Every Christmas season, we have our favorite traditions, from decorating our homes and hosting family gatherings to enjoying hot cocoa while watching a favorite holiday film. Another thing many enjoy during the season is traveling. Instead of a run-of-the-mill vacation, imagine taking your love of Christmas movies and creating a unique experience.
White Christmas fans often lament the non-existence of the Columbia Inn in Pine Tree, Vermont, and wonder why it hasn’t been built yet. However, it’s possible to visit the real-life locations of many other cherished holiday films, bringing a sense of nostalgic, romantic, and comforting movie magic to your travels.
Surrey, Shere, England (The Holiday)
In Nancy Meyers’s holiday rom-com, The Holiday (2007), Kate Winslet’s Iris and Cameron Diaz’s Amanda exchange homes for their Christmas vacations, each finding unexpected love and happiness. While sunny Los Angeles and Amanda’s luxurious home hold obvious appeal, most fans agree on one thing: Iris’s cozy cottage in the English countryside is truly enchanting.
Sadly, the cottage facade was built for the production, and the interior was built and filmed on a soundstage in L.A. However, all the other locations we see Amanda (as well as Jude Law’s Graham) can be visited in Surrey, England, specifically in the village of Shere.
The little market where Amanda buys food and the local pub, where Amanda meets Graham, both offer festive charm. The latter, named the White Horse Pub, embraces the film’s popularity with images adorning the walls. A detour to the Cotswolds will also take you to Cornwell Manor, the restaurant and estate where Amanda and Graham’s lunch date takes place. Anyone looking for the cozy charm the British countryside has to offer and feels like they’ve stepped into The Holiday must take a trip to these places in England.
London, England (Love Actually, Last Christmas)
Staying in the same country, London also offers a little Christmas movie magic for fans of a few other romances: Love Actually and Last Christmas. Love Actually (2003) features an all-star cast, including Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Colin Firth, Keira Knightley, Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, and Andrew Lincoln. Through the interweaving stories, viewers see numerous locations throughout London.
The film begins and ends at Heathrow airport, Knightley and Ejiofer wed in Grosvenor Chapel on South Audrey Street, Rickman and Thompson shop at St. Christopher’s, and we see glimpses of the beautiful shopping market, Oxford Street, and Lincoln holds up the iconic cards to Knightley on a street in Notting Hill.
The heartfelt drama, Last Christmas (2019), starring Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Emma Thompson, and Michelle Yeoh, also features London prominently, particularly showcasing the beauty of London’s streets at night. Yeoh’s Christmas shop was built in Covent Garden, Clarke and Golding ice skate at Alexandra Palace, and the film’s most heartfelt scene takes place in Phoenix Garden. Other locations seen include Trafalgar Square, St. Martin’s Lane, Brydges Place, and the Savoy Theatre.
London during the holidays is awe-inspiring and lovely by itself. The added fun of remembering these films’ prominent moments only adds to the wonder.
Chicago, Illinois (Home Alone, While You Were Sleeping)
Two 90s classics can take travelers to Chicago, Illinois: the iconic family comedy, Home Alone (1990), and the romantic comedy While You Were Sleeping (1995). Home Alone fans can notably visit the street where the McCallister family lives, including the large, beautiful house that Kevin sets traps for robbers Marv and Harry. Located on 671 Lincoln Ave in Wennetka, a suburb of Chicago, the outside looks nearly identical to how it appears in the 1990 film, making for a thrill and amazing spot to take a photo. Fans will also be pleased to learn that the house recently sold with construction plans that will include nods to the film.
Another iconic moment from the film takes place in a beautiful church where Kevin meets and bonds with Old Man Marley. The interesting part is that travelers will have to visit two different locations. The exterior church is Trinity United Methodist Church in Wilmette, while the interiors were filmed at Grace Episcopal Church in Oak Park. In this video from Daze With Jordan the Lion, viewers can get a glimpse of some of these beautiful buildings.
While You Were Sleeping fans can take in the sights and sounds of the film with trips to the El Train, specifically the Randolph/Wabash Station, as well as Logan Square, where Lucy’s (Sandra Bullock) apartment was located. For a real cozy treat, check out the Callaghan house, located on 203 8th Ave in the Chicago suburb La Grange. ChiMovieTours takes viewers on a pleasant walking tour to see these locations.
New York City, New York (Miracle on 34th Street, Home Alone 2, Elf)
It’s a dream of many (myself included) to visit New York City during the Holiday season. Even without the added fun of movie locations, the city has a special beauty this time of year. The many iconic Christmas movies that were filmed in New York add a special dash of joy and can create a truly memorable trip.
Visiting the famous window displays and interior decorations of department stores like Macy’s not only has a charm all its own, but also reminds visitors of beloved films, Elf (2003) and Miracle on 34th Street (1947, 1994).
Fans of Elf and Home Alone 2 (1992) should also visit the Empire State Building, FAO Schwartz (which inspired Duncan’s Toy Chest), Central Park, and the famous Rockefeller Center Tree and skating rink. Both films have prominent scenes filmed in the Park and Rockefeller Center, where anyone can partake in heartwarming holiday fun.
