Sometimes, a movie scene is so iconic that the location where it was filmed becomes a popular tourist attraction as a result. Locations that otherwise wouldn’t attract any attention, like the steps leading up to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, can suddenly become constantly flooded with tourists, just because Rocky Balboa ran up them while he was training to fight Apollo Creed.
The magic of cinema is confined to the screen, of course, but a small part of that magic spills over into reality if fans can visit the same places that beloved fictional characters visited in their favorite movies.
Chippewa Square (Forrest Gump)
The framing narrative in Forrest Gump sees the title character sitting on a bench in Chippewa Square, Georgia, recounting his life story to the strangers who sit next to him while he waits for his bus.
The bench was actually a prop, and can be found at the Savannah History Museum, but Chippewa Square itself can be visited at any time.
Devils Tower (Close Encounters Of The Third Kind)
Although it was overshadowed by the cultural phenomenon of Star Wars at the time of its release, Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind has since emerged as a sci-fi classic. Devils Tower, a rock formation in Wyoming, is an integral part of the plot.
The government fudges reports about a toxic nerve gas spill to evacuate the area in time for the arrival of the alien mothership, with Richard Dreyfuss famously recreating the butte with mashed potatoes.
Contra Dam (GoldenEye)
The breathtaking opening sequence from GoldenEye sees James Bond bungee-jumping off the Contra Dam on the Verzasca River in the Val Verzasca of Ticino, Switzerland.
The bungee jump stunt from GoldenEye is often ranked among the greatest stunts in film history, and deservingly so. No CGI was involved in creating the scene.
Firehouse, Hook & Ladder Company 8 (Ghostbusters)
The firehouse that served as the titular organization’s headquarters in Ghostbusters was built in 1903 and remained in operation long after the movie was released. Hook & Ladder Company 8’s firefighters were among the first responders on September 11, 2001.
The city almost shut down the firehouse a few years ago, but due to a number of endorsements (including one from actor and former firefighter Steve Buscemi), it was given a $6 million renovation.
Al-Khazneh (Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade)
Al-Khazneh, one of the most complex temples in Petra, Jordan, served as the filming location for the action-packed finale in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, arguably the best Raiders of the Lost Ark follow-up.
After the movie was released, tourist visitors to Petra went from the thousands to the millions, and it remains a popular attraction for Indy fans to this day.
Skellig Michael (Star Wars: The Force Awakens)
In the final moments of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rey flies out to Ahch-To and finds a grizzled, self-isolated Luke Skywalker living on an island.
This island is actually a twin-pinnacled crag called Skellig Michael. It can be located off the coast of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland.
Dyersville Baseball Diamond (Field Of Dreams)
The baseball diamond that Kevin Costner built for a team of ghost ballplayers in Field of Dreams can be found in Dubuque County, Iowa, near Dyersville.
The field is listed in tourist literature as the “Field of Dreams.” In 2006, the movie was screened at the field and Costner himself played a gig with his band to celebrate.
Katz’s Delicatessen (When Harry Met Sally)
Katz’s Delicatessen was made famous by the scene in When Harry Met Sally in which Meg Ryan fakes an orgasm to prove how easy it is, with Estelle Reiner delivering the punchline, “I’ll have what she’s having.” The table at which Harry and Sally sat in the scene is marked by a sign that reads: “Where Harry met Sally...hope you have what she had!”
In 2016, Zagat named Katz’s as the best deli in the city, so it’s notable for more than just appearing in one of the funniest scenes in movie history.
Fox Plaza (Die Hard)
When 20th Century Fox was making Die Hard, an action movie set almost entirely in a skyscraper, the studio was able to cut costs by using their own high-rise corporate headquarters, Fox Plaza in Los Angeles, as a filming location.
The studio could blow up the roof, because it was their roof. They could break a bunch of windows, because they were their windows. It can easily be spotted in the L.A. skyline by eagle-eyed Die Hard fans.
The “Rocky Steps” In Philadelphia (Rocky)
Sylvester Stallone’s star-making turn in Rocky was so iconic that more tourists visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art for the steps leading up to it than the museum itself. Rocky Balboa famously ran up the steps to the museum during the first of many training montages, and now, fans can do the same.
There’s even a bronze statue of Rocky at the top of the 72 steps, and the steps themselves have since been termed the “Rocky Steps” in honor of everyone’s favorite underdog boxer.