Are you planning a trip to Toronto? Would you like to see where films were shot in Toronto? Indeed, it’s a beautiful city to visit in any season, for its architecture and its many parks. While developing our Toronto Civic Center Tourist Scavenger Hunt, and our Old Toronto Tourist Scavenger Hunt, we identified several film locations you might recognize from famous films.
We’ve limited our list to the downtown core and harbourfront areas, where our scavenger hunts are located.
21 films shot in Toronto and their locations
The Kidnapping of the President (1980)
Scenes shot at Toronto City Hall
Strange Brew (1983)
Scenes shot at the Casa Loma
Camilla (1994)
Scenes shot at Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre Center.
X-Men (2000)
Scenes shot at the Casa Loma and Roy Thomson Hall.
American Psycho (2000)
Scenes shot at the TD Center on Wellington St.
The Tuxedo (2002)
Scenes shot at Toronto City Hall and the Casa Loma.
Chicago (2002)
Scenes shot at Osgood Hall, Union Station, the Casa Loma, as well as the Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre Center.
Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)
Toronto City Hall’s distinctive look serves as a major focal point throughout the film.
Crash (2004)
Scenes shot under the Gardiner Expressway
The Pacifier (2005)
Scenes shot at the Casa Loma
Cinderella Man (2005)
Scenes shot at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel
The Sentinel (2006)
Scenes shot at Toronto City Hall
Red (2010)
Scenes shot at Toronto City Hall
Scott Pilgrim vs the World (2010)
Scenes shot at the Casa Loma
Cosmopolis (2012)
Scenes shot at Union Station.
Total Recall (2012)
Scenes shot at Union Station and under the Gardiner Expressway.
Pacific Rim (2013)
A segment of Elizabeth Street, just north of Dundas, was turned into a Japanese war zone for the film Pacific Rim.
Suicide Squad (2016)
Yonge-Dundas Square and southwards on Yonge St served to shoot the car chase scene between Batman and the Joker.
The Shape of Water (2017)
Scenes shot at Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre Center.
DC’s Titans (2018)
Scenes shot at the Casa Loma which serves as Wayne Manor.
The Umbrella Academy (2019)
Massey Hall is the concert hall where number seven plays her violin.
Try our scavenger hunt and see where actual film locations!
Finally, we invite you to try our Toronto Civic Center Tourist Scavenger Hunt or Old Toronto Tourist Scavenger Hunt. In fact, each is a 2-3 hour self-guided walking tour that you do with your smartphone (how it works). You’ll come across most of these film locations and much more. Moreover, you’ll enjoy solving the various challenges at each step of the way while learning the history of Toronto.
They each cost $45 for a group of up to 6 people. Also, there is an Explorer version of the Old Toronto scavenger hunt available for $65. Indeed, it’s longer and has more challenges.
We’ve limited our list to the downtown core and harbourfront areas, where our scavenger hunts are located.
11 Toronto film locations
Toronto City Hall
Toronto City Hall’s distinctive look has attracted many a film director’s eyes over the years.
A few films shot scenes in front of this original building, including Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004), Red (2010), The Tuxedo (2002), The Sentinel (2006) and The Kidnapping of the President (1980).
Also, Devon Corporation building in the animated series Pokémon was inspired.
Osgoode Hall
Located west of Nathan Phillips Square, Osgood Hall is home to the Toronto Municipal Court.
The movie Chicago (2002) shot scenes here.
Yonge-Dundas Square
Starting at Yonge-Dundas square and southwards on Yonge St, were shot the car chase scene between Batman and the Joker, in Suicide Squad (2016)
Massey Hall
It is a music concert hall. It opened in 1894 and was, with the Eaton Auditorium, the only 2 places to listen to a classical music concert in Toronto before 1982.
In The Umbrella Academy (2019) on Netflix, Massey Hall is the concert hall where number seven plays her violin.
Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Center
The Elgin and Winter Garden Theater is a 2-balcony theater that features musicals, movie premieres, and concerts. Similarly, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) uses this place among its theaters every year.
