Six Picture Perfect Movie-Set Travel Destinations
In honor awards’ season for Hollywood, we rounded up our top picks for vacation destinations with an added bonus of iconic movie sets! If you are a movie buff or like to travel with one, this list is for you.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Philadelphia Museum of Art
Listen closely…can you hear it? The iconic soundtrack playing as Rocky climbs the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art? In Philly, you can recreate this iconic scene before heading inside to check out the beautiful gallery. Philadephia is also set to other blockbuster hits such as National Treasure, Silver Linings Playbook, and the Sixth Sense, so even if you aren’t a Rocky fan, there is a bound to be something to see for your entire travel crew.
Philadelphia Museum of Art Steps - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Rocky
New York City, NY: Hook and Ladder 8
New York City has been the backdrop of film sets for decades. It seems almost everywhere you look in The Big Apple, you see a corner shop, Central Park bench, or iconic building that seems reminiscent of one of the hundreds of films shot there. If you head off the beaten path, though, you will find the still working firehouse: Hook and Ladder 8, where the family favorite 80’s film Ghostbusters was filmed. Perfect for a photo op and hopefully free of ghosts, check it out on your next trip to NYC.
Hook and Ladder 8 - New York City, New York: Ghostbusters
Mount Hood, Oregon: Timberline Lodge:
A fully functioning hotel with multiple amenities and located on a perch in Mount Hood National Forest, Timerline Lodge in Mount Hood Oregon might be the perfect spot if you are looking for a rustic, quaint, and nature-filled getaway. Did we mention its exterior is the spooky Overlook Hotel from the classic horror film The Shining? If staying here gives you the heebie-jeebies, we can help you find another picturesque spot to stay and you can always pop over for a brave photo while in beautiful Oregon.
Timberline Lodge - Mount Hood, Oregon: The Shining
Stirling District, Scotland Doune Castle
While it’s not yet graced the silver-screen (never say never!), HBO’s hit Game of Thrones gives off true Hollywood vibes, so Stirling District, Scotland makes our list! When we visited Scotland and Ireland in the summer of 2019, Laura and our brother, Craig, were ecstatic to come across the hidden gem that is Duane Castle, site for the show’s series premier “Winter is Coming”. The grounds around Duane Castle are beautiful (my dad and I took a walk with Laura and Craig took a tour inside of the castle), and the perfect spot to check out if you make your way to Scotland.
Doune Castle- Stirling District, Scotland: Game of Thrones
County Kerry, Ireland: Skellig Michael
A small island located 8 miles off the coast of Portmagee, Ireland, Skellig Michael was film set for both Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The island is breathtaking, with sweeping views and gorgeous landscape: the perfect day trip from Ireland for any true Star Wars fanatic. Not a die-hard fan, but married to or a parent of one? There is plenty for you to see as well on Skellig Michael; the island has remnants of a 6th century monastic settlement and a large array of unique and exotic wildlife.
Skellig Micheal- County Kerry, Ireland: Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi
Field of Dreams Baseball Field: Dubuque County, Iowa
Are you a baseball fan, living in the midwest, looking for a road trip destination? Look no further than the Field of Dreams Baseball Field in Dyersville, Iowa, a short 25 miles west of Dubuque along the Mississippi river where Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois meet. Make sure to play a game of catch and take a walk in the corn fields while you are there. Field of Dreams is a favorite movie for my family, and I still remember visiting this Hollywood landmark as a kid. While sitting on the wooden bleachers (not eating a hot dog!), I noticed carved into one of the benches was “Ray Loves Annie”. Romantic and Memorable!
Dubuque County, Iowa (near Dyersville): Field of Dreams
If one of the above listed movies a favorite of yours, one of the locations is on your bucket list, or if you have another favorite movie that you are able to visit the set of: do it! Movies and travel are both memorable encounters for people of all ages, and if you able to combine the two experiences, it’s even more unforgettable.
