The Most Popular Christmas Movie Location Is Easy to Visit
Every December, people cozy up to watch Christmas movies. While it’s nice to tune in from the comfort of your own home, anybody looking to get a more up-close view of some of these filming locations has the chance to do so. One of the most popular Christmas movie locations is surprisingly easy to check out in person.
The most popular Christmas movie location attracts visitors every year
One of the most-searched Christmas movie locations is the Home Alone house. According to research from Spinblitz, 520,000 people search the location each month in the United States. While fans of the film cannot tour the inside of the house — it’s a private residence — they’re welcome to check it out from the outside. The home is located in Winnetka, Illinois, a suburb north of Chicago.
“With the movie generating the biggest monthly searches at 520,000 and a strong 7.7/10 IMDb rating, it’s clear that the film’s an influence,” Spinblitz tells Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “Visitors frequently walk the neighbourhood to photograph the iconic red-brick building, enjoy the area’s boutique shops, and stop by its cozy cafés. During December, the streets are adorned with wreaths, fairy lights, and festive displays, creating a charming seasonal atmosphere reminiscent of the film’s most memorable scenes.”
The home consistently gets tourists snapping pictures outside it, even in the non-winter months.
The ‘Home Alone’ house will undergo renovations
If visitors to the Home Alone house were to go inside, they’d notice that it looks markedly different than it did in the film. In the years since the 1990 movie filmed there, the home underwent extensive changes. Its cozy, holiday atmosphere looks much more modern and minimalist today.
When the home sold for $5.5 million in 2024, pictures of the inside sparked outrage online. Many people mourned the changes to the nostalgic location. Now, though, a new project will bring it closer to the way it looked in the film.
“Our vision is to bring back the warmth and just the love from the movie,” project manager Scott Price told NBC Chicago, adding, “There was so many great colors, and it just made you feel like family and like home, and we want to bring that magic back.”
What other Christmas movie locations do people want to visit?
Home Alone tops the list of favorite Christmas movie locations, but there are many other places fans want to see in person. The second most-searched location was London, where Love Actually takes place.
Other locations include Surrey, where The Holiday takes place, Cleveland from A Christmas Story, Chicago from Christmas With the Kranks, Ontario from The Santa Clause, and Minnesota from Jingle All the Way.
