5 California Towns Where Famous Movies Were Filmed
California became a filmmaking hub in the early 1900s because its climate and varied landscapes offered reliable shooting conditions. The towns featured here reflect the broad range of settings used across decades of film production. Each one combines cultural institutions, outdoor spaces, and notable landmarks that continue to draw visitors. From coastal communities to remote desert outposts, they demonstrate how filmmakers have utilized California’s geography to craft memorable scenes and enduring cinematic worlds across various genres and eras for modern audiences.
Los Angeles
Home of Hollywood, Los Angeles has hosted film stars and movie makers since the industry began. The city has provided the backdrop to countless films, including La La Land, Pulp Fiction, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and LA Story.
The Griffith Observatory, seen in many films, offers clear views across Los Angeles and access to exhibits and a planetarium. Inside, exhibits present information on astronomy through interactive displays. The Observatory sits in Griffith Park, the largest urban-wilderness municipal park in the United States, where you’ll find hiking trails and the classic Hollywood Sign.
Universal Studios offers rides and attractions based on major films. The sprawling theme park has rides that take you into the world of popular blockbusters, including Transformers, Jurassic Park, and more. The complex also includes restaurants, gift shops, a cinema, and an escape room.
The Getty Center provides galleries, gardens, and city views. The museum and art gallery feature art from medieval times to the present day. Browse the rotating exhibitions, take a wander in the landscaped gardens, pick up a souvenir at the gift shop, or sit in the courtyard and admire the views over the city.
San Francisco
San Francisco’s famously steep streets have welcomed plenty of movie crews over the years. The 1958 Hitchcock thriller Vertigo was filmed here, as was the family classic Mrs Doubtfire and Nicolas Cage’s The Rock.
If you liked the latter, you’ll love Alcatraz City Cruises. As the official concessionaire for Alcatraz Island in Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the company offers Day Tours, Night Tours, and Behind the Scenes Tours, each including a round-trip ferry ride, an audio tour, and admission to the cellhouse.
San Francisco’s best-known attraction is the Golden Gate Bridge, which attracts more than 10 million visitors a year. Golden Gate National Recreation Area provides clear views of the bridge and an extensive network of trails. If time is limited, the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center provides short walking routes, construction displays, a gift shop, and a café.
Aquarium on the Bay, located at Pier 39, features local marine species and interactive exhibits. The aquarium is home to more than 24,000 marine animals, including sharks, octopuses, jellyfish, river otters, and rays. Touch pools and the interactive Bay Station give visitors the chance to get up close with the undersea world.
San Diego
San Diego has served as a backdrop for films ranging from Top Gun to Anchorman. You may recognize some locations around Balboa Park, also known as ‘the cultural heart of San Diego’. This sprawling 1,200-acre urban green space contains 18 museums, many beautiful gardens, and the San Diego Zoo, which is open year-round and is home to over 12,000 rare and endangered animals.
Another well-known movie location is the Hotel del Coronado, which has played host to many film stars over the years, including Marilyn Monroe while she was filming Some Like It Hot. To see the iconic resort, take the Famous Coronado Tour with Another Side of San Diego Tours. This two-hour excursion is a guided tour of Coronado Island with stops at Coronado Beach, Centennial Park, and the Hotel del Coronado.
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park presents restored buildings and exhibits on the city’s early history. Exhibits and restored buildings outline the area’s early settlement and development. The park also contains shops, restaurants, and the Historic Plaza, which offers shaded seating and views of the restored district.
Pioneertown
When the Hollywood filmmakers of the 1940s and 50s wanted to recreate the Wild West, they went to Pioneertown in San Bernardino County’s high desert. Cowboy classics such as The Cisco Kid, Annie Oakley, and Indian Territory were all filmed here during Pioneertown’s movie heyday.
Today, the replica 1800s town features a Wild West-style Mane Street lined with rustic 19th-century stores. The Red Dog Saloon, built in 1946, remains a central stop for visitors. The busy bar and restaurant also hosts regular live entertainment from local musicians.
For more entertainment, visit Pioneertown on a Saturday when re-enactors perform Old West shows on Mane Street. Local troupe Gunfighters for Hire brings Western legends to life with comedy skits and thrilling live shoot-outs.
MazAmar Art Pottery sells ceramics inspired by the Mojave Desert landscape. The studio has a range of mugs, bowls, vases, and wall art so you can take a piece of Pioneertown home with you.
Palm Springs
Palm Springs is another popular destination when moviemakers need a desert setting. Known as ‘Hollywood’s playground’ for decades, the first movies were filmed here in the 1920s, and it continues to attract stars today. Some recent movies shot here include Ocean’s Eleven, A Star Is Born, and Mission Impossible III.
Indian Canyons offers miles of trails through desert terrain at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains. The preserve, the ancestral home of Agua Caliente, contains three rugged canyons rich with unique California flora and fauna.
High temperatures can limit hiking opportunities. The rotating tram car climbs to Mountain Station at 8,516 feet and offers broad views of Chino Canyon and Mt. San Jacinto State Park. At the Mountain Station, there are restaurants, observation decks, a gift shop, a natural history museum, and over 50 miles of trails.
Find out how Palm Springs got its name at The Spa at Sec-he, a day spa built at the sacred hot mineral springs of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. The spa includes mineral baths, a salt cave, and heated quartz beds.
Movie Magic
These towns have long been tied to major film productions and remain closely associated with iconic scenes. Their landscapes, landmarks, and cultural sites continue to anchor stories that span genres and eras. Visitors can trace familiar settings, from city streets to desert canyons, while engaging with museums, tours, and outdoor spaces linked to film history. Together, these destinations demonstrate how California’s diverse geography has shaped memorable cinematic moments and continues to support creative work for filmmakers and audiences worldwide today.
