{"id":9,"date":"2010-06-26T13:02:35","date_gmt":"2010-06-26T13:02:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/popcultureroadtrip\/2010\/06\/star-wars-jaws-jurassic-park-and-other-summer-movie-locales.html"},"modified":"2010-06-26T13:02:35","modified_gmt":"2010-06-26T13:02:35","slug":"star-wars-jaws-jurassic-park-and-other-summer-movie-locales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/popcultureroadtrip\/2010\/06\/star-wars-jaws-jurassic-park-and-other-summer-movie-locales.html","title":{"rendered":"Star Wars, Jaws, Jurassic Park and other summer movie locales"},"content":{"rendered":"

Blockbuster movies are now as much a part of summer as flip flops, sun block, and backyard barbecues.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
And while a cool dark theater is a nice escape on a broiling day, if you hit the road you can also discover some movie magic on the outside – by visiting the exact spots where the magic was made. <\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Here are some summer movie locations around the U.S., culled from my 2003 book, “James Dean Died Here – The Locations of America’s Pop Culture Landmarks.”<\/a><\/div>\n
\n

  <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Jaws<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Martha’s
\nVineyard, Massachusetts<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Steven
\nSpielberg’s 1975 classic was set on fictitious “Amity Island” but it was really
\nMartha’s Vineyard, the trendy retreat off the coast of Massachusetts. There are
\nseveral easily identifiable locations that would be of interest to fans of the
\nmovie.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

1.
\nJoseph A. Sylvia State Beach is where swimmers go crazy after the attack on the
\nyoung boy. Next to it is the American Legion Memorial Bridge where we see the
\nshark swim safely back to sea.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2.
\nAt the intersection of Water and Main Streets in Edgartown is the town center
\nwhere Chief Brody collects materials for the beach closure signs they suddenly
\nneed.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

3.
\nQuint’s workshop was located in Menemsha, a fishing port at the southwest tip
\nof the island. It’s exact location was the inlet between the General Store and
\nthe Galley Restaurant. It’s now an empty lot.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

E.T.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

7121
\nLonzo Street<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Tujunga,
\nCalifornia<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

This
\nis the house used as Elliot’s home in Steven Spielberg’s classic 1982 film, E.T.<\/i><\/span> Situated in the hills of the
\nTujunga Valley, northeast of the San Fernando Valley, it’s located at the end
\nof a cul de sac and can be easily recognized by the familiar mountain peak
\nbehind it.<\/span><\/p>\n


<\/i><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

Return
\nof the Jedi<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The
\nMoon of Endor<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Jedediah
\nSmith Redwood State Park<\/span><\/p>\n

Crescent
\nCity, California<\/span><\/p>\n

The towering redwood trees of Northern
\nCalifornia (some up to 300 feet tall) served as the Moon of Endor in George
\nLucas’s third Star Wars<\/i><\/span> installment, Return of the Jedi<\/i><\/span>. These were some of the first
\nscenes from the series filmed in this country. Additionally, the Tatooine
\nscenes (including the battle at Jabba’s Sail Barge above the Sarlacc Pit) were
\nshot near Yuma in the Arizona Desert in Buttercup Valley.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 Top
\nGun<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Kansas
\nCity Barbecue Restaurant<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

610
\nWest Market Street<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

San
\nDiego, California<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In
\nthe blockbuster 1986 film Top Gun<\/i><\/span>, this popular eatery was the flyer’s hangout where
\nAnthony Edwards banged out “Great Balls of Fire.” The movie, starring
\nTom Cruise, Val Kilmer, and Kelly McGillis, was a major hit due to the blend of
\nthe Giorgio Moroder score, the romance, and of course the wild F-15 dogfight
\nsequences.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Jurassic
\nPark<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Kauai
\nand Oahu, Hawaii<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Most
\nof Steven Spielberg’s 1993 dinosaur smash was filmed on the Garden Isle of
\nKauai. Many of the places are hard to reach by car, but numerous helicopter
\ntours can take you right down into the midst of them. Some of the more notable
\nlocations include:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Manawaiopuna
\nFalls in Hanapepe Valley is where John Hammond’s helicopter arrives.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The
\ngiant “Jurassic Park” gates stood by a water-filled canyon called Blue Hole
\nnear the center of the island. It’s a long but beautiful five-hour hike to get
\nthere from Wailua, on the island’s rugged eastern coast.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The
\nelectrical fence that the T-Rex broke through was built in Kauai’s Olokele
\nValley.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

