The travel trend turning movie scenes into bucket-list trips - USA Today

Cathy Whitlock’s family didn’t travel much growing up, but she explored the world another way: through movies.

She spent weekends at a local theater in her hometown of Nashville, watching stories play out against the backdrop of far-flung locales in “The Sound of Music,” Alfred Hitchcock’s “To Catch a Thief,” and more before she ever left the state.

Those screenings fostered a love of cinema and travel that form the basis of her new book, “On Location: Cinematic Journeys to the World’s Most Iconic Film Locales,” out Oct. 6.

“Locations are all about the character of a place, and I think when we go to movies, we get kind of emotionally attached to the settings – at least I do, anyway,” Whitlock, a journalist and former movie publicist, told USA TODAY.

Whitlock’s book is part behind-the-scenes history, part travel guide, incorporating stories about a range of films and TV shows and tips for visiting the places they were shot. Set-jetting itself is a rising trend: In Expedia’s Unpack ‘26 report, released in October 2025, 53% of travelers said their desire to take a trip of that kind had gone up within the previous year, while 81% of Millennial and Gen Z travelers said they plan trips inspired by what they’ve watched.

These days, destinations like Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Thailand have drawn fans of "Game of Thrones" and "The White Lotus", but many other destinations have had star turns on screen over the years.

“On Location” covers movies and shows shot around the world across decades. Whitlock recounts how “Roman Holiday,” the 1953 film starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, dealt with crowds of onlookers and narrow alleys during production. There is also a particularly memorable story about how the crew kept in the movie a prank where Peck pretends to lose his hand to a decorative facial mask at the Mouth of Truth from Hepburn.

The author also guides readers through the London of Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant’s “Notting Hill,” from the shopping and cafes of Westbourne Grove to the Portobello Road Market – and the bookstore that inspired the one in the 1999 movie. Elsewhere, Whitlock details how Sofia Coppola – and her production and costume designers – crafted the aesthetic of 2006’s “Marie Antoinette” starring Kirsten Dunst, and how travelers can explore Versailles themselves while staying at the Airelles Château de Versailles, Le Grand Contrôle hotel.

Other titles featured include “Under the Tuscan Sun,” “Crazy Rich Asians,” “Bridgerton,” “Frida,” and “When Harry Met Sally…”, with over 200 photographs throughout its 256 pages.

“This book is not only a history of film locations but a love letter to the way cinema and television make us feel – and to the real places that keep those feelings alive,” Whitlock writes in “On Location.”

Since Expedia identified the set-jetting trend in 2022, it “has evolved from a niche curiosity into a mainstream way people discover destinations,” according to Melanie Fish, Vice President of Global Public Relations at Expedia Group. 

“Travelers are spending more time with stories and characters they love thanks to on-demand streaming, then carrying that connection into the real world through social conversation, fan communities and trip planning,” she said in an email. “Set-Jetting also gives people a ready-made emotional reason to travel. They aren’t just visiting a place; they’re stepping into a story that already means something to them.”

When planning a set-jetting trip, Fish suggested travelers first pick which elements of the film or show they want to recreate.

“Then verify whether the scene was actually filmed there or simply set there, because the distinction can change the itinerary,” she said. “I’d also recommend looking beyond the famous backdrop and building in time to experience the wider destination, support local businesses and discover what makes the place special in its own right.”

Destinations may get more attention in the wake of a project’s release or after a shooting location is revealed, so travelers should consider booking well in advance of their trip, and doing some research on any must-visit sites, from their operating hours to whether reservations are needed.

Whitlock wants her book to serve as a source of inspiration for those kinds of vacations. “I just hope it'll make people appreciate traveling more and kind of enlarging their space,” she said.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.

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