20 Hollywood movie destinations you can actually visit

Who doesn’t want to visit the fantastical and dramatic destinations of their favourite movie?

Film tourism is a sure-fire way to impress the kids on your next trip. They can visit a movie destination straight out of a fairytale or villain underworld.

Half of these famed movie destinations are international. You’ll find the other half right here on Aussie soil. That’s right Australia has been the backdrop to plenty of big Hollywood films.

So be sure to put these movie destinations on your holiday hit-list.

There is no doubt that kids will go loco for Coco. The new Disney offering is a stunningly animated tribute to the power of family and the culture of Mexico. The movie represents the colourful traditions of Día de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead), a Mexican holiday where families gather to honour their ancestors.

The movie creators took their inspiration for the movie settings from real-life locations in Mexico. The land of the living is based on Oaxaca, a captivating city packed with museums, hotels, markets, colourful festivals and mind-blowing Mexican cuisine.

The city of Guanajuato inspired the kaleidoscopic Land of the Dead.  Brightly coloured building dot the steep hillside where the town sits.

2. How To Train Your Dragon, Norway

How To Train Your Dragon has become a long-time favourite. If your little Hooligans want a real-life fix of Viking action, Norway should be on your holiday agenda.

Bear Island in the Svalbard archipelago, halfway between Norway and Spitsbergen, inspired the movie’s dragon-friendly utopia of Berk. 

Visit Oslo’s Viking Ship Museum, explore the rugged Norwegian coast, or explore the Lofoten Islands. Catch the Northern Lights and midnight sun. It’s the ideal spot for kids to kayak between off-the-beaten-track villages in search of their own dragons to train.

3. Moana, Tetiaroa Atoll, French Polynesia

Moana inspires every little girl. She’s the daughter of an island chief who discovers her true calling by taking to the ocean on a raft to defeat a mystical lava monster. Moana is armed only with an alarmingly dumb chicken, a fallen demi-god and steely determination.

As for parents,  enjoy a holiday in a tropical paradise just like the movie’s fictional island of Motanui.

The fictional landscapes of Moana were inspired by the impossibly blue waters and lush jungles of Samoa, Fiji, Bora Bora, Tahiti and the Tetiaroa Atoll.

Once the home of Marlon Brando, Tetiaroa was a reference point for fictional Motanui. It’s also home to the Brando, a kid-friendly island resort, voted as one of the world’s best.

4. Kung Fu Panda, China

Everybody’s favourite klutzy martial arts master, Po, of Kung Fu Panda, teaches us that nothing is impossible. It’s even possible to visit the fictional movie destination, Valley of Peace.

Or at least the Li River Valley in China’s Guilan region. The bumpy limestone karst mountains and small fishing villages located in the valleys inspired the movie. With plenty to see and do, this a black-belt holiday destination for fans of the affable panda.

For hands-on kung fu, head to Dengfeng in Zhengzhou to learn from a real master. And if you’re keen to see the real thing, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is a must. Although its resident pandas come minus the martial arts moves.

5. The Princess and the Frog, Louisiana, USA

Put Louisiana on your movie destination hit list. It’s the home of the age-old fairytale, The Frog Prince which is set in New Orleans. You might even spot waitress Tiana in one of the local restaurants.

The movie’s positive message is that while wishing on a star is a lovely idea, hard work is the way to make dreams come true. Luckily, if your dream is heading to New Orleans to follow in Princess Tiana’s dainty footsteps, it won’t be hard at all.

6. Cars, Route 66, USA

Get the kids revved up for the road trip of a lifetime along Route 66 and Monument Valley. It was the real-life inspiration for the animation, Cars. While you may not bump into Lightning McQueen, fictional Radiator Springs comes to life along the famous drive.

Indeed, Ramone’s paint and body shop in the movie is a replica of the U-Drop Inn, a restored Art Deco gas station in Shamrock, Texas. You may not be able to book in for a stay at the Cozy Cone Motel, a night at the Wigwam Village in Holbrook, Arizona, might do the trick.

