Move over Hollywood, in Oregon movie locations abound!
Calling all Movie Buffs to Oregon Movie Locations. If you love movies, you’ll love visiting these must-see movie spots across Oregon.
Oregon Film Trail and Oregon Film Museum
More than 450 movies and TV projects have been shot over the past several decades in the state, according to TravelOregon. So, be sure to make time to travel The Oregon Film Trail and visit the Oregon Film Museum!
The museum website lists featured movies filmed in Oregon, a movie map, and much more. If you want to see movies and shows currently in production in Oregon, click here.
These are some of the top movies filmed in Oregon:
Stand By Me
This movie starred Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell and the late River Phoenix. It’s about a writer retelling his childhood journey with friends to find the body of a missing boy. It was a humongous hit in the ’80s. Parts of Stand By Me were filmed in Brownsville, which stood in for the fictional town of Castle Rock. The town has several plaques to mark movie locations. In fact, Brownsville holds a yearly festival each year in the film’s honor
Wild
Wild is a drama based on the 2012 bestselling memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, written by Oregonian Cheryl Strayed. While Wild has story lines in California, Minnesota, and Oregon, all but seven of the movie’s scenes were filmed in Oregon.
Wander Mount Hood and you might just spot the location from the film’s famous boot drop; not the actual boot of course, as someone already found that! Danner, a shoe factory in Portland, made countless pairs of the infamous boots for the movie (since Reese Witherspoon, who played Cheryl, had to record a scene where she tosses a boot several times). Here’s where you can snag a pair of the boots for yourself.
Make sure to visit these nine iconic film locations. Here’s an article from The New York Times where a reporter tackles parts of the trek. Stay at: Old Parkdale Inn.
The Goonies
Hey, you guys! RememberThe Goonies? The movie about a group of misfits that discover an ancient map and set out on an adventure to find a long-lost treasure was a staple of childhood for many. It also launched the careers of Sean Astin, Josh Brolin and Jeff Cohen.
The movie was largely filmed in Astoria, with scenic shots from other coastal towns, like Cannon Beach. See the actual beach seen in the flick or climb your way to the cliff where the Goonies pull up on their bikes at Ecola State Park, and more! Roadtrippers.com has a whole trip route for movie buffs, take a look.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
The Academy Award-winning One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was filmed almost entirely on location in Salem, at the Oregon State Hospital in Salem and included active participation of hospital patients and staff.
Now known as the Oregon State Hospital Museum of Mental Health, several rooms of the old hospital have been preserved and converted into a museum. Stay at Airlie Farm.
National Lampoon’s Animal House
One of the most successful comedies of all time, National Lampoon’s Animal House, was filmed at the University of Oregon in Eugene in 1977. The movie launched the career of the late John Belushi and told the story about college fraternity misfits who battle with their dean and a rival fraternity to keep their spot on campus.
The location known as Delta House was torn down in the late 80s and a plaque near the sidewalk marks the site. The other two locations on 11th Avenue still stand and are incredibly popular among fans. Today, the film has is part of the university’s culture and movie locations are highlighted on campus tours. The city of Cottage Grove, about 20-miles south of Eugene, even closed down Main Street for three days to film the homecoming parade scene.
Want to make a cameo appearance at a local movie spot? Ask your innkeeper for more Oregon film locations.
Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.
Hospitality Update: Our inns are following COVID-19 protocol guidance from the Oregon Health Authority.
Although mask guidelines are lifted:
● Some businesses may choose to still require masks.
● Some people may choose to still wear a mask.
We have all struggled through COVID-19 and could use a little kindness. Please be respectful of local businesses and their workers and most importantly be kind to yourself.
