Some of our most-loved movies are the ones with the most awesome filming locations. We’re talking about Los Angeles, Canada, Thailand and loads more.
Ready to go and relive some of your fave movie moments?
1. Harry Potter
London
It defined our childhoods and also probably subconsciously made us want to travel to London. Red London buses included.
London is featured everywhere in HP, from the first time Harry and co make it through to Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross Station to when Millennium Bridge is destroyed by Death Eaters. There’s also St Pancras International station where the Ford Anglia saga takes place and that bit when the famous trio narrowly miss a London bus in Piccadilly Circus. The list could go on.
Feel the magic and get on a plane down to London to check out the sights for yourself. You could also apparate, grab on to a local portkey or use the Floo Network. Your call.
2. The Hangover
Las Vegas
Heading to Las Vegas for a stag party two days before your wedding is always a good idea, right? Wrong. The Hangover is full of crazy situations, wild scenarios and really bad headaches.
But it all happens in Las Vegas, which is well worth a visit. Check out the dancing fountains of the Bellagio, gawk at the lobby in Caesars Palace (don’t worry, you don’t have to pay for a room to step inside the building) and stroll down the Strip like you’re in your very own movie.
Just make sure you don’t get any face tattoos. #noregrets
3. La La Land
Los Angeles
City of Angels, La La Land, whatever you want to call it, Los Angeles is the setting for one of the best movies of 2016.
Take a drive along Century Freeway where the movie’s incredible opening scene was filmed, re-enact your own rendition of ‘A Lovely Night’ in Griffith Park with views over the city and head to the planetarium at the Griffith Observatory and dance among the stars.
Who knows, hang around the City of Stars long enough and you might even find yourself your own Mr Ryan Gosling (eeeek).
The Beach
Thailand
Danny Boyle’s movie The Beach explores the hunger within us to travel to find something more in life, something real. Pretty deep, huh?
A young Richard, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, travels to Thailand in search of these elusive ideals. While the paradise he finds there turns out to be actually much less than ideal, there’s no denying that the Thai landscape is gorgeous. Part of the movie was filmed in Maya Bay, Koh Phi Phi, aka the ‘paradise’ Leo’s been searching for.
While the spot has now become popular with tourists, there’s still no denying its beauty. Just try and go when there are less crowds for a true The Beach experience.
5. Finding Nemo
Australia
P Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney. If this address hasn’t been engrained into your brain as a child, something’s gone wrong somewhere my friends.
On a whirlwind adventure, Marlin and Dory leave the Great Barrier Reef behind on a desperate quest to find little Nemo. A ride on the East Australian Current (duuuude) eventually brings them to Sydney. Looks like the motto of ‘just keep swimming’ works after all!
Why not go on your own hunt for Nemo on Australia’s East Coast?
6. The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit
New Zealand
New Zealand is the land of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. While there’s obviously Hobbiton Movie Set to go and explore, which by the way has The Green Dragon pub where you can actually get snacks and drinks (omg, omg, omg), there’s loads more to see too.
New Zealand’s Tongariro Alpine Crossing (aka one of the best one-day hikes in the world) provides the barren, treacherous and other-worldly landscape of Mordor. It’s also home to Mount Ngauruhoe – the volcano which was digitally enhanced to create the fiery Mount Doom. Eeeek.
There are also filming locations in Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown and loads more. And they’re not all as scary as Mordor, promise.
7. Skyfall
Scotland
The 2012 James Bond instalment had some pretty visually incredible scenes shot in Scotland.
Lots of the action takes place in beautiful Glen Etive up in the Highlands of Scotland, even though the scenes with the house (that may or may not get blown up in the movie) were actually filmed in little ol’ Surrey.
When you’re in Scotland, just remember to ask for any martinis shaken, not stirred. Jeez.
8. Jurassic Park
Hawaii
*Cue Jurassic Park theme song*
Much of Jurassic Park was filmed on Kauai, one of the islands of Hawaii. Two memorable locations are Nā Pali Coast State Park, aka the fictional Isla Nublar’s west coast and Manawaiopuna Fall, the waterfall where Isla Nublar’s heliport lives.
When you’re here, keep an eye out for dinosaurs 😱
9. The Revenant
Canada
May your journey through the Canadian Rockies never be as treacherous as poor Leonardo DiCaprio’s in The Revenant (bears included) 🐻
While, yes, Canada’s wilderness is portrayed as brutal, unforgiving and frankly freezing, it’s hard to ignore its other side: the breathtaking beauty, sheer size and majestic nature of the mountain landscape.
Although the plot is set in Montana and South Dakota, lots of the movie was filmed in Canada’s Alberta and British Columbia provinces. Look out for Bow Valley, Fortress Mountain and the Squamish Valley area.
Also, DiCaprio’s performance in the movie finally earnt him the Best Actor Oscar 👏 As if you needed any more reason to go watch it 😉
Did we miss any of your faves? Leave a comment to let us know which movies have inspired you to travel the world.
