlist work best for fast-paced edits: highlight reels, arrival montages, city walks, and any footage where the music needs to drive the cut.
Indian Summer by HOAX
Indian Summer is one of the highest-placed travel tracks in the Thematic catalog, with over 7,700 creator placements. The fast-tempo pop rock feel and confident male vocals give it a forward energy that fits destination reveals, flight montages, and the kind of street-level city footage where you want the edit to feel alive.
Kalypso by Animus Volt
Kalypso is bright and optimistic – radiant synths, uplifting female vocals, and a feel-good momentum built into every beat. It’s a strong choice for arrival scenes, sunrise footage, and any moment where you want the viewer to feel the excitement of landing somewhere new.
Oceana by Lukey
Oceana’s warm synth sound and male vocals suit coastal, beach, and island content well. With 1,500+ creator placements, it performs consistently in travel footage where the mood is relaxed but the edit still needs to keep moving.
Escape by Löwe
Tropical house with female vocals, saxophone, and piano. Escape is built for warm-weather destinations – lighthearted without being busy, which makes it a reliable choice for beach days, outdoor markets, and any sunny footage where the energy is good but the pace is unhurried.
Lost Together by Metacell Music
Future bass production with detuned synths, drum machines, and pitched female vocals – bright, positive, and built for momentum. Lost Together works well for travel montages focused on movement: new places, new faces, and the feeling of being somewhere unfamiliar in the best possible way.
Chill & Aesthetic Music for Travel Videos
These tracks from the Mile High Aesthetic playlist work best for slower, more reflective moments: hotel mornings, local streets, food and coffee stops, and any footage where the mood is paced rather than driven.
nothing else by Sonca Nguyen
With 2,200+ creator placements, nothing else is one of the most-used tracks in the aesthetic travel space. Its soft, intimate quality suits personal travel content: slow mornings in a new city, journal-style sequences, and any footage where the experience of being somewhere matters more than the highlight reel.
morning breeze by Damien Sebe
Lo-fi hip hop with warm jazzy piano chords, muted trumpet, and vinyl crackle. Morning breeze is built for the in-between moments of a trip – the coffee shop before the plans start, the side street you weren’t looking for, the part of the day that never makes the highlight reel but always makes the trip.
Out & About by Reggie San Miguel
A bright flute melody over a lively, rhythmic beat. Out & About works well for city exploration content: neighborhood walks, markets, and day-in-the-life travel footage where the energy is active but the aesthetic stays clean and refined.
Flamingos by DonVayei
A jazz-inspired, breezy track with flowy guitar and layered melodic textures – chill and cinematic with a soulful edge. Flamingos is a strong choice for slower travel footage: sunset shots, rooftop scenes, and any moment where you want the edit to feel considered rather than rushed.
Beachfront by Fine Sounds
A lo-fi track with an easy electric guitar loop, warm bass, and a drum groove that never rushes. Beachfront works well for the slower parts of a travel video: late afternoon light, beach B-roll, and the quiet in-between moments that don’t always make the highlight reel but tend to define the trip.
Browse the complete playlists on Thematic: Upbeat Travel for high-energy travel content, and Mile High Aesthetic for the slower, cinematic moments. Thematic is free to join – sign up, add the license link to your video description, and you’re covered for YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and more. Some tracks shown require a paid plan.
Looking for more music for your videos?
- Best Music for Vlogs – our top picks for general vlog content
- Free Cinematic Music for Videos – epic, emotional, and ambient tracks for more cinematic travel edits
- Music for YouTube Videos – the full guide to copyright-safe music for YouTube creators
Thematic has the best selection of free music for travel videos. Enjoy these trending songs copyright free and royalty free when using Thematic. Sign-up for a free Thematic account to get access to the best free music for travel videos.
Looking for more Thematic music recommendations for your videos? Enjoy our list of the best lofi music artists and songs for YouTube videos here.
Did we miss any of the top songs for travel videos? Drop us a line at @hellothematic on Twitter or Instagram!