For example, Chicago (2002), The Shape of Water (2017), and Camilla (1994), all shot important scenes here.
Fairmont Royal York
The Royal York Hotel was designed by Ross and Macdonald for the Canadian Pacific in 1929.
Cinderella Man shot scenes here in 2005.
Union Station
Opposite the Royal York is Union Station, built between 1914 and 1920, in the Beaux-Arts style, during the First World War. In fact, it was the Prince of Wales, Prince Edward, who officially opened it to the public in 1927.
For example, Chicago (2002), and Cosmopolis (2012) both shot scenes here.
Gardiner Expressway
Some films have chosen to shoot scenes under this elevated highway which runs the length of the downtown core between it and Harbourfront. They do so for their “concrete” decor, among which are Total Recall (2012) and Crash (2004).
Roy Thomson Hall
Roy Thomson Hall is the home of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. This concert hall originated in 1982.
X-Men (2000) the film that started a franchise of movies that are still coming out to this day, shot some of its opening scenes between Professor Xavier and Magneto here.
TD Center
TD Center at 100 Wellington is a group of 6 towers that are very beautiful to admire as a group. Built in 1969.
In 2000, American Psycho filmed several scenes here between TD Center towers.
Casa Loma
This Gothic Revival mansion is located in York, north of the downtown core. It was built in 1914 for Sir Henry Pellatt as his home.
Casa Loma serves as a popular film location. Indeed, many films and television shows have been shot here including X-Men (2000) as Professor X’s School for Gifted Children, Strange Brew (1983), Chicago (2002), Scott Pilgrim vs the World (2010), The Tuxedo (2002), The Pacifier (2005) and more recently the series Titans (2018) where it is Wayne Manor.
Try our scavenger hunts to see these Toronto film locations
We invite you to try our Toronto Civic Center Tourist Scavenger Hunt or Old Toronto Tourist Scavenger Hunt. They are 2-3 hours each, self-guided walking tours that you do with your smartphone (how it works). You’ll come across most of these film locations and much more. Moreover, you’ll enjoy solving the various challenges at each step of the way while learning the history of Toronto.
In sum, they each cost $45 for a group of up to 6 people. Also, there is an Explorer version of the Old Toronto scavenger hunt available for $60. Indeed, it is longer and has more challenges.
Are you planning a trip to Ottawa? It’s a beautiful city to visit in any season, for its architecture and its parks. While developing our Ottawa Tourist Scavenger Hunt, we identified a few locations used in the filming of well-known movies we thought we’d share with you.
4 film locations in Ottawa
Government Conference Center
Built in the Beau-Arts style by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1912, the Government Conference Center by the Rideau Canal faces the Chateau Laurier hotel and is very close to Parliament Hill. It was originally Ottawa’s Union Station, the main rail hub.
Today, this building serves to host various conferences and political activities such as the G20 in 2001. A section of the Berlin Wall was located in its entrance from 1991 until 2011 when it was moved to a museum.
In 1976, Shadows in an Empty Room with Martin Landau shot a few scenes here on Rideau St, as well as on Wellington further west.
The Lord Elgin Hotel was built in 1941 in the chateau style. It bears the name, like the road it is on, of James Bruce (1862-1863), 8th Earl of Elgin and first Governor General of United Canada. He was the official representative of the British Crown in this British province – before it became a country.
In 2013, Penthouse North a thriller with Michael Keaton shot scenes in Ottawa, including here on Elgin St.
Rideau Canal
Colonel By, a prominent founder of Ottawa supervised construction of the Rideau Canal in 1832. It connects the Ottawa River here in Ottawa to the St. Lawrence River in Kingston, 202 kilometers away. Its original purpose was to transport logs to Kingston for the shipbuilding effort, hoping to prevent a war against the United States, which never happened.
In 1997, Batman & Robin shot scenes with Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger) in winter on the Rideau Canal.
