23 Storybook Destinations You Can Actually Visit

Held in the Nevada dessert, this lantern festival is all kinds of magical and definitely brings to mind the infamous lantern scene from Tangled. Before you release your lantern, you can even inscribe it with a message, prayer, or resolution. (Psst! We think “at last I see the light” would work splendidly.)

Read/Watch Before You Go: Rapunzel/Tangled
Online: risefestival.com

You can’t follow a yellow brick road to get there, but the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve is still well worth a visit. It’s a great way to introduce little ones to an awesome national park, and if you visit during poppy season you’ll catch colorful blooms as far as the eye can see.

Read Before You Go: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Online: parks.ca.gov

Dinosaurs may not star in your average fairytale, but they've definitely cast a spell over our dino-loving kids. That's why the towering rock formations at this public Colorado park are so perfect for fans of the prehistoric era. Add in some hiking, rock climbing, biking, and horseback riding and you've got yourself a happy ending.

Read Before You Go: The Land Before Time
Online: gardenofgods.com

It doesn’t get much more picturesque than this tiny Austrian village, which was only reachable by boat or narrow trails until the late 19th century. In fact, it’s so beautiful that a full-scale replica of the entire town was built in China. The original, however, is still one-of-a-kind.

Read Before You Go: Heidi
Online: hallstatt.net

Don’t be late for a very important date with this wild escape in Wiltshire, England. There's not only a safari involved—think lions, tigers, and monkeys—but also a hedge maze and stately manor that are sure to remind you of a certain wonder-filled land and its Queen of Hearts.

Read Before You Go: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Online: longleat.co.uk

“There goes the baker with his tray, like always!” Remember that peaceful village that kicks off all of Belle’s adventures? The town of Colmar, France looks like just like it. And with all the hubbub about the upcoming live-action Beauty and the Beast movie, we'll bet this already-popular town is about to become a true hotspot.

Read Before You Go: Beauty and the Beast
Online: tourisme-colmar.com

This castle-turned-museum has all the trimmings of a fairytale abode, but it also features the “Talking Mirror” that may have belonged to a real-life wicked stepmother. A cool place to visit if you’re ever in Germany, but keep an eye out for poisoned apples.

Read Before You Go: Snow White
Online: spessartmuseum.de

Feeling Brave? The setting for the Disney-Pixar film may have been a fictionalized Scotland, but that doesn’t mean you can’t visit the real-life spots that inspired important moments in the story--like these standing stones that are equal parts impressive and mysterious.

Watch Before You Go: Brave
Online: visitscotland.com

If you wanna be where the people are, you gotta head over to the town Hans Christian Andersen once called home: Copenhagen. This mermaid statue sits on a rock in Copenhagen Harbor and is the perfect spot for little fans of The Little Mermaid. (And while you’re in Denmark, you might as well pay a visit to the Hans Christian Andersen Fairytale House.)

Watch Before You Go: The Little Mermaid
Online: visitcopenhagen.com

If your kids can’t get enough of Peter Rabbit, Mrs. Tiggy Winkle, and Hunca Munca, they’ll be tickled by the real-life home of Beatrix Potter. The surrounding land hosts many of the animals you’ll find in her whimsical tales and there’s even a dedicated nature trail for Peter Rabbits-in-training.

Read Before You Go: Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales
Online: nationaltrust.org.uk/hill-top

A 100-year nap sounds pretty sweet, especially if it means staying in the Neuschwanstein Castle. In fact, this fantastical home is so fairytale-perfect that Sleeping Beauty’s castle in Disneyland is actually modeled after it.

Read Before You Go: Sleeping Beauty
Online: neuschwanstein.de

If Hobbiton looks familiar, it's because it's actually the same Shire from the LOTR film set. That means visiting this town would be like a giant dream-come-true for little Hobbits. (And in honor of Hobbits' daily seven meals, we'd definitely be down to dine at The Green Dragon Inn!)

Read Before You Go: Lord of the Rings
Online: hobbitontours.com

We happen to think these majestic beech trees (planted way back in the 18th century) have their own kind of magic on a road that looks ready-made for adventure. They also happen to come with some haunting stories about the Famous Grey Lady--and they've made a star appearance in a Game of Thrones episode, too.

Watch Before You Go: Into the Woods
Online: discovernorthernireland.com

Like any storybook tale worth its salt, the crooked forest in Poland comes with its own mystery—is it manmade or naturally formed? About 400 pine trees grow in strange angles while the trees surrounding them remain as straight as a pin. We can totally see Red Riding Hood veering off the path in a forest like this.

Watch Before You Go: Hoodwinked
Online: earthporm.com

Here to give Lost Boys and Girls everywhere a Peter Pan moment, this iconic structure is officially known as the Elizabeth Tower. Although to us and everyone else around the world, it’s more famously known as Big Ben.

Read Before You Go: Peter Pan
Online: parliament.uk

Back in the day, the Glendalough Round Tower was the old school lighthouse for land travelers. Pilgrims considered these Irish towers more of a safe haven than a prison, but our storybook ruled brains can’t help but think of the miller’s daughter being locked in there to spin gold for the king.

Read Before You Go: Rumpelstiltskin
Online: megalithicireland.com

Sitting on top of a lush hill with generous views of nature, this castle actually belonged to real royalty until 1918 (when the German monarchy ended). Isolated castle, surrounded by a dense forest? Now we know how Snow White escaped the Huntsman.

Read Before You Go: Snow White
Online: burg-hohenzollern.com

This ornamental garden is a result of three decades (and still ongoing) of hard work and passionate green thumbs. Not only does it have amazing organic sculptures made of rocks and plants, but this is where you'll find Europe’s only pineapple pit!

Read Before You Go: Thumbelina
Online: heligan.com

The story behind the Taj Mahal is just about as epic as any fairy tale: Commissioned in 1632 by the emperor as a memorial to his third wife, this magnificent marble castle was a loose inspiration for the palace in the movie Aladdin.

Watch Before You Go: Aladdin
Online: tajmahal.gov.in

If Elsa had the coronation at her ice palace, she definitely would’ve spiced it up to look like the ever changing Ice Hotel in Sweden. This glacier space is rebuilt each year (by different artists) for a cool retreat before it melts back into nature in April.

Watch Before You Go: Frozen
Online: icehotel.com