Here’s a look at the five films that best captured the locations where they were filmed, and made us want to go there, too in 2016!
Hell or High Water
Hell or High Water was set in Texas but primarily filmed in the New Mexico towns of Moriarty, Estancia, and Tucumcari. All three towns are located off of Interstate 40, east of Albuquerque. A road trip from Albuquerque through these three small New Mexican towns could easily be done in one day. As you pass through take note of the Blue Ribbon Bar & Grill, located at 315 5th St in Estancia, this is where they wait outside for the bank robbers but, unfortunately it is closed now. If you want to eat at another restaurant featured in the movie, check out Bill’s Jumbo Burger in Clovis, NM, on the Texas border. The restaurant seems to revel in it’s role in the movie and has photos from the shoot on the walls. The breakfast burrito is a must, too!
Moana
The animated film Moana follows the adventures of Disney’s first Polynesian princess named Maui. Moana, voiced by Auil’i Cravalho, a dauntless heroine who sets out to save her people’s culture.
The film brings movie goers on a tour of Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti, Mo’orea, Bora Bora, and Tetearoa – in all their animated glory. If that doesn’t inspire you to start planning a tropical getaway, nothing will.
Rogue One
Like all of the other Star Wars movies, Rogue One was filmed in some of the most beautiful and exotic locales on earth. The Maldive Islands were used for the battles on the planet Scarif while Iceland’s Mýrdalssandur are home to the darkest beach sands in the world and to the stormy Eadu imperial outpost.
La La Land
La La Land does such a wonderful job highlighting Los Angeles that Discover L.A. created a campaign to focus on the most iconic locations used in the film. The Lighthouse Café in Hermosa Beach, the Hermosa Pier, the Grand Central Market, Griffith Observatory and The Smokehouse Restaurant are all featured on the new interactive website, that also leads readers to other, related venues and attractions around the city. Check it out at discoverlosangeles.com/lalaland.
The Shallows
The Blake Lively thriller The Shallows was filmed on picturesque Lord Howe Island in New South Wales, Australia, which borders Queensland. Only 800 permanent residents live on Lord Howe and there is no motorized transportation on the island, so it really is as idyllic as it looks in the film.
Let us know what your most-travel inspiring film of the year was the comments below!
