Visiting filming locations from movies has become a fun trend among film fans. Indeed, it’s a way to bring those movies to life in a tangible way by standing in the same place as an iconic character or scene.
Sitcoms are much different. Our favorite comedy shows become a part of our lives in an even deeper way. We feel like we’re a part of a family or friend group every time we watch.
And when sitcoms have a “vacation episode,” they often become some of our favorites from the series, as we live vicariously through the characters we love.
These travel episodes became a more frequent occurrence starting in the 1970s and have been a staple ever since. While we like to revisit them, why only live vicariously? Planning a trip to any of the following places has great merit on its own. But adding a fun “favorite sitcom” aspect will make the trip even more special for diehard TV fans.
1. The Brady Bunch- King’s Island, Mason, Ohio
Before the trend of sitcoms visiting Disneyland or Walt Disney World, The Brady Bunch visited another amusement park: King’s Island in Mason, Ohio. In Season 5, Episode 11, “The Cincinnati Kids,” Mike (Robert Reed) is tasked with submitting potential park expansion plans and takes the whole family along with him. While there’s plenty of fun, inevitable chaos ensues when Mike’s plans accidentally get mixed up with a poster Jan (Eve Plumb) buys. And the race is on as the family searches the park before the client heads home.
King’s Island is one of the most slept-on amusement parks in the U.S., and for Brady Bunch fans, a trip there evokes a great sense of nostalgia. The park remains strikingly similar to how it appeared in the 1973 episode in style, rides, and games.
Indeed, the entrance with a large fountain and Eiffel Tower looks basically the same, and numerous rides you see the Bradys ride are still there, including The Beast roller coaster, vintage car ride Kings Mills Antique Autos, water flume log ride (now called Charlie Brown’s Rushing River Log Ride), the Cargo Loco spinners, and the thrilling Monster. The park even still has the same football toss game that Greg (Barry Williams) plays trying to impress a girl. Check out these videos from Randomly Randy and Cincy On the Go that highlight all the similarities and differences between the Brady Bunch episode and the present day.
For more information on King’s Island, visit the official website.
2. The Brady Bunch- Honolulu, O’ahu, Hawaii
Before the Brady Family headed to King’s Island, the show featured two other significant vacation storylines that spanned multiple episodes. In Season 3, they ventured to the Grand Canyon and in Season 4 to Honolulu, Hawaii. The latter became some of the show’s most iconic episodes and are perfect for the TV lover’s vacation bucket list.
The show filmed the 3 part Season 5 opener, “Hawaii Bound,” “Pass the Tabu,” and “The Tiki Caves,” all around Honolulu on the island of O’ahu, showcasing Hawaii’s beauty, culture, and history. Although the indoor hotel scenes, the tiki caves, and the luau were filmed at Paramount Studios, production filmed the outdoor scenes across the island.
The Bradys stayed at the Sheraton Waikiki, and the hotel’s entrance, where we see the family arrive, still looks as it did in 1972. Next door at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, the Brady girls take Hula lessons on Ocean Lawn. This too looks almost identical. Other filming locations you can visit include the statue of King Kamehameha, the State Park Pu’u ‘Ualaka’a, which offers stunning views of the city, and the USS Arizona Pearl Harbor Memorial.
Located across from the Honolulu Zoo and within walking distance from the Sheraton, don’t forget to visit the site of Greg’s infamous wipeout during a surfing contest, Queen’s Beach. Although there’s much less sand due to years of erosion, it’s still a beautiful sight. And don’t forget to book an Outrigger Canoe ride like the Bradys. Just be sure not to pick up any mysterious looking tiki idols, or you might have a string of bad luck.
Videos from The Rick Rated Show and Glue Cement showcase many of these Hawaiian locations and how they compare to the 1972 episodes.
3. Full House- O’ahu, Hawaii
Like The Brady Bunch, other family sitcoms featured vacation episodes in Hawaii, such as Growing Pains, Step by Step, Modern Family, and, in this case, Full House. In the Season 3 premiere, “Tanner’s Island,” the Tanners take a Hawaiian Vacation to celebrate two years of becoming one big extended, happy family. Each family member has their priorities, but Danny (Bob Saget) insists they all do everything together, with their itinerary carefully planned on his “Clipboard of Fun.”
