There is nothing quite like watching a cinematic journey of epic proportions to make you connect with a new destination and inspire you to plan a trip that will be the envy of your friends. From emotional masterpieces like “Sideways” to modern romantic novel adaptations such as “Nights in Rodanthe,” movies tend to ignite an enthusiasm for liberation, excitement, and romance.
Then, of course, the view of beautiful mountains on your screen or watching a couple of pals take the big city for life-changing adventures makes you want to feel free to explore the world. Whatever it is, sometimes all you need is a movie night or binging a tv show to incite that feeling. So here is a list of the movies and tv shows to have you itching to hit the road. They might prompt a move or set the stage for an unforgettable experience.
“And Just Like That” (2021)
A Perfect Girls Getaway Experience
There is no better girl’s getaway than a Sex and the City (now And Just Like That) experience in New York City, so grab your friends and have a cosmo together. HBO Max gave Sex and the City fans the gift of a reboot with the And Just Like That show.
Thanks to the incredible popularity of this show, there is an iconic Sex and the City bus tour that provides the whole experience of the adventures on the show. And now, it includes plenty of nods to And Just Like That. This makes it easy to plan a trip to live like Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and her friends. Nowadays, you even can book Bradshaw’s apartment on Airbnb.
Warner Bros. and Airbnb have tenaciously recreated Carrie Bradshaw’s brownstone apartment. Carrie’s laptop sits on a desk in a corner, and the closet bursts with frills, dresses, and Manolo Blahniks. When guests check-in, they’ll get a virtual welcome from the show’s star, Sarah Jessica Parker, written in the narrative style of the character she made famous. This television series is available on HBO Max.
“Nights in Rodanthe” (2008)
A Romantic Island Escape to Rediscover Yourself
There is no doubt that this film starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane is an inspiration to plan a romantic getaway on the Outer Banks. Rodanthe is the northernmost village of the inhabited areas of Hatteras Island, where the novel and movie are based.
You may explore the filming sites for Nights in Rodanthe all around the Outer Banks or take the coastal film trail from the Outer Banks to Wilmington. Among the filming locations you can visit is the Hatteras Island Fishing Pier, where the party scene was filmed, and the Old Oregon Inlet Station, which can see in the background of one of the scenes where Gere and Lane were walking along the beach. Jo-Bob’s General Store and Hatteras Ferry Terminal are other sites you can visit to recreate the romantic atmosphere in the movie.
As a part of the Nights at Rodanthe experience, travelers can choose to stay at the original beach house Inn at Rodanthe or book one of the many lodging options around Hatteras Island. You can watch this movie on HBO Max, Apple TV, or Amazon Prime Video.
“Sideways” (2004)
A Memorable Wine-Tasting Weekend with Friends
“Sideways” is a Fox Searchlight feature film that tells the story of a week-long wine-tasting trip. It is a consistently funny character comedy with an emotional reality that makes it something to be cherished, just like the delicate wines of the Santa Ynez Valley, where the story takes place. “Sideways” is a story that can inspire those who have always dreamed of enjoying a wine vacation in California. You can watch it on HBO Max.
Visitors to the Santa Ynez Valley can experience real-life scenes from the movie, from Aj Spurs Saloon & Dining, where Miles and Jack meet a waitress named Cami, to Kalyra Winery, where they meet Stephanie, who becomes the object of Jack’s affection. In addition, you can find some specialty maps and tour packages to explore vineyards and locations from this movie.
“The Truman Show” (1998)
A Dream Family Vacation Come True
If you are currently a fan of reality shows, there is a movie you should see called The Truman Show. You can watch it on Apple TV. Twenty-five years ago, this movie seemed absurd, but today is more of what we see on tv shows. So for those who love reality TV today and remember The Truman Show as a great movie, a trip to Seaside in Florida, the actual film location, could be an unforgettable beach vacation.
This charming beach town was the ideal setting for this movie; its architecture, pastel homes with porches and white picket fences, gives the feeling of Truman’s perfect life, but no, it is just real-life Seaside.
When you want a dream family vacation with The Truman Show style, consider a long weekend in Seaside, home to the most pristine sugar-white beaches, art galleries, boutiques, coastal dune lakes, and miles of hiking and biking trails.
