5 Film and TV Sets You Can Visit in Real Life
While we’ve made our name creating book-inspired candles, we love movies and tv shows as well! Especially book adaptations. And while our candles can make your home feel like your favorite fictional world, the prospect of actually walking through the scenes that you’ve seen depicted on the big screen or your television is enough to make any serious bibliophile’s mouth water.
But sadly, most productions either shoot on studio backlots or they create their sets from scratch and then tear them down at the conclusion of filming. Lucky for us, there are a some fantastic film sets that have been preserved for the sake of tourism, are historical landmarks or simply feature a unique natural landscape or destination. Here are some of our favorite film and tv sets that you can visit during your next book themed vacation!
Hobbiton
Perhaps one of the most famous movie sets you can visit in real life is Hobbiton from the Lord of the Rings series. Tucked away in the heart of New Zealand’s North Island, you can explore the rolling hills and gardens of your favorite hobbits and experience the world of J. R. R. Tolkien’s most famous work. Hobbiton sits on a picturesque 12-acre plot of land and includes everything you know and love of the fictional world, including stunning scenery, lush gardens, and unique hobbit-holes. They even have drinks at The Green Dragon! If you choose to opt for the evening banquet tour you’ll even be able to enjoy a feast fit for a hobbit at the end of your evening, right before you head out on a lantern-lit walk through the rolling hills and paths of this magical green glen.
Hogwarts
Were you crushed when you turned 11 and didn’t receive your letter to a certain wizarding school? You’ve dreamed of walking the ancient halls of the great castle for years, you’ve read every chapter, seen every film, and now you can actually take a stroll through your favorite fictional world with the Warner Brothers Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter. This exciting exhibit is located just outside London at the actual studio lot where all eight Harry Potter films were shot in Leavesden, Hertfordshire. On your tour, you’ll see your favorite sets, props, and costumes. Take a stroll through Diagon Alley, Platform 9¾, the Forbidden Forest, and the Great Hall as you soak in all the magic your muggle mind can manage.
Port Royal
Have you ever dreamed of becoming a pirate and sailing the seas of the Caribbean with Captain Jack Sparrow or a young Will Turner? Well, we can’t promise you a seafaring adventure, but we can provide you with a sea-worthy one. Wallilabou Anchorage was the primary location for the first of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies back in 2003, and many of the sets and props used for the films still remain on site. The original set was built around the town's existing shops and hotels and then added to with creative set design. Break out your best captain's hat and find a coin-stealing monkey because you’ll be ready to set sail once your tour is over!
District 12
The odds will definitely be in your favor if you choose to take a stroll through District 12 from the popular Hunger Games series. Start in Hildebran, North Carolina, where you’ll find the abandoned Henry River Mill Village which served as the Mellark family bakery and the Everdeens’ shanty. You can check out the Hildebran Heritage Museum for some more insight about the town’s unique history. Next, head out to the North Fork Reservoir and the DuPont State Recreational Forest where filmmakers chose to set their arena and Cornucopia. Walk the paths of these gorgeous sites and pretend you’re either hunting game in your home district or hunting...something else...in the arena. Watch out for those nightlock berries.
Amity Island
Shhhaaarrrkkkkk! Back in 1975, Steven Spielberg scared a generation of children away from ever swimming in the ocean with his blockbuster hit, Jaws. And while the shark in question may have been fake, the town where the movie’s events took place is very real. Amity Island is actually a part of Martha’s Vineyard, and you can still visit many of the locations depicted in the film such as Quint's workshop, Brody's house, or the Chappaquiddick Island Ferry. Are you brave enough to venture into these waters?
Make Your Home Feel like Your Favorite TV or Movie Set
Don’t feel like, or can’t afford, driving to North Carolina or flying to London? Not a problem, you can use any of our book themed candles to make your home feel like any of your favorite film or tv sets; no reservations required. From magical schools to the rolling Highlands, find the scent that makes your fictional dreams come alive amongst our many captivating candles.
