20 Movies That Will Give You The Travel Bug

As a film lover and travel enthusiast, some of my favorite movies to watch are the ones that involve travel. Whether it is actually a movie with travel as the main focus or one that just shows off a beautiful destination in the background of the plot, any movie that makes you want to grab your passport and buy a plane ticket can be found on this list. Sometimes when traveling is not in your cards, watching a movie can help transport you somewhere else.

Table Of Contents:

Soul-Searching / Spiritual Journey Travel Movies:

1. The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty (2013)

Running Time: 125 minutes / Starring: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Sean Penn, and Adam Scott

Locations: New York City, Greenland, the Himalayas, Iceland

One of the most popular travel films as well as one of my favorites, The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty follows Walter, photo editor for LIFE Magazine, as he embarks on a journey to find a missing photograph. All of his previous daydreaming becomes reality when he faces outlandish challenges, daring adventures, and unique people along the way. This is the type of movie to make you want to change your lifestyle and travel across the globe in unconventional ways giving you new life experiences and interesting stories to share.

2. Into The Wild (2007)

Running Time: 148 minutes / Starring: Emile Hersche, Kristen Stewart, Brian H. Dierker, and Vince Vaughn

Locations: Arizona, Nevada, California, South Dakota, and Alaska

Based on a true story, Into The Wild, follows the life of Chris McCandless who abandoned his life of normalcy to travel to the Alaskan Wilderness and live off the land. Along the way, he learns a lot about himself and life and immerses himself in several new experiences. If you watch this one, prepare to be mesmerized by Chris and have tissues in hand. Also check out the book, Into The Wild by John Krakauer.

3. The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

Running Time: 91 minutes / Starring: Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzmann and Adrien Brody

Location: India

Brothers, Peter, Jack, and Francis board a train taking them across India after having not spoken since their father’s funeral a year ago. With each of them dealing with issues in their own lives, they cannot seem to mend their brotherly relationship. Eventually, Francis reveals that he planned this trip so that they could visit their mother. Along this journey through India, the brothers face many challenges, sometimes of their own creation, and grow closer. The colors in this movie are amazing, as expected for a film set in India.

4. Wild (2014)

Running Time: 115 minutes / Starring: Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern

Location: Pacific Crest Trail, USA

After a series of tragic life events and horrible life choices, Cheryl decides to hike the 1000-mile Pacific Crest Trail on her own. This was such a beautiful and gut-wrenching movie. Watching Cheryl brave both the obstacles along her hike and the battles inside her head may not really sell you on doing a super long hike by yourself, but it might motivate you to go on a nice walk at the least. This movie deals with some heavy issues and is not for the lighthearted, but I do recommend it if you love soul-searching films.

5. The Bucket List (2007)

Running Time: 97 minutes / Starring: Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson

Location: Egypt, China, India, France, Tanzania, & Himalayas

Two terminally ill strangers devise a list of things to do before they kick the bucket and set off on the adventure of a lifetime together. They go skydiving, see the pyramids, dine in France, and more during their journey while crossing things off their list. It is crazy to think that the term “Bucket List” did not exist before this movie. I always assumed it had been in use for a long time. While this movie has its quirks, Jack and Morgan obviously give amazing performances and will leave you teary-eyed in the end.

Family Travel Movies:

6. Up (2009)

Running Time: 96 minutes / Starring: Ed Asner, Bob Peterson, and Jordan Nagai

Location: South America

A beloved Disney/Pixar film, Up teaches you that you are never too old or too young to chase your dreams. Grumpy old Carl Fredericksen fulfills his lifelong wish to visit South America with the help of young Wilderness Explorer, Russell, by tying a bunch of balloons to the roof of his house and soaring the skies from the comfort of his own home. Along the way, they make new friends and face both inner and outer struggles. While you cannot literally travel the skies sitting on your couch, you can at least find some escape while watching this movie from said couch.

