by Portia Stanley
Instagram is a popular app for sharing your travels, and it’s also popular to share film and nerd-related content. So, what happens when both worlds meet? You have people who share their travels to popular filming locations.
For some, visiting an iconic location in a movie or TV show makes you feel like you’re transported to a fictional world, and for others, it’s a fun little bragging right. If you have a favourite movie or TV series, finding where it was filmed and visiting there can be a film nerd’s dream come true. Posting your travels on Instagram can also be a great way to promote your business or product. Putting some money into your account may also not be a bad idea. If you buy IG Reel views, it’s possible to propel your account to further heights and help you get seen, especially since reels content is some of the most popular, and what the algorithm loves to propel to the top of many people’s pages too.
Let’s look at several iconic filming locations, as shown by Instagram travellers.
Home Alone House
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Home Alone is a holiday classic, with many never tiring of watching Kevin McCallister foil the Wet Bandits with his brutal booby traps. And Kevin’s house is gigantic and one any kid dreams of living in. In reality, this home is located in Winnetka, Illinois, and while not public, many fans go outside and reenact Kevin’s iconic scream, as seen here. Feel free to drive by and take a picture, but be respectful, or you may get a paint can in the face.
Walter White’s House
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While not a film, Breaking Bad is a TV show that proved that high art isn’t only reserved for the movies. A decade after its end, it’s still an iconic show in the public eye, with many fans going to the protagonist (or antagonist, depending on who you ask) Walter White’s house. The house itself was a reminder that the meth mastermind Heisenberg was a family man living in suburban Albuquerque with a family who did not know about his alter ego. In reality, the home is currently fenced in by its owners due to fans not respecting boundaries, as seen in this video. And even then, the owner is infamously known to yell at anyone merely taking photos across the street. Perhaps the owner herself broke bad, just like her fictional counterpart!
The Rocky IV Mountains
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Many fans of the Rocky film series run up the iconic Rocky Steps in Philadelphia, but one dedicated fan, James Rolfe (best known for his YouTube series Angry Video Game Nerd,) took it an extra step and found the mountains where Rocky trained in the fourth entry. Despite the mountains being shown as Russia in the movie, in reality, they are in the US. Rolfe made a short documentary looking for them, and we think it’s worth watching if you have the time.
Mos Espa
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Star Wars is a series with some divisive entries, with Episode I, the first in the prequel trilogy, being one of them. However, you can’t deny how gorgeous some of its worlds were, especially Tatooine, where Anakin’s journey began, paralleling his son’s journey many years later. One location, Mos Espa, is Tatooine’s spaceport; to this day, it’s still standing. In real life, this location is in the North African country Tunisia, which is not quite in a galaxy far, far away.
The Continental
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John Wick is a film series that many have revered for its action cinematography and its world-building. One iconic location is The Continental Hotel, which serves as a neutral ground for Wick and the rest of the criminal underground.
In reality, The Continental is in New York City’s financial district, referred to as the Beaver Building. If you’re in NYC and enjoy those films, it may be worth it to swing by and pretend you’re on a journey to avenge your dog.
The Joker Stairs
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In the 2019 film Joker, Arthur Fleck dances on a long set of stairs as he transforms into the Joker. This scene has become an iconic moment for not only Batman fans but fans of film in general. Many who enjoyed the film have reenacted Fleck’s descent into madness on these stairs, which are located in the Bronx, NYC.
The Shining Hotel
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Even if you’re not a hardcore Stephen King fan, you probably know of The Shining, a book, and film that seamlessly combined the supernatural and the psychological. The Overlook Hotel, in reality, was inspired by a real hotel in Colorado, The Stanley Hotel.
We should clarify that this hotel was not where the more well-known 1980 film was shot, but instead where the 1997 miniseries was filmed, which received a less positive reception. Still, it’s an iconic piece of horror history that you can’t miss if you’re in Colorado.
Sopranos Diner
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The Sopranos is another iconic TV show, with its ending being initially divisive when it first aired. Even if you have never watched the show, you probably know that the show ends with Tony Soprano and his family eating in the diner, with the screen abruptly turning black for ten seconds before the show ends. People still debate whether Tony was whacked or not, with many video essays and heated fan conversations about it.
In reality, the diner is Holsten’s, an ice cream place serving diner food in Bloomfield, NJ. You can eat there and reserve the spot where Tony may or may not have had his last meal.
Hogwarts
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While not actually filmed there, the Christ Church College in Oxford greatly inspired Hogwarts, with its dining room being a substantial parallel. Many Harry Potter fans gather there as part of their Harry Potter tour, and even if you’re a muggle, you have to admit that this area looks magical. Alternatively, you can go to Universal Studios.
