The comedy classic “National Lampoon’s Vacation” is set all across the United States, but a good portion of the filming was based in Southern California.
Early in the film, Clark, played by Chevy Chase, visits a car dealership with his son Rusty, to trade in their vehicle. After the dealership fails to stock the vehicle they requested, Clark asks for his old car to be returned, only to find it has been destroyed. These scenes were filmed in Glendale, Califonia.
LOCATION: 900 S Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91204
The Griswold house, set in Chicago, Illinois, is actually located in near Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California. You’ll likely drive right past if it you visit the Griffith Observatory.
LOCATION: 2310 N Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027
The hotel where Clark goes skinny dipping with “The Girl in the Ferarri,” played by Christie Brinkley, is the Guesthouse Hotel in Norwalk, California. Despite some remodeling and changes in ownership, the pool area is still fairly recognizable to how it appeared in the film. The scene where Clark runs into The Girl in the Ferrari at thehotel lounge was also filmed here, but that section, while still a lounge, has unfortunately been remodeled beyond recognition.
LOCATION: 12500 Firestone Blvd, Norwalk, CA 90650
The gas station where Clark has trouble finding the gas tank can be found in Flagstaff, Arizona.
LOCATION: 2515 E Butler Ave, Flagstaff, AZ 86004
When the Griswolds get lost in a bad neighborhood, the rough streets were actually filmed on the Warner Bros. Studio lot. This is the spot where Clark is getting directions, while the guys on the street steal his hubcaps.
LOCATION: 4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505
When Aunt Edna dies, the family drops her off at Cousin Normie’s house, which can be found in Flagstaff.
LOCATION: 3025 W Wilson Dr, Flagstaff, AZ 86001
The production was clever when it came to filming the “Walley World” entrance at the end of the film. While the amusement park used in the film was Six Flags Magic Mountain (26101 Magic Mountain Pkwy., Valencia, CA 91355), the memorable entrance was a totally different location; the Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. This overpass was used as the entrance, with a matte painting of the Walley World sign and the roller coasters in the background. The overpass is actually on the outskirts of the park, right beside the Westfield Santa Anita mall. In this case, the exact address is tricky, as the grounds are large and it only navigates you to the general vicinity. A tip on how to find the exact spot is to drive down W Huntington Dr. towards S. Baldwin Ave. As you near the mall’s parking lot, drive past the overpass entrance and proceed to the next entrance, into the mall parking lot. As soon as you turn off of Huntington Dr. to the mall, you’ll immediately see this view of the Santa Anita Park parking lot on your right, with the Walley World overpass in the distance.
The house from Steven Spielberg’s beloved 1982 film “E.T.” can be found in the town of Tujunga, California.
LOCATION: 7121 Lonzo St., Tujunga, CA 91042
The ending of the film, when Elliott begins to fly with E.T. on his bike, was filmed near Granada Hills, at the intersection of Tulsa St and White Oak Ave. The bike heads north on White Oak as it begins to take flight.
LOCATION: Intersection of Tulsa St / White Oak Ave, Los Angeles, CA 91344
A full scale animatronic of E.T., one of three created for the film, can be found on display at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California.
LOCATION: 6067 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Quentin Tarantino’s revenge drama “Kill Bill,” was shot around California, China, Japan and Mexico. Here we will cover locations from both volumes of the film.
The “Two Pines Wedding Chapel,” supposedly located in El Paso, Texas, is actually in the Mojave Desert in Lancaster, California. First called the “Hi Vista Community Hall,” the building served as a community center and did not originally feature the Spanish style front facade, which is so recognizable today. The Mission-style facade was actually added by another film production, 1981’s “True Confessions,” starring Robert De Niro and Robert Duvall. The building also later featured in Talking Heads’ music video for “Road To Nowhere.” The building wasn’t widely known, however, until “Kill Bill.” Tarantino’s production team added the wooden porch on the front and heavily remodeled the interiors. Sometimes known as the Sanctuary Adventist Church, most people today just refer to the building as the “Kill Bill Church.” It’s location is a bit remote, being out in the middle of the desert, but well worth a visit if you’re a fan of the film. The owner now keeps a truck parked out front, however, blocking much of the view of the front. According to comments online, some have stated he will move the truck in exchange for a “donation.” We did not encounter any issues during our visit, but some have expressed negative experiences in attempting to photograph it.
