History Main / GoingToSeeTheElephant

* In ''Literature/TheMagiciansElephant'' by Kate [=DiCamillo=], the protagonist goes with a group of people to see the title elephant to first find out if his sister is still alive and secondly to get it home.

* In ''The Magician's Elephant'' by Kate [=DiCamillo=], the protagonist goes with a group of people to see the title elephant to first find out if his sister is still alive and secondly to get it home.

* ''Anime/DoraemonGreatAdventureInTheAntarcticKachiKochi'': Nobita finds a bracelet in the middle of Antartica, which Doraemon's gadgets identifies as an artifact from 100,000 years ago. On a whim, he managed to convince his friends to travel to the past and seek it's owner, which somehow leads to the gang fighting an ancient EldritchAbomination elemental monster in order to save the earth.

* In the Creator/StephenKing novella ''The Body'' (and its film adaptation, ''Film/StandByMe''), the kids travel cross-country to see a dead body.

* ''Film/Gerry'': It is never revealed exactly what Gerry and Gerry went to see, as they decide before getting there that "it's just a thing, at the end of a trail" and they don't need to see it.

* ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'': Sam initially Frodo because he wants to see Elves, who are almost mythical for Hobbits.

%%* ''Film/HaroldAndKumarGoToWhiteCastle'':

* This particular trope is taken literally in an episode of ''Anime/CarriedByTheWindTsukikageRan''.
* The Grand Line is presented as a sort of elephant in early ''Manga/OnePiece''. Also, the island containing the titular "One Piece", the treasure of Gold Roger.

* In ''Manga/UQHolder'', Touta's stated goal is to climb the SpaceElevator at the capital. It's quickly revealed that he cares less about the elevator itself and more about what he could accomplish once he gets there.

-->[[ArcWords I hope you find whatever it is you are looking for...]]

[[folder: Fan Works]]
* The ''Game of Thrones'' fanfic ''Fanfic/ABalladOfTheDragonAndSheWolf'' has a literal example where Cersei visits the Golden Company camp and sees their elephants.

[[folder: Films -- Animated]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}'', the entire reason Rapunzel leaves her tower is to go see the lights that appear on her birthday every year. They're more important than most examples though, as they are sent by [[spoiler:her parents, the King and Queen of Corona, who want her to return more than anything]].
[[/folder]]

* In ''Losin' It'', each of the boys has a different "elephant" he wants to see during their trip to Tijuana, Mexico. One character wants to see a donkey show[[note]]A show that involves a woman and a donkey[[/note]], another wants his car seats re-upholstered and the third just wants to get some cool fireworks.
* The ''Film/NationalLampoonsVacation'' series of films starring Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo are a comedic example of this trope.

* ''Film/LostInAmerica'' is about a couple who quit their jobs in order to "discover America." They do so by traveling around in a Winnebago on the back roads, looking for new things to see and do.
* The guys in ''Film/EasyRider'' did that, too, with New Orleans as the ultimate elephant.
* ''Film/HaroldAndKumarGoToWhiteCastle.'' ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin.
* In ''Film/TheWizard'' Jimmy's ultimate goal is the [[spoiler:Cabazon Dinosaurs]].

* This is arguably the structure of ''Literature/TheCanterburyTales''. The storytellers are on a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Thomas Becket, but that is essentially Chaucer's excuse to get people from all walks of life to exchange their tales.
* Done literally by Sam in ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. He gets to see an oliphaunt, confirming the Hobbit rhyme is an appallingly realistic depiction of one. He also does this in a more metaphorical sense, initially joining Frodo because he wants to see Elves, who are almost mythical for Hobbits.

* This particular trope is taken literally in an episode of ''Anime/KazemakaseTsukikageRan''.

[[folder: Fanfiction]]

[[folder: Films -- Animated]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}'', the entire reason Rapunzel leaves her tower is to go see the lights that appear on her birthday every year. They're more important than most examples though, as they are sent by [[spoiler:her parents, the King and Queen of Corona, who want her to return more than anything]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventuresHowISpentMyVacation'', Plucky and the Pig family visit a theme park called Happy World Land, and Plucky is clearly excited for the attractions. To Plucky's disappointment, however, after a long and harrowing (well, harrowing for Plucky, at least) journey to get there, Hampton and his family just wanted to ride the monorail around the park (because Mr. Pig doesn't want to overdo it on their first visit), after which they promptly leave.