Books have been inspiring travel for thousands of years. From the adventures of the Odyssey to the emotional journey of Eat, Pray, Love, books introduce us to places we’ve never been and might have never dreamed existed. From the haunting moors and rough coastline in England’s Yorkshire countryside to hidden corners of Paris, some of our favorite books have inspired travel over the years for us and so many others. Whether you’re looking for a great summer read or need inspiration for an upcoming trip, these eight books and destinations are strong contenders for consideration. 

Art has been inspiring bucket lists for centuries. From the Greek epics to Monet’s paintings of Provence, stories of adventures around the world and descriptions of faraway lands have shown up in every medium. Today, we’re inspired to travel through movies and film. Eat, Pray, Love is a perfect example, as is White Lotus. The impact of movies and film can be so significant that destinations will capitalize on the interest and create tours or experiences dedicated to the filming locations. Harry Potter has done this for the UK, Outlander for Scotland, and Game of Thrones for many places, including Croatia. All of these introductions are a great way to dive into new cultures, traditions, and people - go outside of our comfort zones and discover somewhere new that perhaps we weren’t aware existed before. 

Traveling abroad for the first time is both exciting and intimidating. Travel is an experience for the mind, the body, and the soul and when you embark on that journey by yourself for the first time, there are a lot of feelings, and that's ok. Like so many things in life, the hardest part of taking your first trip alone is leaving. Between the excitement and apprehension, a lot of thoughts infiltrate your mind…not all of them positive. The trick is to embrace them. Confront those fears and keep pushing forward because on the other side of that plane, train, or car will be the first of many unforgettable and meaningful experiences. 

Visiting Paris for the first time is exhilarating. There’s so much to do that it’s easy to overestimate how much time you have to explore. The first thing to remember is to be realistic while planning. For example, the Louvre is enormous. If you think you’ll cover it in a day, think again because not even a week is enough time to see everything. Second, manage your expectations. Most people don’t realize the Mona Lisa is about the size of a large textbook rather than a giant canvas. Just like any other city, do some research before leaving. While spontaneity makes for grand adventures, having a reasonably sketched-out plan never hurts, especially if you have a laundry list of things you want to fit in and a budget to keep to.

There’s a scene in Eat Pray Love when Liz is in Italy visiting the Augusteum. She explains the origin of these ancient ruins and talks about how the city has built itself above it over time.

It’s one of the simplest things, sitting in what she considers the “quietest and loneliest” part of Rome. But that brief experience had an impact on the way she started to see things. It was a pivotal moment in finally letting go of the relationship she had with David. It didn’t make the experience - the heartbreak - any less painful but it allowed her to take the first step to move forward. This is the beauty, and the privilege, of travel. It takes us outside our routines and self-imposed bubbles where nothing changes and opens our eyes to looking at life differently. This world is so much bigger than the next promotion or moving in with a partner. If we allow ourselves to look outside the world we limit ourselves to, there’s so much more to be discovered about ourselves, the people in our lives, the challenges we’re working through, and the people around us. 

If you aren’t thinking about where to go for spring break yet, you should be. It’s almost time to embark on a little post-winter, pre-spring getaway. Even I’m going somewhere this year! My trip will be a drive down to Missouri to visit family but it will still be a nice little escape from everyday life. Being someone who doesn’t particularly like crowds, I can understand why most people avoid spring break. There are drunk, obnoxious, college kids everywhere and what you’re looking for is much more relaxing. With that in mind, I’ve put together a couple of destinations so that you can get in a memorable spring break without the insanity of...well...spring break!