Of course, true Home Alone 2 fans will want to visit the Plaza Hotel and pretend to be the precocious Kevin McCallister (or, as the film says, winning guests of “Celebrity Ding Dang Dong”). Those who can and want to splurge can enjoy the true Home Alone 2 experience, booking a suite and indulging in mountains of ice cream.
Paging Mr. Morrow has a video about the Plaza Hotel Experience, while JustinScarred takes viewers on an extensive journey through many of these New York City filming locations.
Seneca Falls, New York (It’s a Wonderful Life)
Anyone sad to learn that the town of Bedford Falls from Frank Capra’s timeless and beloved film, It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), need not shed any tears. While it’s true that the film was shot in California, and its town is fictional, the inspiration lies in a very real place.
It’s believed that Capra took inspiration from Seneca Falls, New York, which he visited during the film’s scriptwriting process. Likewise, the towns share notably similar architecture, landmarks, nearby towns, and history, all highlighted at the It’s A Wonderful Life Museum.
That’s right, the existence of the museum and annual festival only solidifies the influence Seneca had on Capra. Indeed, Seneca Falls has the small town cozy charm and sense of community. And during Christmas, visitors will delight in the It’s a Wonderful Life Festival with features, presentations, festive food, dancing, retrospectives, and more that fans of the movie will love.
Cleveland, Ohio (A Christmas Story)
The family classic A Christmas Story (1983) may have been set in Indiana, but production took place in Cleveland, Ohio. Fans of young Ralphie’s childhood adventures can take a walk in his footsteps, remember, and recreate some of the film’s most seminal moments.
Most notably, the Christmas Story house, located on 3159 West 11th Street, remains a glorious time capsule that fans can visit every year with year-round tours and even the option to stay overnight. AdamtheWoo shared his experience staying in this home, replicating exactly how it appears in the film. It remains a staple for any diehard Christmas movie fan.
Connecticut (Christmas in Connecticut, The Family Stone, One Royal Holiday)
Whenever we imagine a certain kind of holiday experience, places like Connecticut always come to mind. After all, many holiday movies take place in one of the state’s cozy little slices of Americana.
Christmas in Connecticut (1945) may have been filmed on a soundstage in Hollywood, but was, no doubt, inspired by multiple towns such as Cornwall, Chester, Greenwich, New Haven, and Mystic. Each has that old-fashioned holiday village vibe with snowy weather, covered bridges, stone buildings, tree farms, Christmas tree lightings, and more.
Those looking for more specific filming locations can check out, from afar, the private residence used for The Family Stone (2005), at 144 Riverside Ave in Riverside, Connecticut.
Several Connecticut locations also feature significantly in the Hallmark favorite, One Royal Holiday (2020). These include the Woodstock Inn and its streets with various shops and eateries, as well as Hartford and Putnam. Anyone longing to step into a Hallmark kind of Christmas world must plan a trip to Connecticut.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Christmas in Evergreen, A Timeless Christmas, Christmas Waltz, Santa Tell Me)
Those looking to continue that Hallmark Christmas movie vibe in their travel plans need look no further than Vancouver, British Columbia, in Canada. So much beauty abounds with charming villages, gorgeous parks, haunting forests, and stunning architecture, all of which evoke a warmth and natural wonder, perfect for the various movies filmed there.
The village, bridges, and forest scenes from the Christmas in Evergreen (2017-2020) films feel like they’re from another time. The same can be said for the Burnaby Village, seen in A Timeless Christmas (2020. Likewise, Maple Ridge in Christmas Waltz (2020) and Santa Tell Me (2024) has cozy, lamplit streets of shops and restaurants that somehow feel both old-fashioned and contemporary.
Other notable Hallmark movies filed in Vancouver include The Christmas Train (2017), Christmas Getaway (2017), and The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (2008). Indeed, literally hundreds of Hallmark movies have been filmed in Vancouver (this list shows up to 2020), making it a seminal destination for Holiday movie fans.
Nevada City, California (The Christmas Card)
One of Hallmark’s earliest Christmas films, The Christmas Card (2006), took place in the lovely Nevada City, California, a quintessential destination for the Christmas season. Winter months have an average high temperature in the low 50s, with an average snowfall of 6.8 inches in December.
Consequently, visitors can enjoy a beautiful winter wonderland reminiscent of the places seen in The Christmas Card, such as the various forests, lumber mill, and family cabin.
Specific filming locations you can visit include the Classic Cafe, the Nathanial Hotel, Nevada City Methodist Church, and the South Yuba River. Nevada City offers a Victorian Christmas event and a map to the filming locations for locals and tourists alike.
Asheville, North Carolina (A Biltmore Christmas)
Hallmark’s highest-rated Christmas movie, A Biltmore Christmas (2023), holds several wonderful distinctions- a unique, engaging premise, time travel, vintage flair, sincerity, and terrific leads in Bethany Joy Lenz and Kristoffer Polaha. It also takes its name from its iconic filming location, the famous Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.
Fans of the film can walk in the same footsteps of the characters at the expansive estate, its meticulous grounds, and the nearby historic Asheville Train Station. And just like in the film, the holidays promise festive decor everywhere, from garlands and wreaths to ornaments and a large tree filled with sparkling lights.
The Biltmore Christmas Experience offers guests a beautiful, vintage-inspired holiday and a chance to enjoy the film’s lovely atmosphere.