A Guide to Planning Your Next Vacation, Based on 20 TV Shows

By Nadia Chaudhury | Lists | August 29, 2014 |

By Nadia Chaudhury | Lists | August 29, 2014 |

Vacations are the BEST, work/school/real life is the WORST. Though summer comes to an unofficial end on Tuesday, take a cue from these television vacations and get started on next year’s plans early. These aren’t necessarily relegated to only summer vacations, just trips that make us want to go to there bad.

30 Rock: Cleveland
Hit the streets of C-Town, where everyone is a model and your self-esteem will soar. Floyd said it best: “If the whole world moved to their favorite vacation spots, then the whole world would live in Hawaii and Italy and Cleveland.”

Bob’s Burgers: Florida
Retirement home swing parties and snake hunts, Florida is bumpin’.

Friends: Montauk
I imagine every beach house is flooded with sand, like the house the Friends gang head to in Long Island. And if it’s not, DIY time, guys. Remember to avoid the jellyfish, unless you’re ready to REALLY bond with your friends.

Full House: Hawaii
Of the many shows to descend on this archipelago, Full House’s adventure is the one that sticks out the most in my mind (sorry, The Brady Bunch). Getting lost on an island is the best bonding experience. Make sure you leave the clipboard of fun at home, though.

Gilmore Girls: New England
Bed and breakfasts are the bread and butter of New England, as the Gilmores know. The more kitsch, the better, and make sure there’s at least one grumpy cat and lots of group activities with curious guests.

Glee: New York
Back when Glee was still good, the New Directioners lived up the musical theater life in New York, taking in Broadway performances, strolling through Central Park, and dinner at Sardi’s.

Gossip Girl: Paris
Meeting princes in museums (even though he turned out to be a jerk), macarons, high-end shopping, and fountain-fights, it’s Paris in style with S and B.

Louie: China
Avoid a lonely New Year’s by planning a spur of the moment trip to China. Try to hunt down the Yangtze River and hang out with the locals, even if you don’t know what the heck they’re saying.

Mad Men: Disneyland
Fall in love with your secretary/babysitter and propose right then and there.

Malcolm in the Middle: Burning Man
Burning Man sounds like the worst possible thing, but experiencing it with Bryan Cranston does not, especially if he’s in his underwear.

The Middle: Staycation
The right vacation for the lazy and broke.

The OC: Tijuana, Mexico
Party like true OCers and road trip down to Tijuana (with diner stops and true love confessions along the way), where you can make out with other people’s boyfriends, like Holly did with Marissa’s boyfriend Luke.

Parks and Recreation: Europe
Come see all of Europe’s most famous attractions: Hogwa—, I mean, Buckingham Palace and a boozy Ron Swanson-approved tour of Scotland and the alien-created Stonehenge.

The Adventures of Pete & Pete: Hoover Dam
The great American road trip, where you race and compete against other cars and fall in love with strangers after happenstance glances Life isn’t worth living if you don’t have a goal. Just ask Don Wrigley, who’ll take care of all that nasty packing.

Raising Hope: Boat Road Trip
What’s better than a road trip? How about a boat road trip? No? Well, that’s what the Chances do to make up for for the fact that Jimmy never really went on a vacation.

Scrubs: Aruba
Drink ALL the Bahama Mamas that you can. Dr. Kelso will join you.

Seinfeld: India
Destination weddings can be a blessing or a curse, but if you’re going to attend one in India, wear saris and drink schnapps. Just don’t blurt out that you slept with the groom.

The Simpsons: Australia
Don’t get in trouble in the land down under, otherwise you’ll get a boot to the butt like Bart did. What I’m really trying to say is, leave frogs back in the States.

Sex and the City: Los Angeles
Los Angeles is nothing but convertibles, no smoking, dildos and Playboy parties, ridiculous houses, and Matthew McConaughey.

The Sopranos: Italy
The only way to experience Italy is with the mafia, like Tony and the gang did. Food, wine, and touring landmarks with capos. That’s the way to do it (assuming you don’t mind breaking about a million laws and you’re kind of evil and…).

Nadia Chaudhury still needs to plan her honeymoon.