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HERO-IMAGE_movie-tourism.jpg
10 May 2024

Movie tourism: Iconic places you can actually visit

Glenn Cochrane

STACK Senior Editor

From Rocky's iconic 72 steps in Philadelphia to the sunken Star Wars retreat in Tunisia, we take a look at places you can visit that were made famous by movies.


At a glance
  • Hobbiton from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies

  • Devil's Tower from Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

  • Glenfinnan Viaduct from Harry Potter

  • Timberline Lodge from The Shining (1980)

  • Al-Khazneh from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

  • Tatooine from the Star Wars saga

  • Cafe des Deux Moulins from Amelie (2001)

  • The steps from Rocky (1976)

  • Firehouse, Hook & Ladder Company 8 (Ghostbusters series)

  • The Gamble House (Back to the Future trilogy)

  • Budget sightseeing: Local attractions


Wherever you are in the world, you're probably not far from a real-life movie location. After all, most ideal holiday destinations are where the big Hollywood productions also like to be.

You could be in New York City, for example, and only a stone's throw away from the iconic Firehouse from Ghostbusters (1984), or perhaps visiting Pasadena in California where the Gamble House from Back to the Future (1985) is right around the corner, open to visitors. You might as well take some snaps while you're there.

So let's explore some other locations around the world that have been immortalised in cinema.


IMAGE movie-tourism-hobbiton

Hobbiton from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies

Just a few hours across the ditch and you'll find yourself in Middle Earth, or New Zealand to be precise. And if you're travelling throughout the North Island then you'll be able to visit Hobbiton from Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies.

Located in the township of Matamata, just a short two-hour drive south from Auckland, the famous movie set features more than 40 unique Hobbit holes - including the iconic Bag End (Bilbo Baggins' home) – the mill, the double-arched bridge, and the amazing Party Tree.

If you haven't already visited The Shire in New Zealand then you probably know someone who has, making it one of the world's most popular movie-themed destinations.

IMAGE movie-tourism-devils-tower

Devil's Tower from Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

If you're ever passing through the American state of Wyoming on your next big holiday, then be sure to make a detour to visit Devil's Tower in the Black Hill mountains, north of the state capital.

The unique geologic formation, also known as Bear Lodge, was immortalised in Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), providing the location for mankind's first contact with aliens.

Most children of the 1980s will have sculpted this iconic landmark at the dinner table with their mashed potatoes (mimicking Richard Dreyfuss's character from the film), making Devil's Tower a popular go-to destination for an entire generation of sci-fi fans.

The area is also popular with hikers, campers, climbers, and other recreational groups. Another one to add to your list.

IMAGE movie-tourism-glenfinnin-bridge

Glenfinnan Viaduct from Harry Potter

All aboard the Hogwarts Express! Although this stunning bridge has been featured in various films and television series over the years, such as The Crown, Charlotte Gray, and Monarch of the Glen, it is best known as the railway to Hogwarts in the Harry Potter movies.

Located in the hamlet of Glenfinnan in Scotland, the bridge is part of the West Highland railway, spanning 70 kilometres between For William and Mallaig on the west coast of the Scottish Highlands.

So, if you've got Scotland on your travel agenda then don't forget to book yourself a seat on the Hogwarts Express, which runs twice daily and uses the actual carriages from the Harry Potter movies.

IMAGE movie-tourism-timberline-lodge

Timberline Lodge from The Shining (1980)

Do you dare to spend a night at the Overlook Hotel? That eerie, haunted mountain retreat where Jack Nicholson's character of Jack Torrence went crazy and tormented his family in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is actually the Timberline Lodge, located in Mount Hood, Oregon.

In actuality, only the exterior was featured in the movie, with all of the interior shots being filmed at Elstree Studios in England. Nevertheless, the iconic building continues to attract thousands of movie fans every year, and has hosted the annual Overlook Film Festival since 2017.

The lodge is located just over an hour east of the city of Portland, making it a great place for day trips for those too chicken to tempt fate by staying overnight.

IMAGE movie-tourism-petra-jordan

Al-Khazneh from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Featured in the third Indiana Jones movie, this stunning location in Jordan is also known as Khazneh el-Far'ound (treasury of the pharoah) and is actually an elaborate entrance to a tomb and not, rather, the final resting place of the Holy Grail.

Believed to have been built at the beginning of the first centiry AD, Al-Khazneh is positioned at the bottom of a cliff near the city of Petra, and has become a significant source of their annual tourism income.

But when it comes to the interior of the tomb, you might want to temper your expectations, as it mainly consists of small chambers. The interior shots used in the movie were filmed back at Elstree Studios.

IMAGE movie-tourism-tatooine

Tatooine from the Star Wars saga

If you're ever in Tunisia, make time to pop in for a cuppa at Owen & Beru's joint. They probably won't be home, but that's OK, because their house is open to all visitors.

The unique subterranean cave homes on the fictional planet of Tatooine in Star Wars were actually built centuries ago as traditional Berber residences in the town of Matmata. They were later converted into the Hotel Sidi Driss, which George Lucas chose as his first primary location for the movie.