Chateau Laurier
The Canadian Pacific Railway built Chateau Laurier hotel, today operated by Fairmont, 1912, in tandem with Union Station across the street.
In 1941, Captains of the Clouds with James Cagney shot scenes here in and around Chateau Laurier.
We invite you to try our Ottawa Tourist Scavenger Hunt. It is a 2-hour self-guided walking tour of the downtown area that you do with your smartphone (how it works). It costs $35 for a group of 2 to 6 persons. You’ll come across most of these film locations. Moreover, you’ll enjoy solving the various challenges at each step of the way while learning the history of Ottawa.
Do you enjoy spotting where some of your favorite films or tv shows have had scenes shot when you visit a city? A ton of films have been shot in Midtown Manhattan over the years. This continues with many productions closing down streets and parks every year to make your next favorite flick.
In our research to develop a Tourist Scavenger Hunt in New York Midtown, we’ve come across much information, not only some which can only be gleaned when doing the actual scavenger hunt, but also some we wanted to share with you for your visit planning. Here are 10 film locations to see in New York Midtown.
10 film locations in Midtown Manhattan
Grand Central Terminal
This is the principal Amtrak terminal for the city, as well as a central hub for the various metro lines crisscrossing the city. The current Beaux Arts building is the third railroad structure to stand on this site, now covering 48 acres. The original Grand Central Depot was built in 1871 by railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt. The number of railroad companies quickly outgrew the Depot and in 1899 it was demolished and replaced with the six-story Grand Central Station.
Back then, trains were steam-powered. After a 1902 catastrophic collision, the decision was made to switch to modern electric trains. Again, the existing building was rebuilt to accommodate electric trains. Grand Central was no longer just a stop along a route, but the final stop. Hence, it became Grand Central Terminal, and officially opened in 1913.
The nicest feature of Grand Central Terminal is the ceiling of the grand hall, a colossal, breathtaking mural of the zodiac constellations.
To sum up, 49 films have used Grand Central Terminal as an important scene over the years.
Grand Central Murder (1942)
Spellbound (1945)
The Thin Man Goes Home (1945)
North by Northwest (1959)
Seconds (1966)
Sweet Charity (1969)
The Out-of-Towners (1970)
Necrology (1971)
Superman (1978)
A Stranger is Watching (1982)
Falling in Love (1984)
Midnight Run (1988)
The House on Carroll Street (1988)
The Cotton Club (1984)
The Freshman (1990)
A Shock to the System (1990)
State of Grace (1990)
The Fisher King (1991)
The Prince of Tides (1991)
Carlito’s Way (1993)
Amateur (1994)
Hackers (1995)
One Fine Day (1996)
Extreme Measures (1996)
Men in Black (1997)
Tadpole (2000)
Men in Black II (2002)
Unfaithful (2002)
Bad Company (2002)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Taxi (2004)
Kinsey (2004)
Just My Luck (2006)
Whirlygirl (2006)
I Am Legend (2007)
Reign over me (2007)
Revolutionary Road (2008)
Old Dogs (2009)
The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)
The Code (2009)
Duplicity (2009)
The Switch (2010)
Step up 3D (2010)
Friends with Benefits (2011)
Arthur (2011)
Loosies (2012)
The Avengers (2012)
Greetings from Tim Buckley (2012)
Broken City (2013)
New York Public Library
Patience and Fortitude are the two majestic lions outside the main branch of the New York Public Library. They have been the institution’s mascots for more than a century.
It has been NY’s largest and busiest circulating library. It is mostly closed since August of 2017 for major renovations. You can still access the entrance which is worth a quick visit. It will reopen in early 2020.
