Listen to Theme Parks and Passports, Episode 40
Have you ever walked around a corner on vacation, stopped in your tracks, and thought, "Wait a minute... I've seen this before"?
Then congratulations, you've been set jetting, and you may not have even known it had a name.
Set jetting is planning travel around the places you've seen in movies and on TV, read about in books, or connected with through the stories and characters we all love. On this week's episode of Theme Parks and Passports, my co-host Heidi Mackey of House of Mackey Travel and I counted down our five personal favorite set-jetting destinations.
And here's the thing I really want you to take away: set jetting doesn't mean you have to build an entire vacation around one movie or TV show. Sometimes it's simply realizing that the place you already wanted to visit happens to connect to a story you love, and then adding a little bit of that fandom to your trip. (Although if you do want the full film-location scavenger hunt, no judgment here. None at all.)
If you want to go deeper into what it's actually like to be on a set-jetting tour, go back and listen to Episode 32: Set-Jetting: Turning Pop Culture Into Real Vacations, where we sat down with Michele Schwartz from Jet Setting with Me.
Now, let's get into our countdown.
1. Scotland: Where the Landscape Is a Character
Heidi kicked us off with Scotland, and I have to admit, it's one of the destinations still on my list. I've watched Outlander (and loved it), I've watched Harry Potter, and listening to Heidi talk about it made me want to book my flight yesterday.
What makes Scotland so special is that the landscape is basically one of the characters. You can go from Edinburgh's Royal Mile and its Gothic architecture to the castles and lochs of the Highlands and constantly feel like you've seen it somewhere before. There's a very good chance you have.
For Harry Potter fans:
- Explore Edinburgh and the places associated with the creation of the stories.
- Wander Victoria Street, with its brightly colored storefronts winding up and down the hill. It's said to be an inspiration for Diagon Alley, and once you see it, it makes perfect sense.
- Head into the Highlands to see the landscapes actually used in the films.
- Watch the Jacobite Steam Train (aka the Hogwarts Express) cross the Glenfinnan Viaduct, just like in the movies.
Heidi shared that on a day tour out of Glasgow, which wasn't even a Harry Potter or Outlander tour, they stopped to watch that train go over the viaduct, and it felt like it was "popping off the screen and into my lap." That's the magic I'm talking about.
For Outlander fans:
- Visit Doune Castle, which became Castle Leoch, the fictional seat of Clan MacKenzie.
- See Falkland in Fife, which stood in for 1940s Inverness (or visit the real Inverness, which looks very different today).
- Explore locations throughout the Highlands that connect the story to actual Scottish and Jacobite history.
This is one of the things I love most about set jetting. You may arrive because you love Claire and Jamie, but suddenly you're learning about Culloden and the Jacobite Rising and discovering the real history behind the storylines.
The surprise pick: Glasgow. Glasgow doesn't always play Glasgow. Its architecture and grid-patterned streets make it incredibly versatile for filmmakers, and parts of the city have doubled for American cities, including Philadelphia in World War Z and New York in productions like The Avengers films and, most recently, Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
And honestly? In Scotland, you don't even need an official filming tour to feel it. You can just be driving through the Highlands and think, "Oh, now I understand why they film here."
2. Paris: The Most Recognizable Backdrop in the World
You knew this one was coming. Paris is my favorite destination, my happy place, and the city I would move to in a heartbeat.
Do we even need to name a specific movie or show that's used Paris as a backdrop? We've seen it so many times. The Eiffel Tower, the Seine, Montmartre, the little cafés, the beautiful bridges, and those streets that somehow always look perfect when someone is dramatically walking away from a relationship.
Right now, one of the biggest set-jetting draws is Emily in Paris, and some of the spots you can visit include:
- Emily's neighborhood around Place de l'Estrapade (and yes, I will never pronounce it correctly, so please don't ask me to say it out loud)
- Locations connected to Gabriel's restaurant
- Pont Alexandre III
- The Tuileries Gardens
But Emily is really just one layer. There's Ratatouille (one of my favorite Disney movies), The Devil Wears Prada (who doesn't love that fashion?), Midnight in Paris, The Da Vinci Code, Les Misérables, and even shows like Gossip Girl and Sex and the City that brought their characters to Paris.
