The McCallister family’s unmistakable brick home is just like any other suburban residence – except for its place in film history, of course. The Winnetka, Illinois house, which was on the market for $2.4 million back in 2011, is private property and home to some lucky family, but fans can still drive past it for a glimpse of the action – just don’t linger too long, or you might be mistaken for a Wet Bandit.
The suburban Chicago house in the first Home Alone was nice, but nothing compares to The Plaza Hotel in New York City, where Kevin’s luxury suite was the stuff of ’90s childhood dreams. If the price tag scares you away from a full-on hotel stay, try tea at the Palm Court.
Not only can you catch a glimpse of the house where Ralphie was once told “You’ll shoot your eye out!”, you can go inside! Thanks to a few super fans, the Cleveland, Ohio-located house is now a museum dedicated to the film, where fans can check out original costumes, props and other memorabilia from the classic film (with the leg lamp proudly displayed in the street-facing window, of course). The ticket price even includes a discount at a nearby Chinese restaurant, so you can get the full Christmas Story experience.
New York City is a whole new world for Buddy the Elf, and when he visits his dad’s office in the Empire State Building, he’s right at the center of it. Luckily for fans of the movie – and countless N.Y.C. tourists – Empire State Building is open for visitors year ’round (though you’ll probably experience a longer wait than Buddy did).
While director Frank Capra never officially confirmed the inspiration for Bedford Falls, it’s widely regarded that Seneca Falls, New York, is it. Even Karolyn Grimes, who starred in the film as Zuzu, one of George and Mary Bailey’s children, believes it was. The town is so proud of its connection to the film, that residents host an annual weekend-long event to celebrate the anniversary of the film every December.
Tim Allen’s famed holiday film may take place in a small Illinois town, but the real location is all in Oakville, a suburb of Toronto, Canada. If you visit Oakville in real life, you can see the town’s main drag, schools, houses and parks that appear in the movie.
Sadly, Rosehill Cottage, the adorable little house that Kate Winslet’s character calls home in The Holiday, isn’t real – the facade was built for the film and the inside was shot at a studio in L.A. But the quaint village, Shere, in Surrey, England, nearby is. You can even grab a pint at the White Horse Tavern, the local pub where Amanda and Graham went on a date.
Does any film scream Christmas quite like Love Actually does? And there are plenty of places to visit – all in London – for a real-life taste of the film. St. Luke’s Mews in Notting Hill (pictured), where Mark confessed his love for Juliet in poster form, for one. You can shop at Selfridge’s on Oxford Street, where Harry (Alan Rickman) infamously bought a gift for his secretary, Mia. Or visit the world-famous 10 Downing Street, home to the dashing Prime Minister (a.k.a. Hugh Grant). And of course, if you’re looking to see love all around, head to the arrivals gate at Heathrow airport.
There are a few versions of this Christmas classic, but it’s only the 1947 original that features the real famed department store on 34th street in New York. Visitors get bonus points if they wait in line to meet the one and only “real” Kris Kringle.
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