There’s something truly magical about planting your feet on the same streets that our favorite screenwriters and actors once graced, too. It’s the closest we’ll ever get to stepping through our TV screens and joining the cast.
Whether you’re a fan of the fantastical, like The Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, or like to let your hair down with our friends in Mamma Mia, any one of these filming locations are well worth the travel time that it takes to get there.
Hobbiton, New Zealand
There are certain movies that can pluck us out of this world – even if only for an hour and a half – and place us in new and exciting realms. The Lord of the Rings series is the perfect example of this.
Hobbiton, in Matamata, New Zealand, was created specifically for the films, but they’ve left the set intact, which draws in visitors from all across the globe, year after year.
You have the pick of the litter, in terms of guided tours. But, whichever one you choose is likely to take you to popular spots like the Hobbit Holes, the Green Dragon Inn, and the Mill.
London, England
Sticking with the theme of movies that transport us to other places and times, Harry Potter must be on a list such as this. While Edinburgh and parts of the Highlands are often associated with the series, there’s a very important starting point in London worth visiting: King’s Cross Station.
This is the magical platform for the Hogwarts Express that allows Harry and the Weasley family to walk straight through a brick wall at platform number 9 ¾.
Before Harry Potter fandom was a thing, there were no 9th and 10th platforms. But, since the epic series took over the world, the station actually put up a 9 and 10 sign to allow adventurers a little taste of magic.
Edinburgh, Scotland
A train ride from London to Edinburgh is quite feasible – and very scenic. So, let’s continue the Harry Potter train for just a moment.
If you make your way to Edinburgh, the ways to sense the magic of the films are endless. You’ll want to walk up and down Victoria Street, believed to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley. Then, there’s the National Museum of Scotland which houses something known as the Lewis Chess pieces, said to be the inspiration for Wizard Chess.
To round things out, you could also see if The Elephant House is reopened for business. (It’s been closed for most of 2024 due to a fire). But, if it’s back on its feet, you can visit the cafe where Rowling did a large portion of her writing in the early days.
For more on how to make the most of the magic that mists the streets of Edinburgh, here’s a unique guide to help you craft the perfect itinerary.
Doune, Scotland
If you’re also a Monty Python fan, stick around in Scotland for just a little while longer. Located in the historic county of Perthshire, you’ll find Doune Castle, which was used as a filming location for Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Actually, it served as several filming locations for several castles in the film. The film crew was just astute enough to film it at different angles to make it appear as though it was a few different strongholds.
If, perchance, you’re also an avid follower of the renowned book and television series, Outlander, you’ll also recognize Doune Castle – almost immediately.
Paris, France
Paris has been host to a slew of movies over the years, but there’s one that takes the cake: Midnight In Paris. Along with several other stopping points, you can sit on the steps of the church that lured Gil Pender back in time when the clock struck midnight – Saint-Étienne du Mont.
You can also visit a fabulous restaurant, Le Polidor, where Gil first met one of his idols, Ernest Hemingway. Gertrude Stein’s former apartment is privately owned, but you can still walk past the entryway for a little bit of inspiration.
Shakespeare & Company is another famous stopping point, even though it only made a brief foray into the film. But, since the original bookstore was a popular haunt for friends of Hemingway at the time, it’s well worth a visit in its own right.
Skellig Michael, Ireland
Way down south, on one of the most southeastern tips of Ireland, you’ll find a twin-peaked rocky mountain off the coast of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry.
Once a monastery, between the 6th and 8th centuries, it later went on to serve as Ahch-To, the rocky mountain that Luke Skywalker called home.
Today, you can take an array of boat tours to the island during certain parts of the year and feel as though you, too, have been transported to another planet. Best of all, it’s also a lovely place to take in many puffin sightings if you time it right.
