← Return to Blog

TV and Movie Locations You Can Actually Visit

Nicolle Kain | Mar 23, 2023

Share Twitter   share

I think we’ve all been guilty of staying up late to watch “just one more episode” or to rewatch our favorite films. Avoiding spoilers and sharing show recommendations have become staples of our daily lives. What if I told you that you could visit some of the scenes from your favorite movies or television shows? Oftentimes, producers use real life houses and buildings when filming. A lot of these have turned into popular tourist destinations for fans to enjoy!

Here is just a short list of travel possibilities for the popcorn-loving, remote-hogging, binge-watching fanatics out there:

Just one more episode...

  1. Full House: “You got it dude!” You can visit the Tanner residence at 1709 Broderick Street in San Franscico, California. If you’ve binged the sitcom repeatedly, you may also want to visit Alamo Square, the very place that the Tanner family has a picnic in the show’s intro.
  2. Seinfeld: Have you been missing Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer lately? If so, you might want to plan a trip to Monk’s Café, which is located at 2880 Broadway in Manhattan’s Morningside Heights neighborhood in New York City. You can visit the location of this famous sitcom, but it is now called Tom’s Restaurant, and the interior has changed quite a bit from what you may remember.
  3. Game of Thrones: Dive into the fictional world of this popular television series in Northern Ireland. Journey down King’s Road, which portrays The Dark Hedges from the show.
  4. Scandal: Looking to snap a picture in front of Olivia Pope’s office? Olivia Pope & Associates got its arching windows from the top floors of the Palace Theatre at 60 S. Broadway in Los Angeles, California. The show is shot on the east side of Broadway between 6th and 7th streets.
  5. Downton Abbey: The primary location for this hit drama is Highclere Castle in West Berkshire, England. Many of the rooms contain furniture from the set, and the grounds are recognizable to the frequent viewer. Visitors are free to roam around during select days of the year.
  6. The Vampire Diaries: While you may not meet Damon Salvatore at the bar, you CAN visit the Mystic Grill from the show. Located in Covington, Georgia, “The Grill” is a fan favorite.
  7. Friends: Monica and Rachel’s apartment can really be found in Greenwich Village in New York City. While the inside of the apartment was created on a stage, fans can see the building above the Little Owl on the corner of Grove and Bedford Street. Nearby, fans can find a café inspired by Central Perk.
  8. The Walking Dead: If you’re a fan of this hit series, you will most likely recognize Main Street in Senoia, Georgia as Woodbury, the town controlled by The Governor in season three. Although, it might look different without the gates used to keep out zombies.
  9. Parks and Recreation: Pasadena City Hall, located at 100 North Garfield Avenue in Pasadena, California, doubles as the outside of Pawnee City Hall in the show. Visitors my come take their photo in front of Leslie’s office.
  10. American Horror Story: Do you remember the “Murder House” from the first season? Fans can visit, and spend the night in, the Alfred Rosenheim Mansion, the real-life building from the series. You can find it at 1120 Westchester Place in Los Angeles, California.

Lights, Camera, Action...

  1. Mrs. Doubtfire: Do you remember that iconic scene in which Mrs. Doubtfire is having a birthday dinner and Daniel is having a business meeting all in the same restaurant? If you do, you may want to visit Bridges Restaurant and Bar in Danville, California. You can sit at the same table Robin Williams sat when his character’s true identity was revealed.
  2. Home Alone: “KEVIN!” Head on down to 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois to visit the McCallister residence. The house looks almost exactly as it did when the film was released in 1990.
  3. Anchorman: Sit where Ron Burgundy and Veronica Corningstone sat on their date to Escupimos en su Alimento. In real life, the restaurant is called The Dresden, and has appeared in “Swingers” and “That Thing You Do” as well.
  4. Dumb and Dumber: If you’re a fan of this 1994 film, you may want to check out the Stanley Hotel, which plays the Danbury Hotel that Lloyd and Harry visited. It’s located in Estes Park, Colorado. You may also recognize it from “The Shining.”
  5. When Harry Met Sally: “I’ll have what she’s having.” You can actually eat at Katz’s Delicatessen from this iconic 1989 film. Located at 205 E. Houston Street on Manhattan’ Lower East Side in New York City, the restaurant is known for its recognizable neon sign and good food.
  6. Field of Dreams: “If you build it, they will come.”  You can visit, and even play a game of baseball, at the field from this 1989 movie. The field is found amongst the cornfields of Dyersville, Iowa.
  7. Twilight: Whether you’re Team Edward or Team Jacob, a visit to the Northwest is sure to please the above average Twilight fan. The Cullen residence can be found at 3333 NW Quimby St in Portland, Oregon. Not too far away, in St Helens, Oregon, is the Swan residence. Fans can rent Bella’s house, located at 184 S 6th Street, as an Airbnb. If you know every line of the movies, you can also visit Edward and Bella’s honeymoon villa from Breaking Dawn Part 1. The villa is in Paraty, Brazil, and is available for rent through Vrbo. Finally, fans can take a trip to the town of Forks, Washington, where the story takes place.
  8. Harry Potter: “Yer a wizard, Harry.” Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford, England served as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter movies. Potterheads can tour the Great Hall and the staircase featured when students first arrived at Hogwarts. If you’re looking for the bridge that the train crosses on its way to Hogwarts, you can find it just outside of Glenfinnan Viaduct, England.  Several scenes from the series were also filmed in London. Fans can walk across Millennium Bridge, the one destroyed in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Tourists may also be attracted to King’s Cross Station, where you can get your picture taken at Platform 9 ¾.
  9. Jurassic Park: Director Steven Spielberg filmed most of this motion picture on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. Visitors can take helicopter tours through Hanapepe Valley in search of dinosaurs.
  10. Lord of the Rings: Fans can take tours of Middle-earth, which is actually Queenstown, Glenorchy, and Arrowtown in New Zealand.

While this list certainly does not include every location borrowed by the entertainment industry, I hope that it inspires you to explore the fictional world in the real world!

Search Posts

Newsletter alert

Receive our monthly inspiration and travel tips from the travel insurance experts.

  Sign me up
This website and various social media updates provided by Seven Corners contain content, information, articles, videos, and links to websites created by third parties. Seven Corners, its owners, and its employees neither endorse nor are responsible for the accuracy, timeliness, or reliability of any third-party information, statements, opinions, or advice and are not liable for any loss, harm, or damage caused by your reliance upon them. Use of such information or the linked websites is entirely at your risk. Concerns regarding this third-party content should be directed to the third party. Seek professional advice, as appropriate, regarding your use of such information and websites.

Because the information on this website and in Seven Corners’ blogs and other social media is written and compiled using knowledge and information available at a certain point in time, it may become outdated. For that reason, information, events, legal requirements, and product changes (including benefits, limitations, exclusions, and services) may not be up-to-date, complete, or accurate at the point in time it is being read. Again, use of such information is at your risk.