11 Famous Movie Filming Locations in New England Worth Visiting

Martha's Vineyard became Amity Island. A Vermont village played a Connecticut town. A lighthouse in Maine marked the end of one leg of Forrest Gump's run.

Some of Hollywood's most recognizable places are real New England destinations. Others are temporary sets, private homes or buildings that played a location hundreds of miles away. Knowing the difference makes for a much better trip.

Here are 11 famous movie-location stops across all six New England states, selected for their recognizable films and real-world connections. This is an editorial shortlist, not a ranking based on visitor counts or ticket sales.

The 30-second version

• For instantly recognizable scenery: Martha's Vineyard for Jaws and Marshall Point Lighthouse for Forrest Gump.
• For a city walk: Boston's Public Garden for Good Will Hunting or Salem for Hocus Pocus.
• For scenery with a film connection: Squam Lake in New Hampshire, East Corinth in Vermont and Fort Wetherill in Rhode Island.
• For a useful reality check: Mystic Pizza inspired the movie, but its restaurant scenes were filmed elsewhere. The Beetlejuice house was a set, not a house you can tour.
• For a museum stop: Newport's Rosecliff and Massachusetts properties used in Little Women offer visits on their own terms, with admission and seasonal schedules to check.

1. Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts: Jaws

The movie: Jaws (1975).

The places: Edgartown, Joseph Sylvia State Beach and Menemsha.

The fictional Amity Island was largely Martha's Vineyard. Edgartown supplied recognizable town streets and waterfront views, while the beach and Menemsha helped create the seaside community that Steven Spielberg's shark terrorized. The Vineyard's appeal is that the town-and-harbor landscape remains recognizable without needing a studio tour. 1

Make it a trip: Walk Edgartown's public streets, then choose a beach or harbor stop instead of trying to cover the entire island in an afternoon. The Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce's Jaws map provides a more detailed starting point. 2

Know before you go: The island requires a ferry or flight from the mainland. A recognizable movie location is not permission to enter private buildings or jump from a bridge. Plan transport and follow posted rules.

2. Boston Public Garden, Massachusetts: Good Will Hunting

The movie: Good Will Hunting (1997).

The place: Boston Public Garden, with South Boston's L Street Tavern as another film-linked stop.

The conversation between Robin Williams and Matt Damon on a Public Garden bench is one of the film's defining scenes. It is also one of the easiest connections to build into an ordinary Boston visit: a walk around the lagoon puts you in the landscape seen on screen. L Street Tavern supplied another recognizable Boston location. 3

Make it a trip: Pair the garden with a walk through Beacon Hill or Back Bay. If visiting the tavern, treat it as a working business, not an unattended exhibit.

Know before you go: Not every campus or interior scene was filmed in Boston or Cambridge. The production also used Toronto, so the movie's setting is not a reliable filming map on its own. 4

3. Boston and Charlestown, Massachusetts: The Departed

The movie: The Departed (2006).

The places: Boston street locations, including Charlestown and Chinatown.

Martin Scorsese's crime thriller draws much of its identity from Boston, and portions were filmed on real city streets. A film-location walk gives familiar neighborhoods a different layer, particularly if you recognize the streetscape rather than expecting an intact interior set. Location guides document both Massachusetts sites and New York substitutes. 5

Make it a trip: Choose a documented street stop and combine it with the neighborhood's restaurants, waterfront or historical sights. Avoid spending the day chasing every interior from the film.

Know before you go: Boston on screen does not always mean Boston in real life. Some locations were filmed in New York, and working buildings are not automatically open to movie fans.

4. Salem, Massachusetts: Hocus Pocus

The movie: Hocus Pocus (1993).

The places: Ropes Mansion, Old Town Hall and Pioneer Village.

Salem is a particularly strong movie-location destination because several recognizable exteriors are close enough to combine with the city's museums and historic streets. Ropes Mansion appears as Allison's home, Old Town Hall provides the party location, and Pioneer Village supplies the early colonial setting. Destination Salem identifies these connections in its official filming-location guide. 6

Make it a trip: Start downtown with Old Town Hall and Ropes Mansion. Add Pioneer Village only after checking whether it is open for your date.

Know before you go: Max and Dani's movie house is a private residence, not a public attraction. Do not enter its property or crowd the residents. October brings heavier crowds, and seasonal sites do not share one universal opening schedule.

5. Castle Hill and other Massachusetts estates: Little Women

The movie: Little Women (2019).

The places: Castle Hill on the Crane Estate and Crane Beach in Ipswich, Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, the Bradley Estate in Canton and the Old Manse in Concord.

Greta Gerwig's adaptation used several Massachusetts properties for interiors, grounds and period scenery. The Trustees of Reservations confirmed that all five of these sites hosted filming in fall 2018. For travelers, the draw is not just spotting a scene: the architecture, gardens and coastal landscape make worthwhile destinations independently of the movie. 7

Make it a trip: Choose Ipswich for the estate-and-coast combination, or Concord for a literary-history day. These are separate trips, not adjacent stops.

Know before you go: Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House has an important literary connection, but the production built a replica of the March family home rather than simply using the historic house as its main set. Do not confuse the author's home with the film's constructed house. 8

6. Mystic and Stonington, Connecticut: Mystic Pizza

The movie: Mystic Pizza (1988).

The places: Mystic's real pizza restaurant and nearby Stonington Borough's filming streets.

