Away from the spotlight, it’s about finding calm and peace within iconic destinations.

I have always been fascinated by Marilyn Monroe, not just by the image the world came to know, but by the life that lay behind it. Beyond the platinum hair, the photographs and the Hollywood style, there is always the question of what Marilyn was really searching for when the cameras stopped rolling. The places she travelled to perhaps offer some of the closest clues. Hidden beach retreats, peaceful countryside estates, old Hollywood hideaways and intimate coastal escapes became temporary sanctuaries away from the intensity of fame.

Long before celebrity travel became about posting on social media, Monroe was moving through the world with an instinctive sense of glamour. Her world was one of sun-drenched afternoons in Palm Springs, secluded stays in the Hamptons, vintage hotels in Los Angeles, and elegant international escapes in search of privacy. While her life was defined publicly by fame and fascination, the destinations she travelled to often reflected a desire to momentarily disappear from the spotlight.

To travel like Marilyn Monroe is to embrace a timeless, cinematic approach to seeing the world. Think classic hotels with stories woven into their walls, coastal drives beneath endless Californian skies, relaxing days by the sea and destinations that still carry the faded glamour of another era. There is nostalgia to it, certainly, but also emotional depth.

Naturally, California sits at the heart of any Marilyn-inspired itinerary. Palm Springs was one of the destinations most closely associated with her over the years, offering the perfect combination of desert privacy and Hollywood glamour. At the time, the desert town had become a playground for movie stars escaping Los Angeles, and Monroe was frequently photographed lounging poolside beneath the sun. The Racquet Club of Palm Springs became one of her regular retreats, embodying the relaxed glamour that still defines the destination today. Nearby, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel remains deeply tied to Monroe’s legacy. Before becoming one of the world’s most photographed women, she lived at the hotel as her career began to take shape. Today, its vintage cabanas, palm-lined pool, and old-Hollywood atmosphere still feel entirely connected to her world.

Florida offered Monroe a quieter escape. In places like Redington Beach and Key West, her life slowed down. She spent time in private beachside cabanas reading scripts and relaxing away from Hollywood, while resorts such as Casa Marina in Key West reflected the timeless coastal glamour she was drawn to. The Florida Keys still capture that same spirit today.

One of Monroe’s most famous international journeys came in 1954, when she travelled to Japan with her then-husband, Joe DiMaggio, on their honeymoon. The trip combined glamorous dinners, Tokyo nightlife, and cultural exploration, while Monroe also made a now-legendary visit to Korea to perform for American troops. Years later, she described it as “one of the happiest experiences of her life.” A Marilyn-inspired trip through Asia today would embrace that balance of elegance and curiosity: classic hotels in Tokyo, intimate cocktail bars in Ginza and time spent exploring the quieter cultural corners of the country.

Later in life, Monroe increasingly gravitated towards destinations that offered privacy and emotional retreat. In the late 1950s, she and playwright Arthur Miller escaped to Amagansett in the Hamptons, where long walks along the beach and quiet family time replaced the intensity of Hollywood. England, too, became part of her story during the filming of The Prince and the Showgirl, when she and Miller rented a countryside estate in Surrey surrounded by gardens and complete seclusion.

Ironically, Marilyn Monroe’s style of travel feels remarkably modern today, reflecting that of modern celebrities who too crave escapism from their public lives. It’s not about being, but about finding calm and peace within iconic destinations.

By Lindsay Judge