Unsure of where to take your next adventure? Entertain yourself while you research potential destinations by watching a movie that can provide inspiration for your next trip. Here are ten travel films to add to your streaming queue for the next time you need direction:
1. Wild (2014)
Wild stars Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl Strayed, an author who hiked the rigorous Pacific Crest Trail all by her lonesome with little outdoors experience after the loss of her mother and dissolution of her marriage. It’s a story of endurance and finding serenity in the expanse of nature.
2. Roman Holiday (1953)
This classic film stars actor Audrey Hepburn as a princess who, while on an obligatory tour of Europe, takes a night off in Rome. She ends up falling asleep on a park bench after taking a sedative prescribed by her doctor and is rescued by an American journalist played by Gregory Peck, who quickly becomes a romantic interest.
3. The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)
This Spanish-language film is a biopic based on Ernesto “Che” Guevera’s memoir. Before his last semester of medical school, he traveled from Brazil to Peru by motorcycle with his friend Alberto Granada. The two young men witness unsettling class differences during their travels, paving the way for Che’s ascension to Marxist guerilla commander.
4. The Bucket List (2007)
If you’re in the mood for a light comedy, The Bucket List is a great choice and will remind you that we only get one life so it’s in our interest to live it to the fullest. The film stars Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as two strangers whose paths cross when they end up in the hospital and decide that they’re not done living.
5. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
This cult film is based on a book by late novelist and gonzo journalist, Hunter S. Thompson. It stars Johnny Depp as Hunter S. Thompson and Benicio Del Toro as his attorney Dr. Gonzo. The two embark on a road trip across the Mojave Desert to Las Vegas with a suitcase full of drugs to cover a motorcycle race. However, the pair’s excessive drug use threatens to derail their coverage and land them in jail.
6. To Catch A Thief (1955)
This classic mystery by famed director Alfred Hitchcock stars Cary Grant as John Robie, a former cat burglar who’s on a mission to clear his name after a series of burglaries are committed in his style. One of the victims is Francie, played by Grace Kelly, who suspects Robie as the thief, almost thwarting his plans of wooing the young debutante.
7. Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)
This drama/romance stars Diane Lane as Frances Mayes, who begins a new life in Italy after divorcing her cheating husband. Sanda Oh plays her best friend Patti and together the two of them set off on an adventure across the Mediterranean where they come across a host of colorful characters, including a handsome Italian named Marcello.
8. The Beach
If you’re in the mood for a pulse-racing thriller with gorgeous beach locales, The Beach is a must-watch. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a young backpacker who finds himself dropped in a beachside paradise in Thailand. However, the more that is revealed about this close-knit beach community, the less idyllic it seems.
9. The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
This Wes Anderson-directed comedy is about three estranged brothers (played by Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman) who reunite for a train trip across India. Each of the brothers has individual problems that they’re preoccupied with, in addition to the recent death of their father. It’s a story of family bonds being reforged in majestic, awe-inspiring lands.
10. Hostel (2005)
If you’re in the mood for a cautionary horror, Hostel will definitely make you think twice about where you’re booking your European accommodations. It’s a movie about friends who go backpacking to celebrate their recent college graduation. While stopping in Amsterdam to partake in the city’s famous debaucheries, they meet another traveler who convinces them to join him on an adventure that could cost them their lives.