Famous filming locations road trip

Summary

• The Famous filming locations road trip drive takes around 29 hours, 45 minutes, compared to the direct drive, which takes around 20 hours, 30 minutes. 
• Discover 12 famous filming locations along the way, from Katz’s Deli and River Rouge to the setting for Dawn of the Dead.
• Learn how a Hertz car rental makes it easy to explore the Famous filming locations road trip on your own schedule.

The drive from New York to Minnesota

The Famous filming locations road trip drive takes approximately 29 hours, 45 minutes to drive, for a total distance of 1, 652 miles. The route takes you via I-495 West and does have tolls. If you want to drive from New York to Minnesota directly, it takes around 20 hours, 30 minutes for a total distance of 1,354 miles.

Starting point: Stop 1: Wainscott Beach House – Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Winscott, New York, is the starting point for our filming locations road trip. But before you visit, why not stop by the Hamptons? The Hamptons served as a backdrop for the 1982 murder mystery thriller Deathtrap. A luxury rental car is perfect for exploring this affluent area.

After you’ve finished exploring the Hamptons, take a 20-minute drive in your rental car to Winscott if you’re a fan of cult movies. This iconic beach house was featured in Michel Gondry’s 2004 cult hit Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet. The now-private residence can be seen just off Georgica Association Road and is visible from the beach.

Georgica Association Road, Wainscott, NY 11975

https://www.ehamptonny.gov/

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Stop 3: Katz’s Deli – When Harry Met Sally

Before you visit our third road trip stop, stop by The Equitable Building, located at 120 Broadway in Manhattan, where Jordan got his first job as a stockbroker in the 2013 classic The Wolf of Wall Street.

Then reserve a sustainable electric car rental and visit the iconic Katz’s Deli. This iconic location is where Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal went for a spot of lunch in the 1989 rom-com When Harry Met Sally. Established in 1888, this New York eatery is also the oldest deli in New York City. Enjoy a tasty selection of dishes, from hot and cold sandwiches to soups and sides. (Image credit: Beyond My Ken)

205 East Houston Street, New York, NY 10002

https://www.katzsdelicatessen.com/

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Stop 4: Blairstown – Friday the 13th

This small New Jersey town and the nearby Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco supplied the setting for most of the original 1980 Friday the 13th film. Sadly, the camp itself is private property and requires permission to visit. But fans can book a guided tour of the famous filming location. Other parts of Blairstown used in the film are easily recognizable, including the diner where Steve hangs out.

Before you visit Blairstown, stop by West Orange, New Jersey. Here you’ll find the Pleasantdale Château & Conference Estate, where Happy spends time with golf legends in the 2025 Happy Gilmore 2 film. A compact SUV rental can help you navigate the region’s hilly terrain.

Blairstown, NJ 07825

https://www.blairstowntownship.org/

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Stop 5: Philadelphia – Rocky Steps

Next on our stop is the Rocky Steps in Philadelphia. A compact car is ideal for navigating the city’s congested streets. Sylvester Stallone created what is undoubtedly one of Hollywood’s most famous montages when he jogged up the 72 steps outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art in the 1976 sports classic Rocky.

A little further away from the museum, there’s also the chance to see the Rocky Statue – a gift from Stallone to Philadelphia for its role in movie history. Before you set off for Philadelphia, stop by Military Park Station, Newark, the subway tunnel where Kyle lures Batman into Bane’s trap in The Dark Knight Rises.

2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19130

https://www.philamuseum.org/

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Halfway Point: Stop 6: Monroeville Mall – Dawn of the Dead

Before you visit the midway point on our road trip, stop by the Baltimore Museum of Art in Baltimore, Maryland, which was featured in the 2002 Red Dragon film directed by Brett Ratner. Then take your rental car to Monroeville Mall, the famous filming location for the 1978 horror classic Dawn of the Dead.

