Visit These 3 Iconic Maine Movie Locations In One Day
We've all heard the adage, "you can take the [whomever] out of the [insert location], but you can't take the yada yada" - you get it. That's very true for this movie buff who just relocated out of Hollywood to Maine. You can definitely take the Hollywood out of me, but I am thrilled to visit some of the scenery used for iconic films in my new home state. So, what movies have been filmed in Maine and its surrounding areas? It turns out, SEVERAL, but I have discovered that with a little perseverance and gas money, I can knock out seeing 3 filming locations in and around Maine in only one day.
Jumanji was Filmed in Keene, New Hampshire and also parts of Maine!
Okay, I Google Maps'd it, and this location will take the most determination and time, but totally worth it. Who didn't love the first Jumanji?! Studios certainly did as it spawned two sequels.
Walk the Footsteps of Robin Williams in the "Maine" Movie Jumanji
You might remember that the late, great Williams starred in the 1995 film, Jumanji. The boardgame flick takes places in the fictional town Brantford, New Jersey, but the scenes were primarily actually shot in the real-life town of Keene, New Hampshire, while scattered parts were also shot in British Columbia, and Maine.
The Stampede Scene in Jumani Took Place on Main Street in Keene, New Jersey!
In a less than 2-hour drive west of Boston, you can immerse yourself into one of the film's more popular scenes, the stampede! Just watch out for monkeys, rhinos, and of course, elephants. Pack some popcorn and candy for the drive!
I Would Be Remiss to Not Mention Forrest Gump at This Maine Location!
"If I was going somewhere, I was running!" If you recall, Tom Hanks did run for about 15,000 miles in the 1994 Academy Award winning film Forrest Gump, and one of his stops after Jenny broke his heart (over & over again) was Marshall Point Lighthouse in Maine!
See the Forrest Gump Lighthouse in Maine by Driving an Hour South of Augusta.
As many Mainers know, traffic can be a nightmare or a breeze to experience the area that houses the Forrest Gump location depending on the time of year. Here are the best months to accomplish this portion of YOUR "run" to the edge of the Atlantic.
The Tour Wouldn't Be Complete Without a Film from Maine's Very Own Stephen King.
After visiting Gump's lighthouse, head into Hancock and Bangor to see the iconic filming locations of Stephen King's Pet Sematary. Granted, scenes from the 1989 cult classic were shot all throughout Maine, but if you want to visit the cemetery (or sematary), it's actually known as the Mount Hope Cemetary in Bangor.
This Scene Still Looks IDENTICAL in Maine.
If you'd like to visit the home where the horror in Pet Sematary all began, it still looks the same as it did in 1989 on Point Road in Hancock. Happy travels fellow movie nerds!
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Gallery Credit: Angela Underwood