Overall, 44 films had significant scenes shot here at New York Public Library:
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
You’re a Big Boy Now (1966)
Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
Network (1976)
The Wiz (1978)
Chapter Two (1979)
Exposed (1983)
Ghostbusters (1984)
Prizzi’s Honor (1985)
Off Beat (1986)
Regarding Henry (1991)
Sliver (1993)
Quiz Show (1994)
Zoya (TV 1995)
Picture Perfect (1997)
The Astronaut’s Wife (1999)
The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
Finding Forrester (2000)
Lost Souls (2000)
The Devil and Daniel Webster (2001)
Head Over Heels (2001)
Becker (TV; 2002)
Maid in Manhattan (2002)
Spiderman (2002)
The Time Machine (2002)
13 Going on 30 (2004)
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
Shortcut to Happiness (2004)
13 Going on 30 (2004)
CSI: NY (2005)
Stay (2005)
All My Children (2006)
The Pink Panther (2006)
Jumper (2007)
Spiderman 3 (2007)
Sex and the City: The Movie (2008)
Uncertainty (2008)
Salt (2010)
The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
Arthur (2011)
Winter’s Tale (2013)
5 to 7 (2013)
Oblivion (2013)
A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014)
Also, the following television series also significant scenes shot here at New York Public Library:
Law & Order (TV; ongoing)
Smallville (TV; 2004)
The Prince Pilot (TV; 2005)
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy Weddings (TV; 2005)
Traveler (TV; 2007)
Kings (TV; 2008)
Gossip Girl (TV; 2010)
Who Do You Think You Are? (TV; 2010)
NEWSROOM (TV;2012)
Muhammad Ali (HBO/TV;2012)
Person of Interest (TV, 2013)
The Following (TV;2014)
Bryant Park
Bryant Park is a large park, often referred to as an oasis of green in the heart of Midtown. Find here lawns, fountains, pathways, an outdoor reading room, a ping-pong area and a Pétanque area. In winter, there is an ice-skating rink here.
It is bordered by the Bryant Park Hotel to the south (originally the American Radiator Building), and the Bank of America Tower to the north-west.
Across Ave of the Americas to the west of Bryant Park is was located Circle NYC nightclub in which scenes from How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008) were shot.
On the whole, 23 films filmed various scenes within Bryant Park:
The World According to Garp (1982)
Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)
Private Parts (1997)
The Out-of-Towners (1999)
End of Days (1999)
Loser (2000)
Head over Heels (2001)
The Caveman’s Valentine (2001)
Spider-Man (2002)
Shortcut to Happiness (2003)
Happy Hour (2003)
Heights (2005)
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
I Think I Love My Wife (2007)
Sex and the City (2008)
Deception (2008)
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (2010)
Letters to Juliet (2010)
Morning Glory (2010)
Wanderlust (2012)
Winter’s Tale (2014)
Trainwreck (2015)
Ted 2 (2015)
Also, other TV programs filmed various scenes within Bryant Park:
Project Runway (2004-…)
Glee (2009-2015)
Person of Interest (2011-2016)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2015)
Jessica Jones (2015-)
Conviction (2016-2017)
Port Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal is the main gateway for interstate buses into Manhattan in New York City. It opened in 1950 and stands 1 block east of the Lincoln Tunnel to New Jersey. 8,000 buses and 225,000 people go through it on an average weekday through its 223 gates! 13 Subway lines also stop at the Port Authority.
To sum up, 9 films had significant scenes shot here:
The Touch of Her Flesh (1967)
Lusting Hours (1967)
The Anderson Tapes (1971)
Heroes (1977)
Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
Streatwalkin’ (1985)
Bad Lieutenant (1986)
Keane (2004)
World Trade Center (2006)
Times Square
Originally called Long Acre Square, this stretch of intersections between 42nd and 48th St has long been a major commercial hub full of restaurants, theatres, shops and office buildings.
Today it is likely full of locals and tourists here to take in that New York feeling. There are many street performers in designated zones. There are almost 50 theatres on both sides of Times Square, on 42nd St 43rd St and every street all the way up to 50th.
