While Shawshank Redemption might be my favorite movie, I wasn’t necessarily anxious to take a bus to Zihuatanejo, Mexico (though it beats prison). I didn’t feel like following the route of Green Book either, another great movie. So, what are movies that inspire travel? Which films cause us to etch a place on our bucket list or revisit a region with renewed vigor? For me, it has been a fun exercise to rediscover a couple dozen excellent movies and include some of my photos that reflect that inspiration. Here they are, in no particular order:
1. Under the Tuscan Sun – Tuscany, Italy
It’s a challenge to watch this movie and not book a flight to Italy. You might stop short of buying a villa, but renting a vacation home in the Tuscany countryside is a must. And while you might not meet folks quite an enchanting as Diane Lane and her construction crew, the people and the places in this region warm the heart and soul.
We have used Montepulciano as a base for day trips to Tuscany’s many charming towns, including Monticchiello, Pienza, and many more that I write about in Road trip from Montepulciano.
2. The Bucket List – The Great Wall of China; Eze, France
What better movie to develop a list of diverse travel options than this entertaining offering from Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. You actually can’t ride a motorcycle on the Great Wall of China, but I have taken a motorcycle side car to get to a remote section.
Our protagonists have many adventures, including a visit to the ancient village of Eze, France (where the picture above was taken). A trip to the French Riviera is not complete without a journey into this historical setting.
3. The Sound of Music – Austria
This remarkable 3-hour musical drama hit theaters in 1965. Most Americans, myself included, had never been to Europe. But Julie Andrews twirling in the picturesque meadows of the Alps made us want to immediately go to Austria and Switzerland. And we did.
4. Lost in Translation – Tokyo
Most of us who are travel writers know the feeling of being alone in a crowded foreign city. What better setting than the largest city on the planet? The nighttime lights of Tokyo play the backdrop for Bill Murray and Scarlet Johansson.
5. The Way – France and Spain
While I have never walked the Camino, this compelling Martin Sheen effort has inspired many to do just that. He proves that the pilgrimage from France to the coast of Spain can be accomplished, with some luck and faith, by all age groups. That alone, is inspiring, not to mention the photogenic countryside. Interesting fact: Martin Sheen actually did walk the Camino de Santiago.
6. Out of Africa – Kenya
It is fitting that this Best Picture winner also won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. The sweeping views of the Kenya landscape are as much the stars of this film as actors Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. It was meaningful to visit Karen Blixen’s home (pictured above), now a museum.
7. Tracks – Australia
This is the story of Robyn Davidson’s real-life 9-month trek across the unforgiving Australian back country. It gives one an appreciation of the expansiveness and beauty of this continent. My casual friend, photographer Rick Smolan, is portrayed in the movie by Adam Driver. Not bad.
8. The Endless Summer – Surf locations worldwide
Is it a documentary? A travelogue? A fun adventure story about a couple of surfer dudes? It doesn’t really matter, as the locations steal the show in this round-the-world search for the perfect wave. We are not surfers (though we live next to a world-class spot), but enjoy watching the athletes.
9. Julie & Julia – Paris
There are so many movies that inspire us to travel to Paris: Amelie, Midnight in Paris, even Ratatouille. You probably have a favorite that beckons you to the City of Light. For me, Paris will always be about food, from souffles to croissants, that can’t quite be duplicated elsewhere. So, what could be better than the story of the celebrated chef, Julia Child, expertly played by Meryl Streep? And for life outside Paris, watch Chocolat or read this.
10. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – India
India has never been on my bucket list, but this movie could almost put it there. Most of the locations are real, including the hotel itself, Ravia Khempur. The emotional journeys are real too, thanks to a brilliant British ensemble cast. Watch this film if, like me, you prefer to visit vicariously.
11. Roman Holiday – Rome
A black and white film from 1953? You can’t go wrong with Audrey Hepburn (Best Actress) and Gregory Peck freewheeling around Rome to the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and more. It is now on the National Film Registry of the greatest motion pictures of all time. Here is more about Rome.
12. The Descendants – Kauai, Hawaii
As a person who grew up dealing with Midwestern U.S. winters, I’m not sure I even needed a movie to inspire me to visit Hawaii. Still, if there is one that comes to mind, it would be this film, starring George Clooney. Kauai, arguably the most “Hawaiian” of the major islands, serves as a fitting backdrop to the story. A second choice here could be 50 First Dates. This romantic comedy, with Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler, highlights scenes throughout Oahu.
13. Eat, Pray, Love – Italy, India, Indonesia
This is a 3 for 1 movie. Marketed primarily toward women, with Jula Roberts as the star, it features her journeys first to Rome and Naples, then Delhi and Pataudi, and finally scenic Bali.
14. Last Holiday – Alpine Europe
Where would you go if you were told you only have 3 weeks to live? Queen Latifah chooses the Grand Hotel Pupp, in the Czech Republic. This real hotel is the epitome of a luxurious old European resort. Scenery added from the Austrian Alps make it look like a mountain resort. It is a feel-good movie that makes you want to join her there.
15. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty – Iceland
If Hollywood loves “word of mouth,” so do tourism boards. There may never have been a movie that provided as much free promotion to a country as this film gave Iceland. The settings were a coming out party for the country, which saw an immediate 20+% increase in visitors, and it hasn’t slowed much since.
16. Sideways – Central California wine country
The lovely area just north of Santa Barbara was a sleepy wine region before the “Sideways Effect.” The movie spawned upscale restaurants and resorts, the Sideways Wine Trail, and an increase in wineries from 60 to more than 300. It is still a wonderful region to visit, especially Los Olivos.
17. Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom – Bhutan
If you have ever dreamed of a journey to remote, untouched wilderness, you might want to watch this interesting movie and then decide. Life is simple in this real-life rustic village far from all the modern conveniences.
18. Forrest Gump – Southeast U.S.
Life is simple for Forrest Gump too, just not the world around him. His home is in a fictional town in Alabama, but most scenes were filmed from South Carolina to Georgia. The park bench in the photo above is in Savannah. Of course, he travels to Vietnam and Monument Valley, but it is the Southeast U.S. that defines the character. Film-making from Gone with the Wind to The Notebook has motivated us to visit the Southeast.
19. Foul Play – San Francisco
The vibrant energy of the late 1970s is apparent in this movie, which inspired the continued westward flow of Americans to California. Chevy Chase lives on a Sausalito houseboat. Goldie Hawn has an apartment on Telegraph Hill. Their frantic drive across San Francisco to the Opera House must test every hill in this unique city.
20. Avatar – Zhangjiajie and Huangshan, China
This article has been about movies inspiring travel; but sometimes it’s the other way around. James Cameron’s travel to the real-world landscapes within China became the inspiration for Avatar’s other-worldly floating Hallelujah Mountains. You can read my stories about the regions of Zhangjiajie and Huangshan in China, which have become major tourist attractions.
What movies have inspired your travel? Feel free to comment at the bottom of this post.