LOCATION: Approximately 19809 E Ave. G, Lancaster, CA, 93535 (near the corner of 198th St E)
Earl McGraw, played by Michael Parks, arrives at the church much in the same way he does (as the same character) in the opening of “From Dusk Till Dawn,” also written by Tarantino. The two locations are, in fact, just minutes apart from each other. Also located almost directly across the street from the church is the gas station from the end of the film “Straight Time.”
The Bride’s “Death List Five” brings her to the house of Vernita Green, which is set in “The city of Pasadena, California.” The real house is near South Pasadena, but actually located in East Los Angeles. The house can also be seen in the 2003 “Project Greenlight” film, “The Battle Of Shaker Heights” and “Mysterious Skin.”
LOCATION: 5500 Atlas St, Los Angeles, CA 90032
After The Bride ends up in a coma, Elle Driver, played by Daryl Hannah, comes to the hospital to kill her. Elle is briefly seen entering St Luke’s Hospital at this entrance, which has since been boarded over. The same hospital appeared in the films “Million Dollar Baby,” “Flags of Our Fathers,” “La La Land,” “Faster,” “Starsky & Hutch,” “Halloween II” (1981) and more.
LOCATION: 2632 E Washington Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107
After waking up from her coma and escaping the hospital, The Bride makes her out into the hospital parking garage on a wheelchair, where she finds her “Pussy Wagon” truck. The real garage building is not a hospital, rather an apartment complex known as the American Cement Building, located near MacArthur Park. The bride wheels past this P2 marker, placing her on the second floor of the garage.
LOCATION: 2404 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057
Here is the spot she finds the Pussy Wagon parked. It can be found by walking straight ahead from the above spot, up on the left. There is another P2 sign, which can be seen in the background behind The Bride as she spots the truck, which lines up the exact area where the vehicle was parked. The garage is open to public parking (via paid parking) on weekdays, but it is gated off for private residents only on weekends. There is also a lot of security present around the building and garage.
The Bride drives her Kawasaki bike along the streets of Tokyo, riding behind Sofie Fatale’s car down Yasukuni Dori. It’s difficult to replicate the exact angles, as they were filmed by cameras mounted on moving vehicles in the middle of the street in a high traffic area. The shots are also mostly quick cuts against moving backgrounds. Here are a couple views of the general area used in the sequence. First up is a shot looking down Yasukuni Dori at night.
LOCATION: Yasukuni Dori, Shinjuku-ku, Tōkyō-to, 160-0022, Japan
Here is another view of the same street in the day, which is near Kabukicho, a red-light district of Tokyo where parts of Gaspar Noé’s “Enter The Void” were also filmed.
After a few shots in Tokyo, The Bride pulls up beside Sofie at this tunnel entrance, which is actually in Los Angeles at the Second Street Tunnel. The tunnel is also well known for it’s use in “Blade Runner,” “The Terminator,” “Double Dragon” and many more films.
LOCATION: 620 W 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (facing S Figueroa St.)
Budd, played by Michael Madsen, lives in a remote trailer on a dirt road near Barstow. At the base of these hills toward the right is where Budd’s trailer sat. Mule Canyon Road is a popular site for off road vehicles. While you may be able to reach it in a regular vehicle (this site is about 1 mile down from the nearest paved road), we recommend a 4×4 vehicle or at least something that doesn’t sit low to the ground, as there are many rocks and dips along the way. Also keep in mind this area gets very hot in the summer months.
LOCATION: Mule Canyon Rd, Newberry Springs, CA 92365 (GPS coordinates are 34.936439, -116.837655)
The area to the right is where Bill parks his car, with these rock formations in the background. This is located in the same general vicinity as Budd’s trailer.
Looking back towards Calico Rd is the view where Elle Driver races down the road with a dust trail kicking up behind her. This is also in the same general area as Budd’s trailer.
The interior of the bar where Budd works is Sam’s Hofbrau, a real topless bar, also featured in “Jackie Brown.”
LOCATION: 1751 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90021
After The Bride escapes being buried alive, she wonders into this roadside diner in Victorville.
LOCATION: 17143 N D St, Victorville, CA 92394
Here is the exterior of the diner, although it is never seen from this angle in the film.
Throughout the long-running comedy series, “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” Larry David’s character has lived at a couple different locations. In more recent seasons, this Brentwood house has been his home.
