I think it’s safe to say that all of us have dreamed of being part of our favorite movies. I mean, who wouldn’t want to victoriously run up hundreds of steps to “Gonna Fly Now,” walk through a fabulous hotel lobby like a boss or skip around the Shire alongside your favorite hobbits?
Here’s the good news: All of that (and more) is possible because though our favorite movies seem larger than life, a lot of them were filmed in real-life places that we can visit. Here are just a few of those places that you need to put on your travel bucket list.
SEE ALSO: 30 movies that will inspire you to travel the world
"Harry Potter"— Christ Church College
Attention wannabe witches and wizards: I have great news. Although I can’t make any promises that you’ll get your acceptance letters any time soon, I can promise you that Hogwarts, (well, some of it that is), is a real place. Several locations within the 16th Century Christ Church College in Oxford, England, appear in the “Harry Potter” series, including the staircase which leads Hogwarts students to the Great Hall. Visitors of the college will also notice that Christ Church’s Great Hall and Hogwarts dining hall are nearly identical – the film’s directors and designers based the Great Hall on this dining room.
"Field of Dreams"— Dubuque County
“Is this Heaven?”
“It’s Iowa.”
“Could have sworn it was Heaven.”
In 1989, Universal Studios transformed 193 acres of Iowa farmland into something truly majestic; the “Field of Dreams.” In the film, Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) follows the advice of a mysterious voice and risks everything to build the Dyersville baseball field that becomes the home base (no pun intended) of the ghosts of baseball legends past, including “Shoeless” Joe Jackson. Over 25 years have passed since the release of the film, but Terrance Mann’s (James Earl Jones) prediction that “People will come” was right; over 1 million fans have come to the field since the release of the movie, and you can too.
"The Sound of Music"— Salzburg
The hills of Salzburg will forever be alive, thanks to unforgettable 1964 film The Sound of Music. The beloved musical classic was set and filmed in various locations across the Austrian city – including St. Peter’s Cemetery, Leopoldskron Palace and the Benedictine Convent on Nonnberg — all of which are still open for exploration to adoring fans. Take a “Sound of Music” tour to visit all of the most iconic sites, but don’t blame us when you find yourself skipping and humming “Do-Re-Mi” around the Mirabell Gardens.
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