You can pick one fandom and really lean into it, or you can simply notice the connections while you're doing all the other things you came to Paris to do.
My Big Announcement
Next spring, I'm going on an Emily in Paris set-jetting trip with Michele Schwartz from Jet Setting with Me (Episode 32), and we'll also be joined by Ashlie and Lauren from Once Upon a Wardrobe, who were with us on Episode 35. I am beyond excited.
And before that, this December, I'm taking my parents on their very first trip to Paris and their very first trip to Europe. We're not going for Emily in Paris on that trip, but I'm sure I'll be pointing out a few set-jetting spots along the way. That's exactly what set jetting can be: an incredible trip with a little something extra that makes it personal.
I'll tell you a little secret too. The first time I landed in Paris, I literally cried in the airport. Willie looked at me and asked why I was crying, and all I could say was, "I'm home." As Heidi put it, we're both quite European, but she's a little more cuppa and I'm a little more bubbles.
3. London: Where Every Street Has a Story
London is Heidi's pick, and it's her Paris. She studied there for a summer, honeymooned there, and has been back with family. What makes London so special is that it isn't just about movies and TV. Literature, theater, film, television, music, and pop culture are all stacked right on top of each other.
You can:
- Step into the world of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, where J.M. Barrie found inspiration and where you'll find a Peter Pan statue tucked beside the Long Water
- Follow Sherlock Holmes to 221B Baker Street
- Track down James Bond at MI6
- Head into Mayfair in search of the ton from Bridgerton
- Walk into Notting Hill, where you can stand outside the famous door and then shop the markets right out front
- Find spots from The Crown and Love Actually
- Stroll down Abbey Road
Then there are the creators themselves. Dickens, Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, Shakespeare, Agatha Christie. London wasn't just the setting for their stories; it's part of their stories. You could build an entire trip around books and writers without ever visiting a single filming location.
Heidi also shared a different kind of set jetting: real history that became pop culture. As a murder-mystery lover, she did the nighttime Jack the Ripper walking tour and spent time at the Ten Bells pub. And with all of London's blue plaques, you might be enjoying a pie and a pint right across the street from a home Charles Dickens lived in during his twenties and not even realize it.
London is also perfect for the traveler who doesn't want a full "fandom vacation." When I visited, we didn't plan anything fandom-related, but you can easily slip in a Paddington Bear experience, a Sherlock stop, or a walk down a street where Hugh Grant filmed, and then carry right on with your day. As Heidi said, in London you almost trip over them.
4. New York City: Where Fiction and Real History Collide
This one is my home turf. I live right outside of Manhattan and I'm in the city all the time, and I truly think New York is one of the easiest places in the United States to accidentally set jet. The Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Fifth Avenue, the Tiffany store... everywhere you turn, it's, "Hey, wait a minute, I've seen that before."
And probably about 400 times. You can find:
- When Harry Met Sally moments in Central Park
- Home Alone 2 at a crosswalk
- Backdrops from Elf around every corner
- Gossip Girl filming spots (Heidi's husband actually worked right next to one of their regular locations)
- Friends in Greenwich Village
- Ghostbusters and Seinfeld sites
And we can't leave out Marvel. From Grand Central to Times Square, so much of the Marvel Universe is tied to New York that you could spend an entire day walking through places the Avengers have saved, destroyed, or lived in. There are even Marvel-specific tours, so if you're visiting, ask us and we'll point you in the right direction.
Just like London, some of the best set jetting here goes beyond fictional characters to the real people behind the music and the history. Think Bob Dylan and so many musicians who wrote their songs right here.
Why Hamilton Changed New York for Me
I could sing you the entire Hamilton soundtrack. I won't, because trust me, you don't want that. But when my daughter was in school in Delaware, I would sing along to it the entire two-and-a-half-hour drive home.
