Time was, watching movies and TV provided adequate vicarious escape, whisking us off to fabulous locales from the comfort of our theater seat or sofa. But why settle for surrogate sojourns?  Thanks to the latest trend in tourism, dubbed “set-jetting,” we’re now planning vacations to see the spots where our favorite flicks and binge-worthy shows take place. 

NextTribe takes small groups of women ages 45+ on fun, immersive trips, including to Jane Austen’s England. Learn about it here.

According to recent research by Expedia, two-thirds of global travelers have considered visiting destinations they first saw on the big or small screen, and 39 percent have actually booked trips inspired by films and programs. Not surprisingly, tour operators around the world have embraced the idea, offering getaways geared to popular hits. 

In fact, demand for movie and TV-themed tours more than doubled in 2024 compared to pre-pandemic years, according to a spokesperson Viator, an online travel agency for travel experiences.

As Isabella Kwai reported in The New York Times, these tours can be pretty pricey. Take the immersive 12-day James Bond experience run by Black Tomato, which boasts a high-speed boat race down the Thames, a sail to Monte Carlo aboard a vintage yacht, and a helicopter ride over the Alps—for $73,500 per person.

Fortunately, there are far less extravagant ways to get up-close-and-personal to the actual scenery (if not the stars) of the shows and movies we love. So whether you book Bond big, take a more modest tour, or scout locations yourself, you’re bound to feel like a leading lady!

Sex and the City Modern Girls’ Trip 

And just like that, you and some besties can channel your inner Carrie and company in New York. Simply stop by such downtown NYC haunts as the original Magnolia Bakery (401 Bleecker Street) for those am-m-m-mazing cupcakes, the Pleasure Chest boutique (156 Seventh Avenue South) for the infamous Rabbit and other sex toys, the Jefferson Market Garden (Sixth Avenue at 10th Street), where Miranda and Steve finally got hitched) and the Louis K. Meisel Gallery (141 Prince Street), where Charlotte worked.

Live the NYC SATC fantasy by hitting the highlights of downtown Manhattan.

As to Ms. Bradshaw’s brownstone, true fans know the character resided on the Upper East Side—but the actual building featured as her home sits on Perry Street in the West Village. However, the historic brownstone is so overrun by selfie-taking tourists that the owners are trying to get a gate built to block the view.

Pro tip: NextTribe’s Insider Tour of Downtown NYC includes a walking tour in the West Village and stops at several SATC locations.

Jane Austen Journey (A Period Piece) 

This awesome 19th century author—whose novels have been Hollywood fodder for decades—has a special place in our hearts here at NextTribe. We even have a trip this fall to coincide with her 250th birthday. We do hope you will join us, as our festivities will include visiting film sites from the 1995 Pride and Prejudice miniseries (starring Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet and Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy) and 1996’s Emma (with Gwyneth Paltrow in the titular role). 

Of course, if you cannot attend, perhaps you’ll plan a sojourn of your own to celebrate one of the most memorable and beloved Austen books to hit the silver screen. The 1995 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, starring Emma Thompson as Elinor Dashwood and Kate Winslet as her sister Marianne, received seven Oscar nominations (Thompson, who wrote the script, won for Best Adapted Screenplay). 

Period dress not required to visit include these historic homes that appeared in the film (but it’s your choice if you want to dress up):

• Trafalgar House, Wilton, as Barton Park
• Saltram House, Devon, as Norland Park
• Mompesson House, Salisbury, as Mrs. Jennings’ townhouse
• Montacute House, Somerset, as the Palmers’ country home
• Compton Castle, Devon, as Mr. Willoughby’s estate

Middle-earth Adventure

Got a hobbit habit? You needn’t go to the ends of the earth to visit Middle-earth—just to New Zealand, where director Peter Jackson made the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Proud of its special place in cinematic history, the country welcomes fans to the scenic splendor featured in all three movies.

In Kaitoke Regional Park, which still bears signs heralding Rivendell, you can stroll beneath an elven archway, while in Matamata you can stroll through the actual set of Hobbiton. Mount Victoria is recognizable from The Fellowship of the Ring scene of hobbits fleeing the Ringwraiths. The towering pinnacles that framed the Valley of Harrowdale, memorable from The Return of the King, are awe-inspiring, and there are a number of walkable trails that let you view the impressive formations and pretend you’re in another world.

