Pop Culture-Inspired Travel

Thousands of fans flock to Coachella, a multiday music festival in California, to see big-name acts like Jay-Z. Other popular US music festivals include Bonaroo in Tennessee, Lolapalooza in Chicago, Ultra in Miami and Jazzfest in New Orleans.

The internet has made it easier for moviegoers to visit the locations of some of their favorite movies, including Petra in Jordan, one of the major locations in the movie 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.' Even 'Star Wars' fans can visit places that seem light years away by traveling to the Mayan ruins of Tikal and the endless deserts in Tunisia.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie -- aka Brangelina -- inspire travelers to trek the globe like the rich and famous. Fans following Brangelina in 2010 ventured to Venice, the backdrop for Jolie's movie 'The Tourist' and Budapest, where she made her directorial debut on a Bosnian war epic. New Orleans and Aix-en-Provence, France, are also popular travel destinations for the celebrity power couple.

New Zealand became a travel hot spot in 2010 after news in October that production on the movie adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' was underway. Fans continue to visit the Hobbiton movie set, which is located on a working sheep and cattle ranch in Matamata, New Zealand.

Thousands of people have already made plans to be in England for Prince William and Kate Middleton's royal wedding. Good luck if you're still making plans. Most hotels in London are already booked solid the last two weeks of April 2011.

In Ken Burns' 12-hour DVD series, 'America's Best Idea,' he reminded us that great travel spots are just around the corner. Wonderful US National Parks, including the Grand Canyon, are inspiring travelers to hit the road and check out America's natural wonders.

In the movie 'Eat, Pray, Love,' actress Julia Roberts inspired travelers to seek out their own transformative journey in 2010. Hip travel agencies like STA offered 'Eat, Pray, Love'-inspired packages, featuring food in Italy, spirituality in India and romance in Brazil.

Vampires and zombies inspired several travelers to cure their blood lust by retracing the steps of popular fictional characters. Twihards invaded the tiny town of Forks, Washington. True Blood fans visit Shreveport, located near the fictional Louisiana town of Bon Temps. Fans of AMC's Walking Dead and the movie "Zombieland" searched for the undead in Atlanta.

The young and old flocked to see The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando. It didn't hurt that the blockbuster movie, 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' helped generate more interest in the theme park's newest attraction. Be sure to try the butterbeer at The Three Broomsticks pub.

The Titanic's 100th Anniversary cruise is sold out. More than 1,300 passengers will board the Balmoral, a ship that will sail from Southampton, England, on April 8, 2012. It will follow the Titanic's original route to New York. The trip will include a memorial service on the morning of April 15, 2012, in the exact location where the Titanic sank.