Hey there travel enthusiasts and welcome to my post where we will check out the answer to the question where did they shoot Jurassic Park. One of the primary filming locations for Jurassic Park is the island of Oahu in scenic Hawaii.
The famous Kualoa Ranch in Oahu is one of the locations where the movie was shot and you can take a tour of the ranch and see the famous spots where the movie was filmed, including the Indominus Rex paddock and the Gyrosphere Valley.
In addition to Oahu, Kauai, Hawaii’s fourth-largest island, is also featured in the Jurassic Park franchise with the island becoming essentially its own character in the movie with its stunning landscapes and breathtaking scenery.
You can visit the Na Pali Coast, which was featured in the first movie, or take a helicopter tour to see the various locations where the movie was shot. With so many options, you’re sure to find a Jurassic Park filming location that suits your interests.
Jurassic Park: A Snapshot
The first movie in the franchise, simply titled Jurassic Park, was directed by Steven Spielberg and released in 1993. It was a massive box office success, grossing over $1 billion worldwide.
The movie was based on a novel by Michael Crichton, which tells the story of a theme park filled with genetically recreated dinosaurs. The park’s creators invite a group of experts to tour the facility, but things quickly go awry when the dinosaurs escape and begin wreaking havoc.
The filmmakers used a variety of locations throughout Hawaii to create the fictional Isla Nublar, the island where the Jurassic Park theme park is located. Some of the most recognizable locations include Kualoa Ranch and Manawaiopuna Falls.
Since the success of the first movie, the Jurassic Park franchise has continued to grow. There have been three sequels – The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park III, and Jurassic World – as well as a number of spin-off media including video games, comic books, and novels.
Where Did They Shoot Jurassic Park – Primary Filming Locations
Here are some of the main locations where the movie was filmed:
Hawaii
As above, the Jurassic Park Hawaii filming locations include the islands of Oahu and Kauai. Oahu is the third-largest Hawaiian island and is often referred to as “The Gathering Place.” Kauai is the fourth-largest island and is known as the “Garden Isle.”
Oahu
Oahu, one of the Hawaiian islands, was a primary filming location for many scenes in “Jurassic Park.” Here are some of the specific locations on Oahu that were used:
- Kualoa Ranch: This is perhaps the most famous of the “Jurassic Park” locations. The ranch has been used for a number of films, but is most recognized as the place where the Gallimimus were seen stampeding and where Dr. Grant and the kids hid behind a log. Today, Kualoa Ranch offers tours that take visitors to these iconic spots.
- Allerton Garden: Located in the Lawai Valley, this garden was the backdrop for the scene where Dr. Ellie Sattler was trying to restart the park’s power while being stalked by Velociraptors.
- Manoa Falls: The lush rainforest surrounding Manoa Falls was used as the setting for various jungle scenes, including the one where the team first lands on the island.
- Ka’a’awa Valley: This valley, which is also a part of Kualoa Ranch, was used for various aerial shots and jungle scenes.
- Windward Oahu: The cliffs of Windward Oahu served as the backdrop for the T-Rex paddock.
While these are some of the main spots, the diverse landscapes of Oahu provided a multitude of settings for the film. If you visit, many local tour companies offer “Jurassic Park” themed excursions that take you to these iconic locations.
Kauai
Here are some of the specific locations on Kaua’i that were used:
- Nā Pali Coast: The dramatic, jagged cliffs of the Nā Pali Coast were featured prominently in aerial shots, especially the iconic helicopter arrival scene where the characters first approach Isla Nublar.
- Allerton Garden: Located in the Lawai Valley, this garden was the backdrop for the scene where Dr. Ellie Sattler tries to restart the park’s power and encounters a Velociraptor. The towering Moreton Bay fig trees here were also featured in the scene where Alan Grant and the kids climb a tree to escape the T-Rex and later discover a Brachiosaurus feeding.
- Limahuli Garden and Preserve: Some of the dense jungle scenes were filmed in this location.
- Manawaiopuna Falls in Hanapepe Valley: This stunning waterfall is the landing site for the helicopter when the characters first arrive at Jurassic Park. The falls can mostly be seen by helicopter tours.
- Nawiliwili Harbor: Nawiliwili Harbor is the harbor used for the opening scene of the movie with the helicopter.
- Allerton Garden and Lawai Valley: These places served as the backdrop for the dense, tropical rainforest scenes and also the area where the T-Rex chased the jeep.
- Kauai Ranch: This private ranch was used for several scenes in the movie, including the expansive Gallimimus chase.
While these are the primary locations, various parts of Kaua’i’s lush and diverse landscapes were used throughout the movie to bring the world of “Jurassic Park” to life. If you visit Kaua’i, there are several tours available that will take you to these famous filming locations.
Book your trip to where they shot Jurassic Park here!
Secondary Filming Locations
While most of the filming for “Jurassic Park” took place in Hawaii, there were a few other locations that were used for certain scenes. Here are some of the other filming locations you can visit:
California
Although most of the filming took place in Hawaii, some scenes were also shot in California. Red Rock Canyon State Park, located in the Mojave Desert, was used as the location for the dig site where the dinosaur bones were found.