The hotel continues to operate all year and has become a mecha for Star Wars pilgrims, who can stay in four of five pits (the fifth being the Star Wars restaurant). And while you're in the region, you might want to venture 300 kilometres further to the Chott El Jerid salt lake, where the igloo entrance to Luke's house still stands.

IMAGE movie-tourism-Cafe-amelie

Cafe des Deux Moulins from Amelie (2001)

There's no shortage of sights to see when in Paris, but if you're in need of a coffee then be sure to stop in at the Cafe des Deux Moulins.

Located a stone's throw from the legendary Moulin Rouge (another one to add to your list), this gorgeous location, which was already a famous haunt for Parisians, was immortalised in Jean-Pierre Jaunet's romantic comedy Amelie.

You can spend time eating croissants in the very same place where Audrey Tautou's character Amelie worked in the film and, indeed, thousands of tourists do just that every year.

IMAGE movie-tourism-rocky-steps

The steps from Rocky (1976)

If you're ever in Philadelphia and head over to the city's Museum of Art, you'll see people standing at the entrance with their arms stretched high. They're recreating one of cinema's most iconic moments when Sylvester Stallone ran up the 72 steps before giving his famous victory salute.

When you visit you'll find a bronze statue of the Itallian Stallion in that famous pose at the top of the steps, as well as imprints of his sneakers. It's the most photographed place in Philly, attracting tens of thousands of visitors each year.

IMAGE Ghostbusters-firehouse

Firehouse, Hook & Ladder Company 8 (Ghostbusters series)

If you're in New York City, it'll cost you nothing to visit the legendary firehouse from the Ghostbusters movies.

Located in the Tribeca neighbourhood of Manhattan, this iconic location sticks out like a sore thumb, looking almost identical to its movie counterpart.

As well as being immortalised in the Ghostbusters movies, the Firehouse, Hook & Ladder Company 8 building has been featured in the movie Hitch (2005), and television shows like How I Met Your Mother and Seinfeld. It's also notable for being one of the first respondent departments to the September 11 attacks.

IMAGE gamble-house-bttf

The Gamble House (Back to the Future trilogy)

Everyone knows the Gamble House from Back to the Future (1985), AKA Dr Emmett Brown's house, but did you know that it's a real location open to the general public?

Yep, it's in Pasadena, California to be exact, but don't expect to see an archive of Back to the Future memorabilia. The historic homestead was built in 1908 for David B. Gamble, the son of the multinational consumer goods company P&G.

Today the house is open to the public with the mission statement of inspiring appreciation and understanding of architecture as a fine art. It's considered to be the most complete and best-preserved work of American Arts & Drafts architects Charles and Henry Greene (AKA Greene and Greene), who are considered amongst the most influential designers of the 20th century.


Budget sightseeing...

We're not all made of money, though, and the idea of travelling abroad is a little more than a pipe dream for many of us. So, here are some local movie locations that you can venture to for day trips or weekend getaways.

IMAGE mad-max-lorne

If you're a Mad Max fan, then there are several places you can visit, including the Victorian holiday beachside town of Lorne, where Max's home was located on the Great Ocean Road. The town of Clunes was also used during the Toecutter's arrival, as well as places like Bacchus Marsh, Avalon Beach, the Melbourne University South Lawn car park, and Emu Creek Bridge.

The Broken Hill area in far west New South Wales was also the primary location for Mad Max 2 (1981), with a Mad Max museum open to the public in the town of Silverton.

IMAGE frankston

Located 41km from Melbourne, Frankston was the central location for Stanley Kramer's iconic film On the Beach (1959), starring Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, and Anthony Perkins.

It's an odd feeling to stand on the platform of Frankston train station, or Frankston beach, knowing that these icons of the screen stood there before you. The area is a 90-minute train trip from the city, and features a large playground at the beach, making a great destination for a family day trip.

Other locations used in the film include Berwick, Mount Eliza, Queenscliff Lighthouse, Flinders Street Station, Queen Victoria Market, and the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.

IMAGE paronella park

The action thriller Sniper (1993), starring Tom Berenger and Billy Zane, was shot in far north Queensland, in Port Douglas, and surrounding areas. One of its most unique and viscerally arresting locations was Paronella Park, a heritage-listed tourist attraction located at Mena Creek.

Being familiar with Sniper isn't a requirement here, because the property is about as stunning as it gets. It has a fascinating history too, having been built by Spanish immigrant Jose Paronella in the 1930s.

The Australian film Celeste (2018), starring Radha Mitchell and Nadine Garner, was also predominantly shot in and around Paronella Park.

IMAGE palais

The Palais Theatre in the Melbourne beachfront suburb of St Kilda is located directly beside the iconic Luna Park and served as the primary location for the hilarious comedy Hercules Returns (1993).

The venue is operational to this day and is one of Melbourne's leading live music venues. It has hosted countless acts, such as the Rolling Stones, Tom Jones, Leonard Cohen, Kylie Minogue, Ed Sheeran, John Farnham, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, and hundreds more.

Watch before you go...

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