The episode was filmed on the North Shore of O’ahu with the family staying at the Ritz Carlton O’ahu, Turtle Bay (formerly the Turtle Bay Hilton & Country Club) in Kahuku. We see the family at the hotel’s entrance and lobby before heading out for their adventures. At the Sea Life Park, DJ (Candace Cameron Bure) and Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) gleefully swim with dolphins, while Jesse (John Stamos) rides atop a smaller killer whale. Today, the park still offers shows and interactive activities with sea life.
Jesse and Rebecca’s (Lori Loughlin) fight and dive into the water takes place at the beautiful Waimea Falls. Although diving isn’t allowed as we see in the show, guests can walk through the botanical gardens, walk the path towards the falls, and swim when lifeguards are present. Be advised of the risk of leptospirosis due to bacteria in the water.
The episode ends with the Tanner family sailing to the wrong side of the fictitious island Pua, thinking they are lost. But they’re “rescued” by the performers of the island’s Polynesian show and brought on stage to join in, Jesse of course singing an Elvis song, “Rock-a-Hula.” In reality, this is the Polynesian Cultural Center and only a short distance from the Turtle Bay Resort. Guests can still watch a show similar to the one featured in Full House. Known as O’ahu’s most authentic luau, “Ha: The Breath of Life” features traditional Pacific Island music and dancers and over 100 performers.
4. Saved by the Bell- Santa Monica, California
Season 3 of Saved by the Bell produced a series known as “Adventure Episodes” that took the characters away from Bayside High and to various locations. The first batch of episodes took place at the fictional Malibu Sands Beach Club. Thanks to Club Members Lisa (Lark Voorhies) and her parents, Zack (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), Kelly (Tiffani Thiessen), Slater (Mario Lopez), Jessie (Elizabeth Berkley), and Screech (Dustin Diamond) all get summer jobs at the club.
While indoor scenes were shot in the studio, the outdoor scenes were filmed, coincidentally not in Malibu, but in Santa Monica at the Sand & Sea Club, formerly the home of actress Marion Davies. Fun fact: Beverly Hills, 90210 also filmed a series of episodes here right before Saved by the Bell.
Sadly, the Northridge 1994 earthquakes destroyed most of the structures, with only one small building and the Marion Davies guest house surviving. However, it’s still worth a trip for Saved by the Bell fans, especially because the beach remains very much the same. This video showcases various filming spots on the beach, pointing out sight lines, houses, and palm trees. So, grab your favorite neon (or dark green like the Malibu Sands uniforms) swimsuit and head to this beach that is open to the public. It will take fans right back to those carefree summer Malibu Sands days.
5. Saved by the Bell- Palm Desert, California
After the Malibu Sands episodes, the Bayside gang head to Palm Desert, California to attend the wedding of Jessie’s father at the luxury resort he manages. The two-part episode, “Palm Springs Weekend,” showcases the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort in all its glory, including the large lobby, restaurants, gym, golf courses, and boat ride. The multiple pool scenes were shot at the adjacent Desert Springs Villas, a Marriott timeshare resort.
Guests hoping to visit these resorts today will find numerous similarities and differences. A great deal of the outdoor spots around the hotel, such as the entrance and fountain, the bridge they all walk across in the evening, the tree Kelly and Zack sit beside, and the lagoon Screech and Lisa walk along, are almost identical to how they appeared in the 1991 episodes.
Inside, the lobby has been renovated extensively, and the waterfalls in front of the boat ride entrance are sadly gone. However, the space is still beautiful. Likewise, you can still walk down the same steps the characters stood on and take a moonlight boat ride- even if you’re not a guest.
A visit to the JW Marriott Springs offers beauty and luxury, as well as a sense of nostalgia for Saved by the Bell fans. 80s Life on YouTube has a video about the Palm Desert filming locations.
6. Everybody Loves Raymond- Italy
In the Season 5 premiere, the Barone family travels to Italy to visit relatives and take in the sights of their ancestral country. Though it took time, a grumpy Raymond (Ray Romano) eventually realized the magic of Italy, embracing and sharing it with Debra (Patricia Heaton). Robert (Brad Garrett) also found romance with a beautiful local girl, while Frank (Peter Boyle) and Marie (Doris Roberts) found themselves the most carefree they’d been in years.
