Have you ever watched a movie scene and immediately thought — “Wait, where is that place? I need to go there.” You are not alone. Millions of travelers every year pack their bags and fly across the world just to stand in the exact spot where their favorite film moment was captured.
The good news? Most of these places are completely real, publicly accessible, and more breathtaking in person than they ever looked on screen.
Whether you are a lifelong movie buff, a casual film fan, or simply someone looking for a travel destination with a little extra magic attached to it, this list is for you. Here are 10 stunning filming locations from famous movies that you can actually visit right now.
Table of Contents
1. Hobbiton, Matamata — New Zealand
Featured in: The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit series
If there is one filming location on this planet that feels like stepping through a portal into another world, it is Hobbiton. Nestled in the rolling green hills of Matamata on New Zealand’s North Island, this real-life set was built for Peter Jackson’s iconic fantasy films and has been preserved ever since.
You can walk through the hobbit holes, admire the Party Tree, and even stop for a drink at the Green Dragon Inn. The farm landscape surrounding it is so naturally beautiful that many visitors forget they came for the movies and simply fall in love with New Zealand itself.
Best time to visit: Year-round, though spring and summer offer the most vibrant greenery.
2. Dubrovnik Old City, Croatia
Featured in: Game of Thrones (King’s Landing)
Dubrovnik has been one of Europe’s most stunning coastal cities for centuries. But after serving as the primary filming location for King’s Landing in Game of Thrones, it became a global travel phenomenon almost overnight.
The ancient stone city walls, the Adriatic Sea glistening below, the narrow medieval streets — every corner looks like a scene straight out of the show. Guided filming location tours are available throughout the city, walking you through the exact spots where iconic scenes were shot.
Best time to visit: April to June or September to October, to avoid peak summer crowds.
3. Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles — USA
Featured in: Rebel Without a Cause (1955) and La La Land (2016)
Perched in the Hollywood Hills with sweeping views of Los Angeles and the iconic Hollywood Sign, Griffith Observatory has been a cinematic landmark for decades. James Dean made it unforgettable in Rebel Without a Cause, and Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone danced through it in La La Land.
The observatory is free to visit and open to the public. Arriving at sunset gives you the same golden-hour light that made those La La Land scenes look almost impossibly romantic.
Best time to visit: Weekday evenings for fewer crowds and the best views.
4. Monument Valley, Utah/Arizona — USA
Featured in: Forrest Gump (1994), The Searchers (1956), countless Westerns
Monument Valley‘s dramatic red sandstone buttes rising from the flat desert floor are one of America’s most recognizable landscapes. John Ford made it the visual symbol of the American West in his classic Westerns, and more recently it served as the backdrop for Forrest Gump’s legendary cross-country run.
The valley sits on Navajo Nation land, and guided tours led by Navajo guides offer visitors both cinematic history and deep cultural context that no guidebook can fully capture.
Best time to visit: Spring and autumn for mild temperatures and stunning light.
5. The Plaza Hotel, New York City — USA
Featured in: Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), The Great Gatsby (2013)
Few hotels in the world carry as much cinematic history as The Plaza. Sitting at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South, this grand landmark has hosted royalty, celebrities, and film productions for over a century.
You do not need to book a room to experience its magic. Step into the opulent lobby, have afternoon tea in the Palm Court, and absorb the old Hollywood glamour that has made this building a permanent fixture in film history.
Best time to visit: Any time of year — New York’s Plaza Hotel is an all-season destination.
6. Ait Benhaddou, Morocco
Featured in: Gladiator (2000), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), The Mummy (1999)
This ancient fortified village — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — has been used as a filming location so many times that it has practically become a film set in its own right. Its earthen towers and desert citadel walls have stood in for ancient Rome, biblical settings, and exotic Eastern landscapes across decades of Hollywood productions.
Walking through Ait Benhaddou feels like moving through layers of both real history and cinematic history simultaneously. It is one of the most authentically cinematic places on Earth.
Best time to visit: October to April, before the intense summer heat arrives.
7. Kualoa Ranch, Oahu, Hawaii, USA
Featured in: Jurassic Park (1993), Kong: Skull Island (2017), Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
The lush valleys and dramatic mountain ridges of Kualoa Ranch on Oahu’s northeast coast have served as the backdrop for some of Hollywood’s biggest action and adventure films. Most famously, it is where Steven Spielberg first brought dinosaurs to life in Jurassic Park.
The ranch offers dedicated movie site tours that take visitors through the exact valleys and landscapes seen on screen. Standing in the Ka’a’awa Valley where Jurassic Park was filmed is a genuinely jaw-dropping experience.
Best time to visit: May to September for the driest weather.