Universal Studios in Hollywood was also used to film some of the indoor scenes where the movie was filmed on several sound stages, including Stage 12, Stage 24, Stage 27 and Stage 28. Warner Brothers in Burbank was also used for some post-production work.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica is where the opening scene of “Jurassic Park” takes place, where the workers are transporting a Velociraptor. However, the scene was actually filmed in Hawaii. If you’re interested in visiting Costa Rica, there are plenty of tours available that will take you to the various filming locations used in other movies and TV shows.
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic was used as a filming location for “Jurassic Park III”. The scene where the Spinosaurus attacks the plane was filmed there. If you’re planning a trip to the Dominican Republic, you can visit the Samaná Peninsula, where the scene was filmed.
Maui
Maui was used as a filming location for “Jurassic Park III”. The scene where the Pteranodons attack the characters was filmed at the Keanae Peninsula. If you’re planning a trip to Maui, you can visit the peninsula and see where the scene was filmed.
Isla Nublar
Isla Nublar is the fictional island where the first “Jurassic Park” movie takes place. While the island doesn’t actually exist, you can visit the filming locations in Hawaii where the island scenes were shot. Kualoa Ranch was used as a filming location for many of the island scenes.
Isla Sorna
Isla Sorna is the fictional island where “Jurassic Park III” takes place. While the island doesn’t actually exist, you can visit the filming locations in Hawaii where the island scenes were shot. The Na Pali Coast was used as a filming location for many of the island scenes.
Central America
Central America is where the InGen laboratory is located in “Jurassic Park”. However, the laboratory scenes were actually filmed in California. If you’re interested in visiting Central America, there are plenty of tours available that will take you to the various filming locations used in other movies and TV shows.
How Do I Get There?
As mentioned above, most of the film locations for Jurassic Park were on the islands of Oahu and Kauai in Hawaii, making it a great destination for movie buffs and travelers alike. If you’re planning a trip to Hawaii, you have two primary options for getting there: by air or by cruise. Here’s what you need to know about each option.
By Air
Flying is the most common way to get to Hawaii and there are several airlines that offer flights to the islands including Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines.
Most flights to Hawaii depart from the West Coast of the United States with the most popular departure cities being Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. However, there are also flights available from other cities such as New York, Chicago and Dallas.
The flight time to Hawaii depends on where you’re departing from, but it typically takes around 5-6 hours from the West Coast and around 10-11 hours from the East Coast.
If you’re flying from outside the United States, you may need to make a connecting flight however direct flights are also available from pacific countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and others.
Visa requirements
For those traveling internationally, to visit the United States, visitors generally need a valid passport and a U.S. visitor visa. The passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the period of stay in the United States and visitors need to fill out a Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application via the Electronic System for Travel Authorization website.
Book your trip to where they shot Jurassic Park here!
By Cruise
Another option for getting to Hawaii is by taking a cruise. There are several cruise lines that offer cruises to Hawaii, including Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, and Royal Caribbean International.
Cruises to Hawaii typically depart from the West Coast of the United States, with popular departure ports including Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego. The length of the cruise depends on the itinerary, but most cruises to Hawaii are around 7-14 days long.
One benefit of taking a cruise to Hawaii is that you’ll get to see multiple islands during your trip. However, keep in mind that you may not have as much time to explore these movie locations as you would if you were flying. Additionally, cruises to Hawaii tend to be more expensive than flights, so this option may not be the best choice if you’re on a tight budget.
Check out these: Best Cruises to Hawaii from Los Angeles
Other Movies Filmed in the Same Locations
If you’re a fan of “Jurassic Park” and want to explore the filming locations, you might also be interested in visiting other movie sets that were filmed in the same areas. Here are a few other movies that were shot in the same locations as “Jurassic Park”:
- Lost: The popular TV series “Lost” was filmed on the island of Oahu, where many scenes from “Jurassic Park” were also shot. You can visit some of the iconic locations from the show, such as the beach where the survivors first crashed and the Dharma Initiative station.
- Kong: Skull Island: This action-packed movie was also filmed on the island of Oahu, at Kualoa Ranch, which is the same location where “Jurassic Park” was filmed. You can take a tour of the ranch and see some of the sets from the movie, including the helicopter crash site and the village.
- Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle: The sequel to the classic movie “Jumanji” was filmed on the island of Oahu, at Kualoa Ranch and other locations around the island. You can see some of the sets from the movie, such as the bazaar and the jaguar statue.
- 50 First Dates: The romantic comedy was filmed in many of the same places as Jurrasic Park including Ka’a’awa Valley and the Kualoa Ranch.
Visiting the filming locations of these movies can be a fun and exciting way to explore the beautiful landscapes of Hawaii and relive some of your favorite movie moments.
FAQs
Where was Jurassic Park filmed?
Some of the primary filming locations for Jurassic Park include the island of Oahu in Hawaii and Kauai’s Na Pali Coast. The waterfall scene in the movie was shot in the Manawaiopuna Falls, which is located in Kauai.
Is it possible to visit any of the Jurassic Park filming locations?
Yes, some of the filming locations for Jurassic Park are open to the public and can be visited. For example, Kualoa Ranch in Oahu, Hawaii, offers tours that take visitors to some of the locations used in the movie.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the primary filming location for Jurassic Park is in and around Oahu and Kauai, Hawaii in the United States and well worth a visit no matter your interest in the show. And as usual, let me know of your experiences here and what you loved about these areas.
Also, please do not hesitate to comment below if you have any questions, concerns, or corrections or would like me to check anything else out for you.
Until next time.
Have fun
Paul