The surrounding celluloid landscape of Radiator Springs, Ornament Valley, is inspired by the incredible rock formations of Monument Valley. Kachow!

7. Madagascar

Kids around the world got moving and grooving with Julian, the eccentric King of the Lemurs. His penchant for shaking some serious booty stole the show from Alex the Lion and his pals, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo and Melman the Hypochondriac Giraffe. They’re the four New York Zoo residents who escape only to find themselves stranded in Madagascar.

The island country, Madagascar itself is the real star of the show. It’s in the Indian Ocean just off the southeastern coast of Africa. Madagascar visitors will fall in love with the kaleidoscopic landscape of lush forests, curious baobab trees, canyons and blade-like limestone formations. Other big Madagascar draw cards include vast deserts and palm-fringed turquoise coastline, as well as 33 endangered species of lemur.

8. Up, Angel Falls, Venezuela

Young adventurers Carl and Ellie Fredricksen dreamed of one day exploring Paradise Falls in the jungles of South America. While that dream never came true for Ellie, Carl finds his way there after stringing his house to oodles of balloons.

The good news for fans of the movie is that it doesn’t need to be that hard. Although Paradise Falls doesn’t exist, Venezuela’s Angel Falls does and visitors can experience the magnificence of the falls up close by helicopter.

Perched 800 metres up on the edge of Auyantepui Mountain, Angel Falls is the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall and the very spot that provided the inspiration for the Fredricksens’ dream destination.

9. Spirited Away, Japan

Ghibli fans can be spirited away to Japan to follow in the footsteps of Chihiro and Haku.

The celluloid setting of Spirited Away is said to be based on the buildings at Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum in Koganei, Tokyo. Visitors can also make the pilgrimage to Tokyo’s Ghibli Museum to see artworks, interactive exhibits, sculptures and a lifesized ‘cat bus’ play space.

If you and the kids would like to dip your toes into a real-life “bath of the spirits”, Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama, two hours from Tokyo, is said to be Japan’s oldest bathhouse and is a magical spot to experience onsen culture.

Australian movie destinations

10. Pirates of the Caribbean, Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays, QLD

With blue water, white sand and palm trees, Whitehaven Beach ticked all the boxes for the Pirates of the Caribbean film. Producers were seeking a tropical destination and the postcard-perfect Whitehaven definitely fit the bill.

Kids can embrace their inner pirate by sailing the Derwent Hunter with Tallship Adventures. This family-friendly day trip lets swashbuckling kids (and adults) get hands-on helping to hoist the sails and steer the ship while cruising the Coral.

The kids will really feel like Jack Sparrow when they’re rewarded with Eco Pirate tattoos and a special certificate at the end of the day. An extra bonus – kids under four travel for free.

11. Thor: Ragnarok, Tambourine Mountain and Brisbane, QLD

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Brisbane’s very own Esk Lane was the setting for a confrontation between Thor and the Goddess of Death, Hela. You and the kids can see it for yourself on your way to Brisbane’s enchanted City Botanic Gardens playground, only a seven-minute walk from Esk Lane.

In addition, the lush rainforests of Tambourine Mountain made the perfect backdrop for mythical beast battles. Kids can discover more mystery and magic on Tambourine Mountain on a glowworm tour with Glow Worm Caves, where thousands of the sparkling, slippery suckers are guaranteed to light up the magical ‘glow-worm alley’.

12. Mad Max, Broken Hill, NSW and Coober Pedy, SA

The bare outback regions made a perfect backdrop to Mad Max’s apocalyptic world. These movie destinations are great for road tripping families looking for a pit stop.

Die-hard Mad Max fans will want to visit Silverton’s Mad Max 2 Museum. It is complete with costumes, props and vehicles from the film and just a 20-minute drive from Broken Hill town centre.

Over in Coober Pedy, head down Hutchinson St to see the Pitch Black spaceship. It’s parked out the front of the Umoona Opal Mine & Museum. After your photo op in front of the spaceship, let the kids explore the underground opal museum.