As a result, 38 films have prominently shown Times Square:
King Kong (1933)
The Seven Year Itch (1954)
Killer’s Kiss (1955)
Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Cannonball (1976)
Superman (1977)
Annie (1982)
A Chorus Line, The Movie (1985)
Crocodile Dundee (1986)
Batteries Not Included (1987)
Big (1988)
Naked in New York (1993)
Jerry Maguire (1996)
Conspiracy Theory (1997)
Cradle Will Rock (1999)
Center Stage (2000)
Vanilla Sky (2001)
Perfume (2001)
Sidewalks of New York (2001)
Life or Something Like It (2002)
Phileine zegt sorry (2003)
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Closer (2004)
She Hate Me (2004)
When Will I Be Loved (2004)
Just My Luck (2006)
Enchanted (2007)
Michael Clayton (2007)
Spread (2009)
Whatever Works (2009)
Date Night (2010)
Twelve (2010)
Captain America (2011)
New Year’s Eve (2011)
Friends with Benefits (2011)
Lola Versus (2012)
Hotel Edison
Built in 1931, Hotel Edison has room for 1,000 guests over 26 floors and is one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in New York with its curved edges, bold lines, and an interior that is both elegant and bold. When the hotel opened, the lights were famously turned on by Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb. It is located on W 47th between 6th and 7th St.
Walk in to see the main lobby which is still in the original Art Deco style. There are many beautiful paintings and murals.
In any event, 3 films and TV shows had significant scenes shot here at Hotel Edison:
The Godfather (1972)
Bullets over Broadway (1994)
Sex and the City (1998-2004)
Radio City Music Hall
This entertainment venue is part of the Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan. It is nicknamed the Showplace of the Nation. Radio City Music Hall was designated a New York City Landmark in May 1978. Originally designed by Edward Durell Stone and Donald Deskey in the Art Deco style, it opened in August 1932.
The Rockettes who put on a Christmas Spectacular here every year have been doing so since November 1932!
Overall, 5 films had scenes here at Radio City Music Hall:
The Godfather (1972)
My Favorite Year (1982)
Radio Days (1987)
Home Alone 2 (1992)
Quiz Show (1994)
Rockefeller Plaza
Rockefeller Plaza houses a large fountain which turns into a skating rink in winter and several signature stores such as Cole Haan and the Lego Store.
On the whole, here are 9 films that shot scenes here in front of the fountain and golden statue of Prometheus:
On the Town (1949). It is where Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly sign New York New York.
Ghostbuster (1984)
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
Private Parts (1997)
Autumn in New York (2000)
Spider-Man (2002)
Elf (2003)
The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
Waldorf Astoria
No hotel is as much a New York icon as the Waldorf-Astoria, built in 1931. The hotel lobby is normally well worth a visit; however, the hotel is currently closed as it undergoes a complete renovation and restoration. It should reopen by 2022.
To sum up, here are 15 films with significant scenes shot here at the Waldorf Astoria:
Weekend at the Waldorf (1945)
The Out-of-Towners (1970).
The Great Gatsby (1974)
My Favorite Year (1982)
Hannah and her sisters (1986)
The Godfather Part III (1990)
Scent of a Woman (1992)
Analyze This (1999)
Serendipity (2001)
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Maid in Manhattan (2002)
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Alfie (2004)
The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)
The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
MetLife Building
By Postdlf, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=667586
This 59-story skyscraper, opened in 1930, is still referred to many New Yorkers by its original name, the Pan Am Building, named for the now non-existent airline. There aren’t many fans of the MetLife building other than the building’s landlords. That’s because its architectural school called Brutalism that uses concrete and blockish forms dwarf the regal Helmsley Building you just saw.
In addition, in the Avengers movies, the MetLife Building is transformed into the Avengers Tower.