Hamilton is a perfect set-jetting experience. You can see the show on Broadway one night, get the songs stuck in your head, and then go visit the places they sing about. You can see the home the Hamiltons lived in when they moved uptown, visit places where they ate, stand in "the room where it happened," and visit Alexander Hamilton's grave.
With this year marking our country's 250th anniversary, it hits even harder. I'll be honest, I usually find myself fascinated with European royals more than American history. But Hamilton struck a chord with so many people about how this country was actually built. It reminded me that New York was our very first capital, and it gave me a whole new perspective on the city I've lived near for so long.
5. Theme Parks: Where You Step Inside the Story
I know some of you are thinking, "Theme parks? What?" Follow me on this one.
At the theme parks, you're not visiting the place where a movie was filmed. You're literally inside the movie.
Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios: You're in Andy's backyard, surrounded by giant building blocks, crayons, and Christmas lights. Slinky Dog is racing across Andy's roller coaster, the green army men are marching by, and Woody towers over you as you enter. Even the benches, fences, and signs are made from toys, because you're supposed to be toy-sized. And when you're eating at Roundup Rodeo BBQ and they yell, "Andy's coming!"... you freeze. It is that immersive.
Super Nintendo World at Universal: Heidi's pick takes you into a world that never existed outside of a video game. You're in the Mushroom Kingdom with Piranha Plants, Thwomps, and Goombas, punching question blocks to collect digital coins, racing Mario Kart, and walking through Bowser's Castle. It's colorful, oversized, and a little ridiculous, which is exactly the point.
Avengers Campus at Disneyland Resort: Marvel fans can eat tiny (and giant) food at Pym's kitchen and walk right into the story.
Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney's Animal Kingdom: My personal "oh wow, they got this right" moment. At night, when the lights go down and everything glows, it's one of the most immersive experiences to come to life in recent years.
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: Heidi is the real Star Wars fan here (I'm probably using all the wrong terminology), but you truly feel like you're walking into Batuu. The Millennium Falcon is parked there getting refueled, stormtroopers are searching for rebel spies, Kylo Ren is roaming around, and you might bump into Rey or Chewie. On Heidi's last spring break visit, the Mandalorian checked her daughter for bounties and decided she wasn't worth enough. She was a little offended.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando: Between Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, and riding the Hogwarts Express between them, you're transported straight into those stories. And at Epic Universe, the Paris-inspired Wizarding World area is so much fun. We visited this past spring break, got our macarons and champagne, and stepped into the wand shop. My daughter has only seen about one Harry Potter movie, and even she said, "Oh my God, this place is awesome."
That's what I love about these parks. You don't have to be a superfan to enjoy them. Maybe you never played Mario as a kid (Heidi thinks that's physically impossible), but you can still walk into that cartoonish world and have the best time.
The Common Thread
Whether you're standing in the Scottish Highlands, sipping coffee in a Paris café, walking through King's Cross, crossing a New York City street, or wandering Galaxy's Edge, set jetting gives you that moment when a story you love becomes real.
The fandom gets you interested. The destination gives you something so much bigger once you're there.
Our Top 5 Set-Jetting Destinations, recapped:
- Scotland – Harry Potter, Outlander, and some surprising American backdrops in Glasgow
- Paris – Countless films, with Emily in Paris as just the beginning
- London – Books, movies, music, and pop culture on practically every street
- New York City – Where fictional stories and real history collide
- The Theme Parks – Where you don't just visit the location, you step inside the story
Ready to Plan Your Own Set-Jetting Trip?
If one of these destinations has you dreaming about your next vacation, I would love to help you plan a trip that combines the places you want to see with the stories you already love. Whether you want a full fandom adventure or just a few magical moments sprinkled into your itinerary, that's what we do at Spellbound Vacations.
Contact Spellbound Vacations to start planning
Listen to Episode 40 of Theme Parks and Passports wherever you get your podcasts, and don't miss Episode 32 with Michele Schwartz from Jet Setting with Me and Episode 35 with Ashlie and Lauren from Once Upon a Wardrobe.
Until next time, happy travels.
Melissa Sanchez
Spellbound Vacations