When I decided to take on the task of naming the most travel inspiring film of the past decade, it was overwhelming.
In the past ten years there have been so many amazing films with unforgettable backdrops, like Sex and the City (NYC), In Bruges (Bruges), Vicky Cristina Barcelona (Barcelona) Lord of the Rings (New Zealand), A Good Year (Vaucluse, France), The Da Vinci Code (Paris, London), Once (Dublin), Lost In Translation (Tokyo), and Y Tu Mamá También (Mexico) that it seemed like there was no way to choose. But, in the end, it was Sideways that stood out above all of the others, because it was the film that served as the inspiration for this site.
Sideways was 2004’s breakout hit. If you remember, it starred Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church as two middle-aged men facing their failures and questioning their relationships while on a week long road trip through Santa Barbara’s wine country. The movie became an instant hit with “set-jetters” and helped the wineries featured in the film see a 42% increase in business immediately following it’s release.
The village of Solvang and the Kalyra, Firestone, and Fess Parker Wineries are just a view of the picturesque locations used in the movie. You can find out more information about these and other wineries featured in Sideways on the official Sideways Wine Tour and Map site which was created by the county of Santa Barbara.
As for me, after my own trip to California’s wine county I became obsessed with movie locations and, as they say, the rest is history.
What do you think was the most travel inspiring movie of the decade? Let us know in a comment below.
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