Once upon a time in Hollywood, the only place to see real movie and television sets was at Universal Studios. Here you could get a behind-the-scenes look with your family and friends on a guided tram tour of iconic movie sets such as thePsychoHouse and the shark fromJaws. More recently, the theme park, which is practically its own city now, with global locations, has launched Super Nintendo World – a themed area atUniversal Studios HollywoodandUniversal Studios Japan,and under construction atUniversal Studios Singaporeand the upcomingUniversal’s Epic UniverseatUniversal Orlando Resort.
Thankfully, we can now take advantage of some great filming locations around the world and you don’t even need to pay the price of admission. Season 4 of the Netflix series You can be found in the UK atKnebworth Housein Hertfordshire and Royal Holloway University in Egham;Schloßstraße(Charlottenburg) inBerlin, Germanysets the tone forTarstarring Kate Blanchett; whileThe Banshees of Inisherinwas filmed on the West coast of Ireland at Achill Island andInishmore.
In some cases, you can even stay in the very spot where some of your favorite actors have read their lines, such as theYellowstoneRanchin Montana where the Kevin Costner hit television series is made, and thanks to Airbnb, you can now book theHome Alone housein the Chicago suburbs. But this obsession really started withThe White Lotusseries hotel locations in Hawaii at theFour Seasons Resort Maui at Waileafor season one and the San Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel in Sicily for season two. For something adventurous,James Bond fanscan tour famous 007 spots around the world from London to Jamaica thanks to bespoke UK travel company Black Tomato. And, if that’s not over-the-top enough, you can actually buy theGlass Onion: A Knives Out Mysterysprawling mansionon a private Greek Island.
Here is a deeper dive into some locations around Australia, Canada and even Southern California where you can also eat in a few famous filming establishments –
The recent film release ofTicket To Paradisestarring Academy Award winners George Clooney and Julia Roberts was almost entirely shot on location inQueensland,Australia. Idyllic landscapes including Hamilton Island, Brisbane, the Whitsundays, andthe Gold Coastwere among those featured as the stunning backdrop that was meant to be taking place in Bali, Indonesia. You cando everythingseen in the film from hiking to Curtis falls to handfeeding dolphins on Moreton Island.
The Emmy’s nominated hit Netflix showMaidstarring Margaret Qualley as a young woman trying to provide for her family following a difficult relationship. The characters can be seen around Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia, atSwartz Bay ferry terminal,Tillicum Laundry, Victoria’s oldest laundromat which doubles as Value Maids HQ, andThe Duke Saloon, which is the bar setting where Alex and Sean meet.
Victoria has a breathtaking coastal, a bustling downtown, and offerings fit for A-listers. In a recentinterviewwith CBC news, Ryan Reynolds said, “I struggle to find a place more beautiful than Victoria,” when discussing his home county of Canada! In fact, some of Reynolds’ hit movie –Deadpool 2– was filmed in Victoria atHatley Castle. The manor house is a heritage building, part of the Royal Roads University. Scenes at Hatley were included inDeadpool 2which focused around everyone’s unexpected hero assembling his quintessential team of fellow mutants.
LikeDeadpool, which features theX-Men‘s fictional school, Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, theX-Menfranchise was filmed atHatley Castle. This gorgeous historical site is also found in the popular TV seriesSmallville, as Lex Luther’s mansion, and in theArrowtelevision series as Queen Mansion, home of Oliver Queen and his family.
The iconic Wayan Brothers film,White Chicks, captivated audiences with the telling of two disgraced FBI agents attempting to make a comeback by going undercover in the Hamptons. So, what served as the elite property the two stayed while undercover? The “Hampton’s Hotel” was actually shot in British Columbia at Victoria’sGovernment House. It’s worth a drive up to this stately location while blasting “A Thousand Miles.”
If you’re a fan ofThe Last of Usyou’ll want to head to Alberta, Canada where Calgary, High River, Fort Macleod, Edmonton, Canmore, and Waterton act as the locations for the HBO Max series.
WithTop Gun: Maverickcontinuing to dominate the box office, travelers can visit exact filming locations likeKansas City BBQwhere the iconicGreat Balls of Firescene was captured, or head toThe Lafayette Hotel(under renovation until June 2023), where Maverick and Goose famously serenade Charlie in the Mississippi Ballroom – both located in San Diego. The recently opened and newly debutedHigh PieDessert Bar at the originalTop GunHouse has been restored to its authentic self and is located next to theMission Pacific Hotelin Oceanside, the quaint surf-town just north of San Diego. Other inspired activities include visiting theMojave Air & Space Port, where guests can take a self-guided driving tour throughout the airfield with stops along the way such as “The Boneyard” where scraps of airplanes can be found scattered throughout the field, testing sites, and multiple aircraft hangars.
An unsung hero in the cult turned Academy-Award winning wine filmSideways, the town ofBuelltonwas a main character as Miles and Jack explored Santa Ynez Valley (which included Solvang and Los Olivos.) This film has had such a big impact on tourism in Buellton that decades later there are still visitors coming to town and asking for theSidewaysexperience. Luckily, you can also stay at the Sideways Inn where Miles and Jack stayed (during the film, it was a Days Inn, but it was purchased and completely turned around into a luxury boutique hotel), have dinner at theHitching Post II, enjoy wine tasting atAlma Rosaand feed ostriches inOstrichland.
And, forBarbiefans, major scenes from movie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, were filmed at “Muscle Beach’ inVenice, California, where anyone can roller-skate on the nearby bike path and boardwalk.
