Where to relive timeless scenes from your favorite movies and television shows.
The magic of the Pacific Northwest has been captured on movie and TV screens for decades. Today, fans can walk in the footsteps of their favorite characters during a visit to Seattle and the region beyond.
Sleepless in Seattle; Pike Place Market TriStar Pictures
Perhaps the most iconic movie set in Seattle is the 30-year-old classic Sleepless in Seattle, featuring lonely architect Sam (Tom Hanks) meeting his soulmate Annie (Meg Ryan). You can explore Seattle just as Sam does with his friend Jay (Rob Reiner) and his son Jonah (Ross Malinger). Visit Athenian Seafood Restaurant in Pike Place Market to enjoy grilled Pacific King salmon while seated on the barstool that Hanks used during filming (a little sign says, “Tom Hanks Sat Here”), or take an Argosy Cruises boat tour of Lake Union to see Sam and Jonah’s floating home from afar.
If you prefer the adventures of Meredith Grey from Grey’s Anatomy, Seattle has plenty to offer despite the television show being filmed mostly on a set in Los Angeles. Walk to KOMO Plaza, a pair of buildings across the street from the Space Needle, to see what you may recognize as Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. Fans can also board a Washington State Ferries boat or admire the view of the city from Kerry Park, two locations where the cast has often filmed. Or make your way to 303 West Comstock Street in the Queen Anne neighborhood to find the “intern house.” If you want to take photos, keep in mind it’s a private residence.
Another popular American television series set in the area is Twin Peaks, where the city of North Bend, a 40-minute drive east from Seattle, stands in for the little mountain town where FBI agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) tries to solve a mystery. Take in iconic locations like the breathtaking waterfall from the show’s opening credits (Snoqualmie Falls), the Great Northern Hotel (Salish Lodge and Spa), and some cherry pie and a cup of coffee from RR Diner (Twede’s Cafe).
If you’re visiting with enough time for a day trip, take a four-hour drive from Seattle to Washington’s Olympic Peninsula and the tiny logging town of Forks. Twilight fans know it better as the home of Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) from Stephenie Meyer’s series of books and movies. Stop by the Forever Twilight in Forks Collection to glimpse the world’s largest assortment of Twilight props, including actual costumes worn by the actors, international editions of the books, and Bella’s graduation quilt. Then stop by the Forks Visitor Information Center to pose beside Bella’s red truck and pick up a tour map, which guides you to movie sights like Bella’s and Edward’s homes as well as Forks High School.
Whether you’re fascinated by the doctors of Grey’s Anatomy or the everyday romance of Tom Hanks’s floating home, you can certainly agree that Seattle is simply magical on-screen and off.
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