Watching movies is an escape from reality for most of us. Movies and television show transport you to picturesque landscapes, strange historical events, and legendary cities and villages. But what if there is a way to make these big screens into reality.
While there is no way to magically move into the film of your choosing, you can visit the real-life sites where some great films and television episodes were shot. Here are 10 amazing movie places to inspire your next vacation, ranging from recent and current on-screen or forthcoming smashes to great old masterpieces, cult flicks, and epic series.
Timberline Lodge’s magnificent pitch-roofed exterior seems extremely familiar for a reason. This luxury hotel and ski lodge served as the external site for the Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick’s film “The Shining.” Timberline Lodge and associated ski slopes welcome about two million tourists each year and are located one hour from Portland, Oregon, 6000 feet up the south side of Mount Hood. While the hotel interiors and hedge labyrinth in the film were shot on stages at Elstree Studios in London, the beautiful exterior of the lodge is a film set you can really see and stay in.
One of Lara Croft’s first adventures was at Angkor Wat. Tourism was already on the upswing when scenes from the film Tomb Raider were shot at Angkor Wat in 2000. Angkor Wat is unparalleled in terms of beauty and preservation. Its might and magnificence of pomp and luxury are unrivaled by other monuments. Angkor Wat is roughly six kilometers (four miles) north of Siem Reap and six kilometers (four miles) south of Angkor Thom. Angkor Wat may only be entered and exited through its west gate. Despite being only one of the hundreds of surviving temples and constructions, the huge Angkor Wat is the most famous of all Cambodia’s temples—it even features on the country’s flag—and with good reason.
Game of Thrones is one of the most popular and profitable fantasy television shows in history. Seasons one through eight were filmed in about 25 different sites in Northern Ireland, including Titanic Studios in Belfast, Cushendun Caves, Murlough Bay, Ballintoy Harbour, Larrybane, Antrim plateau, Castle Ward, Inch Abbey, and Downhill Strand. The jagged coastlines, old castles, and magnificent scenery provide the ideal backdrop for this epic drama. Winterfell is, of course, one of the most recognized sites in the realm of Game of Thrones. For the course of the exhibition, Ireland’s historic Castle Ward, an Irish National Trust location, was converted into Winterfell.
The storybook-like set of Hobbiton, home to Frodo and Bilbo Baggins, may have been developed expressly for The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films. If you ever find yourself in Matamata, New Zealand, you can arrange one of the numerous guided excursions that take fans to film locations like the Green Dragon Inn, Hobbit Holes, and the Mill. The Hobbiton Movie Set, which comprises over 44 hobbit holes, gardens, and hedges, the double-arched bridge, and the plummeting Wairere Falls, is barely two hours south of Auckland.
The film was shot on location in China’s Anhui, Hebei, Jiangsu, and Xinjiang regions. Hebei has more such noteworthy sites than any other province. It contains three World Cultural Heritage Sites: the Great Wall, Chengde Mountain Resort, and the Qing Tombs. Zhoukoudian is home to the well-known Peking Man archeological site.
DuPont State Forest was used to film some of the most violent and unforgettable sequences from The Hunger Games. Its rich pine forests, jagged mountains, and stunning waterfalls provided the ideal setting for the sci-fi blockbuster. Head to Triple Falls and Bridal Veil Falls to find Katniss’ pond and the location where Peeta camouflaged himself. If you’re lucky, you could even see a black bear or a deer.
Even if you’ve only watched the first Harry Potter film once, you’re probably familiar with the classic moment in which Harry and the Weasley family walk straight through a brick wall at King’s Cross Station to reach Platform 9-3/4. The magical platform to the Hogwarts Express is seen and spoken often throughout the film series, and it has become so widely known that King’s Cross Station actually designated the platform between platforms nine and ten. HP aficionados now stop over for photoshoots on a regular basis.
Tunisia, not so much a galaxy far, far away. Although a few sequences based on Tatooine were shot in Death Valley, California, the majority of desert scenes in the original Star Wars were shot in Tunisia, with future films in the franchise also returning to capture footage there. The Sahara desert served as the setting for Luke Skywalker’s travels. Ksour, historic walled granaries in Tataouine that were recreated as the Mos Espa slave quarters, and Ong Jemal, popularly known as Camel’s Neck, are two of the most famous filming sites.
Mamma Mia was a technicolor masterpiece. It is undeniably a huge fromage fest, complete with an incredible celebrity ensemble and ABBA’s best tunes. But it’s the Greek Islands, particularly Skopelos, that steal the show, with their white traditional cottages wrapped in fuchsia flowers, pure blue water, and dungaree revival. Thank you, Meryl Streep. The sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, was actually shot on the Croatian island of Vis.
Kyoto, Japan’s cultural center, serves as a beautiful setting for this narrative about Chiyo, a young girl turned Geisha. Filming took place in the Gion neighborhood and at numerous temples, notably the Kiyo-Mizu pagoda. Her running through the 10,000 lucky red gates to the Fushimi Inari shrine will remain one of the most memorable moments.