Filming took place in the idyllic town of Anguillara, Sabazia, just over 20 miles Northwest of Rome, as well as Rome itself. Fans looking to visit these same spots and walk in the Barone family’s footsteps will have no trouble spotting the same places these characters walked through, including the cobblestone streets of Anguillara and views of Lake Bracciano. You can even get a slice of Pizza at the same tiny eatery as Ray.
In Rome proper, you can visit Villa Borghese, the Spanish Steps, and the Trevi Fountain.
7. Modern Family- Australia
The Season 5 episode entitled “Australia” sees the Dunphy and Pritchett family travel down under to experience some of the country’s magic that Phil’s (Ty Burrell) late mother spoke about. Of course, plenty of laughs and mayhem ensue for all the characters, all of which is amongst some of Australia’s most beautiful natural and man-made sights.
Key scenes were filmed on Bondi Beach, including the family soaking up the sun, and Phil getting stung by a jellyfish. They also explored “The Bush,” also known as Botany Bay National Park, enjoying the local fauna such as large gum trees and animals like koalas, kangaroos, and kookaburras birds.
They also visited iconic locations like the Sydney Opera House and the Great Barrier Reef. The highlight is when the family treks up the Sydney Harbor Bridge. For anyone brave enough, the bridge offers incredible views and an exhilarating experience.
8. The Office- Niagara Falls
The two-part Season 6 episodes, entitled “Niagara,” see the long-awaited wedding of Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer), with all their friends and family making the trip to Niagara Falls to attend.
Unsurprisingly, the episode’s interiors were not shot on location at Niagara Falls, notably the hotel interiors, which were filmed at the Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City, California, and the Church of the Chimes, which served as the location for the wedding ceremony.
However, The Office fans can still have their own Jim and Pam experience. Visit the Red Coach Inn, which served as the exterior of their hotel, and offers an old-fashioned and picturesque experience. You can also explore the shops and restaurants in Clifton Hill.
Most importantly, you must take a ride on The Maid of the Mist, the most iconic attraction in Niagara Falls. A true wonder to behold, this boat ride awes and inspires passengers. Riding as an Office fan only adds to the fun. Note: according to IMDB, the characters appear to be riding on the Canadian side rather than the New York one. Many people believe the Canadian path to be more beautiful, so plan accordingly.
9. Friends and Parks and Recreation- London, England
London, England needs no introduction nor TV episode inclusion to entice people to visit. The rich history and beauty attract countless visitors every year. However, for those diehard sitcom fans, adding a few spots to one’s London itinerary because a show filmed there adds that extra layer of charm.
Season 4, Episode 23 of Friends, “The One with Ross’s Wedding,” filmed at the London Marriott Hotel in Grosvenor Square, with the cast staying here while filming. Fans can have their own Friends moment at the hotel’s entrance where Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) embark on a sightseeing tour, and Joey humorously steps into his map. Other filming spots include Westminster Abbey, Trinity Place across from the Tower of London, and The Houses of Parliament.
Parks and Recreation also features several iconic London locations including Buckingham Palace (not to be confused with Hogwarts as Andy was), Pall Mall, London Bridge, the Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, and the London Eye. The latter offers exceptional views of the city and should not be missed.
10. Bewitched- Salem and Gloucester, Massachusetts
The seventh season of Bewitched’s production took the show on location for several episodes known as “The Salem Saga.” In an attempt to boost ratings, and due to a fire at their studio, these episodes were filmed at locations in Salem and Gloucester, Massachusetts.
In this stretch of eight episodes, a bed warmer follows Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) around, Paul Revere is magically brought into the modern day, a seafaring statue is replaced with Darrin, and Samantha and Darrin travel back in time to Old Salem during the witch trials.
Some of the key filming locations in Salem include The House of the Seven Gables (the place with the infamous bed warmer), The Hawthorne Motor Hotel (including the exterior and hotel lobby), and the Witch House. For filming locations in Gloucester, head to Gloucester Fisherman’s Memorial, the Gloucester House Restaurant, and lovely Hammond Castle.
Lastly, no Bewitched-themed trip can be complete without paying homage to the legend herself, Elizabeth Montgomery, who played Samantha Stevens. In 2005, TV Land dedicated a statue to Montgomery, located in Lappin Park. Initially, locals did not take kindly to the statue, vandalizing it several times. However, eventually Salem embraced the fictional witch, making it an iconic part of Salem- at least for Bewitched fans.