Erin
One interesting recommendation I have for anyone who enjoyed Journey to the Center of the Earth is the Disney film Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001). It builds on a similar premise of an imaginative exploration into a lost realm. There is a fun cast of characters and very cool stylized inventions. And it was inspired by the works of Jules Verne, so while not a direct adaptation, it does capture a similar vibe and experience.
For something to read that is vaguely similar to Journey to the Center of the Earth is The Leviathan Trilogy written by Scott Westerfeld. It is a very interesting concept that adds a steampunk spin to World War I with interesting inventions and scientific experiments. Jules Verne’s work was one of the precursors that inspired the steampunk genre, and thus this series gives a similar feel to his works.
Claire
A Movie Adaptation for Your Consideration: Skip the 2008 adaptation of Journey and go straight for the 1959 version! It’s deeply imaginative, truer to the original story, and is just a good, old-timey classic. While it may have some lizards masquerading as dinosaurs, I would say it’s creative, not cheesy!