Must-Visit Small-Town Movie Sets Across America

Filmmakers know small towns make great movie locations because they feel authentic. Fans who don't live in big cities like L.A. can identify with small town settings and often snap up tickets, turning movies about small-town life into blockbuster hits.

Movies set in small towns also hold down production costs for filmmakers, although some spend money to revitalize flagging downtowns. Residents benefit even more when the movies debut, tourism picks up and the local economy gets a boost.

Other small towns make great movie sets simply because studios can't rival their picturesque settings, like the coastal scenes in "Jaws," made in Edgartown, Massachusetts, or the desert landscape in Creede, Colorado, a backdrop for 2013's "The Lone Ranger."

The Jackson County Historic Courthouse, shown here, was used in 2017's "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri." Visit Sylva, North Carolina (pop. 2,500) to see the courthouse and other locations and props from the movie.

Ebbing, Missouri, isn’t a real place, but "Three Billboards in Ebbing, Missouri" is based on a real crime. Oscar-winning actress Frances McDormand, pictured here, portrayed a mother who rents the signs to demand help when the police can’t catch her daughter's killer. The real billboards were erected in Vidor, Texas, in 1991. Despite the tragic premise, the movie has elements of dark comedy. Think the billboards made a difference? Watch this critically acclaimed film to find out.

In this scene from "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri," McDormand confronts Sam Rockwell, who plays a deputy sheriff. The movie, which also starred Woody Haralson, John Hawkes and Peter Dinklage, won an Oscar for Best Motion Picture in 2018.

Explore Sylva, about an hour's drive from Asheville, for its charming galleries, shops and restaurants, or come for the annual Greening Up the Mountains Festival that celebrates spring. In 2018, Forbes called Sylva's Main Street one of the cutest in small-town America. Look for some of the movie's sets and locations at Jackson's General Store and click here for more.

With its small-town feel, natural beauty and quaint parks, boutiques and eateries, St. Helens, Oregon, was a perfect stand-in for Forks, Washington, where fictional characters Bella and Charlie Swan lived in "Twilight," released in 2008. You can rent the Swan House, shown here, as an Airbnb, see costumes and decor from the movie, eat at the same dining table the actors used and sleep in a bedroom furnished with a lifesize cut-out of Jacob, Bella or Edward. St. Helens, where much of the movie was shot, is about 29 miles from Portland.

You'll find more locations from this film about small town life with vampires around the Pacific Northwest. Ramble through Silver Falls State Park, the setting for Bella's "spider monkey" ride on Edward's back, or look for the signs in town that remind you to keep a respectful distance when photographing the home used as the Cullen house, now a private residence.

More than 500 movies and television shows have been shot in Oregon, including "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975) and "Short Circuit" (1986). Follow the Oregon Film Trail markers to discover more movie sets and locations. Pictured here: Cast members from "Twilight," from left, Maggie Grace, Jackson Rathbone and Peter Facinelli.

Aside from its cinema magic, the small town of St. Helens, (pop. 14,015), is a great place to hike, fish and kayak. Don't miss the yearly Spirit of Halloween Festival, which runs for several weeks in the fall to celebrate "Twilight" and Disney's 1998 "Halloweentown," also made in the area. Drop by the St. Helens Columbia Theater, built in 1928, to catch new releases on a modernized, single screen in a fun, 1950s atmosphere.

Life is like — you know. Savannah, Georgia isn't exactly small; it's the state's fifth most populous city. But that didn't stop Conde Nast Traveler from naming it one of the best small American cities in their Readers' Choice Awards. It's also home to movie sets and locations from "Forrest Gump," released in 1994 and starring Tom Hanks, Gary Sinese, Robin Wright and Sally Field. No, that's not the real Tom Hanks on the bench; it's a statue. Once located in historic Chippewa Square, the bench has been moved to the Savannah History Museum.

The movie, which won six Academy Awards, follows the fictional Forrest as he participates in real events from the 1950s into the 1980s, like serving in the Vietnam War and inspiring a running craze for fitness fans. Savannah was also the setting for "Baywatch "(2017), "The Legend of Bagger Vance" (2000) and "The Underground Railroad" (2021).

Movies set in small towns can take advantage of places with temperate climates and rich histories, like Savannah. Pay homage to the real-life story of 1997's "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" with a trip to Savannah’s Mercer Williams House Museum. While you're in town, see the Georgia State Railroad Museum and Battlefield Memorial Park, both of which appeared in "Glory," a 1989 Oscar-winning chronicle about the first all-Black regiment in the Civil War. Companies like ToursByLocals and DTours offer guided tours of movie sets and locations, or you can explore Savannah on foot, by carriage, trolley, pedicab or Segway. Click here for more information.

The truth is out there — somewhere. Sci-fi fans think it's in Rachel, Nevada, a small town about 80 miles from Las Vegas and long considered a UFO hot spot. Portions of "Independence Day" (1996) were filmed in the area with actors Will Smith, Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum, who jump into action when other-worldly visitors threaten to destroy the world over the Fourth of July weekend.

