Ever watched a movie and had that “I want to do that” or “I want to go there” feeling afterwards? I’d definitely consider myself a movie guru and my favorite thing about a film is when I can walk away feeling inspired or moved. Especially when it has to do with traveling or adrenaline rushes.
My movie-watching career started young, and over the years I have experienced many movies that inspire you to travel, explore, and live life to the fullest.
Here are just a couple of my favorite travel and adrenaline junkie movies. I’d consider this list full of classics and staples for the travel lifestyle.
1. Eat. Pray. Love
This is kind of an obvious movie that everyone thinks of when talking about solo travel and self-realization but it’s very eye opening. Julia Robert’s character leaves her home of NYC to rediscover herself after a divorce. And everyone knows how influential a woman can be after a break up.
She ventures to Rome & Naples of Italy, to learn about the art and importance of food; Delhi & Pataudi of India to experience the power of prayer; and Ubud & Padang-Padang Beach of Bali to discover inner peace and love. It’s a very inspiring movie about self-growth and change, worth watching.
2. When in Rome
…do as the romans! As most of this movie takes place in NYC (a world of its own), the beginning takes place in the beautiful Rome, Italy.
The most fascinating part of the movie was the focus on art in Italy. I long to travel and see the statues and foundations of Rome. Who doesn’t want to toss a coin in the fountain of love? Kristen Bell also reminds us in this movie that ya gotta take every chance you get!
3. The Art of Travel
The man in this movie is truly inspirational to me. He goes on his honeymoon by himself after being cheated on. Trading the American dream for an adventure, attempting to travel the Darien Gap in record time.
Movie quote: “Mastering the art of travel is not accomplished with practice or talent…. it’s a way of life”
Exploring the rainforests of South and Central America, this film is rich in culture and people. I’d have to say being cheated on is the best thing that happened to him because of the journey it took him on!
4. Just Go With It
Although this movie is an Adam Sandler comedic classic, it also features some gorgeous scenery from various parts of Hawaii. The waterfall scene was located at Kilauea Falls, Kauai’I Hawaii and you also get a glimpse of Maui, Hawaii, which is on my list of places to go!
This movie also shows activities to do in Hawaii like a spa day at the beach, hula shows, hiking nature trails, and swimming with dolphins if you know how to swim!
5. Around the World in 80 Days
What a rush, to travel around the world in 80 days, something I’d love to do if I had the budget! In this movie they tour from London UK to: Suez, Egypt; Bombay, India; Calcutta, India; Victoria, Hong Kong; Yokohama, Japan; San Francisco, US; and New York City, US.
Amongst their explorations they demonstrate just how many different ways there are to travel such as steamboats, rails roads, riding animals, etc.
6. The Italian Job
Though it is primarily an action film, it is full of the architecture of Venice in the beginning. An intense boat chase leads us around the water alleys of Italy, passing a few gondolas.
After stealing 35 million in gold (where would you travel with that kind of money?) the crew heads to Austria, full of snowy mountain landscapes. This movie also features a little bit of Philadelphia architecture before finishing the rest of the movie in Los Angles, California.
I’m not suggesting that you need to be thieves to travel luxuriously but they did get to take the scenic route on missions!
7. Into the Wild
A top student athlete who “has it all” donates his savings and heads for a great Alaskan adventure. Along the way he works for a guy in South Dakota and takes the Colorado River all the way to the Grand Canyon rapids.
While his journey isn’t foreign, it took courage. Sometimes it’s good to go off the map and explore the beauty of nature only to find yourself.
8. The Beach
Where is the “perfect beach”? My boy Leonardo Dicaprio goes looking for this urban myth by exploring all throughout Thailand. Some of these places include Bangkok, Krabi, Khoa Yai National Park, and Phi Phi Leh Island, near Phuket, Thailand.
Thailand is second on my list of desired places to travel, especially if it contains the perfect hidden paradise!
9. Nerve
I love watching this movie! It is so intense and has everything an adrenaline junkie is looking for! It’s basically an extreme game of truth or dare that turns into life or death.
It’s all about spontaneity and taking chances, which is exactly what I need to my heart racing. In the adrenaline-fueled contest, would be a watcher or a player?
10. Wild
Reese Witherspoon walks 1,000 miles along the Pacific Coast Trail after a dreadful tragedy, exploring nature and her mind on this journey.
This movie illustrates how travel is good for the mind and can make an huge impact on a person going through dark times.
Movie quote: “And I didn’t know where I was going until I got there, on the last day of my hike. Thank you, I thought over and over again, for everything the trail had taught me and everything I couldn’t know yet”.
11. The Bucket List
If you only had a 5% chance to live, what would you do before you “kick the bucket”? This movie is about the concept of how we work our life away, and for what?
You have to ask yourself 2 questions. 1) Have you found joy in your life? 2) Has your life brought joy to others?
“1000 people were asked if they wanted to know the exact day they would die”, would you want to know? How would it make a difference in how you lived your life?
The bucket list from the movie consisted of these things:
- Witness something truly majestic
- Help a complete stranger
- Laugh until I cry
- Drive a Shelby Mustang
- Kiss the most beautiful girl in the world
- Get a tattoo
- Skydiving
- Visit Stonehenge
- Drive a motorcycle on the Great Wall of China
- Go on a Safari
- Visit the Taj Mahal
- Sit on the Great Egyptian Pyramids
- Find the Joy in your life
What’s on your bucket list?
12. The Fast & Furious Series
Paul Walker takes us all on a ride around the world. Between all the movies in the series we see a lot of culture from different countries.
These places include but not limited to: Los Angeles, California; Tokyo, Japan; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; London, England; Abu Dhabi, Dubai; New York, NY; Myvatn, Iceland; Havana, Cuba; just to name a few and all of which I plan to visit!
13. The Lizzie McGuire Movie
I had to throw this in for all my millennials since we grew up with Lizzie and wished for an international pop star experience like hers. Who doesn’t want to go on a foreign adventure to Rome.
There is some much art and architecture in Italy that I want to see that is featured in the movie. This includes the Trevi Foundation, the Spanish Steps, the Tivoli Gardens, the Colosseum and more!
Movies with iconic cities and destinations are my favorite, because for those 2 hours you’re taken somewhere else. You can get a preview of culture (or how Hollywood portrays it at least) and find inspiration for your next adventure!
So, if you can’t hop on a plane right this moment, watch one of these movies and plan your next trip! Being a homebody is an adventure too sometimes…
The Road Jess Traveled 