On
\nOahu: The wonderful scene where the herd of Gallimimus charge past Sam Neill
\nand the kids is actually on the island of Ohau at the Kualoa Ranch, Kamehameha
\nHighway, Ka’a’awa Valley. The ranch can be toured and you can even pose for
\npictures under the fallen tree where Neil hides from the dinosaurs with the
\nkids. (Remember when the T. Rex appears and attacks the flock?) Located about
\n20 miles north of Honolulu, the number is 800-231-7321.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Note:
\nThe “Badlands” scene near the start of the movie was not actually in Utah, but
\nat Red Rock Canyon in the Mojave Desert, 25 miles northeast of Mojave,
\nCalifornia. <\/span><\/p>\n

What is your favorite summer movie? Or even better – do you have a favorite summer movie location?<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Blockbuster movies are now as much a part of summer as flip flops, sun block, and backyard barbecues. And while a cool dark theater is a nice escape on a broiling day, if you hit the road you can also discover some movie magic on the outside – by visiting the exact spots where the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":228,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nStar Wars, Jaws, Jurassic Park and other summer movie locales - The Pop Culture Road Trip<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/popcultureroadtrip\/2010\/06\/star-wars-jaws-jurassic-park-and-other-summer-movie-locales.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Star Wars, Jaws, Jurassic Park and other summer movie locales - The Pop Culture Road Trip\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Blockbuster movies are now as much a part of summer as flip flops, sun block, and backyard barbecues. 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As an author, Epting has found that unearthing and chronicling \"\"hidden\"\" locations offers him a challenge. What began as an inquisitive hobby soon developed into the writing and photographing of 18 books based on his discoveries, including \"\"James Dean Died Here\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6The Locations of America's Pop Culture Landmarks,\"\" \"\"Elvis Presley Passed Here, Even More Locations of America's Pop Culture Landmarks,\"\" \"\"Roadside Baseball,\"\" and \"\"The Ruby Slippers, Madonna's Bra, and Einstein's Brain: The Locations of America's Pop Culture.\"\" As an extension of his efforts to chronicle the unique, Epting joined Hampton Hotels for a sixth exciting year as national spokesperson and consultant for the Hidden Landmarks program in support of the brand's national \"\"Explore the Highway with Hampton Save-A-Landmark\u00c3\u201d\"\" campaign (the program recently won the President's award). Chris is a frequent featured guest on numerous radio and television programs such as National Public Radio's \"\"All Things Considered,\"\" \"\"The Savvy Traveler,\"\" \"\"Access Hollywood\"\" and FOX TV's the \"\"Best Damn Sports Show Period,\"\" plus radio and TV programs around the world. He has contributed articles for such publications as the \"\"Los Angeles Times,\"\" \"\"Westways,\"\" \"\"Travel + Leisure\"\" and \"\"Preservation\"\" magazine, and hosts the weekly syndicated radio show, \"\"The Pop Culture Road Trip.\"\" Chris's latest book, \"\"Hello It's Me\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6Dispatches from a Pop Culture Junkie\"\" will be released in July, 2010. Chris lives in Huntington Beach, CA with his wife and their two children.","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/popcultureroadtrip\/author\/cepting"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/popcultureroadtrip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/popcultureroadtrip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/popcultureroadtrip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/popcultureroadtrip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/228"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/popcultureroadtrip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/popcultureroadtrip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/popcultureroadtrip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/popcultureroadtrip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/popcultureroadtrip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}