A classic movie will stay with you for a lifetime. And as fans of the big screen, we often image these places existing in real life. Whether you’re a film buff or are just looking for your next getaway, these nostalgic movie locations will bring your favorite characters back to life.
The Resort from How Stella Got Her Groove Back
It’s the iconic movie that had everyone wanting to jump on a plane to Jamaica and fall in love. The film starred Angela Bassett as a hardworking single mother, who travels to Montego Bay, Jamaica with her best friend, played by Whoopi Goldberg, to escape the reality of home. Though it all seems to take place in one Idyllic destination, the movie was actually filmed at two resorts — Time-n-Place in Falmouth, which has since closed, and Round Hill Hotel and Villas in Montego Bay.
RELATED: Catch A Live Show At These Iconic Theaters Around The World
The Overlook Hotel from The Shining
We’ve all walked into a creepy hotel half expecting to see those nightmarish twins from The Shining appear. But the real hotel from this iconic horror film was actually inspired by two hotels. While the Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining was an elaborate set on a sound stage at EMI Elstree Studios in England, the fictional hotel is based on two real hotels in the United States. The Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park, California was the inspiration for the interior of the Overlook, while Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood in Oregon was used for its exterior and establishing shots.
Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters from X-Men
Hatley Castle, located in British Columbia, Canada, was used as the exterior for Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters in the X-Men movies. Twentieth Century Fox also used Casa Loma in Toronto and Parkwood Estate in Oshawa, Ontario for exteriors, while movie sets on a soundstage in Los Angeles were used to shoot interiors.
The House from A Christmas Story
If you’re feeling nostalgic for classic holiday memories, you can actually tour the house from A Christmas Story. While the movie is based in Indiana, the exterior house shots were filmed on location in Cleveland, Ohio. The Parkers’ home is located at 3159 W. 11th Street in the Tremont neighborhood. The house is now open to the public and serves as a museum that is full of props and movie memorabilia.
RELATED: Here Are The Best Road Trip Routes Through Central America
Yavin IV from Star Wars
There are many reasons to visit the Mayan ruins throughout Central America, but here is one more. The Massassi Outpost rebel base on the fourth moon of Yavin in the original Star Wars film was shot on location at the Mayan temple ruins in The Tikal National Park in Guatemala. According to mentalfloss.com, director George Lucas picked the location after he saw a poster at a travel agency while shooting in London, England.
