Screen-inspired travel is still gaining ground, and Expedia Group’s Unpack ’26 report treats set-jetting as one of the defining travel trends for the year. The company says 53% of travelers report a year-over-year rise in their interest in taking a trip inspired by film or television, and it projects that set-jetting could become an $8 billion industry in the United States alone. That helps explain why movie-linked places keep moving from bucket-list fantasy to real booking behavior.
The smartest picks are not just places with a cinematic backstory. They also need to be genuinely visitable, with public access, organized tours, or clear visitor infrastructure instead of vague folklore about where a scene might have happened. The five spots below work because the film connection is strong, the setting still feels magical in person, and you can actually build a trip around them right now.
1. Hobbiton, New Zealand
Few movie pilgrimages feel as satisfying as Hobbiton because this one is not a blink-and-miss-it backdrop. The official Hobbiton site says visitors can step into the Shire on guided walking tours through the original set used in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, while Tourism New Zealand notes that daily tours are available at the Matamata location. That means the fantasy is not tucked behind a gate or reduced to a plaque in a parking lot. You are visiting a preserved set designed for people who want to linger in Middle-earth.
What makes it land so well is the level of detail. Hobbiton’s tour pages highlight Bagshot Row and the Green Dragon Inn, while the wider set remains full of familiar landmarks that make the illusion feel complete. In practice, the countryside does plenty of the work too. The rolling Waikato farmland looks so storybook-ready that even travelers who do not know every line from the films usually end up grinning by the end.
2. Alnwick Castle, England
Harry Potter fans have a long menu of British filming places, but Alnwick Castle is one of the easiest to recommend because the connection is immediate and the visit is simple. VisitBritain includes it among the country’s major Potter locations, and Alnwick Castle’s own on-screen page says visitors can explore the Outer Bailey and Inner Bailey used in the films. For many people, this is the version of movie travel that works best. You walk in, look around, and instantly recognize the setting without needing a guidebook in your hand.
The castle also leans into the experience instead of pretending the film’s history is a side note. Its visitor pages say guests can join broomstick training, and guided on-location tours explore the areas used on screen. That kind of playful access gives the stop real personality. It feels less like passive sightseeing and more like stepping into a favorite chapter from childhood.
3. Salzburg, Austria
Salzburg has a rare advantage in the set-jetting world because the city already looks like a musical before you even mention the title. Salzburg’s tourism board presents the destination as the true Sound of Music city, and its dedicated filming-locations page points visitors toward places such as Mirabell Gardens, Nonnberg Abbey, and Hellbrunn Palace. That gives the trip a built-in rhythm. You are not chasing a single scene but moving through an entire cinematic landscape.
Better still, this one is easy to shape around your travel style. Salzburg’s official tour pages show that the filming locations can be explored on organized tours, and the city is also promoting a new Sound of Music museum for 2026 in Hellbrunn. A visit here works whether you are a devoted fan or simply someone who likes pretty cities with a strong sense of place. By the time you have crossed a garden, a square, and palace grounds, the film connection starts to feel inseparable from Salzburg itself.
4. Skellig Michael, Ireland
Some movie locations charm you with comfort. Skellig Michael does the opposite, which is exactly why it stays lodged in people’s memory. Heritage Ireland’s official visitor information makes clear that the UNESCO World Heritage site comes with difficult access, steep climbs, uneven walkways, exposure to heights, and limited availability. Official Ireland tourism materials also tie Skellig Michael directly to Star Wars, where the island became one of the saga’s most unforgettable real-world settings.
This is not the pick for travelers who want a relaxed half day and a themed mug. Heritage Ireland’s visitor guide says the island is accessible by boat between May and September, subject to weather conditions, and warns that accidents and fatalities have occurred. For fans of wild scenery and hard-earned bragging rights, that challenge is part of the appeal.
5. Wadi Rum, Jordan
If one landscape seems almost too cinematic to be real, it is Wadi Rum. Visit Jordan describes the Valley of the Moon as a place that has doubled for Mars in several Hollywood feature films, and UNESCO’s listing explains why by pointing to its narrow gorges, natural arches, towering cliffs, caverns, and vast protected desert terrain. Even without a camera crew, the place already feels like production design on an epic budget. That is what makes it such a strong set-jetting stop for 2026.
The screen pedigree is broad enough to satisfy even dedicated movie buffs, but the strongest reason to go is simpler than any title credit. Visit Jordan says visitors can head to the Visitors Centre, hire a 4×4 with a driver-guide, arrange camel trips, and even plan a stay under the stars in a Bedouin tent. Hours out in that red desert, with cliffs glowing under changing light, can make almost anyone feel as if they have wandered straight into the opening shot of something big.