LOCATION: 537 Moreno Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90049
For much of the series, Larry’s manager Jeff and his temperamental wife Suzie lived at this house in the Pacific Palisades.
LOCATION: 745 Alma Real Dr, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Set upon the streets of Los Angeles, Nicolas Winding Refn’s “Drive” utilized locations both in the city and spread out across the Valley.
The opening robbery was filmed at Maestro DJ and Electronics warehouse in L.A.
LOCATION: 1710 Naomi Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90021
The Driver, played by Ryan Gosling, meets Carey Mulligan’s character at the Big “6” Market.
LOCATION: 550 S Rampart Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057
The Driver lives a few doors down from Irene, in what is supposed to be an apartment building. These scenes were actually filmed at the MacArthur in Los Angeles, formerly known as the Park Plaza Hotel. No longer a functioning hotel, the MacArthur today serves primarily as a property for hosting filming and special events. It has been featured in many films, such as “Wild At Heart,” “Reservoir Dogs,” “Gangster Squad,” “Tango & Cash,” “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” “The Hidden” and many more. The building is only seen from interior views in the film.
LOCATION: 607 S Park View St, Los Angeles, CA 90057
The Driver makes a deal with the criminals pressuring Oscar Isaac’s character Standard at MacArthur Park in front of the water. The same park was seen in the 1993 film “Falling Down.” For those unfamiliar with Los Angeles and planning a visit, MacArthur Park used to be considered a popular drug hangout. While there has been an effort to improve safety conditions at the park, it is still frequented by some addicts and homeless people. Visitors are advised to use some caution.
LOCATION: 2230 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90057
Nino’s Pizzeria is a real pizza place, however the name of the restaurant is actually Vincenzo’s Pizza, located in Granada Hills. The sign was swapped out by the production, which also added the checkerboard paneling over the front windows.
LOCATION: 11045 Balboa Blvd, Granada Hills, CA 91344
The pawn shop’s robbery gone wrong was filmed at the Santa Clarita Elk’s Lodge, which is a bit of a distance from the other locations.
LOCATION: 17766 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91351
The motel where a violent gunfight ensues is the Pink Motel in Sun Valley. It is not an operational motel, rather a set used for filming or special events. While we encountered no issues when visiting, according to many online comments, the property is not receptive to public visitation these days, preferring only professional clients. So be sure not to trespass. The motel property has been featured in countless productions, such as “The House Bunny,” as well as the TV shows “GLOW” and “Dexter” Due to the frequent use in productions, the director deliberately chose to film only the interiors of the motel, as to avoid immediate recognition.
LOCATION: 9457 San Fernando Rd, Sun Valley, CA 91352
One of the most well known film locations in the Los Angeles area is Nakatomi Plaza from “Die Hard.” The building is actually Fox Plaza.
LOCATION: 2121 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA 90067
Here is the opposite side of the building, also seen in the film. While the front of the building facing the street is easily visible to the public, this back area is typically off limits to public access. This same plaza also appeared in the film “Airheads,” with the building on the bottom right of the image below featured as the radio station.
Unlike the first two installments of Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” trilogy, which used Chicago to double as Gotham City, the third and final installment, “The Dark Knight Rises” used an amalgam of cities, which included Pittsburgh, New York City and Los Angeles. Here we take a look at some of these locations.
Bane robs the Gotham City Stock Exchange, which was filmed in the heart of New York’s financial district on Wall Street. However, the production used the JP Morgan building, located directly across the street from the New York Stock Exchange.
LOCATION: 23 Wall St, New York, NY 10005
As Bane unleashes an explosion at the Gotham football stadium, as well as all across Gotham, Blake, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is rocked by one of the explosives and his car flips over as he drives down this alley. While many of these shots were filmed in Pittsburgh, this particular alley can be found in downtown Los Angeles. It’s located on Terminal Street, which intersects with 7th Street, just past Alameda Street.
LOCATION: Terminal St, Los Angeles, CA 90021 (a nearby address to arrive around the alley would be 1371 E 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021)
The police get trapped in a tunnel under the 6th Street Bridge, also in Downtown L.A. The bridge has been seen in countless films over the years, including “Grease,” “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” “Gone in Sixty Seconds,” “Drive” and many more. The original bridge was demolished in 2016, with a new bridge built in its place in 2022. The area where the scene took place has changed quite a bit.
