Soar With Syd

If you’re anything like me, sometimes the suitcase stays in the closet a little too long. When wanderlust hits but travel plans don’t, I love living vicariously through other people’s adventures. My favorite way to do that is watching movies and shows that whisk me away to far off places. Here are my go to screen escapes for when I want to feel like I’m anywhere but here.

Eat Pray Love

This is an undeniably predictable choice that comes to mind for just about every woman with even an ounce of wanderlust in her soul. Liz realizes she’ll never get what she wants from life unless she goes after it, so she sets off for Italy, India, and Bali. The film captures the best parts of travel: indulging in unforgettable meals, meeting extraordinary people, and discovering what truly matters. It’s easy to see yourself in Liz’s emotions. The story reminds us that you can’t outrun your problems, but you can run toward happiness. And while the message is deeply meaningful, I’ll admit my favorite part is still all of the gorgeous, mouthwatering shots of food along the way.

Blended

Who doesn’t love an Adam Sandler movie? In Blended, Jim and Lauren each take advantage of a wealthy friend’s canceled family trip, only to coincidentally end up at the same African resort during its “blended family” week. This one leans more toward vacation than travel, but trust me,you’ll be Googling that resort by the time the credits roll. It reminded me of going on family cruises when I was younger, especially Larry, Jim’s daughter, who develops a vacationship with a boy at their dinner table. Between the shots of African safaris and the resort’s over-the-top events, this movie will have you daydreaming and maybe even searching for flights to Africa.

Mama Mia! Here We Go Again

Don’t get me wrong, the first Mamma Mia! is iconic, and it absolutely makes me want to drop everything and dance on the beaches of Greece. But Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again gives us Donna’s backstory, letting us follow her as she travels toward her dream destination, finding adventure and a little romance along the way. Of course, we still get our fix of ABBA-fueled dance numbers on sun-soaked Greek beaches. The scenery is stunning, and Donna’s go-with-the-flow, adventurous spirit is contagious. You’ll want to pack up and move to Kalokairi (if only it were a real island). As Donna says, “Life is short, the world is wide, I want to make some memories.”

The White Lotus

Much like Blended, The White Lotus is definitely more of a vacation show than a travel show. One of my favorite things about it is how perfectly they capture every type of person you meet on vacation. There’s always at least one character you can relate to each season. Even with all the drama that unfolds, it’s hard not to start Googling the hotels and locations used for filming. (They usually shoot at Four Seasons resorts which, in case you didn’t know, are very expensive, but a girl can dream!)

Emily in Paris

Emily in Paris is undeniably cheesy and full of clichés, but you just can’t help daydreaming while you watch it. Even though I’ll admit I can’t stand the main character, Emily, the rest of the cast is so lovable that it’s easy to get hooked. Through her Parisian friends, she learns to loosen up and stop making her entire life about work. Everything in the show is impossibly glamorous, but watching Emily get humbled every now and then is a nice reminder that life abroad is never as perfect as it looks, especially when you’re trying to make a foreign city your home.