33 Travel and Wanderlust Movies for the perfect Movie Night (Update 2024)

32 Travel and Wanderlust Movies for the perfect Movie Night
Photo by Jakob Owens

Travel movies are nowadays waiting for you today almost at every corner. It is about traveling Europe, driving through the middle of nowhere in the USA or crossing it from East to West, backpacking South America, and so on.

There are also many documentaries about traveling the world, but this is a different story. In this article we focus on the travel and wanderlust movies; the kind of film material for a travel-lover movie night.

Update: You find ALL wanderlust movies in our shop.

32 Travel and Wanderlust Movies for the perfect Movie Night We love good movies, and we love travel. And although we are Hostelgeeks, you will not find anything about this weird hostel movie. You know, that incredibly bad movie that made people be scared of hostels.

Watching a travel-related movie is great for the time you are stuck at home; while waiting for your flight, or even during your flight! Anna prefers watching a movie during our trips, for me, I prefer listening to music.

You can check our travel playlist here:

Top Travel movies and Backpacking films

We are keen to share with you our favorite travel movies and backpacking movies. Certainly, the best films about travel.

Let’s start with a classic:

1. Indiana Jones

Pack your hat, pack your horsewhip – it is time to rescue a beautiful woman, and some old treasure. It is time to fight Nazis in foreign countries. Indiana Jones is a classic when it comes to travel movies. Everybody in your hostel will know this one.

“Indiana Jones is the Oasis – Wonderful of wanderlust movies!”

– Matt, Hostelgeeks

If not, make sure they do organize a movie night and the hostel, get some pop corn and enjoy the show! A movie night is always great to make friends.

Read: 18 unwritten Hostel rules and how to build lifetime friendships.

There are four Indiana Jones movies:

  • Raiders of the Lost Ark
  • Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
  • Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
  • Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Which is your favorite?

Good to know: There is rumor about a new Indiana Jones 5, scheduled for 2020.

Get Indiana Jones with Amazon.

2. L’Auberge Espagnole (2002)

One of the reason why Barcelona is full of so many students; L’auberge Espagnole.

Xavier, a 24-year-old French student, attends the ERASMUS program in Barcelona as part of his professional pursuits against the wishes of his girlfriend.

He finds a space in an apartment with other students.

His housemates are from England, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Germany, and Denmark, creating an ambiance of chaos and culture shock. You can imagine, this is the full European-kind of backpacker hostel experience, just with full-time sharing a flat.

The room mates develop a unique companionship as they struggle together through their cultural and linguistic challenges.

You realize that, same as when you are traveling, even if no one speaks the same language everyone can understand you.

No need to say, this movie is about culture, sex and friendship.

Be prepared of many bites of Barcelona, which will incite you to visit the city!

Need more reasons for visiting Barcelona?

Read: 23 FUN things to Do in Barcelona

3. Vacation (2015)

A more modern from 2015 Hollywood also makes the cut. “Vacations” is a new movie from Ed Helms, one of the actors of Hangover and American Version of “The Office“. Hangover is obviously also on this list, keep scrolling down.

Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) surprises his wife and two sons with a cross-country excursion to America’s favorite fun park.

The gang pack up the car and hit the road for some much-needed family bonding.

Soon, the promise of fun turns into one misadventure after another.

An American comedy, easy to watch with a lot of hints.

4. A Map For Saturday

That’s not just a movie about traveling the world but more a documentary.

A “Map for Saturday” reveals a world solo travel through the stories of trekkers on four continents.

It tracks the emotional arc of extreme long-term travelers; teenagers and senior citizens who wondered, “What would it be like to travel the world?” Then they went for it.

“On a trip around the world,

every day feels like Saturday”

5. Amélie (2001)

Classic! French! Romantic!

You will find this film on every list of the best movies about traveling.

Amélie is the movie about traveling, dreaming, escaping.

The acclaimed director Jean-Pierre Jeunet invokes his incomparable visionary style to capture the exquisite charm and mystery of modern-day Paris through the eyes of a beautiful ingenue.

It is shot in over 80 Parisian locations, so be aware it might inspire your next trip.

