10 Family Friendly Movies That Make Me Want to Travel

Movies have inspired my travel and adventures. Not due to the storyline but because of the scenery, freedom, and joy that it brings to me. 

Have you ever watched a movie that has made you want to travel? A movie that you get so lost in, it makes you want to go on an adventure. 

Check out the 10 family-friendly movies that make me want to travel or go on an adventure. 

1. Home Alone – Lost in New York (1992)

We all fell in love with the first movie. To this day, it is one of the most watched Christmas movies around the world. Well, Kevin comes back in another installment; also set at Christmas. 

In this movie, Kevin loses his family in the airport. He ends up arriving in New York City, rather than in Florida with his family. Rather than whining or worrying, he simply makes the most of it. After he swindles his way into the Plaza Hotel by claiming to be with his father, he runs into some familiar faces as he wanders the streets of Manhattan. 

I first saw this movie when I was a little girl. Since then I had a bucket list of everything I wanted to do in New York. FAO Schwarz. Central Park. Times Square. When I was 29, I was able to see it all, including snow! Except for the Rockefeller Christmas tree. To this day, it remains on my bucket list.

2. Letters to Juliet (2010)

Sophie and her fiancé Victor are planning a pre-wedding/business vacation to Verona. Victor is engrossed with business, so Sophie is left to sightsee alone. She visits Juliet’s famous home, where for years, lovelorn ladies have placed notes seeking advice on Juliet’s stone wall. Sophie is encouraged to join the villagers that remove and then respond to Juliet’s letters each day. One of the letters that she replies to is a 50-year-old letter that sends her on an adventure like no other.

Seeing the stunning architecture of Verona certainly makes me want to head back to this city of romance and explore some more. I stood on Juliet’s balcony and saw the wall of love notes in 2006. Abut after seeing this movie, I long to go back. If heading to an Italian city is not for you, still check out this movie. You will certainly fall in love with the country with the many scenes of rolling landscapes and idyllic locations. 

3. Top End Wedding (2019)

I stumbled across this Aussie gem on a long-haul flight. I loved Miranda Tapsell in The Sapphires so I was curious to see her in another movie. 

Career focused Lauren only has 10 days off to head to her hometown of Darwin and get married. When Lauren and her fiance Ned arrive in Darwin, they discover her Mum, Daffy has gone AWOL. The adventure begins to get Daffy to be in Darwin for her daughter’s wedding. 

This movie takes viewers through some of the most spectacular scenery of the Northern Territory including the Tiwi Islands. The peaceful landscapes and stunning nature had me hooked. I had never had a desire to visit this region of Australia but that all changed after seeing this movie. 

4. Holiday in the Wild (2019)

Kate; an affluent New York lady who got married, had a son, and gave up her career as a veterinarian, finds herself traveling solo on her second honeymoon. Her 5-star African Safari turns into an unplanned wild adventure at an elephant sanctuary. 

I saw this movie after going on safari twice in Africa. I must admit the scenery used in this Netflix original just made me want to head back even more. Of course, you know with these types of movies there is a romance and a happy ending. However, that predictable storyline doesn’t take away from the African landscapes that are shown from many angles. 

If you are unsure if an African safari is for you, then this is a must see movie. You do get a true feel for what it is like seeing the animals in the wild. My advice is to not overthink where the movie is set as there are some flaws in the script with this. 

5. Mamma Mia – Here we go again (2018)

Fans of ABBA and the first movie are sure to surely love this movie. But those who want to travel or love travelling will also love what they see on the screen, especially if you want to head to Greece. 

The sequel shows Sophie getting ready to open the Bella Donna accommodation; a year after the death of her mother. We see through flashbacks (and of course great songs) how Donna came to live on the island after leaving college and waiting to see the world. 

The stunning blue and white that travel dreamers associate with Greece are surrounded by the sparkling waters throughout scenes of the movie. It definitely makes you want to Google if the island that the movie is set on, really exists, as well as search how much is a flight to the Greek Islands!

