4 Massachusetts Towns Where Famous Movies Were Filmed

Why is Massachusetts one of the top filming destinations in the country? The state offers a 25% tax incentive for production companies. This compact geographic area allows for a rapid transition from shooting in a coastal town to a densely populated urban area, and historic colonial architecture with narrow streets that require little to no re-creation, regardless of the time period. Municipalities assist filmmakers by providing expedited permitting and access to public spaces, and many residents are happy to work as extras, thereby creating an authentic atmosphere. All these factors have contributed to iconic films such as Jaws, Good Will Hunting, Hocus Pocus, and Manchester by the Sea, which earned Casey Affleck an Academy Award. Explore 4 Massachusetts towns that served as backdrops to key scenes and relive your favorite movies.

Martha’s Vineyard

People come to Martha’s Vineyard to vacation and are often surprised to find themselves in the backdrop of some of the most memorable moments in movie history. In 1974, Steven Spielberg chose the island to film Jaws, the film that revolutionized the summer blockbuster genre. To convincingly portray the 25-foot mechanical shark offshore, Spielberg used the Vineyard’s shallow and crystal-clear waters. Edgartown’s Town Hall and Wharf stood in for Amity, and Joseph Sylvia State Beach served as the site of the famous “Get out of the water!” scene, with hundreds of residents cast as frightened beachgoers. The Orca, Quint’s hand-built fishing boat, was launched from Menemsha Harbor, and residents helped tow it into position. Today, fans can walk these exact locations on anniversary tours and museum exhibits that highlight how the community stepped in whenever the mechanical shark malfunctioned.

Beyond its cinematic legacy, Martha’s Vineyard delivers a memorable travel itinerary. The Martha’s Vineyard Museum hosts “Jaws at 50: An Island Story,” running through December 31, 2025, featuring artifacts and interviews from islanders involved in the film. A short ride brings visitors to the Aquinnah Cliffs, a natural wonder of layered red clay and sandstone rising over the Atlantic. For lunch, stop at Morning Glory Farm, where fresh produce and baked goods are served from the MoGlo food truck. Finish the day in Oak Bluffs, surrounded by the Gingerbread Cottages, a whimsical neighborhood that began as a 19th-century Methodist campground and now looks like a fairytale village.

Salem

Salem is best known for the infamous witch trials of the 1690s, but in 1993, it became the setting for Hocus Pocus, a modern classic. Director Kenny Ortega utilized the town’s historic architecture and cobblestone streets to ground the fantasy in real-world history. The opening scene was filmed at a reconstructed Puritan settlement, which visually captured the film’s 17th-century setting. Salem Common and Old Town Hall were used for central outdoor scenes, including Max’s bike ride and the Sanderson sisters’ performance of “I Put a Spell on You.”

Visitors can follow a seamless walking itinerary through the film’s iconic locations. Begin at Salem Pioneer Village, where guided tours reveal early colonial life. From there, it is a short walk to the Ropes Mansion and Garden, which served as Alison’s house in the film. Another few minutes brings you to Old Town Hall, where the witchy musical number was filmed. End at Salem Common, the key background for outdoor scenes. In October, this becomes the heart of Salem Haunted Happenings, a month-long festival of film screenings, carnival rides, and haunted trails.

Boston

The two films Good Will Hunting and The Departed capture the multifaceted identity of Boston. Good Will Hunting uses the city’s South Boston working-class backdrop and intellectual spaces to trace Will Hunting’s emotional growth. At the same time, Robin Williams’ performance made a public bench in the Boston Public Garden a cultural landmark. In The Departed, Martin Scorsese used Boston’s gritty criminal past for inspiration, drawing heavily on real-life figures like Whitey Bulger to weave a tale of deceit, identity, and loyalty. Both films showcase Boston’s divided identity: a city where academia and crime coexist.

Visitors often start with the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile path that winds through Boston’s most influential historical sites, including the Massachusetts State House. This building is usually seen in the backdrop of The Departed during scenes that highlight Boston’s political and police networks. The Boston Public Garden is next, where the bench from Good Will Hunting remains a site of tribute to Robin Williams. Though not featured in either film, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is among America’s most stunning Venetian-style museums and is infamous for the 1990 art theft that remains unsolved. End your day at L Street Tavern, the real South Boston bar from Good Will Hunting, where locals and movie fans still gather.

Manchester-by-the-Sea

In 2016, Manchester by the Sea brought a quiet Massachusetts fishing town into international focus. The film captured the muted beauty of New England winters and its emotional isolation. Casey Affleck’s performance felt intensely local, with the town’s streets, docks, and coastal views grounding his portrayal of loss and healing. Residents recall the film crew adding artificial snow to match the bleak setting described in the script, further emphasizing how seamlessly the natural landscape shaped the film’s aesthetic.

Begin your visit at Manchester Harbor, where several of the film’s wide shots were filmed over boat-filled water. From the harbor, walk to Singing Beach, known for its “singing sand” and ocean vistas. The town’s history lives on at the Manchester-by-the-Sea Museum, located in the 1823 Abigail Hooper Trask House, where exhibits explore the community's maritime and cultural heritage. In August, Festival by the Sea draws artists, musicians, and food vendors into the streets for an all-day celebration of creativity.

Massachusetts has become a living film archive, where landscapes frame unforgettable stories that re-enter real life through visitors and locals. In Martha’s Vineyard, quiet beaches and simple wharves retain the suspense of Jaws. In Salem, historic corners blend the fantastical world of Hocus Pocus with its rich, true witchcraft heritage. Boston provided the emotional tension for Good Will Hunting and the fractured morality of The Departed. Meanwhile, Manchester-by-the-Sea turned winter stillness into cinematic grief and earned Casey Affleck his Oscar. Each town demonstrates how stories told on-screen continue to shape how these places are perceived, offering movie lovers the chance to step into the scene.