LOCATION: Under the 6th St Bridge, at the intersection of lower E 6th St / Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90013 (heavily remodeled)
The scenes of Scarecrow sentencing people to punishment was filmed at Union Station, a train station in downtown Los Angeles. It has been featured in many films, such as “Blade Runner,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Species,” “Bugsy,” “Pearl Harbor” and more.
LOCATION: 800 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Over at the 3rd Street Tunnel in downtown Los Angeles is where Catwoman, played by Anne Hathaway, uses the Batpod to blow up some cars, which have been piled up to obstruct the entrance. The view seen in the film is on the side of the tunnel that faces Flower Street. The same tunnel was also seen in “Darkman.”
LOCATION: W 3rd St., at the entrance facing S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90810
The Batpod Catwoman rides can be seen on display at the Peterson Automotive Museum, also in Los Angeles.
LOCATION: Peterson Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Moving over to Pittsburgh, the Carnegie Mellon University was used for a couple key sequences, near the film’s climax. Bane released the prisoners from Blackgate Prison, which was shot at Carnegie Mellon’s Software Engineering Institute. The building’s address is on Fifth Ave., but you’ll actually have to turn the corner to the side of the building facing Dirthridge St. to see the spot used in the film.
LOCATION: Software Engineering Institute, 4500 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (facing Dirthridge St)
The Mellon Institute, which is located right beside the Software Engineering Institute, served as Gotham City Hall, where Bane and Batman do battle on the steps of the building.
LOCATION: Mellon Institute, 4400 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Lastly, we leave you with a shot of the Batmobile Tumbler from the film, which is on display at Warner Bros. Studios, as part of their tour.
The original version of “The Bad News Bears” shot at Mason Park in Chatsworth, California. The field was mostly unchanged for the production, with the biggest addition being a fence. The field still exists today, though it has been heavily remodeled. Curiously, there isn’t even so much as a sign denoting the field’s connection with the film. You would think the parks and recreation would better embrace their history.
Los Angeles appears to better acknowledge their film history. There is a field in the city actually named The Bad News Bears Field (1411 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025). While no filming took place at the L.A. field, it also has a connection with the film. Screenwriter Bill Lancaster enrolled his son in little league at the field. He drew upon the experiences as the basis for the film’s screenplay.
Below is a photo of the Chatsworth field, where the film was shot. Note that there are two baseball fields at the park. The one used in the film is the one nearest to Mason Ave, not the one near Fullbright Ave. The field also appeared in parts of the sequel “Bad News Bears in Breaking Training.”
Roger Avary’s 2002 adaptation of the Bret Easton Ellis novel “The Rules of Attraction” was set in the fictional Camden College in New Hampshire, but it was actually filmed at the University of Redlands in Redlands, California. In order to achieve this, the filmmakers had to be very careful in blocking their shots, as to avoid the mountains and palm trees that surround the area. Below, we’ll cover many shots seen in the film from around the campus.
This location also appeared in the film “Hell Night.”
LOCATION: 1200 E Colton Ave, Redlands, CA 92374
Sean Bateman, played by James Van Der Beek, sits on these seats towards the end of the film.
The “End of the World” party takes place at this building.
One of the final shots of the movie, where the character of Sean rides away on his bike, was filmed here.
The home of Rupert, played by Clifton Collins Jr., can be found near Koreatown in L.A.
LOCATION: 858 3rd Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90005
Paul and his friends drop off a classmate at a hospital in Downey, although it is never seen from this angle in the film.
LOCATION: 12750 Erickson Ave, Downey, CA 90242
The angle seen in the film faces this way, toward the street.
Sean Bateman drops of Paul at a bus station, which was on the grounds of the former Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Downey, California. Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center was founded back in the late 1800s. The hospital upgraded to a newer facility located nearby and abandoned a lot of their older buildings, with ownership transferred to the county. The buildings sat vacant for years. The buildings featured as the bus station could be found at Erickson Ave / Flores St, Downey, CA 90242, but have since been demolished.
During an extended montage, Victor, played by Kip Pardue, is seen traveling all over Europe, with many different locations seen in quick cuts, including Big Ben in London.
LOCATION: Big Ben, London SW1A 0AA, UK
The Eiffel Tower is Paris is also quickly seen.
LOCATION: Eiffel Tower, Champ de Mars, 5 Av. Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France
Victor is also seen at the Arc de Triomphe, which also briefly appears in Roger Avary’s previous film, “Killing Zoe.”