Convinced to visit the French capital? Then go and read our article: 27 Fun Things to Do in Paris

6. The English Patient (1996)

The English patient is a poetic, evocative film version of the famous novel by Michael Ondaatje circles down through layers of mystery until all of the puzzles in the story have been solved, and only the great wound of a doomed love remains.

It is the kind of movie you can see twice – first time for the questions, the second for the answers.

Here is the trailer.

7. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

Raoul (Johnny Depp) and his sidekick (Benicio Del Toro) drive to Las Vegas a red convertible across the Mojave desert to Las Vegas with a suitcase full of drugs to cover a motorcycle race for Sports.

As their consumption of drugs increases at an alarming rate, the stoned duo trash their hotel room and fear legal repercussions.

The film should show the ”hip” drug culture of the 60’s and 70’s deteriorated into a crack epidemic that devastated America’s cities and destroyed countless thousands of lives.

The main characters wander witlessly past the bizarre backdrops of Las Vegas (some real, some hallucinated, all interchangeable) while zonked out of their minds.

This movie is awesome, I love it. Even in case you would not be into, Fear And Loathing in Las Vegas is a must-watch.

8. Lord of the Rings/ The Hobbit

A pinch more nerdy, okay okay…

But, come one, someone has to throw the ring into the fire!

When Frodo told us one lesson than it is not to take the ring, you will pay it maybe with your life.

However, he had the time of his life while traveling through whole middle earth, fighting dangerous creatures, and hiding from Sauron and his fire eye. So, think twice before taking the ring.

It will change your life for ever! The Lord of the Ring is a fantasy travel movie you can always watch.

The Lord of the Rings is a film series of three:

  1. The Fellowship of the Ring
  2. The Two Towers
  3. The Return of the King

The “Hobbit” is also travel-inspiring movies. here you can watch as well three parts:

  1. An Unexpected Journey
  2. The Desolation of Smaug
  3. The Battle of the Five Armies

9. Que Tan Lejos (2006)

I apologize beforehand, as this movie is just for Spanish speakers.

Two travelers, Trizteza (which means sadness) and Esperanza (which means hope), are unexpectedly traveling together through Ecuador.

Que Tan Lejos means something like “pretty far away”.

On their journey, they are forced to hitchhiking, as a local strike makes it impossible to travel by bus.

While hitchhiking, they meet Jesus and later Andrés.

A true and epic backpacking adventure. You can find the movie with English subtitles.

Read: 75 Adventure quotes to push your thirst of Adrenaline

10. Catch Me If You Can (2002)

One of the best comedy travel movies.

Catch me if you can” is Spielberg’s first collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio and fourth with Tom Hanks.

Tom Hanks AND Leonardo Di Caprio? We will find these two for sure once more in this list.

Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a teenage student with an incredible talent. He steals more than $2 million pretending to be a pilot, a doctor and a lawyer.

Will Tom Hanks, the FBI agent, catch him?

Catch me if you can is one of Steven Spielberg’s funniest movies.

11. Seven Years In Tibet (1997)

I think, this is one of my first wanderlust movies I ever watched as a young kid.

Is Tibet on our bucket list?

Wait till the end of the movie for your answer. For me Tibet was on my list ever since Brad Pitt met Dalai Lama.

Seven Years in Tibet” is an American war drama film based on a book of Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountaineer who attempt to scale a Himalayan peak is interrupted by the Second World War. Heinrich Harrer was imprisoned by the Chinese military, but he managed to escape.

After many adventures, he finds himself in Tibet where he befriends the Dalai Lama, gaining maturity and humility.

This movie is based on a real story!

However, turbulent times lie ahead.

12. Into the Wild (2007)

We waited a long time before watching “Into The Wild“. This movie romanticized the solo-travel life, the van life, the urge of being out there and explore something else than Skyscrapers and school exams.

It is such a famous travel movie, we expected a lot when we pushed the play button!

We were not disappointed.

Into The Wild is an inspiring travel movie about today’s advantages, and the things people can miss in this new world.

Truly inspiring, and also based on a true story!

This movie is also full of adventure quotes.

Read: 75 Adventure quotes to push your thirst of Adrenaline

13. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

Again Barcelona and one of the best Woody Allen films of all times. Vicky and Cristina (Scarlett Johanson), two American friends, visit Barcelona for the summer time.

