🎬 Film tourism: 8 locations from cult films for your itinerary

Movies are shot in real places you can visit. For decades, studios have been sending crews on location, and most filming sites are open to tourists.

We picked eight cult films and broke down their real locations. For each one, you will learn exactly where filming took place, how to get to the spot, and what to see there.

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How to plan a movie-themed trip

💡 In short:

Pick one region per trip: the locations are spread across four parts of the world.
Book tour tickets and hotels in advance, spots sell out in summer.
Prices and hours: as of 09/2026, verified on the Waikato regional tourism office website.

Some sites operate as regular attractions. At Hobbiton, groups are guided on a schedule, and in Banff Park a gondola takes you up to the filming viewpoints. Other spots are free: city streets, beaches, and lookout points.

Plan one region at a time, otherwise you will spend half your vacation on flights. Los Angeles, Rome, and Banff in Canada are easy to combine with nearby cities and national parks. New Zealand, Fiji, and Iceland are better treated as separate routes with extra days built in.

1. Friends with benefits and Los Angeles

Mount Lee with radio tower on top in the Hollywood Hills

The comedy starring Mila Kunis was filmed in Los Angeles and along the California coast. Key shots were made on the south slope of Mount Lee in the Santa Monica Mountains, next to the Hollywood sign.

The best view of the letters is from above, from the Mount Lee trail. The sign itself is fenced off, and climbing over the fence is not allowed: it is a protected area. But from the trail you get a panorama of the city and the ocean.

It is more convenient to stay closer to the water. Los Angeles hotels on Trip.com are organized by neighborhood, and from Santa Monica it is easy to reach the trail by car.

Other films shot here include The Holiday (2006), Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), and the comedy Your Place or Mine (2023).

2. Pirates of the Caribbean and Hawaii

The fourth installment of the pirate saga was filmed on the islands of Kauai and Oahu. The sea scenes were staged at Halona Beach Cove on Oahu: you will recognize it by the rocky shore and light sand.

Before filming, coconuts were removed from the palm trees so the fruit would not fall on the actors' heads. Swimming in the cove is allowed, but the current is strong, so pay attention to lifeguard warnings.

On Kauai, the jungle and river scenes were filmed. Hawaii hotels on Trip.com will help you choose a base near the beach and inter-island flights.

Other films shot on the islands include Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Six Days, Seven Nights (1998), and Pearl Harbor (2001).

3. Roman Holiday and Rome

Crowd of tourists at the Trevi Fountain basin

The classic starring Audrey Hepburn was shot right on the streets of Rome. The characters' route passes the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, and the Trevi Fountain.

The film's key spot, the Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verità), stands in the portico of the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. The ancient disc with the mask of Triton is open to tourists, and the line is short in the morning. Check the hours on the Rome tourism office website.

Rent a scooter to follow the route: this way you'll get through the central alleys faster than by car. Hotels in Rome on Trip.com are located near these spots.

4. The Lord of the Rings and New Zealand

Hobbiton: hobbit holes and reflection in the water

The trilogy was filmed all over New Zealand, but the most famous location is near Matamata. The village of Hobbiton was built for filming, and the sets here are real: hobbit-hole houses, gardens, and The Green Dragon inn.

Hobbiton tours run on a schedule, so book your ticket in advance. Check prices and times on the Hobbiton page at the Waikato tour office: they change by season.

Next, head for Queenstown. The Bruinen River from the film is in Skippers Canyon, with a trail and boat rafting above it. Hotels in Queenstown on Trip.com will serve as your base for the southern locations.

The islands were also used for The Last Samurai (2003), King Kong (2005), and both Chronicles of Narnia films (2005 and 2008).

5. The Blue Lagoon and Fiji

The film starring Brooke Shields was shot on Turtle Island, also known as Nanuya Levu, in the Yasawa group. The island is private, and before filming it was closed to visitors.

Today a resort complex operates here, and prices remain high. In return, you get your own beach, reefs for snorkeling, and quiet with no crowds. Book well in advance: there are few rooms.

If the Nanuya Levu budget doesn't work for you, look for accommodation on the neighboring Yasawa islands: boats run to them from the main island of Viti Levu.

6. Interstellar and Iceland

Svínafellsjökull glacier among rocks and moraine

The ice planet Mann was filmed on the Svínafellsjökull glacier in southeastern Iceland. On screen it portrayed a world shrouded in chlorine and ammonia vapors.

There are hiking routes to the glacier, but you can only go there with a guide: crevasses and collapses are a real danger here. Tours depart from towns on the south coast, so book in advance.

Hotels in Iceland on Trip.com will come in handy if you're traveling along the south coast.

The country was also used for Lara Croft (2001), Prometheus (2012), and Noah (2014).

7. The Revenant and Canada

Mount Rundle above a golf course in Banff

The film's harsh landscapes were shot in the real Rocky Mountains of Alberta. The main location was the Kananaskis area next to Banff National Park.

Take the Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain: the car takes 8 minutes to reach the top (as of 09/2026, official website). From the summit you get a view of six mountain ranges.

In winter people ski and snowboard here; in summer they hike the trails. Hotels in Banff on Trip.com sell out fast in high season.

Canada was the filming location for I, Robot (2004), Deadpool (2016), and Fifty Shades of Grey (2015).

8. Avatar and China

Zhangjiajie pillar rocks in mist with greenery

The floating rocks of Pandora were inspired by Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan Province. After the premiere, one of the sandstone pillars was renamed Avatar Hallelujah Mountain.

People really do travel between the cliffs here: a cable car and the Bailong Elevator, a glass elevator, take tourists up to the plateau. The park is huge, and in one day you will only see part of the route.

Hotels in Zhangjiajie on Trip.com should be booked near the main entrance so you can start earlier than the bus tour groups.

China was the filming location for Mission: Impossible III (2006), The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008), and Skyfall (2012).

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

Can you visit filming locations without a tour?

Yes, many locations are open to the public. The streets of Los Angeles, the beaches of Hawaii, and central Rome are free to access. You only pay where there is an attraction or a private property: Hobbiton, the gondola in Banff, the elevator in Zhangjiajie. Book those tickets in advance.

How much does a Lord of the Rings filming locations trip cost?

The flight to New Zealand will be your biggest expense. Hobbiton itself charges for a group tour; check the price for your date on the official website. Within the country, you travel between locations by car or bus.

When is the best time to go on a movie locations trip?

Each location has its own season. Iceland and Canada are more comfortable from June to September, Hawaii and Fiji are warm year-round, and in Rome you should avoid July. In summer, the popular spots are the most crowded, so the shoulder season is the winner.

Do you need a guide at filming locations?

Not everywhere. You can do city routes on your own with a map. A guide is mandatory on Svínafellsjökull glacier and useful in Hobbiton, where only group tours operate. In Asian parks, it is harder to get around without an English-speaking guide.

What to see near the main locations?

The trip is easy to extend. In California, add the beaches; in New Zealand, combine Hobbiton and Queenstown; in Rome, walk to the Colosseum. In Canada, people add the neighboring lakes to Banff, and in China it is worth spending a second day in the park.

In short: what to book

If you have a week on the US West Coast, plan Hollywood for the morning and look for accommodation in Santa Monica. For a big trip following fantasy locations, choose New Zealand; for a warm beach with reefs, Fiji works well.

Film history is easy to combine with a city break in Rome, mountains and skiing await in Banff, and exotic scenery with cliffs can be found in Hunan. Buy attraction tickets online and book accommodation in advance.

Find a hotel for your travel dates.

Where to go following cult films: 8 real filming locations