The real Mystic Pizza at 56 West Main Street inspired the story, but it is not the restaurant set viewers saw throughout the movie. Connecticut's tourism office notes that restaurant scenes were filmed in nearby Stonington Borough and identifies several other Connecticut communities used by the production. 9 10

Make it a trip: Have pizza in Mystic, then visit Stonington Borough for the actual filming connection. The storefront dressed as the movie pizzeria was at 70 Water Street, according to a specialist location guide. 11

Know before you go: The original restaurant is a business, not a preserved movie set. A meal there and a filming-location walk are related experiences, but they are not the same thing.

7. East Corinth, Vermont: Beetlejuice

The movies: Beetlejuice (1988) and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024).

The place: East Corinth village.

The fictional Winter River, Connecticut, is a real village in Vermont. East Corinth's buildings and hillside helped establish the world of Tim Burton's original film, and the sequel brought production back. Vermont Public documents the community's movie connection and the difference between its real buildings and the production's temporary scenery. 12

Make it a trip: Enjoy the village from public roads and permitted stopping places. The recognizable setting is the attraction, not a functioning Beetlejuice theme park.

Know before you go: The movie house was a constructed facade on private land. It is not a house open for tours. Do not climb the hill or cross posted property lines, and do not expect the temporary covered-bridge scenery to remain where the film showed it.

8. Squam Lake, New Hampshire: On Golden Pond

The movie: On Golden Pond (1981).

The place: Big Squam and Little Squam lakes near Holderness.

The film's Golden Pond was New Hampshire's Squam Lake landscape. Water, wooded shorelines and the sound of loons are the lasting attraction, rather than an elaborate movie set. Local reporting and visitor information identify the lakes as the filming location. 13 14

Make it a trip: Look into a permitted lake cruise, including current offerings from the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, rather than attempting to reach filming houses on foot. Check the operator's schedule and route before booking. 15

Know before you go: The film house is private property. Seeing a shoreline from a boat is not permission to land, enter a yard or disturb residents. Cruise availability is seasonal.

9. Marshall Point Lighthouse, Maine: Forrest Gump

The movie: Forrest Gump (1994).

The place: Marshall Point Lighthouse in Port Clyde, within the town of St. George.

The lighthouse's wooden approach appears during Forrest's cross-country run, when he reaches the Atlantic coast. The recognizable walkway, white tower and rocky shoreline make this a particularly satisfying stop even if your visit lasts only a short time. 16

Make it a trip: Combine the lighthouse with time in Port Clyde. Consult the lighthouse organization's visitor information before heading out. 17

Know before you go: Museum access and grounds access are different things. The museum is seasonal, the tower is not a public climbing attraction, and maintenance or storm damage can affect the walkway. Follow current notices rather than assuming a film scene guarantees access.

10. Fort Wetherill, Rhode Island: Moonrise Kingdom

The movie: Moonrise Kingdom (2012).

The place: Fort Wetherill State Park in Jamestown.

Wes Anderson used Rhode Island to create the fictional island of New Penzance. Fort Wetherill's cove supplies one of the movie's most recognizable coastal settings, making it a good choice for visitors who want an actual outdoor destination rather than a private-house photo stop. Location reporting also connects Jamestown's Conanicut Light to the Bishop family home. 18

Make it a trip: Focus on the public park and its permitted paths and viewpoints. Check Rhode Island's current park guidance before visiting. 19

Know before you go: Conanicut Light is a private residence. Fort Wetherill's rocky coast and old military structures are not a movie playground, so obey barriers and keep clear of unsafe edges.

11. Rosecliff, Newport, Rhode Island: True Lies and The Great Gatsby

The movies: True Lies (1994) and The Great Gatsby (1974).

The place: Rosecliff mansion on Bellevue Avenue.

One mansion provides two famous movie connections. The Preservation Society of Newport County identifies Rosecliff as a filming location for both productions, and its ballroom gives visitors the kind of grand interior that can be difficult to access at other movie sites. The Gatsby connection is to the 1974 film, not the 2013 adaptation. 20

Make it a trip: Visit through the mansion's official admission arrangements and combine it with other Newport sights.

Know before you go: Rosecliff is a museum property with its own schedule, not a permanently open set. Check the date-specific calendar, ticket conditions and any closures before traveling.

Plan a film-location trip, not a trespassing trip

Pick a cluster. Boston and Salem work as separate urban outings. Mystic and Stonington make a natural pairing, as do Newport and Jamestown. The Vineyard needs its own transport plan, while Squam Lake and East Corinth suit a northern New England itinerary.

Check the version of the movie. A sequel or remake may use completely different sites. The 1974 Gatsby and the 2013 Gatsby are not interchangeable location guides.

Separate setting from filming. Beetlejuice's Connecticut town is in Vermont. Mystic Pizza's real inspiration is not its main restaurant set. Good Will Hunting's Boston story includes Toronto filming.

Let the property owner set the rules. Museums require admission, working businesses need room for customers, and private homes are not attractions. Use public viewpoints and official tours where offered.

Check access close to departure. Seasonal openings, weather, ferry availability and maintenance can change. This guide identifies film connections, not guaranteed opening hours or access on a particular day.

Sources and reporting note

Sources are linked beside the relevant claims, including Destination Salem, Connecticut's tourism office, The Trustees of Reservations, Newport Mansions, Vermont Public, Boston.com, AAA, local reporting and specialist filming-location guides. New England Press has not independently visited every location or confirmed every operator's current schedule. The selection is unranked and does not claim to measure which sites receive the most visitors.

Cover: AI-generated editorial illustration inspired by New England's coastline. It does not depict an actual film set or a specific location listed in this guide.