60+ Best Travel Movies That Should Be on Your List
Looking to binge on some of the best travel movies to cure your wanderlust? Yeah, us too! Because there is nothing like a cinematic experience ( even if those travel movies are on Netflix) to whisk you away to far off lands.
Sharing our favourite crazy travel stories on film that have inspired the adventure in us even if the premise of the movie happens to be fictional because regardless of whether you’re working from home, or need to load up on movies before a long flight, this list includes something for everyone.
Roman Holiday – Audrey Hepburn received an Oscar for her role in Roman Holiday. This is the story of a modern-day princess who defies convention and chooses to explore Rome on her own. She meets Gregory Peck (an American businessman) who’s looking for a story and the two fall in love.
The Endless Summer – If you’re looking for the ultimate surfer vacation, Bruce Brown takes you on a trip to find the perfect wave. Their journey takes them to Hawaii, New Zealand, and South Africa in this 1966 travel-related movie documentary.
Easy Rider – Follow two hippie bikers on a motorcycle journey during the year of Woodstock. Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Jack Nicholson take a drug and booze-filled adventure through lush desserts and small towns.
Thelma & Louise – Thelma and Louise are two women who decide to take a trip cross country on a crime spree after they escape from bad relationships. This movie stars Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis. It’s one of the best travel-related movies of the 1990s.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – Guy Pearce, Hugo Weaving, and Terence Stamp are two drag performers and a trans woman who embark on a four-week cabaret engagement in Alice Springs, Australia. And, they’re taking this trip in a lavender school bus they’ve named Priscilla.
The English Patient – In this star-crossed love story, director Anthony Minghella takes you on a journey through pre-war Egypt and post-ware Italy. You’ll love the bombed-out villa in Tuscany and stunning shots of the Egyptian desert.
The Talented Mr. Ripley – If you’d like to take a trip to Italy, sit back and enjoy this film set in the 1950s. Follow Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Matt Damon as they slash their way from the beaches in Lazio to the opulent hotels in Venice.
The Beach – In The Beach, you’ll follow Leonardo DiCaprio as he travels from Bangkok to a distant paradise island after a recommendation from another traveler. Of course, paradise isn’t really what it seems.
Amélie – Amélie is a sheltered young woman who moves to Paris to be a waitress. You’ll see the gorgeous streets of Paris through innocent Amélie’s eyes. Her journey takes you from Montmartre to Canal Saint-Martin and a Pigalle sex shop.
Catch Me If You Can – One of Spielberg’s best travel-related movies, Catch Me if You Can follows Frank as he passes himself off as a pilot, a lawyer, and a doctor. You’ll get a special look at JFK International Airport’s TWA Terminal.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty – This is an inspirational movie about an average man who gets the opportunity to go on an adventure of a lifetime. After dreaming of adventure for years, will he have the courage to go?
Before Sunrise – In this travel-related romance, two passengers meet on a train and decide to explore Vienna at night before they need to part ways in the morning. If you believe in soul mates, this is a must-see movie.
Wild – Wild stars Reese Witherspoon as she takes a solo trip along a 1,100-mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail. Although she has no hiking experience, she decides to walk from the Mojave Desert in California to the Canadian border. We also highly recommend the book!
Under the Tuscan Sun – In Under the Tuscan Sun, an American woman travels to Tuscany where she buys a villa in the countryside. As she restores the home with the help of the villagers, she finds herself. You’ll have the chance to see the rolling hills of Tuscany and the beautiful seaside town of Positano.
Seven Years in Tibet – Follow an Austrian mountain climber as he develops a friendship with the young Dalai Lama. The cinematography is stunning and you will love the views of the Himalayas as well as the rural villages and temples in Tibet.
The Terminal – Tom Hanks stars in The Terminal as a man who is denied entry into New York when a civil war breaks out in his home nation. He ends up spending far too much time at the JFK airport while waiting for the Department of Homeland Security to grant him entry.
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles – This movie stars Steve Martin and John Candy and is a hilarious story about a trip home. Only in a movie starring these two actors can you have cabs that are stolen, planes that don’t take off, trains that have problems, and cars that die.
Euro-Trip – Euro Trip is an adventurous travel movie that tells the story of an American who travels across Europe to find his German pen pal Mieke. Searching for love takes Scott and his best friend on wild adventures to Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Rome.
Couples Retreat – This romantic comedy follows four couples as they travel to St. Regis Bora Bora Resort where they hope to solve their problems. You’ll love traveling to this exotic location where all four couples seem to fall in love again.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel followers British retirees as they travel to India to rediscover themselves. Enjoy the gorgeous sites as their adventures help them feel young again.
Stand by Me – This classic is one of the best travel movies starring Corey Feldman along with River Phoenix, Wil Wheaton, Kiefer Sutherland, Richard Dreyfuss, and Jerry O’Connell. Four young boys find the remains of a missing teenager on a quest in rural Oregon.
Cast Away – Starring Tom Hanks, Castaway is the story of a man who is stranded on an uninhabited island when his plane crashes. He fights to survive amongst a gorgeous island backdrop.
Life of Pi – In Life of Pi, a teenager from India survives a disaster at sea while floating in a life raft trying to reach land. Once there, he encounters a huge Bengal tiger and discovers a strength he didn’t know he had. The beautiful scenes as he’s lost at sea are truly stunning.