8. Savannah, Georgia — USA
Featured in: Forrest Gump (1994)
“Life is like a box of chocolates.” That line — and the park bench scene where Tom Hanks delivered it — was filmed in Chippewa Square in the heart of Savannah, Georgia. Although the original bench has since been moved to a local museum, the square itself remains exactly as it appeared in the film.
Savannah’s Spanish moss-draped streets, historic squares, and antebellum architecture make it one of the most photogenic cities in America. It is a destination that rewards slow, aimless wandering far more than any structured itinerary.
Best time to visit: March to May, when the city blooms and the heat is still comfortable.
9. TCL Chinese Theatre & Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles — USA
Featured in: Dozens of films, and famously depicted in La La Land, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and countless others
Hollywood Boulevard is where the film industry began, and it still carries that original energy. The TCL Chinese Theatre — with its legendary forecourt of celebrity handprints and footprints — is one of the most photographed spots in the world.
Walking Hollywood Boulevard gives you a concentrated dose of cinematic history within just a few city blocks. Combine it with a studio tour at nearby Paramount Pictures for a full day of behind-the-scenes discovery.
Best time to visit: Weekday mornings for clearer photos and fewer crowds.
10. The Cliffs of Moher, County Clare — Ireland
Featured in: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009), The Princess Bride (1987)
Rising over 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean on Ireland’s west coast, the Cliffs of Moher are one of Europe’s most dramatic natural landscapes. They appeared as the treacherous sea cliffs in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and their sheer scale and raw beauty made them an unforgettable cinematic backdrop.
Visiting on a misty, wind-swept morning — which is not uncommon in Ireland — makes the whole experience feel genuinely otherworldly. This is a place that does not need movie magic to feel cinematic. It already is.
Best time to visit: May to September for the most accessible conditions, though the dramatic winter atmosphere has its own appeal.
Quick Overview: All 10 Locations at a Glance
| Location Number | Location | Country | Famous Movie | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hobbiton, Matamata | New Zealand | Lord of the Rings | Fantasy fans |
| 2 | Dubrovnik Old City | Croatia | Game of Thrones | History + drama lovers |
| 3 | Griffith Observatory | USA (California) | La La Land | Romance + city views |
| 4 | Monument Valley | USA (Utah/Arizona) | Forrest Gump | Desert landscapes |
| 5 | The Plaza Hotel, NYC | USA (New York) | Home Alone 2 | Luxury + city culture |
| 6 | Ait Benhaddou | Morocco | Gladiator | Ancient history buffs |
| 7 | Kualoa Ranch, Oahu | USA (Hawaii) | Jurassic Park | Adventure + nature |
| 8 | Savannah, Georgia | USA (Georgia) | Forrest Gump | Southern charm |
| 9 | Hollywood Boulevard | USA (California) | Multiple classics | Classic Hollywood fans |
| 10 | Cliffs of Moher | Ireland | Harry Potter | Dramatic landscapes |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can regular tourists visit actual movie filming locations?
Yes, in most cases absolutely. The majority of real-world filming locations used in Hollywood movies are publicly accessible places — streets, parks, natural landmarks, and historic buildings that any traveler can visit independently or through guided tours. A small number are on private property and require booking a tour in advance.
Q: How do I find the exact spot where a scene was filmed?
The most reliable resources are dedicated film location websites, IMDb’s filming location credits, and fan communities that document precise locations with photos and GPS coordinates. Many destinations also have official guided film tourism tours that take you directly to key spots.
Q: Are filming location tours worth it?
For most visitors, yes. Local guides who specialize in film tourism typically know details — behind-the-scenes context, production stories, lesser-known spots — that you simply cannot find in any article or guidebook. The added context transforms a sightseeing visit into a genuinely memorable experience.
Q: Which of these filming locations is the most visited by tourists?
Hobbiton in New Zealand and Dubrovnik in Croatia consistently rank among the world’s most visited filming locations. Both destinations have seen dramatic increases in tourism directly tied to their film associations, with Hobbiton in particular drawing visitors from virtually every country in the world.
Q: Do filming locations change after a movie is released?
Some locations are preserved exactly as they appeared on screen, while others return to their everyday use immediately after filming wraps. Hobbiton is a well-known example of a set that was preserved and turned into a permanent attraction. Most real-world locations — city streets, natural landmarks, hotels — remain unchanged and accessible for as long as they exist.
Q: Is film tourism becoming more popular?
Significantly so. Global streaming platforms now distribute content to audiences in over 190 countries simultaneously, meaning a single hit film or series can inspire millions of viewers worldwide to seek out its filming locations almost overnight. Film tourism — sometimes called set-jetting — is now recognized as one of the fastest-growing travel trends globally.
Planning your next trip to a famous filming location? Browse our full collection of filming location guides to find your perfect cinematic destination.
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