While in Barcelona, they meet an artist, Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), who is attracted to both of them while still in love of his mentally and emotionally unstable ex-wife Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz).

While the two are great friends, Vicky is practical and traditional in her approach to love and commitment, whereas Cristina imagines herself to be a nonconformist, spontaneous but unsure of what she wants from life or love.

Cristina starts a relationship with Juan Antonio and, while living together, Juan Antonio brings his ex-wife Maria Elena to live with them. All three become romantically involved with one another.

But that is not the end of the story, as Vicky will show up again.

A wanderlust movie full of sex, romance, drama and a pinch of culture. After that film, you might consider moving to Spain…

Get the full movie here.

14. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

We watched this movie at the Openair Montjuic Cinema in Barcelona.

Sitting under the sky of Barcelona we got amazed by “The Grand Budapest Hotel“. This movie has a different style of storytelling. A unique movie, like none else on this list.

It was the best movie we have watched in 2015. If you just have time for one to watch, make it this one!

In the 1930s, the Grand Budapest Hotel is a popular European ski resort, presided over by concierge Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes).

Zero, a junior lobby boy, becomes Gustave’s friend and protege.

Gustave prides himself on providing first-class service to the hotel’s guests,

When one of Gustave’s lovers dies mysteriously, Gustave finds himself the recipient of a priceless painting and the chief suspect in her murder.

Here is the trailer. I hope you will love it as much as I do.

Read: 5 Secret tips to Budapest

15. Secret Life Of Walter Mitty

This one is for the ones still in doubt if they would love travel. This movie is for the ones stuck in a “boring” office life, dreaming of the big world out there. Or not?

Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) is an employee at LIFE magazine. He spends monotonous day after monotonous day developing photos for the publication. He does not even have enough “life” to add something to his online profile on a dating platform.

To escape the tedium, Walter inhabits a world of exciting daydreams in which he is the undeniable hero.

He gets a chance to have a real adventure when Life’s new owners send him on a mission to obtain the perfect photo for the final print issue.

Fighting sharks, flying a helicopter and playing football in the nowhere in the Himalaya Mountains.

We warn you: you will get many inspiration trips.

Watch the full wanderlust film here.

16. Hangover

First of all, this must be the most Hollywood-kind of movie on this list: Hangover! It is super fun for an easy-going movie night!

Three friends on a crazy stag party in Las Vegas.

When the three groomsmen wake up the next morning, they can’t remember a thing; nor can they find the Groom.

As the wedding is happening in two days, they have little time to spare.

These unconventional friends try to re-trace their steps and find the Groom so they can get him back to Los Angeles in time to walk down the aisle.

We won’t tell you if they make it on time, but we do assure you lots of laughs. There is tattoos, sex, prostitutes, drugs, limousines, tigers and boxer Mike Tyson.

I guess, “what happens in Vegas, stay in Vegas” isn’t always true…

There is more than one movie “Hangover”:

Hit play for the trailer to watch the trailer of The Hangover 1.

17. Midnight in Paris (2011)

From a crazy stag-party in Las Vegas to dreaming Paris all over!

Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) is a screenwriter and aspiring novelist. Vacationing in Paris with his fiancee , he has taken to touring the city alone.

On one such late-night excursion, Gil encounters a group of strange – yet familiar – revelers, who sweep him along, apparently back in time, for a night with some of the Jazz Age’s icons of art and literature.

The more time Gil spends with these cultural heroes of the past, the more dissatisfied he becomes with the present.

Paris in the morning is beautiful,

but Paris after midnight, it’s magical

A romantic movie to inspire Wanderlust and French literature.

Watch the full movie Midnight in Paris here.

18. Safety Not Guaranteed

Watching the movie trailer of Safety not Guaranteed leaves you back with many questions.

Actually, when we watched the trailer, we were not sure if we should hit the play button.

However, a friend recommended it. So we gave it a try as we were sure, we can blame the friends afterwards.

We didn’t blame him, had a blast, and now Safety Not Guaranteed is another fantasy-kind of movie about time travel you should watch. It is an entertaining movie that has nothing to do with cheesy hollywood, it’s more a kind of indie-movie.

