The best travel TV shows can transport you to new destinations from the comfort of your couch. Check out our top picks below and let us know if you’ve seen any!
Samantha Brown: Places to Love
I have loved watching Samantha Brown’s travel shows from a young age. While she is no longer on the Travel Channel, she has her own new show that she produces and hosts! Her new show is available on PBS. She travels near and far (New Zealand, California, Switzerland and Texas to name a few) and shows you the reasons to love a destination. This travel TV show is great because she also meets incredibly talented and interesting people along the way, who inspire you to visit their community! We 100% need more women in the travel industry and we love that Samantha Brown’s new show is entirely her own. Places to Love is one of my favorite travel TV shows!
Anthony Bourdain: Part’s Unknown
This post would not be complete without mentioning Anthony Bourdain. He has a way of making things feel very natural, laid back and casual. Every time I watch his show, I learn something that I may have not known by simply researching things online. He really gets off the beaten path and connects with the locals. Plus he eats some pretty amazing food along the way! He also has another travel TV show called Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations that we recommend as well. You can watch this on HBO Max or Netflix. It’s sad to think that Anthony Bourdain is no longer with us, but his legacy lives on through like-minded and curious travelers & cooks around the world!
Down to Earth
Zac Efron, believe it or not, has a travel TV show on Netflix where he travels the globe to find healthy and sustainable ways to live. We particularly loved the Iceland episode, but he also visits Costa Rica, France, Peru, Italy & England. It’s incredible to see the ways other countries are working on sustainable energy and giving back. While Zac Efron and his travel partner Darin Olien are a bit goofy, the show inspires a great deal of wanderlust and curiosity about the world.
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat
This show was recommended to us by Mark’s brother and sister in law and I cannot say enough about how much we loved it! This show is perfect if you love to cook AND travel. Even if you don’t enjoy cooking that much, I would still recommend checking it out, since I learned so much about the food we eat. This four part travel TV series on Netflix focuses the importance of each item in the title (Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat) when it comes to cooking. Professional Chef & food writer Samin Nosrat travels to Italy, Japan, Mexico and the US to teach you about the value of these 4 qualities in cooking. This is a great series to watch in a weekend if you’re looking for some inspiration!
Booze Traveler
Jack Maxwell is the host of this fun travel program that explores drinks around the world. We love Jack since he’s from Boston and learned a lot working in bars here! His whole mission is to learn about what people drink and why they drink it, as well as the stories that come with sitting down for a beverage with a stranger. This is a light-hearted travel TV show, perfect for any beer, wine or cocktail lover. You can catch Booze Traveler on Hulu or the Travel Channel.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This short series follows Chef David Chang as he travels to different locations to enjoy three meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner. In each episode he has someone join him, such as Seth Rogan and Chrissy Teigen. It’s comical, light-hearted and will make your mouth water! We particularly enjoyed the Morocco Episode. You can watch this series on Netflix.
The Crown
While this is not actually your typical travel TV show, we put The Crown on this list because of the various filming locations used. This fictional show has the ability to transport you to England (and sometimes even Australia) and puts you in the shoes of the Royal Family. Following Queen Elizabeth II’s ascension to the throne, we watch the Royal Family deal with politics, disasters and internal conflicts. You are able to see beautiful views of some of the most famous palaces in the UK and learn a bit of British history along the way. You can watch all four Seasons of The Crown on Netflix.
Downton Abbey
In the same vein as the Crown, Downton Abbey needs to be mentioned as a show that will transport you to a different time. If you love history, castles and beautiful gowns – we recommend pouring yourself a glass of tea and watching this series. We promise you’ll fall in love with the characters and get a taste of life in England in the 1930’s. The show is available on Amazon Prime. With 6 seasons, this show is sure to keep you entertained throughout the cold winter months.
Outlander
Outlander is another fictional TV show, but this is based off a book series by Diana Gabaldon. It follows the main character Claire as she travels back in time to the year 1743 in Scotland. While some of the plot feels a bit outrageous at times, you are pretty quickly hooked by the beautiful landscapes of the Scottish Highlands. The first 4 seasons are available to watch on Netflix, and all are available on Starz.
Emily in Paris
Emily in Paris is a fictional TV show on Netflix that drops you in the heart of France. It has similar vibes to Gossip Girl but the views alone will have you watching this show on repeat. Emily gets her dream job at a marketing firm in Paris, and meets friends (and lovers) along the way. The only problem I have with this show is that Emily is always wearing high heels, which we know is incredibly unrealistic given the cobblestone streets in Paris. This is one of those binge-worthy shows if you’re looking to escape reality for a bit. The great news is that they will be making a Season 2 so there is more scenes in Paris to look forward to!
We hope these travel TV shows inspire some wanderlust while we’re stuck inside during these cold months.
Cheers, Amanda
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