Book Beach Bunny

I don’t travel a lot (or ever really) and unfortunately I don’t see that changing this year but one of the great things about movies is the fantasy of going somewhere you’ve never been. And it doesn’t just mean space or Middle Earth.

There are some great movies that are like taking fun filled vacations for far less money.

Independence Day

Okay so most places we visit (like New York and D.C.) get blown up by aliens in this 96 disaster movie- but still you do get to see Area 51.

The Parent Trap

Okay so you probably won’t find your identical twin sister at summer camp. But in the movies at least this one camp is pretty and the film does have London and Napa and a lovely role for the late Natasha Richardson.

Jaws

In the spirit of staying closer to home and family vacations to the summer beach house there’s always Jaws in the ultimate of summer movies. Just beware of the shark.

The Shallows

Blake Lively makes her first of two appearances on this summer movie travel list and sharks the second. Travel to this private beautiful beach in Mexico where you can somehow surf in total peace just avoid the shark! Or at least make sure your idiot friend is around to know when you don’t make it back to the hotel.

Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead

I loved this movie so much when I was a kid. Yeah, they stayed home but at least they lived in a pretty nice house with land big enough to hold a major event. Sometimes you have to deal with staying home and covering up your sitter’s death while your big sister spends the summer playing adult!

It Chapter One

And sometimes you spend the summer making new friends in a lovely little small town in Maine… fighting a demonic child eating clown for your lives. Bonus points because you will forget this vacation all the while dealing with the repressed trauma and then even better remember it as an adult and have even more trauma!

Caddyshack

If you need a summer job country clubs are beautiful.

That being said Caddyshack ruined country clubs for me forever (not that I’ve ever been to one!) but if they don’t have crazy Bill Murray, Chevy Chase and a shit-stirring gopher to deal with what really is the point?

Monte Carlo

As far as summer films go Monte Carlo has everything. Great locations. The 3 girls manage to steal the life of an obnoxious heiress so you also have great hotels, jewels and clothes and friendship!

No, it’s not a great film but it’s super fun and perfect for summer!

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Both films are fun but I prefer the first as every time I watch it I have this urge to immediately get on a plane and fly to Greece. And somehow Blake Lively can even make sweating through soccer camp look totally glamourous. Of course I must admit that parts of the first are going to make you cry! But it’s worth the journey!

Chasing Liberty

How about Prague and Venice? How about traveling through Europe with Matthew Goode as a potential romantic interest while you run from your secret service detail? (She’s the President’s daughter in this one.)

Works for me.

Attached to someone else is also the only way I would ever consider bungee jumping and even then I probably wouldn’t but what is watching a film if not to be carried away and convince yourself just for a moment that you would?