Have you found yourself falling in love with the Twilight saga? Were you among the first in line to see New Moon? Real fans don’t just want to know all that there is to know about the characters from this hot new film series. They also want to know all that there is to know about the making of the movies. The best way to get that insider information is to travel to the places where the movies were filmed. There are a lot of cool spots that you can visit in these places if you’re a Twilight fan.
Forks, Washington
Forks, Washington was a place that barely made the map until it became the setting for Stephanie Meyers’ Twilight book series. It is the perfect setting for the movie, too, isn’t it? It’s a small town located on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, which makes it perfect for showing off daily life as well as dramatic views. It also happens to be one of the rainiest places in the nation. A majority of the filming for Twilight took place here and there are lots of little landmarks that a true fan can check out on a trip to Forks.
You won’t have to look far to find the sights that you want to see once you get to Forks. In fact, all that you need to do is head to the Forks, Washington Chamber of Commerce that was turned into a Twilight Visitors Center last year. They even have a Twilight tour that will show you where all of the hot spots from the movie are located in the town. This small town is populated with friendly people who are all too happy to tell you about the things that you want to know.
Some of the places that you will want to check out while you’re in Forks include The Lodge (the restaurant where Charlie Swan likes to eat), the hospital (where Carlise Cullen works) and the Forks High School. Another popular attraction is, of course, the Vampire Playing Field located near the Quillayute Prairie Cemetery (where the Cullens often spent time). Be sure to book your stay at the Cullen House Bed and Breakfast, which is a charming set of accommodations owned by people who can tell you all that you might want to know about Twilight. Make sure to snap a photo of the famous Welcome To Forks sign located at 550 N. Forks Ave. on your way in or out of town.
Columbia River Gorge, Oregon
Not all of the filming of the first Twilight movie took place in Forks, Washington. A lot of the movie was also filmed in various parts of Oregon. One of the most beautiful places to visit, which is also shown in the movie, is the Columbia River Gorge area. Locations to see in this area include Multnomah Falls (and the Lodge located here), The Shire and The View Point Inn. Other natural areas in Oregon that you’ll want to check out to see if you recognize them from the film are Indian Beach at Ecola State Park, Oxbow Regional Park’s Sandy River Gorge, and Silver Falls State Park in Sublimity.
Vancouver, Canada
The New Moon movie wasn’t able to be filmed in Forks, Washington for a variety of reasons including funding competition in the state. That didn’t stop the movie from being a hit, though. The filming for this part of the story was done primarily in Vancouver. It’s not nearly as easy to find the Twilight hot spots in the big city of Vancouver as it is in the small town of Forks, Washington but it’s definitely possible to find them if you’re a true fan who knows where to look.
The majority of the filming that was done in Vancouver was done at David Thompson Secondary School. Filming for Eclipse (which comes out next year) will also take place here. A more interesting part of Vancouver that was featured in the movie is the Kitsilano neighborhood which is a combination residential / commercial neighborhood that is bordered by two beaches. Any New Moon traveler interested in seeing Vancouver while enjoying Twilight highlights will want to wander around here. You’ll also want to spend some time in the terrific New Westminster neighborhood, especially at the Paramount Theatre where much of the filming took place. Other spots in the area that are featured in the movie include West Vancouver (where the Cullen residence is located), Surrey (where Bella’s house is located and Whytefield Park (which you’ll recognize from the film).
Italy
True Twilight fans will take advantage of the fact that some of the filming for New Moon took place in Italy and will use this as an excuse to travel to this amazing country. If you thought it was pretty in the movie then you’ll be awed by the beauty of the real thing. The place to go to is Montepulciano, which is a charming medieval town in Southern Tuscany. You might also want to enjoy the opportunity to visit Volterra. The movie wasn’t filmed there but it was originally chosen as a spot where filming might take place so you can look around and see what might have been.
Enjoy your Twilight travels!
