# Locations that are popular mostly because they appeared in movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 8, 2015, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339 "2015-01-08T19:47:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MsKaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@MsKaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsKaren)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/41 "2015-01-10T17:09:02Z")
Natchitoches Louisiana had an upsurge after Steel Magnolias, especially the Christmas Festival. [http://http://www.natchitoches.com/](http://http://www.natchitoches.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/42 "2015-01-10T18:21:13Z")
Portland has gained some attention because of TV shows like _Grimm, Leverage_ and _Portlandia_. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2015, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/43 "2015-01-11T05:24:10Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > The Potter School house and St. Theresa’s Church in Bodega, CA. ?? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2015, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/44 "2015-01-11T07:38:40Z")
[Monument Valley](http://visitarizona.com/places-to-visit/arizona-parks-monuments/monument-valley-navajo-tribal-park) has been the background in virtually every movie or TV western. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2015, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/45 "2015-01-11T07:57:14Z")
> [@movingfinger](#): > > Not in any film I know of but in countless auto ads on TV: looking up the Coast Highway, ocean on the left, steep hills on the right and ahead is a huge rock with a gap to the right of it through which the highway passes. > > This is just north of the Los Angeles County/Ventura County line where the highway zigs inland to pass Point Mugu Naval Air Station and Port Hueneme. You have seen this location many times, and considering how cinegenic it is and how close to LA it is I am sure it has appeared in films. > > If the big rock has a name I don’t know what it is. LA area Dopers, any ideas? Apparently it’s called [Mugu Rock.](http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-image-pacific-coast-highway-mugu-rock-image29113286) ETA: [Here’s another link](http://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_focus/history/la-as-subject/when-pch-blasted-through-point-mugu.html) showing how the “rock” was created. ---
**Author:** ![Idilia\_Dubb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c2a13f/32.png) [@Idilia\_Dubb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idilia_Dubb)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2015, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/46 "2015-01-11T09:14:34Z")
> [@JohnGalt](#): > > Bruges looks pretty enough, but I still can’t pronounce it correctly. Rhymes with luge. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2015, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/47 "2015-01-11T15:50:38Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > [Monument Valley](http://visitarizona.com/places-to-visit/arizona-parks-monuments/monument-valley-navajo-tribal-park) has been the background in virtually every movie or TV western. Good pick. The reality of the place is pretty cool, too. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2015, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/48 "2015-01-11T15:59:27Z")
The basement at the Alamo? ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2015, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/49 "2015-01-11T16:05:27Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Blair Witch Project was set in [Burkittsville](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burkittsville,_Maryland#The_Blair_Witch_Project), but not filmed there, but that doesn’t stop the goofs from stealing stuff from there, among other things. I don’t think there has been any real problems there for many years. The town is literally just a four way stop. There were some battles during the Civil War fought there and Antietam is just over the mountain. It’s too bad that people were taking signs and such, the original signs were quite nice, now I’m pretty sure they are just metal signs. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2015, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/50 "2015-01-11T19:54:37Z")
> [@Fleetwood](#): > > ?? Hitchcock’s _The Birds._ ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2015, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/51 "2015-01-11T21:19:28Z")
The Philadelphia Art Museum. People just love to run up the steps and throw their arms up in the air. Then off they go. Visit the museum? Pfffffft. At least they did move the horrid statue of Rocky. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2015, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/52 "2015-01-11T21:42:55Z")
First Hunger Games movie was filmed around Asheville NC. The place that stood in for district 12 was overrun with visitors for a while. The state even promoted visits to other filming sites such as Dupont State Forest which is south of Asheville. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2015, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/53 "2015-01-11T21:45:29Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I’ve never seen any of the _Twilight_ movies. (Based solely on hearing about them, the sound like vampire movies for people who don’t like vampires.) But I’ve heard Forks, WA is popular among their fans. When I was growing up in the Olympia area, Forks was known as the methed-out ex-lumber town that you only went through because you had to if you wanted to follow the highway 101 loop. When Twilight became massively popular, my town’s parks and rec department started organizing day-trip excursions for tweens, teens, and their parents to go pretend to be Bella for a day. I don’t know if it’s still going on- there’s no excursion listed in this quarter’s parks and rec catalogue, but who wants to go to a temperate rain forest in January? ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2015, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/54 "2015-01-11T22:01:40Z")
How about the Bradbury building in L.A? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2015, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/55 "2015-01-11T22:07:46Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > The basement at the Alamo? Why, there IS no basement at the Alamo! **[_Laughs and points._]**😃 However, you can always go here instead: [http://www.vice.com/read/pee-wee-hermans-dinosaurs-are-actually-a-creationist-museum](http://www.vice.com/read/pee-wee-hermans-dinosaurs-are-actually-a-creationist-museum) Real ma-tuuuuuure! ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/56 "2015-01-12T06:51:08Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > There’s this place at the southeastern tip of New York, kind of a big canyon lined with buildings and big tall flashing billboards at each end. It’s in a zillion movies and I’d say it’s a real place because it’s always shown jammed with people, too many to be paid extras, but then Tom Cruise did a movie where it was shown empty and that gave away that it was just another set. Probably CGI. Nice whoosh. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/57 "2015-01-12T07:02:12Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Why, there IS no basement at the Alamo! **[_Laughs and points._]**😃 Pee-Wee did eventually get a [tour of the Alamo basement](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwzbEMPba24), but it’s a bit of a letdown (just boxes, offices, and fluorescent lighting). ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/58 "2015-01-12T07:06:52Z")
> [@erysichthon](#): > > Pee-Wee did eventually get a [tour of the Alamo basement](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwzbEMPba24), but it’s a bit of a letdown (just boxes, offices, and fluorescent lighting). By special invitation only, it would seem. ☹ Reminds me of the “basement” at the historic site where I was a guide in the '80s. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/59 "2015-01-12T13:18:47Z")
Albuquerque saw a boost in tourism from _Breaking Bad._ Several companies offer tours of the various recognizable locations around town. In fact you can even take a tour of the sites in [an RV just like the one Walter and Jesse used](http://www.breakingbadrvtours.com/). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339/60 "2015-01-12T13:37:17Z")
Twenty years ago John Berendt’s _Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil_ became a bestseller, spent 216 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list in hardcover (that’s over four years!), and got made into a Clint Eastwood movie (co-starring one of the real-life people in the book). The “non-fiction” book really brought the tourists into town. I knew about this from numerous shows and stories at the time. And it’s still pulling them in: [http://savannahnow.com/news/2014-01-25/midnight-garden-good-and-evil-brings-cash-tourists-coastal-empire](http://savannahnow.com/news/2014-01-25/midnight-garden-good-and-evil-brings-cash-tourists-coastal-empire) > **[BIGSLOTO » Daftar 14 Situs Judi Slot Online Terpercaya & Pragmatic Slot...](https://www.solestruck.com/)** > > Bigsloto ialah situs judi online terbaik yang rekomendasi daftar situs judi slot online deposit pulsa paling gacor, live casino online, dan pragmatic play terlengkap dengan jackpot slot gacor terbesar di Indonesia. [http://www.trustedtours.com/store/a-walk-through-midnight-tour-of-savannah.aspx](http://www.trustedtours.com/store/a-walk-through-midnight-tour-of-savannah.aspx) Before the book came out, I could probably tell you maybe one or two things about the city, but not give you any reasons to visit. \*Even Berendt now admits to doing a considerable amount of revision of reality in writing his book. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locations-that-are-popular-mostly-because-they-appeared-in-movies/709339.md?page=4)