Twenty years ago, movies were indisputably the height of entertainment. Movie stars were the most famous and celebrated people imaginable, film was respected as an artistic medium, and Hollywood was in its financial and critical heyday. However, as time has gone on, the silver screen has had to share more and more creative space with a lesser-known, lesser-respected medium: television. Indeed, as more and more households got TVs and cable access, the quality of television programming went up, eventually establishing equilibrium with its more established brother, film.
In light of that switch, television imagery has become just as, if not, in some cases, more iconic than film imagery, with the number of instantly recognizable scenes and settings increasing exponentially. Therefore, in honor of TVs recent attainment of the national and cultural hotspot, below is a list of five television locations you might be able to see on your next trip.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque may seem an odd place to visit on a family vacation. But if you ever find yourself drawn there for work or pleasure, it's worth checking out the tour of sets used for the AMC mega-hit "Breaking Bad," the story of high-school teacher turned drug-dealer Walter White. From the faux-restaurant "Los Pollos Hermanos" (actually called "Twister's Grill") to the White family's condo, a tour of Albuquerque just isn't complete without seeing the world of its most famous (or infamous) fictional resident.
New Jersey
Interested in a different type of crime? Look no farther than Northern New Jersey, home to one of the most legendary fictional mob-bosses of all time, Tony Soprano. However, Tony and the gang didn't just work from inside a Hollywood set. On the contrary, a tour through New Jersey will show such iconic images as the restaurant "Pizza Land," the phony business "Barone Sanitation," and the famous strip club the "Bada Bing." In essence, a tour through "Sopranoland" is definitely an experience never to be forgotten. Just be caerful - you don't want to get whacked!
Austin, Texas
Austin may be best known to most for its country music and longhorn cattle, but what many people don't know is the city's impressive history in television. From the diner in the show "Friday Night Lights," to the streets walked by Chuck Norris in "Walker, Texas Ranger," Austin is home to some of the most under-rated but interesting sets in television history. And, if you stop by at the right time, you could even see a filming of the PBS show "Austin City Limits," a fun addition to any vacation. In effect, from football, to cowboys, to music, Austin has the entire television front covered.
Oahu, Hawaii
Trying to see some cultural landmarks on your next tropical vacation? Look no farther than Hawaii, home to the notable television shows "Lost" and "Hawaii Five-O." Indeed, as you walk down the heart of Honolulu, you'll see exactly where McGarrett and Kelly chased the bad guys, where Danno was always told to "book ‘em."
For the more adventurous traveler, a visit into the North Shore of Oahu will reveal a different sort of location: the set of the show "Lost." Visitors to that area can see exactly where the island-dwelers set up camp, or where the smoke-monster confronted Mr. Eko.
In short, just as any Hawaiian vacation is incomplete without a Luau or Hula dance, it's also not complete without seeing some of the most memorable television images ever put to the small screen.
Northern Ireland
If you're making the trek up to Ireland, you might as well drop by the home to one of the biggest shows out there today, HBO's "Game of Thrones." While the show shoots almost everywhere (Croatia, Malta, and Iceland, just to name a few examples), Ireland is perhaps the most recognizable as the land of "Westeros," home to the Stark family castle "Winterfell" (in real life, it's called "Castle Ward").
It's also the site of the famous Mourne Mountains, whose base makes up the haunting entrance to the fictional "Vaes Dothrak" (a location that also inspired C.S. Lewis to write his first major children's book "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"). In short, a trip to Ireland will provide more than just history and scenery - it will, quite literally, take you out of this world, into a land of fantasy, legend, and enchantment.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
