If there’s one thing we travellers love to do in isolation, it’s daydream about our next holiday. If we could pick another, it’d be binge-watching the latest shows or movies on Netflix. So we’ve combined our two biggest isolation hobbies to help you plan out your next trip! Here’s where you should travel based on your current Netflix addiction…
Virgin River – British Columbia, Canada
Drama and heartache may have been the main drawcards of this soapy hit show, but the jaw-dropping scenery of Virgin River was definitely part of its allure. Though the fictional town of Virgin River is in Northern California in the US, principal photography took place mostly in British Columbia in Canada.
Parts of the show were shot in the city of Vancouver, before the more rugged natural scenes were filmed in areas like Snug Cove on Bowen Island, Squamish, New Westminster and Port Coquitlam. Take a road trip around BC and head into the Canadian Rockies for your own Virgin River adventure in the great outdoors.
Image source:Contiki
Derry Girls – Derry, Northern Ireland
This one’s fairly obvious! If you’re a fan of the quirky gang from Our Lady Immaculate Girls’ School, then head to Derry/Londonderry in Northern Ireland to see the famous sites seen from Derry Girls and learn more about the history of the town. Be sure to make a stop at the Derry Girls mural on Orchard Street in the city centre, pictured at the top of the article.
Image source:K Mitch Hodge / Unsplash
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga – Húsavík, Iceland
Fans of Netflix’s delightfully cheesy Eurovision flick will be thrilled to know that Rachel McAdams was, in fact, singing about a real town in her emotional Icelandic ballad.
Húsavík is a thriving fishing village, known as the “whale capital” of Iceland, where tourists can see up to 23 different species of whales on boating tours. There are charming local cafes, bars and cosy accommodations to enjoy. And the town has even put together a Eurovision Walking Tour with Travel North to take visitors around the iconic sights. This is what Netflix travel is all about!
Image source:Maarten Wijnants / Unsplash
Chef Show – Las Vegas, USA
If you’ve been devouring the new episodes of Jon Favreau and Roy Choi’s Chef Show in isolation, then you know why Las Vegas is the hot spot for you.
It may be world-famous thanks to the major casinos, exquisite acrobatic shows and superstar performers, but Las Vegas has also become one of the premier culinary destinations in the states. Epic eateries like Best Friend, Bardot Brasserie and Sushi Kame are must-visits for foodies heading to the US.
Image source:Contiki
Top End Wedding – Northern Territory, Australia
Along with being a heartwarming rom-com, Miranda Tapsell’s Top End Wedding also basically serves as one major advertisement for the beauty of the Northern Territory. If you loved the sweeping red plains, cascading waterfalls and sandstone gorges showcased in the film, then you need to head to the top end. Check out Kakadu National Park, Darwin, Uluru, Kings Canyon Walk, Katherine Gorge and more of the remarkable natural sights in the NT to get your fill of Australia’s beautiful landscapes.
Image source:Contiki
Love Wedding Repeat – Frascati, Italy
Just outside the city of Rome lies Frascati, the picturesque region where the ceremony was filmed for this delightful wedding flick. Take a day trip or extended getaway from Rome to sample the regions famous wines and explore the Cathedral of San Pietro Apostolo, the Church of the Gesu and see the 17th-century castle where the film was shot, Villa Parisi.
View this post on Instagram
Sweet Magnolias – Covington, USA
If you’ve been drinking up the sweet-natured charm of Netflix’s latest small-town series, then we think you’ll fall in love with the beautiful town of Covington in Georgia. Serenity isn’t actually a real place, but the series was based on (and filmed in) the vibrant downtown region of Covington.
It’s so quintessentially charming that the town has also been used as a filming location for many other shows and movies including The Vampire Diaries, Sweet Home Alabama, Dumplin’ and Remember The Titans. It’s a dream come true for any movie buffs out there.
View this post on Instagram
Queer Eye: We’re In Japan – Tokyo, Japan
Another obvious choice based on the title, but if you haven’t added Japan to your bucket list after watching Queer Eye then WHAT are you doing? Check out bars and restaurants like New Sazae, Yamane France, Yoshicho and the Kawaii Monster Café where they visited on the international season of the hit Netflix show.
Image source:Contiki
Outer Banks – Charleston, USA
Upon its release in April, millions of fans around the world were left wondering: where is Outer Banks filmed? After all, we need to know ~where to go~ to officially join the Pogues. Though OBX is set in North Carolina, the filming actually took place in the picturesque city of Charleston and the greater Charleston County in South Carolina.
Some of the epic sights for fans to see include Shem Creek, Pitt Street, Hunting Island and Lowndes Grove. The Wreck, where Kiara works in her dad’s restaurant on the show, is actually a real place where you can chow down on classic Southern dishes like fried shrimp and clam chowder.
View this post on Instagram
The Big Flower Fight – Keukenhof, The Netherlands
Been spending all your time watching Andrew and Ryan or Raymond and Chanelle construct intricate floral designs? Surprise! You’re kind of a garden nerd. If you’ve got a green thumb and want to see some seriously beautiful landscaping, we recommend heading to Holland to see “the most beautiful spring garden in the world” at Keukenhof. The garden, in the town of Lisse, is famous as the world’s largest flower garden and boasts 800 varietals of tulips. Pretty spectacular, right?
Image source:Jonne Makikyro / Unsplash
Street Food: Latin America – Lima, Peru
Honestly, if you have the time and the resources why not head off to every single country and eatery mentioned on the hit travel and cooking show? Because we were drooling while bingeing on this series. Central and South America boast some of the best food on this planet, but if we had to pick just one place to visit we’d head to Peru. Ceviche, Causa, Aji de Gallina, Lomo Saltado, Suspiro a la Limeña – we want to eat it all!
Image source:Contiki
Murder Mystery – Santa Margherita Ligure, Italy
One of several filming locations for the Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler film, Santa Margherita Ligure stands out thanks to its vibrant promenade, tempting blue waters and vivacious nightlife. If the movie left you craving a trip to Europe (SAME!) then you can also check out Milan and Lake Como where more of the film was shot.
View this post on Instagram