7. The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003)

Running Time: 111 minutes / Starring: Hillary Duff

Location: Rome

I was a young girl in the 2000s so of course I hold a special place in my heart for Lizzie Mcguire and The Lizzie Mcguire Movie. The movie follows Lizzie and her friends as they go on a school trip to Rome (this really gave me unrealistic expectations for high school trips). Soon after arriving, Lizzie meets famous singer, Paolo Valisari, whose former duet partner looks exactly like her. He asks her to fill in and perform a concert at the Roman Colosseum, but things do not go as expected.

8. Moana (2016)

Running Time: 103 minutes / Starring: Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson,

Location: Polynesia

Moana has lived her entire life on the island of Motunui wishing to set sail across the sea and see what exists beyond her home. When the ocean chooses her to embark on an important life-changing journey, she accepts with demi-god Maui by her side. This is such a beautiful move both with its message and the artistry of the animation. It’s such a good one to watch with the whole family while you dream of visiting Polynesian islands.

Romance & Comedy Travel Movies:

9. Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Running Time: 103 minutes / Starring: Constance Wu, Michelle Yeoh, and Henry Golding

Location: Singapore

Have you ever been in a long-term relationship with a man only to find out that he and his whole family are crazy rich and famous in another country? No? Me neither, but that did happen to Rachel Chu. Now she has to travel to Singapore to meet the impossible-to-please distinguished mom of her boyfriend, Eleanor Young. In Singapore, she is met with years and years of culture, breathtaking landscapes, and some interesting people. I love rom-coms and this is one of the best ones to come out in the more recent years. It is such a beautiful story told with an outstanding cast, and I can’t recommend it enough if you love love.

10 & 11. Mamma Mia! The Movie (2008) & Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)

Location: Greece

Running Time: 105 minutes & 114 minutes / Starring: Amanda Seyfried & Meryl Streep and Lily James & Cher

These movies are for the ABBA fans, the musical fans, the romcom fans, and of course the Meryl Streep fans. Set on a fictional island in Greece, the Mamma Mia! movies have such a dreamy feel to them. They are the perfect movies for a girls’ night in and will leave you with ABBA songs on repeat in your head. Both movies are mostly centered around Donna and her three past lovers who each have the possibility of being the father to her daughter, Sophie, but which one is it? The first one takes place during the preparations for Sophie’s wedding, and the second one takes place through flashbacks of a young Donna.

12. Palm Springs (2009)

Running Time: 90 minutes / Starring: Andy Samberg & Cristin Milioti

Location: Palm Springs, California

Mixing time travel and travel travel, Palm Springs is another romcom on this list that takes place in a scenic location. Nyles and Sarah both find themselves in a time loop where they relive November 9 over and over again. What starts as a fun and carefree relationship with no real consequences due to the time loop soon becomes a bit more rocky and complicated. Sarah, set on ending the loop hopes she can convince Nyles to help end the loop with her. This movie is a lot of fun and a unique take on the Groundhog Day formula.

13. A Little Romance (1979)

Running Time: 108 minutes / Starring: Laurence Olivier, Diane Lane, and Thelonious Bernard

Location: Paris, France and Verona & Venice, Italy

A Little Romance is a story of childish love in some of the most romantic cities on Earth. Young American, Lauren, meets the French movie buff, Daniel, on a movie set and instantly forms a connection. However, her mother disapproves of the budding relationship and forbids her from seeing him again. Determined to beat the odds, Lauren and Daniel hope to travel to Italy to kiss under the Bridge of Sighs and declare their love as permanent. With the help of Julius, a quirky old French man, they just might make it happen. Lauren and Daniel may be small, but their love is big. This movie is so charming and will surely make your heart swell.

14. The Proposal (2018)

Running Time: 108 minutes / Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Sandra Bullock, and Betty White

Locations: New York City, New York and Sitka, Alaska

Featuring a fun romantic trope, stunning backgrounds of both New York City and Alaska, and some of the best work by Betty White, The Proposal is an all-around great movie. When Margaret Tate learns she is in danger of being deported, she cooks up a scheme to get married to her assistant, Andrew Paxton. To make the relationship more believable, Andrew and Margaret take a trip to Sitka, Alaska for Margaret to meet Andrew’s family. Not instantly fitting in, Margaret is frustrated with the situation she has gotten herself into. However, she starts to warm to Andrew’s family and they encourage them to wed soon. With this stellar cast, it would be hard to make a bad movie. The comedy and chemistry are so well done, and it leaves you wishing Sandra and Ryan would return to the romcom world.

