4 Movie-Inspired Travel Destinations for Halloween

published on 31 October 2021
<i>Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash</i>
Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

We all love Halloween. The trick or treats, the numerous amounts of candy, and most of all the costumes. This season, make your Halloween extra spooky by visiting some scenes of your favourite fantasy/spooky movie. Don’t just stay home and get dressed up, travel, explore, and immerse yourself into the part. 

There are tons of places you can go even within your current location. For instance, Shadowhunters the series had scenes shot in Mississauga, Ontario and even the University of Toronto Scarborough. These are within Canada and even Toronto, hence if it's a cost related issue, you no longer have to be worried. Our very own Vancouver, British Columbia is home to the Vampire Diaries, Disney’s Descendants, and more. If you’re from the states, Portland is also home to Twilight, while New York City was the set location of the Sorcerer's Apprentice. There are numerous fantasy movies that we all know and love, so this season, get out there and explore.

Our team at MiTravel have narrowed down some of their favourites and included travel tips for you. Have a spooky halloween.

1. Harry Potter Series: United Kingdom

<i>Photo by Joseph Barrientos on Unsplash</i>
Photo by Joseph Barrientos on Unsplash

Although we all want to go to Hogwarts, the castle where it was filmed is not open to the public as it is privately owned. The same can be said about several locations that were essential to the Harry Potter series. Some of which include King’s Cross Station, Oxford University’s New College and Divinity School, Westminster Tube Station, as well as some churches. Fortunately, we do have London's Zoo, the world’s oldest scientific zoo. This is where the story began, as a young Harry was seen talking to snakes. This will also be very interesting for kids as they’ll be able to see other animals. We also have Warner Bros. Studio Tour, where we can watch the various visual effects such as the room of requirement, forbidden forest, and more. So this season, you can wear your costume and visit the zoo, or visit the warner bros. studio and take a picture vanishing.

Trip Tip: For a trip to the zoo, try here, and if you want to visit the Warner bros. studio, click here. Waiting lines are long, so get there on time. Book tickets in advance where possible and remember to adhere to all safety regulations. Most of all, have fun.

2. Jumanji: Hawaii

<i>Photo by Cosmin Serban on Unsplash</i>
Photo by Cosmin Serban on Unsplash

The film was mainly shot in Hawaii, at Kualoa ranch nature reserve. This could be for lovers of nature. They have activities such as Jurassic adventure, ocean voyage, and more. The ranch provides guided tours and some tours on horseback. So if you want to dress up as a Jumanji player or even an adventurer, this scene would be wonderful to help you reenact variou scenes. Moreover, if you just love outdoor activities and hiking, this nature reserve is the place for you.

Trip Tip: Book your activity here, be sure to have all outdoor equipment ready. Remember you are in nature, do not take that Louis Vuitton on this trip, you need handy materials depending on which activity you are interested in. Remember to take all necessary medical equipment, such as epipen, inhaler, etc. 

3. The Lord of the Rings: New Zealand

<i>Photo by Matthew Buchanan on Unsplash</i>
Photo by Matthew Buchanan on Unsplash

The Lord of the Rings was filmed in various scenes located in different areas in New Zealand. Some national parks include Tongariro and Fiordland. We understand that these locations are too broad, so some specific areas include Harcourt Park for the garden of Isengard, Otaki gorge road for The Shire woods, and more. The Whakapapa skifield was the location used for mordor, located in the Tongariro National Park. It is a pival location in the movie and is a commercial skifield, open to the public. Yes, your dreams of having a picture throwing the ring into the fire, or even saving Frodo, can be realised. This season, you can choose to reenact Gollum, Samwise, or any other characters. Go with friends, and everyone can have a part. After all the pictures have been taken, end your day skiing, sky waka sightseeing, or sledding.

Trip Tip: There are passes available here. If you don’t know how to ski or sled, lessons are also provided, and equipment can be rented. Check the website for covid restrictions, opening time, and other necessary details. 

4. The Sorcerer's Apprentice: New York City

<i>Photo by Olga Subach on Unsplash</i>
Photo by Olga Subach on Unsplash

As we all probably think, New York City is the location of some major movies. For our Halloween edition, we chose the Sorcerer's Apprentice, which was mostly filmed in Washington Square Park and Chinatown’s Eldrige street. The park in particular has been featured in movies such as The Astronaut’s Wife, I am Legend, and has served as the battleground in Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Avengers: Infinity War. You have so many options on what to reenact for this spooky halloween. Luckily, the park is also open to the public, this means, no fees necessary. You just need to choose your costume and go to the park. As it's a public park, there will be other attractions and it’ll likely be bustling with people.

Trip Tip: Choose your time and location wisely, but also have fun. Make sure the mode of transportation, bus, car, etc., is available on that day. It will likely be packed, so leave a couple minutes earlier. 

This is the end for now. Don’t worry, there’ll be more!

If you know any other spooky halloween themed spots, feel free to comment below. 

For more updates, feel free to check out MiTravel. We are a small team reinventing how group travel planning can be done. Check this link to find out more, and sign up to join our waitlist. We will be launching the MiTravel Planning Board this fall, so stay tuned. 

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