Skopelos, Greece
Mamma Mia! Does that film ever get old? Certainly not. Although the story is supposed to take place on a fictional island in Greece, you can rest assured it’s the magnificent Skopelos. Stay a while here as you breathe in the fresh air of the Aegean Sea and stay at a lovely inn on a hill.
When you’re ready to meet fellow Mamma Mia fans, you can choose a bus tour to take you around to several of the movie’s filming locations, including Kastani Beach and the Agios Ioannis Chapel.
Angkor Thom, Cambodia
If Angelina Jolie is your go-to when you want a little escape, dive into Lara Croft: Tomb Raider one more time before booking a flight to Cambodia.
While there, you’ll want to make your way to Bayon Temple, a 12th- or 13th-century Buddhist Temple that still stands today and would mesmerize you all on its own, even if Jolie hadn’t made it famous.
Petra, Jordan
Sadly, this may be a dangerous corner of the world to travel to these days. If, however, all the candles we light in the name of peace ever work, you might want to put on your Indiana Jones hat and head to the Al Khazneh temple.
While you can’t go inside in search of the Holy Grail, you can still touch the stone from the outside. And, in truth, all that remains inside is a small, stone room. The movie’s labyrinth of excitement was filmed on a set in London at Elstree Studios.
Kauai, Hawaii
The odds are high that fans of the Indiana Jones films also enjoyed Jurassic Park. Nestled into the Hanapepe Valley in Kauai, you can relive that famous moment in the original movie where the cast helicoptered onto Isla Nublar with a gigantic waterfall as their backdrop.
As with many of our favorite films, you won’t be hard-pressed to find a lovely little tour company that will be more than happy to usher you to several filming locations and do a little dinosaur hunting yourself.
Mansfield, Ohio
Sticking with the States, let’s head over to Ohio. There, you’ll find the Ohio State Reformatory which served Andy Dufresne’s prison in Shawshank Redemption. From the outside, one of the first things you’ll notice is that it’s virtually unchanged since Andy called it home.
Of course, it’s no longer a working prison, but it’s no less haunting. You can actually book an array of different tours through the reformatory and relive any number of scenes from the film.
If walking haunted corridors is your thing, check out these 15 eerie ghost towns in America that you simply must visit.
Dyersville, Iowa
This is, quite possibly, one of the coolest options on the list if Field of Dreams lives on in your dreams. Not only can you visit the baseball field that was built for the movie, you can also rent the home from the movie for a night or two. How cool is that?
Still, if the timing or price tag isn’t right for an overnight stay, you can still tour the home and relive some of the most magical moments from the 1989 fantasy classic.
New York, New York
Like Paris, New York has been the gracious host to several television and movie sets. If When Harry Met Sally lives on in your heart somewhere, then you simply must go to Katz Deli on Houston Street in the Lower East Side.
If you know the scene that took place here, then you know. But, aside from that, they’re also known to serve up one of the best examples of a pastrami on rye this side of heaven.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
From New York, you can hop aboard an Amtrak train and make your way down to Philly to relive one of Rocky’s most iconic scenes. Sylvester Stallone fans still run and down the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, even today.
While your sprint will, of course, be free, you should also take the opportunity to visit the museum. With one of the most beautiful collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art, it’s a worthwhile way to spend your afternoon before heading off on a hunt for the best cheesesteak in town.
The Harbor Freeway, California
We’ll end with a destination you can’t visit, per se, but why not end your movie tour in the land where most of the magic was born: Los Angeles?
The goal of the Harbor Freeway is to relive the opening scenes of La La Land with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. While, of course, you can’t stop on one of the city’s busiest highways, you can use it as an entry point into LA before taking a tour of Warner Bros. Studio.
Artistry at Its Finest
Some of these films are artistry at its finest. The way people’s imaginations can spring to life on screen is a wonder that will never cease to amaze.
Whether you’re headed to London, Scotland, New York, or Los Angeles, we have a destination guide in place to help you write your own scenes and live out your very own Hollywood dreams.