Travel Tips and Information

Our Wanderlust List – Inspired by the 2019 Oscar Nominations

It’s Oscar season! The nominations are out, and while you wait for the Academy Awards ceremony, now is a great time to catch up on all these fantastic movies. Many stunning locations star in these famous films, and the nominations got us thinking about where to go next:

Want to “Trip a Little Light Fantastic?” Sail to London!

While “Mary Poppins Returns” focuses on many fantastical sites and scenes, you’ll also find plenty of London staples scattered throughout. This includes St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, the Royal Exchange and Westminster!

Feeling “Wakanda Forever”? Check out Uganda!

While you can’t actually visit Wakanda (we wish, right?), you can head to Uganda, where several places were used for scenery footage in Black Panther. Featuring the Rwenzori Mountains and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, this best picture nominee (the first superhero ever nominated in this category!) is a love story to the cultures and beauty of several African countries.

Listening to “Bohemian Rhapsody” on loop? Head to London!

Want to follow in Freddie Mercury’s footsteps. Head across the pond to London! Filming primarily took place there – even for scenes set in New York and Amsterdam. For example, you can visit the Leopold Buildings in the Tower Hamlets to visit what was a “New York City street” in the film. Hornsey Town Hall, (which you can now live in!) was used to recreate Queen’s iconic 1971 concert.

Want to pretend you’re Lady Gaga in “A Star is Born”? Jet to Los Angeles!

Celebrate the films many nominations (8!) by touring through the different filming locations in LA. To see where Ally first gets brought on stage, catch a show at the Greek Theater. Want to get peas from the same grocery store the two singers go to? It’s the Super A on Division.

Looking for a real “Isle of Dogs”? Visit Japan!

You won’t find an actual island of dogs while in the archipelago of Japan. However, the country is home to a curious number of islands and areas dominated by one particular kind of animal. Check out Tashirojima, an island dominated by cats, Miyajima, which is filled with docile deer, or Okunoshima, otherwise known as Rabbit Island!

Feeling Wanderlust-y after catching up on these nominee films? Check out all the destinations you can explore on a WorldStrides program here!

*Please note: Several of the films mentioned on this list have PG-13 or R ratings, and may not be appropriate for students of all ages.