Travel Inspiration: Twilight

Just in time for Twilight mania, The Seattle Times has put together a special Twilight Fan Trip. The official trip is scheduled to take place the weekend of November 17-20. The Itinerary includes access to private film locations in Portland, OR, a sneak preview of Twilight, discussions with location scouts, and guided tours of the Columbia River Gorge and St. Helen’s. The trip even includes 3 nights lodging and six meals. Of course all of this doesn’t come cheap, prices range from $849-$949 per person. You can see the complete itinerary here.

As if that weren’t enough, as a special bonus, anyone taking the trip will also be able to attend a special meet and greet with the Twilight villains – James (Cam Gigandet), Laurent (Edi Gathegi) and Victoria (Rachelle Lefevre).

They are also offering a VIP premiere travel package and a midnight movie release trip! But if you can’t afford these prepackaged trips, you can always take your own Twilight tour! Check out the list of filming locations, all of which are located in Washington or Oregon. Here’s another list of locations and a photostream of pictures taken during filming. And be sure to check out Trip Advisor for hotel reviews and other must dos in the Northwest.

Travel Inspiration: Zack and Miri Make a Porno

We featured Zackand Miri earlier this year while the movie was filming in Pittsburgh but felt it was worth another visit, especially considering Kevin Smith will be back in Pittsburgh to premiere the movie on October 25th, it opens in wide release on October 31st.

Pittsburgh isn’t just a working class steel town as it is often stereotyped. Several art galleries, museums, and topnotch restaurants have cropped up making Pittsburgh a world class city. Check out the Warhol Museum, The Mattress Factory, or take the incline to Mt. Washington. Pittsburgh is also a bargain when compared to New York or Philadelphia where a two star hotel $250.

One more thing, check out the shout out I got from News Askew last week!

Travel Inspiration: The Secret Life of Bees

If you’ve seen the previews for The Secret Life of Bees, opening October 17th, you may have been enthralled by the location as I was. Nothing is more travel inspiring for me than the great films of the south that showcase Savannah (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil), New Orleans(Eve’s Bayou), or the Outer Banks(Nights in Rodanthe). I love southern imagery that conjures up a feeling of mystery, romance, and longing.

The Secret Life of Bees, based on the best selling novel, is sure to deliver all of these emotions and more as the story of a young girl and the women who help her through a personal journey to unravel the secrets surrounding her mother’s death unfolds.

Though the story is set in South Carolina it was actually filming in North Carolina, just outside of Wilmington. The main set and home used in the film is located in Watha. The book’s author Sue Monk Kidd made a visit to the set and the surrounding area and shared her experience as well as a few set details which can be found here. If you are interested in visiting Wilmington, NC, check out this article in the New York Times or this recent Cinematic Road Trip from Intelligent Travel.

Travel Inspiration: X-Files Style

We skipped last week’s “Travel Inspiration” due to Dark Knight and Mamma Mia fatigue. They both have excellent locations which we have discussed in previous posts but we just couldn’t think about either film for one more minute. Yes, we know Heath Ledger was brilliant as The Joker and the stage version of Mamma Mia cheered up Meryl’s daughter after 911, we got it!

So moving right along, in theaters this week is X Files: I Want to Believe which was filmed in Vancouver as was the original TV series. And we all know Vancouver is Hollywood North, home to dozens of movies and TV shows includingJuno, Smallville, Psych, Supernatural, John Tucker Must Die, Stargate, Battlestar Galactica, Deck the Halls, even the highly anticipated Watchmen.

There are several factors that contribute to the amount of filming taking place in Vancouver, it is cheaper to film in Canada, that is probably reason number 1 but they also have a variety of studios and on location crews that help to.

All of these movie sets make Vancouver an excellent place for star searching. Wikipedia features a guide to common filming locations that are still be used for various movies or TV shows making all of theses locations good stalking ground. Read more

Travel Inspiration: “Journey to the Center of the Earth”

This week Journey to the Center of the Earth opens nationwide and is receiving more buzz for its digital 3-D effects than for its plot or acting. But what it lacks in storyline it makes up for in location. The movie is not only set in Iceland but was also partially filmed there.

Iceland is becoming a hot travel destination because of its diverse landscape that includes glaciers, hot springs, geysers, volcanoes, and lava deserts. Since Iceland isn’t exactly a tourism Mecca it is hard for many (including me) to picture what it is like or what there is to do. MTV sent a reporter to Iceland for a week and she posted details from her trip on their blog. I wouldn’t normally consider MTV a great travel resource but this is actually an excellent overview.

Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland and a good “home base” as it is the most populous city in Iceland. Like most cities there is an art scene, shopping, and many restaurants specializing in seafood. But to really get the full experience no trip to Iceland is complete without venturing out. Here are few recommended excursions.

The only real downfall (and the reason why few actually visit Iceland) is it can be cost prohibitive. You can cut expenses by staying in a hostel rather than a hotel and traveling by bus pass rather than car. It may also be more cost effective to take an all inclusive tour of Iceland. Another option might be winning a trip. Iceland Naturally is sponsoring a contest for 3 nights all expenses paid if you want to try your luck.

Journey to the Center of the Earth has shined a much needed spotlight on one of the earth’s most unique destinations. With the movie’s release, Iceland is sure to be added to everyone’s must see list.

Travel Inspiration “Wanted”

Wanted, had a huge opening last weekend, coming in second to Wall-E only because it opened in 800 less theaters across the country. The movie tells the story of a young man who, after learning his dead father was an assassin, is recruited into the same exclusive, superhuman association his dad once belonged to.

Wanted was filmed in Prague, Budapest, and Chicago. OLV brought you all of the Chicago locations as they were shooting last August, now we have even more travel inspiringinformation about Prague and Budapest.

Prague is not just the capital of the Czech Republic but also the cultural, economic, and political heart of the country. Since Prague was the primary filming location for Wanted, a large set was built in the city as director Timur Bekmambetov explained to MTV “we built a huge textile factory in Prague. The production designer, John Myhre, made ‘X-Men,’ ‘Chicago’ and ‘Memoirs of a Geisha.’ He’s built this huge set, and we’ve created a mythology in this world of weavers.”

Prague’s cityscape is still largely made up medieval cobblestone roads, traditional pubs, and ancient courtyards, all overlooked by a 1100 year old castle.  This is not to say the city doesn’t have its fair share of trendy cafes and boutiques. It would be easy to spend three days just exploring the city and admiring the architecture she is known for. But there is also a thriving nightclub scene in Prague, another illustration of the dichotomy between old and new in the city. Prague’s many options spill over into the vast choices for accommodations too. From hostels to luxury hotels, there is truly something for everyone. Read more