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So you want to travel but with the present global health conditions, traveling is out of the question. Though times seem daunting, being at home can fuel our wanderlust and inspire us to want to travel to places we only see in movies. What better way to inspire travel than watching shows set in the places we wish to travel?

Here is my list of shows to inspire you to travel:

1. STARZ’s Outlander (Scotland)

Poldark is a historical fictional romance about a war hero who fought with the Redcoats against the American Revolutionaries and comes home to find his childhood sweetheart engaged to his cousin. The show is filled with beautiful landscapes and a well-developed storyline…enough to inspire you to travel to England. You can find Poldark is on Amazon Prime.

4. PBS Masterpiece’s Downton Abbey (England)

Also on Amazon Prime is Downton Abbey, one of my favorite shows. I can say, as an English degree graduate, that the heart of every good story is a good character and well, Downton Abbey show is full of good characters. The show reflects a time period that follows the sinking of the Titanic and launches the characters into the 20th century and first World War. The scenery, cultural dimensions and history of the show’s inspired events will inspire you to travel to England.

5. PBS Masterpiece’s Victoria (England)

Victoria is about the ascension of Queen Victoria to the throne at 18 years of age and her rocky start as queen. The PBS Masterpiece show is based on a book by Daisy Goodwin.

6. HBO’s Game of Thrones (Europe)

If you are looking for beautiful out-of-the-world scenes and good story lines, Game of Thrones is the show to add to your travel show list.

7. AMC’s Hell on Wheels (Rural Midwest America)

There’s something about watching history unfold that makes me want to travel to an era/area. Hell on Wheels is post-Civil War and is about characters building the Transcontinental Railroad. The show makes you experience midwest history in a new way. It is about Cullen Bohannan who finds his wife murdered when he returns from the Civil War. He tracks the men down who killed his wife and then trying to avoid prison becomes a part of the Hell on Wheels crew because his boss can provide the protection. I watched Hell on Wheels during my last semester of college and following my graduation, I drove from Texas to California, seeing many locations within the show.

8. House Hunters International

I love HGTV’s House Hunters but House Hunters International takes the cake in inspiring travel. The show features people looking for homes abroad and makes the idea of living abroad seem more realistic. And as a bonus, they always include snippets of culture embedded in the places they are moving to. A little local perspective can inspire you to travel to see what the locals see.

9. CW’s Hart of Dixie (Alabama) and The Originals (New Orleans, Louisiana)

I finished the first season of Hart of Dixie and loved it. The CW show is about a doctor from NYC who inherits a practice in Alabama and has to adjust to the country life. Hart of Dixie is a lighthearted show with enough elements of the South to inspire you to visit.

I do not finish many shows (The Vampire Diaries included) but I did finish The Originals like I was running a race. The Originals features well-developed characters (1,000 year old vampires) and great storylines and takes you on a whirlwind journey through New Orleans, capturing the beauty of the New Orleans culture.

10. Witcher/ The Shannara Chronicles

Any shows that feature fictional kingdoms, magic, and faraway lands are shows that can inspire travel. The fact that these “magical kingdoms” are filmed in real places are enough to make you want to see more of the world.

I saw ads all over London for Witcher and decided to give it a go when I came home. It did take me a few episodes to get into but then it got SO good. It starts in media res, meaning it begins in the action and then goes back into the past. The last episode of Season 1 circles back to return to the events taking place in the first episode. This is a show where several characters that are seemingly different end up having their lives intertwined with the rest.

The Shannara Chronicles are based on a book series by Terry Brooks and takes several characters–an elf, rover, man/elf, and druid on a journey to stop a demon army from overcoming the world.

12. Secrets of Great British Castles

Learning history is the gateway to experiencing new places with an understanding that is so much more depth. This documentary-like show provides a perfect glimpse into UK history and the landscapes and storytelling just might inspire you to visit some of these amazing castles all over the United Kingdom.

As of May 2020, I just finished:

13. Crash Landing on You

If you haven’t seen Crash Landing on You, you should totally add it to your list! The K-Drama features many landscapes of Korea, Seoul, and Switzerland.

I love period shows and while I haven’t seen these yet, they are absolutely on my list to watch next:

• The Borgias
• Cable Girls
• Versailles
• The Crown
• Desperate Romantics
• The Tudors
• Medici
• The Great British Baking Show

I’m always on the lookout for new period shows and travel shows and would love to hear your thoughts on any shows I listed. What shows inspire you to travel or satisfy your wanderlust?