9 TV and Film Industry-Inspired Vacations You Can Take

Posted on: Jul 02, 2021

A hobbit house in New Zealand surrounded by greenery on a sunny day.Photo Credit: Blue Planet Studio / Shutterstock.com

By Staff Me Up

If you are compelled to take a vacation that gets you off the couch and also explores your film or TV fandom, you’re not alone. According to a study from photoAiD, 78% of Americans are likely or very likely to spring for a TV or movie-themed vacation in 2023 and beyond. The best part is that no matter what type of traveler you are, there is literally something for everyone.

Here are nine great ideas to help you plan your next cinematic adventure:

Self-Guided TV Fandom Adventure

If you have a favorite TV show with famous scenery, you can easily look up the shooting locations by visiting fan pages, or the show’s IMDb or Wikipedia pages. Hop in an RV and take a self-guided trip around New Mexico to relive your favorite Breaking Bad scenes, or grab a Jeep and tour the beaches and hatches from Lost in Hawaii.

Fantasy Fiction Group Tour

You can take multi-week international vacations to some of the most beautiful and famous movie sets of Middle- and Upper-Earth. Want to see where Ned Stark lost his head, or the home of hobbits? Take a Game of Thrones adventure through Northern Ireland or a walking tour of Middle-Earth in New Zealand.

Indiana Jones World Tour

Want to see some of the greatest places in the world and satisfy your inner child’s demands to become Indiana Jones? Travel the world and visit Petra, Hawaii, Tunisia, France, Sri Lanka and many other amazing places featured in various films like Raiders of the Lost Ark. You might want to leave the bullwhip at home, since TSA will definitely have questions.

Movie-On-Every-Corner City Tour

If you find yourself in Paris, New York, London or any other magical movie city, you can track down some sites from famous movie scenes all around you. For example, if you’re in Paris you can eat at the cafe from Amélie, stroll under the bridges from Inception or pretend you’re solving ancient riddles when you’re visiting the Louvre like in The Da Vinci Code. A great one to try if you’re in New York is finding the Ghostbusters film locations—starting with the firehouse.

Theme Park Crossover Experience

You don’t need kids to immerse yourself in the movie magic of theme parks. Nothing in the world is quite like dining at movie-themed restaurants, riding along with your favorite adventure movies or getting your picture taken with characters that come to life from your favorite cartoons.

Off-The-Beaten-Path One-Offs

Odds are if you’re visiting an interesting city, it was used as a filming location. You could be right around the corner from the house used in A Christmas Storythe burger joint from Dazed and Confused or Camp Towanda from Wet Hot American Summer.

Inspiration-For-Your-Next-Big-Idea Tour

Seeking inspiration for your own project? Many movie makers take inspiration from their surroundings, so make sure to take in the sights, sounds and characters you encounter on your travels, as they most surely will influence your future projects. You’d be surprised with what you come up with when it comes to drafting your world, characters and environments.

Abandoned-Film-Set Destination Vacation in Malta

If you can’t decide between world travel and going to Disney World, then Malta may be the vacation solution that you need. For the production of Popeye, an entire town was built, filmed and then left behind. The locals have maintained the town, dubbed “Popeye Village,” and it is now one of most popular destinations in Anchor Bay. And if you’re staying in Malta, your inner Indiana Jones might want to take a tour of the archipelago, as it’s home to some of the oldest temples in the world.

Backlot Tours

If you’re in a film-centric city like Los Angeles, backlot tours are a great way to check out sets from your favorite shows while getting familiar with a studio you may someday work at.

Whether your next adventure takes you to ancient ruins, theme parks or city sightseeing, you don’t have to travel to faraway lands to work in the industry.

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