6. Up (2009)

No, I am not crazy. I know that Up is an animated movie but it is based on a real place!

Carl is not a lonely man since the passing of his wife. The couple’s dream was to explore Paradise Falls and over the years all the saving and planning still didn’t see their dream coming true. A chance meeting sees Russell, a young boy scout, arrive at Carl’s house. Russell, who is also lonely, desires nothing more than to have a friend. The two kindle an unlikely friendship and magically head to Paradise Falls where adventure awaits them.

Paradise Falls is based on Angel Falls in Venezuela. Most people only find this out after using Google to see if Paradise Falls from the movie is a real place. Whether or not you desire to head to South America, this movie just makes you want to have an adventure, whether young or old. 

For me, this movie is very emotional. If you have not seen it, make sure you are prepared with tissues. It shows that you shouldn’t wait for the perfect time to follow your dreams. 

7. Big Fish (2003)

An odd choice, but one of my favourite movies because it shows that no matter your adventure, there is always a good story to tell. 

Ed Bloom is an aging man that has become alienated from his son William over the years.  William has conformed to Society’s standards of “normal” and “accepted” behavior. William has been increasingly jaded by the bogus stories Ed tells him over and over and thinks his dad is a little crazy. 

Throughout the movie we see the stories being told to William and his pregnant wife; who adores listening to Ed. Those stories are played out on the screen making us see how wonderful seeing the world really was for Ed. 

I think we can all be a little guilty of exaggerating an experience when we tell a story, but it still shouldn’t stop us from sharing our stories with those who are willing to listen. 

8. The Sound of Music (1965)

Maybe this is an odd “travel” movie for some but the stunning landscapes of Austria and the wide-open spaces that are shown in the movie make you feel like you are there with Maria and the Von Trapp family. 

This classic film is full of beautiful music and is perfect for hopeless romantics. The anxiety and dread of the historical period are also well-represented as well. The film follows the story of young nun Maria, and her meeting of the Von Trapp family. When the Nazis come to Austria, The Von Trapp family needs to make some difficult decisions about their future.

As I have loved this movie since I was a little girl, when I actually drove through what I refer to as “Sound of Music” country in 2006, I couldn’t believe that it looked the same after all those years. I still have not wandered through the streets of Salzburg but it is still on my list. 

9. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

The US government hires Indiana Jones, an archaeologist, and adventurer, in 1936 to discover the missing Ark of the Covenant, which is rumored to be buried in a subterranean vault someplace in Egypt. His journey brings him to Nepal to collect a critical object, then to Cairo in a desperate race against time to locate the Ark before Nazi operatives track it down.

It makes perfect sense that this movie sparks the desire for adventure. Even after all these years after the movie was released, the places that Indiana Jones visits throughout his movies still bring a feeling of mystery and wonder if those myths and legends are real! 

While personally, I have not been to the places where Indiana Jones made his discoveries, I still get the urge to see the world when I hear the iconic John Williams soundtrack. 

10. The Parent Trap (1961 & 1998)

I have included both versions of this loved family movie as they both show off some of the real sites of the US, and the 1998 version, some of the gorgeous streets of London. 

The storyline is the same for both of the movies. Two identical-looking 11-year-old girls meet at summer camp and discover they are long-lost twins of divorced parents who live far away. They decide to make a move to meet their other parents, bring them back together, and remarry once they realize they’ve made a shift. 

As a kid, I could not help to wonder if Summer Camps in the US were that awesome and beautiful. When my daughter watched the 1998 version a few years ago, she asked the same question. What we do know from both of these movies is that we see some of the USA’s most stunning National Parks and in the later version, the rolling vineyards of the Napa Valley. Adventures in the great outdoors are sought after seeing either of these movies. 

Final Thoughts

Everyone is different when it comes to the feelings and emotions that a movie can bring. While these are just a handful of my favourite, I would love to know the movies that make you want to travel. 

Comment below your favourites and why.