While traveling is one of the most exciting ways to leave your comfort zone and explore the world around you, it also plays an instrumental role in your own self-discovery journey. After all, traveling is an inexhaustible source of inspiration, with few things being as helpful in this regard.
UNSPLASH Nikhil PrasadFurthermore, contrary to popular belief, travels are not necessarily expensive. In most cases, you can easily pack all the essentials, including your clothes and mobile devices, as well as e-liquids or analog films, into your carry-on baggage, which will allow you to fly on the cheapest tickets. Additionally, you can find affordable accommodation options if you book in advance.
Now, if you’re expecting your next adventure to be inspiring and fulfilling, you should think of what inspires you the most in life and then start looking for suitable destinations. For some people, visiting the real locations where their favorite movies were filmed will be one of the most uplifting experiences possible. In contrast, others might strive to see the places described in their favorite novels with their own eyes.
Below, you will find many more amazing ideas and enlivening destinations where you can look for inspiration.
Visit Iconic Movie Locations
For many people around the world, movies and TV shows are perhaps the primary sources for inspiration, regardless of whether they tell stories based on true events or are entirely fictional. And since everyone has at least a few of their most favorite motion pictures, why not visit the places where they were filmed?
Before the trip, you can rewatch the film and note the most notable places you would like to visit. For example, it might be Chippewa Square in the city of Savannah, Georgia, which was arguably one of the most iconic filming locations in Forrest Gump (1994), featuring the famous bench on which the main character sat and told his story.
Or, you can go as far as enjoying the most beautiful of the four main Hawaiian islands – Kauai, where the filming of Steven Spielberg’s famous Jurassic Park film series took place. For instance, Mount Wai’ale’ale is one of the Jurassic Park spots you can actually visit and the exact location where the gates to this childhood fantasy were constructed.
And, of course, perhaps one of the most inspirational and astounding places in the world is located in Matamata in New Zealand’s Waikato district – the actual home of Middle-earth and its most recognizable location – Hobbiton. So, if you’re a lifelong fan of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, don’t overlook the opportunity to see Middle-earth with your own eyes – it’s no less than the adventure of a lifetime!
In general, you can find a plethora of places for your next trip just by watching your favorite or new movies. However, in order to plan your next trip thoughtfully, you can use dedicated websites like movie-locations.com that gather information about the filming locations of particular movies in one place. Moreover, many famous movies and film franchises have specially designed tours and guides you can book to explore world-known sites.
Visit Real-Life Literary Landmarks
The thing about literary locations is usually quite the opposite to the books – these are usually real-life places that have inspired different authors in different corners of the world to start writing in the first place. However, visiting real landmarks made famous by classic authors can turn out to be no less inspiring for you than this were for them!
Wouldn’t it be so lovely to walk along the same streets of Paris along with the Senna, which Ernest Hemingway so fascinatingly describes in his novel A Moveable Feast? Or how about visiting the Stanley Hotel in Colorado, which scared Stephen King himself, and became the inspiration for writing the blood-curdling novel The Shining?
In fact, there are so many literary locations to be found and discovered in the United Kingdom alone, that you shouldn’t shy away from the idea of planning a full-fledged literary trip across the UK! From the dramatic views from Top Withens farmhouse that inspired Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights to the “lost corner of England” – Norfolk – that has become a symbolic place for the main characters of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, there are countless options to bring your fictional experiences to life.
All in all, books can provide an endless stream of ideas for the most sophisticated travelers. And novels, short stories, and even poems can be great points of departure for you when it comes to discovering both new experiences and emotions.
Explore Historic Routes
Repeating the path of famous travelers and discoverers can be another great way to diversify your travels or find new perspectives in them. Of course, not everyone can dare to repeat the expedition of Thor Heyerdahl in a wooden raft from Peru to Polynesia. Still, many people can travel across several states to repeat the national historic trail of Lewis and Clark.
And if you would like to combine all the categories described above, you can try and repeat Alex Supertramp’s route from Atlanta to the Stampede trail in Alaska – Chris McCandless’ journey around North America is described in the non-fiction book Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer that was later adapted to a film of the same name directed by Sean Penn. Today, there are special tours to the famous bus in Alaska; however, keep in mind that this destination is risky and requires preparation in advance.
Traveling is the most rewarding way to explore the world around you, as it allows you to learn more about yourself. And travels are naturally inspiring – even a quick weekend getaway to the neighboring state can get you out of the rut and bring new experiences and perspectives into your life.
However, there are so many places from all over the world capable of changing your life once and for all. From tiny villages in New Zealand to great historic routes, every avid traveler can find something that will not only suit their personal needs and expectations but will also become a turning point in their lives. So, choose your next adventure destination – and travel mindfully!
