The 10 Best Cities for Movie Lovers

It’s easy to become starstruck in these cities that are beloved by movie lovers of all ages.

By: Erin Gifford

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Lights, Camera, Action

Settle in with a super-size tub of buttered popcorn. We’re talking movies. As in, the best destinations for watching movies, whether a low-budget indie flick or a larger-than-life summer blockbuster. Really, these destinations are tops for all things movies.

Lawn Love looked at the best cities for movie lovers, taking into account such factors as cost of movie tickets, number of film festivals, movie theater ratings and number of movie theaters. Here is the ranked list, which includes historic theaters, film festivals, shooting locations, even movie museums and local movie stars.

10. Washington, DC

Washington, DC, has been featured in various movies, including Forrest Gump, National Treasure and Wedding Crashers. The 97 steps between M Street NW and Prospect Street in Georgetown, better known as The Exorcist Steps, are actually a historic landmark. Movies have been filmed all across town, from the Lincoln Memorial to Union Station. Washington, DC, is also home to several film festivals, too, including Filmfest DC and the DC Shorts International Film Festival. At the National Museum of American History, the new Entertainment Nation exhibition features props from such movies as The Wizard of Oz and Star Wars. Settle in for a movie at the historic Miracle Theatre, the oldest movie theater in Washington, DC.

9. Seattle

Seattle is a noted city for movie lovers, hosting several film festivals throughout the year, including the Seattle International Film Festival and the Seattle Asian American Film Festival. In the University District, the Grand Illusion Cinema is the longest running independent movie theater in Seattle, featuring a mix of independent, foreign and classic films. More than a few movies and television shows were shot here, too, including Sleepless in Seattle, 10 Things I Hate About You and Grey’s Anatomy. At the Museum of Pop Culture — known as MoPOP — an ongoing exhibition delves into the world of horror movies, with more than 50 film props on display.

8. San Diego

As a city for movie lovers, San Diego may be most famous for Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick, which hit theaters in May 2022. Among the film locations are Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (formerly Naval Air Station Miramar), the Lafayette Hotel and New Point Loma Lighthouse. San Diego’s scenic beaches and landscapes also served as the backdrop for several other movies, including Almost Famous and Anchorman. Catch a movie at Rooftop Cinema Club, an open-air movie theater with city skyline views. San Diego is also home to several film festivals, including the San Diego International Film Festival and Comic-Con, a pop culture and movie convention.

7. Portland, Oregon

Get a taste of what makes Portland a great movie city without even leaving the airport. At Portland International Airport, a 22-seat microcinema features short films created by Oregon filmmakers. This microcinema is run by Portland’s Hollywood Theatre, a historic theater that hosts first-run films, classic movie nights, B-Movie Bingo nights and film festivals, like the Portland EcoFilm Festival. Hollywood Theatre also owns Movie Madness, a video rental store with more than 60,000 rare and obscure films on the shelves. It’s a museum, too, with props on display from such movies as Psycho and Citizen Kane. Notable film directors like Gus Van Sant, Todd Haynes and Kelly Reichardt also call the city home.

6. Austin

Austin is home to several movies, as well as several movie stars. Matthew McConaughey may be the most famous resident of Austin, but several other A-listers have lived here, too, including Sandra Bullock and Kyle Chandler. Among movies made in Austin, look to Dazed and Confused, Miss Congeniality and Office Space. The Austin area is home to more than 25 film and television festivals, including the Austin Youth Film Festival and South by Southwest, an annual creative conference that features music, comedy and film. The historic Paramount Theatre hosts a classic film series every summer, featuring dozens of films.

5. Atlanta

In recent years, Atlanta has grown into a movie town, thanks largely to state tax incentives for film production companies. In 2020, Atlanta was home to more than 200 movie productions, even amid the pandemic. Movies with scenes filmed in Atlanta include The Hunger Games, Anchorman 2, Identity Theft and Marvel movies including Black Panther, Antman, Loki and Captain America: Civil War. Popular filming locations around town include Piedmont Park, the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, the Georgia Aquarium and the Jackson Street Bridge. There are also a number of film studios located in the Atlanta area, including Trilith Studios, EUE/Screen Gems Studio and the 330-acre production company, Tyler Perry Studios, located on the grounds of a former army base. Take in first- and second-run screenings at the historic Plaza Theatre, which also hosts the annual Atlanta Film Festival. The nation's largest Jewish film festival, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, also calls the city home.

4. Chicago

Chicago has served as the backdrop for many popular movies, including The Blues Brothers and The Untouchables. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off was filmed all across town, including at the Art Institute of Chicago, Wrigley Field and Skydeck Chicago. Take a guided walking tour with On Location Tours to relive iconic movie scenes. Chicago is home to several art house cinemas, such as the historic Music Box Theatre and the Gene Siskel Film Center, which was named for one half of the popular film critic duo that reviewed movies in Chicago for more than 20 years. Chicago was also home to Essanay Studios, which produced silent films in the early 1900s. The University of Chicago's Doc Films film society is the longest continuously running student film society in the nation with a more than 75-year-old history. Filmmakers including Alfred Hitchcock, Woody Allen and John Ford have all presented their films at Doc Films.

3. San Francisco

The film industry may have taken root in Southern California, but San Francisco has plenty of movie history. More than a few films feature scenes that have been shot across San Francisco. Among them are Mrs. Doubtfire, Milk and Always Be My Maybe. San Francisco's Market Street is one of the most filmed streets in the United States, with more than 20 film credits. San Francisco is also home to more than 50 film festivals, including the San Francisco International Film Festival, which is the longest running film festival in the United States. There are beautiful historic movie theaters here, too, including the Castro Theatre, a historic landmark, and the Roxie.

2. Los Angeles

No list of cities for movie lovers would be complete without Los Angeles, which is home to hundreds of film studios, including Universal Pictures and Paramount Studios. There are loads of backlot and behind-the-scenes tours, too, like the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. Celebrate your favorite movies at Universal Studios Hollywood, which has rides dedicated to popular movies, like Despicable Me and Jurassic World. Watch an IMAX movie at TCL Chinese Theatre (formerly Grauman’s Chinese Theatre), arguably the most famous movie theater in the world, then walk the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Be sure to explore the Academy Museum of Music Pictures, the largest museum in the United States dedicated to moviemaking, and fans of classic film should definitely check out the annual Turner Classic Movies Classic Film Festival held each spring in LA.

1. New York

In New York, there are iconic movie locations all across town, from Times Square to the Empire State Building to the Plaza Hotel. According to Giggster, more than 350 movies have shot scenes in Central Park alone, including Home Alone 2, Serendipity and When Harry Met Sally. That’s more than any other location in the United States. At the Museum of the Moving Image, visitors can learn about the history of movies, then screen a film in the on-site movie theater. There are also lots of film festivals, including the world-famous Tribeca Film Festival, which attracts up-and-coming filmmakers and showcases films in a variety of categories, and the New York Film Festival held each year at Lincoln Center. Film lovers would be wise to check out the programs at the renowned repetory film house Film Forum and the slate of amazing film screenings at the Museum of Modern Art. Of course, with its large number of film shoots and stars-in-residence, New York is known for movie star sightings, too.