As a result, here are 18 films in which we can clearly see the MetLife Building:
Grand Slam (1967)
Only When I Larf (1968)
Coogan’s Bluff (1968)
The French Connection (1971)
Highlander (1986)
Gremlins 2 (1990)
Godzilla (1998)
Armageddon (1998)
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Knowing (2009)
The Avengers (2012) – appears as Stark Tower
Iron Man 3 (2013) – appears as Stark Tower
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) – appears as Stark Tower
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) – appears as Stark Tower
Daredevil (2015-…) – appears as Stark Tower
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) – appears as Stark Tower
Jessica Jones (2017-…) – appears as Stark Tower
Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017) – appears as Statesmen Whiskey tower
Tourist Scavenger Hunts
We invite you to try our Tourist Scavenger Hunt in New York Midtown. It is a 2.5-hour guided walking tour throughout Midtown Manhattan from Grand Central Terminal to Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and everything in between. You do it on your mobile phone (how it works). It only costs $30 for your group (1 to 6 people). Moreover, you will enjoy seeing these film locations and much more while completing challenges and learning about Midtown’s history.
Pinterest for Business recently published an infographic (below) presenting its current top travel trends. Here they are as they relate to Tourist Scavenger Hunts. We thought we’d share this with you as you actually travel and don’t just dream about it.
Some Stats
3 in 4 travel Pinners find useful travel pins from brands. It can provoke an unplanned trip or a visit.
40+ million Americans visit travel pins a month.
Planning a trip on Pinterest
+593% There is a spike in solo adventures. That is traveling alone without friends or family.
While a Tourist Scavenger Hunt is a whole lot of fun with family and friends, it is also intended to be doable by one person. In fact, 20% of our clients do the hunt alone.
+194%Filming locations are popular among travelers wanting to see the set of their favorite shows and films.
+167%Train travel is becoming more popular, cheaper than renting a car and more practical if you remain inside a city where local transit can get you around easily. +346% enjoy River Cruises, allowing them to cover more ground.
Many of our Tourist Scavenger Hunts point out major train stations and terminals, while some point out cruise-line terminals. You can hop off the boat or train and do a scavenger hunt to discover the city in under 3 hours.
+207% share food photography, either at restaurants or cooking classes. +207% seek restaurant guides for new flavors to discover.
We point out a city’s or neighborhood’s top restaurants along all our Tourist Scavenger Hunt routes. That way you can plan where to eat during, or after your discovery walking tour.
Are you planning a visit to Los Angeles? Considering visiting the downtown / civic center area? Do you like seeing film locations when you visit? In our research to develop a Tourist Scavenger Hunt in Downtown L.A., we came across a lot of information. Some we use exclusively in the actual scavenger hunt, but there are others we’d like to share with you.
As part of that research, we came across many locations where film and television series have been shot publicly. You can see these locations as you do the scavenger hunt. To enumerate, here are 5 film locations in Downtown L.A.
Located at 800 N. Alameda St., Union Station is Los Angeles’ is the main railway station in Los Angeles and the largest railroad passenger terminal in the Western United States. Union Station opened in 1939. It not only services Amtrak but local Metrolink commuter trains and several Metro rail subway lines. It is located steps away from this historical city center, where Los Angeles was but a town way back when.
A number of films and TV series have significant scenes shot here at Union Station : The Dark Knight Rises, Blade Runner, Pearl Harbor, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, The Mentalist, Catch Me If You Can, Charlie’s Angel: Full Throttle, The Fabulous Baker Boys, Drag Me To Hell, 24, The Replacement Killers and X-Men 2.
Pico House
Located across the street from Union Station around Los Angeles Plaza Park, Pico House served in the TV show The Mentalist. Built by the last Mexican Governor of Alta California before the end of the American-Mexican War, this historical landmark opened in 1869. The Pico House dates back to LA’s days as a small town in Southern California.
This building, behind the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and the Mark Taper Forum, has been featured in many films and television shows among which are Chinatown (1974) and Inception (2010).
Bradbury Building
The Bradbury building at 304 S.Broadway isn’t very impressive on the outside. However, stepping inside the Bradbury Building lets one discover its steampunk ironwork and wood-paneled interior. Inspired by a science fiction book, construction ended in 1893. The ground floor is easily accessible. However, beyond that, access is restricted.
