There is something magical about the way a certain song can conjure up memories from a great time in our lives. A song can uplift our mood, make us think of someone special, or even capture with beautiful lyrics the emotions we have a hard time explaining to others. But can a song inspire the wanderlust in us to pack our bags and go to the place in its title? We say absolutely yes.
If you are looking to plan your next vacation and need a little inspiration to help you discover a place to go, we’ve put together a list of songs that cover a variety of destinations and travel-related themes.
From the cities of New York (there are a lot of songs written about this amazing city) and Paris, to States like Texas and California (again, lots of songs about this destination), and Countries like Japan and Mexico, we are sure you might just pick out your next vacation destination from our song list. Enjoy exploring this musical journey.
- “Africa” by Toto (1982)
- “Amarillo” by Tony Christie (1971)
- “American Pie” by Don McLean (1971)
- “Amsterdam” by Coldplay (2002)
- “Austin” by Blake Shelton (2001)
- “Big In Japan” by Alphaville (1984)
- “Born In The USA” by Bruce Springsteen (1984)
- “Budapest” by George Ezra (2013)
- “California Dreaming” by The Mamas & The Papas (1965)
- “California Gurls” by Katy Perry ft. Snoop (2010),
- “California Love” by 2Pac ft. Dr. Dre (1995)
- “Carolina In My Mind” by James Taylor (1969)
- “Chicago” by Frank Sinatra (1957)
- “Copenhagen” by Scott Walker (1967)
- “Deep In The Heart of Texas” by Perry Como (1941)
- “Detroit Rock City” by Kiss (1976)
- “Down Under” by Men At Work (1981)
- “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys (2009)
- “Englishman in New York” by Sting (1987)
- “Gibraltar” by Beirut (2015)
- “Going to California” by Led Zeppelin (1971)
- “Havana” by Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug (2018)
- “Hotel California” by the Eagles (1976)
- “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” by Tony Bennett (1962)
- “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” by They Might Be Giants (1990)
- “Jerusalem” by Matisyahu (2008)
- “Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin (1975)
- “Kathmandu” by Bob Seger (1975)
- “Kingston Town” by UB40 (1990)
- “King of New York” from the musical Newsies (1992)
- “King of the Road” by Roger Miller (1964)
- “Kokomo” by The Beach Boys (1988)
- “Leaving on a Jet Plane” by John Denver (1966)
- “London Bridge” by Fergie (2006)
- “London Calling” by The Clash (1979)
- “Los Angeles” by X (1980)
- “Margaritaville” by Jimmy Buffett (1977)
- “Marrakesh Express” by Crosby, Stills & Nash (1969)
- “Mexico” by James Taylor (1975)
- “Miami” by Will Smith (1998)
- “Miami Vice Theme” by Jan Hammer (1984)
- “Midnight Train to Georgia” by Gladys Knight & The Pips (1973)
- “Moscow” by Dschinghis Khan (2020)
- “New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra (1977)
- “New York State of Mind” by Billy Joel (1976)
- “No Sleep Till Brookyln” by the Beastie Boys (1986)
- “Panama” by Van Halen (1984)
- “Paris” by The Chainsmokers (2017)
- “Rio” by Duran Duran (1982)
- “Rocky Mountain High” by John Denver (1972)
- “San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair) by Scott McKenzie (1967)
- “St Louis Blues” by Bessie Smith (1929)
- “Streets of London” by Ralph McTell (1969)
- “Streets of Philadelphia” by Bruce Springsteen (1993)
- “Surfin’ U.S.A.” by The Beach Boys (1963)
- “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd (1974)
- “Sweet Home Chicago” by Blues Brothers (1980)
- “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver (1971)
- “Vacation” by the GoGos
- “Ventura Highway” by America
- “Vienna” by Ultravox (1980)
- “Viva Las Vegas” by Elvis Presley (1964)
- “Walking in Memphis” by Marc Cohn (1991)
- “Wichita Lineman” by Glen Campbell (1968)
- “Zanzibar” by Bill Joel (1978)
Let us know what songs you think should have made our list and which song titles have inspired you to explore that destination. As always, be sure to “Like”, “Link”, “Pin”, “Tweet”, or “Share” this article with your friends and family who might need a little travel inspiration.
