Pop culture tourism often involves locations featured in favorite movies, books, and other forms of media favored by the masses. It provides audiences or readers to connect with places and ideas expressed in various types of entertainment that they love. For instance, Harry Potter World is essentially the vacation dream of anyone who grew up with the book and movie series, as it allows them to be absorbed in a fantastical physical world once limited to the pages of a book or the actors on the silver screen.
The same goes for horror film aficionados. And with fall moving into the seasonal works bringing us closer and closer to Halloween, the best way to celebrate the changing of the seasons could be to visit a destination straight out of your favorite scary movie. Some of these favorites come from the classics, while others come from newer renditions. Check out some new ideas to make your pop culture tourism a scream! Maybe literally.
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Timberline Lodge
Located in Timberline Lodge, Oregon, the Timberline Lodge provided the setting for The Shining, released in 1980. The Stanley Kubrick flick starred Jack Nicholson as Torrence and followed his descent into isolation and madness. The original book was inspired by Stephen King’s stay at the Stanley Hotel located in Colorado. However, Kubrick’s version of the story used the aesthetics of Timberline Lodge to create the visuals of incredible isolation and the feel of being frozen in time. Take a look at some images of this lodge during the winter, and you will see why.
You may even feel as though the photos were taken straight from the film. While the parts of the movie that contained the insides of the hotel were filmed at a different location, you can still enjoy the authentic aura of ice, isolation, and unease created by the aesthetics – complete with snow-covered mountaintop rising over the lodge’s roof. Unlike in the film, the lodge is open in the winter for skiing and other snow activities. So, you could maximize your winter fun while getting a kick out of its usage in a classic film.
Grand Central Cafe
Another horror film classic, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, released in 1974 featured a series of macabre scenes from a notably unforgettable house located in Kingsland, Texas. Even today, many people enjoy the harsh grotesqueness of the original film, with many sequels created in its wake. Now, you can eat at the actual house used in the original movie, which transformed into a restaurant called Grand Central Cafe.
What could be better than enjoying a friend steak and remembering the screams of Leatherface’s victims as he chases them through the bone-decorated house of horrors? This location would serve as an excellent addition to your pop culture tourism, as you can eat a tasty, western meal and think about all those bones and murder scenes while you are at it. If you order chicken, maybe save the leg bones for show and tell? You could fluff your story by saying the actual bones were taken from the original film’s set! Which is not exactly a far stretch from the reality as a matter of facts.
Devil’s Kettle, Minnesota
Used as one of the filming locations in the 2009 flick Jennifer’s Body, Devil’s Kettle got to keep its name and part of its history in the actual film. The movie starred Megan Fox as Jennifer Check; a color guard member turned demon. The storyline is based in Devil’s Kettle, despite multiple scenes filmed in Canada. However, many key scenes were created using the infamous waterfall, which disappears into the hole.
As mentioned in the movie, no one knows where the water goes once it goes from the fall into the hole. And, just like in the film, scientists have been speculating about where the water goes. Geologists have pondered the question, making hypotheses regarding the result. But the hole is so deep, that no one dares to attempt to find out. So, in addition to enjoying the beautiful scenery that this freak of which nature provides, you get the pleasure of telling everyone about the background for Diablo Cody’s film. Make a camping trip to this location a part of your list in pop culture tourism.
405 Canetuck Road
Remember The Conjuring poster that depicted a twisted, old tree with a noose hanging from a single limb? The creepy looking house smeared with fog in the background? That photo and many of the movie’s scenes were taken at 405 Canetuck Road in Pender County in the state of North Carolina. The Conjuring, which hit the silver screen in 2013, made theater auditoriums teem with people waiting to get their socks scared off.
And they got exactly what they were looking for, with some theaters leaving signs at the box office warning of viewers’ paranormal experiences after watching the film. The infamous shot included the twisted and bent oak – which was hand-sculpted. But the house in the background is an actual farmhouse that looks creepy on its own – especially when shrouded in fog. So, if you take a trip to North Carolina, capturing your image of this location may be a possibility. You could add it to your collection of pop culture tourism souvenirs.
So, if you want to take a fall trip that includes some indulgent festivities from your favorite scary flicks, check out some of these destinations for a great way to enjoy your pop culture tourism! Whether you take photos, tall tales, or real stories home to show, you can expect the unexpected with some of these tastefully hip ideas.
Plus, with Halloween coming sooner than later, maybe you can plan an expedition to add a little extra fear to your fright night. Make plans for a road trip, and create your own ghoulish experience by discovering what these film locations have in store for your travel plans. Whether dining, camping, or enjoying the activities provided at a lodge, you are covered for a dollop of scary sweetness!