Unbranded – Unbranded is the story of four recent college grads as they take a trip across the United States from the border of Mexico to the border of Canada. What makes this story unique is that they traveled on the back of Wild Mustangs.
Indochine – This movie won the academy award for Best Foreign Film in 1992. It takes place in the 1930s French colonial era in Vietnam. The gorgeous costumes and stunning scenery make this a must-see film for anyone who enjoys historical travel movies.
The Holiday – there’s a very good chance that The Holiday is on your friend’s or mom’s favorite travel movie list. It has everything- Cameron Diaz, house swapping, beautiful landscapes, British accents. I mean what else do we need to say?
Gringo Trails – Gringo Trail is a slightly different type of travel movie. This documentary discusses how we can balance the needs of travelers with the needs of developing nations who desperately need revenue.
180° South – Go on a trip to Patagonia as a group of young friends travel with their surfboards and climbing gear. Watch as they experience the decline of the natural world and are inspired to stop industrialism in this travel movie.
Away We Go – Follow the adventures of a couple expecting their first child as they travel around the United States and Montreal searching for a place to settle down. They meet wonderful friends on this search to find the home of their dreams.
Hit the Road: Inda – In this travel adventure documentary, you will follow Richard Gazarian and Keith King as they take a 12-day rickshaw ride across India. You will love the sites on their journey from Mumbai to Chennai.
Into the Wild – Into the Wild documents the journey of Christopher McCandless as he struggles to find himself on a road trip through the western United States. After selling all his belongings, he travels to Denali National Park to live in solitude in the Alaskan wilderness.
Monsoon Wedding – Vasundhara Das prepares for a traditional Punjabi Hindu arranged wedding in Delhi. As families travel across the globe for this wedding, you’ll enjoy the chaos and the scenery in this movie.
The Bucket List – Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman are a terminally ill pair who decide to escape from the cancer ward to complete their list of adventures before they die. You’ll travel to Tanzania, the Great Wall of China, and Nepal among others.
Wild China – Wild China is a six-part documentary that will introduce you to the beauty of China. You’ll get an in-depth look at China’s greatest natural wonders. You’ll see the animals and nature in a way that many aren’t able to experience.
Up in the Air – This is the story of a corporate downsizing expert who travels from place to place giving people their pink slips. But, will he give up his vagabond existence when he meets the woman of his dreams?
The Way – Martin Sheen Camino de Santiago in Spain to honor his son who died on the walk. The Camino de Santiago is a trail extending from France to Spain. The scenery is stunning and the journey is touching as he tries to complete his son’s journey.
The Last Holiday – Starring Queen Latifah, in The Last Holiday, a woman who is diagnosed with a terminal disease takes her life savings out of the bank to enjoy her final holiday at a luxurious resort. She vows to enjoy everything she has never done from base jumping to snowboarding.
Tracks – Based on a true story, Tracks follows Robyn, three camels and her dog on a journey across Australia where she must learn to survive. She’s visited by a National Geographic photographer and accompanies a tribal elder on her journey.
Coco – Ok, so yes this is a cartoon, and yes we know that it’s fictional, but try watching the movie and not want to experience Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico. Also, while it is on our list of best travel movies, it’s extremely difficult to watch this movie without crying. Fair warning.
The best travel movies on Netflix
Don’t worry, we have you covered as the movie lovers we are. While not all of the movies on our list are the latest, they do show off the scenery of the locations that they were shot so beautifully.
Y Tu Mamá También– the story of two best friends who are joined by an older woman on their adventure of searching for a fictional beach in Mexico. It’s partially filmed in Oaxaca, and it does a beautiful job showing off the wonders of Mexico.
Eat Pray Love – the movie and book that launched all the yoga retreats in Bali. Eat Pray Love is a movie about second chances at life and being able to find yourself in unexpected places, and is most like one of the best travel movies out there if you’re looking for a little of bit of everything.
Lion – The story of Saroo, a young boy who gets separated from his family at the age of five and ends up being adopted by an Australian couple. He decides to return to India 25 years later to search for his birth parents. You will cry. Don’t say that we didn’t warn you.
Wine Country – This movie has wine, best friends, and sweeping views of Napa Valley. It also has six women who question their friendships and futures when they travel to celebrate to wine country (aka Napa Valley) to celebrate a birthday.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi – No list of the best travel films on Netflix is complete without this gem on it. One of the few documentaries on our list- Jori focuses on an 85-year-old (Jiro Ono, now 92) sushi master from Japan who owns a three Michelin-starred restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro. The thing that we love about this movie is that it not only focused on beauty of Tokyo (and doesn’t shy away from showing the grit but also showcases the insane work ethic of this enigma of a man as well.
Gold – This movie has Matthew McConaughey, Indonesia, and is based on the Bre-X mining scandal. Totally worth watching.
The Tourist– Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, Italy, intrigue, mystery and did we say Italy? Because if that isn’t a recipe for great travel film than we don’t know what is!
The Hangover Part II– Being fully honest, this movie will make you question your life choices but also make you really want to visit Bangkok.
While there are so many more travel movies that we can add to the list, we wanted to share a little of bit everything so you have a taste of the broader world beautifully set in a world of fiction, and we narrowed it down to this list.