The movie, which grossed over $817 million globally and won a 1997 Academy Award for special effects, also used other locations across America, including Los Angeles, New York, Utah, New Mexico and Washington, DC. When it opened, Nevada’s governor presented Rachel with an “ID4” monument containing a time capsule set to be opened on July 4, 2050. Earthlings, grab a burger in this small town and stay at the quirky Little A’Le’Inn cafe and roadside inn, shown here. Step outside at night to search the dark skies for strange lights.

Stay on the prowl for aliens when you drive Nevada’s State Route 375, the wide-open Extraterrestrial Highway. This 100+ mile loop runs to and from Las Vegas and through Rachel. Stop to pose with alien murals, buy space-themed souvenirs, leave a note in the legendary Black Mailbox for other life forms and admire the spectacular scenery. Rachel, the "UFO Capital of the World," is the closest town to Area 51, a heavily guarded U.S. military base long associated with UFOs.

Shown here: a highway sign showing the route's attractions. (Some signs originally read “Speed Limit Warp 7" until drivers began taking them too literally.) While you'll pass within 15 miles of top-secret Area 51, you can't go in; the base and its airspace are off-limits to the public and trespassers are prosecuted. Enjoy sightseeing on the road instead. Keep an eye on the skies, just in case.

To date, AMC's "The Walking Dead" hasn't been made into a movie, but the wildly popular television series, filmed in the small town of Senoia, Georgia, exploded into spin-offs, video games and more following its 2010 debut. It's been credited with helping put Georgia on the map for additional productions for a total economic impact of $9.5 billion in 2018.

Filmed primarily in Senoia, in Coweta County, "The Walking Dead" uses locations like this wall to warn visitors to stay safely away — but fans can take their chances and make selfies. So-called "Walker Stalkers," fans of the show, can also buy memorabilia and other items from The Woodbury Shoppe. Die-hard fans (excuse the expression) can book an "Ultimate Walking Dead Experience" from Walkin' Dead Tours and Events and use replicas of the show's weapons to defend themselves if zombies show up.

Georgia Tour Company offers self-guided walking and golf cart tours, and occasional guided group tours, of "Walking Dead' movie locations, so you can follow in the footsteps of fictional characters like Rick, Michonne and Daryl.

Despite the fictional undead, Senoia is a lively place to explore. It's filled with historic homes and inns and delightful shops and restaurants. When you visit, look for stars on the streets; they mark movie locations used during the filming of "The Walking Dead" series.

When it's time for a bite — of lunch or dinner, not zombie fare — venture into Nic & Norman's on Main Street for Southern dishes, burgers, craft cocktails, Georgia beers, veggie options and more. It's a joint venture between actor Norman Reedus, who plays Daryl Dixon, and Greg Nicotero, the series director, producer and special effects master. Senoia After Five, a community event shown here, invites visitors and locals to gather for live music, food trucks and shopping. See the website for dates and times.

Devil's Tower is an amazing geologic formation in the Black Hills of Wyoming. It's also the mysterious mound that the character Roy Neary, played by Richard Dreyfuss, obsesses about in the 1977 sci-fi flick, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." Filmed primarily in three small Alabama towns — Mobile, Bay Minette and Fairhope — the story follows Roy after he sees a UFO and tries to help a single mom, portrayed by Melinda Dillon, find her abducted son, played by Cary Guffey.

The abduction scene was filmed at a farmhouse in Fairhope at the intersection of Highways 181 and 104. Since then, the land has been sold for a retail development to be called "Encounter," and the famous house is expected to be relocated behind the site. Twenty-six miles away, in Minnette Bay, "Close Encounters" director Steven Spielberg used the L&N Railroad depot in the movie's big evacuation scene. Later, the town purchased the depot and relocated it to McMeans Avenue on Highway 51, where it houses Alabama's North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce. The public is welcome to visit, and tours are offered daily.

After you've seen the movie locations in and around Alabama's small towns, relax with a good book. One of the state's best bookstores is Page & Palette in Fairhope, where you can find the latest titles as well as bestsellers by local authors like Rick Bragg and Fannie Flagg. This Mobile Bay town also boasts its own French Quarter, and the Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa, named Alabama's top hotel and top spa, is just minutes away in Point Clear.

Stephen King's novella, "The Body," inspired the 1986 movie classic, "Stand by Me." King said he drew on his Maine childhood for this story about four boys whose lives change one summer in fictional Castle Rock, Oregon. The small town of Brownsville, Oregon, (pop. 1,700) was transformed for the movie, set in 1959. You can still see a Coca-Cola sign painted for the film on the exterior of the 1903 Bank of Brownsville on Main Street. (It's been touched up a little over the years.)

