15 Fictional Places You Wish You Could Visit

Updated on 5/18/2015 at 4:30 PM

Beneath the Rowan Tree

If you could visit any imaginary location in a book — where would you go? Our friends at Goodreads asked their members that very question, and they've rounded up 15 of the most popular spots. Next stop, Wonderland!

What if books came with magical passports that could transport you to the worlds they described? You could relax for days in Rivendell — the rest of the Fellowship can destroy the One Ring without you, right? — or spend a fun afternoon hiding from Jane Eyre in the Thornfield Hall attic (just watch out for Bertha).

Last week we asked on Facebook and on Twitter: which fictional place would you visit? Today we've got your top answers. Did your literary vacation destination make the list?

— Hayley Igarashi

Pemberley

Book: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Tour guide: Mr. Darcy
Suggested activities: A swim in the lake, a fencing class, an unexpected reunion with a suitor you just rejected

The Chatsworth House, a stately home in Derbyshire, England, was used for the original inspiration for Pemberley and has been used a film location for Pride and Prejudice.

Ankh-Morpork

Book: Discworld series by Terry Pratchett
Tour guide: Samuel Vimes or Rincewind
Suggested activities: Drinks at the Mended Drum, a lecture at the Unseen University (if you can find it), a visit to the Dwarf Bread Museum

Terry Pratchett has said that Ankh-Morpork was inspired by Tallinn, Estonia, and central Prague.

The Shire

Book: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Tour guide: Frodo Baggins or Samwise Gamgee
Suggested activities: Boat rides down the Brandywine River, singing on tables at the Green Dragon Inn, a Gandalf firework show

You actually can visit The Shire — and have a drink at The Green Dragon Inn — at the Hobbiton movie set in Waikato, New Zealand.

Thornfield Hall

Book: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Tour guide: Edward Rochester
Suggested activities: A walk around the grounds, reading in the library, a hunt for violently insane ex-wives locked in the attic

Haddon Hall, near Bakewell, Derbyshire, has been used in several adaptations of Jane Eyre, and some even believe it's what Charlotte Brontë based Thornfield on.

Narnia

Book: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Tour guide: Aslan or Reepicheep
Suggested activities: Afternoon tea with Mr. Tumnus, a ride on the Dawn Treader, dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Beaver

This shot is from the 2005 film version of the first book in the series, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Avonlea

Book: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Tour guide: Anne Shirley
Suggested activities: A poem reenactment by the river, hair makeovers (black or green?), drinks with Diana

L.M. Montgomery's fictional community is located on Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Brakebills

Book: The Magicians by Lev Grossman
Tour guide: Quentin Coldwater or Dean Fogg
Suggested activities: A game of Welters, simple charm lessons with Professor March, lunch at the Physical Kids' bungalow

Author Lev Grossman shared this illustration of Brakebills by artist Christopher Shy on his blog.

Wonderland

Book: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Tour guide: The Mad Hatter
Suggested activities: A chat with the Caterpillar, a Mad Tea Party, croquet with the Queen of Hearts

We got a glimpse into what Wonderland would look like in Tim Burton's 2010 live-action and computer-animated film.

Pern

Book: The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey
Tour guide: Lessa
Suggested activities: Impression of a dragon, destroying deadly Thread, traveling backward and forward through time

Here's a book cover illustration from the series by Michael Whelan.

Winterfell

Book: A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
Tour guide: Tyrion Lannister or Arya Stark
Suggested activities: Construction, scaling the walls of the Broken Tower, paying your respects at the crypt of Winterfell

Thanks to the Game of Thrones HBO series we have a good idea of what Winterfell would look like.

Panem

Book: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Tour guide: Katniss Everdeen
Suggested activities: Volunteering as tribute, joining a rebellion, rethinking your decision to go to Panem

This is what the Capitol looks like in the 2012 film.

Redwall

Book: Redwall by Brian Jacques
Tour guide: Matthias
Suggested activities: A delicious feast in the Great Hall, fishing at the Redwall Abbey Pond, fighting off an evil army of anthropomorphic rats

This book cover illustration is by artist David Wyatt.

Neverland

Book: Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Tour guide: Peter Pan or Tinker Bell
Suggested activities: A dip in Mermaids' Lagoon, campfire parties with the Lost Boys, pirate treasure hunts at Skull Rock

Pan, set to come out later this year, will be the newest — and most stunning — film portraying Neverland.

Hogwarts

Book: Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Tour guide: Hagrid
Suggested activities: Playing Quidditch, taking a few classes, using a Time-Turner to relive your visit over and over again

Besides the castles and churches that served as filming locations for Hogwarts, the life-size replica at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios (both the Orlando, FL, and Osaka, Japan, locations) is your next best bet for the real deal.

Oz

Book: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Tour guide: Glinda the Good Witch
Suggested activities: Following the Yellow Brick Road, landing houses on wicked witches, paying no attention to the man behind the curtain

This imagined Oz setting is from the 2013 film Oz the Great and Powerful.

Don't see your favorite fictional land? Then share it with us in the comments! And add more fantastical stories to your to-read shelf with these book lists: Magical World Books and Alternate Universe Books.