Got a hobbit habit? Revel in the Lord of the Rings landscapes of New Zealand.

The White Lotus Effect

“Italy’s just so romantic! You’re gonna die!” So enthused ditzy Daphne as the second season of Max’s White Lotus kicked off. Of course, that won’t literally be the fate of those hoping to experience the hit dramedy’s lavish vibe in Sicily. With the release of White Lotus Season 2, Sicily became the darling of the travel world. It seemed everyone was heading there for their vacation.

Fans can stay at the Four Seasons San Domenico Palace, the converted 14th-century convent in Taormina that served as the show’s primary setting. (Note: Room interiors were shot in a studio in Rome, not at the hotel.)

Then slip into your sexiest swimsuit and head for the Lido de Cefalù, the beautiful beach where various scenes were filmed. Another must-see is the Villa Tasca, where Daphne and Harper stayed at Noto. Abercrombie and Kent, a luxury travel company, said a “unique trend” of travelers asking to ‘live’ the White Lotus experience emerged following the first two seasons of the show. For example, travelers asked the company to arrange restaurant reservations with seats at the same tables as the TV scenes showed.

Travel experts say that the White Lotus effect is “immeasurable.” Now with the debut of Season 3–Destination? The Four Seasons Koh Samui, overlooking the Gulf of Siam in Thailand–that country is bracing (hoping) for same magic to hit their shores.

Anoma Vongyai, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s office in Chicago, said the agency was “already working with partners to prepare packages, especially from the United States and Canada, that will allow visitors to live the ‘White Lotus’ experience, visit locations seen in the new season, and to eat and drink like the characters.”

Romance like an Outlander

NextTribe CEO Jeannie Ralston was so into Outlander—the romantic fantasy series set in 18th-century Scotland and later eras—that she had to organize a trip to the country so she and other fans could swoon at familiar sites. It was so successful, a second Scotland tour is planned for June 2025.

Can’t wait? To plan your own Outlander outing, be sure to hit Midhope Castle (aka Lallybroch, Highland warrior Jamie Fraser’s family home), Doune Castle, (which stood in for Castle Leoch), and Blackness Castle (rugged Fort William on TV). You may also wish to wander through the picturesque village of Culross (known to Outies as Cranesmuir, home of Geillis Duncan).

If you want to see where Clare and Jamie frolicked in Outlander, set-jet to Scotland.

Game of Thrones’ Geek Out!

The fabulous (and frankly vicious) fantasy Game of Thrones earned some seriously ardent fans during its eight seasons, so it’s no wonder that tour companies eagerly developed sojourns to Iceland, Ireland, and Spain—the three countries that stood in for fictional Westeros and Essos.

In Reykjavik, you can feel like you’ve gone Beyond the Wall at Thingvellir National Park and also hike the Dimmuborgir Lava Fields, which served as the home of the White Walkers. Belfast boasts both Castle Ward (better known as Winterfell to Throneheads) and Cushendun Caves, where priestess Melisandre gave birth. In Bilbao, fans can walk along Itzurun Beach (where Daenerys Targaryen first entered Westeros) and Muriola Beach, site of several Dragonstone shore scenes.

Have a Harry Potter Experience 

Be you a wizard wannabe or an ordinary muggle, make your next trip to the UK a bit more magical. A day trip to Oxford University, for instance, will likely delight any die-hard Potterhead. The staircase at  Christ Church College was used for the memorable entrance scene where Professor McGonagall meets Harry, Ron, and Hermione, while the Divinity School’s Bodleian Library served as Hogwarts Infirmary (in Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone).

The rolling hills and charming villages of the Cotswolds are truly spellbinding, with both Lacock Abbey  and Gloucester Cathedral serving as Hogwarts locations. And should you find yourself transported to the West Coast of Scotland, be sure to climb aboard the Jacobite steam train, aka the Hogwarts Express. On our NextTribe tour of Scotland, we get to visit the gorgeous aqueduct that the train travels over. “Pinch me,” one of our travelers squealed when she saw the majestic structure. A typical “set-jetter” reaction.