12 Iconic Movie Locations You Can Visit Now That Will Make Your Jaw Drop
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Have you ever been watching a movie or television show and thought it’s so beautiful there, I would love to see it in person? Well, you are not alone, and there are many different locations that you might recognize from movies and television shows that you can go see in person.
Some movie locations are more iconic and famous than others, but many places have made it on the map because of their appearance in movies. Some locations even build their tourism around their iconic movie locations.
The iconic movie locations on this list were chosen because of their beauty and uniqueness. They were also chosen based on the popularity of the films and television shows that featured them, which makes them so popular today.
Hobbiton, Matamata, Waikato, New Zealand — The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies
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Chances are you thought the Hobbit Village from Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogy was just a movie set, and they are, but it was a set built for the movies that you can go and see for yourself. The set was left intact, and if you travel to New Zealand, you can go on a guided tour to multiple filming locations in the area.
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Skopelos, Greece — Mamma Mia
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Glorious beaches, amazing architecture, and bright colors are what you saw in the Mamma Mia film, and you can visit in person, too. Skopelos island in the Aegean sea is where the movie was filmed. You can take a guided bus tour of the island to film locations or explore the island on your own.
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Timberline Lodge in Mount Hood, Oregon — The Shining
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Stanley Kubrick’s film The Shining, based on the book by Stephen King, was filmed at the real-life Timberline Lodge in Mount Hood, Oregon. Find out if the hotel is really haunted or not for yourself by booking a stay. There are no official tours at the hotel, but they do occasionally throw “Shining” themed parties.
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Mokule’ia Beach in Oahu, Hawaii — Lost
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The beach on Lost, the American television series that aired from 2004 until 2010, was featured in the show as both the crash site and the survivor’s camp for the show’s first season. You can book a tour to see the sites in the show, like Jacob’s Lighthouse and Dharma village.
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Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia — Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
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Angkor Wat, Cambodia, is where many of the scenes from Lara Croft: Tomb Raider were filmed. Prior to the movie’s release, this 12th-century temple complex did not get a lot of Western tourist traffic despite being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This beautiful landmark now receives visitors from around the world all year round.
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Petra, Jordan — Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade
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The city of Petra is one of the seven wonders of the world and it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site. The ancient city is half built into and half carved into the rose pink sandstone and dates back to 300 BC. You may recognize this ancient historical wonder from the 1989 movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Visitors from all over the world come to see this intricately designed wonder of the world.
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Matmatat, Tunisia — Star Wars
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Any true Star Wars fan will recognize the Hotel Sidi Driss, also known as the Star Wars hotel. The hotel was used as a filming location in multiple films in the Star Wars series, serving as Luke Skywalker’s childhood home on the planet Tatooine. The hotel is open year-round and remains decorated with Star Wars memorabilia.
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Ait Ben Haddou, Morocco — Gladiator
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Aït Benhaddou is a small town in southwestern Morocco that you might find very recognizable, as it has been featured in quite a few films. The ksar has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987 and is the most famous ksar in the world.
It has been featured in the movies Gladiator, The Mummy, Kingdom of Heaven, and Prince of Persia. It was also a filming location for the Game of Thrones television series.
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Dubrovnik, Croatia — Game of Thrones
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If you are a Game of Thrones fan, you will be thrilled to know that it’s a real place that you can visit. King’s Landing is actually in Dubrovnik, Croatia, and there are nearly 20 filming locations you might recognize from the show.
You can visit Blackwater Bay (Dubrovnik West Pier), the House of the Undying (Minčeta Tower), and Lovrijenac Fort (The Red Keep). You can go on a guided walking tour or simply explore the area on your own.
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Hanapepe Valley, Kauai, Hawaii — Jurassic Park and Jurassic World
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If you are a Jurassic Park fan who really enjoyed the scenery on the island, you might enjoy a trip to Hanapepe Valley in Kauai, Hawaii. The gorgeous waterfall where the helicopter lands on the island is a real one, and you can visit it. You can also take tours of other filming sites on the island, such as Jurassic Park and Jurassic World.
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Doune Castle in Doune, Scotland — Monty Python and the Holy Grail
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If you have always wanted to see the castles featured in the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail in person, you need to head to Doune Castle in Doune, Scotland. Doune Castle was used as the setting for most of the castles in the film, but it was filmed at different angles to create the appearance of different castles. It’s a pretty neat trick, and if you do visit, you will be sure to find many other Monty Python fans to talk with.
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Juliette, Georgia — Fried Green Tomatoes
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If you’ve ever wondered if the quaint Southern town from the movie Fried Green Tomatoes is real, it is, and you can visit. You won’t find it in Alabama, though. It’s in rural Georgia, in a small town called Juliette, about an hour outside of Atlanta. You can have a meal at the Whistle Stop Cafe, walk down Main Street, see the Juliette mill, and visit the First Baptist Church.
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Georgia Konidari is a nationally syndicated writer and the creator of World Wild Schooling, a digital platform dedicated to travel. She is on a mission to explore the globe and share her experiences with fellow travelers. She has been featured on MSN, the Associated Press Wire and more. You can follow Georgia on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube.