Actors Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, and River Phoenix portrayed the boys. Movie locations in Brownsville, which is north of Eugene, included the Calapooia River Bridge on Main Street, two homes, a treehouse on School Avenue, a Baptist cemetery, The Brownsville Saloon (a pool hall called "Irby's" in the film) and Pioneer Park, where locals worked as extras in the big pie-eating scene.

Not much has changed in Brownsville since "Stand By Me" was made. But the movie, which had an $8 million budget and grossed over $52 million — that's about $511 million today — has become a cult favorite. This critically acclaimed coming-of-age film was directed by Rob Reiner.

Every year, fans arrive from around the world for Brownsville's Stand By Me Day, always held on July 23. In the past, the event has included free, guided walking tours of the movie's locations, displays of vintage cars like the truck shown here and a blueberry pie-eating contest. (In the film, the contest fell on July 23, which explains the date.) Before you go, visit the website to verify the date, times and activities. While you're there, check out the Linn County Historical Museum to learn about Oregon's early settlers and the Calapooia tribe, and visit The Living Rock Studios for exhibits of rocks and minerals, wood carvings, Native American and pioneer artifacts and more.

Picture this: An aging cowboy, wearing an eyepatch and riding a tall horse, takes his guns in both hands, grips the reins in his teeth and thunders across a meadow, shooting fearlessly at a band of cocky outlaws. In 1969, most of "True Grit," starring John Wayne, Kim Darby and Glen Campbell, was filmed in the meadow shown here and three small Colorado towns: Ridgway, Montrose and Ouray.

Ridgway, once a railroad town, stood in for Fort Smith, Arkansas, as it looked in the 1880s, where much of the movie was set. Visit the old railroad station, now the Ouray County Ranch History Museum, to see period memorabilia and the prison wagon from the movie. Other movie locations for "True Grit" include Hartwell Park, used in the gallows scene, and North Lena Street, depicted as Fort Smith's Main Street. A "Fort Smith Saloon" sign still hangs over Ridgway Adventure Sports. Drive about 45 minutes east to Owl Creek Pass to visit the movie location for the shootout; it's known as Katie's Meadow or Debbie's or Deb's Meadow.

Built to honor "True Grit," the Academy Award-winning movie, the True Grit Cafe welcomes visitors to sit outside and enjoy the view of the San Juan Mountains, which made a spectacular backdrop for the 1969 film. Comfort foods like steaks, burgers and chicken-fried steaks are on the menu, along with beer, wine, cocktails and other drinks. The cafe walls are covered with posters and pictures from the late Duke's career, and you can shop for a "True Grit" T-shirt or other souvenir while you're there.

Even if you're not a movie fan, Ridgway is worth visiting for its Old West feel, natural beauty, thriving arts community and outdoor adventures like cross-country skiing, hiking, boating and other water sports in the large reservoir at Ridgway State Park.

In director Alfred Hitchcock's horror masterpiece, "The Birds," feathers get ruffled in Bodega Bay, a small town in California north of San Francisco. The trouble starts when lovely Melanie Daniels, played by Tippi Hedren, visits the home of her romantic interest, Mitch, played by Rod Taylor. Soon, birds start attacking anyone who goes outside — and anyone who inadvertently lets them inside.

One movie location, St. Teresa of Avila Church, appears briefly in the opening and again when Hedren drives past it in her character's Aston Martin sports car. Thanks to some nifty editing, it looks like it's close to the former Potter School, another location used in a scene showing terrified children running away from diving, pecking birds. While the school is now a private residence, you can visit the church. (It's rumored that Hitchcock did, while he was filming.) Also, drop by The Tides Wharf and Restaurant, used in scenes of the boat dock and restaurant. It's been remodeled since "The Birds" was released but displays a small replica of its original exterior in the gift shop.

Most of "The Birds" was actually filmed in two locations: Bodega, a small, inland town with a 2024 population of 504, and Bodega Bay, a slightly larger town on the water with a 2024 population of 1,303. Get some shivers up your spine with an annual event celebrating "The Birds" at the Artisans' Co-Op of Bodega, when all the artwork features birds. From the gallery, you can see the former school and church from the movie. The Co-Op is also open daily to showcase exhibits from local artists. Bodega Bay is ideal for outdoor activities like whale watching, golfing, camping, hiking or simply relaxing on the beach.

Many movie fans picture the desert around Kanab, Utah, when we think of the American West. That's because this small town, also called "Little Hollywood" and home to 5,559 residents in 2024, has been used so often as a movie location. Since 1924, more than 100 movies and television shows have captured its wide, open spaces, spectacular colors and incredible rock formations. If you've seen "El Dorado," made in 1966 with John Wayne, or "The Outlaw Josey Wales," filmed in 1976 with Clint Eastwood, or dozens of other Westerns, you've seen the Kanab area. You can still find aging movie sets from the TV series "Gunsmoke," which ran from 1955 to 1975, about 10 miles outside Kanab, but beware: The site is in bad shape.