19. Romancing the Stone (1984)

An old dowdy romantic-adventure.

A city girl in a Colombian jungle wants to save her sister, who will be killed if a treasure map is not delivered to her kidnappers.

Yes you read well:

  • a city girl
  • a treasure map
  • and the Colombian jungle…

This story would not be so interesting if the protagonist hadn’t met a brash mercenary, who helps her search for the priceless gem located in the map.

Do you think they will find it? Funny, entertaining, curious. Watch the trailer below, here you can find the full film.

20. National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)

The original “Vacation” movie. A family road trip movie. What could possibly go wrong?!

A family wants to bring their two children on a country trip from their home in Chicago to the Californian theme park Walley World.

During the family’s travels, they run into numerous mishaps, such as being tagged by vandals. When they finally make it to the Walley World, they find …

You know what, just watch the trailer and then the film. Enjoy!

21. Back to the Future (1985)

If you ever want to make me happy and become the best friend of my life, buy me a DeLorean!

Okay, who does not know this movie?

Everybody in the 90s wished to have a hover board like in Back to the Future, and other inventions like the DeLorean.

Back to the Future is THE movie about time travel, and it is always worth it to watch it over and over again.

There are three episodes though.

  1. Back to the Future (1985)
  2. Back to the Future Part II (1989)
  3. Back to the Future Part III (1990)

Make sure you don’t miss any single one and watch in the right order.

22. Run Lola Run (1998)

Talking about Time Travel, “Run Lola Run” is a different type. Not at all time travel, actually.

Lola has 3 chances to rescue her boyfriend, and every time she does something different, she changes the outcome. It is a kind of butterfly effect.

Are you familiar with the butterfly effect? “Run Lola Run” is a great example for the chaos theory.

Here is the trailer from the 1998s movie.

23. UP

A Pixar animation and the only animated movie in this list: UP!

A 78-year-old balloon salesman, Carl Fredricksen, is about to fulfill a lifelong dream.

Tying thousands of balloons to his house, he flies away to the South American wilderness.

But Carl’s worst nightmare comes true when he discovers a little boy named Russell is a stowaway aboard the balloon-powered house.

A real adventure movie for kids and adults alike.

The movie is a bit sad but it shows quite some values you can always follow. One of our favorite wanderlust films on this list!

Update: Another fantastic pixar movie is Finding NEMO

24. Crocodile Dundee

This is another classic, right before we end this article.

It is a “reverse” kind of travel movie, where the experienced Australian adventurer Crocodile Dundee visits the Big Apple, New York City. Born and raised in Australia, killing Crocodiles and other deadly animals, you can imagine this kind of person gets into trouble when stepping into the world of Sky scrappers, Starbucks and stocks.

Certainly an entertaining film!

25. Wanderlust (2012)

Hippie meets city couple. “Wanderlust” is a 2012 American comedy film, starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd.

As a married couple they try to escape modern society by finding themselves on a commune in Georgia, after the economy crashes down on their dreams in New York City.

A movie full of laughter, hippies, penises and laughter.

26. The Art of Travel

How about I tell you I have this full movie “The Art of Travel” for you?

You can buy and rent all films on this list directly on Amazon.

The Art of Travel is my favorite movie for Solo-Traveler!

It is about a young men. He is about to get married and in the last moment, he changed his mind and his life from now on. He ends up in Central America, leaves the United States and goes out there to find dangerous adventure and the full backpacker experience.

Watch the trailer to get an idea.

This, for me, is the best backpacker movie out there.

27. Not Today

While we like to focus more on the romantic side of life, there is also a dark side of this world to explore.

A dark side you may not even want to know about. But, when traveling the world, these kind of experiences or connections are part of what makes a backpacker, in a way, as well.

Not Today” from 2013 is a movie about high-school friends visiting India. Focusing on party and an excessive nightlife, one of the friends gets in touch with the poorest. This encounter will change his life and opens up a dark side of India: children prostitution and slavery.

This is a great movie, not entertaining, but shocking and eye-opening. A travel-related drama.

28. Eurotrip

Two friends, two friends, 8 countries across Europe.