“Mack & Rita” (2022)
A Trendy Adventure in a Bustling City
This movie takes us through Mack’s adventure as she plunges into a regression tank that turns her into a 70-year-old woman (Diane Keaton) while on a bachelorette getaway in Palm Springs. Mack introduces herself to the world as her Aunt Rita, and the young immediately accept the character as an old Instagram influencer. “Mack & Rita” is available on Hulu.
So being Aunt Rita, Mack begins to live a few days full of activity with a schedule of events showing us beautiful places and the cultural and laid-back vibe only Los Angeles can deliver. So if, after watching this fun movie, you feel that an experience in the entertainment capital is what you need on your next vacation, you can start by booking your stay in downtown Culver City, near all the fun in the city. Then attend a yoga class at Alo Yoga to meet celebrities like Claire Danes and Katherine Schwarzenegger since the pilates studio where Aunt Rita goes is permanently closed.
And to savor the jumbo shrimp Rita enjoys on her date with much younger neighbor Jack (Dustin Milligan), you can visit The Galley Restaurant, perfect for delicious fried jumbo shrimp. Also, if you love vintage clothing, add Lemon Frog Shop to your itinerary, where Rita and her best friend Carla (Taylour Paige) find cute bridesmaids’ dresses. Finally, after a morning shopping, you can go to Tacos Delta on Sunset Blvd. to enjoy their flawless chilaquiles.
“Falling for Christmas” (2022)
A Lovely Winter Vacation to Fall in Love
“Falling for Christmas” is a 2022 romcom on Netflix that marked the comeback of Lindsay Lohan. This movie tells the love story of Sierra Beaumont (Lohan), a spoiled but sweet hotel heiress, and Jake (Chord Overstreet), the nearby North Star Lodge owner. The couple meets when Sierra falls down the mountain, and Jake finds her unconscious and concussed that even after medical treatment, Sierra can’t remember who she is or where she came from. Jake welcomes her to stay in the lodge with his daughter and mother-in-law as she tries to jog her memory.
This Christmas romance in a winter wonderland makes us want to plan our next Christmas vacation in the snow. So if the movie location inspired you, the production headed for Deer Valley, near Park City in Utah. A venue for the 2002 Winter Olympics, this resort it’s an upscale destination ideal for a family winter vacation. To have the whole high-end experience of Sierra’s home resort, you can stay at the mountain residences of Goldener Hirsch Luxury Hotel in Deer Valley. You can see there the rooftop pool and hot tub that get plenty of screen time.
And to see more of the beautiful locations on your trip to Utah, you can visit the Blue Boar Inn in Midway, which is the exterior view of Jake’s old-school ski lodge. Park City and Salt Lake were locations for taking the views of the slopes. So if you want to experience a romantic ski adventure as Lindsay Lohan does in this Christmas movie, Park City is the place for you. It is known as Utah’s best-known ski town.
“Yellowstone” (2018)
A Modern Western Journey to Unwind Around Nature
“Yellowstone” is a Paramount drama series and one of the best television shows. Kevin Costner, an award-winning performer in this drama series, is John Dutton, the patriarch of a wealthy and complex family of ranchers. John Dutton has the biggest contiguous ranch in the US.
Throughout history, the Duttons worked in a corrupt environment where oil and lumber companies bribe lawmakers, and land grabs earn developers billions. Dutton’s land borders a burgeoning town, an Indian reserve, and America’s first national park, and it is always at odds with all. Yet, among all the challenging situations that the Dutton family goes through, between all the drama, the incredible love story of Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Rip (Cole Hauser) is something viewers can get enough of and has placed them as the hottest couple of the moment on TV.
Everything that the plot entails is captivating and entertaining for its followers. However, there’s still something more worth highlighting: Montana’s wilderness offer for a breathtaking setting that has viewers wishing they were there. And luckily, the “Yellowstone” show experience is a reality for everyone, the Dutton Ranch in Darby, Montana, has cabins available for rental.
The gorgeous view shown as the Dutton family ranch is the real-life Chief Joseph Ranch, and Lee Dutton (Dave Annable) and Rip’s cabins are among the places you can stay. Renting this place is a deal for fans since it comes with a tour of the ranch and filming sites.
So if this is your favorite show and you want to experience living as the Dutton family, now is the time to start planning your next trip to Montana. While you are staying at the ranch, you can plan a road trip to do a tour of other “Yellowstone” shooting locations. Consider that you may have to drive around since many surrounding scenes are far from the Chief Joseph Ranch (Dutton home).
Yellowstone seasons one through four are available to watch on Peacock.