LOCATION: Arc de Triomphe, Pl. Charles de Gaulle, 75008 Paris, France
Victor eats with Sean and Mitchell, played by Thomas Ian Nicholas, at the former Quality Cafe in Downtown Los Angeles. The diner was a one-time staple of film, appearing in “Seven,” “Training Day,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Ghost World,” “Another Day In Paradise,” “(500) Days Of Summer” “Million Dollar Baby,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “The Heartbreak Kid” and many more. However, it was not an actual restaurant open to the public. Instead it was used solely for filming (much like Johnie’s Coffee Shop in mid-town L.A.). Unless the building was being set up for a production, most of the time it was closed up and locked by a large metal door covering the front windows. So catching a glimpse of it was rare. It ceased to function as a filming location and was completely renovated in 2014. The interior of the property no longer bears any resemblance inside to how it appeared in so many films.
LOCATION: 1238 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90017 (since closed and remodeled)
David Fincher’s 1997 thriller “The Game” mostly shot around the San Francisco area. However, the home of Nicholas van Orton, played by Michael Douglas, is tucked away in Woodside, California. The house is known as the “Filoli Mansion.” The house has also been seen in the films “Heaven Can Wait,” “Dying Young,” “George of the Jungle,” “The Joy Luck Club” and the 1980s TV drama “Dynasty.”
It is not a private residence and tours of the property are open to the public. There are a couple things to keep in mind, however, if you do plan a visit. First of all, the house can be tricky to locate if you’re using GPS. The property is not visible at all from Cañada Road. All you’ll see is land and trees. Also, most GPS systems do not show the driveway to the property, which is off to the side a short drive, so it’ll appear on most maps as having no access. This is not the case of course. Simply head past the house until you see an opening to the north. This driveway will lead you up to the guard house. The second thing to keep in mind is the property is intermittently closed. Anything from special events to seasonal closings may prevent you from visiting, so be sure to schedule in advance and verify the place is open when you plan on stopping.
LOCATION: 86 Cañada Rd, Woodside, CA 94062
The office of Nicholas van Orton is seen through the alleyway of Leidesdorff Street in San Francisco.
LOCATION: 465 California St, San Francisco, CA 94104 (view seen in the film is from Leidesdorff St)
As Nicholas and Christine, played by Deborah Kara Unger, walk away from the hospital, they pass this building, with the Los Angeles Stock Exchange engraving seen in the shot. A security vehicle approaches and they take a quick left at this corner and begin running. In the film, it cuts to an alley, but in reality, this corner is actually just an entrance into the building.
LOCATION: 618 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90014
Nick’s brother Conrad, played by Sean Penn, becomes paranoid and accuses Nick of conspiring with the creators of the game. He runs from Nicholas down these stairs.
LOCATION: Joice St Steps, Joice St, San Francisco, CA 94108 (located between 740 and 750 Joice St, San Francisco, CA 94108)
Later in the film, Nicholas visits the home of Christine, played by Deborah Kara Unger, where they soon finds themselves under attack. This location can actually be found in Los Angeles, not far from Dodger Stadium.
LOCATION: 439 Savoy St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Nicholas and Christine speed away from gunfire, first driving past the intersection of Laguna Ave / Laveta Terrace, Los Angeles, CA 90026. They continue down this unnamed alley between Laguna Ave and Echo Park Ave, where they lose the van tailing them.
LOCATION: Near 1109 Laguna Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026 (GPS coordinates: 34°04’33.6″N, 118°15’25.5″W)
Nicholas kicks Christine out of his car on N Ave 19, before quickly changing his mind and letting her back in. The overpass has since changed some with wider lanes.
LOCATION: N Ave 19, Los Angeles, CA 90065 (GPS coordinates: 34°04’53.2″N, 118°13’35.8″W)
After escaping from Mexico, Nicholas visits the former Johnie’s Broiler in Downey, where he attempts to get a ride back to San Francisco. The restaurant has a unique history, having appeared in many other films, such as “Heat,” “Short Cuts,” “License To Drive,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “One Hour Photo,” “My Stepmother Is An Alien” and many more. In 2007, the building was unfortunately demolished. However, Bob’s Big Boy purchased the property years later and rebuilt it based on the original blueprints and even some of the same materials. So what stands now closely resembles what was seen in the film.
Film Oblivion 