When I’m in between trips, or even facing travel fatigue, movies about travel give me inspiration. Many of these movies remind me of the beauty of meeting new people, seeing new places, and experiencing new cultures. Here are my favorite movies to inspire wanderlust!

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is my all-time favorite travel movie. Walter, played by Ben Stiller, is a photography developer at Life Magazine in New York with a highly active imagination. The story is about him chasing down rather adventurous freelance photographer through some unusual destinations. The videography, scenery, story, and music in this movie are spectacular! The movie will leave you with a strong desire to discover less-traveled areas of the world.

The Big Year

The Big Year is a travel movie based solely in North America. Avid birders (Owen Wilson, Steve Martin, Jack Black) compete in The Big Year, a birding competition where the competitor with the most number of bird species sightings within the year wins. Even for people who are not avid bird watchers, The Big Year is a beautiful film that captures the diverse landscapes and animal species found throughout the United States.

Into the Wild

Into the Wild is one of the most emotional movies I have ever seen. In this movie, the main character, Chris (Emile Hirsch), leaves his home, family, and life behind in search for greater happiness in travel. He travels throughout the United States, preparing for his final trip to the Alaskan Wilderness in order to connect with nature. Based on a true story and novel, this movie will make you laugh, cry, and long for an adventure of your own.

Mamma Mia!

Both Mamma Mia and the sequel Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again make me itch to travel. The first movie is based solely on an island in Greece, while the sequel explores additional countries. The movies are about Donna (Meryl Streep), an independent hotel owner in the Greek islands. In the first movie, she struggles to plan a wedding for her daughter Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) when all three of her daughter’s potential fathers show up unexpectedly. The sequel focuses on Donna’s travels when she was younger, how she met the three potential fathers, and how she discovered the island that later became the home to her hotel. The movies are both full of beautiful shots, whimsical songs, and a carefree storyline.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Directed and written by the incredible John Hughes, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is a classic that I watch every Thanksgiving. A high strung executive (Steve Martin) meets an absurdly optimistic and outgoing shower curtain ring salesman (John Candy) while attempting to get from New York City to Chicago for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. The two end up attempting to travel together, facing anything and everything that could possibly go wrong. The movie is the perfect holiday movie: hilarious, heartwarming, and adventurous.

Up

Up is one of my all-time favorite Pixar movies. The first 5 minutes will have you sobbing, the middle 90 minutes will have you hysterically laughing, and the final 10 minutes will have you sobbing uncontrollably yet again. In this film, senior Carl Fredrickson meets the young child Russell after the passing of his wife. To finally see his and his wife’s dreams of seeing Paradise Falls in South America, Carl attempts to fly his home there using thousands of balloons. The movie is so emotionally captivating, with a plot-driven by adventure. This cartoon will definitely have you reaching for your tissues and your wilderness explorer badges!

Wild

In Wild, Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) seeks to rediscover herself on the Pacific Crest Trail after her life begins to fall apart. This movie is incredibly raw and full of emotion. It does not hold back on the challenges Cheryl faces on the 1,100 mile (1770 km) hike from the Mohave Desert to the Oregon-Washington border in the United States. Wild is full of captivating scenery, a relatable and heart-wrenching story, and impressive cinematic skill. Any hiker or outdoorsman will love this film, or the novel it was based on.

The Lizzie McGuire Movie

As a 90s kid, I absolutely had to include this movie. I grew up watching Lizzie McGuire, so The Lizzie McGuire Movie is still one of the most nostalgic, best travel movies to me. In this movie, Lizzie (Hilary Duff) travels to Rome on a school trip after humiliating herself at her graduation. There, she meets and falls in love with a famous pop star, who convinces her to stand in for his pop partner, who happens to look just like Lizzie! This movie takes Lizzie around Rome and is a great watch for anyone who enjoyed the television show growing up.

The Bucket List

In The Bucket List, two terminally ill men make a plan to fulfill their bucket list after meeting in the hospital. The two drastically different men, one a billionaire (Jack Nicholson) and the other a mechanic (Morgan Freeman) become incredibly close, helping each other discover what they truly need in their lives before it ends. The Bucket List is one of those films where you better have tissues handy for the tears from all the laughing AND crying you’ll do throughout this movie. The incredible adventure and beauty of this film will have you planning your next huge trip.

Any of these movies will have you planning your next amazing trip abroad. Each of these films has a special place in my heart, and have inspired the traveler that I am today!

What’s your favorite travel movie? Let me know in the comments!

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The top travel movies about travel to inspire wanderlust. My favorite travel movies that have inspired me to travel the world!