As a European I have to say, this movie is very “American”, but I can see why it is funny. It is really ironic. A young kid paints himself a Hitler beard, touchy Italians, nude beaches, crazy alcohol, prostitutes in Amsterdam…

The Eurotrip is full of weird stories. Really entertaining. Yet again, “very American”. Travel to Europe and experience it for yourself.

Read: 21 best places to visit in Europe in Summer

29. Away We Go

Verona De Tessant (Maya Rudolph) and Burt Farlander (John Krasinski) are in their early 30s living in the Denver, Colorado area and struggling to meet daily needs and build fulfilling lives. When they learn they will soon become parents, they are confronted with the challenge of how – and where – to raise a child and build a happy family.

The parents move away to Europe and suddenly, everything seems possible.

A comedy-drama about love and possibilities. Watch “Away we go” directly through Amazon.

30. Wild

An award-winning movie with Reese Witherspoon: WILD!

Despite a lack of hiking experience, recent divorcée Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) leaves her home town to hike 1,100 miles of the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail on a journey of self-discovery and healing.

During the hike, Strayed reflects in flashbacks on her childhood in Minnesota and memories of her mother, Bobbi Grey (Laura Dern). Bobbi’s death from cancer sent Cheryl into a deep depression that she tried to numb with heroin and anonymous sex, which eventually destroyed her marriage to her husband Paul (Thomas Sadoski). After finding out she was pregnant, Strayed got an abortion and resolved to hike the trail to redeem herself.

31. The Way

The most famous Walk in the Western world: Camino de Santiago in North Spain.

The main character loses his son in the Pyrenees Mountains doing the Camino De Santiago. On the way picking up the ashes of his son, the father decides to walk the walk – together with his son ashes.

The Way is a tragic, dramatic, entertaining traveler movie about the magic of The Walk, friendship and life.

Read: 3 Stories from Camino De Santiago

32. Castaway

The movie “Cast Away” comes with Tom Hanks. So it has to be good right?!

Based on a true story, one lucky fellow strands on a lonely island after the plane crashes down.

What does he do? He tries to survive.

It does not get more challenging than that.

33. Planet Earth

The last item on this list: Planet Earth. After all these man-made movies and stories, let’s have a look what mother nature has to say.

This movie shows the wildlife and will leave you with goosebumps. Incredible. Fascinating. Planet Earth.

They follow three different families and show incredible footage you have never seen before.

Where to watch the movies?

You can buy all movies on Amazon Prime. This is the easiest way to get a movie to your laptop.

You can rent most of the movies. This means you have the movie available for a certain amount of time. This is cheaper and prices start from as low as $1.

Summary: Overview of best Wanderlust Movies

I hope you enjoyed this list and I really hope you found some inspiration here.

I am summarizing here the full list again, just for an overview:

  1.  Indiana Jones
  2. L’Auberge Espagnole
  3. Vacation
  4. A Map For Saturday
  5. Amélie
  6. The English Patient
  7. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
  8. Lord of the Rings/ The Hobbit
  9. Que Tan Lejos
  10. Catch Me If You Can
  11. Seven Years in Tibet
  12. Into The Wild
  13. Vicky Cristina Barcelona
  14. The Grand Budapest Hotel
  15. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
  16. Hangover
  17. Midnight in Paris
  18. Safety Not Guaranteed
  19. Romancing the Stone
  20. National Lampoon’s Vacation
  21. Back To The Future
  22. Run Lola Run
  23. UP
  24. Crocodile Dundee
  25. Wanderlust
  26. The Art of Travel
  27. Not Today
  28. Eurotrip
  29. Away We Go
  30. Wild
  31. The Way
  32. Castaway
  33. Planet Earth

Over to you

Let us know on the comments below if you watched them, if you liked them (or not) and if we missed your favorite one.

We are always keen to add good movies to our list.

Which are your favorite kind of travel movie?

  • comedy travel movies
  • adventure movies
  • movies about traveling the world

I would love to hear about them.

Please leave a comment below with your favorite one and I’ll check it. I need a new one for the next flight.

 

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32 Travel and Wanderlust Movies for the perfect Movie Night

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