15. The Holiday (2006)

Running Time: 138 minutes / Starring: Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, and Jack Black

Locations: Surrey, England and Los Angeles, California

Amanda and Iris, both unlucky in love, decide to do a home swap after coming across each other online. With Amanda adjusting to living in a small cottage in Surrey and Iris welcoming Amanda’s large home in Los Angeles, the two women begin their temporary new lives. This is the only Christmas movie on this list but I would not judge you for watching it at other times throughout the year. It is such a feel-good cozy movie and will have you looking up the logistics and safety concerns of a home swap in hopes of meeting your own Jude Law.

16. Anyone But You (2023)

Running Time: 104 minutes / Starring: Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell

Location: Sydney, Australia

Loosely based on William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, Anyone But You was exactly the movie the romcom fans needed after the release of so many bland attempts at the genre. I welcome back movies based on Shakespeare’s plays with open arms. The movie uses both the “fake dating” and “enemies-to-lovers” tropes when Bea and Ben cross paths twice and realize they could each benefit from pretending to be in a relationship.

17. Sisterhood Of The Travelling Pants (2005)

Running Time: 119 minutes / Starring: Ameria Ferrara, Blake Lively, Alexis Bledel, and Jenna Boyd

Locations: Oia, Greece and Baja California, Mexico

When a group of best friends find a pair of jeans that magically fit each of them despite all being different sizes, it is clear that these pants are special. Not only do they fit each girl but they make them all feel fantastic. They take turns wearing the magic pants when in need of a little luck and continue to do so as they all separate for the summer. Carmen visits her dad in South Carolina, Bridget attends a soccer camp in Mexico, Lena meets distant family in Greece, and Tibby stays home in Maryland, working on her film. This movie is a girlhood classic and will have you texting your best friends that you love them by the end of it.

18. The Hangover (2009)

Running Time: 119 minutes / Starring: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, and Ed Helms

Location: Las Vegas

After waking up with no memory of the night before, Phil, Alan, and Stu realize they have no idea where their 4th friend, Doug, is. The worst part is that Doug is supposed to be getting married soon. As they attempt to retrace the steps of their crazy Vegas boys’ night, they quickly discover that they are in over their heads. The Hangover is one of the most popular comedies of the 2000s and for good reason. The movie is such a fun watch and is the epitome of “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”

19. Leap Year (2010)

Running Time: 100 minutes / Starring: Amy Adams, Matthew Goode, and Adam Scott

Location: Dingle and Dublin Ireland

Is this one of the better romcoms of the previous decade? No, not really. Does it have Amy Adams falling into every romantic trope possible while traveling across beautiful Ireland? Yes!! When it seems like Anna’s boyfriend is never going to propose, she decides to surprise him on his business trip in Dublin to propose on February 29th, following a Celtic tradition. However, after an unplanned landing in Wales and a boat ride to Ireland, she lands in a small town called Dingle. There, she meets Declan who agrees to help her get to her boyfriend in Dublin. This is an easy-to-watch movie with silly and cute moments that all take part in the foreground of luscious Irish scenery.

20. Just Go With It (2011)

Running Time: 117 minutes / Starring: Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston

Location: Hawaii

Danny is used to pretending to be married to enjoy dates with women with no strings attached. However, when he meets his dream girl, Palmer, he has to figure out a way out of his lie. To solve the problem, he gets his assistant Katherine to pretend to be his wife whom he will soon be divorcing. After some scheming, they all (Katherine’s children included) go on a trip to Hawaii where they have to keep up the charades. This is a classic Adam Sandler movie and is one of my favorites of his. If you’re a fan of him, you will enjoy this movie.

For more movies with travel influence that aren’t in this blog, check out my Letterboxd list. If you have any more suggestions please let me know. I would love to watch more travel movies!

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