13.Peter Rabbit and Peter Rabbit 2, Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW

The leafy expanse of Sydney’s Centennial Park was the ideal environs for a production team to recreate the English countryside home of Peter Rabbit.

Kids might be able to spot a wild bunny or two while running around Ian Potter Children’s WILD PLAY Garden. Here, children of all ages can discover the wonder of nature with dry creek beds, an artesian water play area, a bamboo forest and the park’s first treehouse

Pizza Party in the Bush and ParkScience – Shelter are some of the kids’ activities available in the school holidays.

14. Where the Wild Things Are, Mornington Peninsula, VIC

Where the Wild Things Are follows young Max as he explores a new world of forests and oceans in his imagination. Unsurprisingly, the diverse landscapes of the Mornington Peninsula stole the spotlight from other potential movie destinations like New Zealand and Thailand.

Cape Schanck and Bushranger’s Bay feature heavily in the 2009 fantasy and can be reached on a day trip from Melbourne.

15. Babe, Robertson, NSW

The rolling green countryside and colonial architecture of Robertson were irresistible when choosing a location to recreate the story of farm pig, Babe.

You can explore the quaint laneways of the Southern Highlands movie destination or get the kids’ adrenaline going at the Illawarra Fly Treetops. It is just a 15-minute drive from the centre of Robertson.

Once they’ve worked up an appetite treat them to a goody from the famous Robertson Pie Shop.

16. Rabbit-Proof Fence, Flinders Range, SA

The sandy dunes rocky desert landscape of Flinders Ranges set the scene as we followed three Indigenous girls’ journey along the rabbit-proof fence in this 2002 drama.

Take the scenic route between Blinman and Parachilna. It is a particularly beautiful way to appreciate the spectacular colours of this outback movie destination.

The Flinders Range town of Parachilna (which has a permanent population of 16) is a hidden gem. Stop by The Prairie Hotel to try the Feral Antipasto which comes with smoked kangaroo and homemade emu paté.

17. The Man from Snowy River, Mansfield, High Country, VIC

Mansfield and its surroundings were put on the map thanks to the 1982 film The Man From Snowy River, based on the Banjo Paterson poem. The bushlands are full of native eucalyptus trees and really brought the western drama to life.

Explore the landscape on a self-guided “Man From Snowy River Country” driving tour along Circuit Road. Along the way, you’ll pass the 4WD route to Craigs Hut, purpose-built for the film

18. Penguin Bloom, Northern Beaches, Sydney, NSW

Penguin Bloom revolves around an ex-surfer Sam and her family who reside in Newport – so a beach location was essential.

Palm Beach (also the setting of Home and Away’s Summer Bay) and Avalon Beach were prominent destinations for filming the movie.

The latter is great for the kids to splash around the shore. There is a 25-metre rock pool down the southern end, playground for children and plenty of cafes and boutiques to scour along the beach walk.

Older kids might be up for the walk to Barrenjoey Lighthouse. Start from the beach carpark and walk through the scenic Palm Beach Bible Garden.

19. Crocodile Dundee, Kakadu National Park, NT

Kakadu’s picturesque woodlands and wetlands showcased a whole other side of Australia in Crocodile Dundee.

Families could spend weeks discovering the diverse landscapes that made the Aussie outback one of the top must-visit movie destinations.

Be sure to head to Gunlom plunge pool. A shallow entry means the tiniest members of the family can splash by the edge while the more adventurous can swim to the waterfall.

School-aged children will love the ranger-guided tours, where they can learn about rock art or the diverse wildlife in Kakadu.

20. X-men Origins: Wolverine, Cockatoo Island, NSW

Cockatoo Island’s industrial space was transformed into the notorious ‘Three Mile Island’ nuclear complex where the pivotal escape scene was shot in Wolverine.

Cockatoo Island lies in the heart of Sydney Harbour. Families can enjoy spectacular harbour views at Cockatoo Island’s Waterfront Camping. Options range from $45 to $360 a night depending on whether you bring your own gear or select higher-end accommodation.

This article appeared in volume 54 and 66 of Holidays with Kids magazine. To subscribe to the latest issue, click here.