The interior has played a role in many films over the years, including some science fiction: Blade Runner (1982), Chinatown (1974), Wolf (1994), Lethal Weapon 4 (1998), Pay It Forward (2000) and The Artist (2011). It has also played a central role in many television series among which include Mission Impossible (1966-73), Quantum Leap (1989), Pushing Daisies (2007), CSI NY (2010).
Many music videos for Heart, Janet Jackson, Earth Wind and Fire, and Genesis also feature this unique architecture.
Los Angeles City Hall
Built in 1928, Los Angeles’ City Hall was the tallest building in the city until the 1960s.
Entrance is free, but there are metal detectors. You can explore on your own with the self-guided tour materials available at the information desk on the 3rd Floor. We encourage you to see the observation deck on the 27th floor for a wonderful view of the surrounding area.
The iconic City Hall tower has appeared as itself and stood in for other locations in dozens of TV shows and movies such as Dragnet, Gattaca, X2, The Bodyguard, Torchwood, The West Wing, Beverly Hills Cop, L.A. Confidential, Eraser, The Green Hornet, Barto, Fink, and Speed.
We invite you to try our Downtown L.A. Tourist Scavenger Hunt. It is a 2-hour guided walking tour throughout the downtown core of Los Angeles you do on your mobile phone (how it works). It only costs $30 for your entire group. Moreover, you will enjoy seeing the sights and hidden gems you might have missed otherwise. All this while completing challenges and learning about Downtown L.A.’s history.
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Strange Brew (1983)
American Psycho (2000)
Chicago (2002)
The Sentinel (2006)
Red (2010)
Suicide Squad (2016)
DC’s Titans (2018)
Toronto City Hall
Osgoode Hall
Massey Hall
Union Station
Roy Thomson Hall
Casa Loma
Government Conference Center
Rideau Canal
Chateau Laurier
Grand Central Terminal
New York Public Library
Bryant Park is a large park, often referred to as an oasis of green in the heart of Midtown. Find here lawns, fountains, pathways, an outdoor reading room, a ping-pong area and a Pétanque area. In winter, there is an ice-skating rink here.
Shortcut to Happiness (2003)
Originally called Long Acre Square, this stretch of intersections between 42nd and 48th St has long been a major commercial hub full of restaurants, theatres, shops and office buildings.
King Kong (1933)
Vanilla Sky (2001)
Michael Clayton (2007)
Built in 1931, Hotel Edison has room for 1,000 guests over 26 floors and is one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in New York with its curved edges, bold lines, and an interior that is both elegant and bold. When the hotel opened, the lights were famously turned on by Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb. It is located on W 47th between 6th and 7th St.
This entertainment venue is part of the Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan. It is nicknamed the Showplace of the Nation. Radio City Music Hall was designated a New York City Landmark in May 1978. Originally designed by Edward Durell Stone and Donald Deskey in the Art Deco style, it opened in August 1932.
Rockefeller Plaza houses a large fountain which turns into a skating rink in winter and several signature stores such as Cole Haan and the Lego Store.
Private Parts (1997)
No hotel is as much a New York icon as the Waldorf-Astoria, built in 1931. The hotel lobby is normally well worth a visit; however, the hotel is currently closed as it undergoes a complete renovation and restoration. It should reopen by 2022.
Located across the street from Union Station around Los Angeles Plaza Park, Pico House served in the TV show The Mentalist. Built by the last Mexican Governor of Alta California before the end of the American-Mexican War, this historical landmark opened in 1869. The Pico House dates back to LA’s days as a small town in Southern California.
This building, behind the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and the Mark Taper Forum, has been featured in many films and television shows among which are Chinatown (1974) and Inception (2010).
The Bradbury building at 304 S.Broadway isn’t very impressive on the outside. However, stepping inside the Bradbury Building lets one discover its steampunk ironwork and wood-paneled interior. Inspired by a science fiction book, construction ended in 1893. The ground floor is easily accessible. However, beyond that, access is restricted.
Built in 1928, Los Angeles’ City Hall was the tallest building in the city until the 1960s.