This collection of department stores and other retailers forms the main setting of George A. Romero’s horror classic Dawn of the Dead – a cleverly pitched take on the idea of consumerism turning us all into zombies. A compact or midsize SUV is ideal for navigating the tight city streets in Pennsylvania. (Image credit: Avicennasis)

200 Mall Cir Drive, Monroeville, PA 15146

http://www.monroevillemall.com/

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Stop 7: Evans City – Night of the Living Dead

Just under an hour's drive away from Monroeville Mall in your rental is where you’ll find Evans City, the setting for Romero’s 1968 film, Night of the Living Dead. Visitors to the city’s cemetery, off Franklin Road, can spot some of the film’s distinctive gravestones– not to mention, a marker laid in tribute to the film. A short drive away, the Living Dead museum touts some of the entire subgenre’s best-known props as seen onscreen, along with other zombie memorabilia.

Evans City, PA, 16033

https://www.experiencebutler.com/cities-and-towns/evans-city/

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Stop 8: Ohio State Reformatory, Mansfield – The Shawshank Redemption

Ohio’s stark and imposing state prison was retired from reform in 1990, but was used even before then in movies like Tango & Cash. It was the iconic 1994 film The Shawshank Redemption that made the location most famous. Visitors come from far and wide to take public tours of the facility. Certain parts of the complex are also available for private functions. A minivan rental is a great rental companion if you’re travelling with friends or family. (Image credit: Mike Sharp)

100 Reformatory Road, Mansfield, OH 44905

https://www.mrps.org/

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Stop 9: River Rouge – Batman vs Superman

A few minutes from the Detroit River, an unassuming docking company plies its trade. But look a little closer and you’ll see that the Nicholson Terminal is actually the setting for some of the big fight scenes in the DC Comics blockbuster. Downtown Detroit also serves as the backdrop for Metropolis – most notably on Fort Street between Shelby and Griswold, where we saw Bruce Wayne running towards the scene of disaster at the start of the film.

River Rouge, MI 48218

http://cityofriverrouge.com/

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Stop 10: Woodstock – Groundhog Day

Although it’s ostensibly the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the 1993 cult classic Groundhog Day was filmed here in Woodstock. Many of the buildings used in exterior shots during the film are still present today, including the Cherry Tree in B&B, where Bill Murray stayed. There are also plaques dotted around to commemorate its contribution to the film.

Before you set off to Woodstock, stop by Kalamazoo, Michigan, where the 1978 crime movie Blue Collar was filmed at a car factory. The journey from the previous stop (River Rouge, MI) to Kalamazoo is just over a 2-hour drive, then continue driving for three and a half hours until you reach Woodstock.

Woodstock, IL 60098

http://www.woodstockil.gov/

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Stop 11: Dyersville – Field of Dreams Movie Site

If you build it, they will come – and that’s exactly what happened here in Dyersville, Iowa. In the 1989 film Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner built a baseball diamond in the cornfields because of a dream he had. Here on this unique filming location, fans of the movie can live their own dreams with walking tours and the chance to see an occasional live game. An SUV rental is a great choice for a trip to Dyersville, providing space and comfort. (Image credit: Justin Brockie)

28995 Lansing Road, Dyersville, IA 52040

https://www.fieldofdreamsmoviesite.com/

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Finish point: Stop 12: Eden Prairie Center, Mallrats

And there we have it, the final stop on our famous filming locations road trip, Eden Prairie Center. Much of this Kevin Smith comedy was shot in the Eden Prairie Mall, some 1,200 miles from his home state of New Jersey. But with an all-star cast including Shannen Doherty, Ben Affleck and even a cameo from comics guru Stan Lee, Mallrats would become a cult classic in the late Nineties – provided that kid would stay off the escalators. A compact car rental is great for driving through the urban areas of the city. (Image credit: Bobak Ha'Eri)

Eden Prairie Center, 8251 Flying Cloud Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55344

https://www.edenprairiecenter.com/

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Famous filming locations road trip, let’s go!

If you love the silver screen, then this journey of iconic movie locations is for you. Reserve a car rental with Hertz to easily get on the road. Choose from a wide range of rental cars to suit your road trip needs, from family-friendly SUVs to cool convertibles. Pick up your rental car in New York or start your journey from another point. The choice is yours.  

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